The 43

I tackled the garage today. It tackled back. I had been planning on clearing out the garage -- taking everything out, reorganizing, throwing some stuff out -- for a few weeks now, and today seemed like the best opportunity. I took Popcorn on a hike on the dog trail this morning, then ate lunch and started the job. Four hours and a cut finger (achieved while taking the kid pedal trailer off Lori's bike), I was finished. And exhausted. Ben and I went to Walmart for some things, and I took the dog for another walk after the NBA Finals Game 2 completed (Heat beat Spurs -- boo). And now I'm blogging outside and it's getting a little chilly. Going to wrap this up and get a good night's sleep in preparation for a busy week ahead.

Baseball season ended today, but let's get the rest of the day out of the way first. I had a hell of a time trying to grill today. The new propane tank I bought didn't work, then the meat thermometer gave me a minor false reading and I had to put the steaks and chicken back on the grill. The T-bones at least turned out well (I can't speak for the chicken). We played the board game Dominion tonight as a family (I won, but just barely!) and then I got a bit lazy, only managing to take the dog around the block (she had been at Ben's baseball game and got enough outside time then). Now for baseball. Three years ago, in Michael's first season of machine pitch, Ben would be don a helmet and be a runner during fielding practice. One day, he asked if he could get in the batter's box and try hitting a pitch. On the second ball, he amazingly hit it. Not far, but he got his bat on it. At another practice, he did it again at age 5. He played t-ball that summer and would...

Michael's last baseball game of the season was tonight. The Giants had reached the championship game and were playing a team that was undefeated. Even as an assistant coach I was antsy about this game for a couple days. We had played the Sharks tough the last time, and I wanted our kids to not get blown out in the last game of the year. The Giants didn't win. But, oh, we were so close. We lost 7-6, giving the Sharks their toughest game of the year after we probably gave them their previous toughest in the other loss. We actually led 6-5 at one point -- which was the first time the Sharks had trailed outside the top of the first inning all season -- but a bad bounce here, a unfortunate dribbler there, and we lost by one run. Michael contributed to making this game close, doubling in two runs and stealing home. The Giants finished 12-4 for second place -- an amazing achievement in a 12-team league. One more baseball game to go: Ben's last game is tomorrow. There's not...

Today was another busy day, but instead of running errands, we cemented the rest of the summer. Our vacation in July is now set, and the boys are registered for soccer (both for the fall, Ben for a camp as well). I completed some online errands, too -- ordering some phone accessories and furnace filters. I have this yellow sticky on my laptop that was full of tasks, and it got a lot smaller today. I'm looking forward to it being blank. Again, this feels like a transition week into the meaty part of summer. Though it was a good day, I'm ready for more fun.

Kind of a busy Wednesday. I had many errands to run, including getting new tires for the Outback. In the afternoon, I worked on the lawn, putting some EZ Seed on a large bare spot with the hope that some grass will actually grow this summer. Ben had a baseball game in the evening. The day went by quickly, and after a long walk with the dog, I was exhausted. I really just want to get through this week.

At my sons' school, the last day before summer vacation is just like many other schools' last day -- a little celebration of the completed year. At Open Classroom, it's even more of a party: The kids gets individualized awards for their contributions to the class, there's a brunch in every room, and parents can take their children home earlier than the already earlier dismissal time. My grade school, St. Eugene, was similar, except we finished with Mass and got our report cards. We were free, and it was awesome. My boys didn't seem as excited today. Ben was sad because one of his friends -- the only one he's been a classmate of all three years at the OC -- is moving this summer to Washington. Michael was mellow, too, though not sad: When we went to pick him up (his class did awards before Ben's), he was sitting with his friend Hazel, who gave him a big hug goodbye and said to call her (but don't call her his girlfriend -- he got so mad when I even impl...

The boys swam a practice, intrasquad meet tonight -- a tuneup before the season starts next week. Michael swam OK -- you could tell he needs to get more laps under his belt because the endurance just isn't there yet. For example, the first 25 of his 50 breaststroke was fast, but then he tired out on the second half. Ben swam fast but got tripped up by technical details. He didn't take enough strokes after seeing the flag on his backstroke (his arm also hit the lane line); he forgot to touch the wall with two hands on the breaststroke and butterfly; he performed a flip turn too soon on his 50 free and wasn't near the wall when he was done. That said, every time he got tonight was a PR over last season. Once he figures out the mechanics, he's going to be cruising. :Lori and I enjoyed a nice lunch at Sea Salt. We are vowing that will be our last time out to eat until vacation in July. I helped time the swim meet, so I only took Popcorn for about a 2-mile walk after we go...