The Game We Saw and The Game We Didn't

This past weekend was packed out with activity. We were fortunate enough to have really nice, warm weather. All the way up to the 80's! Wow! So I started out by cleaning up the yard a bit. Living in a city neighbourhood makes our yard susceptible to the odd bits of trash blowing in. So I took the big bag to the back yard to grab the odd candy wrappers, chip bags, or whatever miscellaneous debris blew back there. While I was back there, I noticed all the big weedy-shrubbery which blocks my view of the play area swing set. The weedy things are on my neighbour's property. Well, I'd say on the property line and on their property. So I started on the line and ended up a bit on their domain. I'm not usually picky about the yard stuff, whether or not they keep up their grass cutting is of no consequence to me. But those things have been blocking my view of the kids playing for a long time, and figured if they noticed at all, they wouldn't have a problem with me trying to supervise their child and mine playing. So down they went, and it looks a lot nicer!

Then there's the Fleece Blanket Debacle.

At many of the Cincinnati Reds baseball games, they have various giveaways. Some are really cool and some are just more clutter. I've been after one thing in particular for the third year now. The Fleece Blanket Giveaway!! Phillip has cheated me out of the blankets for the past two years by making us late for the game. They have limited numbers of these things, and when they run out, they run out. So this year I was bound and determined to get to the game in plenty of time to be one of the lucky 20,000 fans to get the blanket!

So we got the tickets several weeks ago. This was our very first game of the season, so we were super excited about it. Until we got the news. Archie's baseball game, the one he would be playing in for the first time this season, was scheduled at the VERY SAME TIME!! I couldn't believe it! Skunked again! And after we'd already purchased our Reds tickets!

I mulled over the problem quite a bit and decided that we would be going to the Reds game. We just wouldn't see the baseball part of it. So on Saturday morning, I had Phillip drive us downtown a couple of hours before the start of the game. I knew we would be able to get the dollar parking, being so early. When we got downtown, Phillip suggested we go and get a bite to eat before heading to the stadium. Yeah, right. He's not doing it again this year! I'm not missing out on yet another fleece blanket. Needless to say, we went straight to the stadium. Where, oddly enough, we had to stand in line because they hadn't opened the gates yet.

At 11:30, they opened the gates, and in moved the masses. I was a bit worried, because there were a whole lot of people out there waiting in line. Probably their spouses had cheated them out of their fleece blanket multiple years as well!

We went in, and there were plenty of blankets for all!! Happy Day!! The guy gave me three, since I had both kids, and Phillip got one. I'm sure he's happy because he doesn't have to listen to me bring it up over and over again this year. And I certainly would have!!

We made our way to our seats, to see what the game would've looked like had we been able to see it. They were good seats! Here we are sitting in them.

The view was really nice from these seats. You could see the river in the background, as well as a good view of The Diamond. It was too far away to see all the batters' superstitious habits upon their hitting, but there are worse seats to be had!

Phillip and Archie. You can see Phillip is holding The Blankets. They came in these vacuum-packed bags. I am currently using two of them as backings for my couch. Or as ground cover for Lawrence to play on.

We could see right into the press box! And I don't know who gets to use these nice couches and umbrella'ed picnic tables. I guess I'll never know either. Probably the folks who have enough cash to watch the game from here don't have to get here early like all the other schmucks to get their blanket. There's probably some in reserve somewhere!

We sat in our seats for about fifteen minutes or so, then left. We had a nice gyro lunch downtown and headed to Archie's ballgame. Here is Lawrence soaking in the sun. I had sunscreen on his face, neck, head and ears. His arms and legs burned, though. He was pretty unhappy on Saturday evening! I guess I'll have to be much more vigilant with the sunscreen with Lawrence. Archie browns like I do. Lawrence definitely comes from the Tribe of the Palefaces. Phillip's side.

Here is Archie at bat, just about to hit the ball.


This is a picture of Archie sliding into home plate after hitting a home run! He was so excited! The ball was no where nearby, he just likes sliding into home!

A closer-up of his slide.

After all that excitement, we went home and grilled out. It was an outdoors day, to be sure!