4 Hard Downs: Piano, Memorial Day, Be A Good Neighbor & SPADES

I'm going to a duet, making ice cream, let's SPADES these teams

Memorial Day, for most people, ushers in the summer and a time of relaxation and enjoying the weather and life. Summer for me is pool season, three ways:

-Swim practice, which my wife (who I love dearly) does the bulk of toting our child to
-Swim meets, which I am some combo of head timer or clerk of course
-Lunches and snacks for the just “we’re hanging at the pool” days (everyday)

Luckily, for me, it was overcast and a little rainy on Memorial Day here in Charlotte so no pool. No swim practice. No hang at the pool. Everything came up Felder. I made pulled pork sandwiches and just stayed at home.

That’s a lie.

Fireworks were going off on Sunday and I was like, “I hate this but I don’t care.”

Other neighbors were like, “are those gunshots,” and wanted, and did, call the police on fireworks. I went out to see where it was coming from because I think interacting with your neighbors is smarter than just calling the cops.

Got there, told them there some folks complaining and wanting to call the cops so maybe chill.

Vibed great.

Also one of the kids knew me from career day and shooting hoops with him on the weekend during my mallwalk. I had a Modelo with them and now we’re friends and when the cops did get there, it was cordial.

That’s my Memorial Day. That being said, let’s SPOT THE BALL!!!

1st Down: Made Ice Cream

When my wife was pregnant she had a craving, Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream.

What my baby wants, my baby gets; both my wife and my daughter, at this point.

My daughter, from the womb apparently has adopted the same taste for that ice cream, so we made it this weekend.

The coolest thing is her realizing there is a recipe

She is an instruction follower. So her seeing the things I did different to create what her, and her mom like was a revelation.

Mason Jar For Ice Cream Sandwiches, Store It With Plastic Wrap Over To Stop Freezer Burn

Next step is to work on these red velvet ice sandwiches because she doesn’t love the chocolate wafer ones. However she does like red velvet cake and the strawberry cheesecake ice cream so this could be a once a week sweet treat she would actually enjoy.

2nd Down: My Wife Is Coming Out Of Piano Retirement

Speaking of my wife is making a triumphant return to performing piano in a few weeks.

She is doing a duet of that song with my daughter at her summer recital. Is she practicing? Yes. Is she nervous? Yes.

That said she’s better than me because she at least is going to get it done and my contribution to piano is, “Ok, that sounds good,” and, “Don’t forget your book,” because unlike everyone else in my family (wife, mom, dad, brother, niece) I can’t read music.

As I put myself down, I will say for my niece’s birthday I did get her a sheet music book of her favorite Disney songs.

3rd Down: LET’S TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL SHIT THAT MATTERS

I have been doing so many shows about NIL, Portal and Bill Belichick that I truly haven’t got to dial into the season. So I want to start a series that focuses me in every week. After spending time with my neighbors and playing some spades, let’s put it this way:

Tier 1: Books: Schools expected to compete for a title
Tier 2: Possibles: if you play spades you know what that is
Tier 3: Smart Plays: you come in 4th and take it
Tier 4: Everyone else just scrapping to be at the table

Every week this is what I am going to work on because right now, in theory Ohio State, UGA seem like the only Books. Michigan, Bama, Penn State, Texas, ND feel like our possibles, maybe put Clemson in there too. If we get a smart play out of Oregon or Oklahoma or a healthy DJ in Florida, they could be there.

I think this is good info, will help me focus in and while everyone else is in summerland; I can lock in.

4th Down: I Made A Move & 10 People CAN Get It

I can’t tell you what it is. There are still inner workings. Just know that 10 people can get some HITD gear and once it hits you’re the only 10.

Cheers!!!