Let's get back on track, here.

With great readership comes great power. I've discovered I hav the power to make everyone worry about stuff. But my life isn't composed of worry. What else is up?
-I left that "nervous breakdown" notice up too long. Mom got back from the hospital that same night, feeling much better. She's now back to normal - or, well, as normal as you can get with Mom - and is eating food like normal people do. So, that's good. For my part, I had a krokay game on he 2nd. I invited a whole bunch of people: Aaron, Bryce, Matt, Rosie, Henry, Kristen, Tara, and BJ. To break in a set as good as this one, I had to have almost a gala. So, I caught a ride with Aaron, and we all met up at the old Winton Woods course. Only, this time we had a covering of snow, which we've never had before. That, and it was So Cold. Kristen and Tara couldn't come, but everyone else arrived at various times around noon. While Rosie, Henry, and BJ waited for Matt and Bryce, Aaron and I stuck around at the hillside and I set up the course. Then we waited for everyone else to come, but they didn't. After a few minutes, we trekked back to the turnout and found out that Matt and Bryce had gotten there, but no one was brave enough to cross the creek. Pansies! They had all given up and started leaving. I asked if they were sure they didn't want to brave it, but they said they were, and they drove to Rosie's house for hot chocolate; those remaining for krokay would join them later. The only ones who stayed were Aaron, Bryce, and me. We got across with minimal casualties - Bryce got his shoe wet - and hiked back to the hillside and got the game on. The first thing we discovered was that snow really slows stuff down. This was only Bryce's second krokay game (I don't know how many times he may have played croquet), so he had to compete with a pretty steep learning curve because of the snow. I took an early but slight lead, Aaron trailed me closely, and Bryce stayed hot on our heels. As we knocked our respective krokay balls under the various logs, through the snow, we became cold. I had left my gloves, so I probably had the worst of it, but it wasn't that bad. I kept my hands in my pockets a lot. We got used to the snow, and the mallets, for their part, incredibly didn't break. If we'd attempted this with the old set, I guarantee you at least two mallets would have snapped. This new one is tough. The game was full of victory and regret. ("Ahhhh! I should have had that wicket!") We traded banter, more about the cold than about the game, I think. Aaron sang, "My toes feel / My toes feel / My toes feel like they're made of ice!" Bryce said, "Hey, my soul feels like that!" We never did get too far apart; I dropped into second for a while, and eventually regained the lead, but they kept right on me. Finally I made it unpursued to the poison wickets, and became poison. Aaron got through one, but I made it to him before he could get the other. Bryce, back a wicket or two, tried to lead me off down the hill to catch him, but the snow kept me from sliding all the way down, and I eventually caught him with a triumphant long shot. Then, we pretty much packed up as quickly as we could and shuffled in a hurry off to the cars. I experienced the exquisite pain of blood rushing back into frozen extremities.
-With relatively few sidetrackings, we arrived at Rosie's house. They were playing football, on the street. So, instead of having hot chocolate, we three joined other teams. I was with Abie, Rosie, Bryce, and a guy I didn't know named Kenny. The other team consisted of Cooker, Henry, BJ, Aaron, and Matt. Bryce played in a T-shirt, for reasons known only to him. I'd only ever played football unenthusiastically in gym class, so I had to acclimate a bit. But once I caught on, I was really going. I made all sorts of catches for us. Bryce had magnet hands, too. It was pretty special to see this kinda portly guy in a T-shirt playing as the MVP for the team. Unfortunately, when Aaron and Matt had to leave, Bryce defected to the other side to make the teams even. Despite the loss, our team went on to clinch a commanding victory. All the more impressive because Rosie left to warm up inside toward the end. When the game finished, we went inside. Rosie made hot chocolate for all the cold people. Funnily enough, I hadn't had hot chocolate made with milk for years. Just water-type stuff. It was pretty great. Rosie, Henry, and Abie built a fire, and then afew of us played a slightly mean-spirited game of Uno. Cooker wins the award for best sinister laugh. Then we all basically collapsed in various chairs and sofas, and relaxed. Talked and stuff. Rosie says I'm really good at football. Some (crazy) people went back out for another game. The rest of us sat by the fire on comfortable furniture. Eventually Bryce took me home at about 7. I should hang around with friends more often. Super Great Day!

P.S.! I forgot to mention that I've made two new snapping videos.
Snapping "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (2'21")
Snapping to Tally Hall's "Banana Man" (4'11")