Football in summer temperatures

My two gorgeous TCU daughters

My family has gone a-footballing. The TCU/UT game started at 6:15, but they left the house about 2:00, intent on finding several different friends they wanted to tailgate with. As Megan said, “It’s going to be a long day.” But they love it.

My thermometer tells me the temperature outside is 80, hardly football weather. I remember when I first moved to Texas. The last college football games I had gone to were in Iowa, and we bundled up—it was cold. When we first arrived in Texas, my new husband was a surgical resident, and the staff physicians often took us to TCU football games. I bundled up, because that’s what I thought one did for football games. And I ended up being miserably hot. I ad a full-length red coat that I had to hold or carry the whole night. I also remember that back then folks dressed for the game—no torn jeans and T-shirts, thank you. The ladies wore suits and dresses, and the men wore suits. TCU never won a game in those days, back in the mid-sixties, so I wondered why we went—my blood was not then purple. Thank goodness, that’s different today and they are winning many more than they are losing.

And grandsons--the one on the left looking serious is a dedicated TCU fan,

the one on the right, grinning, doesn't much care,

and I don't know what was going on with Jacob in the middle

Note the orange sleeve to the right--it's my son-in-law

See above that my daughter wore lots of purple--a divided family

I’m not a football fan. As I’ve said, I can never figure out what’s happening on the field. I used to go for the camaraderie. Now, for lots of reasons, it’s beyond me, but out of loyalty I keep it on the TV, muted. But every time I look up, hoping to see a score, they screen flashes scores of other games. I think it’s near the end of the second quarter, and I have no idea who’s winning. Oh, well. I suppose they’ll all come home and tell me, probably in the morning because I’m sure I’ll be asleep by the time they make it home tonight. A friend emailed to say it’s an exciting game—thanks a lot. I’m missing all the excitement.

Nice day. Went to Ol’ South with Megan and family and then to TCU bookstore, where Ford chose as his birthday present a T-shirt, face stickers, a football, and a pop socket. Jacob got a basketball, for which he swears he’ll pay me. Difference in kids—Sawyer happily went with his dad to look at books. Jacob and Ford ran loose like wild Indians. We finally corralled everyone, dropped all those males at the house, and went to Central Market.

I planned a good meal for myself tonight, but like many, it wasn’t quite right. I did a chicken thigh with soy, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in the toaster oven—and all that crisp skin, the best part, stuck to the foil I’d used to line the pan. Next time, I’ll grease the foil. The zucchini just didn’t taste right, but the ear of corn was delicious and so was the chocolate for dessert. Win some, lose some. I’ll have to try that chicken technique again.