Heat Wave

I know the mercury tipped 90 today but I'm not sure just how far it got. 93? 95? Did we set a record? Does it matter? After awhile you're just darn hot!

Sitting in an air-conditioned office, I was somewhat oblivious to how warm it was getting out there today until I went over to the fitness center at lunch time. It was toasty! Everything in the car was hot to touch. Way hot! Needless to say, I got a good sweaty workout today.

Carter was home with a rare day off (ha), sitting in the A/C, watching movies, playing Wii, doing as little as possible. That's probably for the best since he had baseball practice tonight.

On our way home from work, we had the A/C cranked and it didn't even feel like it was one. Until you cracked open the window and the oven air came in. Ugh. Hubby and I got to witness an unusual phenomenon...

You know how sometimes it can get so hot the road will buckle in an earth quake-looking way? You don't know how it happens, it just does? Well we were on Highway 54 just about to our south turn at the Portage-Wood county line. Suddenly right in front of us, the road buckles... just sort of pops up in pieces like confetti out of a Jack in the box or something. So weird. Like something you'd see on a cartoon or movie.

Obviously, we were startled and had no time to stop. Thankfully we had just slowed for the turn so we weren't going 65 mph. Still, we couldn't avoid driving over it. Luckily, it didn't puncture any tires. Weird. Very weird.

I made sure I checked in on my parents tonight. My dad, going on 84 this year, has an awful hard time with heat. They don't have A/C but he said they're keeping the house closed up and that keeps it cooler than opening windows for any hot breezes. I reminded him to stay hydrated anyway. He says, "I don't know if that does any good." (Did I mention my dad is stubborn? And that I'm nothing like him?)

Up in Luck and all of western Wisconsin (and Minnesota for that matter), they've been dealing with this since yesterday. We're always a day behind in Rapids so we'll see this hot stuff tomorrow, too, before we see some relief. Not that I'm even complaining. This is perfect ice cream eating weather... if a person can keep pace before it melts.

I don't know about you, but I'm up for the challenge.

Adventures in Babysitting

Growing up out in the sticks, not close enough to town to walk and not old enough to drive, the only means of gainful employment for a girl like me was babysitting.

My sister Rachel was 4 years older than me so we had to wait until she was old enough to have a life so we could get her weekend babysitting jobs and make some money. Then, of course, we had to split them between my twin and me. But a little pocket change now and then was better than nothing.

By high school, we could make even more by babysitting for the summer. One summer I had the privilege of watching my cousin's two angels, alternating weeks with a friend, and another summer I split time with my twin Raylene watching a 4-year-old boy. After I graduated, I babysat my little nephew Timmy, who now has a boy of his own and another one on the way. Time flies!

Babysitting isn't always easy money. Sometimes kids are naughty. And sometimes they are just old enough they don't need naps -- then, when you are working a whole day, you must entertain them for hours on end. At least that's how it seems when you're a kid watching a kid!

Today, somehow we find ourselves in the position that we no longer need a babysitter for our son and he, in fact, is the one doing the babysitting! It doesn't seem right that we've come this far already.

Carter had his first day of "work" at a summer job! On Mondays he'll be watching a girl and boy in town who we've come know quite well in recent years. Their dad is a brother to one of my best friends and their mom is my scrappin' sister. So basically, they are like "extended family."

We dropped him off at 7 and picked him up around 4:30. There were no broken bones (or furniture), no fires and no one was crying. I guess that was a good day! Actually, he said it was good and quite enjoyable. They alternated time indoors and out since it was pretty hot outside. He also brought a craft project to do (t-shirt painting) and is going to teach them sign language over the coming weeks. So he's got ideas to keep them busy!

Of course, the main reason he's doing this besides the experience, is the green stuff. I think he's going to find babysitting will get him closer to buying that go-kart than picking up cans in the ditch.

But let's not fool with Mother Nature. We better keep that can-collecting mission going or she'll send even more mosquitoes!

Ball Park Pics

We were all pretty wiped out today from 2 days at the ball park. I suspect we'll have to get used to that in the coming month!

Today we didn't have much chance to recover, either. I got my 7-mile run in at sunrise (too hot already). Then Carter and I went to church and helped set up for the church picnic we had after the 2nd service. We just had time to eat and try to dunk our pastor in the dunk tank (no success), then we had to go to practice for the tournament team. I hung out there a little bit but really needed to get home and put my feet up.

I managed to get laundry done and upload some weekend photos. Figured I better share since that was my accomplishment for the day!

Carter waits for a good pitch. He's been hitting the ball well for league. Nothing like last year when he was stepping away from the ball or waiting for a walk. He wants to hit and hit hard! That's way more fun for all of us.

Here's another handsome fella on the team! Coach Austin is looking too serious -- it almost looks like he's daring me to take the photo. But I'm really sneaky!

Carter gets ready at second base. You can just tell it's hot out, can't you??

Carter gets ready to cover third base. For league, the players move around and play just about every position. Even pitcher...

I hate when it's so hot, my makeup runs! Sometimes the boys have that problem, too. Here Carter is concentrating before his pitch. (Momma likes this picture!)

And the windup...

And the grunt...... The pitch...

...and the follow through!

The pictures turned out better than his strike count. But at least he gave it a try. The problem with a flawless pitching debut last month for Assumption, is that he expects to repeat that every time.

Sounds like me and my golf game! Though I've never had that first flawless one to compare to.

Strong Finish

We got lucky that we played every night this week so the Reds got a bye at 8:30 this morning. Those poor teams that had to play 3 games in this heat! Not sure how they did it, but judging by the final results, they did just fine.

We tied for last in the tournament but we went out on a strong note, so it didn't seem that bad.

The first game was late morning. I should have gone on my "long run" today but it was too hot. Now I'll have to go Sunday.

We went up against the Giants (ultimately the tourney champions) in our first game. That did not go so well.

I ended up coming home between games to cool off, boil up brats and get a few items for supper. I should have made Carter come home with me because those boys may be old enough to know better, but they still don't think to stay in the shade when it's hot out.

Perhaps, I shouldn't complain, they came back for the second game on fire (not literally, thankfully) and scored 9 runs in the first inning! Go Reds!

The other team had one good inning when Carter was pitching (Ugh -- just part of it) and got 5 runs then. There were a few more sprinkled in for both teams, but we ended up with the win, 13-9!

After the games, assistant coach Mike and wife Christine came over for brats, beverages and baseball talk. Had a nice visit. Feels like the season is coming to an end, but I think we've got 4 more league games (2 double-headers) next week and then one game the week after.

Maybe playing all of these games this week will help the Reds finish strong.

I know this score-keeper is finishing Red... in the shade of just a tad bit sun burnt.

Heating up

Well the temperatures reached something like 90 degrees, but we're still waiting for Coach Austin's Reds to start heating up.

Tonight was the 4th night of baseball in a row, with one more day to go. The Reds are 1-3 for this inter-league tournament. We have 2 games tomorrow to win just to get to 3-3. I hope it's a bit cooler so they can handle it.

Not that I completely minded today. Since it was Carter's first day of summer vacation, I took the day off, too. At first I thought maybe we'd all do something together but when we saw the mercury rising, we didn't really want to do anything outdoors like golf or even mini-golf. Was just a bit on the muggy side.

So I got some Saturday chores done early, then went into town to get hubby his Father's Day present. Don't worry about keeping it a secret -- he picked it out. He's getting a new lawn mower! I wish it was a rider, but if he wants an easy, self-propelled push, then that's what he's getting. Now he doesn't have to wait until Father's Day to use it either -- just wait until it's cooler.

Got home and cranked the air. We all sort of relaxed for the afternoon since Carter played at 5:30. He had some solid hits but didn't get on base. Two were sacrifice flies so he got 2 RBIs, but the other 2 were just plain ol' pop-up fly-ball outs. Our team only got 3 hits overall. We really gotta turn things around tomorrow!

After the game, Jim went to the races to watch Colin, who qualified fast time again and had his first finish. No car problems. Yay! And he ended up finishing 2nd in the feature. Awesome!

Carter and I went into town to rent a movie The Green Hornet and stop at DQ (of course). It was nice to veg out in the coolness tonight. And we both enjoyed the movie (which has a funny scene for us non-Packer fans).

Better get to bed now at a decent time! I'm guessing I won't need to turn my blanket on!

Bully for You!

You can't swing a dead cat around these here parts without hitting someone talking about or asking about the latest controversy in Wisconsin Rapids.

Even my long-distance readers may have heard about it on the news or saw it on the national crime news website The Smoking Gun. Yes, I am talking about the fact that 4 wrestlers from the Rapids state championship team face charges of "disorderly conduct" for allegedly bullying and/or sexually harassing another student in the locker room.

I won't get into the shameful details, alleged details, but there was a quick reaction in the community. There are definitely people on all sides of this case -- and they haven't even gone to court yet.

We have the contingent that feels that this is just "typical locker room behavior" that happens everywhere and this shouldn't be blown out of proportion. We have those who say these are good kids that wouldn't do any harm. We have the group claiming that Lincoln's dominant wrestling program has always gotten preferential treatment and it's about time someone got caught.

Then there's the group of people like me -- we don't really care about the circumstances and who is involved (although the more I hear, the more sickened I become)... We just have no tolerance for bullying.

As someone who has been picked on and seen how upset my child has been at various times over bullying, I absolutely abhor such behavior. And just today I learned about how devastating it truly can be for a victim.

I heard from an old friend who I've kept in touch with the last 15 years since we geographically parted ways. He has kids, including a daughter Carter's age. He told me how she had been picked on at school a bit, but he did not know she was being bullied regularly -- until it was too late. She couldn't handle it anymore and took her own life.

I was floored when I heard. Absolutely speechless. What can I say for comfort when I know it would feel like someone was ripping my heart out if something happened to Carter? My friend has been devasted with grief and guilt. You name it.

Does bullying really have to come to this? Criminal charges? Death?

I think it's already gone too far.

I don't pretend to have any inside information on this Rapids case. But I can tell you that there are some kids out there who could use some prayers. And parents, too.

Thanks.

Twins Territory

I may have mentioned a time or two that I am a Minnesota Twins fan. Always have been. But did you know that there used to be a Twins team in Wisconsin Rapids? There was an A-level team back in the '80s that 2 guys I know played with -- Kent Hrbek and Gary Gaetti. You've heard of them.

Tonight, the G-Man, as we close friends called him at the Dome, made a return trip home to Rapids to kick off the 2011 season for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. I knew about this months ago but figured I'd opt out since Carter had a baseball game at the same time. Could I really put my Twins before my son? Hmmm. Turns out a creative mom can do both!

I decided at 6:25 I was going to go. That meant I had 30 minutes basically to get into town, find a parking spot, stand in line for a last-minute ticket and not miss Gary Gaetti toss the ceremonial first pitch at 7:05! Could I do it? Let me just change into Twins gear, grab my old World Series pennant off the wall and see!

By the time I did all that and got into the park and found his table, Gary was just standing up and finishing his session. I said, "Awwww, no way!" And I think he saw my adorable Twins hat and thought, "OK, one more," because he sat right down.
And signed my dusty old pennant I did not have time to clean up. Hey, it's not in bad shape for getting packed and unpacked in something like 8 moves!

They distributed photos at the gate so I got an autographed picture, too! Then I shook his hand (no hugs, darn) and said thanks for all the excitement. "Now go pitch a strike!"

I sort of stalked him after that because I could legally stand within 5 feet of him, take photos and not get arrested. That's a small town for ya! Here I was pretending to take a picture of him meeting the lucky young Rafters catcher. But really I was thinking, "Look at those pipes! He's still got it!"

This is when he stood on the pitcher's mound and pointed my way and said, "See that girl over there in the Twins hat and Twins shirt? She's the best fan ever! She saw me play a half-dozen times at the Dome in 1987!" I'm pretty sure reading lips, that is what he said about me. How could he not?

They were reading off his accomplishments -- playoff MVP, Twins Hall of Fame, etc -- and he humbly motioned to wrap it up.

I sort of missed the ceremonial first pitch. G-Man, you gotta wind up or something. I was unprepared!

Here he is smiling because he's back in Rapids and he knows NOW that this is Twins Territory!

I could have told him that.

And yes, I did make it out to Carter's game (the correct field) for the first pitch. Super fans can do anything!