Purple Pride

Kermit the Frog once sang, "It's not easy being green." I can tell you that it's not easy NOT being green (and gold) in central Wisconsin. But I suck it up and wear my purple pride on my sleeve (and socks and pants and bra...).

When I first learned a week or so back that we were having a tailgating potluck at work today, I thought I'd dress to the hilt for the "best dressed fan" contest. I'd wear my Vikings lounge pants (yes, to work) and throw on my Helga helmet and beads. Then I was reminded that my hubby defected to the Lions (at least temporarily) so I'd have to go it alone. So that took some of the wind out of the sails on my Viking ship.

Then, after the exciting weekend of baseball, my mind was saying, "Who cares about the stupid Viking-Packer game, let's get on to Tuesday's action in the Dome!"

So my heart wasn't totally in it. I still wore some Vikings garb (and hubby had his Lions t-shirt on under another shirt) and walked into the tailgating party in a sea of green and gold. I heard some comments, saw some sneers, but to their credit, none of them threw food at me. My husband and one of my friends (true friend, I guess!) escorted me and sat with me. It was a nice party.

When I left work, I warned the guys that sit near me that I was staying up for the game so I'd early be tired on Tuesday morning or tired and cranky Tuesday morning. Good thing I'll just be tired.

This was the first Vikings game I was able to watch this year. So much hype was built up because of the whole Favre circus. I just wondered how I was going to be able to actually cheer for a purple No. 4 without throwing up a little in my mouth. OK, you think I'm extreme, maybe? Maybe. But it's tough to get used to.

As usual, it was a back-and-forth battle. The kind where you have to stay up for the whole game. (Though we did send a disgruntled Carter to bed shortly after half-time). But in the end, it was worth it for this little non-green person.

At least this time.