Back to Reality

Feeling good today? Feels like Monday but it’s Tuesday, plus I’m off Thursday and Friday of this week and some next week as well. 

My Virginia host Myron is a big car guy. We pretty much talked cars all weekend. With our wives there helping organize the wedding, plus the bride and groom calling their shots, I told Myron that I was there so he would have one person he could boss around. 

Saturday I saw zero football, and no Masters either. But we had a good time. Saturday night there was going to be a crowd at the rehearsal dinner gathering, so Ceil and I didn’t go, to keep the numbers down. C was still arranging flowers and I was worn out from the day. Later we drove around. We ate leftover lasagna from the night before.

Saturday we missed a turn and had to take three cloverleafs to get back to where we needed to go. I decided to make a video. Pardon the background political talk.   

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0DNjvFhUhq89sdROwbsPjoAqA 

Sunday we left for the wedding venue around 9:30 am. Got there and worked to set everything up. The bride’s brother and brother in law were practicing music. I set out all the chairs – 28 were needed. I set out three rows of ten, separated by a middle row, in groups of two and three. Then I added a fourth row of 12, so people could space. Only 20 people filled those 40 chairs.

Ceil and others helped set up the reception in one of the barns. Plenty of space and plenty of ventilation, with the big barn doors open on both ends. Plus the sides of the barn were open, but the tent flaps closed to keep out the wind. A cloudy day, with no rain, but a high of 70 degrees. Very nice for November. Photos at 2 pm, and ceremony at three. Right afterward I grabbed a volunteer to take the drinks from the fridge in one barn over to the reception, and put them on ice. From there everyone helped themselves to drinks, cheese, and crackers.  Before the reception got going several of the groomsmen helped us put the 40 chairs back in the barn. 

Dinner was BBQ pork, baked beans, mac & cheese, slaw, cornbread, and cupcakes. Just a few speeches. By then it was dark. Just a few speeches and dances. Most of the adults helped clean off the tables and pack back up. We were home by ten, and Ceil and I helped Myron and Dawn wash, dry, and pack the plates and forks. Was exhausted, and slept like a rock.

Monday morning we packed. C and I left at 9:45. Took the NW > SW > SE route to avoid Richmond. Stopped for Chickfila, gas, and sunglasses outside of Durham. Later Ceil wanted to stop in Greensboro to check out an art store. Bad rush hour traffic in Charlotte. Worse construction traffic in Spartanburg. Got home at 8:45 – and exhausting eleven hour trip. 

Been through over a thousand emails already this morning. Now 20 more need responses. Then my regular work. No rest for the weary.

Getting old.  Every night I slept well because I was so worn out from all the activity. Not as tired last night after sitting in the car all day.

GT cancelled their Nov 21 game? So hard to get news about Tech. Not much info on social media, just hype videos. If UGA cancels I see several reports. Tech cancels (or loses) and nothing. I didn’t know the Pitt game had been cancelled until after the fact. I entered a contest to win tickets to the Duke@GT game. I entered because the winner gets to ride in the back of the Ramblin Wreck out onto the field. 

At lunch I headed to Brookhaven to pick up Barney’s ashes.

With the kids working over Thanksgiving and Christmas, my schedule is crazy as well. I will work in the office today, tomorrow, and Thursday morning. Macon & back on Friday. Home on Saturday and Sunday. Work in the office next Monday. Work remote on Wednesday. With covid we actually might have Christmas in Atlanta this year. Will probably have to work between Christmas and New Year’s. Almost out of vacation anyway. 

Masters: hadn’t realized how hot Johnson had been recently. Dustin is not really one of my favorites.

Augusta’s Green Jackets: For Winners, Members (and Buyers) Only. The club’s green jackets — awarded to its members and Masters winners — are not supposed to leave its grounds. A rare few have, becoming an expensive holy grail for memorabilia collectors.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nytimes.com_2020_11_12_sports_golf_green-2Djacket-2Dmasters.html-3Fsmid-3Dem-2Dshare&d=DwIFaQ&c=UXihhqr7vvdA-hrKyTiC1Q&r=wMWwaEbn9nr4zXI4p6CDP7FGwn1DrBd77MJElrWsP6U&m=OGiQwHv7XmO-mTDnC_BK9-CkRA4fDLD-h8XxN6R2lR8&s=tSOz_xvEiJYJNiwqxjMp0wni_hEYSO3zm9QfpDirbI4&e= 

HOYT WILHELM [SABR Bio] his record for the most career appearances by a pitcher did Dennis Eckersley break. He passed Cy Young’s 906 in 1968, retired with 1,070 and was passed by Eckersley in 1998. Wilhelm led the league in appearances in two of his first three qualifying seasons in the majors but didn’t lead again in the remaining nearly two decades of his career. He led the NL in games in 1952, 1953 with 71 and 68. He didn’t retire until after the 1972 season and averaged 50 appearances a season, but never led again. A one-time St. Louis Cardinal was decorated for his heroics during the Battle of the Bulge. Wilhelm rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army and was placed in charge of his regiment’s heavy machine guns at the Battle of the Bulge.  He was awarded a Purple Heart after sustaining injuries when a shell exploded nearby.  He received shrapnel wounds in his back and his right hand but recovered and was able to keep pitching although the piece of metal lodged in his back was never removed.  He received his nickname “Ol’ Sarge” from a combination of his military service and extended career.