Getting a Clue

Lots of rain and cold today, but that’s okay as we spent most of the day indoors.  Maddie was with us at KidPak today, this despite the fact that it was the first day back at school.  Because it actually wasn’t the first day at school – it was an online school day set up (along with tomorrow) so that administrators in education can determine if and when it’s time to go back to school, this because of the surge of cases over the holidays.  There are work shortages all over again, and the reaction to this one is unexpected. 

 

No matter.  Maddie was at the office today, and she was working on her laptop, getting one assignment done after the other.  Occasionally, co-workers would peek in as if they could help out, but Maddie’s at a place where not many can really help her, except for her teacher and classmates.

One of the reasons she came in today was to be there for filming a game for KPTV, and sure enough, we were finally able to get that done today.  We had plans to do that the last few days, but one thing or another would cancel those plans, and Maddie spent the day with me at the office helping out or just chilling out on the couch in my office.

 

But the filming today was great fun.  It’s a game called “Mafia,” where we changed the titles a bit.  Villagers are now called “Hobos,” because the game takes place on board a train, I guess.  The doctor is called “Watson,” and the sheriff is called “Sherlock Holmes.”  The bad guy in this game is called “Moriarty.”  One by one, the hobos are knocked out of the game, or possibly other players – and we have the threat of cream pies for everyone who is knocked out.  You never knew who was going to get hit with a pie, which made it super suspenseful and super fun.  Maddie had a great time, as did all of us.

 

Afterwards, Diana shared some really nice treats with us from her trip up to Pennsylvania.  Her family up there lives nearby a lot of wonderful places to visit, and so those gift items from Hershey, Pennsylvania were a real treat.  She had “chocolate kisses from around the world,” with some unique flavors that were delicious.

 

We were on our way home to get changed for taekwondo and so on… and we didn’t make it home at that point.  The road was pretty much blocked off and closed up because of an accident, and that sort of thing happens from time to time on Browns Bridge Road.  Forsyth County was basically closed.  So we did a three point turn and had to figure out a few things.  Fortunately, Maddie had a change of clothes with her, so she could put on her uniform for tonight.  No sword or anything, but her instructors were understanding.  

 

But we had to get something to eat, at least.  Maddie has been increasing the level of intensity on Zaxby’s sauces, and today we finally peaked out.  Fortunately, we peaked out on the hottest sauce they have, one simply labeled INSANE.  We were at nuclear last time, basically the vice president of hot sauces.  But here we were tonight at the mac daddy of hot sauces, the hot sauce that all other hot sauces at Zaxby’s bow down to.  It was in fact pretty hot.  The last time I ordered this sauce was over ten years ago, and I never got the nerve up enough to actually taste it.  This time, Maddie and I were giving it a go, looking like Scooby Doo and Shaggy at the end of that first live action movie, the two of us ready to destroy our tongues with fiery death liquid!  Maddie was able to have more than I was, but we both actually had enough of it to say we conquered the sauce.  Not to say we actually enjoyed it.  No, after a little bit of time we were retreating to the sanctuary of nuclear sauce.  But let it be known that today we both did it, having victory over our fears as well as any rational thought.  We literally had a cup filled with nothing but ice, sitting at the table like a medic ready to jump into action.

 

Taekwondo was a full class tonight.  Maddie was back to helping the younger class, serving as a teacher, moving about and watching the younger kids with combat sticks and other motions.

 

We have some homework to do tonight, and I have more work to do on our Get a Clue series.  I was on the treadmill this morning, walking in Nashville while listening to old time radio episodes chronicling the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  It’s all part of the research for a new series, but honestly, it’s kind of fun too.  To that end, Maddie and I watched episode one of "Sherlock" tonight, which neither of us had seen before.  It was actually pretty good.

At the end of it all, we read a few chapters from Kingdom Keepers, and then said our prayers - it was off to bed for everyone.  Cold night out there, but it's nice and warm in here!