We got up, did our usual Saturday morning routine, showered, loaded Bruce and Harvey into the car and went to Atlanta Bread for breakfast. We sat outside so the dogs could be with us because we went to walk on the beach after we ate. Amanda had to go to the bathroom before we left, and she was glad she did because she got a little surprise when she did. Just a little early and without warning is all.

It was pretty nice out, although we both wore jackets. Amanda saw a crab in the surf and showed it to Harvey. We let him play with it until he started scratching at it, which would have probably scraped the poor crab to shreds.

We stopped by the Food Lion at Landfall to pick up some breakfast supplies for tonight’s dinner then went home to watch Duke lose to West Virginia.

That was so frustrating. At the beginning they played some of the best basketball the team has played probably since the first Carolina game. It was awesome! But then they stopped hitting their shots and turned the ball over a bunch. Duke started the second half with a nine point lead, went up to nine then fell behind. It didn’t help that they missed like fifteen threes. Greg Paulus hit two at the beginning then I don’t think any more were hit until the end of the game, but by then it was too late. Duke only lost by six, but that’s because of a late-game rally that came too late.

DeMarcus Nelson went out much like JJ Redick did a few years ago, ending his Duke career earlier than he should have in the tournament giving one of his worst performances.

And thusly did the Duke Blue Devils bow out early, once again, from the NCAA Tournament. The Duke message board is in complete meltdown. People are down on the coaching staff, more than anything, for their inability to recruit top big men or for not being able to develop them.

Moving on, Port City Community Church was to have five services this weekend. There are the three at Roland-Grise Middle School like usual, then two today, at 5:00 and 7:00. We went to the 5:00 one and took along with us Michael, our neighbor Bonnie Narron and Amanda’s co-worker Allison Pargoff. Both of the newcomers were really impressed. Allison, who doesn’t generally go to church, thinks she might come back some more.

I took pictures during the music at church. It was pretty fun, although I’m not sure how they turned out. The lens I want for taking sports pictures will also come in handy for the things like that. And weddings. Really, I need to get that lens.

After church we headed on home, where Adam and Renee were already there waiting for us. They shot some hoops along with me and Michael until breakfast dinner was ready. Cyra and John showed up during that time. Allison had brought her dog, Roxie, and they brought Lily, their dog. So there were lots of dogs over here. During dinner we kept them all outside. Harvey and Lily played pretty hard. Poor Bruce mostly sat under the table outside looking like he wished he didn’t have to be around all that mayhem.

For dinner we had eggs, apple turkey sausage, toast and cinnamon rolls. Yummers. After dinner we played Blake’s Game and Balderdash. Before Blake’s Game started Chris Burfmeister came by. That’s not his real name; it’s Chris Burf-something, but his handle on Xbox Live is Burfmeister, so that’s what Michael and I call him. It’s funny- afterwards when referring to him, Amanda even called him Burf.

The guys won Blake’s Game and I won Balderdash. I think everyone had a good time.

Zach Dotsey
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