Chapter 41 - Take Me Out to the Ball Game...

With good fun and old memories.

This won't be a big chapter but things are moving on and I want to take care of unfinished business before things get out of hand and we have another colossus chapter where it takes nearly a day and a half to trudge through it. Nope, can't have that...anymore.

And so we will focus, again, on a ball game. How that came about was rather innocuous and innocent. And, as usually happens, it involves my stomach...and its wants.

One day, a while ago, I had remarked to Carol about getting some hot dogs for dinner and she replied "Ummmmm, no." Ouch! I was sorta hankering for some questionable meat products wrapped up into a cylinder and covered with onions, relish, mustard and a warm bun. 

Then I learned that the only hot dogs she enjoyed and could wrestle down her craw were those sold only at ... Ta Da ... Baseball Games. Challenge accepted. Coincidently, there had appeared in my Yahoo in-box a Group-on Coupon for a Salem Volcanoes game package where you got two tickets, two hats and two $10 food coupons all for $40. Plus, the unspoken plus was we also got the chance to purchase and eat some Ball Park Hot Dogs. Done deal! I mean, c'mon, we got HATS, too!! 

But that adventure is still a bit ahead...let's go back just a bit beyond that and take our second trip to Kyllo's - at the beach.

I had $48 left on the gift card Carol and I had won for getting the most training done for Scouting. So we decided to drop by for lunch and burn the rest of the card.

And I tuned it down to the exact dime!! I mean, the two meals together were just $48. Hahaha, nailed it!! Except, of course, for the tip which I had forgot about. But, hey, you can't tip from the card so it all worked out.

Feeling extravagant and ready for a challenge, I ordered this monster, The D River Burger!!

Grass Fed Oregon Beef, Baby!!

Ok, I know you believe I could easily handle this monster plus dessert but, I didn't. No, I took off one of the burgers and just ate the regular sized hamburger. Hahaha, those days of gross over-eating have been over for me for some time now. I chickened out and took the second burger home and ate it alter.

And, yeah, it was pretty good.

Carol went for the usual and got herself some Fish 'N Chips. There are times when you just don't mess with tradition.

It was a great way to spend a lazy afternoon. Eating good and looking out at the ocean.

In an on-going effort to downsize my life, I decided it was time to clean out, partially, my dresser drawers. And one of the things I decided I could live without since I haven't had it out of the dresser in over a year, was the Nikon Coolpix AW130 Camera.

It's a pretty neat camera as it can withstand shocks, extreme cold and go down to 30m under the water. I had got it to use when I was kayaking but since I downsized a long time ago and got rid of the kayaks well, you can see where this is going.

So I packed it up along with all the little doodads I bought to go with it and shipped the whole thing off to Michelle. She's got the kayaks and so I figured she might as well have the camera, too. Plus I am expecting Chris or Matt to put it to some good use.

I got a floating handheld monopod for it plus a yellow floatation device that I could hook to the strap of the camera. I kept my keys in the watertight box and tied them both to the kayak. Hahaha, I was a little paranoid about losing the whole shebang in deep water.

And now I have more room in my dresser drawer.

The first game we went to was to a Salem-Kizer Volcanoes game. They're a Single-A team with a semi-decent stadium. This next game was quite different.

The Portland Pickles are a collegiate wood bat baseball team founded in 2015 and based in Portland, Oregon. They are charter members of the Great West League and play their home games at Walker Stadium in Portland's Lents Park.  The Pickles are all about FUN and are recognized for presenting one of the best entertainment packages in the Portland area.  Pickles baseball is a really affordable family entertainment.  The Pickles offer special discounts to groups and fund raising opportunities for organizations throughout the community.

The Great West League is one of the premier summer collegiate wood-bat leagues in North America. The league  provides a professional, minor league-like atmosphere for top college players seeking professional baseball careers. And they also, more importantly for the fans, provide affordable family entertainment that enriches the quality of life in its member communities.

We found us some good parking and then saw this, our first view of Walker Stadium. Nice looking park. It wasn't designed to host a semi-pro team but they've done a good job of adapting and they have plenty of tents selling food, beer and souvenirs.

We were there for the BIG game...the Portland Pickles vs. the Yuba City Bears.

I first heard of the Pickles on Groupon. They advertised a deal where for $40 you got four tickets, four caps and four $5 gift cards at Burgerville.

Woo, hoo!! Can Do!! It was a terrific deal and so I grabbed it up and then invited Kathy and Kent to come along with us for the game.

But it was HOT!! Way too hot!! Kathy was dressed for the heat, though.

The highlight of the game for me was when Dillon the Pickle came into the stands and i got to take a picture with him!!

Hahaha, you rock, Dillon!!

And then he went on to schmooze with some of the other fans.

The caps they gave us are really nice. They're one-size fits all but they're made of cloth...much better than I expected them to be.

Batter up and the game was on!!

And for such a small operation they had a pretty lively crowd there for the game. Lots of beer, peanuts and hot dogs were sold this evening.

Every so often I get into a picture and, unbeknownst to me, Kathy was down at the end photo-bombing like a son-of-a-gun!!

Hahahaha, good one!!

The second highlight was when a Pickle knocked one over the fence with the bases loaded!! Not too often you get to see a Grand Slam in any game and we got one tonight.

The Pickles went on to win, 14-8. They pretty much controlled the whole game.

And now my THIRD highlight of the evening!! I got myself a Dillon the Pickle Limited Edition Collectible Bobblehead!!

Hahaha, not too many folks can say they own one of these.

I enjoyed everything about the game except sitting in the bleachers and the drive back to LCO.

My sciatica is working on me again and sitting there started to play havoc with my leg. I finally had to go and stand up to watch the game. Then the heat was so oppressive for Carol that we decided to leave after the fifth inning.

But it was fun while it lasted.

But back to LCO where even the hot days are still cooler than they are in the valley. I sometimes feel for these folks who come down here and pay these exorbitant rates to stay by the beach. It always feels too cool for me, the ocean is way unfriendly and the skies aren't always that blue. Still the folks come. Like these folks walking back from the beach.

And me, I'm playing with the compression effect of the long lens and the road stretching off into the distance. Hahaha, two of my favorites. I'm surprised I didn't do these pictures in B&W and combine all three of my favorites into one picture.

I like the composition. The pattern of the light reflected off the windows of the cars and then the road leading off into the distance. It is a concept I'll explore many, many, many more times, I'm sure.

Carol's lived at the Dorchester House (DH) for over a year now. She's had a small apartment but now she's moving on up to the third floor. See the one lone window in that wall near the center? That's her ocean-view window. She's got a larger two-room apartment now. I'm so happy for her.

Unfortunately she won't be able to move in until the end of September. The lone handy-man has other more immediate priorities he must take care of before he finishes getting Carol's apartment done.

But, soon!!

On one of my walks there was this bright red apple sitting alone on top of a gray stone set in a yard. Just an apple...sitting there on top of the stone.

Odd.

And I got a picture. I want to be able to make something of it but even in B&W it is still a dull picture. Yet it still draws my attention.

Hahaha, why?

Sharon and Jake stopped by the other day while Carol and I were sitting out on the bluff enjoying the light breeze (what a miracle that was!!) and watching the waves roll in and then roll out again.

Big Jake has his share of troubles. Bad breeding has left him nearly crippled and with plenty of other health issues. Sharon takes in rescue dogs like him and tend to them while they're here. He's a lovable guy.

Another couple weeks and I haven't hurt anyone...I don't think. So I guess I'm doing OK. Trying, at any rate, to exist on my own terms without being a burden or a nuisance to anyone. And, maybe, I'm making it.

It's serious business this down-sizing of my life. My Mom and Dad did a lot of this unpleasant business for us kids before they passed and it made a big difference. 

I helped my Mom by cleaning out Dad's things after he passed. It was horrible...I kept feeling like I was erasing his life. There wasn't much and that, too, bothered me because my Dad deserved more. Deserved to leave more...be remembered more. I don't know. I kept my mouth shut and did my duty as best I could and helped Mom through this tough period but it was terrible for me.

So I'm trying to erase my life as much as I can before anyone else has to do it. My little gift. Hahaha, it's not pleasant but I'd rather do it than have one of my kids have to do it.

And so, I'm looking for things to let go of...I'm afraid I'll still have a pile of nonsense and trash left, though. Hahaha, I am a pack-rat at heart.

But, as inoffensively as I can, I try to exist on my own terms.