I am bargain-hunter, hear me roar! I rode along with La Petite while she was in search of a specific summer sweater that might be on clearance. I did not plan to buy anything for myself. Then I found this — and had to buy it. Frankly, if I wear it once I will get my money’s worth.
>While Da Boys were gone, La Petite and I set a goal: to avoid cooking as long as possible. Many of you can identify, I’m sure — only two of us at home, laid back atmosphere, no schedule to keep, yadayadayada…Here’s our progress report.
Tuesday: Dropped off the boys at the airport. Breakfast was toast and coffee, lunch leftovers, and for an early supper we went to the chicken wing place because it was Tuesday, and wings were cheap. Mmmm. I could be talked into doing that again.
Wednesday: bkfst simple, ran errands all morning, lunch: tried out the new sub sandwich. Again, Mmmm. We shared a twelve inch because it was cheaper than buying 2 six inchers. So far, not only are we avoiding cooking, we’re also finding bargains! I can live with that. Supper? good thing we had all kinds of leftovers in the fridge.
Thursday: Bkfst and lunch similar to Tuesday. Early supper at the bagel shop. Bought a half dozen to tide us over for the next few days’ breakfasts and maybe even lunches.
Friday: does it count if I made tuna salad? The tuna salad sandwich at the sub shop was so good we wanted to make them at home. It took no microwave or stove action, just draining the tuna and adding a few goodies and a scoop of mayo, so it isn’t really cooking. With a scoop on a slice of white flaxseed bread (from the Amish baker at the farmers’ market), we have a delicious sandwich — while still keeping to our goal.
Saturday: finished off the bagels. Picked up Da Boys at the end of their trip. Drive-throughs are useful (in moderation), so one more time we avoided cooking.
Success! I wonder what our goals will be next time the boys are away?
>It’s a typical summer evening, and we’re headed to a Little League baseball game. But this one isn’t typical Little League; it’s a Challenger League game, and all of the players have disabilities.
Disabilities range from vision or hearing impairments to cognitive disabilities (such as Down’s syndrome) to children in wheelchairs for a variety of reasons. Some can walk but not run. Some can throw a ball but not catch it. Some can hit a slowly pitched ball, and some need to use a tee. A few need their parents to help them bat because their coordination and muscle tone is very weak. Somehow, some way, each child on these two teams will hit the ball and round the bases. No one worries about labels or diagnoses; they just play.
The understanding of the game varies, too. Some team members know the game well and follow Major League Baseball or the local Minor League team. A few compete in Special Olympics. Some have limited understanding, but gosh, they put a total effort into their play. One boy knows that the infielders often tag runners, but he doesn’t fully understand why or even know he needs to tag them with the ball, so he tags every runner that runs, walks, or wheels past him. “Tag, you’re it!” One player will run after the ball whenever it comes near him – even if he’s up to bat. One girl likes to stop half way between bases to clap her hands and say, “Yay!” One thing is certain; No one strikes out. Every player “scores”. The last batter in each line-up gets a home run to make sure each child crosses home plate. And yes, the crowd of parents, grandparents, and siblings, cheers wildly for every run.
A local sponsor made sure the path to the field was paved to accommodate wheelchairs. Both teams wear official Little League uniform shirts and caps because local sponsors know how important it is to be outfitted properly.
The rules of the game might be modified, but the sights and sounds are the same as any childhood baseball game. The crack of the bat, the running feet, the cheering from the field and the bleachers, the smell of sweat, the dusty shoes, are all there. And the grins — the players are all grinning through the entire game. These kids love to play, and it shows.