I've been a bad blogger

It's been getting some flack for neglecting my blog. I had put it aside during my stay in San Francisco, but now I'm back on the road and I have promised to start back up. So in that spirit, I went out and bought a six pack of Bud Light. I have found that Hemingway had the right idea -- alcohol makes the words flow.

I did lots of fun stuff in San Francisco, but mostly I just hung out with Colby and the kids. Despite Colby and David's initial suggestions of weekend trips and fancy restaurants, I  ended up vegging out, watching a lot of tv and reading Harry Potter to the kids.

Here's the fund stuff that I did do:

I arrived on Joe's 11 birthday, so as a present I bought the two of us tickets to a 49er's game. It the first time I have attended a professional football game  (not Joe's), so I splurged and got us fabulous seats -- I wanted to be able to see and didn't want to sit in nose bleed (a Black Swan reference for Mike) seats. When we arrived, I learned that Candlestick Park is a super small stadium and I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. There is certainly not a nose bleed section.  Eh, the fabulous seats were worth it. It was especially fun because the 49er's were playing the Seahawks and I got to root for former BC quaterback Matt Hassleback. (Btw, Tim and Elizabeth's daughter is now a Marymount student.) He had a terrible day and the 49er's, despite their pathetic record, won decisively. It was Christmas so we also got cheerleaders dressed in slutty little Santa outfits. I thought it looked like they sat on enormous marshmallows.

11 year old boys have a lot of energy.

Also for Joe's birthday, I accompanied the entire Markus clan to 'House of Air,' an enormous trampoline park. India, Joe and ten of his friends spent an hour playing dodge ball on a giant trampoline. Jack, limited by age restrictions, spent a happy hour in the bouncy castle. At one point while I was hangin' at the castle with Jack, I heard a chant of "India! India! India!" Apparently she was the 'last man standing' in the dodge ball game and Joe's friends were offering her their very vocal support!

c. 1988 (?)

For Christmas, I helped decorate the Markus family Christmas tree (actually, it was Leola's old faux tree that she insisted I  buy for her [internet shopping at it's best] after Oprah recommend it) and I joined India and Jack for Gingerbread House decorating at their school. We also met up with new San Francisco resident Brewster Smith for a tour of some of the Nob Hill Christmas lights and other seasonal sights. Brewster is from Bronxville and he and Colby dated during their Junior (?) year of high school. Once again, thank god I scanned all my mom's pictures or you would miss this fabulous one from the St. Vincent's Dance. My mother loved to come home and see the three of us sitting around the kitchen table. "Uhhhh, I'm blinded by all the red hair!" she would exclaim raising her had to shield her eyes. Same thing, every time. Amongst our Christmas lights tour group we had five red heads. Sadly, I didn't think to get a picture of us all. :(

 I also enjoyed christmas shopping in Union Square and around San Francisco.  On Thanksgiving I found myself without the appropriate shoes to wear (the name of this blog is hyperbole) and this was just the excuse I needed to go out and buy multiple new pairs... and maybe a couple of sweaters... and a dress or two...  oops.

For Christmas we traveled to Tucson, Arizona to spend the holiday with David's father Bill and his wife Linda, along with other family members. Knowing that everyone on the East Coast was bracing for the big storm, made our swim at the tennis club on Christmas day all that much sweeter. Unfortunately I was punished for my insolence -- Loretta was supposed to come visit for a trip to the Grand Canyon but was delayed and delayed until she finally got canceled and I got an extended visit to Tucson.

Here's a video that Colby took on her new Christmas present iPhone (from yours truly) of India enjoying Christmas Day with Uncle Steve, Dad and Jack:

I headed to San Diego, which I promise to post about tomorrow. Now I have to go to bed. I have a early reservation to tour Paramount Studios tomorrow.