Take Me Out To The Ball Game

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Hanging the bunting at the main entrance, 2007.

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Duck: Crying. So glad we come to visit. Me: Pretty good today and working on staying in the now. G: I think he liked the visit with the Boyden’s group yesterday. On the way home, we stopped to tour the Juan Sebastian de Elcano, a four mast Top Sail Schooner training ship from Cadiz. Magic. Work: Padre’s 2008 Schedule. Monday opening day.

The air ways are full of opening day. As I talked with Bee this morning, out of the corner of my eye I could see the GM, the CEO, the VP of Marketing all march by the cameras. Out in the Park in the Park, the Friar is tossing balls for the talking heads. Bunting is being hung from the Western Metal building by the event staff. I wonder what time they got to the ballpark this morning.

G let me sleep in, and only a few times did I wake and fight myself to get onto the new schedule. Finally awake at seven thirty, I poured coffee, at the last two donuts left from the weekend, and called Bee.

Now after a delightful hour’s chat, I’ve also called the dentist about my newly rebroken front crown to say I’m off to work wearing a gap. I’ve called PT to say I didn’t have an appointment today, cancel it, and tell them I never would make an appointment on Opening Day. Marie called, nervous but almost ready to move into her own cottage this coming Sunday. The shower waits, I’ve made lunch, excitement builds, and we are almost ready for Opening Day at the ball park.

RB has written to say she will publish my piece about opening day. I borrow from my last paragraph to say, “By seven oh five, we are all ready to begin more year of magic on the “field of dreams.” Fans fill the stands. Standing room is jammed, long lines wait at the beer stands, and crowds fill the Park in the Park. Batting practice is over, and ball players wait in the dugouts. Wonderful food smells float through the air. Lining the tunnel out to the field is a Navy honor guard, a young lady to sing the national anthem, and a young man picked to throw out the first ball. I duck as four Coast Guard helicopters do a fly-by. Down on the grass, one young child stands ready at a microphone waiting to call out, “Play ball!”



The newly refurbished garden at my gate. 2008.