New Thanksgiving & Old Bulldawg Memories (Who you callin' old?)

Mama visiting - picture taken last year

Thanksgiving is OVER and I survived a five day pre-cleaning, pre-cooking sprint; the actual day of marathon; and the three day after-party.  And all I got was a lousy cold.

But I survived the first in-law visit to our humble abode and, as God and my friend Laura as my witness, I was on good behavior.

Unfortunately Laura left before the future in-law, I'll call her Sadie Sue, removed her dentures to enjoy an early evening second Thanksgiving meal.  But Laura was there for the other 'delightful' happenings (I'm gritting my own teeth here).

Laura was my ears and eyes as I was stuck in my tiny kitchen ("Where is your dishwasher?" Sadie Sue gasped as she stared at the dishes piled in the sink.)  I accepted her somewhat distracted help then shooed her outside with the others so Laura could get the full effect of Sadie Sue. 

It was not pretty.  I will not go into details, but suffice to say my concerns are not out in left field.  By the time Sadie Sue and her family climbed back into the silver Hummer, Sweetie and I breathed a sigh of relief.  Thanksgiving was over...but Mama was coming to visit.   (Cue the theme from "Jaws")

Just kidding!  Mama's visit was very nice and brief, just a three day, two night sleepover.  By the time she arrived after I got home from work on Saturday, I was actually looking forward to seeing her.  Sweetie was, well, happy too.  Really.

We decided to take a break from Thanksgiving left-overs and headed toward town to our favorite Chinese restaurant.  Knowing it was Saturday night, we were surprised to find we were almost the only diners there.  Then we remembered "The Game" was on and this place did not have a television set anywhere (which is why we like it).  The food was delicious and we still made it home to see the second half of "The Game".

Daddy graduated from Georgia Tech, so the first 18 or so years of my life, I was a Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech.  The first cuss word I learned was 'hell' from their fight song.  I remember singing it at the top of my lungs.  Daddy LOVED Tech and had season tickets for years.  I knew how much he hated giving them up when it became obvious that he was unable to physically attend the home games.

I even had to talk to the representative from Tech when it was time to think about college.  Now, back then, Tech had very few women although the nice representative blithely told me Tech was the fastest growing girls school in the Southeast.  Now it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.  Going from a few to several in a few years time would increase your percentages.  But I'm not a rocket scientist and I told the nice Georgia Tech rrepresentative that math was not my best subject. 

Ok, so I went to the University of Georgia and became a Bulldawg.  Daddy tried to talk me out of it, but I think secretly, way deep down, he was thrilled I was going to Athens.  I knew for a fact, Daddy enjoyed going to UGA games whenever his buddies invited him.  By then, Mama and Daddy had the Green Machine Motor Home, so I became the designated parking place holder when they were headed to Athens.

The favored parking spot was on Ag Hill in a small lot near the Science Library.  Late on Friday afternoon before game day, I would park my blue Pinto (1973 model - did not explode) in the exact, designated spot Daddy desired.  Then on game day morning, I would receive a call at the crack of dawn telling me that they were leaving Macon and to be ready to move my car in two hours. 

The tail gate party was supreme and I was thrilled to be included.  One game, I ditched my student ticket when Dr. Popejoy invited me to sit with him in primo, expensive seats with arms next to the press box.  It seems that Mrs. Helen was unable to go at the last minute, so he had an extra.  I think the seats were actually Mr. Comer's.  it was indeed the finest, forty yard line, covered by a deck, seats with arms seat that I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.  And I could see Larry Munson as he called the game.  It was really neat!

These days watching "The Game" at home is just as fun, if not better because of the amazing camera angles and shots that fans in the stands might not see.  But I do get tired of the constant chatter from the announcers and I miss the roar of the crowd as the team takes the field and the Redcoat Marching Band music in the stands.  Television does not do justice to the wonderful sounds of University of Georgia Football.  Goooooo Dawgs!