weekend OFF

I forget that people who work typical jobs get two days off each week. I've had a lot of time off lately, just because the team has been on the road and they've been trying to recharge us all while it's possible. The Rox played their half-way mark game on Saturday, so we've got a good 47 left! They were out of town on Friday but we hosted the Cranberry League All Stars. They got through 5 innings just in time for the sky to open up... we were drenched in seconds. We had to pull the tarp, but it was raining so hard and we were split staffed so we didnt even get it all the way onto the field. So close. Thankfully a few of the players got a clue and came out to help us, albeit a little late. Soon thereafter the game was called but we ended up taking the tarp off the field so that we'd not have to get up early to come in and take it off the next morning. I cant explain to you how heavy a tarp with a lake on it is. You pull and pull on the tarp and your leg muscles burn like they're going to give way by about 3/4ths of the way during the first crossing of the field. I have a lot of fun doing it but there is definitely pain involved. Finally, we got the tarp rolled off the field and got a quick pick-up done with. SOAKED. we were all soaked. I was thankful to have extra clothes for the ride home.

When I awoke the next morning, I had no idea as to what I would be doing for the first of my two days off. Showering was a must so I had time to consider whether I'd go to a Scottish festival with my friend Heather, see Inception, go to a Spinners game, take a walk around Cambridge and Boston, go to the beach...... it was a pretty low key day up until 2:30pm when I was checking facebook only to discover that the softball team I've been a part of for the past couple years- The Juice- was playing in Boston at 3! I immediately got up and walked out the door, headed to the T Station, and go to the Boston Commons in time to watch The Juice bring home a win. My great friend Dave pitched a 3 pitch inning... pretty sweet. As I was sitting on the bench I learned that a bunch of them would be taking advantage of a Suite at Fenway that very night... and they had one extra ticket! 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. 

saw petey!! (center of the pic, right next to the camera)

Happiest night. So I went to Fenway that night, after making a quick stop at Dave and Rachel's house for pizza with some of The Juice. I got to spend that warm summer evening with Jayne (church/Juice friend extraordinare- saw her when I was in LA), Dave (we used to live in the same house in Somerville, close friend), and Rachel (Dave's wife) among others. Beautiful friends.

 I had missed Fenway so much... almost as much as I had missed the friends I havent really had a lot of time to be around lately. They're incredible people. I miss their consistent presences in my life. They're people I can look up to, people who care about each other and this city and our world. People who care about me even though I've been MIA. Not once did I feel cut down or discouraged this weekend by something that someone said or did. It was entirely refreshing. It's encouraging just knowing that they're out there still. And hey, like I've written, I know some quality people in the Rox organization. I'm really just glad to have had such a memorable day with friends who will still hang out with me once the summer is over with :)

The game was a ton of fun by the way. We won 3-2 in extra innings (11). Always fun to get a little extra baseball in. Lackey vs Lee, who pitched a complete game. Rangers took the other two games in the series, so I'm glad I got to witness the win :) Youk was the man of the hour.

Sunday afternoon came very quickly. Church was a blur, and then I was driving to meet Robin somewhere in York. She treated me to lunch at Stonewall Kitchen (all i can say is wow.. that place... huge and yummy-smelling) and we hit the beach for about 3 hours. Quality time is definitely my love language so even the basic gesture of her coming to hang out with me meant a lot. We talked, prayed, killed little jumping spiders, and I got reaaallly sunburnt:

(even my eyes are red... hopefully thats just tiredness and not an effect from too much sun exposure)

...yeah. i'm using an icepack on my legs right now.

Basically, it was another stellar day. I really made good use of my time off this weekend. Ready to get back at it! We've got three home games starting tomorrow, then they're gone for a week, then it gets a little busier. Right around the time my dad's side of the family is having its reunion. And right around the time Mehdi is getting married. Oh well. When it rains, it pours.

PS, Dusty Brown got called up to the Red Sox last night. Michael Bowden got called up today. Both have already seen some playing time. AWESOME times. Let's see what happens....

Good weekend

Jam-packed past couple of days.

On Saturday I got to spend the entire day with Adam and his friends Julie and Josh. It felt effortless to be around Adam. Like I didnt have to try so hard. I didnt have to start from the beginning, to explain myself, like I must do with everyone I meet here. That's fine, telling my story over and over again, but it was like resting for once. Julie and Josh took us up the Pacific Coast Highway, which was beautiful of course. We got out at a few lesser-known beach spots and enjoyed the day as it moved from overcast to sunny. There was a seal sleeping on one of the beaches, and I saw some whales out in the water! I'm psyched to spend more time along the shore.
I tried fish tacos for the first time and was PLEASANTLY surprised. Well, to be fair, they came with avocado slices and cilantro... so how could they have been bad? Anyway, I liked them. We also went to Malibu Creek State Park for a few hours. The three of them are rock climbers so Julie and Josh lead us around to some good climbing spots. We hiked along some trails and scrambled over some boulders. It was an adventure. I loved it. It reminded me of how life was when I was young and running wild through the Maine woods.

Sunday was church at Pacific Crossroads Church. I enjoyed it, but I dont know if it is ultimately where I will wind up. The pastor was great though. He gave a thought-provoking message about David and Goliath. The people where were very friendly though. I met 6 people that day and I didnt have to even try.. I greeted a woman (about my age) during the "turn to someone you dont know and say hi" bit, and she asked if i had been coming to the church for a while. I told her that I had just moved into town... then we had to sit back down. She waited for me after the service, introduced some of her friends, invited me to a couple different small groups... another woman put me in her prayer journal on the spot. And I wrote on my welcome card that I could use prayer and thus was contacted by a couple people from the church today- welcoming me, telling me about a ministry that I checked a box for, telling me that the church is praying for me.. just awesome.
Nadine took Kate, Kate's sister, Kate's friend Allison, and me to her country club for brunch, which was yum. Apparently Dr Phil goes there too (we didnt see him yesterday though). Nadine is watching Dr Phil as I type, actually. Then, I went to check out the neighborhood around UCLA and to get some groceries at Trader Joe's. Wow, if Kearah and Adam do decide on UCLA, they are all of 2 miles away. Or at least the school is. No more on that though. Anyhow, that area is pretty lively. Trader Joe's was buzzing, but it was nothing like Market Basket on a Sunday afternoon! Then home again... to watch the Academy Awards with Nadine. We ordered out to Maria's.. I had this wonderful minestrone soup with chickpeas. I was extremely inspired watching the Oscars. There were so many "normal" non-star people who were nominated and even who won. You could tell by listening to them that they were truly humbled. And I knew that from that moment, the moment they actually won, onward... life would never be the same for them. It made me want to do something great. I feel like i can do amazing things. Not sure what, yet, but I wont give up. Those people, even the stars, had to try and try and try. Had to work themselves up to where they are now. I know that God will reward my heart's desire. I know that I didnt come up with these dreams that I have. I guess that's why I just havent been afraid. Weary, yeah, a bit... it's a lot of work to move so far away. But all things considered, I've had a supernatural amount of strength, patience, fearlessness, and motivation throughout the past few weeks.

I thought about minor league baseball today for 8 hours (at work). Yesterday I heard "Your Love" playing in Trader Joe's and it made me think of LaLacheur Park in Lowell. One of the guys on the 2009 Spinners had that song play everytime he went up to bat.

Today I missed McCoy Stadium very badly. And I missed Victor, and Jason. In particular.