We all knew McCook's winning streak had to end sometime, but seeing two great teams battle it out to the end in Memorial Stadium must have been a thrill, even if the trophy said "runner up."

We would have liked to be there, but my nephew and his fiance chose that very time -- 7 p.m. Saturday night -- to kick off their marriage.

We had doctors appointments in Omaha earlier that week, but it would have been hard to explain our car breaking down in Lincoln on the way to Gilbert, Iowa.

There were a lot of mixed priorities around my sister's house that weekend; Gilbert was in the state championship for the first time in a long time, if ever.

Gilbert lost by a wide margin, but, like McCook, also lost to a parochial school, Waterloo Columbus.

I don't think football is going to interfere with this weekend's wedding; my niece, Wendy Koch, is going to marry Kevin Dodson in North Platte.

Dodson didn't let football interfere with their wedding; he is coach of North Platte St. Pat's, which just won the state C2 championship.

I think I'm picking up some kind of a theme, here.

For the record, the McCook Daily Gazette's telephone number is (308) 345-4500.

You won't find it in the new blue phone book, unless you look in the Yellow Pages.

At last count, I had received more than 30 birthday cards, thanks to some behind-the-scenes shenanigans by my wife. I could have gone without seeing that second grade portrait again, however.

I think one of my co-workers, Connie Jo Discoe, has the right attitude about birthdays; not all of us get to celebrate that many of them, let alone milestones like 50.

Now if they would just tell me what to do with all of those black balloons.

We had a great time in Iowa, which is a beautiful state to visit. It always amazes me, as a Nebraskan and former Sandhills resident, how close the towns are together.

And, my sister's house is always a beehive of activity, with foster children as well as their own children coming and going to jobs and activities.

The party will continue here Thursday when some of my wife's family gather at our house for Thanksgiving, then some of the Iowa bunch, as well as my sister and brother in law from Michigan get together for the wedding in North Platte.

It's been a good reminder of what the holidays should be about.

Here's to a happy Thanksgiving.