If it's not Friday or Saturday, it's probably Monday.

So now that I have finally talked about losing my dog, I no longer dread looking at my blog, which is a good thing, since I have missed it. Since I last wrote, I moved out of the old place and in with my new roommate, who is a good friend of mine, and so the poor kitty moved back from Michael's place to live with me. She longer has to fear being let and is very happy to cuddle with her new "aunt" who happens to be allergic to her, but bears it anyway. That's love. Other cool things: Michael and I had our first anniversary, year two is going to be just as wonderful; I am halfway through the first semester of my senior year at Alabama, and look forward to graduating (y'all keep your fingers crossed on that one); and I got a part time job at a certain sandwich shop, which makes me feel good because I have a little walkin around money at least. Michael got a job at this same chain, different location. How cute is that? But the most important thing of all going on is football season. I love it. We got to go to the first game of the season, against VA Tech in Atlanta, and that was awesome. The Georgia Dome is a great venue, and they sell beer there, so of course everyone loved it. We ate at the Vortex Bar and Grill, which we saw on Man v. Food, but unfortunately did NOT get any of Gladys Knight's chicken and waffles, also featured on that episode. Michael and I could plan a whole trip around good eats, I think. Picture it, us two Adam Richman groupies following the Man v. Food crew all over the US. Hahaha! So that was a nice trip, and our first time really getting away together. I mean, we're together all the time here, but together and away at the same time is just awesome.

Our next opportunity to travel to an away football game was this past weekend. We went to Oxford for the Ole Miss game, and I will say, that is a pretty town, and I met many a classy fan there. We all have our rednecks and blacksheep in the SEC, but Ole Miss impressed me. I didn't even catch too much hell when Michael and I sat in the Ole Miss student section with our buddy who goes to school there and who let us stay at his place this weekend. I wasn't really worried about all the JT Bowtie business. (Pretty boy Bama fan on youtube who is very vocal with his opinions. I'd like to think he's kiddin'.)

The game at Oxford wasn't much to speak of really, 22-3 with neither team playing good, but I sure did enjoy it. There was a chill in the air, downright cold when the wind picked up and I was thinking, "That's football weather." That smell hung in the air around the stadium, the same smell as Bryant-Denny, a mingling of popcorn and hotdogs. It stinks but you gotta love it. My Bama brethren were there in full force. My thighs were padded with flasks under my dress. I had on my big straw Saban hat, with Michael in his houndstooth tie. I was ready. I had heard the warcry the night before in Oxford's square, "Roooooolll Tiiiiiiiiidde ROLL" louder there than, "Hotty Toddy goshamighty, who the hell are we...?!?!" And I had been hugged and high fived by my fellow Bama fans. The atmosphere was there for sure, and that W is all that matters at the end I guess. After the game some Ole Miss guy grabbed my hand and he looked in my eyes and said "Win. Win. Win the national championship." It was a little surreal. Kinda creepy, but I know what he means. I appreciate that they will all be pulling for us if we end up against Tebow an' them. (I believe the University of Florida now measures time in BT and AT, just sayin...) I'm looking forward to Tennessee, and I can't wait for LSU to come to our house. Then there's always that team on the other side of the state, we've got business as usual with them.

So as long as we have football I'll keep on living for Saturday.

Coming back, I guess.

This is the first time I have looked at this page in what seems like forever. It's funny how quickly things happen. My last entry was all about pets as that was what was on my mind that day, mostly because my little dog didn't feel good. He was sick and pitiful, and I got to thinking about just how much I loved him, and it made me want to share my funny story about the lack of success with pets. I never thought at that time that he was really sick, but as the week went on he got worse. We had two vet visits; they didn't seem too worried. I don't think anyone thought that he would die. But just a few days and lots of money later, I knew there was nothing else to do, and I must be honest and say that by the time Gus gave up I was ready for him to go. Just can't stand to see a sweet little animal suffer.

Now, I've never in my life loved an animal like I loved that pup. I mourned like he was a person, crying every day for a while. Sometimes it still catches me off guard, and I have to cry again, but it doesn't hurt in that same terrible way. My Michael did right by Gus, we took him far out in the country and we buried him, alone together and it felt like the right thing. Think I'm silly if you want, I don't care, but I think you know how I feel, I think everyone has that one pet that means so much. Your Skip, Sounder, or maybe Old Yeller type of love. At the time I was mad, just mad as fire because my little dog dying seemed to represent something so cruel, the worst kind of unfairness after getting something so special. I still love that dog, and I'd trade the one we have now to get him back in a heartbeat. Not that I don't love ya Maggie, but you're no Gus. He was that dog of your childhood, that teaches you about love and death. I just didn't get him until I was an adult.

"They buried him out under our elm tree they said. But that wasn't totally true. For he really laid buried in my heart."