Here we go again!

John, Darlene, Reid, Chandler & John M.
Amy, Gayle, Caitlin , Ron & Darlene
The Group- Charlie, Caitlin, Gayle, John & Anne, Ron, Mark, John M, Steve M. Denise & Mike, Reid, Amy & Chandler,Mark, Paul & Connie...incidentally John is NOT wearing a fish on his head...hahaha

This week went by pretty quickly....I guess having the Holiday in the middle of the week helped....but here we go again IT'S GAME DAY! My schedule was weird this week...I was off Monday, worked 3pm-8pm Tuesday, off Wed, then worked Thursday & Friday. It was a relatively uneventful week......except we are still getting used to a new system for reserving computers at the Library...and that was trying a times. It used to be that you did NOT need to have a library card in order to get on the computers, you just signed in at Reference and got on. Most of the year we do not have waits for our computers...except when all the "snowbirds" are back in town....they are coming now For some libraries this new system will be very helpful...it automatically shuts off after your 1 hour is up, keeps track of who's on the computers,when they started and their time remaining, etc....which is all well and good...except the transition period is causing some commotion....like lots of new library cards getting issued, updated, etc. So Tuesday I arrived at 3pm and it was like jumping into the frying pan....it was busy...and hard to catch up! Friday wasn't as bad...just a long day, extra hour tacked on to make up for the one hour not covered in the Holiday pay.....so I was happy at the end of the day Friday.
Saturday (today) we invited some people over to watch the Gator/SC game and to eat some fish...we needed to cook some of the stuff that's been in the freezer...so we called in some Gator fan friends of ours, and we ate and drank and enjoyed watching the Gators beat South Carolina. Like I said last week...watching the game is just more fun with a crowd of people...especially if you throw in some fried wahoo, snook and lobster.... Paired up with cole slaw, macaroni salad, chicken noodle soup, 18 bean and "smoked hog" soup, apple crisp and cookies....and you have a PARTY! We
were a little nervous when the score was 17-14...but once again our team came through with the win. The weather here was absolutely gorgeous...blue skies and mild temperatures...so all the windows and doors were open and it was a great afternoon/evening.At 9:00pm when things were winding down....it felt much later than the time on the clock. A couple people had to go...they work tomorrow, John and Ron are getting up early to head to Miami for the Miami/Tampa game. They got tickets from a friend...SECOND Row...50Yard line....NICE seats! It should be a beautiful day again tomorrow...they will have a great time....we'll be looking for them on TV! haha As for me...I'll be sleeping in and tidying up...getting things put away until the next get together.......................................

Observations

I am a people watcher....I really don't mind waiting in lines...because I just watch everyone. I have to catch myself sometimes...because I realize I am lost in thought and it looks like I am STARING at someone. I just start thinking about who goes with who (in a group)...are they brothers and sisters, Mom and daughter, etc.I start analyzing too much according to my sister Elizabeth....but I just can't help myself. Disney World is a GREAT place for people watching, as well as the obvious places like airports; but give me a bench in the park, or a spot in the line (just about anywhere) and I can entertain myself. So....as you can imagine...tailgating on the corner one block west of University Ave on Game Day....is perfect for observing the crowds and life in general. Here's a few things I "observed"
1. Every cute little blue,blue&white, orange & blue,orange,blue & white...(you get the picture)sundress on the market. I don't remember ever wearing a sundress to a game...when I was in college...but I was wearing one that afternoon...and I was nice and cool!
2.A few girls and/or women in stiletto heels....okay...that's ridiculous...there is no way you can comfortably walk to the game and up the bleachers in those things...I don't care how "cute" they are!
3.All the fans were lively...and there really weren't many rude, obnoxiously drunk
people around...I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. (There were a few...but in a record crowd...that's not TOO bad)
4.LOTS of trash. I kept hoping there were recycle bins somewhere! All those bottles and cans! The maintenance workers definitely have job security during football season...but it was all I could do not to start picking stuff up! Even I had to leave some of my own trash behind...because it was a long hike to the nearest trash receptacle and I didn't feel like toting a Pepsi soaked popcorn bag through the crowd.
5.Loved watching the whole team and coaching staff after the game...they all walked over to where the band was sitting and the band serenaded them, Nice!
6.Also watched Tim Tebow work his way all around the bottom of the stadium, high-fiving and shaking hands with the fans. What a great leader/role model he is. And you can see his energy and love for the game!
7.Coolers on wheels with motors and steering wheels....these can only cause trouble..haha
8. A fan dressed up in a goofy outfit posing for pictures...he was a fairly tall, skinny guy...definitely NOT a football player build...in a scraggly gray tank top with Maning (spelled wrong) on it, some athletic socks pulled up to his knees, and the perfect touch...some Dr. Bucks teeth! He was so goofy looking and had a blast posing for pictures with Gator fans. You had to laugh.
9.John and Charlie challenging some of Caitlin's (Charlie's daughter) friends to a Frisbee match...and overhearing the guys say "Those Old-Timers" were pretty good...they almost beat us! HA hahaha
10.Watching alumni feeling like they were kids again.....if only for the afternoon!
11. The nice people at the Catholic Church who opened their bathrooms to the public on Game Day...better than a Port-O-Let anytime!Really...the kids who lived right on the main street were pretty nice about that too...I was amazed.
12.On Game Day everyone is happy and everyone is more than willing to share a cold drink, a snack.....etc with you when you are tailgating! It was like a giant Pot Luck lunch! :) haha
13.Seeing how much everyone loves a winning team! When I was in school...we were not Champions....didn't have the crowds all singing and chanting and "Lovin" their team...like these guys do!
Also...saw this video playing on the big screen after the game....maybe I'm out of the loop...but it looked like someone smoked something and then put this to music.....I don't get it...can anyone explain it to me! haha (seriously!)