“The formula for a happy marriage? It's the same as the one for living in California: when you find a fault, don't dwell on it" ~Jay Trachman

Okay, so Jay Trachman is a bit touchy-feely for this blog.  I mean, he's no Dave Barry.  But the quote fit, so get over it and don't read too much into it.

Also, before I begin today's rant, I'd like it to be known that I'm a bit nervous.  It has recently come to my attention that one specific super-cool blogger has been spotted in these parts of cyberspace, and it scares me to know that someone with real literary prowess is reading these meager table scraps of authorship.

Okay then, with those two items off the agenda, on to the freak show:

Marriage is about compromise.  I'm hip to that.  Shem and I are actually quite expert at it, considering we have so little practice.  And the first week of February is a prime example of our expertise at creating marital bliss.

I grew up in a family that celebrates Groundhog Day.  Like, kind of a big deal.  Halloween-type celebration, not stupid little National Administrative Assistants' Day-type celebration.  We cook up a nice big dinner of groundhog on the grill, mashed potatoes and gravy, and some kind of wonderful dessert.  Then we all settle down to a private showing of Bill Murray's cult classic Groundhog Day.

Shem and her select group of close friends have been in the habit of having a Superbowl party every year.  Although, to be quite honest, the only time I've really seen Shem watch the game is when everybody yells really loud and she looks up and tells us to rewind it for her.  But it's more about the company than the material, and I get that.

Now for the problem:  you might be surprised how often these two events coincide.  Last year:  Saturday & Sunday; this year:  Sunday & Monday -- two parties, hosted at our house, two days in a row!  That's rough, even on an upper-class socialite like myself.  Now, granted, my tradition has been going on much, much longer than hers, but -- let's be honest here -- her party is a lot funner and not quite so ... inane.  And so, like the idyllic couple we pretend to exhibit to others, we compromised.  We do both every year.  And life is good.

Although... I'm starting to think that maybe there is another argument to be had here.  Let me explain, in true hofhein style, with pictures.

Here is a picture from last year's party

And here is a picture from yesterday's party

Shem, maybe we should just stick with groundhog on the grill?