"Winds"day

Today is "Winds"day here in North Dakota! Actually, nearly every day is "Winds"day here! We're hoping for some much needed rain here. We have a burn ban in effect here, which means technically we can't even use our charcoal grill! (However, we're not going out to buy a gas one!)

Last night I attended a Parent's meeting for the Bismarck Youth Baseball program. I think our baseball experience is going to be greatly improved over last years' fiasco! They seem to be really organized and know what's going on. They are desperately needing umpires, and apparently some of the umpires they've had for many years quit last year because of the rude behavior of parents. (This is a completely volunteer program by the way) They have adopted a "No tolerance" rule this year. If anyone is riding the umpires for any reason, they will get 1 warning. The next time they are escorted out of the game along with the child playing ball AND every family member or friend that might be there watching this child play! Then, if the family won't leave, they will make them forfeit the game and everyone will have to leave the diamond! I think that is a great idea. I remember back when I was playing high school basketball and some of the parents that knew way more than the referees did. I would have LOVED to seen some of them get kicked out of the game, along with everyone else that was there for that particular player! We probably would have had a fairly empty gym? Anyway, hopefully this will prevent ANYONE from treating the umpires badly. Gage will be playing on the Angels team and Scott is coaching and there are 4 or 5 other parents that will be helping as well as a bench coach (to make sure no one gets whacked in the head with a bat, and keep the kids lined up and ready to bat), 2 parents will be in the outfield teaching the kids on what they are supposed to be doing, there will be a 1st and 3rd base coach and someone pitching when necessary and someone behind the plate. Gage is excited about playing again this year, and so are we. I wouldn't mind helping the kids in the outfield. I played left field my 8th grade summer going into high school, then pretty much played shortstop the rest of my playing days. The past few years I have played on a slow pitch softball team and I have moved back into left field and I love it out there! (Mostly I think because I'm halfway scared of the ball and taking a bad hop in the infield) Anyway, you get alot of action in the outfield and I love catching fly balls. I won't be playing this year because I thought I was going to be having my 2nd mouth surgery this spring, which isn't happening now until late summer/fall, and it's too late to play since the season has already started. Maybe next year? We are signed up to play on our church's volleyball team in the church league this summer, so that should keep me busy, along with all of Gage's baseball games.

Not too much going on here today, so nothing too exciting to blog about.