Our Other Stomping Grounds

The day started off as usual.... the alarms goes off and we make our way to Iola while most people are still sleeping. Only today we weren't going for work. Instead that's where Carter's basketball tournament took place. At our home away from home... Our other stomping grounds...

The first game should have been ours. We had a lead after the first quarter then somehow lost it and that game in a close one. The second game was not quite so close and we were beaten quite handily, if I do say so myself.

So we went into the third game looking for our first win of the day -- just like the last tournament. And, just like the last one, we won our third game and fourth game, too, to finish 2-2 and take home a 5th-place ribbon.

Carter had a few struggles but also some good plays today. He almost scored on a beautiful jump shot. Yes, almost. But it is worth noting because it bounced back and forth on the inside of the rim before bouncing back out. So it should have been a bucket. "I don't care who you are, that should have been a swish!" he says. Ah well, next time.

Naturally, since we were only a few blocks from work, I did manage to sneak over there between the morning games to get a few things done. Many taking care of things I missed yesterday. Nothing too time-consuming because I did not want to miss any of the hoops action!

The highlight of my day (for me personally, not to take away from Carter's day) was seeing an old friend I hadn't seen in ages. We used to work together in Iola and she still lives in Iola but we just haven't connected much in person since she left. So that was great to sit and visit with her and see her "baby," who is suddenly a 4-year-old boy. That was nice.

After the games, of course we had to stop somewhere to eat -- even though we told Carter we manage to get home from Iola every night without having to stop anywhere! As it was, most of the team headed to The Hilltop Pub in Stevens Point and arrived just before 6 p.m. (prime time on a Saturday night). So while we were technically all there together, we all ended up sitting at our own tables as they became available.

It was our "last supper" with Daddy, who leaves for San Diego on a work trip in about 10 hours. I was going to help him pack instead of get on the computer... But something in my minus-2 degree heart couldn't handle putting his golf clubs in the trunk for him! I don't think he'll miss us as much as we'll miss him.

At least I'll still have my electric mattress pad to keep me warm this week!