Love our leftys....

Greetings on a hot Saturday morning. Today is the day....that's right...'the day'...the Big lefty leaves us and heads to Seattle for a run at the big leagues.

Before I get into the story, let me share something 'oh so cool' with you....OK, maybe it is not cool, but it was unexpected....here we go.....

Last Saturday, we gathered at Big Sis's house. As we sat and reminisced, someone with a smart phone cried: "Cole Hamels is pitching a no hitter.....turn on the TV."

Ok, we did as we were told and it was the bottom of the 8th and sure enough, he had not given up a hit.....we watched.....held our breath....then he finished the game with a no hitter.....then Big Sis screams: "It was Big M! He loved his boy Cole.....he helped him!"

Ok, I don't know about you, but I am not sure whether these things are actually an issue in heaven BUT I went with it and was glad that Big M  had a hand in the game....



Is this story over?

Nope......Stay tuned....

And so, another friend stopped by the house. This man has been a great friend to Big M as he owns a baseball work out center in the region. Cole H works out there in the off season and he and Big M's friend are friends. So, Big Sis told him the story of how CH was his favorite and was probably there during the game.



Does the story end here?

Nope...there's more.....

The friend texts CH and tells him about Big M's passing and how they were convinced that BIG M was with him during the game.



End of story?

Nope....there's more....

After the funeral, Big Sis received a letter from CH! That's right! A letter......



Here is a guy who had been traded on Wednesday to Texas and he still had time to write a letter of condolences to Big Sis.



To paraphrase......he was sorry about Big M and could feel prayers as he was on the mound during his no hitter. He could feel something....then he offered to set her and the family up in Texas if they were in town. He would give them tickets and set them up in the ballpark.



Now, this is a guy! Yeah, he went from being my number two favorite lefty to actually staying number two behind the Big kid. This guy has class. Big Sis and family were thrilled with the letter and CH's condolences. This brought smiles to their faces. It may have taken him two minutes, but his kindness has brought a plehtora of good feelings to a family that needed it. I am now a Rangers fan! Go team!



Back to the other big lefty....

He has been rehabbing his body for the past two months with success although he still complains about his hips....which are congenital.....He thanked me for the problem with his hips. I asked him how he knew that it was my fault and not his father's. Then I reminded him that his height, big hands, and athleticism were a family gift too and to be grateful.

Anyway, he leaves....

Last night we headed to the fair to hear a friend sing on the bandstand. He was excellent. As our favorite singer sang, the Big kid unloaded to me and said that he was nervous/anxious about the next phase.

"You? Nervous?"

"You have an amazing opportunity to fix a wrong that has been done to you. You have the gift...talent...drive....motivation. I watched you pitch. You are so close. keep your head down and throw....."



And that, my friends, is my advice to the lefty....just throw....and throw...and throw....listen to the experts and let them guide you. Breathe....throw....breathe...throw....



This is the moment that he has been waiting for since he was four years old. It is his shot. We will know whether it is in the cards or not for his run for the bigs.

Until then....keep our favorite lefty in your thoughts and prayers. I know that Big M is watching him from heaven. We will do our part on earth.



peace!

More newsy news

Good morning! I am sorry that I have not posted but nothing has been going on....except....

The kid continues to work out in Jersey with the pros. This past month, he has worked next to professional hockey players who also have hip issues and a professional football player whom he claims is massive and a rock. he then stated that he would be knocked into Canada if he was ever hit by this guy. In other words, baseball was an excellent choice for him.



The trainers have targeted August 1st for his trip to Seattle. Therefore, all eyes are on the next phase of his journey.

Yesterday, he spoke with some of the guys who were playing in independent baseball leagues. These leagues are not associated with any professional team but are monitored closely by them. Further, they suggested that he plays in the fall and winter in another country.  Can anyone say "ca-ching? $$$?"



Here is the best part of this journey.....he is to avoid playing in certain countries because the locals kidnap the baseball players and hold them for ransom. It is nothing that is publicized in this country but done on a regular basis. I chose to let that one run through my ears, into the brain, and down my spinal cord for a shiver. I needed a shot of either vodka or Valium after that comment....Can anyone say: "leave the coins under the cushions until he gets home?" I would have to hire Liam Neesan for this one......oye!

This is quite an adventure for him and us as a family. I am not sure what will happen next but I promise not to let a long time go again until I post updates.



peace!

Life Lessons 101

Good morning! I'm back and should be posting more regularly as work has begun and I should have a more consistent schedule. Also, the puppies are settling in and are adapting to life in the suburbs....although Lil Trouble started to bark at nothing today as I tried to teach using the leash to them. There was nothing to bark at....no one around.....but she had an attitude of defiance and 'don't mess with me' bark that seemed so familiar.....the Lil Chill just chilled and waited for his treat. She's definitely the dominant one.


OK, on to the big guy who left home on Saturday with seemingly no where to live....yeah, I know....

Here is how it went.

His dad wanted to teach him an important lesson in life. He has had multiple advantages and assistance and it was time for the baby bird to flap his wings and take over the journey...so, the tuition bill was handed to a guy who had no idea how to pay it. Life lesson number 1: when dad hands you a bill....you pay it......



Life lesson number 2: Do your research and figure out how the rest of the world affords college tuition. After a great deal of angst, he figured it out by heading to the Financial Aid Office. Gee, they have lots of ways to pay for tuition. Who would have thought? Yes, experts. He had his funds within minutes.



Life lesson number 3: Be proactive. OK, the big guy hates minutiae and details...kind of like his momma. I am not a big fan of following directions, but am smart enough to know when I can and cannot. And so, he sits in his bedroom with no where to live and only a few days to find a room.

What did he do? well, I did what I swore that I would not do and traveled with him to campus to speak to Financial Aid and locate an apartment. As I sat in the car while he ran into different buildings looking for help, I played Candy Crush on my phone and did not bother to help him. I strictly drove the car to and from campus. I would answer questions if he had any, but this is his party and not mine.

Typical of the big guy, he did not make appointments with anyone before we left for school and he did not meet with any body who could actually help him (except for Financial Aid). We drove by a few apartments which were too expensive for a guy with a budget to live in alone then drove home.

Not to be deterred, he finally went on line and found an apartment for rent that was within his budget, but it had been rented out that morning. Using the "I am on the baseball team card" he begged to landlord for some help and advice. The landlord mentioned that he had a friend who had just renovated an apartment and might possibly rent it to him. So, he had a connection. As he called this man, he again mentioned the baseball thing....and wham....got a place...send a deposit.....

Oops....deposit? Huh? Where do I get a deposit? Dad kept his mouth closed and watched from a distance as the kid had to figure out his next financial move. Ah...the bank....I'll go to the bank!



And so, he went to the bank and took out a loan. Yep, he is getting smarter and smarter....yes, he is now in debt, but he needed this lesson to make it in life and boy oh boy, has he learned a thing or two.



Now it is time for him to leave for school....bye bye...be safe....take care of your mind, body, and spirit. To be successful in life, you need to care for all three aspects of your life....Yeah mom, I got it.

Toward the end of the day, we got a call....mom! This place is amazing! I have a free parking space....jacuzzi tub...hard wood floors......island in the kitchen...it's huge!

And yes, folks....he has landed. Despite his procrastination, he lands on his feet again upright and even gained a ten from the Russian judge.

Was all of this worth the angst and trauma?

Yes! He needed a lesson in life. It has been pretty easy for him from a financial aspect. While he ate Chipotle for lunch, I took a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to work. As he sat on his deck tossing sunflower seeds onto the grass, dad was at work until midnight.....It was time for the lesson....although, I think that we will never be done....



Tomorrow, we will chat about his INTERNSHIP!!! and classes. Oh, there was a baseball meeting yesterday too. Stay tuned. It was three minutes into the meeting and the Czar not only violated NCAA regulations but the federal law.

More soon!

Peace!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Greetings. This has to be a short one. I am still in the grading hole and have a shovel trying to dig out with little energy to lift the spade. With that said, here is the news.....

The kid is applying for the Witness Protection Program since he has NOT moved the sofa and July is rapidly coming to an end. Ok, it is the bottom of the 9th in the World Series, the bases are loaded, there are two outs. The count is 3-2 and the kid is on the mound. What will he do? Will he throw a strike and win the game or will he hit the batter and lose the series? In other words, move the %$#&(* sofa before the end of the month or YOU LOSE!

As Aretha sings....R-E-S-P-E-C-T.........

On to Illinois.....there was a neat article and photo of the guy in the paper. The reporter wrote about his ability to play and how he has helped to infuse life into the team. Yep...my kid....you know the one....no one thought that he had any skill or talent except for his former coach who was fired last year. Oh yeah...his mom thought so too.

Anyway, the photo is nice, although he did not shave. He has a nice smile on his face and if you look closely, you can see straight white teeth thanks to three years of braces and trips to the orthodontist.

Here I can now sit back and understand that he has finally garnered the respect that he has always deserved. And I can hang out with the crowd in Pennsy and know that he is OK. Whatever happens at this point, he knows that he can do anything that he puts his mind to...In other words, once baseball is over, maybe he can find a cure for cancer or heart disease.

And now, I must work or face dire circumstances. The papers will not grade themselves...although if someone wants to develop an app for that, I will gladly purchase it and put it on my telephone......

Later! 

I'm back!!

Greetings! Tink and I are back from the south and dad remains to help Pop sort through a number of issues. It was a sad weekend, yet the life of the Southern Belle was filled with energy and excitement. She and Pop had traveled together to 99 countries over their years together. They were blessed with children and grandchildren. She was laid to rest in a style befitting of a southern belle....underneath a large, graceful tree laden with Spanish moss in a bucolic setting. May she rest in peace.



On to life and the big guy. I saw him this weekend for less than 24 hours as Tink and I sat in the Atlanta airport for over 8 hours. What did we do to bide our time? Well, the answer is 'not much'. Since we were on 'stand by', we could not move and had to watch each flight  unload and load as we waited for our names to be called...which they were not. Warning...airport food is raunchy.....bring granola bars when you travel. By 4 o'clock, I was ready to fly my own plane to our destination.....

Anyway, the kid was ready to start on Sunday night after his elbow finally felt normal. He had visited Yoda a few weeks back and once he was cleared, he entered games from the bullpen...ahhh, I remember those years in the bullpen as if it were yesterday...oh wait, those days were like yesterday since he only began to start games in April.



Back to the start day....he flew from Savannah on Saturday night and landed in St. Louis at 11:30 pm. Since I am a neurotic mother, dad made sure that he had a hotel room in St. Louis so that he did not have to drive that night after an exhausting weekend. As such, he landed in a king size bed and slept through 5 alarms and wake up calls. Finally, the hotel room pounded on his door making sure that he was alive at 11:30.....I guess the guy was tired, eh?

As he started his journey back to the Land of Lincoln, he had....wait for this.....a car accident.....that's right. A man backed his car at a red light into the guy's front bumper. Sheesh! All I could think of once I found out that he was safe was that this was a bad way to start the day. Although, after an accident, it could only get better, right?



As per the usual pre game start, I got my usual text with the usual message which includes: "I will make you proud of me...."

Seriously, a mom could not have a better son than this one. I am already proud of the big dude.....then he went to work and carved.....and carved the plate.

Here are the final stats before he was taken out when his legs gave out.....5 ip, 2 er, 1 bb, 6 K's, 1 hit batter.....the team lost the game BUT the coach was thrilled to have him back in the line up as he said:"We were able to stay competitive while he was on the mound." Nice words....He also broke 7 wood bats while on the mound. I think that this is a good thing....but am not really sure....



After he came off the mound, some of the players were peeved at him because he kept yelling trying to encourage them to hit and make plays. These guys, who are average ball players at best, were not to thrilled with his passion trying to ignite them. So it goes....if he is silent, he is aloof; if he is yelling, he is a )6%&$#. Can't ever win this battle...so stop trying....

Anyway, it is now the All Star break and he has three days off to recover and get the car fixed. The damage was minimal, but it has to be fixed.

Once again...dad and I are going to try to see a few games this weekend. That's right. I have tried twice to get there and my plans have gone awry, therefore, I vow to get there this weekend. Hopefully nothing will stop me.....except, perhaps....life itself.....

With that said, I am back to work and have to earn my pay check....

Peace!