Screen Baseball

After our buddy got back from his trip in Africa, we wanted to meet up.  I thought that the baseball thing was his idea, but it was really another friend's idea.  We ended up with a goat rodeo on the local phone chat, but in the end we all met up at a pub, then wandered over to the baseball place.

The kids liked it well enough and we all were pretty excited about it.  Any time something happened in our game, it was like a real sport with everyone getting pretty excited and cheering.  I said it then, and I repeat it now; "It beats the shit out of screen golf."

We wanted another go, but the place was booked out.  So we split up and 4 of us went to the local bar to see an old friend who had his birthday in full swing.  I met a bunch of local people that I haven't seen for a long time, since I don't get out to the bar too often...but I like it that way.  I tried a shot called Bazooka Joe, remembering the gum, and it was pretty fun.  It was like candy.  I also stuck with the ale for the night.

Today, I met one of the guys to see Glass.  I was pretty impressed with what M. Night Shayamalan was able to not only think up, but to produce, film and bring through post.  I was pretty happy to get away from the chaos of the boys and the preoccupation of Danger.  We got bad intel. on the restaurant, but ended up at an interesting Japanese Ramen place.  Also, since the Blue Jays signed a Korean guy, they are selling Blue Jays hats for a good price.  I got one....again.  I think in my life I have owned and lost about 5 jays hats over the years.  Time for another go.

Turkeys and Toast

I am out at the local hill, teaching the oldest one to get ready for alpine ski racing.  It's something I enjoyed as a kid and what else am I going to pass on to him?  Soccer is cheap; I'm shit at soccer.  Alpine skiing is expensive, but it's what I'm good at, and what makes me happy.  I decided that since the missus is pulling in that second income that was missing while she raised the littlest one, I can forget extra classes in the winter holiday and start family classes of what has already become an edict, "No stright-liing - if you want to go fast get on those rails!" (It makes sense if you're a skier).

The hill that lets us get to the hill and back in time for afternoon obligations is close, but not a minimal hill.  so the young people who have come up there with no park, and elitism in racing (those douche-bags...but what alpine racer at a public hill isn't a douche?), the only option is either carving trenches in the black runs, or butters on a snowboard on the blues all day long.

There is even a local fashion.  A wild racing board, but with extreme angles with free-ride bindings and boots for the black and blue runs.  And, I shit you not, Adidas track pants and skinny alpine ski pants for the serious snowboard butterer.   The amplitude is not too impressive, but I suspect that these guys who get dropped off by their moms in the morning, and spend 7 hours doing, they are gong to get the flick in, and get some height.

Anyway, my winter is slamming around a hill with some decent pitches that aren't long enough to get to speed while turning.  You can pole for the life of you and straight it, and get to speed, but then you're carving into the transition.  The face itself is short.  So perfect for the little guy (6-years old) to learn how to run rails on the face of a windy, icy face.  I must admit that I feel like I am at work, as he gets faster, I say "Give 'Er" a lot, since I want the skiing to get up to speed,  Why did we even buy good equipment and a good helmet for anyway, right?

The whole reason for the title of Turkeys and Toast, is that the local kid, dropped in the morning and picked in the evening has only two options: butter, or carve.  So the nick-name, butter your toast or carve your turkey --> Turkeys and Toast.