Heartbreaker

Andrew's team lost a heartbreaker of a playoff game last night. It was a four hour marathon that went the full seven innings.

The Braves had a comfortable lead going into the fourth inning, they were ahead of the Orioles by seven runs. Our starting pitcher only allowed three runs before he reached his pitch count limit but the Braves pitching went downhill rapidly from there and they walked in 8 runs to blow the lead.

After that they weren't able to come back and for every run they put up on the scoreboard they'd give at least two away on the next at bat. To say it was despressing to watch is an understatement.

Andrew had a good game though. He went three for five with one walk. Two singles, a double, 3 RBI's and four stolen bases.

10 weary and very sad young men straggled out of the dug out after the game. It's one thing to be beaten, it's another to just give the game away.

Week in Review

I didn't get quite as much accomplished this week as I had hoped but the essential stuff got done. With the weather gradually warming up it was time to check window screens and replace a few with broken frames and other routine domestic chores.

Went shopping with Steph to get her a new swim suit and other summer clothes. It's so nice to have another gal in the house again. She starts her job training this week.

Also got word that Stephanie made the Dean's list again and that Andrew passed his high school exit exam with flying colors.

Wednesday evening Stephanie's friend David and boyfriend Jordon joined us to watch the season finale of LOST and of course Monday night was the finale of 24. I enjoyed both immensely but am still scratching my head over the final scene in LOST.

Thankfully Sam's blood work continues to come back clean. Hopefully things will continue to stay stable with him for a while. Mom continues to hang on but she sounds so weak and tired whenever I talk to her and she's on my mind a lot. She goes back to the doctor for an evaluation on Wednesday.

Andrew's team won their last regular season game and playoffs start next week. They should be okay if they get past the Orioles on Tuesday night but the playoffs are single elimination so they'll need to play their hearts out in each game to make it to the championships.

The Battle with the Bees

Bees have been a cronic problem since we moved into this house. Shortly after moving in we discovered that there were two bee hives in the walls up under the eaves. We got some professionals in to open up the walls and get rid of the hives. One of them was massive and obviously had been there for a few years.

It's critical to make sure every last bit of the honeycomb and honey has been discovered and removed or they just keep coming back and trying to restablish the same hive. Word must have spread through some kind of bee network over the years because it's been a constant battle to keep ahead of the bees since then, they keep trying to find some place else around the house and yard to establish a hive.

On Tuesday I discovered a swarm in the bathroom, they'd gotten in again. Thankfully they were just scouts and a good spraying sent them away but it was a reminder that the battle is ongoing and I need to keep a sharp eye out for bee activity around the house.

Relaxing

We woke up this morning to find it's overcast and there was some light rain last night which is very welcome since Adam and I replanted a couple of flower beds yesterday. It was just gorgeous on Saturday, perfect for outdoor work and watching baseball.

Andrew's team played their nemesis the Dodgers yesterday and beat them 15 to 4. Everyone was hitting and defensively they could do no wrong. Andrew went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI's, a double and a home run. He also scored two runs. With one game left in the regular season he's leading the league in home runs and RBI's. Playoffs start May 31st.

After the game we came home and relaxed for a bit then I took the boys to one of their favorite restaurant's BJ's for dinner and the three of us went to see "The Da Vinci Code". Overall I enjoyed it, as did Adam. Andrew hadn't read the book and found the flashback stuff confusing so on the way home Adam and I answered his questions. I've been encouraging him to read the book, perhaps he will now that he's curiosity has been aroused.

We saw the movie at the local Leamale, which is usually pretty quiet. I've never seen that theater sold out, not even for Lord of the Rings or Star Wars on opening weekend but last nights 7pm showing sold out. I hope they rake in buckets of money and shut some folks up---it's fiction for goodness sake.

Steph drove up to Santa Barbara to visit her best buddie Michele for the weekend. With the exception of Berkley, the UC's are still in session so most of Stephanie's friends aren't home yet although her boyfriend Jordon, who attends UC Berkley got back this past Wednesday.

Both boys could use new shoes so a trip to the mall is on the agenda today in addition to catching up on laundry and other assorted domestic stuff. I've cut back considerably on work but do have to get a column and review written up this week but today I'm not going to think about anything I don't have to and just enjoy being with the kids.

Quick Trip Home

So far 2006 hasn't been kind to our family.

I've been very worried about my Mom these past few weeks. Mom has had a number of health issues the past couple of years and a few weeks ago my sister forced her to go to the doctor because she was concerned about Mom's lack of energy. After that exam she was refered to a cardiologist who ordered tests. The tests indicated that there was something wrong with her heart so this past Tuesday she was scheduled to be admited to the hospital to undergo a coronary catheterization.

I decided to take advantage of Stephanie being home from school so I flew out to Colorado Springs on Monday and got back Thursday night. What the doctor discovered once they got the dye in isn't good, no easy fix unfortunately.

For now Mom is back home and resting on oxygen. It tore me up to leave but I can't expect Stephanie to fill my role here at home for an extended period.

Thank God for Common Sense

A while back I posted about the efforts of a Mom in Georgia school district to ban the Harry Potter books from schools in that district because despite the fact that she had never bothered to read the books herself, she felt they promoted witchcraft.

Well I'm happy to say the judge rejected her plea.

If you're interested there's a short report in their local paper:
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/14557978.htm

Odds and Ends

Just a few updates on what's up out here in California.

Sam continues to be stable. He's still putting in more hours at work than the doctors would like and has no energy for anything else but at least everything is under control with his condition for right now. Three straight weeks of good blood test results. We'll enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Adam is still training for his second degree black belt test which is supposed to be in late June some time, still waiting to be told the exact date. He's still studying for his SAT II Biology test which is the first Saturday in June.

Stephanie will be home for the summer on Saturday. I meet up with her briefly on Tuesday to pass on some boxes for her packing and her last final is tomorrow. We purposely waited to go to the Renaissance Faire until she could come with us so we'll go on Sunday. I love that, it's so much fun and we didn't make it last year so we're all really looking forward to it.

Andrew's Braves played the Dodgers again on Tuesday and were leading going into the 7th inning 11 to 7. (Their division plays seven innings) Sadly things came unraveled and they lost 11 to 12. That means even if the Dodgers lose the rest of their games and the Braves win all of theirs they still can't be knocked out of first place so Andrew's team will likely be second in the division. They'll have a tougher playoff schedule but it could well be the Braves and Dodgers in the Championship game next month. Oh and Andrew made the All-Star Team.

I've been busy with my usual pursuits when I've got the time. Sometimes I've got the time but can't make myself focus which is understandable but frustrating for me. Reading is my salvation normally. Consequently I'm just doing what I can when I can and saying no to most things, especially if it's a long range commitment. Life is too uncertain, and my brain too unreliable, at the moment for me to feel comfortable making many commitments.

We had planned to go to Yosemite for a few days this summer but we've decided to cancel. You have to book a year in advance now to go to Yosemite so the arrangements were made ages ago and the other families are still going but we will have to pass.

Still planning on Shore Leave out in Baltimore though, at least for Adam and myself. Steph of course will be working, Sam's not supposed to fly and Andrew, who was going to come, just recently got tickets for OZ Fest which is the same weekend. Thankfully I hadn't booked flights yet so I told him he could go with his friends as my father-in-law Mel has agreed to go with them to chaperone.

I'd like to go out a few early so Adam can do a few extra things I know he'd enjoy. I haven't been to the National Zoo since I was a kid and he would really love that. Also we still haven't visited the Aquarium in Baltimore, something else he would love but we never seem to have time for when we go back there. We need to make up our minds soon as far as what we're doing. Airline prices aren't too bad yet but I can't wait too much longer in case they go up sharply again.

Guess that's about it. Things aren't great, but they could be a whole lot worse and the kids seem to be doing just fine which is the most important thing.

Busy Weekend

We had a great time at the Dodger game. To be honest I didn't pay that much attention to the game but then watching the crowd is half the fun anyway. We left during the 8th inning with the score tied 3 to 3 and to be honest I didn't bother to check the paper the next day to see who had won. It was Dodgers vs. Brewers.

One of Andrew's friends came with us and one of his teammates caught I ride with us as well so there was Mel, myself, Adam, Andrew, Erica and Josh. We meet up with the rest of the team and their families at the ball park. When they give out these free tickets you're given either the outfield seats or the top deck--this year VCAA had the entire top deck.

The team had their own game in the afternoon. Andrew's team, the Braves, is in a battle with the Dodgers for first place in the division. Up to Saturday Dodgers have won one and the Braves had won one and they'd tied a game.

Saturday's game was a hard fought battle and very exciting to watch. The lead changed with each at bat. There were a couple of very tense moments when it looked like the Dodgers might break away but the Braves managed to pull of key double plays each time to shut them down. Sadly the Dodgers won by one run. Andrew had another great game, knocking in four RBI's and scoring one run but he got stranded on base a couple of times.

They play the Dodgers again today and then once more in late May. Unfortunately I have to miss todays game, Mel is coming over to pick up Andrew and take him.

This past weekend was pretty busy as we hosted the USS Angeles crew at our house on Sunday. Three or four times a year we get together and assemble packages for the troops over in Iraq. We work through the Any Soldier program and have been matched up with three units we keep in close contact with. They let us know what they need, we get it donated and then send it over. We also collect donations to cover the mailing costs.

The units we had adopted last year got to go home earlier this year so we have three new units we've just started supporting. A couple of weeks back we heard from our main contact with the Fallujah Surgical Company that they were always running short of certain things for their patients so they emailed us a list of things they need.

The Fallujah Surgical Company is comprised of 120--100 men and twenty women. They are based out of the San Diego Navel Hospital. They arrived in Iraq this past February and are currently scheduled to be there until the fall of 2007.

It disgusts and sickens me that our troops aren't getting all the supplies they need to do their jobs. When a medical unit has to ask folks from home to send towels and sheets for their patients you've got to wonder what's going on in requisitions.

About 14 of the Angeles crew showed up Sunday afternoon and we put together 25 boxes of supplies for them. In addition to the requested items we put together a few boxes with some DVD's, puzzles, paperback books, snacks and recent magazines.

Everyone brought food to share and after the packages were ready we ate and watched "Mudd's Women" together.

Dodger Day

I've been looking forward to today all week. Today is Dodger Day for Andrew's league.

Every year the Dodgers give tickets for one game to the players and coaches of the local youth baseball leagues. Family members can purchase discounted tickets for themselves. I bought tickets for Adam and myself and Sam's dad Mel is also going to join us.

It's always a lot of fun to go to a game with the whole team and all the families. I think the Dodgers play the Brewers tonight but to be honest I don't really care who they're playing, I'm looking forward to a Dodger dog and a nice cold beer.

They've got the 2pm game today and the Dodger game is this evening so after the game today we're all going to do a carpool caravan from the VCAA fields.