Beach Trip, etc,

Beach trip was pretty uneventful…Anna and Matthew both wanted to hang out in the deeper waves this year, so I spent a lot of time in the water. Matthew was too weak to make it past the waves. A cousin who had just graduated from high school get into a fight at 2 am one morning…didn’t get much help from his two cousins that were with him. We drove back Friday night. Heard WSB broadcasting from the Avenue East Cobb Borders.

Will got a Wii game system. The first day I didn’t think I’d ever play it, but now I’m hooked. Even Ceil has been playing. Will got The Bigs, the MLB game…though I’m not overly impressed. It’s not hard to hit nine home runs in ten pitches in the HR derby, though Will may have it on the beginning level. All the home runs go to centerfield. While playing a game, most of the balls hit are line drives…either caught by the 2B or SS, or gappers that rattle off the wall. All the outfielders then fling the ball on a line to third or home…in the air (but then Johnny Damon bounced one to third, so maybe it is accurate!). There are only a few ‘body types’ on the players…Francoeur and McCann are too muscular!

When I was a kid my grandmother had moved down North Stratford...her across the street neighbor was SPdL member Mr. Key. My grandmother wasa charter member at Peachtree Presbyterian. I think she went to aschool that later was renamed Westminster. My grandmother's nephew John Jr was the model for the Mark Trail comic strip. The Atlanta Steeplechase was held at John Jr's farm for years...first at what isnow Roswell's Horseshoe Bend, then up just south of Cumming. "Uncle John" has been in ill health this last year. I'd always been most interested in living in Atlanta in the pre-1970days. I guess I never went to Ponce de Leon Park, just blocks away fromwhere my dad lived in high school (and my Greenwood Ave college apartment).

My mom went to North Fulton and grew up at the corner of Peachtree Road and North Stratford Road, where the Christian Science Church was, near Magianono’s and 400 are today. My dad moved to town in time to go to Grady High.

Glad to be out of town when the Vick indictment came out. I’m also getting addicted to the Wii golf game.

Ceil is taking the kids back to SC for her dad's Wednesday hip replacement surgery. Not too much piled up here at work, but I haven’t checked everything. It’ll keep me busy for a few days. Ceil got Matthew’s long hair cut while she was out running errands…supposedly he got butchered pretty bad.

We’re hitting August, our tough financial month at home. School tuitions, lab and book fees, baseball registration fees, car tag tax due, etc. Took the van Saturday to get the emissions test, thinking it would pass…it didn’t. Evidentially the ‘check engine’ light doesn’t work any more. Oxygen sensor…same problem as last year. Ceil is taking the Civic to SC, so yesterday I checked the tires…knowing they needed to be replaced. While I was getting new ones put on I saw PBS was airing Ken Burns; Baseball series, so I watched more of that when I got home.

Interesting the number of hands that were raised yesterday when Andy asked (on video) how many had dreams that were never realized.

Saturday morning I thought Will’s teammates were practicing baseball, but no one else showed. I forgot my bucket, so I pitched Will BP in the cage with the two balls he had in his bag. He hit a bunch, and just after I encouraged him to swing harder he lined one back at me…hitting me just above my left bicep…now I have a huge bruise.

Some were hoping that Julio would take Woodward's place on the roster, but instead Julio took one of the 13 pitcher's place. At least Woodward can play all four infield positions. Some think Julio might coach forthe Braves after he retires, becoming the next Pendleton or Eddie Perez- perhaps even eventually replacing Cox himself. Thorman has more pop than Julio, though Salty should be playing first most games. Don’t know if Julio is the answer at first base…some think he’ll be stepping on Pendleton’s toes. Didn’t get to watch the Braves much at the beach, as they didn’t have Sports South.