A Wierd Sunset...

Finished working my Triple Header, a JV Football, and two lower level fall baseball games, about 6:30 yesterday...I headed home the half hour drive via the back roads from Spencerville.  The day had been hot and humid, although the final hours of the baseball the sun had slid behind the clouds and a bit of rain hit Celina, most of it however had dropped south.

Patricia and I sat on the front porch, something rare for me, usually preferring the back yard, her reading, me with a couple of cold domestic beers and a Indian Tabac Torpedo, hand rolled Cigar.  As the sun began to set I looked to the west and saw a collection of clouds with sun peaking through like I had never seen before....the sun bursting through some broken clouds, looked like a Cross on a stained glass window.  Patricia rushed to the Nitro where I had the
Nikon in the center compartment...by the time she returned I snapped off a few shots of the sun and clouds, they still were in intriguing shapes, but not quite as pronounced as those I had originally seen...wish I could have snapped the cross and stained glass look....but you get an idea from the views I did capture.

back later>>>>

The Sunflower Gallery

Gallery of my backyead Sunflowers...planted some 8 varieties and all have bloomed except the "Mexicans"....and those will be late, if at all...plenty of others to choose from however, and they have been coming out steady, albeit somewhat late: 

Here are a few as of this morning:

Meanwhile the cool Summer has turned to...Well Real Summer, worked my first Non Scrimmage game last night at Spencerville in the Mid 80s heat...heat today in the lower 90s with humidity to match, and tomorrow much of the same as I head to Convoy for JV Football and back to Spencerville for a Fall Baseball Twin Bill...back later!

Wandering Through the Final Days...{Of Summer}

I spent yesterday sitting with Grandson Kasyn, this time at our house, last Monday it was in Centerville...another session for next Wednesday.  With Patricia now back at work, almost full time, I had the  21 month old by myself yesterday.  We entertained ourselves at home for awhile, then over to great-grandma Houseworth's for an hour...he, and of course she, seemed to enjoy that...then it was back home to the back yard wading pool, where he wore himself out and finally went to the crib for the next two hours....so by the time Grandma Patricia arrived she got to spoil him for a couple hours before his Mom arrived and we ate supper, that I had grilled out back, and they were on their way back south and home....a pretty enjoyable day, he seems way ahead in size and activity for a 21 month old...perhaps my bias, but I don't believe that for a minute.

Last night I finished off the day by watching the Reds do what they do best when playing the St. Louis Cardinals...blow a lead and lose for the ninth time in 13 games to the Cards...they now trail
Redbirds by 3 1/2 games and Pittsburgh by 3 full games...still in command of the final "Wild Card" spot, but with 6 games against St. Louis out of the next 9 that may be slim by the  time the middle of next week arrives.  I hate actually having to care about underachieving millionaires playing a kids game...albeit a game I love dearly, always have always will...baseball, far and away is my favorite sport, to watch, play, and officiate....speaking of which, the first of the Saturday double header "Fall Ball" games at Spencerville went off without a hitch.  Unlike football and basketball, I usually don't work lower level{middle school} baseball...but I get along with the folks at Spencerville and get my share of Varsity Baseball and Basketball games from the AD there, who also happens to coach the Spring Varsity team and this unaffiliated Autumn team...plus the $100 cash for 3 or 4 hours work helps me with beer and gas for the fall...so who is complaining?

This morning, after the lights came back on....the city lost power in a small section of town, and it happened to be ours, for about an hour...so that woke Patricia up, and I crawled out of bed about 6:15, far too early, but I had to take the old long haired cat to the Pet Center on the other side of town

anyway...$40 to trim the old gal....almost makes one want to invest in a trimmer, but I've been that route before with the Airedales...and it just never works out.

So with that out of the way I was timed to get my annual Blood Work done....but remembered I usually have to fast before and...and I had already drank coffee with cream, so I shit-canned that thought, and will fast tonight through early tomorrow and head to the clinic.   I need to get that done before September 1st, before the current insurance changes ...after this week I will be on the VA and then add Medi-Scare to that come next March...guess I'll have to be careful for 6 or 7 months...lol, yea that's gonna work.

This morning driving the cat to the pet center...reinforced my belief that drivers, especially women drivers{yep I said} are for the most part, morons!  I drove a block to the 4 way stop by the insurance group...I stop the SUV that was there goes and was her right...as I come to a stop, another female driver, obviously working at the insurance group, pulls through the four way, cell phone locked to her ear, and pulls through without so much as a glance my way,..idiot!  A few minutes later another SUV pulls out from the Red Light right in front of me....another idiot, I hate that right turn on red law...nothing more than an excuse for morons to turn in front of oncoming traffic!

So that has been my morning....another cup of Joe, a quick trip to Wally World, and then off to George's to get my hair cut....much cheaper than the damn cat....some weight lifting this afternoon...but no football and no outdoor walks, the temperature is slated to reach 91 and the humidity will match.  The year with very little Summer weather has decided to wait until fall was on the door step to turn steamy....

OK, enough BS...time to get some stuff done.

back later>>>>

Photos-The back yard flowers are making their final fall push....including the Mammoth Sunflowers which have reached as high as 14 feet tall and flowers as big as basketballs....and Kasyn and I kept busy for the few hours he was here....clowing around and watering the back yard.

Back to Work{no not me!}...Football Season Begins

Patricia headed back to work today...

After retiring from 25 years of teaching special education at 3 school systems, she left St Henry in May and took an early retirement...knowing she would probably teach in some capacity for the next 5 years or so.  This summer she tutored and then was offered a part time position here in Celina as a teacher, working with immigrant children from the Marshall Islands...that every other week position for some 25 hours has quickly become a every week schedule for 28 or so hours per week...so much for retirement!

Much like when I "retired" from Public/Environmental Health, she knew she had to and wanted to work, so the extra hours are welcome, as is the extra money, although we would have survived without it.  When I left the Health Department, I knew I had to work...Hell I was only 53 back in the Summer of 2002.  So I drove RV Motor Homes for 5 years and umpired baseball...I eventually picked up football and then basketball, and gave up my RV gig when the gas prices basically destroyed the RV business in Indiana...with 150 or so contests per year and now a bit of Social Security, I am doing enough to stop the boredom. 

Patricia and I have been together for 40 years and will be married for 37 this Christmas season, but neither one of us is willing to sit around waiting for death by staring at 4 walls or each other 24/7....

The Future?

So for now, at least the next five years if God gives them to us...Patricia will teach, I will officiate{at least baseball, not sure about football or roundball} and we have initial plans to spend at least a month near the Gulf of Mexico each summer, when the weather is hot and the crowds are down...those are still in the planning stages.  Of course we will sit with grandson Kasyn as much as we can or Hal and Lisa need us...Patricia will still take care of Anissa's needs although she only comes home on weekends for a few hours, she is still under our guardianship.

As for me, as mentioned I will continue to officiate and umpire...I have a pretty full schedule for the next few years, but will begin to cut back on football and basketball, working mostly lower level
games in those...but will, if my eyes and health permit, continue to do a full Spring Baseball schedule on the Varsity level.  In fact I have already been offered tournament games for next season...so somebody thinks I'm still a good umpire, the tournaments assignments don't get handed out like parade candy.

One thing I am looking at....call me crazy since I turn 65 next March, is getting another "Duel Sport" Motorcycle...I have been getting the urge to ride for a few years now, and when my life long friend Bob Jones stopped in the other night with his Honda 1300 tourning bike, I was pretty much hooked.  I've got friends, some older, like Sam Lewis and Mike Tillman my Vietnam/VSPA Buddies and old Junior High friend Don "Rat" Boyce, who ride big Harley-Davidson bikes, and Bob rides a touring Honda.  Now mind you I have no interest in riding a "Hog" or big bike...been there with a Yamaha years ago...I'm looking to revert back to my life in the mid 1970s when I had a Kawasaki 250 On/Off Road Bike....I want to get into the dirt and still be able to ride to the games in the good weather {Summer Baseball and Fall Football} to save some gas and just ride...so if the fiances hold out by next Spring I plan on getting a new or late model Kawasaki 250S and see if I still "have what it takes".

The Weekend Ahead!

Last week we were in Wisconsin celebrating with Patricia's family and friends the 90th birthday of her dad Bill....a World War II Vet who turned 90 on the 13th of August.  Hal flew in from his work in Alabama{he's in Oakland, California this week} and Sam drove up from Chicago .. so about 30 of us celebrated.  Hal and I took in the Reds game at Milwaukee on Saturday night....another Reds lost, I am now Oh for my last 5...as good as the Reds have been, they seem to sense me in the crowd at home or on the road and fall flat...guess I'll boycott myself for awhile.

This week football scrimmages began on the Junior High level, tonight I am filling in with Garry's crew{yes the same guy I umpire baseball with in the Spring} for a Varsity scrimmage at Van Wert against Greenville tonight...then tomorrow, despite putting my baseball gear up for the season, I will pull it back out and work the first of 6 straight Saturday's umpiring Junior High Fall Baseball....heck, the games have a time limit and $100 cash for 4 hours at most...how can I turn that down?  I can't so baseball, my main sport, will still be in the offing until early October....Keeping Busy while being retired indeed!

back later>>>>

Photos-The backyard Sunflower "Big Daddy"...this one is big as a Basketball and sits on a 14 foot high stem/The first model Kawasaki 250 I owned was the 1974 like this one...the next one, if all goes according to plans are like the ones below it/Bill Callies celebraing 90 years on this earth....and another Reds game, this one at Miller Park in Milwaukee, another Cincinnati loss.

 

"Falling" Out of Summer

 

I see it's been two weeks since I last posted....tick, tick, tick...I've been rather busy and rather bored with the Internet, at least certain parts, and have become more than detached from much of it.  Spending about an hour in total on facebook{about a half hour each morning}...otherwise the social media aspects are really getting to be part of the changing landscape...and my interests{thank God} are moving in other directions...for now I will continue to post when I feel like it...but after 6 years, much of the look back at my life has been covered, at least the parts that I want to remember and write about....other portions will remain where they are...in my personal memory banks.

Summer?  We had a Summer?

This is probably the coolest Summer in total I can remember....we had a week or so of hot and humid weather back in early July, but before, and for the last month it has been well below normal.  The rains have been around, but we have been spared the usual drought of July and August, just enough rain to keep me mowing.  Looking at the next 10 days, the Midwest appears set for a dry spell, and cooler for the first half, and in the lower 80s for the last part. 

I am not complaining in the least about the weather.....hopefully it will stay below normal as football officiating gets underway.

Football Arrives....

Next week I have a day in Centerville to sit with Grandson Kasyn, then on Tuesday I head for Columbus to get my second check up at the VA Hospital...that afternoon my first scrimmage takes place at Crestview...after that the next two months will be full of football.   I have already decided that this and next season will likely be my last working football....at least as much as I

do, I'll be 65 and enough is enough.  Basketball is on the same schedule...this coming season and next, then I will probably be done....Baseball, at least the Spring Season, I will continue with as long as I can see and move.   But for as long as I have left on this earth, it is time to move on from most officiating before I get too old to do other things....the years of working upwards of 200 contests in three sports every year, needs to be cut back.

Patricia Moves On...

The wife retired from full time teaching at the end of the school year....frankly she was not liking the way things were going in her school system and in Special Education, so before she got burnt out, she retired.  Of course much like when I left the Health Department, too young to sit around, so she has been tutoring this summer and now has picked up a teaching job locally, working with a group of Marshall Island Immigrants...she will work about half time, and financially and allowing herself some time for her and us, this should work out well....

Speaking of Patricia, her dad, Bill Senior turned 90 yesterday on August 13th and the family will celebrate this weekend in Wisconsin, Hal and Sam will join us and about 20 or so other family Happy Birthday Bill!

members for the celebration.  Bill was a great golfer in his time, and actually won a spot in the British Open back in 1980 at the age of 57...he won that spot by winning a Tournament near Chicago, and performed well in the Pro-Am Division in Scotland.  I golfed with Bill on a number of occasions...but his polished game never wore off on me....I suck at golf.!! 

Blogging Directions...

I am not sure how often I will be blogging over the next days, weeks, and months...but the direction will change...more personal photos, everyday activities and the continued less political stories and opinions.  I long ago came to the conclusion that in this divided world, I will not change my mind and certainly won't be changing the morons and Marxists on the left that follow that Kenyan Bastard in Charge at the White House...the old adage "You Can't Fix Stupid" is the mantra of the losers on the left....and those freeloading bastards don't want to change...Libs come in two stripes....the Stupid and the Evil, with a mixture of everything that is wrong with this once great republic mixed into both camps.  I won't bother trying to change them....this eroding Republic is falling down quickly down the crapper, and I for one, believe there is no turning back.  And frankly I have no interest in stopping the mess...every great nation fails, usually from within, and the United States, sadly, is quickly heading that way.

So that leaves, photos, old stories, and everyday activity....the years I posted at least 5 times per week is long gone, and won't return....once a week, twice? or maybe a couple of times a month....we will play it one post at a time.

back later>>>

Photos-Sunflowers, Sunrises, and Football, are on the agenda for the next couple of months....

August, Baseball, and another Craft Beer{or 2}

July ended with a two week stretch of much cooler than "normal" July weather...so much for Global Warming, er "Climate Change" as the phony jackasses that peddle that bullshit have not gone to calling it, since "Global Warming" has been proven, time and time, again, a fake science.  The next 10 days look mostly dry, last night, tomorrow, and maybe Saturday morning we will see a shower or two.

Tuesday evening Patricia and I headed for Fort Wayne, where we had front row seats behind the visitor's dugout for the host Tin Caps game with visiting Lake County...the seats and some meal money was a Father's Day gift from oldest son Sam, and we enjoyed the evening, despite the home team blowing 5-0 and 8-1 leads,

before eventually losing 10-9 to the Cleveland Indians farm team....the Midwest League is Class A Baseball, years ago I even got to work a game or three, doing play-by-play for the Wausau Timbers{nee' Mets} when the league was a majority Wisconsin based league...the league has migrated south since 1978, to much warmer weather, and much nicer ballparks...and it the truth be known, with cheaper prices on tickets, beer, food, and parking, the game is much more enjoyable than sitting in a MLB Park watching overplayed millionaires failing to run out ground balls...

While there I did have two beers, both "Fat Tire Ale" out of New Belgium Brewery in Colorado...I had tried it before and like it...a Amber Ale, which I really enjoy.  You cannot find it in Ohio, but
since we are only 10 miles from the Indiana line, I decided to check out the nearest towns and see what the local liquor stores had in stock.

A small package store in the Amish/Swiss Village of Berne{yep named after the city in Switzerland} not only had a couple cases of "Fat Tire", but two six packs of the companion brew, "1554" Black Ale{much more like a great Stout}, and with prices less than $9 a six pack I picked up a case of Fat and 12 of the darker ale....gotta say, if I can find it, I will be downing plenty of those this fall and winter, and with the cool temperatures, about 68, and drizzle coming down yesterday afternoon, I fired up a cigar, turned on the Reds(who finally won one on the coast) and downed two 1554s and a couple of Fat Tires...well worth the 50 mile round trip to Berne to say the least.  I will try to keep some in stock, fiances permitting of course.

Since I last posted over a week ago, several things have passed....I worked the 7 on 7 passing tournament in Celina, picking up a cool $150 bucks, one official per 40 yard field and frankly pretty easy work...that money will take care of gas and beer for the next month or so.

In addition the Lake Festival came and went....another success, but I would not be able to tell you first hand....I never ventured downtown, preferring to sit in the back yard downing a few brews.  And with baseball umpire work finally done, finishing up with the State ACME Tournament, which was won by Defiance over Coldwater in the 8 team event.  Defiance, with two ACME Championships to go with their D2 State High School spring title, has a very good 12 months.

Also passing was my 6th anniversary of writing this blog...it all began in late July 2007 and for the first 5 1/2 years I wrote most weeks, five or more posts...things have slowed down over the past 6
months, and by design I don't post more than one or two times per week these days...whenever I have a photo or update to jot down....I am surprised that I managed to keep it going as long as I did, especially at the former pace...but Happy 6th has come and gone, and I will keep plugging away:

back later>>>>

Photos-The Backyard Sunflowers, except the Mammouth, are going great guns....Patricia and I had front row seats in Fort Wayne...nice ballpark, good time...and the Fat Tire and 1554 Ale from New Belgium, are now on my "Favorites" list of brews, despite have to drive across the state line to Indiana to get any.

A Mid Summers Night ....

Still in the catching up mode...

I did get my final two games of baseball in on Saturday...working, for the 4th straight year, the Ohio ACME State Championships.  ACME is the Summer version of High School Baseball, and is exclusively from north of Cincinnati to the Toledo area.  I worked two teams I am very familiar with, Crestview and Ottawa-Glandorf in State game #3 on the bases and behind the plate with two teams less so, but who I work on occasion, Defiance and Bellfontaine..Crestview and Defiance came out on top, and defending champion Defiance remains undefeated in the double elimination tournament as I type this.

Now with the gear packed away for the future{although I may work some fall baseball} I can get ready for football....beginning with a 7 on 7 passing tournament on Friday, here in Celina.  19 quick games are on the agenda, 7 JV contests and 12 varsity games...an easy $100 bucks which will keep me in beer until the football scrimmage and regular season begins in about 3 1/2 weeks.

Today I began my summer "projects" albeit later than I had planned...clipped the Ivy off the porch and front of same, trimmed the bushes along the outskirts of the house, and begin planning on finally painting the garage...I may have to do some "wood work" on parts of that as well....but I did get the Ivy and Brush work done for now...

Late last week I did get out and shoot some photos along Grand Lake...something I have done quite
often the past few years...Summer Morning Photos..this year however it was my first time out...and enclosed are a few of those...

More as I continue to catch up....


Photos-along Grand Lake Ohio as the Summer rolls towards fall...

Catching Up!

8 days without a post?  Yep, that's the longest string I have taken away from this blog since I began 6 years ago {next week}..frankly a combination of boredom and realizing that everyday blogs are going by the wayside has reduced my contributions to the genre...my "stop by" followers and visitors and views have dropped by over 50% since the Spring of 2012...blogs indeed are becoming a thing of the past on the Internet, as our sounding boards on different subjects...facebook ant Twitter are the latest ways of "communications" in the social media.

I am trying to figure out how to move forward on this blog, whether it be by posting everyday photos or some such.  Looking back over the six years I have pretty well exhausted the exploits of my past life and politics and sports commentary have been moved over to facebook and to a lesser extent, Twitter...although frankly, those bore the Hell out of me at times as well...and I don't trust{especially facebook} the leadership and owners...not with the criminal Kenyan Bastard Obama in office and his  trolling little Monkey, Eric Holder, in charge of "Justice".  See last weekend's Zimmerman verdict, which the DOJ will no doubt try a double jeopardy play on.  While that side show is going on, the real issues, Benghazi, the IRS, and other criminal activities of the Obama Administration go ignored or under reported by the Lame Stream Media.

Summer, the Midway Point......

Down to a couple of games left on the baseball side of life.  Working the Junior ACME South Regional, last weekend, leaves me with just a few games left...and while I have not been given the fnal assignments for this coming weeks Senior ACME State games at Coldwater, I have no doubt I will get at least 2, maybe 3, of those...and the 8 mile drive to Coldwater is much more in line with my wishes that last years 60 miles each way trip to Bryan...

A 7 on 7 passing tournament here in Celina will being my football work on July 26th, and then nearly a month off before the "real" football season begins on August 20th...no hurry for that to begin...I'm beat!

After rain and much cooler weather than last year, the Summer heat and humidity has began in the Midwest...90s all week with heat index in the 100 range, in the sun the humidity are something else.  Yesterday we had Grandson Kasyn here, which it appears will be a welcome happening on Mondays for the rest of the Summer, with his mom opening up a new office in Wapak, and working there on that first day of the week, at least through September.

I'll continue to check back in with photos and a short line of BS as I get time....but don't expect much else until Summer cools into fall.

back later>>>>

Photos-The first of the Sunflowers has bloomed, despite last weeks major wind storm, most of my flowers have survived....and grandson Kasyn and I sat outback last week for a couple hours and rotated between the backsteps and his wading pool.

Baseball Marathon

After spending a rainy July 4th in Centerville with Hal and family...Friday it was back to Mercer County and the remaining weekend spent on the Baseball Diamonds.  With the recent weather it was in doubt if or how many games we would get in.

My single game in the ACME Sectional on Friday Night turned into a double header starting at 6pm...my young partner Damon worked the Parkway/Celina game behind the plate a 3-0 win for the Panthers in the first elimination contest....I handled the duties in the second as St. Henry eliminated Parkway with a 5-1 win....I was home at 11pm, time for a couple of cold ones and then some sleep before heading to Van Wert for the finals of that Van Wert County District Tournament.

It was raining mostly a drizzle throughout the morning and early afternoon....I worked the plate in the opener as Crestview forced a second game with a 10-2 win over Jefferson out of Delphos....in the second game, with Todd from out association working the dish, Jefferson took a 5-3 lead into the fifth when the skies opened up and filled the Smiley Park Diamond with enough water to cancel the game until yesterday...I headed home and rested up for another double header scheduled for Sunday at Rockford...and that double would basically turn into a triple!

Arriving at the Parkway Diamond in Rockford, I hooked up with my old buddy Jim and agreed I would work the Junior ACME winners bracket final between Coldwater and Van Wert....that turned into a long day for me...13 innings, with both teams making enough base running blunders to fill a score card up...finally, Coldwater put 4 runs across the plate in the top of the 13th and held on to end the 3 hour 50 minute marathon with a 6-2 win.  Over the years I have worked a couple of 14 inning games behind the plate, including a Spring Sectional game, but neither lasted as long, time wise, as yesterday's encounter.  Exhausted we took a half hour off, and then proceeded to work the losers bracket elimination final between Crestview and St. Henry...the Knights from Convoy Crestview held on for a 8-4 win to oust the Redskins as the thunder could be heard in the background....then as we headed for the parking lot, the rains came, once again, marking the 12 straight day we have had precipitation in the area.

This will bring my remaining games down to a handful....tonight at Miller City where Bullet Bob and I will work a Putnam County Semi Final...already got Bob doing the plate....yesterday did me in.   Then I will wait for my State ACME and Junior ACME assignments as I finally finish off the baseball season, with a full month to relax, do some weeding, shrub cutting, and garage painting at my own pace before football season arrives about the 20th of August for out first scrimmage games.....I have already pretty well decided that this season and next will be my last two years working football.  Baseball, I am in for the long haul, until I cannot see or stand, basketball is the wild car, I enjoy the winter exercises, but it is a wear and tear on the body...so roundball, and how long I decide to work it remains up in the air...for now I will enjoy what time I have working out at a pretty high level, at the ripe old age of 64....70 Anyone?

With the game tonight, if the rain stays away, I will likely have at least 10 days off before the State....today Patricia and I have the Grandson K~Man, while his mom opens up a new Autism Treatment office in Wapak and Hal is traveling to Toledo for some consultation for his Autism Behavior Group....I will head out for Miller City, some 55 miles north and east about 4:15....

back later>>>>

Bailey Tosses another "No-No" and No end in sight for the Wet Weather

After a cloudy morning yesterday, the sun and humidity came out....only 66 for a high on July 1st, it bloomed to about 80 with humidity to match yesterday by the time I left for Lima for our scheduled umpire gig at Lima Senior where the Lima Legion was poised to take on the team from Prospect, Ohio...Prospect is near Marion and Waldo, and there are quite a few Houseworth's buried there...another of my ancestors hometowns.  As I arrived on the west side of Lima, some lite showers began....and it was sprinkling at the ball diamond when I got there....but the rain held off, and we would have gotten the game in...problem was, a scheduling snafu and Prospect didn't show.  I got paid regardless and headed home. 

By this time I had talked to Patricia and all Hell had broken loose in a large path from the Indiana State Line, east to Lima and Celina and other towns in the path got another soaking, unwelcome that it was....Not sure how many ACME Tournament games were washed out...but I suspect most.  Mine for tonight has been moved from Van Wert to Delphos Jefferson....if it doesn't rain!  I know the Van Wert ACME and Crestview Junior ACME, along with Coldwater and Lima ACME Tournaments are backed up Big Time....not sure how that is going to play out....I have Saturday Open for Rain Make

Ups and that is about it...tomorrow we head to Centerville for the Parade and Cook Out/hopefully the rain, which is predicted, holds off.

The rain had ended as I headed home...when I arrived, I noticed my wild Sunflowers which had been sprouting next to the inside fence and hose bracket were on the ground or leaning that way....the rain was so heavy they took a beating as did some of the others on the south side of the outside fence...Patricia got some tie string and we propped them back up....hopefully it holds and they come out of it...the rain, which is on the agenda for another 8 days or so, can stop anytime...for a month!!! At least....

After getting that done, I opened a Guinness Extra Stout, put some ice cubes into the glass and poured, sat down to watch the Reds take on defending Champions The San Fran Giants, who knocked them out of the playoffs last year....Homer Bailey was on the mound for Cincy.  The Reds took a quick 1-0 lead and Bailey was mowing down the Giants....15 in a row and I'm thinking, "Naw, he can't pitch a perfect game, can he"?  Then in the 7th he walked a batter with no outs and the

"perfect game" was gone...that came on a 3-2 pitch and it indeed was inside/the perfect game gone, but Bailey, who pitched the last no hitter in the MLB last September still had his "No-No" going into the 9th....a ground ball back to the mound, a strike out, and a grounder to Frazier at 3rd base and Homer had his second career no hitter...a gem at that, only one batter reaching base:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/homer-bailey-throws-no-hitter-cincinnati-reds-beat-san-francisco-giants-070213

With the Cards and Pirates{finally} losing, Cincinnati moves back to within 2 and 4 game respectively of each team and still firmly in control of one of the Wild Card spots at this point...still plenty of time to catch both, if they play better on the road and vs good teams.

Busy next few days....probably nothing to post or "blog" about...maybe Friday with some photos...otherwise..

Back Later>>>>


Photos-Homer Bailey celebrates his 2nd no hitter in the past 9 months a 3-0 win over San Francisco/The Sunflowers next to the house and inside fence need some help to stay up after the Heavy Rains...again/and the Zinnas are hanging in there despite the heavy showers...

Let it Rain/2013 Half Way Gone

July 1st....the year 2013 is already half gone, and the old adage "Time Flies" comes into play...especially as you get older....I remember as a kid, and even when I was suffering through four years in the Air Force, how time sometimes dragged....now, four and even five years goes by in the blink of an eye.

June, up until late last week, was dry and not overly hot....a few showers here and there, but no rain outs of the Summer Baseball season...that all began to change a few days ago.   Despite the rains, I got my games Wednesday, Thursday, and even Friday Nights 9 inning American Legion game in at Lima....but the weekend was a baseball and Mother Nature disaster.

Some areas have had 10 inches or rain in the past 4 days....and we are getting hammered again this morning, as this stupid front continues to bring heavy storms from southeast to northwest...hardly a Summer-like pattern,  Celina has been mostly lucky, I'm guessing maybe 3 or 4 inches thus far....and hopefully it will end by tomorrow, with dry weather through the coming weekend...next week looks wet again, but since when can you believe the hacks at NBC owned Weather Channel{which still promotes the fake science of "Global Warming"}?

Saturday dawned cool, but somewhat humid and sunny as I headed to Lima for a ACME Tournament double header...I worked the LCC lost to Lima Shawnee by  a 5-3 count, and no sooner did we finish that game, and the storm clouds moved into southwest Lima and washed out game #2...yesterday we had no chance of getting the Junior ACME Tournament in at Convoy....both games washed out. 
Today?  I'm doubting if there is a snow balls chance in south Florida of playing.  No sun, leaving no time to dry the fields out...even if they don't get rain in Convoy.  Tomorrow night I am back at Lima for another American Legion game, and by that time the weather is looking better....only a 40% chance of rain{sic}....

Found out last night that the State ACME Tournament will be at Coldwater beginning on the 20th of July...I will likely get a couple of those games as well as the Regional{Semi State} Junior ACME games at Wapak the week prior....then a full month off to rest my aging bones and joints, before football begins....I have pretty well decided that this season and next will be my last two years doing football.  That would be a 10 year run and quite enough.  I love fall weather, and but that time I will be 65 and a half years old.  Basketball is next on the list to start backing off, but for now I have not plans on dropping off the baseball gigs...I figure, if I stay healthy and can still move, I will do baseball until 2020 when I reach 71.  Now I realize that is a BIG IF...but that is the plan for now.

For now, despite the beatings I have taken behind the plate this Summer, I will begin to lift weights
again today....once again, after 4 weeks off, I will have to drop the weight plates down a notch...and start out slowly.   The Cardio workouts is another thing on the health agenda.....

For now I will watch the rain fall, and wait for the call cancelling tonight's game....

back later>>>>