“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw.
Good morning. I just made some Dunkin Doughnuts coffee. It’s a little later than usual. We slept in after a lovely weekend of family, fun, and baseball. Our son-in-law hit another home run last night. Keep your eye out on Nick Schnell. It’s just a matter of time before he’s playing in the bigs for a team near you.
We had a great day enjoying our grandson’s birthday; he turned two yesterday. The whole family gathered at Jay and Angie Air B and B, and we had brunch and watched the kids play. We’ve got Bo, his cousins Hank and Gracie, some Dave and Ceile great-grandparents, and Angies Mom and Dad. We had about 16 at our party this year; Bo opened his presents and was a giddy little guy. The highlight was when we sat him at the table and sang Happy Birthday; he just looked on in awe as he was the center of attention.
After brunch, we headed to charge the Tesla at a Super Charger. I learned there are different types of charging stations, and the red Tesla chargers we have in Conifer are fast, so we parked, walked over to Texas Roadhouse, and drank beer while the car built up some juice. We sat there for about an hour and got our car to about 85%; there is no charge for the electricity, but owning an EV would take an extra layer of planning.
We headed back to our Air B and B, then met everyone back at the house. Bo would throw out the first pitch at his father's game, so we had to be there early. I will say that if you have not attended a minor-league baseball game, you should. We are guilty of not catching the Indians when, in Indiana, we can walk to the field from the house, the prices are reasonable, and there is always something going on between innings. It’s great, wholesome family fun; most games start at 6:00 and are over by 9:00; 3 hours of family time is not a bad way to spend an evening, and when your family member is on the team and hits a home run at his first at-bat on his son’s birthday, that’s special too.
The first pitch was crazy, with three kids getting the chance, all on their birthday. Nick was at the plate, and when Bo came up, he was ready. He ran to his dad, shortening the distance, and then blasted an excellent throw that bounced once before being scooped up by his dad. The game started after a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner (another highlight of minor league baseball), and again, Nick walked up and blasted one over the left field fence with an RBI; the score was 2 to zero at the start of the second inning. They won 7 to 2, and there were fireworks after the game. Of course, we told Bo they were for his birthday, but I think they have them every Saturday night, another reason to attend a minor league baseball game.
Carly brought us back home; we watched TUBI before bed; the first night, we watched a show about Drag Queens, Red Necks, and Vampires. Last night the movie was about a man that was a killer and made the wrong people mad, so they made him into a woman, and then last night we watched how wives chose to kill their husbands, solid cinema at the Air B and B. As is the norm, my Cousin extended to stay until we fly out on Tuesday; we have another game today at 3:33 p.m., and then we will get dinner with the family; most are heading home after the start of the game; we get someone on one time with the kids and Bo Beans.
I will give a tip of the hat to Montgomery, Alabama, a lovely, clean city with great food and a fantastic downtown; it’s someplace we will return to watch Nick play, and our accommodations are excellent: three bedrooms, two baths, clean—about five minutes from everything. I forgot to mention the sandwiches my wife made for yesterday before the game. They were Costco specials; my wife is an executive chef who can throw together goodness in minutes.
As we wrap up our trip and enjoy our last couple of days, I am reminded about the value of family. We have a large family and are drama, which I guess is unusual nowadays. Everyone gets along, and we genuinely love each other. We missed Bailey, who was coaching a volleyball team in Pennsylvania; we will return to Colorado for a couple of weeks and then make the trek back to Indiana to hang with the rest of our kin. I miss our granddaughters, but we will hang out with them soon.
This is a reminder to take advantage of what your community has to offer. It’s always interesting to me that the people who live around some cool stuff never bother to attend. Take the Indy 500, for example. People fly from all over the world to attend the world's greatest racing event, and people who live two blocks from the speedway don’t bother to attend. Every community has things to offer, so make sure and enjoy your local offerings.
The world is dripping with new technology. I would suggest you rent a Tesla during your next trip. The experience is magical, and figuring out the future and how to plan your gathering of energy will put you ahead of others. It’s different, but for my climate change brothers and sisters, we are trying to do our part. I suggest you view life this week and every week like you’re a kid at recess. Find the slide, the monkey bars, and the swings, find new friends, and play kickball. You are never too young to play; play is the key to a happy life. I’ll see you tomorrow, God willing.
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
