First Meeting: The Magic of The Viva.

Just over a week later, I made the trek to the Great White North (that is to say Casa Delgrave - it was spring and it was snowing; it counts as the Great White North) to retrieve the trophy for which I had fought so hard.  Sure, the NCAA tourney was still going strong, but I was bullet proof at that point.  I gathered the best men that I knew around me to safeguard this most precious of trophies to its new home in the Land of the Pines.  Here is our noble troop:

The noble gentleman guards.  Also pictured.  Scott.

It was a grand weekend.  We laughed, we played games, we bonded.  Viva and I felt like old friends who had not seen each other in a long time.  And here's the thing... Viva is funny!!  We were playing a game called "King of New York."  What does he do?  He jumps up on the board and yells "I'm the King... of New York, baby!"

Look at that smile!!  Who could be mad a that? (Ruined game not withstanding.)

After it had started snowing, he insisted that we go out to play in the snow.

That's a little snow on the table and it's still snowing... I swear it.

But like all things, the weekend had to end.  Viva said his teary goodbyes to Scott and we parted ways.

It should be noted that Viva was sad to go, while Scott... not so much.

Up Next:  The road trip home.