Today’s most tiring event would have to be the football game. Off we went to Raymond James Stadium with a friend of Anastasia’s named Joe. It was a really important football game, as dependent on the results of this game were the Bucs’ chances of going to the playoffs. A couple of other games had to go particular ways as well, and we still have to win the next game, but right now we’re the NFC South Division leaders. This was a really tight game. First Atlanta got a touchdown, then us, then we got another one… it was a seesaw game. Towards the end of the last quarter the Bucs were down, however we managed to pull off a fabulous return and even the score out at the end of ‘regulation time’. This means overtime! Another quarter with sudden death – first one to score wins. We have a funble and the Falcons have a chance for a field goal. The Bucs block it in a spectacular fashion, and then drive back up the field one first-down at a time (with some notable penalties which made for some long runs) for a field goal attempt which we blow. It slowly comes back up the field and the Falcons blow it again. We drive it back up again for a final field-goal attempt with 15 seconds left on the clock (15 minute final ‘fifth quarter’) – we make it. The crowd (which has been standing up for the last hour or so) goes absolutely ballistic. That’s 60,000+ people, all going nuts in the one place. The yelling and the atmosphere in that place is incredible.

Anyway.

After the game we rushed back home, got changed into nice clothes and then headed out to Anastasia’s great-grandparents’ place (her mother’s father’s parents) for a family get together. Lots of family. Aunts, Uncles, cousins, great-Aunts, great-Uncles… lots of family. Anastasia has a big family. Food, chatting, the usual talky-talky kind of stuff.

Afterwards I came back and then chatted to my family for about an hour and a half… Dace had a screaming chicken. My family was mostly drunk, but in good spirits (they had been drinking since breakfast). It was so nice to talk to my family (and not do charades).

For those of you who have been bitching about how my blog isn’t interesting enough, get over it. I don’t think your lives would be filled with adventure if I read about them every day either. I’m sure there will be plenty of ‘more interesting’ stuff once I hit Seattle and can tell you about what I’m studying, the new people I’m meeting and so on.