More loose change

It's a little early for football talk, especially considering Regionals are getting ready to start. But this article was brought to my attention today and I just thought I'd chime in my two cents.

I'll give you a minute to read the article... go ahead... it's not long... I'll wait....

(Jeopardy theme playing)

Do I think Miles is underrated? Well, I don't know. I'm no football expert. But what I do believe is that he does his best to make people think he's not a threat.

The stupid hat? The silly sideline microphones? Pronouncing it "R-Kansas"?

I wouldn't take the guy seriously... and sometimes I don't. But give him a month to win a game and he will. He's got the post-season hardware to prove it - including the crystal football. I think he likes being underrated by other teams and fans. I think he strives to be underrated by them.

I have no real opinion on his x's and o's of football. I admit I don't know enough about that to give an opinion. But I do think he's certainly more shrewed than he gets credit for. So I'm sure he doesn't care where he is on the list of top coaches in the country. It's easier to have that opinion while polishing the crystal football.

Being an LSU fan, I'm critical of my football coach. I think any fan should be of their own team - to a degree. Coming of age during the Archer/Hallman/Dinardo era lends me a certain amount of cynicism towards a football coach. I never viewed Saban as the deity so many did. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop (as it always had before). And it did - he left. I don't care for whom. It doesn't matter the team or the league - simply, he left.

I know, you're wondering my point in all this. My point is that while I may think Miles has a screw loose and constantly doubt some of his decisions, it's his butt on the line, not mine. I think he's smarter than he lets on and wants to be underrated - it's easier to move around than if you had a bulls eye on your back.

But mark my words - if the defense isn't "fixed" this year, it will mark the beginning of the end of the Miles era at LSU. LSU fans can rationalize losses, but a bad defense won't be tolerated by the masses.

It's about time, huh?

So I finally finished fiddling in the nursery last night. And by "I", I completely mean T. But he was kind enough to help me do what I wanted. So I took some pictures late last night. The only thing not in place is the changing table, which is on back order. It will be in front of the window where the current basket of diapers is at.

And yes, those are the curtains from hell in the top picture. Notice they are way too long. Oh well, they serve their purpose.

Smith luck strikes again

Imagine my great joy this morning when I was scanning through the program guide on the TV and found the SEC baseball tournament... and not just the first game of the day, but the LSU game was going to be on TV too... IN OKLAHOMA!

Football - no problem.  

Basketball - available occasionally.  

Baseball - not a chance... nope... don't even think it!

So I watched parts of the Vandy/Arkansas game to make sure we were still on track for the LSU game time of 1:30.  It looked overcast but I never heard them mention rain.  There was a filler program between games - something about the Astros.  I had it on just simply so I didn't miss the start of the game.  We all know tournaments don't start at the listed times.

So here comes the game!  It's raining but the announcers say they are playing through it unless something happens.  That something being lightning, etc.  Well, something happened all right and I'm not sure it qualifies as delaying the game, but they did.  LSU came out and scored 7 runs in the top of the first with no real signs of slowing down.

The next thing I know the field crew is called out and we are in a rain delay.  Funny thing is that it is now not raining as hard as it was.  So I sit through the stupid 15 minute program they put on waiting for news on the rain delay.  When they return to the game, the tarp is on the field and the teams have headed back to their hotels.  Two hours at least.... 

Guess what will be airing on my TV channel in two hours - a PAC 10 track meet.  So my window for watching LSU baseball is gone.... thanks to the rain.... another fine example of Smith Luck!

Because Leslie Doesn't...

I was reading blogs the other day and went to Leslie's blog again to see it's still Shroves Day (which was in Feb). Now granted, she's got a lot going on, so I've said nothing to her. Moving, travelling, weddings, toddlers, oh and that thing called work seem to zap time, so I understand.

But I figured while I had some time, I'd post some pictures of Navarre. Why deprive everyone of her cute little face? There is no need.... so without further adieu, enjoy this sweet little face!

Two Kinds of Anniversaries

We celebrated our 3rd anniversary just under two weeks ago.  We had a nice dinner and that was really about it.

We have another 3rd anniversary coming up tomorrow.  Tomorrow marks 3 years that we arrived in Oklahoma.  I'm sure we won't be doing anything special.  I just can't believe it's been three years already.

Time sure flies, right?

Be smarter than what you're working with

That's what T tells me.... be smarter than what you're working with.  So I had to remember that yesterday as I had a day long battle with a pile of fabric that I was trying to wrangle into curtains. 

The first panel took me ENTIRELY too long.  Want to know why?  Well, I managed to make them upside down.  So instead of ripping everything out and starting over, I tried to figure a way to "solve" the problem.  I'm sure I spent a lot more time "solving" the problem than I would have had I ripped out and started over.  Yes, the fabric is just an embossed pattern, that is white on white, but there is a direction to it.  Which I realized AFTER I was trying to hem the bottom of what turns out to be the top.

So the first panel basically sucks.  I've "hidden" it on the less visible side of the window.  And no, there isn't really a less visible side of the window, but let me think I've done well.  The second panel I zoomed through, having made all my mistakes on the first one.

We could probably use the term overkill on these curtains.  They are not only lined, but have an interlining as well.  I would have paid a fortune for them if I'd had them made.  I also would have perfect curtains, not what I've got hanging in the nursery.  You get what you pay for, right?

I spent all day yesterday hauling this huge pile of heavy fabric from the ironing board back to the dining room table, back to the ironing board... all the wile not dragging it through the dog hair in the floor.  So I got quite a workout.

We hung the curtain rod today.  As in we, I mean T.  I was the assistant handing screws, etc.  The curtains were put in place and you know what?  They are about a foot too long.  So I've got a puddling effect going on that I hadn't planned on.  I forgot to take into account that the curtains wouldn't hang as high as we mounted the curtain rod.  So we'll pretend I was going for the puddling look.

T even said... "wow, these are some heavy duty curtains!"  My reply, "now you know why they were kicking my ass."

My 2 cents

Let me start this mini-rant off by saying, I love Brett Favre! I love what he's done in his career and I love what he's done for football. But really? Coming out of retirement again? After reading this article on Fox Sports, I just feel sad for him.

I love Brett as a Packer. Him in shorts in December in Green Bay? That's the epitome of Favre. Not in New York... and certainly not in a dome.

It saddens me to watch him continue to play. He does still have the magic Favre quality, but more time than not, it's excruciating to watch him. It's hard to leave when you're still having fun, but I think it's time to just stay retired.

You know, Addie and I had a rule in our younger days. We called it the 1:45 rule. The gist of it was basically that you left the club/bar/party at 1:45 no matter what fun you were having. No one wants to lose track of time and get caught when the lights come on. It's not flattering for anyone. We walked away from many a good time.... but the rule was always the same, at 1:45 we were gone.

Brett, it's 1:59. Don't get caught with the lights on.