Anyway, this week's post is a look back on 2013--the good, the bad, the less-than-stellar away average of the New Orleans Saints. It's also our expectations for 2014.*
Let's take a short recap of 2013, shall we?
There were things that occurred in January and February...I know there were, but I've slept and my memory is in the same classification as the Saints away average. So let's just say things happened and we lived through them aka "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." That should cover it...whatever "IT" was.
MARCH!!! No, the month not the action. I had a birthday...again. I turned 24.** I'm now the same age as my daughter. At least until 2014, when I will be YOUNGER than she is by two years. It's complicated, I know. Just go with it.
April, May, June, July, first three weeks of August...more things came and went, but once again, I don't recall what they were. Apparently, they made a HUGE impression.
End of August... YAY!!! This was a time, once again, for celebration with a twist. Mo-Mo came to visit!! *insert fanfare and whistles* *toss streamers* I picked my girl up at the NOIA on Wednesday afternoon AFTER her stupid flight was missed because the original flight from NY left late, which in turn caused her to miss the connecting flight out of whereverthehell***, and have about a five-hour layover. I wandered the Quarter all by my onesies because instead of driving over to Kenner to pick her up so we could roam the streets of NOLA together at about 11 a.m., I had to wait until the Bishop got out of class at 3 p.m. and THEN we went to the airport to get her.
Let's take a short recap of 2013, shall we?
There were things that occurred in January and February...I know there were, but I've slept and my memory is in the same classification as the Saints away average. So let's just say things happened and we lived through them aka "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." That should cover it...whatever "IT" was.
MARCH!!! No, the month not the action. I had a birthday...again. I turned 24.** I'm now the same age as my daughter. At least until 2014, when I will be YOUNGER than she is by two years. It's complicated, I know. Just go with it.
April, May, June, July, first three weeks of August...more things came and went, but once again, I don't recall what they were. Apparently, they made a HUGE impression.
End of August... YAY!!! This was a time, once again, for celebration with a twist. Mo-Mo came to visit!! *insert fanfare and whistles* *toss streamers* I picked my girl up at the NOIA on Wednesday afternoon AFTER her stupid flight was missed because the original flight from NY left late, which in turn caused her to miss the connecting flight out of whereverthehell***, and have about a five-hour layover. I wandered the Quarter all by my onesies because instead of driving over to Kenner to pick her up so we could roam the streets of NOLA together at about 11 a.m., I had to wait until the Bishop got out of class at 3 p.m. and THEN we went to the airport to get her.
The good part about all of that nonsense was she arrived safely. She didn't choke the folks who should've been poster children for Darwinism. AND we went to Southern Decadence on Sunday! It was great! My feet hated me the next day, but I'm nuts enough to do it again in 2014.
September rolled around without a lot of flash and excitement, only to go out with a wheeze. No, it literally went out with a wheeze...and O2, Spiriva, Symbicort, Albuteral, Epinephorine, Avalox, and blood work. I spent six days in the hospital from September 29-October 4.
I went to bed on September 28th feeling a bit under the weather and woke up on September 29th thinking I was dying. Slowly. Turned out, I had Acute Bronchitis and Acute Pneumonia. Neither of which is fun by itself. They are less than enjoyable as a duo.
Enter the end of October...
I had to basically skip the first two weeks of the month due to my illness. Recovery from a breathing issue is slow. Or mine was at any rate. The one good thing to come out of it was the cessation of my nicotine addiction. Six days in the hospital on oxygen will do that for a person.
Back to the end of the month. I had my heart broken by my middle son when I inadvertently broke his heart. He announced two days before Halloween he wanted a Halloween party. He gave his sister and I lists of the things we needed for this party, and refused to understand we couldn't do a party because of the time restraints.
Halloween came and we prepared as we usually do with costumes and candy and Trick or Treating. I even bought a fog machine. He had requested one and it was reasonably priced. His sister took all the boys out to beg for candy. When he returned home (he is my 10-houses-tops kid), he took off his costume, went to his room, and laid in bed. I went looking for him. When I found him, I asked if he was okay since he didn't have his Wii, Netflix, or a DVD on.
He sighed heavily. "You were right, mom."
"About what?" I struggled to replay any previous conversation which could be responsible for this melancholy he was exhibiting.
"The Halloween party. We aren't gonna have one."
Broke. My. Heart. So, I, of course, told his sister and his older brother and broke both of their hearts as well. Misery and company, ya know.
We rolled through November until it was time for the joyous annual attempt to consume as much as humanly possible without exploding, and Thanksgiving. I lucked up this year and had the day off from work which made cooking a lot easier. I had a list. Those folks I live with are SERIOUS about holiday food.
I started at 6:30 a.m. with a cup of coffee and a couple of pumpkin pies. I didn't sit down until somewhere around 6:30 p.m. I played sous chef to my junior-chef-in-training. We prepared: Seafood Gumbo, Turkey, Spiral Ham, Carrot Souffle, Deviled Eggs, Rolls, Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables, and I know I'm forgetting something.
Anyway, they ate until they couldn't move, and I cleaned the kitchen and took myself to bed, thankful for having the next two days off to recover.
Ah, December, my old nemesis. I don't like December. I haven't for a LONG time. Most people love the Christmas holidays. I don't. I'm pretty certain this was the first year in probably about twenty where I didn't fight my depression. Normally, I get depressed around December 1st and it doesn't get better until sometime in January. This year was different. I'm not sure why, but I'll take it and be thankful once again.
Speaking of thankful, I'm very thankful Eric Arvin pulled through his surgery with what appears to be no difficulties so far. I'm thankful for his surgeon and his skill. I'm thankful for being included in the real life HEA between he and Travis Klune. And I'm happy to know that love in all its forms can work miracles.
Now, we can wish 2013 a fond adieu as we gear up for a brand-spanking new shot at not remembering most of what will happen and neglecting that sparkly gym membership in 2014.
Until next time,
Peace Up
And Happy New Year!
Oh, before I go, let me also include my Christmas present this year. I'm the proud new mommy of a 10-week-old Akita. He is bootimus! ...but then, I'm biased. LOL
*Good Gravy! 2014! How the hell has this happened?! Where has the time gone? Wasn't it 1994 just yesterday?!? And I'm not positive, but I think I saw 1984 last Wednesday.
**Unless you check my birth certificate, in which case, I turned 42. :p
***I think it was NC, but once again, I've slept since then, and have a serious case of CRS.
**Unless you check my birth certificate, in which case, I turned 42. :p
***I think it was NC, but once again, I've slept since then, and have a serious case of CRS.
