Busy couple of weeks! Part 'Dallas.'

Before I continue with the story here (which will most likely take longer than the 2 days to drive this trip...so put your feet up and get some knitting done while I get long winded. and the dial up takes daysssssssss to load the pictures...) I thought I'd mention a little something to Rae.

In reference to your comments on yesterday's post. You have a cutesy little one at home. You're supposed to be 'on time' to get to work and take care of the little one. You can learn to be 'carefree' when the road-trip time comes when a) it's not your car, it's your child's. b) your child is in 'charge' of the trip (I know, I gulped when I read what I just wrote, too...scary thought - huh?) c) your 'child' is about to be 25, and you know that at his age, you were chasing around not just him but his older sister and had one more little one 2 months away from birth at that time. A road trip with his mom is a piece of cake compared to 3 kids under the age of 4 1/2 at home to clean up after! d) you still have PROMS, that's right plural...PROMS to live through with your daughter before you hit the road with her...once you survive those, a road trip is gravy.

Oh, and Rae? I'm sending you Excedrin when it's time to start shopping for those prom dresses. Keep me posted when the time comes! (I have 3 daughters....trust me..Excedrin for Mom and a magic bank account helps).

Now let me give you some back story on my son and why this was an 'important' day. My son loves baseball. Not just loves...but breathes in baseball like I breathe in knitting! When he was born the ladies from my church wanted to know what I'd like to have for him. Living in the greater Los Angeles area, Dodgers baseball outfits was my answer. As he got a little bit older, my parents helped us to outfit him in Detroit Tigers clothing. Cute little bugger. At that point, he thought the Tigers were the bomb! Until that public school thing hit and he relearned that there were other baseball teams out there in the world, and he lived 'near' Dodger stadium. GRRR...

The year after he graduated from high school, he bought his first 'packet' of multiple game Dodger tickets and took me to the game on Mother's Day. He had one rule. No knitting Mom! HUH? That was really hard...but I gave in and took my brand new cell phone that day. It was a blast! It was the first time my son had taken me to a game, and we were able to take my parents along for the 'ride' via the cell phone and sing 'take me out to the ball game' from 3,000 miles away together. Years earlier, I came upon a couple of great tickets to a game in Dodger stadium and I took my Dad, my son and my youngest daughter. Our seats were in the second level, directly overlooking home plate. They were so good that you could call the pitch before the umpire got to it! So, to call Dad from the game was one of those cool memories I'll never forget and share a 2nd game with him 'at' Dodger Stadium.

Anyway...continuing on...(see, told you..long winded-I've been told)...this kid really loves baseball. Baseball facts, baseball games, baseball trivia..baseball everything. A couple of weeks after his high school graduation, he was at Dodger stadium and used the disposable camera he'd left in his car from Grad night. He took pictures of the stadium after ordering his jersey. Just after snapping the last picture on the roll of film, out from the stadium...who did he run into? Tommy Lasorda! Figures, huh? The one time he's there, no witnesses...and no more film. That was one excited kid on the phone....MOM...MOM! You're not going to believe this! Guess who I just met!

Cut to a few years later, he transfers to UCLA. UCLA has a baseball team. UCLA pretty much pre-drafts their players ahead of time, but this kid is brassy enough to approach the coach and asks to be a walk on try out! Unfortunately, he didn't make the team, but the coach liked him so much that he asked him to stay and help the team out. In exchange for being a pitching coach and team manager, he got scholarship money to help pay for school! And road trips with the team. Which translates into free tickets to the games. Not too shabby-huh? Oh, and he met Charlie Sheen when he came to have batting practice with the team one day, too.

Ok ok ok..back to this trip..and THIS baseball story...Here's our first look inside the stadium.

One of the things he loves to do, is to watch batting practice. The CALIFORNIA ANGELS were out on the field when we went into the stadium. (I hate the 'new' name and refuse to use it-get a map people, they aren't in Los Angeles, that's the 'other' team.) Texas Rangers vs. the Angels.

At this point, we had a new conversation. It went like this on my cell phone:

M: Dad!

My Dad: Hello.

M: Guess where kiddo and I are?

D: Um, in Indiana?

M: Nope, we're in Dallas!

D: Dallas! What are you doing in Dallas?

S: Mom-technically it's Arlington.

M: Ok, technically it's Arlington, Dad. We thought we'd go see the Angels play some baseball.

D: How'd you get there?

M: I flew into Indiana to help kiddo drive home for the summer, and we thought we'd 'stop off' on the 'way' home.

D: HAHAHAHAHA That's a bit out of the way! Good for you!

With batting practice over, we started hiking up the stadium. Yep...hiking. What a cool stadium! The box seat entrances, which I neglected to get pictures of...had pictures of past baseball greats. Try has hard as he could...kiddo couldn't get into them to 'peek'...he didn't have the right ticket.

However, he did manage to do a little more of this:
Yep..more texting...and yes, to two girls. Again.

But check out this view! Amazing!

Now, of course, we had to eat dinner at some point, and honestly, how can you go to a baseball game without a hot dog? Here's probably the only way you'll ever see me eat ketchup. (They didn't have any BBQ sauce. darnit)

Then, our seats were wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy up here...where guess what kiddo did....yep..back to the phone! And yes...girls, again.

Here's something you won't see in a California or a Detroit stadium...the whole crowd singing Deep in the Heart of Texas!

As the game went on...we walked around the stadium a bit, and worked our way down behind center field. Nice view I tell you! We saw Sammy hit #596, but son refused to take any pictures of the moment.

S: I don't take pictures of cheaters.

M: Ulg...but this is history in the making.

S: I don't care. I don't take pictures of cheaters.

If you see the skyline above the 'song board'..you'll see some pretty dark clouds rolling in. We stayed to the end of the game, but not for the fireworks. We chose to hit the road again before a nasty Texas sized storm was due. Even the stadium people were warning the fans about the storm's arrival. It was late, and we had at least 20 more hours to drive. And as you can see, I'm already tired here. (Notice the 'comfy while we drive' attire I'm modeling)

Blanket update....6 more lace pattern repeats to go..and ticket, as of this afternoon has been procured! I will be able to hand deliver baby shower gifts in person on Saturday! (I'd show you another picture in progress, but it's already taken me over 4 1/2 hours to upload this much) WOOO HOO BABY! I'm going home for a week....starting this Friday!

It's a good thing, I promise.