Vikings v. Packers liveblog 2011

4:16:

Becky: Did I miss kick-off because I was making a yogurt parfait?
Carrie: We should liveblog this. I’m starting with you missing kick off.
Becky: I didn’t miss kick-off, we just saw it.
Carrie: WHAT?? This always happens to me.

4:35:
Becky: How’s the liveblogging coming?
Carrie: Ooh. Oops.

4:45:
Skype conversation with the nephews while the game played in the background. They were showing off their Halloween costumes. Highlights from the conversation included “I got a long tail” and “I got a big tummy.” Also, a few trips to the imaginary playground, and Auntie Becky and Auntie Carrie calling each other from the imaginary playground on the TV remote controls. Who needs TV when you have silly aunties on Skype? Oh, and apparently the Vikings scored while we were playing pretend.

5:34:
Becky: I know what’s wrong with this game. I’m not wearing my sweatshirt! ::runs to put on Packers sweatshirt::

5:38
Carrie puts on her lamey non-Packers sweatshirt. Apparently her internal Minnesotan feels conflicted. No sign of purple though, thank goodness.

Score at half time 13-17. Boo. C’mon guys, the quarterback is a rookie!

5:43
Carrie: Oooo, I like their uniforms, those blue guys!

5:57
Becky: go go go go go!
Carrie: Go go….wait, no, stop. Whatever.
(In my defense, I did declare before the game that I was rooting for both teams – that’s allowed, right?)

6:10:
Becky: My bread isn’t going to make itself you know.
Carrie: I know, my wife has to make the bread.
Carrie: Your guys apparently got 17 points in 4 minutes or something. I don’t even know how they did that, we must have missed a touchdown.

Brief break for shaping of cheese bread (hopefully in the style of Stella’s Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread). In the process, Carrie manages to spray Pam on Becky’s Green Bay Packers sweatshirt.

Becky: Well now I have to take it off and wash it. But if the Packers lose, it’s all your fault.
Carrie: Um, your guys just scored again I think. Wow, we are really sucky football fans.

That may be true, but we are excellent cheese eaters, and that’s what really matters, right?

7:07:
Carrie: The Packers did that thing where they kick the ball to the end.
Becky: Put that in the blog.
Carrie: Not the field goal one, the other one.
Becky: Put that in the blog too.

7:22:
Carrie: They can just quit?? Well that was anticlimactic. I didn’t even know the game was ending.
Becky: It’s a little bit ironic that you missed both the beginning and the end of the game because you didn’t know what was going on.

Super Bowl - Now With Photos!

We were definitely not organized enough yesterday to compose blog entries that had both words AND pictures (translation: we were too lazy to download pictures off the camera), so here's a photo wrap-up of yesterday's events.

Carrie's lunchtime snakebite. Note the cooling black bottom cupcakes and vegetable chopping in the background. We were busy!

Making the shells for Broccoli Croustades. And yes, as a matter of fact, these are the same fashionable pajama pants I was sporting for my Zumba efforts.

Cupcakes: better with frosting.

Coffee table decor (note the easily accessible computer, for your liveblogging pleasure)

Cricket watches pre-game commentary from the safety of an inflatable helmet.

Kara keeping the deviled eggs safe.

The spread (featuring cupcakes, cheese/sausage, nachos, deviled eggs, and broccoli croustades--as green and yellow as we could get!)

The entire guestlist at our party (minus the cats)

And finally, a photo of the Empire State Building, all lit up in green and yellow tonight!

 

I hope all of you had an enjoyable weekend, whether or not you watched the Super Bowl!

Superbowl XLV

Welcome back!  The three of us have settled in on the couch with full plates of green and yellow foods and alcohol.  Even Kara managed to wear a green sweater in support of Beck...er... the Packers.  Go Pack Go!


Edited to add: For the record, this blog entry was once again written by Carrie but posted by Becky. 

5:56pm:
We attempt to open the bottle of Asti.  It is difficult and I fail.

Kara: Do I have to use my brute strength?
Carrie: Are you strong?
Kara: Well, no.
Carrie: Ok.  You try then.

5:58
Kara:What is this?  The declaration of independence?
Carrie: I don't know, who is that with Colin Powell?
Kara: You're the political one.

6:03
Carrie: What is this, superbowl X L 5?
Becky: Can you please put THAT in the liveblog?

6:11
The Steelers look mean.  I keep forgetting there are people rooting for them.

6:13
Becky: Go Pack Go.

6:13b
Becky: Christina Aguilera is signing the National Anthem?  That's disgusting.
Me: She actually looks kind of..normal.
Becky: It's kind of difficult to eat through the inflatable helmet.

6:20
Becky: What's Lea Michelle doing?  She's warming up the crowd!
Kar: Is she wearing PANTS?
Becky: Is that offensive to you?
Kara: I mean, well no.

6:21
Kara: That guy has a rug on his chin.  I mean, not Ben Roethlisberger.  The other guy.  It wasn't good.

6:22
Becky: What, no 9-11 flag stitched by tornado victims??
Carrie: Not a real sporting event people.
Becky: Are they cheering because she got the words right?
Kara: What just occurred?  That guy was NOT that hairy before.  Did he just like shove a rug on there, I don't understand?

6:28
Kara: Is this still the pre-game?

6:30
Kara: I need to release my pants. .....  Aaah.
Kara: He's in the hall of fame already?  He was a referee in X X X 5!

6:33
Carrie: I want them to interview Baji or Raji or whatever his name is. He's my favorite player.
Me: Silent stare
Carrie: What? At least I called him a player this time, not a character!

6:35
Carrie: It's very confusing to me that they're ALL wearing yellow pants!

6:36
Becky: His name is Zombo.
Kara: That's a good name.  I always pick the guys with the good names that I like.

6:40
Becky tells us the story of Donald Driver, after I accused her of not knowing who he was.  Apparently I was wrong.

6:42
Carrie: Seriously, look how hairy he is.
Kara: He's so hairy!

6:45 
Kara: Oh, the game's back on, I can go to the bathroom.

Cupcakes are delicious, but the chocolate part is dry.  Becky and I agree that we probably should have cooked them a little bit shorter.  I have a mimosa.  Becky watches the game.

6:54
Kara:  Oh, oops, I buttoned my pants back up again.

6:55
Becky and Kara break out in song to The Blackeyed Peas halftime preview.

7:00
TOUCHDOWN!  YAY!
Becky: I hope the neighbors aren't planning to go to bed early tonight.

7:02
Dorritos make dead people come alive again.  Impressive.

7:07
INTERCEPTION!  TOUCHDOWN!  Becky didn't start yelling and we all wondered why.. turns out she was getting food.  But she caught it on the replay.
Carrie: There's a flag for excessive celebration??

7:22
Becky: I don't know who he is.  But I'm glad he's limping.  Hallefrickinglujah.
Kara: Where's the small animal on Roethelisberger?
Becky: That was someone else.

7:23
Carrie: Wait, Do they get points for that?
Becky: Yes, they kicked a field goal.
Then she points at the blog and insists that I record this interaction.

7:28
Carrie: Will you leave them [the Packers] if they mess it up?
Becky: Of course not.  I have a life long commitment to them, just like I have to you.
Aw, true love.

7:33
Cute VW commercial with a little kid being Darth Vader.  Becky declares that it would make more sense if she had seen the movies.

7:34
Oh noez.  Becky's guy is leaving the field.  Poor Mr. Driver!
Kara: Quad injury.  I still don't really know what quads are.

7:37
Kara: How long does it, like, take these guys to get in to their pants?
Laughter.
Kara: Well, they're just like, so tight.  They're like Olivia Newton John getting sewn in in Grease?

7:38
Carrie: That should be an excessive celebration flag!!  Lame!

I think  when Becky liveblogs there's probably more information about the actual game.  But I think the Packers just intercepted.

7:45 
Touchdown!  Woot.


7:52
Carrie: Another one of your guys is injured, Becky!
And then Woodson is slow to get up
Carrie: Is he important?
Becky: I don't know.  But I've heard of him.
They docs check him out while Kara tells a story about her cat throwing up in her bed.
Becky: He's back on the field, we're okay.

7:57
Steelers touchdown.  Saddie.
Becky: In case you were confused, they get points for that too.

7:59
Hm, the commentator just commented that the entire Packers defensive line is in the locker room.  Jokes about quickies and orgies ensued.

8:00
Half time!  Also, Kara farted.

8:12
This Blackeyed Peas thing is like Matrix meets Michael Jackson meets KISS.  Kara says it's the first time in a long time it hasn't been someone old.  So "this is, like, ground breaking or something."  The shoulder pads on the girl are particularly disturbing.  Becky and Kara are now reflecting on the fact that we have somehow become old.

8:14  My sister IMs me:
Jen:  hm... your later blog entries make me ponder how much alcohol has been consumed since I last spoke with you.
I read this to Kara and Becky.  Kara replies, "It's just that I'm feeling comfortable with you, to share all of my thoughts!"
Is Usher really saying Oh My Gosh?  Really?

8:28
Sean inquires via Jen via IM how many dozen broccoli puffs we ate.  I sent Becky to check.  The verdict?  26.  Total, not dozen.
There's a commercial for the Glee commercial.  And Kara declares that she might be able to re-button her pants.

I did some internet research and learned that the Pittsburgh Rug is named Brett Keisel.  In case you wanted to know.

8:36
Becky, giving her guys a peptalk: Guys, you've managed to accrue 35 yards of penalties in the last 2 minutes.  Don't shoot yourself in the foot.

8:42
The Packers got cocky.  Touchdown for Steelers.  And now Kara has to get agitated, despite the fact that she doesn't care.

8:59
Becky: Somebody was wearing a Favre jersey!
Carrie: Wait....who?
Becky: Not on the field you dummy.

9:05
Becky: I think Kara might be right.  If they were wearing underwear you'd be able to see the lines.
Kara: Well I think they're wearing cups.
Becky: I should hope so!
Kara: Maybe it's like a cup-underwear combo.

9:16
The mood is somber.  Becky's guys are not doing very well.

9:22
Becky: I'm tired of getting my own drinks. This bar needs a waitress.
Carrie gets Becky a drink
Carrie: Only cuz your team's doing crap.
Becky MY TEAM IS NOT DOING CRAP!!!

9:23
Carrie: There's more eggs, Kara.
Kara: That's alright. My pants are feelin' okay.

9:25
Becky: Run run run.
Kara: Run fast not slow!

9:28
Becky: Sorry, I farted.
Kara: About time somebody else did!
Carrie: We're so going to regret this liveblog.

9:30
WOOO!!!! Touchdown!

9:42
Nnnooooo........... touchdown Pittsburgh.  And a 2-point conversion.  :(

9:48
Becky: Hairy man is back.

9:51
Carrie talks crap about Green Bay Packers.
Angry Becky: Clap for Tinkberbell.  
Kara: What does that mean?  I never saw Peter Pan.
Becky: What kind of Disney employee are you?

9:54
Carrie: Kick him in the teeth!
Kara: It's always fun to say anything "in the teeth."
Becky: Number 37.  Jazz hands??  Are you getting ready for Glee??

10:04
Kara: Oh my gosh.  Seconds are so long.  In football anyway.

10:06
Did they get it, did they get it?  They got it!  Becky's guys did it!  YAY!!

YELLOW PANTS WIN THE SUPERBOWL!  That's a good end to the first season of football I ever watched.  Congratulations Wisconsin.  Congratulations Becky.  Congratulations the real Yellow Pants.

And now time for Glee.  But I will not liveblog that.

Superbowl Preparation Liveblog

Welcome to Superbowl Sunday at our house! I asked Becky if she would liveblog this event for us, as we've all come to expect such high quality comentary throughout this football season. She declined, and informed me that she cares too much about the game to liveblog it. And thus I was appointed family liveblogger of the day. Forgive me, for this is my first attempt! Not to appear overeager in my first attempt, but I decided that I would try to one up Becky and bit and not only liveblog the event itself but also the madness leading up to it. An event as momentous as the Superbowl deserves no less.

10:04am IM conversation with my sister:
Jen: who's coming to your party?
me: kara
Jen: wait. just kara?
me: yes
Jen: funny
me: yes
Jen: she sorted the M&Ms and made decorated cupcakes and stuff just for you and kara?
me: yes
Jen: ok

10:26am
Becky: I just realized your mom’s recipe for the broccoli and cheese things makes four dozen. I wish I would have thought of that when we were buying the ingredients.

10:29am
Becky asks me to make her some breakfast, because she just took Exederin migraine. Quote, “unless you want to see me go real crazy.”

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A long break in which I make some quick breakfast and we both cook and clean and generally pick up. This basically means I spent an hour sorting advertisements and credit card offers into the recycling bin. And Becky swears a lot at the people who wrote the cupcake recipe and neglected to list “water” in the ingredient list, which she eventually learned by googling. Much stress, but delicious looking cupcakes appear. And an oversized bag of recycling.
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1:21pm
I realize, mid-sandwich-making, that I stopped vacuuming in the middle of the rug to make lunch. I then forget my sandwich mid-sandwich in order to change the laundry. I decide that this is a hilarious clear sign that it’s time to have a Snakebite (Strongbow hard cider with Ribena).

1:46pm
I inquired whether I was allowed to eat potato chips for lunch or if they were reserved for the party. Becky informed me she was not a food nazi and then said:
Becky: “I think we may have an excessive amount of food at this party.”
Carrie: “I think you’re the first person to notice that.”
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Cooking continues. Also, I nominate myself to be on the decorating committee and put out the coffee table decorations. This includes yellow napkins, two different sizes of green and yellow confetti stars, football confetti, and a candy tray (wedding present alert!) filled with the famous green and yellow m&ms (peanutbutter and plain) and Milky Ways.
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3:16pm
Becky: Oh no, I have extra frosting! Extra frosting alert!
Carrie: Ooh, I can help with that!

3:19pm
Becky: Well, even if the others [cupcakes] completely fail, these look AWESOME.

4:32pm
Carrie and Kara text back and forth regarding Kara's anticipated early arrival, as she is apparently coming straight from brunch.
Me: Better make space fast cuz we've got food. :)
Kara: Haha I know don't worry. Am tipsy already though
Me: Nice. We've got beer and mimosas.
Kara: Haha mimosa number 5.

This is shaping up to be a good party people. I'm going to take a break from the day-of liveblog and catch you on the flip side!

O hai, NFC Championship

In case you haven't heard yet, THE PACKERS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!

Alright, I admit that I am no die-hard fan and that I only watch the games that happen to be televised here, but the Pack will ALWAYS be my team. Fortunately, one of my co-workers is also from Wisconsin and IS a die-hard fan, so I get to hear all about what I missed and what's new in the world of the Packers. Said co-worker is also a regular at Kettle of Fish, the best Packer bar in NYC. I'd been saying for years that I was going to go watch a game with her, and somehow this game, against Da Bears, no less, seemed like the perfect candidate. But there's something you need to understand about the patrons of this bar, and Packer fans in general--we're crazy.

On Sunday, the game started at 3:00 p.m. The bar was opening at 1:00. This naturally meant that in order to be guaranteed a seat to watch the game, we needed to get there and line up early...just after 10:00 a.m. In case standing outside a bar in the West Village for three hours on a Sunday morning doesn't sound crazy enough to you, keep in mind that it was only 20 degrees outside. But I put on all the warmest clothes I had, packed my thermos of hot chocolate (after nearly scalding myself checking to see if it leaked. It did. I responded by wrapping it in a plastic bag and keeping it upright. It worked.) and trekked into the city while Carrie stayed in our warm, cozy apartment.

Fortunately, the wait passed relatively quickly, and just as I began to fear that I may never feel my toes again, a kind stranger appeared with extra hand/foot warmers. Hallelujah! To give you an idea of the scope of the line (and the craziness of those in it), here's a picture I took shortly before the doors opened.

I knew I was in the right place when I saw cheeseheads.

Once inside, there were drinks, plates of summer sausage and cheese, and Usinger's bratwursts to help us warm up. I was sadly lacking in Packers garb (a situation my mom is remedying as I type this), but fortunately my co-worker brought me a spare jersey, and another kind stranger was passing out green and gold beads (and cheese curds--yum!)

Anyway, I would describe both that game and the bar as somewhat ugly but awesome. The bar was seriously a little trippy--with the wood paneling, ceiling tiles, and several people in very un-ironic plaid, I could have sworn I was in someone's basement in Wisconsin rather than in the West Village. But it was also refreshing to just be able to give the name of a town in response to "Where you from?" And I think the last time I was surrounded by such enthusiastic sports fans must have been in the student section at a UW-Madison football game. The air in this place was electric.

Oh yeah, and did I mention SUPER BOWL?!?! I am already scheming plans for green and gold foods to make for that day. Suggestions are welcome. And so far the list of attendees at said party includes Carrie, me, and our cats--so if you're going to be in the neighborhood, please feel free to stop by!

After I got home from the game, Carrie and I feasted upon leftover homemade chili in homemade bread bowls. The bread didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped--all four bowls mysteriously shrunk just before I put them in the oven, but they were delicious nonetheless.

Depths of January

I know I'm a wimpy Minnesotan, I know that the weather in NYC/NJ is nothing compared to what it has been in the Midwest, but I'm officially tired of winter. And I didn't even stand outside in it for 3 hours today like Becky did. But I'll let her tell you about that insanity. This has probably been the snowiest and coldest winter since we moved here (and this is our fifth, believe it or not!) Something about the combination of the snow strategy here (pour an ocean of salt all over everything, let the cars create huge slushy puddles to get rid of snow bulk) and our lifestyle here (walking to public transportation, on-street parking, me walking all over the place for my job) makes the tropical NYC winter still feel unbearable.

Friday night we hung out at home and watched Inception from Netflix. I liked it a lot, but probably not as much as I thought I might, based on descriptions I've read referring to it as a mix of Memento and Eternal Sunshine. I've been thinking about it since then and I still don't understand why Cobb and Saito end up in the same place in the end, nor do I understand how they managed to get back to "reality." And pretty much the entire winter wonderland 3rd level scene confused me. But I love both Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page, so two thumbs up from me.

Saturday we avoided moving the car, and hence dealing with the aforementioned annoying weather and parking situation. How did we do that you ask? A seemingly too-good-to-be-true coupon from Fresh Direct! Fresh Direct is one of those grocery delivery companies, which of course we are usually way too cheap to consider utilizing, even on frigid days. Apparently they are hard core trying to push their service in this area, because they sent us a coupon for $50 off a $125 order and free delivery - and we can use it two times within 60 days!! So I spent way too much time on the eternal grocery list and now some poor Fresh Direct shmuck has to carry our milk and soda and 8lbs of meat through the cold and up the flights of stairs. I'm sure they anticipate I'll get addicted to these amazing benefits, but between the extra cost and not having a lot of the exact products we like, I think we'll only be using it for the two awesome deals.

We went to see The King's Speech on Saturday night (go indoor entertainment!), which was also fun. I'm glad none of my clients are royalty; that sounds hard. Scenes of the commoners when the air raid sirens were going reminded Becky and me of the children of war exhibit that we both loved at the Imperial War Museum of London.

Today I'm relaxing as a bachelor with my Sam Adams blackberry witbier, my pizza rolls, and my televised football game. Yes, that's right, I am watching a football game alone. I know this sounds seriously crazy to any of you who know me. But I wanted to know what happened! Sorry for the lack of live blogging, I know how you all love a good live blog!

Packers/Falcons Liveblog

I'm writing from snowy Massachusetts, where we are watching the Green Bay Packers/Atlanta Falcons playoff game. The cast of characters: Carrie, me, Jen, Sean, and Matthew (asleep, hopefully to stay that way). Thomas is sleeping in his crib (also hopefully to stay that way).

In case there is any confusion, we are rooting for the Packers, a.k.a Yellowpants.

8:10
Everyone: Who's the Zac Brown Band?
Carrie: Holy crap, that's a big flag.

8:12
Carrie: Wait, maybe we're not all rooting for Green Bay.
Me: Yes we are. My blog.
Carrie: Jen, who are you rooting for?
Jen: Becky's team. She's scary.
Carrie: Sean, who are you rooting for?
Sean: Green Bay vs. the Falcons? I don't really give a crap.
Carrie: See, I guess we're not all rooting for the Packers.

8:13
Jen: I miss the light.
Sean: You could have watched the boys when they were in here pushing it over.
Jen: I had an urgent situation.

8:15
Sean taught Carrie how to stir...a valuable skill to acquire at age 28.
Jen: Do you think cheese fondue and champagne is a good food for a football game?
Me: I come from Wisconsin.

8:16
Carrie: Okay, I am not missing the kick-off this time. Is this it? Yay, I saw the beginning! That's the beginning, right?

8:19
Carrie: I am actually capable of following this game now if I'm paying attention.

8:28
Packers fumble
Carrie: They took the ball! Is that legal?
Everyone: Yes.
Jen: You would have them play a very calm game.
Carrie: It's MEAN!

8:35
Falcons touchdown. Sad face.
Cheese fondue all gone. For the record, it was Pesto Fondue with hot Italian sausage and bread. Delicious. 
Here comes the chicken wings! (Jen: Can we eat wings with fondue forks?)

8:45
Jen (to Carrie): It's a little weird that you know about football.

Yes, and it also makes for less entertaining live blogging. Sigh. Oh well, I have wine. Perhaps that will liven up the liveblogging!

8:51
Sean explains random facts about football.
Carrie: I didn't even know you LIKED football! Is it like in your genes cuz of that Y chromosome?

8:54
Touchdown Green Bay! W00t!

8:56
And the Falcons ran it all the way back for a touchdown. Lame.
Carrie: Can they even do that?

9:02
Carrie: They're playing really rough.
Jen: It's the play-offs.
Me: It's FOOTBALL.
Carrie: But it's MEAN!

9:09
Touchdown Green Bay again! Huzzah!
Sean: Yellowpants just needs some defense
Carrie: Well, they need someone on their team other than Aaron Rodgers. Apparently they forgot.

9:20
Interception. Woo-hoo!

9:32
Touchdown!
Carrie: That made up for his (Jones) mistake earlier. SEE?! I also have increased memory!

9:36
Jen: Wait, you drank more Pinot? How are we gonna drink that whole big bottle of bubbly if you keep drinking Pinot?

9:40
Interception/Touchdown!!! Carrie and me yelling...fortunately this did not wake Matthew.

9:44
Sean explains something about eligible receivers and various positions...
Carrie: Sean uses a lot of words I don't know when he talks about football.

10:00
A giant slice of chocolate cake with Bailey's frosting appeared in front of me, along with a glass of bubbly. Magic! Also, the Packers are rockin' the house.

10:07
Rodgers runs it in for another TOUCHDOWN!!!

10:13
Me: Do you think if I went to the gym more often, I'd look like them? I mean, the cheerleaders, not the players.
Jen: I think you'd have to go a lot more often. And not eat so much cake.

10:23
Insightful lesson on challenges courtesy of ehow.
Jen: Is there anything we do that doesn't involve Google?
Sean: Yes, sometimes you can use Yahoo.
Me: Ew.

10:26
Another touchdown! Awesome!

10:47
Carrie: If your team messes this up, I'm gonna be so disappointed in you.
Me: In ME, personally?
Carrie: In your ENTIRE STATE.

10:48
Oopsy, just realized I forgot to mention a Falcons touchdown. Jen and I weren't paying attention then anyway.

11:09
So there was a fieldgoal, and the Packers picked up a fumble. But there was also a champagne flute that broke here, so several of us were consumed with that clean-up effort.

11:13
Field goal. Also, my cousin's wife, who's from the Twin Cities and part of a family of die-hard Vikings fans, just declared herself a Packers fan. Huzzah!

11:19
Victory for the Packers! NFC Championship game next weekend!

And now, I think it's time to put my sicky wife to bed. She has been complaining off and on all night that her head feels like it's full of syrup. Between her cold and the cold that Matthew and Thomas both have, I think it's only a matter of time until I get sick...

Zee Weekend

Last week felt a little bit like it would never end. I think this might be the unfortunate but inevitable result of an extended vacation. But the weekend did finally come, and we did our best to enjoy it.

Friday night we met up with our friend Kara, who is usually up for the wackier of our entertainment choices. For dinner Becky wanted to try something new (Shake Shack overload I guess) and suggested a Bosnian restaurant called Djerdan. I was doubtful, but agreed. Since I was running late Becky and Kara ended up first having a drink at a Spanish place down the block. Suffice it to say that the sangria was made with Carlo Rossi's finest. Alas. But Djerdan was excellent! We shared an appetizer of some doughyness in yogurt sauce that was decent. The highlight though was the main dish, the house speciality, burek. Becky and I shared, so we got to try slices of cheese and meat (spinach is the third choice). Burek is apparently a scrumptious stuffed phyllo dough pie. It was savory and greasy in the most delicious way, and each slice only cost $5! I'm quite excited that we now know of another tasty and inexpensive option that is convenient to Port Authority and most Broadway theaters.

We then headed over to Madison Square Garden for the entertainment portion of the evening: the 2011 Professional Bull Riders Invitational*! I had no idea there would be so many cowboys in New York City. The festivities started while Kara and I were buying pretzel beer (pictures of which are sadly on Kara's camera and therefore not currently available to me). But, as photodocumented by Becky, they poured gasoline on the dirt and lit a giant PBR on fire.
Good start, good start. An invocation was prayed, and then we sang the national anthem while saluting a giant waving American flag stitched together by tornado survivers from flag pieces somehow associated with 9/11. I think that speaks for itself.

Then came the bull riding!
Trusty Wikipedia, via the Motorola Droid, filled us in on the rules and various controversies related to the sport. Basically, each rider climbs on a bull and has to hang on with only one hand for eight seconds. If he (as far as I can tell, they're all men) succeeds, then his performance is ranked 0-50 and the bull's performance is ranked 0-50. The scores are combined, and the rides are ranked. Watching the bull-riding was moderately exciting for eight second increments, but overall a bit slower paced than we expected. At one point a rider was dragged behind a bull for a few seconds, and at another point a bull with a lasso around his neck pulled free of the cowboy who lassoed him.
Saturday we planned to do errands and all kinds of boring stuff around the house. We debated about whether to walk to the closer grocery store or to dig the car out of the snowbank and drive to Target and Trader Joe's. Digging out won. That is, until we went to start the defroster and found that the car didn't start. I spent nearly an hour on the phone with AAA and another hour idley waiting for the tow truck to come. Despite fears that it would be worse, we're fairly sure that the car is fine, but that the battery just couldn't hold a charge while parked in once place for three weeks in cold weather. Friendly tow truck operator jumped us and away we went. Except for one catch. The hood of the car will not completely latch, which seems to be related to some fraying of the cord near the hood release switch in the car. Becky and I know pretty much nothing about cars (a cause for some concern), but the tow truck man told us not to drive on the highway until it somehow starts latching... Troublesome.

Sunday we headed to Queens for brunch with our friend Stephanie. She made the most delicious baked French toast, eggy casserole, coffee cake, homemade hot chocolate, and served us mimosas. Yum. We provided raspberries, blackberries, and thawed strawberries from our summertime adventures. We had a lovely time chatting with Stephanie and playing with Stephanie's two-year old.

This evening we watched the Packers beat the Eagles - go yellow pants!

*No Friends of Animals protestors were injured in the writing of this blog entry.

Liveblogging Packers vs. Vikings

At 8:30 when the real television coverage starts, I’m out of the room.
Carrie: Hurry hurry, I think it’s starting.
Me: Did they do the coin toss?
Carrie: They’re dancing on the field or something. And showing Favre's wife.

10 minutes later, after GB’s runner has just been brought down:
Carrie: Wait, I thought they had to kick….wait…dammit, did I miss kick-off AGAIN?! (it’s important to note that she was staring at the TV this entire time—it’s not that she was out of the room at the time or something)

A few minutes later:
Carrie: What does 1st and 10 mean?
Becky explains football basics to the “Vikings fan”

Sack/Fumble. Lame.

Much puppy chow consumption. Delicious.

Later explanations of punts, kicks, and the fact that a football field is 100 yards long.

Random friend request from middle school ex-boyfriend provides mildly amusing diversion.

Awesome catch by Finley...
Becky: Catch it catch it! Runrunrunrunrun! Faster faster faster! YES!!!
Carrie: No no no no no!

Rodgers gets sacked at the beginning of the second quarter:
Me: come on, come on! No...ARGH!
Carrie: Woo-hoo!
Becky eats more puppy chow.

TV: blah blah blah field goal range...
Carrie: What's field goal range mean?
(and I'm being unfair? Really? Has she ever watched a football game before?)
Carrie: It's funny the way you know the characters' names.
Me: You do know that they're written on the back of their shirts, right?
Carrie: Hey, I'm doing pretty good here. I'm following the ball and it doesn't even glow. AND I'm learning the rules. That's more than I've ever done in 26 years.

Cue strange commercial with heavily implied girl on girl action for a domain name website. Football is weird.

TV: blah blah blah trying to figure out what went wrong with that drive.
Me: What went wrong with that drive was that they gave the ball to the other team!

Stupid Vikings touchdown.
Carrie: Oh, my guys got a goal and I didn't even notice.
Me: You know in this sport it's not called a goal, right?

Rodgers gets sacked (again)
Carrie: Oooh, I'm sorry.
Me: You know you suck as a sports fan, right? :P

Vikings fumble and the Packers score...while I'm staring at my knitting. Damn, guess I'll have to watch the replay.

Vikings cheap touchdown. Lame. And what the hell is going on with the Packers defense?

Halftime. Blah blah blah, stop talking.

10:20 p.m.
Carrie: I think you're supposed to put times in when you live blog.
Me: Yeah, I know...I forgot.
So here you go, adoring fans. Timestamps.

10:25 p.m.
Managed to miss the start of the second half due to Halloween costume shopping for little people. Oops.

10:30 p.m.
Another Viking touchdown. Lame. Also, Carrie's feet smell.

10:45 p.m.
What the hell? How many times can you miss that one?

10:49 p.m.
WHAT?! How did he not catch that?

11:02 p.m.
This game blows. And I have way not gotten enough knitting done.

11:12 p.m.
TV commentary on the Metrodome about how dome stadiums are good for quarterbacks because the conditions are predictable and how great that is for a 40-year-old. Haha, dude's so old he can't deal with a little weather?

11:33 p.m.
Finally another touchdown! Let's try to not screw up the two points, mkay?

11:36 p.m.
WHAT?!
Okay seriously offensive line, it would have been nice if you'd tried to PLAY tonight.

11:42 p.m.
Carrie: When I was little, I used to think that little clock thing was how long it was actually gonna take. And I was very disappointed every time.

11:52 p.m.
Boo. Here's my advice to the Packers: play better next time plz? Kthanxbai.

I'm sad that I won't get to see the game when the Vikings are at Lambeau. Oh wells. :(

In other news, I finished my knitting swatch and can finally order yarn for the next project. Woo-hoo!

Pastries and Packers

I have a new best friend. Her name is creme de fleur. We met today at Au Bon Pain. Sadly, I don't have a picture, but I trust that you all know how Google works. :)

Isn't she pretty? She's the lovechild of a cloverleaf roll and a cream cheese danish. Seriously, those two got together and made crazy delicious babies.

In other news, I have recently re-developed an interest in football, which Carrie thinks is insane (to be fair, the last time I cared much about the Packers was back in middle school when they were rockstars, but I was a pretty big fan then!) But they're playing the Vikings next week (BOOOO!) and suddenly Carrie, who has NEVER cared about football and doesn't even know the rules of the game, thinks she gets to start talking smack about the Packers. WTF?