It’s been quite the start to 2025. Would you believe that we have had more snowfalls, adopted more puppies, painted more dolphin murals, and seen our football teams suffer more humiliating playoff losses than Lauren and I have had alcoholic beverages? Well, all are true! Shocking, I know. After the Mexico trip where it was “anything goes” for ten straight days and then New Years right after, we agreed our vital organs needed a hard reset and joined in the ever-popular Dry January challenge. It’s been 26 days of success with 5 to go. I have never kept track, but this dry streak surely has to be some sort of household record.

We Couldn’t Pass Up This “Pupportunity”

On Saturday the 4th, the family was on the way home from a trip to the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center when I—yes, I of all people—suggested we stop in and take a look at the poor mangy mutts at Austin Pets Alive. The family, all long eager to get a new dog, cheered in agreement. After meeting 50 or more older dogs, we landed on one 3-year-old named “Falling Leaves”. As we discussed adopting the mongrel, it was said that she is on meds for life for seizures and did not score well with kids. We opted against it. Edie was bawling, she badly wanted that dog. The staff then said “well… did you see the puppies?” Wait. There were puppies? We missed them somehow! Screaming and yelping for her recently adopted brother was a little mixed breed dog named Clara, said to be part German Shepherd. Yada yada yada, we took the dog home. It was just a fostering at first, but after three days we officially adopted her and changed her name to Minnie, after Minnesota.

Let me tell you, there was nothing more satisfying than seeing that pup wolf down a bowl of dog food. After all, Baxter didn’t touch any food intended for animals the last five years of his life. She was supposed to be crated at night but after four sleepless nights of howling, she landed in our bed burrowed deep under the blankets. The thing I’m struggling with most though is that “beagle” rhymed with a lot of stuff and was good for songs. We don’t even know Minnie’s breed, and surprisingly Minnie doesn’t rhyme with as much as you’d think. She sees the kids as kids like her, and it’s all play all the time with those two. And she sees the adults as the masters, knowing that’s where her food comes from. We’ve all taken to her very quickly!

Ryan Glanzer holds Minnie the puppy

Another Sad, Pathetic Football Season

The family teams suffered cruel and unusual playoff exits this year. The Vikings, despite going 14-3, had to go on the road and lost badly to the Rams in the first round. It was so apparent from the first snap that they had no chance that Lauren, the biggest Vikings fan of all, never watched the game at all. The Chargers, fresh off a brilliant 11-6 season under Jim Harbaugh, looked terrible in their favorable Wild Card matchup against the Texans, getting blown out. And John’s Dolphins, despite their strong finish, fell short of the playoffs.

Going into the season, there were 256 possible Super Bowl matchups. I would have been fine with 254 of them—literally any matchup except for Chiefs vs Eagles, or Chiefs vs 49ers. Naturally, one of those two happened. I loathe those teams. I hate dynasties in general, I think they are terrible for sports. While they may not get outright favorable treatment from the refs, they sure to get the benefit of the doubt 100% of the time, as most good teams do. I of course am surrounded by lifelong Chiefs fans who I’m very happy for—Charlie, the Plumpes, Douwe, Richard, etc—but man, this Super Bowl pairing is a total snooze fest for the rest of the country. I vow to not watch this game, though I am sure seeing pieces of it at a Super Bowl party will be inevitable.

Dolphins and Squirtles

The kids finally decided to split up and stop sharing a single bedroom, a wise decision for a near-middle school boy and a kindergarten girl. The move forced Lauren out of her office and banished to a less private space in the kitchen area—not ideal for all her calls. Edie got a new “trundle” bed, which means a secondary mattress can slide out from under her bed. John has slept in there a couple times so far. Since the kids didn’t get many Christmas presents with us pouring our funds into a Mexico vacation, I said I’d paint a mural of their choosing on their walls. I gotta say, the large-scale Dolphins logo turned out great, but these are going to be a bitch to cover up when it’s time to sell and move out someday! Wallpaper, maybe.

Snow

We got a little snow day last week, cancelling school for a day. It started out as graupel but changed over to snow overnight. It wasn’t much and was melted later that day, but the kids had some fun and went sledding with neighbor friends. What a month it’s been for cold weather, though! Let the records show that it’s been below average temps nearly every day this month, with many overnight freezes. I do like the winters here and will never complain about it being too cold, but honestly one snow a season is all I need. It has become somewhat common enough that it has lost its charm.

Basketball

John’s new very short basketball season (6 total games) is almost over already. This season we’re in a new league with Town & Country Sports, whereas last year we were with i9. This league is far more serious and competitive, with some of the teams being total juggernauts. I am the assistant coach, with Richard Kane leading the team. Despite all the teams wearing Spurs-sponsored uniforms, we are in fact the Timberwolves.

John was a scoring machine in i9, going up against inferior competition, but has had his hands full in this league, scoring 4 total points in the first 4 games. But he went off on Sunday night, scoring 10 points! He had 4 points right off the bat, and then in the third quarter, with a comfortable lead, he told me he was going to start launching three-pointers. His first two attempts went in, giving him a career-high 10 points. He threw up a couple more attempts that didn’t go in. We won that game, 29-15, with John the leading scorer. I am living vicariously through John, as I so badly want to be on the court playing. I really should sign up for an adult league.

Well, that’s all from Texas for now.