16-0

The top story is of course, the top story. The Patriots set many records this season and last night. Thrilling game. Three more to go...

Earlier in the day on Saturday, we went to brunch at the parents of one of Elliott's basketball/school friends. He is a minister at a local church and a really nice guy. He has ties to New England and a friend in Eliot, ME so we had a good time talking. About 40 people were there (including many kids) and good food.

After that, we stopped by the church and updated the floor markings that indicate where the chairs are supposed to line up. The chairs will all be moved out of the way for the youth group's New Years Eve party tonight and it makes it easier to put the chairs back with fresh 'markers.' (The markers are numbered pieces of duct tape placed at the beginning and ends of each row for alignment. Our engineer friend came up with that idea and I maintain it.)

Elliott has been playing a lot of ping pong lately. So today he stepped up and threw down the challenge to the old man. He came all dressed in a sports outfit so I put on my Celtics shorts and tank top. And proceeded to keep him humble... He didn't want any charity so none was given. Best of 5; I won 21-12, 21-12, 21-17. But he is good. I am betting he is the best at his age category and then some. I have wanted to set up a tournament at church and I even have a bracket template ready to go. Some day I guess.

For lunch today we used our Applebee's gift card that we received for Christmas. Every time we go there, it is an ordeal to pay. There were 2 families of four at one table and we wanted separate checks (we told her first thing when we sat down). That caused our waitress to lock up and roll her eyes. We got through that and the meal; then the trouble began. When the waitress gave us our bill, all of the drinks were on my tab. OK - not to worry; we will settle it up with our friends later. And she had added 15% tip to the bill. Fine. But then I handed her our new gift card, an older gift card (that still had a little balance left) and my credit card for the remainder of the difference (about $3). Our friends paid in a similar way but they only had one gift card and a credit card. When the waitress handed our bills and cards to the manager, he went to work like Pythagorus on an abacus (hey, that rhymed!). Twenty minutes and many waitress apologies later, we got our final slips back. The waitress said there was nothing charged to our credit card as the other gift cards covered the bill (that didn't add up but I took her word for it). So we left and when we got home, I called and checked the balance on the gift cards. The new one was zeroed out, and the older one now has like $4.67 on it! Well, it was not our fault if they short-changed themselves. Every time we go we have a payment issue. But that was our last gift card so we won't have to go through that again for a long time.

Tonight is the church New Years Eve service with food. The youth will stay till 11.