Hoppers Game with the Fam

***Text in this color authored by Shena***

Work & Play
Talked to Shena about 11:00, and she said she had just talked to Dede who had said Ed was feeling pretty sick. Said he woke up with a fever and a sore throat. I called him at noon to find out what he thought he might do. He said that he just didn't feel like going to the game at all. That left me with three tickets to try to pass out. I asked Shena if she wanted to go, she said she was still planning on doing something with Dede, so not to worry about it. One of the guys here in the office came by my office this morning asking if there were any tickets left. I had to tell him that I was using all six. I felt bad. But since Ed got sick, I was able to give Bill (office guy) the tickets after all. He was pretty excited. He had made plans with his wife last night to go, then was disappointed when he didn't get the tickets like he thought they were avaialable. He said he only needed two, but I told him to go ahead and take all three in case he came up with someone else who might want to go. I thought for sure I wouldn't need it. Notice I said "thought." As I was leaving the office and about 1/2 way home, Shena called said that her plans with Dede fell through too, and could she go to the game. I tried to catch Bill at the office, on the phone, but he didn't answer. I flipped around, went back to the office to try to catch him but he was gone (in the meantime I'm dealing with 5:00 rush hour traffic on a road that is under construction with lanes closed and the whole bit). I called and left messages for Bill both on his office phone and his home phone asking him to call me so that I can get that other ticket if he wasn't using it. I called Shena and she said "no big deal." But I could tell it was a big deal and I was going to be in trouble if she didn't get to go. When I got home things were kind of a mad house (see below). Shena wanted to go tanning before the boys and I left for the baseball game, and she thought she could run over jump in and then run back and still have 1/2 or so before we had to go. We were planning on leaving at 6:30 so that we could get there at about the start of the game. In the mean time, the boys and I went outside so that I could try to finish fixing their basketball hoop. One of the construction guys game me the idea of putting caulk into the cracks in the base, which I did two days ago. The dang thing has just kind of been in the way since I put it outside to get it out of the house. It has been moved from inside the room, to the deck, to a picnic table in the yard, to the deck, to the house..etc. It had mud all over it from being moved around so much. So I cleaned it off good, carried the base inside and then pulled out an ax dad bought to work on the trees with to use as a heavy hammer to bet the pole back into the base. All the while, the boys are running around outside in the back yard throwing dirt clods at the house and in the holes around the addition and at each other. Kelson is getting dirty and eating dirt. I'm trying to hurry and get the hoop fixed so that we can get dinner and to the game. (We didn't want to eat at the game because of the price of concessions). I was in such a hurry that I put the pole into the base backwards (or so I thought). I didn't realize it until I tried to slide the base under the bed where it used to be, only to find that it didn't go under the bed because the hoop was facing the wrong way. Instead of inspecting it to see what was wrong, I immediately started pounding on the bottom of the pole to get it out of the base again. Once I finally got it out, my caulk job had been compromised and sand started leaking again. I went to put the pole back in when I realized that it was keyed...in other words, it can only go in one way. I had the BOTTOM pole in right, I just had the hoop itself in backwards. So I pounded the pole back in, slid the hoop out and turned it around, and slid the sucker under the bed. I don't think the cracks will be an issue any more. I tried to get some sand to come out after I put the pole in the second time and I couldn't get any out. For some reason, through all of this, I was still in my shirt and tie. Not sure why I didn't change before had...it would take too much intelligence, I guess. It was now about 6:00 and I had no idea when Shena would be back (I thought she would have been back by now). So the boys and I run over to McDonald's to grab some dinner. We run it home and as we get there, Shena is waiting for us. She thought we had left her. I still hadn't heard back from Bill about the ticket, but I remembered Teresa saying that when she and Munsey went, they only had two tickets and they just carried Coit in and they didn't say anything to her about it. So we decided to give it a shot. Shena changed clothes (which always requires my answering her question "Which do you like better?"), and we headed out about 6:45.

Breath. Whew. Long paragraph. It was a bit cooler than I expected at the game. I was hoping it would be a nice night, and I almost didn't grab a jacket, but I'm glad I did. I had it on as soon as we got there, and of course it just got cooler as the night went on. They boys were very good. They climbed around a bit, but they didn't do any screaming and they watched the game for the most part. Kelson was clapping after every pitch. He of course didn't know you are supposed to root for one team, but it was cute to see him clapping all the time. They had fun. We stayed until about the 7th, then headed up to the playground that they have there. As we got to the top of the stairs, one of the mascots was there, but Kelson didn't see him. Cade kind of grabbed my hand, but was ok. We tried to get Kelson to look up to see him, but he was too busy looking at something on the ground. When he finally looked up into the mascots face, he freaked out. He back pedaled into Shena's leg, then started screaming. She picked him up and we walked over to the playground. They played there for about 15 minutes. At one point one of the other mascots came walking towards the playground and Kelson just froze and started yelling for me to come and get him. I picked him up and he buried his head in my shoulder and wrapped his arms around my neck. As we left, I told him to say "goodbye" to the mascots...he picked his head up and said goodbye like he was saying goodbye to grandma or grandpa. No big deal. I guess he was happy to be getting away from them. Very funny.

Llano Update (Cheeto's Brood)
As I pulled into the driveway after work, Shena yelled "come here, hurry! Cadde is stuck in the stove!" I thought it was the fireplace she was talking about, and I thought it was a funny situation. It was neither (not that scary thought). He was messing around near the kitchen stove and shoved his arm down between the handle and the door (pictures to come). She said he'd been there for 20 minutes. She had asked him if he was stuck and he just said "no. I'm waiting for daddy." Not sure why. We tried a couple of things, but finally put some lotion on his arm and slid it out. I don't think it really hurt that bad...just a little pinch probably. Funny kid. Not sure why he didn't tell Shena he was stuck.

Arellano Update
Mom and dad made it to SD
Christensen Update
None to report that I know of.

Daily Report
LAST NIGHT:^
Sleep: 11:45 - 7:00 - too many late nights...I just couldn't get my eyes open at 6:30. Shena nudged me, but it wasn't enough

TODAY:
Breakfast: 1 bowl of frosted flakes

Lunch: 2 pieces of leftover Domino's cheese pizza, A&W - also had a couple of Famous Amos and a small glass of milk

Dinner: McDonald's - quarter pounder with cheese, no onions, fries, orange drink - had a little popcorn at the game, then had a piece of cake just before bed.