Technology Woes, Football woes. Movies and books

Not much happened this week. I spent most of the week trying to figure out what was wrong with my computer. I think it got some kind of virus, or spyware (I have McAfee anti- virus program and update it at least every week) but it was really really really slow. It took days to make sure I had everything backed up. then I had to run the recovery disk. It is finally working but It takes a while to get everything re-installed etc.

Friday night football, The Springport Spartans, played at Sand Creek in the first round (pre-districts) of the MHSAA Football playoffs.
The weather was pretty nice for Football, but the game was not so good. Final score Sand Creek 35-Springport 14. Sand Creek has some tall kids on that team, one of them was listed as 6' 10". Spirngport needs to learn how to tackle, not around the waist and shoulders - around the knees and feet guys. On one play a Sand Creek player made 5 yards with 3 Springport players hanging on him. If Springport wants to use a running game they better have some blockers clear some room for their runners.

Cross Country Regionals was Saturday- at Ann Arbor Huron. Anna came in 21st in a field of 85, not bad, but only the top 20 go on to State. Her time was not great 23 minutes or something, It was raining and cold and they had a huge sledding hill.

The Jensen Run is Monday afternoon, with a banquet for that on November 5th. The school fall sports awards is November 8th.

A couple of weeks ago we watched the DVD Wild Hogs, with Tim Allen, John Travolta, William H. Macy and I can't remember the other guy. Oh yeah, Martin Lawrence. Not bad, Charlie, Anna, and I watched the whole thing. It was one of those, where I said, OK, I'm glad I didn't pay $10 to see, (but it would take a lot for me to say it was worth $10 ) but it wasn't bad for $1.00 I paid at the library.

Charlie and Anna wanted to watch a video last night, and Charlie thought Anna would like to see The Gods must be Crazy. About an African Bushman, trying to return a soda bottle to the God's and all of the things going on around him that he doesn't understand. Charlie and Shonda thought that was the funniest movie when they first watched. it about 10 years ago. I watched it with them once, it was OK. I watched about 20 minutes last night and went back to working on the computer. Anna watched about half and decided to go to bed. We have a VHS Copy of that one and The Gods must be Crazy II if anybody wants to borrow them. I don't think you can rent them anymore.

I just finished reading (listening) to a book that Jackson has chosen for the "Big Read" Project in the Spring. Bless Me Ultiama- about a young Catholic, Hispanic boy in New Mexico right after World War II. I really didn't like it. It was about the clashing of cultures- speaking only Spanish at home- English at school, his catholic faith (his mother hoping he would be a priest) vs witch-craft, and paganism, changing cultures. For one thing I couldn't identify with any of it. It was dark, and I did not find it at all enjoyable or uplifting. Ed do you know anything about the story? If you want to try reading maybe you can get something out of it I didn't.

I didn't get any good pictures of fall color but there was an awesome sunset on Tuesday. Got some nice pictures, The sky was purple ( it didn't come out well in the photos) before it turned orange. A beautiful full moon this week too.
Keep on keeping on- JB

Week-end happenings.

I was a real slacker last week, and didn't write anything. and worse yet, I have no excuses, except that not much happened.

I can't even remember what we did last week-end. We did not go to the Springport Union City football game. They lost but only by one touch down. - Oh now I remember, we did one of my favorite things- we went shopping !!! Anna needed a new winter coat.

On Saturday Anna had a cross country meet in Constantine. Then she went to Grand Rapids and spent the night with a friend from Germany. I did laundry and grocery shopping- two of my other favorite things. On Sunday we drove half way to pick her up.

Monday Shonda, Anna and I went to meet baby Benjamin Murphy. What a cutie, even if he did sleep most of the time, except for the few minutes that Shonda feed him.

Tuesday, the 16th, Anna had a Cross Country meet at Homere, she has her best time at 22:40. but finished, I think 11th.

Sometime in there the computer started acting up, it is being really slow and takes for ever to get anything done.

Thursday, I took Anna-Lena and Christina to Charlotte, to shop (yeah) for Charlie's Birthday gifts, one of the first things they stopped to look at was make-up, I had to remind them that we were there looking for something for Charlie. The weather was terrible on the way home. I apparently missed the worst of the storm, the tornado siren went off in Springport about midnight (Friday somebody said it is the first time they remember it going off in 40 years.) I never heard a thing.

Friday, the 19th we went to Bellvue, actually Olivet for the Bellvue-Springport football game. I was afraid we were going to get really wet, but it wasn't too bad. Springport won 31 -10. They played much better than they have the last several weeks and got, what seemed to me, like many fewer fouls. Which means they made it to the play-offs for the second year in a row.

If anybody from Gobles in reading this, Do we have any "Gilberts" on the football team this year? Cecilia says Hi to your exchange student.

Saturday-another Cross Country meet, at Whitmore Lake, Anna- didn't do as well, time wise, but she did finish in the top third and got a medal. Charlie went to a horse clinic up the road, learned a little about who to "de-sensitize" horses, in other words get them to be less afraid of new things and distractions.
We went up to MSU to the Draft horse show on Saturday evening, Saw some awesome looking teams of 6 and 8 huge horses pulling their wagons. How cool. I told Charlie I'd ride in the wagon with him if he ever wanted to compete in that kind of show. (I will try to post some pictures later)

Shonda and Brian came over on Sunday and we had Charlie's Birthday dinner. They bought him a trail cam for his birthday so maybe I will have some deer pictures to post if I ever get the computer to work properly. (I am posting this from work, by the way-shhh!!)

Next week is regionals, I think ours is at Ann-Arbor Huron, not sure if it is Friday or Saturday. Football at Sand Creek Friday at 7:00. I know we used to have some relatives that went to school there, but I don't know if we still do or not.

Leaves are finally getting some nice color, maybe I can get out and get some pictures of those too.

That's all for now -

Ciao, J.

Catching up- Odds and Ends

Photos
I took this first picture- on the left, on the way to Jonesville one evening, couple of weeks ago, The one on the left, I took on the way to work, while waiting at a stop light on airport road.

Football
Springport lost their football game last night, really lost- 44-0.
There was a nice article about the freshman quarter back in the Jackson Paper on Thursday, I was going to put the link in but I can’t find it at Mlive.com, The regular QB got a concussion, his second, and hurt his shoulder in the second game of the season, they brought up a freshman, to replace him instead of taking a couple of the other kids who were doing well in their current positions and leaving holes where they would have been. Nic was doing well.

This was a big game– a chance for the league championship, the first time since 1973- Springport’s record 5-1 overall, 5-0 in the conference. Reading 4-1 in the conference, and Union City 5-0 in the conference. We knew it was going to be a tough came, but this was really really ugly, after Reading’s second touchdown, it was like they just gave up.
The poor quarter back, the whole team was having a terrible night.
Anna-Lena said that one of the kids was so mad about it he pounded something and went home, instead of hitting somebody, but the rest of the team had an Oh, well attitude.
There was a big article in the Citizen Patriot Yesterday (Saturday) too.

They have win at least one of their next games (Union City and Bellevue to make it to the playoffs.)

Cross Country
Anna had a meet on Tuesday at Jonesville and finished well, with a time of 23:15 At the meet this morning in Bellevue, she finished 8th in 23:30 her goal is to finish in under 21. They have I think 6 more meets, and it should be a little cooler so she still has a chance to make it.

She is at a horse show in Delton, this afternoon and tomorrow I’ll let you know how that goes.

Tom, Kathy and Michelle, came to the meet to watch cheer Anna-Lena, Michelle is still very pregnant, but it could be anytime. I was rooting for yesterday, (October 6, Mom's birthday,) but I guess not.

Christoph
We got an e-mail from Christoph, he says he has been busy with school, but now as a break or a vacation for 3 weeks. He also says he is trying out for a football team in November, American Football.

Shonda
Still attending JCC, working 3 days a week for Spartan Motors in Charlotte. Between that and her boyfriend, we don't see much of her, but that's what happens at 20 years old.

Don't we lead an exciting life?

Oh I have written a couple of book reviews for the Jackson District Library Webpage Blog, not because the books were so great or because I am an expert, but because we needed to put some new stuff on our webpage. So far, I have reviewd The Nanny Diaries, The Earth, My Butt and Ohter Big Round Things, and Playing for Pizza.
If you would like to read them, the reviews, not the books, look on the left hand side of the page, click on the ones, with book review in the title.

Football, Floats and Birthdays

Another busy week: Powder Puff football, on Wednesday. The seniors won, and the girls complained about how sore they were for three days. Springport’s homecoming, the senior float placed second, but they took the little brown jug for spirit week. The theme for the floats this year was rooms in the house, the Seniors got the bathroom and did Crush ‘em and Flush ‘em. They had a Quincy player spinning in the toilet. The judges apparently didn’t like that as well as the Juniors, whose room was the kitchen, “Toast the Orioles”

The football team won the homecoming game 14-6, nobody scored until the end of the third quarter. This makes them, 5-0 in the conference and 5 -1 overall. They play Reading next week, (4-1 in the conference) and Union city 5-0. This means they have a chance at the conference title; their last Big Eight title was 1973. They also need one more came for the play-offs. GO BLUE- GO WHITE!!!
We drove to Centreville, to see a horse clinic on Saturday. Dennis Reis, who is on RFD-TV. They called Charlie a few weeks ago and asked him if he was interested in free tickets. He asked for enough for the parents of the questrian team because they all said they would like to go, but it ended up just one other family. Oh, well, that's what happens-everyone is just so busy.

Then the Senior class came here for their float burning bonfire.
Today Anna-Lena went to the Detroit Lions game, with a friend whose boss, has season tickets. If you’re watching on TV look for her ;-)
Anna made a comment a couple of days ago that she has not had a weekend- to sleep in since she has been here. It certainly isn’t my schedule that’s keeping her from sleeping late. She still has a few more weeks, before she will have the opportunity to sleep in, there is a cross country meet and horse show next weekend- and Cross Country the next week.

Today is my brother, Ed's birthday. Barry didn't like the picture I put in when it was his birthday and reminded me that Ed's was coming up so here is a picture Happy Birthday Ed, I

Charlie is leaving this afternoon for Houghton Lake fishing with his brother tomorrow, so check back to see what he catches, and maybe some good fish stories.

Did you know that this week is the 20th anniversary of the smiley face emoticon :-)
Keep smiling. J

Friday Night Football

11:45 PM.
GO BLUE-
I just got home from what has to be one of the longest High School Football games on record. 4 hours and 10 minutes.
First, with 2:34 left in the first half they called a lightening delay- not rain just lightening, that took and an hour and twenty minutes. Then Homer had 2, 3, 4 injured players that took several minutes to get up and walk off the field. I think at least one of them was just tired and wanted to rest.


Half time was during the weather delay, so they had to come out and finish the second quarter. Springport's Tyler Tarpley made a 93 yard run for a touch down. Springport got another touch down at the begining of the third quarter, then it got really boring for most of the rest of the game. Fianlly Springport over Homer 39-28.

Week-end Wanderings

It has been a pretty busy week-end. It started on Friday evening when Shonda called, on her way home, from her new job, said she had had a scare when she was the only person in the office, and someone came in told them there was a tornado warning and neither of them new where to go, they finally found the rest of the staff.

Brian, Shonda’s boy friend, called in from his way home from Muskegon said there were houses with the roofs torn of in Charlotte. I called Jenn, to find out they were OK but Arthur’s cousins were not as lucky. Check out his blog at http://www.arthurandjenn.com/?page=1, As he says thank God no one was hurt.

The storm and rain stopped in time for the Football, game. We took Anna-Lena and a neighbor girl. Neither one of them were familiar with the game. It was not very exciting. The first have wasn’t too bad, 14-14., In the third quarter it was like Springport couldn’t figure out what was happening. Vandercook made a touch down in the third but after that there wasn’t much happening until late in the fourth quarter when Srpingport got the ball back and Shane Trudell made a couple of good runs. Oh for those of you who might recognize them. There is a Negus on the Vandercook football team. There were Neguses on the team when I was going to school, must be grand kids huh?

I did find out that there are probably 3 guys who have "eyes" for Anna already and school hasn't even started.

Saturday we did boring house stuff. Laundry, groceries, etc. Anna needed some things for cross country and we bought a replacement mini blind to replace a broken one, and a pay as you go cell phone so Anna has it for emergencies.

Buying that phone was annoying, I knew what I wanted, but had to have a clerk unlock the phone, Anna and Charlie were with me, someone asked a question and the clerk who had not much of an idea what he was talking about tried to sell me smoothing I didn’t want, and created a whole lot of unnecessary confusion with 4 us trying to decide. Geeze I hate that.

Got home the shade was not wide enough, and we couldn’t activate the phone (they are only open during regular Monday-Friday business hours. I have to take the blinds back today and activate the phone today too. Not a big deal, just seems like everything goes haywire at once.

Anna went to watch a member of the equestrian team take her horse to jumping lessons, the coach from the Eaton Rapids team said she really should be on the Springport team, but we don’t have horse that is trained for shows and competition. When Charlie talked to the Springport Coach last spring, she indicated that they don’t want “kids or horses that aren’t trained.” A neighbor offered one of his horses. Anna rode it but it isn’t trained for that kind of riding. We finally made a contact with someone who knew someone else that might be willing to help. Charlie and Anna talked to her last night, she has a couple of horses that may work. Now they have to see if they have “room” on the Springport team.

We attended a Lansing Lugnuts game on Sunday, a beautiful day. This was supposed to be a library employee/family outing, but there were only 6 of us total, (2 employees) Anna and her friend had never seen a baseball game, so the first few innings were spent explaining the game to them. The game was a little slow during innings 4-8 when with a seven run lead, the lugnuts almost lost the game to the loons but managed to pull of a win by 1 run. http://www.lansinglugnuts.com/press_box/press_release_archive/8_26_07.html )

One young man (no more than 6 years old) who was standing in the front row almost caught a foul ball, but missed, because it hit him in the head and bounced off to a the kids in the next seat. He went to dad, crying with a big head ache. The head ache seemed to stop when his friend gave him the ball, later he really made out when one of the players walked out and gave him a bat apparently to help him recover from the pain.

We all had an opportunity to do the chicken dance and the hokey pokey. Yeah ;-)

The weather was beautiful and we had great seats, row 11, and right at first base. a good time was had by all (see the pictures)

Like I said a busy week-end- I’ll keep you posted.