Images From Birthdays

Last weekend we pulled a double birthday. Saturday we celebrated SueBoo’s and on Sunday it was Pops’.

Saturday we went to a Mexican restaurant and had so much fun that the other patrons looked at us funny:

Here I am at the restaurant looking like I am mouthing dirty words (good and bad ones!):

Later on in the evening I successfully defended (in the 80s edition) my Trivial Pursuit championship. We really should get a title belt made up for me the champ. Anyway, Little Harry had no idea what the television show The Greatest American Hero was so the G-Man decided to sing part of the theme song:

The next day at Pops’ celebration we were pretty low key. We did manage to get this picture of Little Harry in a staredown with my parents’ pooch, Goldie, that for some reason really cracks me up. Somebody should really come up with a good caption for it.

Also, Fandango managed to score a rogue weiner:

Eventually, the long weekend took its toll on everyone, especially the pooch. He crashed within 5 minutes of being in the car.

I wasn’t too long behind him. I hope everyone had a great birthday.

The Possible Return Of Boo

Some of you may know a little bit about the old ghost lady that lives in my house. If you have no clue what I am talking about or would like a refresher course you can click here, here and here.

Over the last several months our other-worldly guest has been dormant and quite silent. I had almost forgotten about her past visits. Oddly, the wife mentioned just yesterday to me about how the paranormal lady has not been bothering us.

Well, obviously just the mention has set something off with her. This afternoon while lounging in front of VH1’s 40 Greatest Metal Songs (yeah, I am kind of into the classics on TV) something very bizarre and somewhat familiar occurred.

It was about the time that either a video by the band Slayer (who in my opinion play the soundtrack to Hell itself) came on or during the appropriately named “Number Of The Beast” by Iron Maiden that I jumped out of my skin. It started low as if an emergency vehicle was about to drive past, then built to an ear piercing crescendo. It was an evil, female-like, blood curdling scream. My eyes widened and my heart leaped into my throat. I immediately peered over towards super pooch Fandango to see if maybe he had heard something. It appeared that he did as he had been awakened from his afternoon nap with his ears pricked up staring directly at me.

I got up and slowly waltzed through the dining room and kitchen which is from where the sound seemed to emanate. I made my way into the guest bedroom where my wife was typing away diligently on the computer. I wondered if maybe she had also heard this terrible noise. She had not, leaving her to question my state of consciousness: “Were you asleep?“

Well, I hadn’t been asleep, I was rocking out to some demonic tunes on the television. I wonder if it was the music that got our ghostly guest up and about or if it was just the imaginations of myself and the dog? Yeah, I doubt it was BOTH of our imaginations.

I’ll leave with this song as a memento to my most recent ghostly visitation.

Time To Punt?

It had been many months, I believe six to be exact, since I had last seen this friend of mine. The last time we were together there was anger and disappointment. My heart rate had been raised to almost unsafe levels and the saltiness of tears had begun to well up in my eyes. I had been crushed and needed to walk away.

At the moment that I left I tried to tell myself that it was over forever. What had happened was almost more than I could deal with and I wanted to wash my hands of this 30 or so year relationship. As I shuffled my feet in dispair I knew deep in my heart that I would return. Last weekend as I prepared to dress to head out to celebrate SueBoo’s birthday, I made the initial steps towards a reconciliation.

I asked The School Girl if maybe it was too soon. Truly my heart had been stomped on and ground into pulp. With a sparkle in her eye she assured me that it was okay and I was making the right decision. The grieving process was ending. With a bit of hesitation I engulfed myself fully into the healing. It was time to move forward especially since our prime months of friendship were quicly approaching.

I was afraid of the potential ridicule by others but I shunned the thought and ran straight forward with my heart, and my friend, firmly on my sleeve. As I slipped on my now retro jersey I knew that I was ready to begin anew.

The pain I felt has almost fully subsided and I am prepared to help my friend exact a level of retribution to the best of my abilities. So I ask you, are you ready? I know that I am. I wear my Patriots jersey with pride and raise my middle finger into the air towards any and all of you that may scoff or roll your eyes in contempt.

Sure my boys from New England embarrassed themselves by not closing the deal last year, but that was last year. This year brings renewed hope and with a little bit of hard work and dedication maybe, just maybe, we can bring home yet another Super Bowl victory.