Spring and Summer Photo Book 2013

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Softball Season Comes to a Close

There are a couple stories I would like to share leading up to the end of my 2013 softball season.

1.
This week I finally got back to my regularly scheduled walking with Sparky after an on-again, off-again month of ankle sprains and uber blisters.

As we strolled through Springdale earlier in the week, I saw the orange cones that mark the Illinois Valley Striders running route. I thought maybe they had already finished their run because I didn't see them until halfway through our walk.

Then it hit me, the "Prancercise" incident was happening all over again! I rounded the bend and saw the runners heading towards me, the sidewalk of doom was off to my left... what to do? The runners were looping around in front of us, so do we walk down the middle of the road and watch them fly by on either side or off-road it?

As I was trying to make this near split second decision, Sparky made one of his own. His feet came to a screeching halt, butt lowered, and an embarrassed look came over his face. Yes my friends, he was dropping a deuce right in the middle of the road. Naturally, no where close to a garbage can. We charged down the road in search of the nearest can to deposit the doggie doo bag without any care in the world for the runners that were downwind.

2.
Last year someone on my Easter Seals softball tournament team mentioned our team color should be tie dye next year. To my surprise, I received a text a couple weeks ago with any invitation to a tie dye party. How cool is that? I hadn't tie dyed anything in 20 years! It was a messy and fun process, but if I do say so myself, they came out looking awesome. No need to change the team name to Hot Mess.

I was looking forward to today, minimum of 3 games of softball with some fun teammates on what promised to be a gorgeous day. My cooler was packed with water, gatorade, and snackage to help get me through the day and by 7:30 I was at Peoria Stadium's softball fields ready to sport my tie dye shirt.

Not exactly awake, but ready to take the mound, we started our first game of the day around 8:00. I pitched two innings and had a line drive out that almost sneaked up the middle... then I heard the pop. I pitched the ball, it was hit to 1st base, I took off to help cover and POP. My softball season officially came to an end at that moment.

I fully expected to come away from the day with a resprained ankle, bumps and bruises, and overall, just being worn out. I refused to sit at home and wallow in my bummed-outness, and heading back to the diamond to root on my team while keeping my leg elevated and iced would have been difficult for many reasons. I opted for the tour of family around town. What should have been a fun day of softball turned into an enjoyable day with family.

Much has gone through my head and I plan on healing up this offseason with the hopes of an injury free next year. To be healthy and help my team repeat as champs next year would be awesome! One can dream, right?

Description of me?

I don't know why this animated GIF would remind someone of me???

This was found on The Oatmeal

Tonight's List: The Good Things

With the bad comes the good and viceversa. Tonight I'll try to channel my inner Martha Stewart and come up with a list items that are "a good thing" in my book.

Some of these may be fairly obvious if you've followed my blog for even a short amount of time.

• Spending time with family and friends
• Concerts, plays, musicals
• Baseball, softball, disc golf
• Game nights (Bananagrams, Quelf, Munchkin, you name it)
• Laughing until I cry
• Goofiness and silliness with my peeps
• Cracking myself up
• A really good sitcom or movie
• An awesome comedienne
• Hugs (they're free, how can you argue with that)
• Good listeners
• Ice cream (peanut butter & chocolate)
• Furry friends (Dogs and cats)
• Bouldering (Besides kayaking/canoeing, one of the best things to do when on a coast)
• Common courtesies (As much as I say people are stupid, sometimes you come across those special people who actually understand the significance of the small things in life)
• A good book that can actually get me to laugh out loud or whisks me away to somewhere I haven't been before or allows me to experience what I could never imagine
• Vacations and my ability to chill
• The 'search' function (I hope that person made millions)
• People with an open mind and who don't rush to make judgments
• Kindness

There are probably some obvious things I've overlooked at the moment, but you'll have that when you're tired of looking at a computer screen. Later. Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

P.S. Have any suggestions for future lists?

Tonight's List: Dislikes

The last time I remember my hands shaking uncontrollably was when I got a foul ball at a Kane County Cougar baseball game. Beyond that I have no recollection. So what brings this up? Well, I was so angry this morning my hands were actually shaking. I would normally remove myself from the situation, but when you're on deadline, you just have to power through.

In order to clear my mind from the past week and then some, I've decided to pull together a list of things I dislike or frustrate me. I don't feel I have much control over these things or haven't found a solution up until this point. So now as they pop in my head.

• Blisters, I'm beginning to think I need to start going barefoot increasingly more everyday (in the winter I'll wear smartwool socks)
• When a friend/family member forgets your birthday (I try to do what my mom used to tell me, "call the person you really want to hear from". Honestly, it's just not the same)
• Drivers that pass on the right, tailgate, don't use blinkers, and refuse to yield to pedestrians.
• Walking around in a busy area with no purpose or awareness that you are the cause of the bottleneck.
• Littering, even if it's a simple cigarette butt out the window (someday when I'm old and don't give a shit, I'll pick that item up, knock on the car window and let them know they dropped something)
• Stepping on a cat hairball in the middle of the night. (being awake 100% of the time for turning on lights would be worse than the small percentage of squishes)
• Not being treated the way I want to be treated. They say, "Treat people the way you want to be treated." Quite often this doesn't work. Recently, a piece of straw broke this camel's back. Well, I thought, maybe they want to be treated the way they are treating me. I immaturely tried this and to no surprise, it didn't make the situation any better. Time to switch it back up and get back to myself. I'd rather be happy, but I guess that may not be the same for everyone.
• People being in a hurry because they're running late, not proactive, or just simply lazy.
• Tomatoes (survey says this will never change)

I know I'm not immune to doing some of these myself, but I try to be aware of them and be considerate of those around me. Sometimes the small things can be underestimated and you never know how something as little as saying, "Hi", to a passing stranger could possibly brighten their day.

That's all I got. Hope you have a good morning, afternoon or evening.

Final Days of Vacation with "My Boys"

I'm aware of sleeping in a Marriott that was so tight you couldn't get the sofabed to properly unfold without resting on the foot of the bed. This was quite the humorous scene. What may have been more humorous is if Matt had spotted a snake when we walked through Snake Den State Park in Johnston, RI.


My highlight of the day was going to come from a Wright's Dairy Farm! I don't know what it is about cows, fresh milk and local cheeses, but I always seem to be fascinated. We didn't stay long enough to view the cow milking from 3-5pm, but isn't that what shows like Reading Rainbow, How is it Made, and Dirty Jobs are for?


Can you believe it? Manure is no longer free... not that I needed any, but I'm sure it was a bummer to some people.


Next up was a Wright's Farm for the most delicious chicken dinner I have had in my entire life. Good thing Brian grew up in New England, otherwise we would have missed this gem. Served family style with a heaping dish of chicken and sides of salad, pasta, fries, and rolls. Note: these fellas were at the dairy farm and not harmed.


Now for the best part about my blistered toes. I couldn't help but nix the idea of walking around more places on my last day of vacation, so we took to the water. We opted to canoe down a portion of the St. Charles River.


This was relaxing and fun. I wish I had more pictures, but my paranoia of tipping the canoe or having to hop in the water because we got stuck was enough for me to leave my phone and camera in the car. We didn't tip and only got partially stuck, but we did return completely soaked thanks to the rain cloud hovering over our canoe.


After a fantastic dinner made by Brian and quick night of sleep, I was following Matt on his way to work in denial that I was actually headed to the airport. I dislike goodbyes, especially after having such a wonderful time with two great friends.

Newport, RI - Vacation with "My Boys"

Last Thursday I hopped on a flight with the final destination of Boston. My new friends headed to the Czech Republic helped keep me awake during the first leg of my trip, but the less than 4 hours of sleep started to catch up with my on the second leg.

Even with my lack of awareness, I was able to sneak up on Matt and Brian as they waited for me at baggage claim. This would be the beginning of an awesome weekend with great friends who also double as fantastic hosts. In my head... I consider them "my boys".


The first night we played catch-up and they treated me to my first ever Indian meal. Five dishes among the three of us equaled a smorgasbord of new flavors for my taste buds to experience. Definitely a cuisine I could get used to, but didn't exactly step up to the spice challenge this time around.


Friday morning the boys and hopped in the car and headed south towards Newport, RI. First stop was Fort Adams. Not my typical site to see, but I was game. I've never been one for history, but when you have a tour guide that helps bring you to the time period and builds a scene in your head... well, I can get on board with that.


I wish I could remember all the facts I heard, but my brain doesn't work like that. We did get to walk inside the walls, on top of the wall, and even explored a listening tunnel (gotta know when you enemies might try to dig in).


After a lunch to refuel and hydrate, we made our way to the cliff walk. The cliff walk path ran 3.5 miles along the coast. A majority of it was a paved sidewalk with either a fence or a ton of foliage in between you and the edge. The water and sky were beautiful, but I wanted to see the waves crashing on the rocks below.


I was honestly disappointed and irritated with the blisters I was getting on a couple of my toes. I kept plugging along with the guys because it was bound to get better, right? They must have the beware, danger, do not enter signs for some reason, right?


Walk far enough and you'll get the chance to do a little bouldering. You may be moving slower because of blisters, but the enjoyment helps take away the pain. If it weren't for the boys, I would have missed some very worthwhile experiences on this trip.


About 6 miles later and we were back to the car. Our future? Dinner and a date with Rhode Island's best improve troupe, the Bit Players. Had some great laughs and phenomenal seafood! This was my Clam Stuffy appetizer.

Wrigley Bound Road Trippin'

July treated me well and it ended quite nicely with a road trip to see the Cubs play. Last Wednesday, Tom, Theresa, Jim and I headed up to Wrigley for a Cubs night game. I spent the morning packing for my trip to Boston while the Angell's were still making their way back from Seattle.

We all met up around 2pm and headed out in my Sparky-hair-free-car. A pit stop and a few hours later and we were watching the Brewer's batting practice from our assigned seats. Our butts never hit these seats, thanks to Jim's uncanny ability to squat seats (we were a just a few rows from the lowest section!)

Tom and I ventured from foul pole...

...to foul pole while we waited for the game to start. It was such a beautiful day.

Well, until I somehow jinxed it. I kindly requested no extra innings, so we would get home around 1 to 2am. This would allow me enough time to properly recharge my battery prior to flying to Boston. I should have been more specific... there were no extra innings, but we did have over an hour rain delay. Next up, glow stick fun.

As soon as the storm passed, the grounds crew was on the move again and prepping the field for return to play. We squatted some new seats down the left field line in hopes of a foul ball. No free souvenirs were had, but we did leave with a CUBS WIN!