Football Stories

In a shocking change of mood here on my blog, I have new, non-nostalgia tinged content for today! I have managed to beat back the early-winter Januvember blues. I am surprising even myself.

My former coworker and friend Katie got in touch a few weeks ago, saying it had been far too long since we had seen each other. That's true - last time I saw her, she was pregnant and she now has a two month old son, Nathan. We get along with her and Johan quite well, so it was time to remedy that fact. She invited us over to watch the Vikings/Bears game today and enjoy some food.

She outdid herself and made some really excellent chicken tostadas:

It's hard to see, but there is some excellent salsa verde with avocado there in the background.
Also in attendance was our former coworker Ashley, and her family. Here's Ashley with little Nathan:


I made a new friend in Katie & Johan's dog, Lily. I think she has been feeling neglected now that there are two children who are clearly way more important than her:

She is cute. I think she'd get along with Rubio and Mimi.
Meanwhile, Andy and Nathan were concentrating on the game you can see in the background:

Awww.
The stinking Vikings eventually lost, in what turned out to be a pretty uninteresting game. But the company was excellent, so there's that.

In other football news, it would appear that the pumpkin heads continue to have a record-breaking successful season. 


What that article does not say is that Macalester went on to beat Illinois College yesterday in what must have been an exciting game to claim the Midwest Conference title and advance to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in 67 years. They will face defending national champions UW-Whitewater next Saturday - a full bracket is available here. Here's hoping that the Cinderella story will continue.

Congrats, all, on making it past the halfway point of our blogging adventure! I know I'm excited. Although really, I won't ever run out of photos of the cats to share:

Those are pretty much their usual spots.

Comments

Gino said…
Wonderful post, lots of good stuff.

From the linked article: "Ultimately, Macalester decided it no longer belonged in a conference that included some of the best Division III football programs in the country, where its players were too often overmatched."

That's all true and because it is true that the local college conference is one of the best in the country I've watched a fair amount of DIII football playoffs over the years.

So . . . Whitewater?

Impossible task for the pumpkin heads. Literally. Impossible.

In most states the state university system schools which are not DI play DII. Not in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has no state schools playing DII. This means that those middling large state universities in Wisconsin play DIII. They are still actually fairly large schools, schools of a size that in most places play DII or in certain areas of particular football hysteria (Florida) DI. Think Grand Valley State in Michigan or recent national power Mankato State in Minnesota, schools about the size of DIII Whitewater but both DII. Or University of South Florida or University of Central Florida, both DI.

I really, really hate to rain on the parade at this late point in an otherwise season for the ages for Macalester but here is my prediction for the game:

Whitewater by at least 50.
Jimi said…
It looks like a great way to spend a Sunday in January, although it seems odd that the Vikings are still playing. I guess I missed those late December play-off games.

Cute baby, too.
Mom said…
I would agree with TOPWLH (you would call him mon père). Wonderful post.
How nice that you and EMSA got to hang out with friends you haven't seen for a while.
Have a good week. Maybe it will become more November-like.
XOXOX
Santini said…
I love the expression on Nathan's face in the Andy/Nathan photo. Apparently he shared the opinion that the Vikings stink.

Your cats are cuter than their dog.

Your background on your blog nearly matches the pattern on your chair, which I am sure you know.
Emily M said…
Gino - I am definitely inclined to agree that they have no shot, but maybe they at least won't be embarrassed?

Santini - I also enjoy Nathan's expression in that picture. He is not impressed.
Mom said…
I agree with Santini about the relative cuteness of the dog and the cats and also wonder if you know that the blog background matches the chair. If so, I am impressed.