Homecoming Recap

S and I, as previously reported, took in the Homecoming festivities. And, we saw a few people we had not seen in a while. Which, of course, is always fun. But, the more interesting part was this supposed controversy over the mascot - or mascots, I guess. This part was entertaining.

First, though, tailgate with friends.

Oh - and the weigh-in update - last week I lost another 4.4 pounds to take the grand total to date to 12 pounds. Keep 'em comin'. OK, back to the tailgate!

Dave was up from Houston with his friend Erica.





Tricia and Jennifer mugged for the camera.


And so did Jennifer's sweet girl.



JG was again the consummate host.

Then the parade to the stadium began.

And look who we saw! Bob Brandenberger -
the Mustang Band director when we were in school.


SMU played - and beat - Rice.
That's their Owl.

We played Rice for Homecoming my freshman year too. We lost miserably that year. In fact, I didn't see the Mustangs win a game until my sophomore year. They did win one, but it was an away game against Tulane. So I didn't see it. I've seen my share of really bad football, that's for certain.

Pregame was good.




Bob-O conducted Varsity which was a nice Homecoming touch.



OK - here is the controversy.
These mustangs - they did nothing but sit at that end of the stadium.
Silly.

Someone with a lot of money gave these two Mustangs to the school as mascots. Many people feel this is June Jones' doing, as in Hawaii, they were called the Rainbows. Then the Rainbow Warriors. Then the Warriors...apparently June has Napoleon complex or something.

Because he doesn't like the mascot the school has had for more than 50 years - Peruna - a Shetland pony. The mascot is the Mustang, but the mascot is Peruna. And, I have to say, I am a fan of Peruna. And I don't think the size of the horse has anything to do with winning or losing football games. I mean, when they were paying players in the 80's, Peruna did the trick.

I didn't know much about this before we came to the game, and I know lots of people feel very strongly about this issue. But, after observing the situation cold turkey, I do have to say those Mustangs look a bit too much like a Red Raider Masked Rider. And I'm not sure size matters in this instance. And I hope they keep the little horse.

Of course, there is also THIS Mustang...
...that is a whole nother story.



There was actually a football game where SMU won.
They are now 5-4, which is rather remarkable.



Two wins were with this guy as quarterback.
I think I like this guy better than the other one.
But I know nothing about football.



At the start of halftime, Gary Cogill, of all people, interviewed June.



Then the Rice Band took the field.
Yes, that is a marching cello.



Marching everythings...



...they are nutty...


...but entertaining!



Then the SMU Band took the field with the Alumni Band.



The old and the young.
Or the young and the restless...


But, seriously, look at the bass drum player.
Whoa. Memories.

So, there you go. The recap. Good to see old friends. Wonderful weather. The home team won, which is a different sort of Homecoming right there. Nice Saturday.

Happy Tuesday. See you tomorrow.

Monday Musings

1 - Here are some photos I took of the tree in our neighbor's yard on Friday morning. The sun was coming through the trees so beautifully. And the tree had dropped a good number of it's leaves into a splash of color on the lawn. I was on my way to the car to go into work and had my hands FULL of stuff. So I dropped it all on the pavement, dug out the purse camera and took a few shots.

If only that car wasn't parked in the street. Which reminds me of a story about when we moved into the neighborhood. Our house was previously inhabited, for years and years, by a woman named Marge who recently moved to a nursing home. Among other things, she had been Tom Landry's secretary for many, many years. The house was, sadly for her, in a state of disarray, but there were glimpses of a time when she must have decorated it to the nines and kept a beautiful home.

Anyway, one of our new neighbors, God rest his soul as he's passed on since then, came down to introduce himself. John had two very important things to tell us. First, we were to take note that everyone in the neighborhood LOVED Marge's azaleas. And second, people don't park on the street here.

Apparently, that neighbor did not receive John's memo. Someone needs to take up the fight now that he's gone to keep cars off the streets. John would love nothing less.

Furthermore, with regard to that story - the azaleas John spoke of ran the length of the front of the home, and were very old, woody, non-leaf-bearing dinosaurs of what I am sure once were once a whole lot of beautiful pink azaleas. The first thing we did was dig those suckers up. Yep, we did. So, you know, we try not to park on the street. In order to have some cred here in the hood.

Back to Friday morning - I took these photos, which are nice, but don't really capture the beautiful, lovely, wonderful light coming through onto the gorgeous leaves in the way I saw it in person. Oh well. After I took the photos, I gathered up my things and was getting ready to drive away, but I couldn't locate my cell phone. I decided to go check to make sure it wasn't still in the driveway...and it was. Had I not that split second thought of it, I would have driven right over it. Whew. That would not have been a good start to the Friday. Double whew.

2 - remember that white fluffy bush I showed you last week? Well, my dad's wife's daughter Mindy works at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which happens to sit on some grounds that are kept up by a horticulture staff. She asked me if I wanted her to find out what it was, and I said, sure! So, Mindy very thoughtfully forwarded the photos to her horticultural colleague Irvin to see what he knew about those bushes. Irvin replied in this way:

Mindy, I contacted my friend Jimmy at the Dallas Arboretum and he had the answer - Consumption Weed. Below is a link that describes it and that might be a site for more help. His place would be a good source of info for your step-sister, especially if she is close enough to visit. If not, all the contact info is in his reply so she could visit the arboretum via the web.
Have a good weekend.
Irvin

And, then, Irvin forwarded Jimmy's message to him:

Baccharis

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/nativeshrubs/baccharishalim.htm

Consumption Weed as we call it.

Purdy though...

Jimmy Turner
Senior Director of Gardens
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

There are several things that made me laugh about this exchange. First, that it IS INDEED named a WEED. Of course. Of course. The only saving grace here is it seems people do plant them ornamentally, so it isn't always seen to act as a weed.

Second, that Irvin suggests the Dallas Arboretum might be a good resource for me, and that Jimmy provided the answer. I don't know Jimmy, but I get emails from him all the time because the Dallas Arboretum sends them out to people who have signed up for their email list. Which I am one. And, um, the Dallas Arboretum is within, if not walking, certainly BIKING distance of my home. No need to even use gasoline! Yeah, um, why didn't I think of that? Heh heh. That is a good site Jimmy pointed us to, though, isn't it? Also in Texas, via Indiana. Go figure. I've bookmarked that bad boy for future reference. Thanks Mindy, for getting me straightened out on that one. Ahem.

3 - I am thankful for those of you who told me what you're thankful for. I know some of you really need time to mull things like that over.

Time's up. Come on. Spill it. Tell us. It's not that hard. Let er' rip.

I am especially thankful today for my Unk, and am thinking of him as he undergoes another little procedure on his heart. Don't think that I haven't noticed that a hospital stay and a "heart condition" might all be ruse to go on a special diet under the supervised care of a physician, all to win our bet. No, I kid - he's really getting something checked out today, and he's on my mind. And, I'm thankful for him in so many ways, and also for the fact I have a mind he can be on.

Also on my mind today - our good friend John, who is still fighting chronic rejection with those beautiful lungs. He's back in hospital and on some oxygen. Please pray the doctors find a new and right path very soon. I am thankful for the doctors who are caring for him and for the prayers and thoughts surrounding his family. I hope they feel the presence of all of our good wishes and that somehow that helps.

4 - We went to SMU Homecoming as planned. I'll give you a full report later this week once I get through the photos.

This has nothing to do with dieting. I just like it.

5 - I stayed on the diet pretty well all week last week. One night I had half of a roll. Not allowed on the diet. Friday night, I met some former work colleagues for Happy Hour and I had a margarita. Not on the diet. But, I took a diet bar to the football game and had that at the game instead of concession food, so that counts for something, no? I weigh in again tomorrow morning...the scales will be the final judge. Ugh.

6 - I don't think I have a 6 except to tell you I hope you have a wonderful week, and I'll see you tomorrow.

What Are You Thankful For?

OK, so I know Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, but since it's one of my FAVORITE holidays, I think we should start early thinking about what we're thankful for. Because I know there are so many things we are thankful for and we should give thanks for those things more often, don't you think?

So, today, and a few more times this month, I'm going to tell you a few things I'm thankful for, and I want you to tell me something you're thankful for to. OK? OK.

I'm thankful - and so glad to tell you - that S's dad Sam went HOME yesterday! Woo-hoo for that! I'm sure he's thankful too. And S's mom Cheryl is thankful. Everyone is thankful for that one.

I am thankful for autumn. That's an easy one! And for beautiful crisp cool days heading into winter. And for the colors changing on the trees. For sweaters and turtlenecks - and soup and pecan pie and chili. And, of course, for fall festivals and holiday bazaars. It's a wonderful time of the year.

I'm thankful for sunrises and sunsets.
And for the opportunity to take in their majesty.

I am thankful for my dogs. For how excited Ellie gets when I wake up in the morning. I love the sound of her tail beating against the side of the bed and how she can't wait to lick my face.

And, how Echo stands on her rock overlooking the backyard wagging her tail when I return home at the end of the day. Everyone should have someone who is that excited to see them.

I'm thankful for crisp clean water with just a little lemon juice in it. And for a good, cold beer. And for the taste of a ripe tomato. Especially when it's part of a caprese salad, drizzled with a little EVOO. And for the taste of a brand new piece of chewing gum.

I'm thankful for the smell of the air when you drive out of the city.

I'm thankful for clean sheets on the bed. And for the way a meal sometimes comes together just so. I'm thankful for a home and a husband and a job. And a wonderful family. And so many life experiences. I'm thankful for so many things.

So, on this Friday, what are YOU thankful for? Right now? Right this minute? Today? What is it you are thankful for? Tell me! Tell us! It'll make us all feel so good. And, maybe remember something we ourselves are thankful for that maybe we forgot. So let 'er rip!

Best wishes for a wonderful weekend. See you Monday.

Fluffy White Things

When I went over to the lake to take some photos of pretty leaves, I also saw a series of these bushes. Or I guess that's what I'd call them - I don't have any idea what they really are.

I thought they were so wispy, beautiful, ethereal.

Especially in the late day sun.
Anyone know what these bushes are?

It's probably a poisonous weed.
That would be about par for the course.

Very nice, whatever it is.



One more little fluffy white thing was nearby...also beautiful, no?

Just had to share. Happy Thursday! See you tomorrow.