The saga ends

This will be a short post since I am very tired and very sad right now. Same thing... year after year after year. I was so desperately hoping that there would be a Lombardi Trophy in Philly before I turn 45. That can't happen now, of course.

On a cold January night, the impossible season ended for my Beloved Eagles in the desert of Arizona. They were outplayed, outcoached and the Cardinals wanted it more -- can't imagine HOW but certainly understand how Cardinal fans would be insulted by the lack of respect they received from the national media this week. The game was in Donovan McNabb's grasp -- I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the outcome, but I am as equally devastated by the loss as I was in seasons where the Eagles were 13 and 3 in the regular season.

That being said, we had a wonderful and LARGE party here today -- lots of people, a grotesque amount of food and alcohol, lots of yelling and as good a time as was possible with the end of a season that had become a metaphor for the first half of my life in some ways. Then again, 1980 ended with a loss too so I guess I've come out pretty much even.

Arizona 32
Eagles 25

Bring on the 2009 season!

Ain't no stoppin us now!!!!!!!!

And on another cold January afternoon, with snow and ice leftover from yesterday's non-serious snowstorm event, the dream goes on and on and on...

Originally, we were even going to have a friend who is a Giants fan here but he was sick so his wife came without him. What was originally a party of ten became 17 -- including my sister, her husband, their 2 kids and their daughter's friend. Our friends' son is friends with our son -- so he and a friend came over too. Next week... same time, same station and (God willing) same outcome. My Beloved Birds are again playing for the NFC Championship!!!!!!!!

The Giants... the defending Super Bowl Champs, the #1 seeded NFC team.... yeah, they're home for the winter and my Beloved Birds are heading to where it's warm to play another NFC East team (ok... I'm almost 45, the Cardinals used to BE an NFC East team) for a chance for the ultimate and yet unrealized prize. All I want for my birthday (four days after the Super Bowl) is to see that Lombardi Trophy moving down Broad Street (and I also want knitpicks needles set and matching Super Bowl Championship paraphernalia like blankets and shirts and banners).

Thank GOD next Monday is a holiday!!!!! I am hoarse from screaming, exhausted from stress and don't want to have to worry about going to work on Jan. 19th (Thank you, Dr. King). The same friends and family will be here -- after we provide the food and the alcohol, they all know where everything is in my house -- the FREAKIN' NFC Championship game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fifth time in eight years. First time EVER an NFC 6th seed team has gotten to that game.

Eagles 23 Giants 11 -- any questions how good MY mood is tonight???????????????

LET'S GO EAGLES!!!!! BRING ON THE CARDINALS!!!!!!

Don't Stop Believin'

Hmmmmm... old Journey songs from 1981. New Year, same theme. I may 28 years older, but ... the picture above was done in 2004; mere weeks before the Eagles won the NFC. Few but me believed that after losing three straight NFC championship games, the Eagles would EVER make the Super Bowl. I did. I still do.

My Eagles didn't disappoint me. Even I, in my "Always Bleeding Green" mindset, got a little bit nervous during the Vikings game. Worse yet, I had woken up with a full-blown migraine at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning and had to lay in a dark room right up until game time. The "throw a long pass" call on a third down and one brought most of the migraine back too!!!! But my Beloved Birds prevailed (and it WAS only a moment or two when my belief wavered). Bring on those New York football Giants; the World Champions; the Almighty Eli; the blah, blah, blah. Wait a sec... or bring on the team that lost to the Eagles a few weeks ago; the team that has lost its most powerful offensive weapon; the team that we play twice a year and have a pretty good win/loss record with over the past five years (we can ignore last year entirely please). I am ALL about another Miracle at the Meadowlands -- Brian Westbrook... get those running shoes ready!!

Other than the Eagles, the New Year has been dreary (it really DOES feel like 1981!). Work is busy as all get out, but the economy is taking its toll; clients are trying to pay what they can, but everyone is hurting -- I'm fair about it to a point unless the clients decide not to pay balances at all. I am positively swamped for the next several weeks with briefs and pre-trial statements due, on standby trial in an interesting criminal case, a complex property distribution case at the end of the month and with appellate files that are so big I can barely lift them.

Weather has been gross for weeks -- rain, sleet, ice, cold then warm. BLECH!!!!!! We woke up today to no power and a FREEZING cold house at 5 a.m. (power had been of since about 2). Hubby had a 2 hour delay, but #4 did not so I got a late start getting the baby to her sitter's house and then getting home. Got some work done, but not a whole lot -- certainly not what I needed to get done today (which has been the story of this past week -- everytime I sit down to work on something, something else interrupts me!).

I've gone from having 2 of the 5 kids at home full time to having 4 of the 5 at home..... things are flat out CRAZY....

But I still believe !!!!!!