Wednesday, May 5, 2010

"Weighty" Milestones, 2nd place, and long drives...





After I posted yesterday, saying despite my game cancellation at Antwerp, I would head that way anyhow, and take Mom along with me...we would visit Uncle Jack, her younger brother, in the northwest Ohio town...go out for a bite. and talk with Jack and some of my cousins. Well not 15 minutes after that, I received a call from the Athletic Director at Edon High School...Edon is located up near the Ohio Turnpike, a couple of miles east of the Indiana State Line and not far from the Michigan Border...right in the middle of that Tri State Corner of Ohio. Seems Edon was rescheduling a game that had been hit by the previous nights storms, that game was a BBC League encounter with North Central out of Pioneer, Ohio...the team Antwerp had been scheduled to play yesterday. Edon is just about 84 miles from Celina...normally I might have stepped back from this game, but with me taking Mom north to Antwerp anyway, I said..."Why Not"?

Edon is about 25 miles north of Antwerp, right on Ohio 49...so I figured I would drop Mom off at her brother's place...they could talk, and if I got done at a reasonable time, I would join them and my cousin Linda and her husband Tom at the local Pub/Restaurant, The Oasis, in Antwerp, and grab a bite to eat and have a beer.



I met up with Jim Siler at Edon, Jim a 35+ year veteran umpire was scheduled to work with me at Antwerp...so it was an easy 15 mile drive from his home in Hicksville to Edon. Jim asked me to do the plate, since he has North Central in the opening round of the Sectional this weekend...I said "No Problem". The game began with underdog NC having 1 out and a runner on 2nd base....3 runs later they were out of their first inning up 3-0. After that both pitchers were on, and the team from Pioneer came out on top by a final of 4-2 over the hometown Bombers...only the 3rd loss for Edon, now standing at 16 wins 3 defeats on the winding down season.

The game was a pleasure to do...2 good teams, 2 coaches who didn't complain, despite a couple of calls that could have went either way....only an occasional muttering from some old geezers in the stands about my "low" strike zone(it's obvious they had never seen me work before), and we were out of there in less than an hour and a half. Talked post game with Jim, and headed south to Antwerp and the Oasis.

I met up with the family and had a couple of beers, and a good sandwich...we visited another 90 minutes or so, and Mom and I headed the 55 miles back to Celina...finally arriving at 9:30 last night...a long day indeed.

Tonight, if the storms don't arrive before hand, I head to the old family stomping grounds at Haviland and Blue Creek Township, where Wayne Trace will host Lima Central Catholic(the 5th time I have them this year, which may increase since I have the District and Regional they are assigned to if they get by Coldwater and other powerhouses)....Tomorrow it's off to Dayton's 5th/3rd Field for the Bellefontaine/Graham game at that Minor League Diamond.
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184 and counting____

This morning I climbed on the digital scale, it read "184.8" pounds....below 185 for the first time in at least 20 years....and less than a handful of pounds away from the goal I set for myself last Labor Day....25 pounds in 8 months, the slow and steady pace is working. The Blood Pressue remains good, and the sugar was better on the last check 2 months ago...I will drop a couple of more pounds, and then continue on the course I mapped out at the end of last summer....I cannot see me going back to the old self...this diet of sorts has been pretty easy to stick with, and I will not return to the old ways...I just don't see that happening.

Hal...2nd place, again!____

Sad to say youngest son Hal, still looking for a High School History/Social Studies job came in 2nd, for the 2nd time in recent interviews..."If we had 2 jobs you would get one", they told him...that of course in good to hear, but does not get you what you want. Making the final 4 and last week teaching a class, Hal once again waited for a call...yesterday it came, and he finished runner up.

The job at Wapak would have proven tough on his car, and he would have had to spend part of the week living with us, and the rest down in Beavercreek, where he would continue his work with Autistic kids...so although we are all disappointed he didn't get the position, because he really wants to teach in a classroom setting, this may work out in the long run. A job closer to Dayton and his girl Lisa, who has her graduation from Law School party this weekend, may be best...meanwhile he will continue to work his full time job with Autistic youth and be glad he has quality work in this Economy of the ObamaNation.

Enough yapping for now...time to go mow a yard ahead of the approaching storms....

back later>>>>
Photos-Me this morning at 184 and a decade ago in my weight training days some 30 pounds heavier....but 10 years younger.

2 comments:

Law and Order Teacher said...

Pat,
Sorry to hear that. It's tough. We lost our levy, so we'll have no hiring and classes over 30 in all subjects. I hope his luck changes.

PRH said...

Thanks Steve...it could be worse of course, at least Hal has a full time job, working with Autistic Youth...he does want to teach HS History full time, but realizes thaat the teaching and public education professions are in for hard times...especially in dying states like Ohio.

The girl that beat him out at Fairborn last year, as already been informed that she won't be back next year, because like your district, they defeated the levy.

People are fed up....and schools are one of the tax us less targets.

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