Monday

Always good to hear from the maddening crowd.

I understand that the U-Haul has been reserved for our after-graduation party. This may be the first two-fer of moving college kids on the same day in my history.

Basso fell on his sword in Rome today. My guess is that it involves a deal that gets him back in the peloton next year. I wonder how many others will have to face the music.

Clemons signs with the Yankees for something like $150,000 a day for the rest of the year. My bet is that his wins will cost $1.5 million each. Break that down to number of pitches in those wins, and we're talking about $15K per pitch. If we reduce it to outs, assuming he goes 6 and 2/3's per game, or twenty outs, and you're at $75K per out. Those numbers inspire me as I complete another $250 tax return.

I was glad to hear that they announced that TV show "Lost" would end in 2010. Any bets that it won't make it that far? I bet someone in Vegas will put some odds out there.

I think we are at, or near, Uncle Phil's birthday. He's an old guy. (My recollection of exact dates for birthdays and anniversaries is awful. Keep that in mind as my Alzheimer's progresses.)

There was an article in the Weekend Wall Street Journal written by a young Dad complaining about the over-scheduling of his pre-teens' games and such. I agree that kids can get into more things than seem necessary, but the alternatives in today's techno world are the Internet and HDTV. A heavy schedule of ball games and fresh air seems ok to me. As long as the parents let the kids play the games. And the travel is not out of control.

I remember my first Little League "away" game in What Cheer. And then there was the Babe Ruth game for Phil's team that I was the bat boy for, playing in the metropolis of Cedar, the rains come, the teams scatter to the cars, everyone heads for home, and they leave the poor little bat boy in the dugout!

Off to the homestead. Have a great evening.

Be careful out there.