Deuces to 2022

I'm chunking up the deuces ✌🏿 to 2022. 

What started out as a vast improvement over 2021 although the erosion of our values became more apparent to wielding power and some sort of supremacy has trickled down to us looking at the new year with trepidation. Not only have I spent the year largely minding my own Black-ass business but also savoring my family's privacy. If you've been fortunate enough to come around, your friendship has been richly rewarded; if not, we need to work on that. I love you too much not to be a part of your lives.

JANUARY

To ward off the bad ju-ju 2021 tried to stiff us with, we brought all of the full New Year's Day traditions along for the ride. From the pork to the blackeye peas and cornbread to the end of Kwanzaa, no stone was left unturned - not even the Hotep ones. 

In some respects, the ancestral traditions did work; however, we lost a close family friend in Bill aka BK a few weeks later. Having the words to say about his passing escaped me given my relationships with my extended (by choice) people and their vigilance toward remaining healthy - and for once, it was okay. 

Remember our buddy Tiko? He moved away to a new home in Bismarck and although we miss the little guy, it was for the best for all parties involved. 

FEBRUARY

Ah, my favorite time of year: Black History Month. In conjunction with the side hustle Dub Shack BBQ, I did a BHM/DSB 6-pack contest where the rules were simple - like AND share each of the 28 facts as they were presented throughout the month. Thanks to everyone who participated, learned of the accomplishments locally and nationally of our friends, relatives, and difference makers in our communities. Shout out to our three winners Laura (who got the sixer and a +1), and Syreeta and Kama who won two bottles each for their efforts. 

Laura can tell you that every day is a GREAT day for barbecue!

I suppose I could throw in a cook and sauces next year but that remains to be seen.

Caeli got snow for her seventh birthday and a pool party.

MARCH

The snow dissipated and apparently, so did our chances of seeing a beach for spring break. Instead, we mobbed along in Dallas traffic to Great Wolf Lodge of Grapevine bringing along much of Saline County plus our niece for the ride. Since Caeli cannot go anywhere without making a new friend for the week and beyond, Faith got the lucky straw and the chance to sit in a Camry for five hours southwest. 

The babies weren't the only ones who had a good time.

We had fun - and the Hogs were one half from overloading the Muss Bus for the Final Four. Also, there is nothing like calling the Hogs in a pizza line as the final seconds ticked down to beating Gonzaga.

My first trip to Buc-ees was cool. The girls got brisket and turkey sandwiches and all I got were a tank of gas and a bottle of brisket rub.

APRIL

With her Bat Intentions teammates, Caeli spent the month busting tails, stopping balls, hitting home runs, and of course, dancing. Lots and lots of dancing. All of that winter and early spring practices paid off with a 13-3 regular season record which placed them second in league play. To find out how the season turned out, feel free to read This Is How We Do It about ten girls who got after it. 

She's gonna be a problem for opposing teams

In the future, some 8U team may need a catcher: I know a really good one.

We didn't spend the entire month playing ball; I got to be Dad and showed up for Boosterthon at her school plus see a few of the neighborhood kiddos and a couple of teammates wear themselves out. Their teachers were incredibly appreciative of the latter part, as a FYI. 

MAY

They say April showers bring May flowers but it completely wrecked our garden. More about that later.

Caeli had her very first field trip - to the local nursery! She had a blast and although the details are a bit sketchy the fun was not. With sack lunches in tow and school buses jammed packed with first-graders, it made for an entertaining outing. 

Kids being kids

Don't think the fun stopped with Little Miss Sunshine: Chastity got in on the action, too. 

Back to softball: #9 brought her fan club to most of the games and the hard-fought tournaments. 

I think I told y'all this girl is good as her grandparents can attest 

What I haven't spoken of up to this point is my own spiritual free agency: I didn't take many pictures nor go into great detail about what I was looking for in our next church home, we were in the midst of enjoying being visitors - and live streaming from home if circumstances did not cooperate in making in-person appearances. Yet, Deacon Ced needed some relevant Word and the whooping and hollering and need for clearer eyes regarding my outlook on the church were strongly desired. However, the three of us needed somewhere to grow and thrive spiritually as the rote and routine were unacceptable. 

Sunday morning with Jack and Greater Galilee BC 

JUNE

Well, that came quickly.

Magic Springs was a bit of a gyp for weekend entertainment (what amusement park is worth the cost of admission?) yet for the day brought us, fun was available one county over. Nevertheless, it was a grand time for the three of us - I only wish our prepaid season passes would have gotten us through the line a lot quicker. 

Both bottles of Dat White barbecue sauce were spoken for 

I dropped a Friendly Summer BBQ series of what turned out to be thirteen of my favorite summer recipes beginning Juneteenth and ending July 3. Yeah, I had to cook my own dinner for Father's Day but y'all know I didn't mind one iota as everyone knows the tagline Every day is a GREAT day for barbecue! 

As usual, Father's Day equated to Spread City

Not only did the garden become a huge crap shoot but also softball season ended mercifully to an exceedingly hot day for tournament play in our home field. Oh well, off to swim with the Racers. 

JULY

That damn 'rona found its way to my address - on vacation week, of all times. Being in quarantine away from my wife sucked but thankfully, she recovered fully within a few days. What it did do was bring the neighborhood kids outside to throw horseshoes and baggo; run me off my own court in multiple games of H-O-R-S-E; and even get a couple of them paid for pressure washing my porch! I sent their parents a nice scripture with pictures of them cleaning up the porch and the roof of my pickup, and for the kids, making money was the highlight of their summer. 

That text? Proverbs 22:6.

Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 KJV

The Benton Racers were a great learning experience for Caeli: She became a good swimmer and placed in a couple of events in competition. She was invited back to the fall team which we declined due to the upcoming volleyball campaign; she'll be back in spring or whenever tryouts happen. 

AUGUST

Not only does August mean back-to-school but it is also vacation time! Thanks to Steve for letting us crash his pad and for spreading the word about Dang! Oh, Mango throughout Escambia and Santa Rosa counties; even in the Sunshine State, Floridians do deserve damn good barbecue sauce. (Yes, I ship to y'all too). Speaking of vaca, the ladies got down on it as we spent the majority of the time at either Gulfside or Orange Beach introducing Caeli and Faith to stuff we did on our honeymoon some eleven years ago such as dolphin rides.

 Trust me, no one was injured or stabbed by jellyfish this time around though my phone was the only real casualty of the week. 

Now, on to second grade...

Without revealing the results of my own spiritual free agency, keep reading to find out how the process has gone for us: You might be surprised with the results.  

SEPTEMBER

The month where I should be happy for Reddie football to be back had some real highs, a painful low, and yet another month of staying even-keeled. 

For the first time since 2000, I had cornrows.

The highs: We're back home at the Mount! Eleven months after I said I would never set foot in that building again, here my family and I are back home at Mount Zion Baptist Church reprising of all of the hats worn in the past stacked atop my dreadlocked head: I don't have enough hair for the ponytail but more than enough to no longer be able to wear my hats and caps. [If you're interested in a pair of fedoras, a driving cap, and most of my baseball caps save three, get at me]. 

The low: Caeli and I were riding home in Bubba Gump and were rear-ended. I had a headache like no one's business and she was mostly OK, but losing the ability to post up and open my tailgate kind of puts a damper on owning a pickup. As time progresses, we'll make a determination of what we want to do with the rig - and no, a brand new Ram Rebel 2500 is not an option for the next truck. 

Today was NOT a good day

Of course, being married to a Leopard and raising a Hornet during high school football season is about what this Wampus Cat can expect: More of that later in December's review. In the meantime, I did what I do best at this time of year: Tailgating For Everyone. You would think that after twenty years, I would come back for a Henderson State football game but thanks to my work schedule, that was not the case. Ours is still a Red and Grey household all day yet as the fruits of Dr. Ambrose's exigency plans are beginning to bear, I have openly wondered what that looks like and as alumni, if it is even worth donating money to our alma mater. For now, we're keeping the school plate on the car but the future remains undetermined. 

In a dig among friends...

Benton fans when reminded of the final score at the #SaltBowl2022 #bryant #benton #driveforfive #tiebreaker pic.twitter.com/U9QqhouZYS

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) August 28, 2022

OCTOBER

Time to play some volleyball!  

Our little athlete tried out volleyball for size and turns out she's pretty dang good. With her mom and a college classmate working together as coaches for the Volley Queens, not only did nine girls who were learning the game come together and lay the smackdown on just about every team in the league, they all genuinely had fun. As for the parents, none of us knew the sport well enough to do much more than a late afternoon activity in the backyard or at the lake inebriated so as the girls bumped, set, served, and called "I got it" when the ball came nearest to them. Needless to say, they finished second in league play. 

In an unrelated matter but equally important, Grandma turned 95. Thank God that our matriarch is still around this side of life reading the Bible daily and throwing all sorts of shade. 

Since I've chosen to stay out of the political arena and I fully intend to uphold a promise I made to my wife to never run for any office whatsoever as throwing my hat in that ring opens the three of us to untold levels of scrutiny to the point of being called every name but a child of God and misrepresented statements that could ding what little faith I have in the American political system, I voted for everyone Black. [In Arkansas, we have a better chance of Jesus coming back for the church sans wrinkle or stain than getting white folks to look beyond skin color and the letters D and R behind a candidate's name to vote a Black campaigner to state or federal office. Still hasn't happened, likely never will]. If you're curious, I did endorse Chris Jones early in the primaries and rocked with the Brother since. January will show the people that elections do indeed have consequences. 

NOVEMBER

In the midst of working 35 straight nights, we managed to celebrate Chastity's birthday and the girls got their coach a win - and a happy birthday song just before the tournament. Although the Volley Queens fell just short in the championship match, you have to give it up to both Chastity (my wife) and Chasity (our HSU classmate) for giving up three nights each week to get the girls prepared to have fun, play hard, and of course, win. 

Election Day did not go as desired. In a year where the options were clearly obvious, the people spoke. Hopefully the winners actually commit themselves to public service for ALL of the people - it's going to be a bumpy four (or eight) years around these parts otherwise.

Back to the fun stuff: volleyball. Have I already said those girls are good? They received their medals before the league tournament for finishing second in the regular season, but despite their best efforts and prayers, the Queens fell just short in the title match. In defeat, they were good sports. 

Getting to be Dad and husband to Caeli and Chastity is the best thing going!

Round 1 of the 7A-Central rivalry did not go my way, and Round 2 in the playoffs was worse. Good thing no sixers were wagered. 

We lost the Battle of the Ravine in overtime to the guys across the street: They were playing for my homie's cousin following his death earlier in the season - and as much as I detest Ouachita, that would definitely an honorable deed by the football program. 

DECEMBER

Two of our schools are state champions - Conway isn't one. Bryant won 7A and Malvern took the 4A crown both in high school football. See, I'm still paying taxes to keep one winning and having to hear Leopard chants from the other one. 

Well, we made it through another one: I minded my own Black-ass business for my 44th birthday, did the holidays, and began making plans for the new year. I even got a few days off from work! Some friendships and relationships were created or expired this year; ditto for the ones we continue to cultivate like watchful farmers who intimately know their crops. As we exit 2022, remember that our best days are ahead and what we make of them: looking too wistfully at our past causes us to miss our upcoming blessings. Be safe, be good to each other, and love each other fully and deeply!

Deuces ✌🏿!