Two skunks, Six unrecognizables, and WHAT?!?!

As Count von Count would say: “1 Aaa, 2 aaa, 3 aaa,…12 aaa, 13 aaa, 14 aaa.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,14 dead deer we saw!”

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As Scott and I drove back to Maryville on Sunday, I passed the time by counting the dead deer on the road. I was truly amazed at the number that I reached! By the end of the trip I had to keep looking just to see how many I could find; and I couldn't stop on the unlucky number 13! (It was only scary when I was driving!) Scott, like many of you I have no doubt, found it weird. I just get a little giddy after that long in a car...

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Our trip to Mexico was a good one, but my waistline is paying for it now! We made use of every minute of our self-titled "72 Hours of Gluttony". After two Thanksgivings and one anniversary dinner, we now need to get serious about our eating and exercise.

Here are a few photos from our weekend:

<--The "crew" at the anniversary dinner. . --> sdfsdgsg

Grandma and Grandpa. -->

Happy 60th Anniversary!!

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<--Puppy before Turkey.

Puppy after Turkey.-->

Think the Tryptophan kicked in?

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Really, we had a wonderful time. It was great to spend time with our families! And we got to meet Elle for the first time. She is such a cutie pie!!!! Just talks up a storm to anyone who will listen. :o)

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Between G'ma & G'pa Shields, Scott, and myself; I don't know that Amy had to do much more than make bottles and change dirty diapers! Somehow it doesn't sound like she got the good end of the deal, does it?

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We could say that Colin got out of it all, but he had worse demons to conquer...the dreaded flu.

And a little note to Colin: If you get any "poo mail" don't open it! :o) That would be Scott sending you his love, for sending the flu home with him! Talk about some nasty leftovers...

Scott's been a real grown-up about it though. He's been okay with me not getting anywhere near him! (I don't handle being sick very well. Um, let's just say I become a whiner.)

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I hope you all had a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving!

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I will attempt to leave you now with a video of Dakota visiting "Cousin Buckley". This was at the end of their romping time together. Imagine them at about twice this speed! That is how they usually play. :o)
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Does Master Chief Fly?

Apparently Mary's sighting of the Shuttle Discovery re-entering the atmosphere was only the beginning of tech week here at the house of Shields.

Thursday night was the semesterly HALO Tournament that is put on by our live-in student tech staff. I honestly don't play a lot of games (though they're really growing on me!), but even if you're not into it, it is a sight to see. The room was filled with 12 XBox 360s and LCD projectors. Up to 16 players could team up and play against one another. Very cool.

Oh, and yes. Ross... eat your heart out.
This is Mary playing at a
HALO tournament and LIKING IT!
She has started her turn to the dark side!

She didn't exactly kick ass, but she did kick a lot of waterfall.

Anyway, this was only the second delivery from a one-two-three punch of some really cool technology this week. I'm at my computer this morning when I hear an aircraft going overhead. I really didn't think too much of it until it got really loud. It became obvious that a helicopter was circling over campus so I decided to get up and see what was up there. Very surprised, I ran to get my camera just in time to catch this shot out our living room window:

If you can't quite make it out, that is a U.S. Army Apache Gunship landing in our back yard. Needless to say, I didn't quite expect that when I got up this morning. But, after I put two and two together, I realized it was here to be on display and then do a flyover during the football game for Veterans Day celebrations (btw... Bearcats win 47-13 securing first round bye in the playoffs and a home field game in two weeks).

Mary opted to stay home, but I wasn't missing this opportunity and headed out with the camera. Here's a few up close shots of the Apache.

Can't you see the headlines?
Bobby Bearcat jailed for joyriding.

At any rate, I am more than happy to support the Army and its efforts here. Now, the Marines... that's another story. On Thursday, they were set up in the Union to do some recruiting. They had a high bar set up and if you did 20 pull-ups you got a t-shirt. I was talking with some students and said I could probably do that underhanded, but no way overhanded. Well, one of the Marines heard me and offered to let me take a shot. And then, he just couldn't resist adding that he would give me an AGE WAIVER! O.K. What the heck? Is the gray hair that bad? Geez! Anyway, Mary hasn't stopped laughing yet. She likes to rub it in whenever she gets a chance. Sigh. GO ARMY!

A most amazing sight!

Posted by Mary

Dakota and I got to see a once in a lifetime event today. I'm the most sorry that I didn't take the camera out with me. I console myself by believing that my amateur photographic abilities wouldn't have gotten a good pic anyway. Thankfully, I'll have the memory of if for a long time.

To the left is a picture of the space shuttle Discovery; taken as it launched on Oct. 23, 2007. Today I got the extreme pleasure to watch this shuttle come back to Earth. Between 11:40-11:45 this morning the shuttle Discovery crossed the Kansas state line and came across Missouri. They skies here in Maryville were nearly cloudless in the area where Discovery crossed. I'm one who tends to shed a tear when watching something amazing. I must admit that I cried a little as I watched it fly by. I also felt relief as I realized that it had survived re-entry. It really looked very similar to a plane in the air (although I swear I could make out the shape of it). But just knowing what it really was made the viewing so special! I hope some of you in the area got to see it too!!! [By the way, if anyone manages to come across a pic of the event will you please share?]

Going too far?

Posted by Mary

We've all seen the yellow line that is computer generated onto a football field, marking the spot of the next first down. Today, while watching the MU game (congrats on the 55-10 win), there was the following from the commentators: "This yellow line brought to you by Overstock.com." (...blah, blah, blah...) "It's all about the O."
Seriously, has advertising come to this? Superimposing an ad onto the football field between downs??
...........
Well, I came up with one of my own. (Warning: this is for mature audiences only!)
............
"This yellow line brought to you by Trojan Condoms. When you're about to cross that line, make sure you've got it wrapped up. Trojan, it's more than just one down."
..............
Ah-hem, of course this can only be used on a third and long.... (har-dee-har-har)

In other news:
It's been a lazy day here at Casa Shields. Scott has taken a much needed day to himself. It was quite the change to see him sleeping in while I got ready for work. I can't really call it work though; $50-ish bucks for four hours of watching others take a test. I can get into this. :o)
I took the opportunity to get some homework done. What a concept, someone paying me to do what I was supposed to be doing anyway!

Make sure to turn those clocks back and enjoy the extra hour of sleep!

Healing Time

Posted by Scott

I had promised to put an update on the shots fired from last weekend when I got rested up and had some more time. Well, I'm mostly rested up, but I really don't have a lot to add from what was posted on the last entry. The article I referenced in Stltoday.com pretty much sums it up. The latest is that there still have been no arrests. Honestly, I tend to believe we won't be getting anyone on this. I hope I'm wrong.

Campus seems to be slowly returning to normal. There have been several "support events" for students. While there were some students who were pretty upset by it all, most are doing fine. Some are a little jumpy from the whole thing. The day after the incident, someone was out setting off firecrackers on campus. Idiots. Campus Safety got several calls for shots fired again, which is understandable given what had just happened.

It does seem that most are reacting favorably to how Campus Safety and Residential Life responded to the incident. Campus Safety really gets 99% of the credit. My hats off to those guys.

In other news...
I'm finally taking some time off. I'll be off Monday and Tuesday of next week. I'm just kind of burned out and need to walk away from it all for a few days. I'd like to go somewhere, but money is tight and I don't know where we would go anyway. Fortunately, I have a bunch of movies and shows that have been piling up for me to watch. Laziness is good. :)

Mary is getting her first turn at proctoring tests this weekend. She will be administering the GRE test on Saturday. Not real exciting, but it's easy money.

That's all from the ville!