Jan 2

Don't forget to check out my website at http://www.thomnichols.com/
It’s the first Monday of the year and I actually had two days off over the weekend. Normally that would mean that I was well rested and ready to go for the week. But, I had worked nearly every day of December without a break and I think my body took revenge on me working it so hard and decided it was going to be sick. I was ok for most of Saturday, but Sunday was a monster. Actually, let’s start with Friday. My granddaughter’s birthday was the first, but the kids decided to let her have a sleepover for all her little friends. I had to work, so I couldn’t stay very long. But, the party was really nice. There were a bunch of people I didn’t know, but it was still a success. The highlight of the party came early on. A guy sitting on the sofa turned out to be my granddaughter’s other grandpa. I’d never met him until then. But, he and his girlfriend were sitting there when my granddaughter called from the hallway. She just shouted “Grandpa!” and held out her hands like she wanted someone to pick her up. The girlfriend slapped the other grandpa on the shoulder and pointed toward my granddaughter telling him that she wanted him. I, however, was already up and moving toward her. When I passed them and picked her up, I could hear them saying that I was the other grandpa, but he didn’t even make a move to go get her. When I did pick her up and started playing with her, she pointed over at the other grandpa and told me that she didn’t like him.

On Saturday, my mother in-law cooked a turkey dinner for their side of the family. That means that my wife cooked it in her kitchen. They usually schedule those things at about 2 or 3 in the afternoon. So, after getting off at six in the morning I woke up at noon. It was my first New Years Eve off in years, so we had plans on doing a lot of stuff. Instead, we had dinner, which was very good, and then the kids left the baby with us. We wanted to take her downtown to see the fireworks, but it was very windy and getting very cold. So, we decided we would go upstairs and check them out from the window. Impatient to see them, my granddaughter asked every one or two minutes if it was time yet. The first set started at nine and then the New Years ones would be at midnight. Well, somehow we missed the nine o’clock ones. I’m not sure how that happened. Then, the next thing I knew the phone was ringing, it was one minute after midnight. I guess I fell asleep first somewhere around ten or even earlier. My wife and the baby were lying on the bed also asleep. They stayed up until about eleven thirty. We tried waking up the baby so she could see the fireworks, but she wouldn’t get up. They only lasted for about ten minutes anyway. So, she didn’t miss much.
On Sunday, I wanted to watch the game, but that was when my body rebelled. All I remember was sitting down and watching the first quarter and a half and then waking up at ten at night to an empty house. My wife said that I came into the bedroom and grabbed a small blanket complaining about being cold and then fell asleep in the chair. We had plans on spending the day with the kids and my granddaughter because it was her actual birthday. It was also my daughter’s boyfriend’s birthday. We were going to go to Chuck E Cheese to let them play games and then have a nice dinner at Applebee’s. I guess my wife woke me up to ask if I was going. I must have said no and then climbed into bed, because that was where I woke up. They were still out and about. They did all the fun stuff and then went over to my daughter’s boyfriend’s house where they were having a small party for him. I woke up again at about three or four in the morning and they were back, but I still didn’t feel very well. I tried getting up because it was now Monday and I usually go over to my mom’s house on Mondays. I tried eating something, but that didn’t work. When my wife got up to go to work, I told her I wasn’t going to make it and went back to bed. I woke up again about nine or ten and still didn’t feel very good. I don’t think I’ve ever slept for that long in my life. But, I needed to get up and do something. So, we went to my mom’s house to help her with some things and then went out to get something to eat. I think moving around helped a bit, but I’m at work now and wishing I would have called out. But, when I do that they tend to not pay me. So, it is better that I stick it out. It’s only another seven and a half hours to go. I’ll make it. The bad news was that I didn’t get to see the rest of the football game. We ended up losing seven to three, but I hadn’t been able to see a game all month and was really looking forward to it. The good news was that the Raiders also lost and we made it into the playoffs anyway. The better news is that my wife signed up for playoff tickets early on in the year and she got an email asking if she wanted to purchases round one playoff tickets this Sunday. They are in the nosebleed section, but the Broncos haven’t been in the playoffs for a loooong time much less hosting one. So, this Sunday, me and my boy get to go to the game instead of falling asleep in front of the TV watching them. They better win. We’ve lost the last three games in a row. We’ll be playing the Steelers at two. It should be a really good game. I don’t remember what year it was, but it was while I was out in New Jersey, the Steelers knocked us out of the playoffs and I haven’t forgiven them since.
Well, I guess that was my week. I’m still working on the River of Magic. I know I said that I was going to put it to the side and work on one of the others, but when I opened up the files, my mouse went right to where I stopped, so I just kept going. Over the weekend, I was going over what was happening next, so I’m just going to keep going with it. I thought I was going to be done by the end of December, but it’s looking more like the end of January. I’m putting Journey, Eagles, Genesis, Fleetwood Mac, and the Cars into the playlist for background music so, I’ll see you next week.
-Thom