Not Just a Spectator Sport!

On Thursday, July 22nd I took Margo (my sister) to see the Mariners play the Boston Red Sox. Given the current (sorry) state of affairs of the M's we were just there to visit and hand-off a birthday present (Gerry's niece's husband had commissioned a snowman quilt and we were meeting him during the 4th inning to make the delivery).

We had just gotten back to our seats after the hand-off (and finished our "Dippin' Dots" treat!) when Milton Bradley came up to bat in the bottom of the 7th. He popped one up in the air and headed towards our seats. I was sure that someone...anyone...was going to get it. It was pretty much a "marshmallow" kind of hit and I watched it carefully as it seemed to be headed directly to me.

For a nanosecond I actually thought about putting my hand up (more for self-defense than anything else) but still figured that someone...anyone...would snatch it at the last second. Then I remembered...this was Safeco and the game not particularly well-attended. The possibility that someone...anyone...was going to jump up in front of me and get it was pretty slim.

So as it came in on final approach, I leaned ever-so-slightly to the left, towards Margo. The ball, still in really-slo-mo, appeared to go past. A guy from a few seats over began hurriedly, almost frantically looking for the ball. Under the seats, in the row behind, no ball to be found. Then he looked over at me, began reaching for my seat and I began to think "no way"...

...but yes! The ball had landed in my seat - I had in fact caught the foul ball (albeit with my derrierre but any catch will do!)

I think they might have won that game, or more likely lost that game that night. It doesn't really matter since I brought home the game ball!

~later, tw

Mutual of Omaha...

...got 'nuthin on the Weilers!

So after photo sorting, Dona and I retreated upstairs to my bedroom (or as we refer to it: Sweat Shop Central!) Dona was over by the windows ironing fabric and she says to me, hey, your bear is back.

So I run downstairs to the dining room window (where the bobcat had been just a few days before) to find Gentle Ben wandering in the backyard by the pond. It looked a lot like our visitor from a few years ago but MUCH BIGGER!

He nibbled on the bushes in the backyard and then headed along the side of the house to find the plum tree, which apparently was much more to his liking. I tiptoed out the front door to snap a few photos but I think we startled each other - I ran into the house and he ran down the driveway to escape each other.

The next afternoon he came back to the other side of the house and discovered our yardwaste/compost bin. No doubt so he wouldn't disturb Chris' sleep, he pulled the bin away from the house before tipping it over. He pulled out all the clippings that Gerry had put in the bin just that morning and dug down until he found the empty ice cream containers. Great! Just what we need - a bear with a sweet tooth!!!

~later, tw

Hello Kitty!

My sister (Dona) came down from Alaska to getting some sewing done, attend a family reunion of sorts and go thru large rubbermaid tubs of photos (our "inheritance" from our parents which I've been storing since 2004).

This project quickly took over my dining room as we opened up the bins, sorted thru photos and other memorabilia and shared stories and laughs. One late afternoon last week, I looked out the window on our backyard. I saw just the bit of stubby white tail as it went behind some bushes and thought maybe Chris had invited over one of his friends who has dogs. I was about to yell at him to make sure the dogs didn't tip over my precious container garden (why I try this each year is a mystery to both me and my hubby who usually winds up with watering duty!).

Just as I was about to yell, I saw the animal come back from behind the bushes. Not a dog... not a critter we see too often here before (although both Gerry & Chris swear they've seen it before), but certainly the largest bobcat I've ever seen that close up.

~later, tw