Football Counter-Programming 2024: Who even cares what week it is?

(It occurred to me just now that I haven't formatted this year's FC-P photos with the AYRFSFC-P??!! text. Sorry. Maybe next week.) 

I've missed the last two weeks of the Football Counter-Programming project. And I'm sorry that you have not had me to misdirect* and distract you from the scourge of non-professional Saturday gridirony.

*I initially typed mislead. And that might be technically true. You'd have to fact-check me on that.** But I'm not going to go back and measure the veracity levels of past FC-P posts.

**HA!

ANDBUTSO . . . I'm sitting here on a Friday and not feeling particularly motivated to work. I'm alone downstairs in the house and Lynda is up in her office working. It's a grey, blustery sort of Friday and the arms of Tropical Storm Helene (nee Hurricane Helene) blow their way up into the Midwest. I've been getting texts of Mom in Tifton, after the worst of the wind passed over last night and this morning. She and Dad are safe. Big trees blew down along the driveway. Which makes me feel sad.

And Lynda's family is okay in Waycross. More trees down and flooding here and there. But no one that I know if injured. But I'm sure there are plenty of people I don't know who will be struggling through this in the months ahead. Sure hope that the government has enough tax money to fund their recovery efforts that are needed. (But I won't get any more political than that about that in this post.)

So, yeah . . . sad.

Sad to see big pecan trees blown down, then chainsawed away. But necessary because Mom couldn't use the driveway until it was cleared. Sad to think of the change that time brings. Sad to think of Dad--even though he doesn't now really know that the trees are gone. But I wish I could have a conversation with him about the fact that the trees are gone. But knowing that I can't really have a conversation like that with him anymore.

Sad.

I'll see him during the end of year holiday travels. But it is always bittersweet.

It is also unavoidably the reality of life. And I'm happy at least that life is being had. Through storms and daily living, he continues. And God bless Mom, who soldiers on every day. Relying on everyone who team together to help Dad. But also give Mom the space to find her own help. 

Life just keeps on coming. No matter what you do. No matter how things happen around you--be they work changes or weather storms. Be they growing kids or other facts of life.

It is still life.

And we still have it.

And it is better than most.

So . . . don't define your life with football. (You'll now pardon me as I have to get back to work so that I can spend the Friday evening in support of football-related activities.)

That is all.