How can such a fast week feel so long? It was one of those- here at the Scheu abode. Seems the more things change for Matt, the more they stay the same. Abby was busy as ever, but I don’t think she’d have it any other way. She is getting 4 or 5 college letters each week now and we know the time is coming soon that we’ll be down to just a three-person house on a more regular basis. Luke continued to focus on basketball and school, enjoying successes in both. Ann is still in misery every day because of her knees. And I continued to battle the bulge and feel sorry for my poor belt. It got warmer and warmer as the week progressed and had near record highs by week’s end. 99% of the snow we just got is now gone – except that nasty, dirty stuff in the piles on the side of the road and in parking lots. Hell we’re not even sure if we’ll even get to go sledding this year! Hello again and welcome back to the Scheu Family Blog.
It was back to work and school for us on Monday morning. It was a much warmer day than last week and most of the snow melted off, allowing me to get on the People Trail after work. Abby had driver’s ed after school and then went on to jazz dance later that night. I was pretty bummed that night when I heard that bassist Jimmy Bain (Rainbow, Dio) passed away. On top of that, I heard the news that ‘That Metal Show’ had been cancelled. The crapper is that I have been waiting years to get the TV station VH1 Classic and we finally got it late last month…and now that I’ve had it for 30 days, I lose the one show I wanted to see. On a more positive note, Ann & I enjoyed watching one of our old favorite TV shows that was back for the first time in a decade – The X Files. I remember we used to love watching that and Friends before we had kids. We were proud to see Abby made the Honor Roll again and was in the paper. We have lots of social media pictures to share: Homework Club; Abby & friends; Luke & Pirates; Glenn Frey passed away last week; Jimmy Bane passed away this week; Grace did a cool cover of a Bowie tune; memes; TMS cancelled; Abe Vigoda passed away; Gigi’s eagles; Bu & Pirateers; Paul Kantner passed away this weekend; the Kosiors; and more memes…
Abby was up early on Tuesday to attend Student Council before school, attended Math Club after school and then had the Homework Club over for Soup Night…which became Pizza Night because Ann was too sore to cook. I again walked the People Trail but the southwesterly wind nearly froze off my face! We picked up the kids from Mom & Sandy’s house where Dee had made some awesome peanut butter cookies! We brought home Britney with us but I’m not sure how much homework got done. And we lost yet another celebrity that night as Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller & the Godfather) passed away a the ripe old age of 94.
Wednesday was Ann’s birthday. She swears she is 39 this year, but I think her math skills are slipping. Mom O called at 430 but we didn’t get up to get it. Ann celebrated her bday with a follow-up doctor appointment for her knees (now Doc things her kneecap may be the issue). Abby had some phone drama but eventually got it all figured out. It’s amazing how attached to those little things we have become. Luke had basketball practice that night. Abby worked at the Dixon Dance Studio that evening. We had a small birthday party for Ann at Mom & Sandy’s home for homemade pizza, cake & ice cream and presents. Mom & Gigi, Dee & Jamie and Amy & I were in attendance. It was weird not having any kids there for the first time in a couple decades. Dee made the pizza and cake, which was very good! Purdue played MN and despite a loss last Sunday night, moved up to #21 in the nation. Even though we were missing two key members – Swanigan’s ankle wasn’t good enough to go and Stephens is on hiatus due to some personal stuff – still managed to eek out a W – thanks in part to Edwards stepping up (they are now 18-4 on the year).
Abby woke up not feeling well on Thursday morning. She stayed home from school in the AM but had Gma run her in at noon. I again walked the People Trail across the street from work. Ann & I left work a little early so she could go work coat check at the ball game to raise money for the Pirateers. They were scheduled to perform that night but for some reason it was cancelled. Because she didn’t perform, Abby ended up going to ElRep with Britney, Megan and another friend for dinner before heading on to tap class at Dixon. Later, Ann & I enjoyed AI Hollywood week. During the show, we received a call from Matt. He is on a competitive intramural basketball team and he over did it again. He again has hurt his knee. It is the same one he had surgically repaired back in school. It’s always something with that boy…
Friday was a very long day. Ann met Matt a the doctor’s office and preliminary indications is that he has a torn MCL & meniscus again…but hopefully not the ACL again. He’ll have to wait a week or so for another appointment to be sure. Abby went with Megan after school to the cemetery for support on the anniversary of Larry’s death. Luke came with Ann & I to girls’ basketball game on senior night where Phyllis & Dick’s granddaughter Maddie was one of the three girls honored before the game. Abby & the Pirateers performed at halftime and we split shortly after, grabbed drive through for dinner and came home. We also have several volleyball pictures from last week…
We were up early for Abby to get to Drivers Ed class again. Luke & I did our weekly household chores & monthly PM to the vehicles. Luke & 14-1 sixth grade Pirates were in Aurora later that afternoon for a basketball tourney. First up, they faced East Central, the team we beat for the championship last weekend. We started off flat and never could recover, losing by 8, 24-32. Next they faced Rising Sun. This was a one-sided game. They didn’t score but 2 points in the first half and all the boys got lots of playing time. Luke had season-high stats in many categories. The Pirates won easily, 48-22. We stopped in Batesville on the way home and ate dinner at LaRosa’s and then came home to finish up our weekly chores late in to the evening. But that gave me time to watch the Boilers win again. This was a special game that saluted Coach Keady and the “3-Pete??? of the 93-94-95 teams that won the Big Ten titles. Poor Ann was really sick to her stomach and didn’t sleep well that night. And sadly we learned that Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship) passed away today…
We got to sleep in on a freakishly-warm Sunday morning. Ann & I had to divide & conquer. As Ann took Bu to volleyball at St Mary’s, I took Luke back to Aurora for basketball. Abby & the Turtles faced two other St Mary’s teams and won 4 of 6 sets to remain in 1st place in their CYO league. After the games, the gals met up with us at South Dearborn high school. Meanwhile Luke & the 6th grade Pirates were hoping to play three games and work their way up the loser’s bracket to the finals to face EC for the 3rd time this year. First up, the boys faced a game Switzerland County team in a game that was closer than it should’ve been but they won 55-39. Next up was the host South Dearborn – which seemed to get every call for some reason. We got up big and let them sneak back in it to make it closer but we won again 48-36. The girls made it to Aurora after volleyball, just in time for the championship game where we smashed EC 42-29 to win the tourney! This was the 2nd tourney in a row that they managed to take! The boys now have a record of 18-2. For the tourney, Luke had some fun stats: 4–12 from the floor and 4-5 from the stripe for 12 points and an assist on offense as well as set some really nice picks. Defensively he had 27 rebounds, 4 tip-outs, 5 blocked shots, 5 steals, 3 forced turnovers, committed 10 fouls and made three turnovers. We drove back to the ‘burg for dinner after the game at El Rep and then closed the night watching Grease Live on TV to wind down one busy freakin’ week…
Next up is our Waybac section which continues to feature the first six photo albums of our young family in the nineties. We lead off with Matt in May of 1996 with Ann & I and by himself; then December 1996 at Gma & Gigi’s house and then a classic one of Gigi & Matt in our home that same month; next Matt watching traffic out the front door in July ’97 and mowing the living room later that day; next we head to Lafayette for the Scheu family Christmas party at John & June’s house in December ’97; next we head to Rossville to see Matt “helping??? Grandpa Bryan in June ’98; and wrap up on Christmas Eve at Mom & Sandy’s house in December ’98.
Next up is our video section which features seven new family movies and a few from around the internet.
And that does it for this week’s episode of the Scheu Family Blog. Thanks for keeping up with us this time out and we’ll catch up with you again next time. Until then, have a good one. We miss ya, Mom.
Later, Scheu