The Weekend...Where Did It Go?

Although I often mention my age, and sometimes complain about getting older, I still sometimes am amazed how much one can spend doing in a realitivly short time span...the last few days, and next few weeks, it appears, will be as busy as it gets for this old timer.

Thursday____

In the rain I headed for St. Henry and officiated in a 3 man crew for a Junior High Football double header between league rivals Parkway and St. Henry....it rained off and on during the contests, and as I headed for home I realized the old bones were going to need a hot bath.   Now as a person who takes showers two or three times a day during the Summer months, I had not taken a sit down soaking bath in about a decade.  Patricia added some magic soap to the water and I relaxed for about a half hour soaking with a cold beer by the tub.  Wet fields and weather are not good on the knees, back, butt, and legs for sure.  Afterward I grabbed another beer and sat down and watched the Packers/Saints shoot-out, won by Green Bay in a high scoring close one.
 
Friday_____

Mowed our lawn, then about 5:30 I packed up my varsity gear and headed for Parkway High School, where I would fill in as Head Linesman in a game between the same two schools at Rockford. Parkway would host St. Henry in a Midwest Athletic Conference game....

By this time the rain was gone and the weather, albeit somewhat humid, was fine for football....St Henry took down the Panthers and won their opening MAC game by a 42-19 count.  

I sometimes wonder what the Hell I'm doing officiating football at this age...then I checked out the combined ages of the crew I was filling in on....281 years old!!!!  And that's with a 27 year old line judge, who was also filling in....73, 62, 62, and 57 were the rest of us....time for some new blood in the Ohio Football Officials world.  But when you have a few clueless jerkoffs coaching who blame their own failings on officials and umpires, you get what you get.  Young guys, for the most part, just don't want to put up with the BS...and I don't blame them.  I couldn't have done it at 25 or even 30, and don't fault the young guys for not putting up with it.  at the pay scale, it's not for the money, so unless you love the game, and some don't mind some conflicts, why would you officiate?  I just happen to love the games and the workouts, and don't mind some good old fashion heat...especially from guys who were not even hatched when I got started, playing, coaching, and umpiring/officiating.  Sometimes you just kick back and laugh.....don't get me wrong, there are some good people coaching, and like officiating there are some stinkers, neither side has a contract for greatness. signed and sealed.

Saturday_____

Still sore and more than a little tired, I headed for Convoy, to work the Junior Varsity contest between host Crestview and Wayne Trace, two old rivals....Wayne Trace won a 2+ hour marathon and I was headed back to Celina...where I would grab a bite to eat, a shower, and then head to New Knoxville, where I would work the plate in two-6 inning games with the area youth fall baseball league.  These kids are in Junior High and Freshman High School....I worked the plate for about 4 1/2 hours, and headed home for a few beers.

The fall baseball thing came up when an umpire canceled, and they called me...I had put away the gear for the season, but told them I could help out...so Saturday 3 games, one football and two baseball...now they are asking me to help out a few more weeks..??  Glutton for punishment, just call me.

So the glutton I am looked forward to Sunday.....

Patricia, Anissa, and I, with sister Marty and mom following us. headed for Centerville....a dozen or more women would have a baby shower for Hal's wife Lisa, and the guys, 9 of us would head for Springboro and golf 18 holes....our four hour golf outing ended up being over 5 1/2 and we sat out a rain/lightning delay as we got called off the course on the green of the 9th hole.  I should have stayed in the clubhouse and watched football, as my back nine was a shoddy 63....after shooting a 53 on the front.  Now mind you I had not touched a club until Hal and my outing in July, in over 8 years....so yep, I stink...but did hit a few good shots.

By the time Patricia and I dropped Anissa off at her place, it was 10pm....and I was wondering where the Hell had the last 72 hours or so gone?

Games in Celina tonight and tomorrow.....a MRSI Board meeting at 11:30 today, and the Kokomo Howard County Vietnam Veterans encampment coming up on Wednesday....it's going to be another busy week.

back later>>>>


Photos-Golf is not my game, here I am from earlier this summer the first time playing since the turn of the century or so...but even then it was better than I fared on the water filled course yesterday....The 72 hour period from Thursday afternoon until last night was filled with 5 football games officiated, 2 baseball games umpired and 18 holes of fun but bad golf by me.....color me bushed.  The final photo is youngest son Hal teeing off in July.  Although rough around the greens and close iron play, he can hammer the ball 325-350 yards, sometimes straight....and that can make up for some bad play near the greens....but he's not in his Grandpa Callies league just yet.