Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Falling Into Hibernation

Somewhere between 12:30 AM and 1:00 AM Saturday morning I made the transition into hibernation mode.

I played in my last golf outing of the year on Friday grinding out 36 holes of golf up in Keene, New Hampshire. As I drove alone, north, in the dark morning, I fondly replayed the events of the past summer. The end of my 70 minute ride culminated in a dark, looming, Mt. Modadnock being silhouetted against a bright, misty sunrise, igniting the first trees of the annual autumn blaze. I got out of my car and stretched. I went to the clubhouse of the Bretwood Golf Course and waited for the men to show up. They came from all over, Boston, Manchester, Rehoboth, Acton, Holyoke, all corners of southern New England 16 in total. As we teed off the weather turned. The sky became overcast and spit out raindrops sporadically. The cold penetrated my multiple layers of golf gear for the first time since early last spring.

The day was enjoyable. The golf was mediocre. Three good shots followed by a bad shot, followed by a horrible shot, followed by a miraculously lucky shot. After 18 holes we ate lunch and switched up teams. By days end we filed away enough laughs, bloopers, fairways and greens to carry us until our next outing in the Spring. Our foursome finished first, so we headed straight for the bar and grabbed some drinks. As the other groups trickled in and the drinks flowed on, the room got louder, bordering on boisterous. We payed out the winners who, in turn, bought more drinks for the losers. When we wore out our welcome we headed into Keene to the local brewery for a few more. Around 8 PM I headed south to attend a benefit for a co-worker whose dad is sick in Brazil. After a few drinks there I met a friend at a bar down the street from my house to watch the Red Sox. I stumbled in the house between 12:30 and 1:00 AM., drunk as fuck. I didn't even see the end of the Sox game.

I woke up Saturday morning hung over for the first time in a long time. My wife took the kids out for gymnastics, errands and visiting. They were gone all day. I lay in bed all day, covers up to my chin, watching hours and hours of college football, listening to the wind outside, waiting for the toxins to dissipate. When I arose from my self imposed tomb I went out into the cold fading sun lit afternoon. Squirrels danced through my yard looking for winter sustenance. I did the same driving to "The Hangar" for some boneless chicken wings. After stuffing myself, I took a nap, in order to rest up for a night of bumping and grinding and puking. Not me. I moonlight as a bouncer for college Frat and Sorority parties my buddy hosts at my golf course. I've been doing this for the past six years, most weekends while school is in session, from October to May. Except for breaking up a few spats and helping a few drunk girls to a couch and a basket to puke in the night was uneventful. I fell asleep around 3PM with visions of coeds doing shots and cleavage dancing in my head.

Sunday was similar to Saturday. Sleeping in late. Gorging myself. Watching alot of sports, particularly NFL pre-game. Around 3PM I took a walk to the park with the wife and kids. We tossed the football around, played some tackle and pushed the boys on the swings. On the way home I stopped and watched the squirrels scurrying up and down the oak trees at a frenetic pace gathering up acorns for the coming winter. Upon arriving home I retreated to my bedroom where I watched the Patriots play in the 4 O'clock game then the Red Sox at 7:30. In between, I tried to be a good dad and read the kids a few chapters of "The Halloweeen Tree". I fell asleep sometime after midnight after watching the Sox blow it in extra innings.

From now until spring, this will be how the weekends will be: laziness, cocooning, solitude and introspection. I won't mind if the weekends are rainy, cold, snowy. Its the time of year to recharge the batteries until the snow melts and the sun returns and I wake from my hibernation.

14 comments:

fuzzbert_1999@yahoo.com said...

I try and avoid that anymore...gettin' too old to put up with the pain, numbness, and hollowness of it!

However, getting to and maintaining a comfortable buzz is often a necessity!

David Sullivan said...

I hear ya Mushy, but hangovers are a rarity these days and a lost "hangover" day was the perfect segway into hibernation mode. There is nothing more relaxing to me than lying in bed on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the fall with a cold rain pouring down and me snuggled up in my bed watching football all day. Sleep for a quarter here or there.

Andraste said...

The Halloween Tree - Hooray!

I'm with you. Hibernation mode has taken over with me too. I can't get up on the weekday mornings to work out anymore - too dark. Can't get up in the dark - never could. Missed a lot of high school because of that...

Anyway, you're right - no reason to care about the weather on the weekends these days. Get out the crockpot, start a soup, do a little raking, then get out the blankets, up the Netflix movies to 3 at a time and let 'er rip!

David Sullivan said...

Amen, Andraste...amen...circadian rythyms are working their magic!!!

Suldog said...

Oh, man. I haven't had a real honest-to-goodness hangover in close to 20 years. I guess I must keep myself well hydrated or something. Of course, I hardly ever drink enough to do the job, either. That probably has something to do with it :-)

David Sullivan said...

Cuz, I wasn't even that hung over, mostly tired, but I wouldn't have been as tired if I wasn't pounding beers till all hours.

Dirty Red said...

Man did I just read that you DRINK and then DRIVE?!

Oh the shame!!!

Dirty Red said...

Man did I just read that you DRINK and then DRIVE?!

Oh the shame!!!

David Sullivan said...

OK DR...I may have been driving when I shouldn't have, but I was under control earlier...I definitely could have used a DD on the last leg home.

Liz Dwyer said...

I am really needing the sun to go away for awhile. I need some hibernation too. The problem is that I live in LA. I won't get any hibernating fall weather for another few weeks. I'm jealous.

Lisa Johnson said...

I'm feeling the hibernation mode coming on too. It starts with making soup. Oh and I noticed a crazed squirrel in a tree near my house. It was the loudest squirrel I ever heard in my life. Like it was screaming. Very odd...

David Sullivan said...

Anali: Maybe the squirrels know something we don't, glad you're doing better : )

ZACK said...

Sleeping all day is the ideal situation for me and probably ALL OF US! Sorry about the hangover part though. :)

David Sullivan said...

Zack, I miss those days before kids when I would lie around all day, half asleep, half awake...the problem is my body still wants to hibernate, but the kids won't allow it. Enjoy your youthfull naps ypoung man : )