Columbus Clippers Ring Your Bell

Saturday: I was up fairly early, 7:30am to be exact. I was excited about the warm sunny weather forecasted for our area. I hurried through an entire gauntlet of exercises before heading out with Ykraps. Ahh, yes, lovely indeed. The sun was just coming up over the horizon providing a breath taking view looking east. Back at home I poured coffee and tinkered on the internet for a while, but I never lost site of the clock. I also checked in with work. So far, so good. I was determined to get my run in earlier than usual for a Saturday. I didn’t want to waste a minute. I left at approximately 8:30am. My lower legs were a little tight, which is odd. I haven’t experienced that in years, but I guess you’ll have that from time to time. Reckon I was dehydrated from the four beers the night before. Mindy got up soon after I returned home from my run. We enjoyed a little time together before I got busy with some flower bed edging. That was something I could easily do and still manage any work related issues that might arise. I headed out with square shovel in hand by 10am. This year I started where I usually finish, the white pine out front, and then worked my way along the eastside of the house. I filled three wheel barrow’s full of edgings there alone. It’s funny how quickly that stuff adds up. I used the first two wheel barrows full as fill along the water’s edge again. Something dug into the dead mulch I used there a couple weeks ago. But this time I used my tamper to compact it tightly. After a break and checking in with work I started on the beds out front. I took my time digging a nice deep edge and filling the wheel barrow as I went along. This time I used the edgings along the retaining wall that I built last weekend. It barely made a dent but at least it covered the gap between the first 2X8 and the ground. Ashley & Olivia stopped by while I was toiling out front. I was very happy to see them both. Haven’t spent much time at all with Olivia this year. She was cute as a button, too, dressed in pig tails, sun dress and sun glasses. She’s such a girly-girl. She was mesmerized with what I was doing – putting edgings into the wheel barrow. She wanted to help but only with gloves. I shared mine. I took her inside to give her her Easter basket. In it, among other things, was a pair of gardening gloves and a shovel just for kids. Perfect. She couldn’t wait to get back outside to help dig. We fixed a snack first. While snacking, Mindy returned home from the grocery store. Olivia was eager to help carry in the groceries. Too cute! Mindy brought home Burger King. I offered to share mine with Olivia, but she was more interested in Mindy’s. We hung out until almost 1:30pm. I headed back out to finish what I was doing. After all I needed to be in the shower in short order since I was taking Rocky to the Clipper’s home opening in their new digs. Outside, I finished picking up the edgings then took the wheel barrow out back to the shed. Olivia wanted a ride. I carted her around the yard a few times. When I got on the tractor to put it back in the shed, she asked for a ride. I gave her one. She liked that too. Meanwhile, there were three boys fishing in our backyard. It’s just something we’ve gotten used to having property along the water. Well, they caught one of those big carp. I knew that they were getting big, but even I was surprised at the size of this one. Must’ve been 18 inches long and about ten pounds. Olivia was impressed to be sure. And it just so happens that Mindy was coming out to snap a picture of Olivia and me tractoring around the yard. She took a picture of the boys with the big carp, too. Ashley & Olivia soon left, and I darted off to the shower. I left to fetch Rocky around 3pm. First pitch was moved up from 7:05pm to 4:05pm to accommodate the Fleetwood Mac concert taking place at Nationwide arena. This was a picture perfect day for baseball. It was sunny & 73 degrees. Rocky & I arrived in the arena district around 3:20pm. We parked in a lot right across the street from where Mindy & I parked only a week ago for the Todd Rundgren concert. We made a beeline for Huntington Field. Our tickets were standing room only, but we didn’t care. Again, not only was this the first ball game in the new stadium, but also opening day for the Clippers home schedule 2009, so it was a full house with all the dignitaries that one might expect to find at such an historical event. There was even an F-14 fly over right after the national anthem – cool! Rocky wanted a hot dog as soon as we got through the gate. I asked only that he wait long enough for the anthem to play. Meanwhile, the new stadium was everything everyone said it was, very beautiful and lots of cool features. To commemorate the event Rocky & I received free Clippers ball caps – nice ones, too. Sadly, the park will forever be remembered for surrendering a base hit on the first pitch ever thrown in it. Sadly, I say, because it was by the opposing team, the Toledo Mud Hens. One of the nicest features is that you needn’t leave the area to get food and drink. You’re still part of the action. During the first few innings Rocky had a hot dog, soda, popcorn, another soda, and cotton candy. We moved around place to place since we didn’t have actual seats. Turns out, they have a nice lawn area, too. But even those tickets were more money. I didn’t mind. I liked being mobile and people watching. We stayed through five innings. I let Rocky decided when we’d leave. For a better part of the game I worked via my Blackberry. There was a lot going on. Rocky had a nice time and must’ve thanked me ten times. I had fun too. He’s a very sweet boy, especially when it’s a one on one thing. I dropped Rocky at home around 6:15pm. He asked for his allowance before I left, which is something we always gave him at our house. I didn’t balk. I arrived home around 6:30pm. Mindy asked if I was up for dining out. Not really. I suggested a Minelli’s pizza instead. She agreed. We both drove to pick it up. We ate pizza for the next half hour quietly talking about the next day ahead. We spotted neighbor Crissy on her deck with her bff Julie. Mindy celled her. I guess you could say that we invited ourselves over. They were celebrating their one year anniversary. Wahoo! In fact, we were at their wedding a year ago. I poured myself a Jack & Coke before we headed over. Mindy poured herself a glass of wine. We joked and drank with the neighbors for the next two plus hours. Like always, we had a jim-dandy good time. But Mindy was fading fast. She insisted it time to go around 11:00pm. Once in bed I insisted on watching some TV from bed, Saturday Night Live. It was a rerun – best of Amy Poehler. As soon as I started to dose, Mindy shut it down. I didn’t fight it. Off to sleep. Good night moon!