Super Bowl Monday

We just watched our first midday Monday Super Bowl with some Kiwis and Americans. It was also the first party we’ve thrown in our new home. Not everything went as planned…

This morning I was chatting with my sister on the phone and Liam kept interrupting me. First, he passed by with a handful of towels saying someone spilled water on his paper airplanes in the toy chest. A few minutes later he passed by mouthing that there was lots of water in the toy chest. Liam is usually a drama king and prone to a bit of exaggeration so I just shushed him and kept talking to Allison on the phone. Then both Liam and Colin came bursting into the kitchen yelling water is pouring out of the ceiling. That got my attention! I ran downstairs and sure enough water was coming at a steady flow through the ceiling into the hallway outside Colin’s room. I called Doug and after a search through the garage, we eventually turned off the water main into the house and the pump. We mopped up the hallway and spread the wet toys out in the sun to dry.

We had a crowd arriving in a couple of hours and no water to even brush our teeth. So much for a homemade Super Bowl spread. Oh nooooo, there isn’t a Whole Foods in Queenstown. Where will I find lunch all prepared for hungry football viewers? I headed into town and found a great little deli for sandwiches, some salads and brownies. Yeah, we had a lunch to serve.

I was rushing back to the house, saw cars parked in the drive way and I cut the corner into the garage a bit too fast. I completely munched the left (passenger) wheel well and front corner of the car. A bigger Oh Nooooo…what would Doug think? Liam and Colin looked wide-eyed and horrified. Their mom had just tried to take out the garage with the car. Liam just kept mumbling, “It wasn’t your fault, Mom.” I told Liam it was actually my fault and that I would talk to Pop AFTER the Super Bowl. I looked both boys in the eye and said DO NOT SAY ANYTHING TO POP UNTIL AFTER THE SUPER BOWL. As I was speaking I could clearly see my mom saying the same thing minus the Super Bowl bit to my sister and me, some thirty years ago, after she had hit a boulder in the Twichell’s yard. Life does feel cyclical at times. We walked in just in time to have a champagne toast in honor of the game with champagne brought by our new neighbors who are part-time residents here and spend the rest of the year in Colorado Springs. I hoped as I lifted my champagne glass that my hand was not shaking too badly.

As the game started the plumber arrived. I said I would handle the plumber, while Doug enjoyed the game. The plumber headed out to the garage to turn on the water main and pump. I was following him and I could see Doug coming out the door and heading our way. I mentioned casually to the plumber that I had just smashed the front corner of the car and that my husband heading out to join us didn’t know about it. The poor young guy looked at me like I was crazy.

Doug took the smashed car with complete grace and calmness. I think, in retrospect, a party in a flooding house on Super Bowl Monday was the perfect time to bang up the new car. The Giants winning also seemed to be in my favor!