WELL OF COURSE WE DID IT!How long have we waited for this years' Football Season??? Well, 365 days of course. And aside from the pregame losses (which don't count anyway, although Mosaic Stadium was packed both times), we opened the season with a sellout crowd again. It's nice to know that we are the only league who has consistently had sellout audiences since the beginning of last year, through to this year and it looks like we are going to be sold out again this season. Kent and I have worked for the Rider Green Team Re-Cycle Team for about 3 years now, and we really enjoy it. The main perk for us is that we get to see the games. This year I opted to do the PreGame Field as well as After the Game for recycling. Both Kent and I work the truck. This is where all the bags of cans and bottles end up, and we are the crew that separate and bag the bottles and cans. We do a pickup in the "south" end zone to help those who are working the stands, and I don't envy them one bit. PreGame is a matter of making sure there are no bottles or cans left on the practice field. Seems everyone and their dog loves to come to the PreGame to A) Drink Bear and B) Eat ..... and YES it is in that order. In previous years, the field was always a total mess, and it took almost the first half of the game to do. This year, I noticed that the crowds are a lot cleaner than usual, and we were in the Stadium within 5 minutes of the game starting. Now for us, that is unusual. We actually got to SEE the game this time.
There is nothing like watching your team play a team who has accumulated former Saskatchewan Roughriders in the draft. They (former Sask now BC) are all about showing Saskatchewan what they can actually do, and that's supposed to make us feel guilty about letting them go to another team. Well, you know how it is! Everyone comes out with the intention of Booing the other team, and to bug the few BC Fans who actually dare to sit among a sea of green and cheer for the BC Lions. Lets' face it, WE OUTNUMBER THEM. We're always telling them "there are a whole bunch of orange teeshirts on the east side, wouldn't you like to be with them. At least these poor guys wouldn't have to take the snide remarks like 3,000 people changing "BC SUCKS, BC SUCKS" (Catchy isn't it? - No I'm not one of those who does that - Really, I'm NOT!) When we're off the field, we'll make friends with anybody, and that includes BC. We party with them, and console them over their loss, because we are concerned fans, so while they are crying in their beer, we are usually carrying our beer around the bar and being extraordinarily happy and boisterous about our win. Then we are back to consoling our new found friends. It would be a total fantasy if I said we were friends in the Football Stadium - WE'RE NOT!
It was not a perfect game, and our new guys are still learning the ropes, but they are learning fast. Our American Imports always have to get here and learn how we play the game, because everything is different for them. Even the rules are different, and that sometimes poses big problems for our Americans. Things they can do in the States, just aren't done in Canada, so penalties flow. Seems after a couple of penalties, the Americans get the idea. It's either get it right or get off the field, and the fans definitely let them know if they've messed up. There were unnecessary penalties on both sides but it all worked out that we won the game by 4 points with a 28-24 win. It was a good way to start the game, but not perfect.
Recycling starts after the game, and this is the "OR WAS IT?" part for me. Again I am limping. Gout has set in and I'm definitely not a happy camper. Seems that I am destined to have this problem when it's football season and Buffalo Days (soon to be Queen City Ex). We were at the truck until 3:00am, which was being there about 12 hours this includes the pregame, Game and postgame. It's not easy, but we are making this world a little greener by getting those bottles and cans into the recycle depot and keeping the landfills a little smaller. I cannot tell you how many thousands of pounds we collect to recycle in a season. It's "a lot". We are paid for volunteering which is a plus made almost $100.00 and once in awhile we get pizzas from the concessions, as well as other freebies which they give to us by the boxes - which feeds Kents' snack button. (I don't snack FYI)
We arrived home at 3:30am, I had something to eat, took the "big-as-a-horses-leg" Naproxin, had a nice hot bath and off to bed, totally exhausted and happy. What did I dream? Why Winning the next Game of course.
Now back to doing for Buffalo Days, and get that over with for this year. If I am going to end up with gout every year at this time, it may very well be our last year. I will be walking the parade route, and we will have a convertible to ride in this year. Kent can't do the walk, but since I'm passing out roses this year, with little "Thank You for your Support throughout the Years", I'm going to have to be in top shape, because those costumes get heavier and heavier each year. I've made it through Canada Day, made it through July 4th, now comes July 12th for my brothers' and my birthday, then Buffalo Days for the last time.
I am going to miss those yesterdays we lived in for one week in the year. Perhaps it will come back and perhaps not - I do know there will be many wonderful memories and many great moments to remember. It may be a FAREWELL TO YESTERDAY, but we will never completely say goodbye.
