Two Innings of Redemption

The Beaver played his last game of the season on Thursday evening. The Falcons had not had much of a season this year with more than half of their games having been rained out, along with a lot of practices. This team had never really gotten the chance to mesh or bond. They had about four returning players and everyone else was new and some had never played baseball.

In fact it had been a Bad News Bears kind of season and spirits were low, especially after the loss two nights before. Attitudes were dismal and a pep talk was in order. I know that Beaver got one from me and certainly the coach gave them one before this last game. The boys didn't drag out onto the field, they hustled on and off. That in itself was a tremendous improvement from the previous game.

Maybe that's what made the difference in their play that night. Fielding was spot on and the bats were moving. The other team noticed it too and you could see that they knew that this was not going to be the cake walk that they had assumed it would be. At the third inning Falcons were down just 1-0 and were at the top of their line-up. The first hitter got on with a single. The second player doubled, but was later put out on a steal. The Beaver got a double. The fourth bunted to bring a runner home. The fifth batter got a double and brought in two! The boys were ecstatic, the dugout was exuberant! I'm not sure exactly how the rest of the inning went but we ended with three runs.

The Beaver pitched and somehow managed to get out of the bottom of third with no hits.

Then came the top of the fourth. Three up, three down for Falcons. Beaver pitches bottom of the fourth, three up, three down.

Now it is the top of the fifth inning; Falcons are up. First batter strikes out. Second batter, strikes out. Beaver is up, gets a single. Fourth batter, who has been a power hitter in the past, but hasn't really been hitting well this year, hits it out of the park!! Falcons are up 5-1 at this point in the game!!

In the bottom of the fifth the other team manages three runs so it is then 5-4. Though they go on to lose this in the bottom of the 7th when the other team gets a single and then a home run, which sounds familiar!

Just for memories sake I am going to mention the sweet pick-off the Beaver had in the third inning, when he got a third base runner out on a bullet fired to third, he never knew what hit him! Then when he was back as short stop in the sixth inning there was a sweet double-play 5-6-3!! Ouch! Runners at second and home, you're outta there!

But somehow the way they played in the third and fifth inning has redeemed the entire lackluster season for these boys!! Not that they were happy to lose, but they gave a good fight and left that field with their heads up having given 100 percent effort. I always thought the statement, "it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game!" was trite, but now I know that it can ring true!

The Measure of a (Young) Man

“The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.”



This world can analyze and size you up and throw you on the scales
They can I.Q. you and run you through
Their rigorous details
They can do their best to rate you
And they'll place you on the charts
And then back it up with scientific smarts
But there's more to what you're worth
Than their human eyes can see
Oh, I say the measure of a man
Is not how tall you stand
How wealthy or intelligent you are
'Cause I've found out the measure of a man
God knows and understands
For He looks inside to the bottom of your heart
And what's in the heart defines
The measure of a man
Well, you can doubt your worth
And search for who you are
And where you stand
But God made you in His image
When He formed you in His hands
And He looks at you with mercy
And He sees you through His love
You're His child and that will always be enough
For there's more to what you're worth
Than you could ever comprehend
Oh I say the measure of a man
Is not how tall you stand
How wealthy or intelligent you are
'Cause I've found out the measure of a man
God knows and understands
For He looks inside
To the bottom of your heart
And what's in the heart defines
The measure of a man
You can spend your life pursuing physical perfection
There is so much more
More than ever meets the eye
For God looks through the surface
And He defines your worth by what is on the inside
I say the measure of a man
Is not how tall you stand
How wealthy or intelligent you are
'Cause I've found out the measure of a man
God knows and understands
For He looks inside
To the bottom of your heart
And what's in the heart defines
Oh, I say the measure of
The measure of a man
Is not how tall you stand,
How wealthy or intelligent you are
Oh, I've found the measure of a man
God knows and understands it
For He looks to the bottom of your heart
And what's in the heart defines
Yeah, what's in the heart defines
Yeah, what's in the heart defines
The measure of a man
I know, I know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB18zuNyr_I&feature=related

The Incredible Edible . . . Eyeball

The above is the Beaver's edible science project. None too tasty looking if you ask me, but in reality it actually is. The eyeball consists of white cake covered with frosting, the muscles holding the eye in place are fruit roll-ups; the veins and capillaries are gel tube frosting as is the iris; the cornea is clear gelatin and the pupil is a mini-Reese's cup.

I know what you're thinking. This thing is a good candidate for the Cake Wrecks site, but bear in mind that it couldn't look too professional or the teacher might suspect that the Beaver didn't do this on his own.

Angus You Are Amazing!

Our friend, Major Angus Benson-Blair accepts a prestigious award on behalf of the Royal Scots Dragoon Band. Click here to check it out:

http://itn.co.uk/tags/classical_brits.html

Classical Brit honour for UK forces

An album recorded by a military band in a sweltering tent in Iraq has won a Classical Brit, beating Katherine Jenkins and Andrea Bocelli to the prize.

Spirit Of The Glen: Journey was named album of the year at the glittering event at the Royal Albert Hall and the band immediately dedicated their gong to Britain's servicemen and women.

Collecting the award, Major Angus Benson-Blair of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards said: "The award is obviously about the album but I know everyone in the armed forces will see also each vote as supporting us in everything we do.

"So on behalf of every single soldier, sailor and airman I would like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you for every vote for the pipes and drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Thank you so much."

It marks the first time that non-professional musicians have won a Classical Brit.

To Angus and his Royal Scots Dragoon Band: Hey! Mukker! Thumbs up to you and yer boys. Watched the clip and you looked in grand fettle. Ye'll no fin the brither o't in monie a lang day!!

The Necklace

When does a piece of jewelry become a conduit for friendship and community involvement? The answer is when it is shared by thirteen middle aged women with sometimes little in common other than each owning a share in The Necklace.

This biographical read by is the engaging story of how thirteen women from Ventura, California of various backgrounds come to form a circle of friendship based on the communal ownership of one brilliant, stunning diamond necklace. Just the fact that they convinced each other to take part in the experiment is marvelous in my mind. When the necklace gets marked down to $13,000 from $37,000 . . . well, that's an opportunity too good to pass up!

And because I am roughly the age of the participants I can see both the value and the excitement of belonging to such a group. (Shoot, the whole reason I belong to my book club is for the fellowship; it is a benefit that also forces me to read books I wouldn't necessarily choose for myself. Part of the fun is the discussing the books and the differences of opinion that we all have.)

It's good that the author is not a member of this "club" because I believe she then gives us a clearer picture of each of the ladies of this unique sorority. What begins as a challenge proceeds to shape each of the women and touch them in surprising ways. What they learn about sharing the necklace is important; sure it's fun to share a gorgeous piece of jewelry; but it comes with its share of problems as well. The relationships that they build from those struggles are worth far more than the $1000 they each paid for their share.

What did they learn? Why that one of the healthiest things for women is to have and maintain friendships with other women.

Chip and Dale, Applecore, Who's You're Best Friend?

When we first moved here and saw chipmunks scampering about out front in and around the flower beds it brought back memories of those cute little imps from Disney, Chip and Dale. Now I feel like Donald in the cartoon Donald Applecore.

The little rodents are driving me nuts. They burrow holes all over the lawn and then my dogs dig bigger holes trying to get at them! They tear up newly placed bedding plants. This year I was trying to save a little money and thought I would go with mostly seeds. Everything has been overturned and dug up! Even the window boxes have been thoroughly destroyed. I don't think the seeds will make it. I am going to have to start all over.



Applecore! Baltimore. Who's you're best friend? Not me!!

Enough Is As Good As A Feast

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
--Melody Beattie