Coming Around Again...

And just when you think you've made it through the hot, sticky summer, and are ready to settle into a crisp autumn filled with long walks through the park, strolling hand-in-hand with your guy through leaf-covered sidewalks, and evenings curled up on the couch watching old movies before a crackling fireplace.... you are smacked into reality by Opening Sunday of the NFL.

Not that Sweetpotato hasn't been rumblin' about football season since May, but I was employing a skill I picked up very early on in our marriage and tuning him out. It's not that I thought I could prevent football season from coming by ignoring it, but I suppose I hoped that by giving it less credence I could somehow help SP see it as a less important part of our weekend....silly, silly Queenie.

So this past Sunday came, as I knew deep-down it would, with all the grunting and falling down and whistling blowing and armchair quarterbacking that I've know in years past. Of course Saturday was filled with pre-game coverage of any and everything football, from the scandals, to the predictions, to stories about some poor man who at age 50 can't hardly walk cause he spent his youth gettin' knocked over 50 times a day- like no one thought this would be a problem at the time?

Anyhoo, this year I am determined not to let this football mess bring my fall season to a grinding halt. No sir, this year am going to go on about my business and not be bothered. Sweetpotato can sit in front of that television all weekend long if he wants to (well not really, he's allowed one day, but that doesn't sound as good) but I am gonna carry on doing what I wanna do. If I wanna have brunch with my girlfriends, I'm gonna have brunch. If I wanna kick leaves in the park, I'm gonna carry myself right on to the park and start kickin. And if I wanna go buy myself some new shoes, guess whose credit card is comin with me? That's right honey, if you're gonna be watchin pigskin then I'm gonna be buying calfskin. And don't come cryin to me when you get the bill cause you had the option to distract me by a walk in the park, alas, you chose door #2.

Just think of all the things you can accomplish while they're getting agita over some silly little game. I have already begun my Christmas shopping and baked quite a few new goodies. Now that I've finally released the idea that football will somehow disappear from the American consciousness, I can see the benefits of having the boys entertained for a day while I go about my business.

Remember ladies, quality time does not include sportscenter, but it might very well include Bloomingdales.