Much of my week last week was spent trying to avoid and eventually succumbing to the dreaded bird-flu. Exhaustion and fever were the name of that game and despite the fact that the #1 recommendation for getting over the flu is tons of rest, I decided to make this past weekend a fun-filled, jam-packed three days of goodness. I mean, if the soul isn’t rejuvenated… does it matter if the body is well?

After returning to work on Friday for half a day, Matt, Cory and I decided to check out the new Daniel Day Lewis movie, “There Will Be Blood”. While none of us knew exactly what the movie was about, we had heard rave reviews of Lewis’s performance and knew it was loosely based on the oil boom at the turn-of-the century. It’s no wonder this film has received the praise it has. Lewis is phenomenal, and the story is intense and well-told. Without giving any more away… Let me just say, go see it!

Saturday began with a two-hour shopping trip to stock up on everything we needed for our Super Bowl XLII party before dropping by one of the kids club kid’s birthday party. After cake and the birthday song, I met Jeff to head to Phoenix for the Super Bowl Saturday Night celebration at Tempe Town Lake where Counting Crows were putting on a free concert. Despite the horrendous opening band, Boys Like Girls, the night was full of awesome music. Adam Duritz was enthusiastic and flawless as he gifted the crowd with classic CC songs. From Anna Begins to Holiday In Spain every CC fan in attendance left satisfied.

After the 90-minute CC set and an incredible encore, the NFL put on a fireworks show that was easily the best I have ever witnessed. I have always loved fireworks and wait excitedly for the Fourth of July show each year, so this February spectacle was a true treat. The skies over Tempe Town Lake were filled with more fireworks than you could count choreographed to some killer tunage (even if Jeff refused to sing-a-long to Kanye with me.) To top it all off, the weather was gorgeous and for the first time in months, the chill left our bones.

Sunday was Super… Super Bowl Sunday, that is, and we spent the whole day preparing for, hosting and cleaning up after our massive party. Over 75 of our residents came to cheer for their team or watch the commercials with us. As always Keri and I know how to throw a party serving chili dogs, pizza, nachos, popcorn, buffalo wings, and tons of other football goodies. If you didn’t happen to catch it, you missed one of the best half-time shows I’ve ever seen as Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers rocked Glendale(and Flagstaff as the clubhouse erupted into a deafening “Free Fallin” sing-a-long.) More importantly, though, you missed a heck of a game as the Giants and Eli stunned pretty-boy Brady and the Pats. I could go on and on and on and on about the joy I received from Strahan pummeling TommyBoy and winning his coveted SB ring, but instead I’ll just say it was the end to an unforgettable weekend that was just what the doctor ordered.

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