The days go too slow and the years go too fast

A couple of days ago, the PQ and I celebrated our 27th anniversary.  We didn't do anything overly special but I did take her out to dinner at an Italian place up the road that night.  Last year I took her to a really nice local place and would have taken her back there this time but I couldn't get a reservation before 8pm.  The place was closed for remodeling for quite a while, they redid the dining and kitchen areas, and since they reopened they've been pretty busy.  On a Thursday night when we had to work on Friday, we didn't want that late of a dinner.  So I checked around and this place in Palm Harbor had a good reputation and had no problem getting us in.

What a nice dinner we had.  Started with mushrooms stuffed with italian sausage in a sherry wine sauce which may have been the highlight of the meal.  The PQ had chicken saltimboca and I had veal abruzzi.  Both were delicious.  We also got a bottle of reisling to go with it.  When they showed us the wine list they told us every bottle was $29.  Not a terrible price for a bottle of decent wine at a restaurant.  Then I noticed they had Eroica which is a reisling that was produced by Chateau St Michelle in Washington state with the help of a famous German winemaker Dr Loosen.  When it came out it was listed as one of the best 100 wines in the world and I had tried it a couple of times and loved it.  It also normally goes for around $25 a bottle (maybe 21 or 22 at Total Wine, my favorite place to shop) so to get it for $29 at the restaurant was a steal.  The PQ had never had it so I'm not sure when I drank it without her but she loved it as well.  Needless to say we enjoyed a splendid dinner.  PQ was just raving about dinner to her sister a few minutes ago, especially the stuffed mushrooms.

Last night I had to referee a football game.  Kind of a weird game, a lot of turnovers and crazy stuff happened, and I was with a put together crew of guys I had not worked with before.  The head ref was very good though.  Both coaches were mad at us at different points, the visitors especially so after we spotted the ball favorably for the home team on a 4th down play and they made a first down by millimeters.  I had one oddball call for assisting the runner.  The visitors had gotten an interception and run it back to the home team's 20 yard line.  On first down they tried a run off tackle.  The runner got hit about 2 yards into the run but before he gets tackled one of his teammates grabs him and helps drag him forward.  They go 4 or 5 more yards.  Well since it happened right in front of me I felt it was my duty to drop a penalty flag for assisting the runner since you really aren't supposed to do that.  Unfortunately for the visitors that was the best thing to happen on that play.  Before the runner finally gets taken to the ground another guy hits him and knocks the ball out.  It falls to the ground and the home team recovers.  Visitors were unhappy about that as well but it was a good fumble.  If the runner hadn't been helped he would have fallen to the ground my earlier and never fumbled. 

No youth games for me today.  Today starts playoffs for the youth league.  They are playing games on both Saturday and Sunday.  I don't ref today but have 2 playoff games tomorrow.  Its nice to be able to rest today, I hurt my achilles a little last night.  Nothing too bad but it is sore a bit today.  Many years ago I was playing with my boys in the backyard.  I slipped on the grass and ruptured my achilles tendon pretty badly.  It occasionally bothers me today.  Luckily it is the other leg that is sore today.  I should be fine tomorrow I think but am glad I get today to rest. 

On to the short term investment strategy for today.  Last week was a very bad week.  Only Andrew Luck tying the game against USC and going to OT saved me from a goose egg.  1-4.  First bad week all year.  Then on Thursday, Transocean (RIG) reports a horrible quarter missing earnings by quite a bit.  The stock which I was up 10% on at the time got crushed, down over $7 a share in no time.  It finished the day falling from 56.5 to 49 and now I'm down a couple percent in it.  Friday it was up $1 so I am close to even.  I'm not crushed by this, I have faith RIG will turn it around and I almost sold out of something else to buy more shares.  Probably should have.  I plan on selling some stocks over the next 2 months.  I think the market will be pretty good through the end of the year so I am definitely selling some winners (and losers) to raise cash so that when the bear returns - which I think will happen within the next 6-9 months or less - I can pick up some bargains along the way.  I am keeping my gold positions and may even add to some of them.  I missed an opportunity to pick up some Yamana when it temporarily tanked when gold got hit last month.  It's now back up to 16 so I'm leaving off of that for now.  But I think they are in great position to take advantage of today's gold prices not to mention how gold may go a lot higher soon.  They are one of the lowest cost producers in the business and they have more and more gold coming out. I expect a very nice quarter from them on their next report.   Ok enough of the stock talk, now for the very short term investments.

I'm taking Alabama -4.5 in the big game against LSU.  2 things motivate this call.  Satan is the coach of Bama and Les Myles will never be confused with Jesus.  I have also heard the head of the sports book at Caesars said he would set the line at Bama -6 and take all the action he could get on LSU.  If he is that confident with Bama, so am I, and I only have to give 4.5. 

Give me UNC -3.5 over NC State.  Big rivalry game and NC State is just not very good.  4 wins but outside of beating a decent Virginia squad, they have wins against Liberty, Central Mich, and South Alabama.  Not Va Tech, Michigan, and Bama by any stretch.

I also like Washington getting 16 at home against Oregon.  This is a decent UW team but not in Oregon's class however Oregon may be caught looking ahead to their huge matchup with Stanford next week.  Its a home game for Washington and they're gonna be pumped up for this one.  I think Oregon wins a close one.  Last week that would translate to a 45-3 win for Oregon. We'll see about this week. 

Ow ow ow ow I just got a leg cramp in my calf.  Time for a V8.  I should have drunk one last night when I got home.   

I also might bet Virginia -3 over Maryland.   Maryland is terrible, I don't know how they beat  Miami early in the year cuz they are regressing.  After losing close ones to good Ga Tech and Clemson teams they get blown out by a decent FSU (next year they'll be a really good team) and then lost to a baaaad BC squad.  UVa is up and down, but they have victories against both Ga Tech and Miami sandwiching a loss to NC St.

I am also looking at Arkansas -5.5 at home vs South Carolina.  I liked this better at 4.5 but I might play it here anyway.  Arkansas is a better team, especially at home and though South Carolina is good I don't think they cover this. 

Well that's enough for now, gonna drag my aching leg into the shower and get ready for the day ahead.  Still putting together another unfortunately non-poker post.  Not much poker in my life, a little online small stakes stuff but I have been too busy with football and such to play much.  I did just get my winnings from my death pool victory last night.  200 bucks   Sweeet.  Well I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay warm, it's even a little chilly here.  Last night was pretty cool and windy to boot.  When we went out for the pregame I was regretting not putting on my long sleeved shirt for the game but as soon as I started running around I warmed up quickly.  Hope my short term investments warm up as well.  Get lucky or stay lucky my friends.