March...In Like a ______?/The week and month ahead

The grimy snows of winter are starting to melt on this the first day of March. If appears that a busy month is in the forecast for me as the basketball officiating ends and baseball, although the games are a few weeks away, has already began. Topping that off, I still have another couple of weeks of Dartball tournaments, All Star Games, and the season ending Banquet ahead. Patricia and I will head for Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and Dayton this Friday for our annual Midwest get together of the Vietnam Security Police "Mini Reunion", and a view of the off Broadway production of the Musical "Wicked"...it will be a busy week. I also have at least 2 trips south for baseball meetings, both tomorrow and Wednesday.

As I mentioned on yesterday's post....the Tim Timmons, one day umpire clinic at the University of Dayton was well worth the time and money($50 fee) spent....if nothing else I did work out a flaw in my stance behind the home plate when left handed batters were in the box. I guess you can teach old dogs new tricks, we will see how the change works this spring.

After the icy roads to and from the basketball game at St. Marys on Friday Night, things calmed down weather wise for the weekend, and even though the temperatures are moderating, they will still be below average for the most part for the next week or 2, at least. So while March may not be arriving like a lion in Western Ohio, the lamb doesn't appear to be making an appearance anytime soon either.

The Week Ahead____

Tonight the Championship of the Wabash Valley Dartball League will be decided...North Division Champion Schumm Lutheran(who took home the Tournament Championship over Mount Carmel yesterday), will take on South Division winner, Hopewell Lutheran at our Church in the best 2 of 3 to determine the League Championship. Tomorrow I will head over to Wren to order the trophies that are to come to the winners and runners up of both league and tournament, as well as the hardware for the top 3 in batting averages and runs batted in. The All Star participants will receive T Shirts again this year. Those seem to be preferable to the trophies we had received in previous years. We finish things up with the banquet at our Church on March 15th.

On Friday afternoon, Patricia and I will head south for Dayton and Wright Patterson. Sam will head home to take care of thing here, as we get together with 50 or so other Vietnam and Thailand Conflict era Air Force Security Police, and wives...many will stay for the weekend, with the highlight being the all day visit at the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB on Saturday. Patricia and I will take Saturday evening off to see the Musical "Wicked" at the Dayton Performing Art Center. Sunday morning, youngest son, Hal and his girl friend, Lisa plan on joining us for Sunday Breakfast. Hopeful the remaining group from the VSPA get together can join us at the local Bob Evans near the base. Cemented plans for Sunday are still not complete, but regardless, it looks like a full weekend in the Gem City and Wright-Patt.

Although my first baseball action, depending on the field and weather conditions, is not until March 22 at Delphos St. Johns for a varsity scrimmage, I have plenty of rules meetings to catch up on. Tomorrow night I head to Dublin Jerome High School, a stones throw north of Columbus for a final chance to catch up on my State Rules Meeting....Sam will join me there, before heading back to Ohio State where he will work video for the OSU-Illinois showdown for the Big Ten Title at "The Schott". Wednesday it's back down that way for a local rules meeting, again with Sam, at the Top of Ohio Association. Sam and I are members of 2 Associations, Top of Ohio in the Southwest District, and our home group, The Midwest Buckeye Umpires Association at Van Wert. Sam(because of class and work schedules) has a bit more meeting catching up to do than me, so he will try to get that done before the season begins....which means some picking and choosing of places to catch a meeting for the next few weeks, when he's not working or getting ready for Winter Quarter Finals at OSU.

So the month of March will be busy....it will also see me turn 61 years old come the 16th....another year by the boards, and another blog post comes to and end.

back later>>>>

Photos-March comes in like a weak Lion or hearty Lamb in western Ohio....Tim Timmons MLB Umpire gave a outstanding Clinic at Dayton this past Saturday...Dartball Tournaments wind down this month...Basketball finishes up, while Baseball kicks into high gear in March....and this weekend we will try to top our Mini Reunion from last January of former Air Force Security Police from Vietnam and Thailand 1962-1975.