The Cup Runneth Over Edition

It's World Cup time again and I've been watching lots of soccer since it's pretty much the only thing on television during the day. I'm not a big soccer fan, but I do pay attention during the World Cup because it's a special event and it means I only have to put up with soccer every four years! As most people know I'm a sports fan (or as my wife calls it 'sports guy' which in her language means 'that's all he watches 24/7..blah blah blah' (it's when she starts talking crazy like that all I hear is 'blah blah blah'). I don't, for the record, only watch sports...I play them too! But seriously, I do watch other things like news and 24 and...um...well I watch news and 24 anyway. She had the audacity last night to ask if she was more important to me than the Stanley Cup Finals. What a ridiculous question. I was SO offended that I refused to answer that question. Also because even though I'm in Canada, I'm still an American and I believe I have a 5th amendment right to refrain from self-incrimination. Why *do* women ask questions like that anyway? "How do I look in these pants? What color should I paint my nails? Do these curtains make the living room look too modern?" Huh?!? Can't you see the game is on? They're pants, I don't care what color your nails are, and we have curtains?? Then she looks at me like I'm stupid. Oh yeah? Well I can get aesthetic too you know? Like um...Aren't those pants Tiger is wearing nice? Why does the Australian World Cup team wear yellow and green uniforms when their flag is blue, red and white? Doesn't the Green Monster make Fenway Park look too retro? See! Take that, Martha Stewart! Anyway, where was I? Oh yes the World Cup. There's some stuff about soccer that just bugs me. For one thing its like 90 percent running and 5 percent kicking. The other 5 percent is acting. Two guys bump into each other and they proceed to roll around on the ground like their pancreas has just burst into flames! Then they're carted off the field on a stretcher as if they're battlefield casualties, only to immediately hop up and do several cartwheels, backflips, and the macarena. Now I'm no doctor, but I'm fairly certain you can't do all that after suffering from an exploding pancreas. Besides, everyone knows they're just faking it. I say, if a player falls on the ground and pretends to be hurt...the other team should just start kicking him. That would sure reduce the wasted time of guys faking injuries wouldn't it? Plus it's what half the fans are going to do to each other after the game in the parking lot anyway. Plus you can't use your hands in soccer. No hands! That's not athleticism. After all it's called 'hand-eye coordination' not 'foot-eye' coordination. I mean your standard dachshund can kick a ball...they just don't know to aim it at a net and get paid for it. Then there are the soccer fans. I don't know about you, but I get just a little antsy when 70,000 frenzied Germans get together in a stadium...so just think how Poland feels. And what's with players scoring a goal and immediately disrobing?? Not that I'd mind it too much in women's soccer but still...can you see this happening in Hockey? First it would take them like 20 minutes just to get all the pads and stuff off...not to mention the inevitable frost bite- and there are just some places you don't want to be frostbit. As an aside...isn't it unfair that Germany and Italy have to play individually, but Trinidad and Tobago get to play together?? That's two on one!!!! Don't get me wrong I've got nothing against, uh...Trinidadians and Tobogganers (??) but I'm all about equality. And don't even get me started on the World Cup trophy...I mean it's not even a CUP!!!! You can't call it a cup if you can't drink beer out of it. You'd think since the Germans are hosting the darn thing they'd make sure you can drink beer out of it. Well anyway...I'm watching a lot of soccer. That was my main point. We had a lovely weekend for the most part for Shelley's birthday. Friday night when came home from work all three of us went out for dinner. Gracie was such a good girl at the restaurant (much better than her parents who spilled a glass of ice water all over the table...really she shouldn't take us anywhere). We gave Shell her present from Gracie which was 2 nice 8x10s that she can pick for framing, one for work and one for home. Early Saturday we went to get the rest of her presents. Every year I get Shell whatever she wants for her gardening. This year's theme was shrubs, because we finally are starting to get the front landscaping done with the new porch etc. So off we went to Canadian Tire to load up on shrubs. She got some cedar pines, some other type of bushy things, a beautiful french lilac tree, and a virginia creeper (natch!) and some assorted annuals to give it a bit more color. It took the better part of the afternoon digging and digging and planting and planting (including my first ever experience with sheep manure) After we cleaned up a bit we went to Shell's parents' house for dinner. Shelley's dad is on his yearly fishing trip so Mom is alone. Shell's brother Greg joined us and they had grilled salmon while I had one of the best tasting steaks ever...mmmm....cow.... Shell got a lovely handbag from her mom which she absolutely loved and even Gracie got a prezzie...an awesome lady bug dinner set. We dragged ourselves home pretty late, Shell with a weeeee bit of a wine buzz, and collapsed after a very long day. My father-in-law went on his yearly fishing trip and sent me some great photos. This is how life is supposed to be I think. Though I'm not a big fishing guy, it does look like they had a lot of fun. Today Ginny Grace is 9 months old. Whoa. Where'd the nine months go? From the photo shoot for the pictures for Shelley's birthday present from Gracie... Pretending to be a pirate as she awaits her grog from the galley... Making the silliest face at bath time... Practicing for her role as Frodo in the house production of Lord of the Rings...Dixie will be playing Treebeard, just for the record... Getting ready to go for dinner with Mommy and Daddy... Playing in the yard... Practicing walking... Oh the carnage... All the standing...scary scary standing... This picture makes me weep...she look so much like her mommy... awww...laying on Daddy... Hermey wants to be a dentist... Well that's all for now. Until next week.. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! Cheers