HANDY DEENA

Deena's just got back from surgery for her carpel tunnel syndrome. I am currently looking forward to six weeks of cleanin', cookin', dusting, dishwashing, mowing, cat poop changing, while Dee lays on the couch, doing her impression of a miniature Jabba the Hut, watching all-day marathons of Walker, Texas Ranger, and graping herself. "Hey (munch, munch), Honey, you missed a spot. (Gulp!) Oh, man, these grapes are great..."

The Double Nickels

Okay, I can honestly say I had the best birthday weekend in quite awhile, at least in the past three years. But do you honestly need to call "55" the ol' "Double Nickels"?

I took an extra day off from work to enjoy the entire weekend and Monday because, as you've probably already guessed, I desreve it. I spent a gorgeous day at Garfield Park in Indianapolis with most of my friends in the Whoosier Network. A few couldn't make it because of heavy commitments and/or illness, but those who came had a great day in near-perfect weather, and best of all we got to try out a number of new games given our resident game critics at GenCon to review. I got to play a wonderful yet simple card game called "Crappy Birthday", which could also be titled "The Mark Dooley Story", and have, over the course of the years, received at least two or more of the botchy birthday presents represented on the cards.

I also got some really nifty gifts from all my friends, including an awesome "tattoo sleeve" featuring many characters from Doctor Who, a Batman trivia game, and, to my astonishment, the highly elusive Eighth Doctor figure from the Doctor Who action figure collection to complete my own display on my TARDIS deck playset.

We broke up the beautiful day around 6:00 PM and drove home in the best kind of weather, totally oblivious to even the possibility that a couple of hours later, nature would wreck vengeance on the crowds at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Of course, we pray for those families who lost loved ones in the disaster and the quick recovery of those injured.

Of course, the next day we celebrated after church with most of my family gathered around for the making of "old jokes" that are probably older than me. My sister Tammie bought mine and Deena's dinner at the Texas Roadhouse while trying to wrangle her grandkids Lehloni and Chris (ages four and one respectively), and it all ended with me being planted on top of one of the saddled hobby horses which you can see to your upper left.

Best birthday I've had in a long time. Not crappy by any means.