Good Bye Busch

I went to a Cards game last night. It is always good to go see the Redbirds. Thanks to my good buddy Pete who had the four tickets he passed on to me. Wishing I could have found three other people to go (I exhausted my phone book looking for names). It is hard to do on short notice I guess, never seems difficult for me though, that will probably change. It is a good thing that the Cards don't play in November because if someone asked me to go on the day of the birth of my child, I would still be torn :)

I didn't think I was going to get sentimental with this season being the last one at "Old Busch", but that changed last night. There I was hovering over home plate in the third deck (which I am starting to think is the best place to sit if you are going to sit in the upper deck) when all the sudden memories starting pouring into my mind. I began thinking about my first game at this old stadium back in 1986. I was 8 years old and did not know much about baseball then. My love affair began on that day. I saw the Cards, who had the championship stolen from them the year before (thank you Don Dinkinger), playing the New York Mets- pond scum!. Those Mets went on to beat the Boston Red Sox in the Series thanks to Bill Buckner's error (actually, for other reasons, but Buckner always gets the blame).

I attended another game against the Mets where I saw something never been done at Busch before or since. I saw Mike Laga hit a foul ball out of the stadium. I didn't realize how monumental it was at the time. I do remember thinking about looking for the ball on the parking lot when I left. Now, I think how weird that would have been to be on the street and have a ball drop from the sky near you.

Here's the report from baseball almanac: Laga’s foul ball on 9/15/87 vs. New York was the only ball, fair or foul, ever hit out of Busch Stadium — it went out on the first base side about 2/3 of the way down the line.

I sat back in my seat last night and took in the view of the arch as I could just see the southern portion edged out from the side of a building. I took in the beauty of the arches built into the Stadium's design. I will never forget my memories of Busch. Especially one's like last year as my friends and I watched the Cards beat the Astros in the NLCS. I really hope we go out with a bang. Things look good now. And for the numerologists out there, Tony Larussa is in his 10th season as manager of the Cards, he wears the #10 and the Cards are going after their 10th title.

Bring home # 10 boys.

On a totally unrelated note: The dead bird count it up to 8. I am hoping to find two more.

Goatee woman

I was ordering some food today at a fast-food establishment. As I was ordering, I could not help but notice a few things. One, people that move quickly and seem to be in a hurry talk LOUD. Two, the lady taking my order had a goatee. I have seen women with facial hair before but this was uncanny. It seriously looked like a goatee. To top things off, she spoke in loud mono-tone. I honestly do not know how I walked away without laughing out loud. I am sure she is a sweet girl with a wonderful heart, but I could not get over her yelling out my order in a mono-tone voice, all the while, I am trying not to stare at her goat.

What is it about odd features that make people want to stare or indulge? For instance, when someone says, "gross, you have to smell this!" What do you do? You stick your nose in. Not me. I gave up on that one. The same thing happens when there is an ambulance or fire truck pulled over taking care of someone in need. I am driving home the other day and some dude was laying on the ground in the driveway of a church. The fire truck was already there, so no need for me to help or to stop (I assumed the role of the priest in the story of the Good Samaritan but hey, the Samaritan was already there). But I noticed that everyone within viewing distance (blocks away) were trying to get a look. I guess we are enthralled with carnage.

On other notes, my wife is at week 13 and getting over the first trimester stuff. The cravings will begin soon I guess. I am still waiting for all this to really, truly sink in. I guess I will have to hold "it" or see the ultrasound for that to happen. Here's your chance to throw some names out if you like. We don't want common everyday names, looking for less-used names. If you have some good ones, I would be willing to hear. I am wrestling with Napoleon; really like that one.

I am super excited for my buddy Gil. I just hope he makes it through this move and does not have to move for a looooong time. I am going to catch two games at Coors (the redbirds go to Denver in two weeks) with him and my friend Pete, should be a blast.

Still building fence in my back yard. At this rate, should be up by X-mas. I hit a major root last night. Hopefully, the most difficult holes have been dug.

Oh, and for my one weird thing, as if above mentioned experiences weren't weird enough. What is up with all the dead baby birds in my yard? Seriously, it's like the 11th plague at my house. I picked up 5 dead baby birds and threw them into my neighbors yard. Don't tell. Actually, it is more of a bunch of shrubs not their yard. I am starting to get really TOed. It is hard to keep my dogs from trying to eat these birds (really nasty) when I take them out to do their dooty.

Urban Legends

Wondering if the stories you have heard are true or false. I ran across a cool website today that will help you figure that out. Check out www.snopes.com . They have catagorized all the urban legends then tell you if they are true or false and even give you the evidence to support the verdict. Some pretty funny stuff.

I am about done reading "In But Not Of". I am putting it down as a recommend but for the right person. If you know someone high school through mid-20's who is just beginning their career, it would be a very good read. It is fairly quick and easy to read due to the short chapters. Nice for people like me who have ADHD. It is written by Hugh Hewitt who was an aid to Nixon in the White House and also has a radio talkshow. It centers upon how a Christian can gain influence in the world while making wise choices to expand that influence on others. Good stuff that matches up well with "Max Q" by Andy Stanley.

One thing I learned last week

I like to read baseball columns a lot. Probably too much. I seriously need to repent of the time I spend reading about stats that only .5 % of true baseball fans even know about. I am a nerd. But, I do read a column that is funny called 10 things I didn't know this time last week. It is usually an entertaining read. So, in order to try to get some consistency in blogging, I am going to adapt this method each Monday. But, since it would be lengthy, I will do one instead of ten, although at times, I may post more. At the same time, I also will post one weird thing that has happened. Although, I am sure there will be plenty of other things I can add in that column.

One thing I know this week that I didn't know at this same time last week:
Dairy Queen is one of my favorite places in the whole wild world. I frequent it often. If this town had a 7-11, I am pretty sure that their slurpees and DQ ice cream would give me diabetes in about 5 years time. It would all be worth it. I am thankful that this town has three DQ's. This week, I pick up a cup of soft serve ice cream for my pregos wife. She wants ice cream, I am not gonna argue; ever, whether she is pregnant or not. So, when I buy the ice cream, I realize that for about $ .60 more you can get (a) a MLB hat and (b) more ice cream. Shazzam!
I am now officially collected DQ MLB hats. I am going to decorate my office with them. I am also such a baseball freak that I will also keep them updated according to division standings. I am starting with the NL central and will work my way around the league. So, if you are buying ice cream at DQ think of me, give me a call and see which teams I need. Currently, I have STL, HOU, PIT, & BOS.

One Weird Thing:
I am at the Cards game Saturday. I get back to my Jeep and there is a playing card tucked underneath my windshield wiper. Never had that happen before. I am wondering, what does this mean? Is it some sort of sign? Some sort of party to attend? A drug deal? I dunno.
After I am thinking these things, I pull out of the parking garage and another strange thing happened. My father-in-law, brother-in-law and I see a "Legalize Weed" parade around the courthouse square. There must have been 100 people out marching, banging their drums and holding up signs pushing their agenda. It was quite a monumental moment for me. I don't think I have ever witnessed so many dreadlocks in my life. Talk about some nappy hippy hair. One sign even read something along the lines of: "Read your Bible; legalize the medicinal healer." So, I immediately begin searching for that passage. It was truly amazing to see the types of individuals that were marching. I think the term of enderment is "stoner". This was not a group of people you look at and say, "wow, I bet they are holding down a really nice job!" Most of them looked like they just climbed out of their own or their mother's basement. I am thinking that will be a once in a lifetime episode, but I sure hope not.

Being a Daddy

I think most of you who read here know that my wife is expecting. I do not really know what to expect. I have a lot of dreams. I saw a commercial today with a list called "Things to do before the kids grow up." I thought that may be a pretty cool list to make. So, I figured I should give it a shot by listing 25 things I want to do with my kid before he/she grows up. My kid has 6 more months in the womb, so I cannot officially begin these things sometime in November or thereafter. In no certain order of priority:

1. Play catch - (I have to admit, I believe if I have a son, he will be a major league pitcher, so there is much more than playing catch that I hope happens.)
2. Wrestle in the living room floor
3. Tickle them until that can't take it anymore
4. Star Gaze
5. Catch lightning bugs
6. Go fishing in the dark
7. Wade in a river
8. Play Basketball (and lift them up so they can dunk)
9. Bake some cookies (and eat them too)
10. Have an ice cream cone together in the dead heat of summer and watch them try to eat it before it melts
11. Ride a tractor
12. Go floating down a river
13. Go camping
14. Take him/her to their first St. Louis Cardinal's game
15. Enjoy a Krispy Kreme doughnut
16. Finger paint
17. Spend the morning watching cartoons
18. Spend a rainy day cuddled up together watching movies
19. Take a nap on a hammock
20. Go Four-Wheeling
21. Teach them how to drive a stick shift
22. Build a treehouse
23. Take a walk together on my grandpa's farm
24. Hunt
25. Fly a kite

As you can tell I am excited about all the things I get to do with my kid. It is going to be such a journey. I also get really excited about who they will be. It is fascinating to think about the personality that will develop within them. Pray with me now that they do not get mine nor my wife's stubbornness :) God has so much in store for this child. I certainly know I do not deserve this great gift. That little rapid heartbeat is so much more than I can handle. I am glad he does not strand me alone in this.