America, Apple Pie, and Baseball

The All-Star Game must the just below the ultimate in Americana.

The best in the game, defined by the fans, play in a game for fun.

And bragging rights.

And home field advantage in the World Series.

We watched it last night. Well, most of it. I fell asleep around the 7th inning.

I did learn some cool things.

1) My oldest son doesn't like whoever-it-was that sang the National Anthem. He muted the TV for that part. He doesn't dislike the Anthem, mind you. Just the singer.

2) My kids were not aware that displaying the flag horizontally violates the Federal Flag Code ( Title 4, Section 8.c ).

3) I hate commercials (OK, I already knew that).


Of course, I grew up loving and playing soccer - a sport played 'round the world that certainly isn't American in derivation.

I stunk at baseball. Final 3 seasons - .000 batting average. Final season - 3 at bats, no walks, no hits, no errors. Right field just ain't no fun.

I am so in the land of my sojourn here.

Oh yeah, one more thing.

4) I would rather see any of my kids having fun on the ballfield than watch sports on TV (I already knew that too).

Starting Something New

0500 - forgot to re-set the alarm clock.

Don't have to wake up until 0600 on Tuesdays.

Quiet house.

Twilight.

Rural Southern morning-style.

Light fog.

June bugs on the sidewalk. Better than on the roses or the blueberries.

Sprayed the roses, twice already. Refuse to spray the blueberries.

I eat them off the bushes when we're picking.

Big spiderweb between the two posts on the front porch.

Walked right smack into it.

When I grow up I want to do all this again - live in the country; get to travel to some fun places (like the photo - Istanbul); play as a photographer; have a wonderful family; and finally settle into a regular life where I go to work in the morning, come home in the evening, have dinner, go swimming with the kids at the "Y", and settle in with a good book at the end of the day.

Except for the spiderweb part, maybe. I knew it was there. I avoided it twice last night while out with the dog. Should've know better.

Story of my life.