Just sitting here relaxing

[DSKYZD]

I don't know where each of you are out there in the world but I hope you're safe and comfy.

Sitting outside on the back deck, tiki torches lit, 69 degrees, crystal clear and starry night sky, crickets thrumming softly, reading r1150r.net.

I'm set.

I'm so very thankful.

I'm enjoying life.

Peace, brothers.



DSKYZD

[yjleesvrr]

Greetings Brian. I woke up this morning at my parent's house in Northern VA, spent the day at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C., and now I'm kicking back relaxing in the Courtyard hotel in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

Excited about the future. Thankful for what I've got.

[Gord]

Thursday night was a superb evening. Sat out on the patio with my wife Christine. Caught the cool night breeze rustling through the oak leaves. Listened to the gentle murmur of the hot tub and the enticing whirr of the jets in the pool. The dog sat our feet occasionally snoring. And we watched the blueness of the evening sky bruise into the darkness of night. The stars shone through the inkiness of the twilight, giving us a premonition of the dawn that would burst exuberantly on us come the following morning.

And at 9:00 I got up to go inside and catch New England versus Oakland. The NFL is back. Oh yeah baby!

[MidlifeMark]

My wife, elder daughter, and daughter's friend arrived at our favorite parking lot at Gillette Stadium a little after 5 PM. We set up our table & chairs, had a nice dinner al fresco, painted our faces, and walked up to the stadium around 7:30. The festivities started at 8. The Rolling Stones (live remote from Detroit) & Santana (at Gillette) were awesome, but the highlight for me was right after the 2004 Super Bowl Championship banner was unveiled and the top of the giant Patriots helmet popped open to reveal Ozzie Osborne & his band, who had the entire stadium on their feet shouting out "Crazy Train" along with him. The Pats have been entering the stadium to that tune for as long as I've been a season ticket holder, but this was the first time we had Ozzie there to do it live for us. It was also Ozzie's first football game attended in person.

And of course the game was good as well. Our defense took a little time to get organized, but once they got into Kerry Collins's face it wouldn't have mattered if the Raiders had Jerry Rice, Fred Biletnikoff, Tim Brown, and Cliff Branch out there with Randy Moss. 3-peat, here we come!

Started walking back to my car after the last Pats touchdown midway through the 4th quarter, got out of the parking lot and on the road in time to beat most of the traffic. Heard the end of the game while rolling down I-95 toward Providence, and got home at 2 AM.

Season tickets for the past 8 years, $15,000; stadium parking for the past 8 years, $2500; jerseys, face paint, and other fan paraphernalia for the past 8 years, $2000; tailgate party equipment, supplies, food & beverages over the past 8 years, $6,000; dancing in the aisles to Ozzie Osborne with my wife & daughter under 3 Super Bowl banners, priceless.

[darthrider]

Neat post!