Kevin's Ramblings…

I had an early start yesterday, which is very typical for me. I was out of the hotel and picked up my kayak by 6:30am or so and at Denny’s for breakfast when they opened at 7am. Not bad, I can be motivated, when I want to be. More than anything, really, I wanted to get home. Over the past 2 weeks, I have spent just one night at home. I am sure my dogs missed being here and having their regular routine, I know I did.

I stopped at Costco on the way home, for gas. I went in as well, bought a few items. The trip home was uneventful, other than the huge line of slowish moving cars, trucks and SUVs heading south. I stopped at the butcher shop for bones for Blondie, Hera and Twix, they will enjoy those for sure.

Today’s task, before it gets too warm, is to assemble the new BBQ. I have never tried to assemble a BBQ, so I don’t know how hard or easy it is, but, I presume (and hope) that they make it pretty easy for people like me. I will give the dogs a bone each, that will keep them occupied.

I was supposed to go to an Okotoks Dawgs baseball game this afternoon, but we’ve decided to skip it. The temps are supposed to be in the mid 30’s and an afternoon game would have the sun beating down from right-center field. That doesn’t sound like much fun. Plus, I am sick of driving. I have driven all over Alberta and when I was on vacation, I drove all over Ontario. I want a break from driving, other than to the grocery store or to the lake with the dogs.

So, not much planned for today, I might utter some swear words when assembling my new BBQ. We’ll see. Enjoy your Sunday.

I was asked to umpire in the Tier 2 Babe Ruth Championship in Calgary on Thursday and Friday, if needed. Although it would mean putting the dogs back in boarding for a few days, and going back to Calgary for a few days, I accepted.

So, Thursday morning, I dropped the dogs off at Crowsnest Pet Care and headed to Calgary. I checked into my hotel shortly after 3 and had a nap before the 7 o’clock game. I was on the bases for the game. My partner was a bit late, we started at 715pm.

Both teams scored runs in the first, then the offensive production dried up for a bit. This is a double knockout tournament, so the visitors had to win Thursday and then again Friday to claim the Championship.

They won easily in Thursday night, clobbering the previously undefeated first place team forcing a winner take all Championship game on Friday night where I would be behind the plate.

On Friday, I met a friend from Coleman for breakfast in Cochrane. She was there on fire watch duty. We went to Smitty’s, it was great to catch up. I headed out to do some shopping, stopped by to check into some truck accessories, bought Weather Tech mats for the front, passed on the back mats, thus far I’ve never had passengers back there, other than the 4-legged variety. I went to Cross Iron Mills mall just north of Calgary. I helped the economy, shall we say.

Back to the hotel and another pregame nap. I got to the ball park just before 630pm for a 7pm start. It was a hot night, 34C at the start of the game.

The visitors opened the scoring early and often building up a good lead while there defense played sharp ball. The final was 11-6 for the underdogs, they completed their 2 game win for the Tier 2 championship. I thought it was a great game, my partner felt it was slow.

At any rate, that wraps up the summer season. It was a good summer of umpiring and I’m very glad I came back to it. Fall Ball is next, starts in a few weeks.

I’ll be heading home after breakfast today. I’m picking up my recently purchased kayak from friends, they’ve been storing it in their yard since before I went to Ontario. I’ll get home, unload the truck and then go and get my dogs, it’ll be a happy reunion, I’m sure.

My flight back to Alberta was uneventful. I suppose this is the way that we want all flights to be, isn’t it? We did hit some rough turbulence here and there but what can ya do? I watched two movies, The Shawshank Redemption, which I have seen numerous times and then The Truman Show. It killed the time quite well. The second movie ended just before we landed.

The plane was 45 minutes late leaving, so, of course, we were late arriving – that’s becoming a regular thing when I am flying it seems. I picked up my bag and contacted the place where my truck was parked to pick me up.

Retrieval of the truck was super-easy. It was ready and waiting for me when the shuttle got back to the lot. I headed for the hotel. I didn’t figure I would want to drive all the way home on Tuesday, so I booked the hotel that I have been using all summer while umpiring. I was able to check-in early and had a nap. Dinner was Denny’s and I went to bed at 10pm, intending on getting an early start Wednesday morning.

Well, I didn’t wake up until after 7am. I slept better and longer than I had in a LONG time. I had breakfast and headed out. I stopped at Costco in Okotoks for gas and thought that I would go in to get a vacuum sealer. Not only did I get that, but I spent nearly a thousand dollars in total. I purchased a Weber BBQ, I have always wanted a Weber. I will sell the BBQ that I currently have.

I headed home and went to get the dog – wow, were they ever happy to see me and I was equally happy to see them. I went to a new Chinese food place in town last night with a friend/neighbour – the food was beyond excellent. I will be back and often.

Today, rather tonight, I will be umpiring the Tier 2 Championship game for Babe Ruth in Calgary. It is a double-knockout tournament style, so if the unbeaten team loses, it goes to sudden death tomorrow and I am umpiring that game as well. Should be a good time for sure.

After that, I will be done umpiring until Fall Ball starts up in a few weeks. I am looking forward to some down time at the end of summer, time at the lake with the dogs and some evenings by the fire-pit. Sounds good to me.

I’m currently sitting in the airport, I’ve returned my rental truck, checked my bags in, passed through security, gotten a vanilla latte and thought, I should blog about my trip to Ontario.

It’s been a pretty busy 6 days.

I stayed in Calgary at the end of July to umpire a total of 5 games. One on Saturday morning for Babe Ruth and 2 more Saturday and 2 on Sunday for Baseball Alberta. The Saturday morning game was quite good, really well played. I then was able to check into my hotel early and take a break before driving East of Calgary for the 3pm and 6pm games. Those games were AA 18u. I figured it would be decent ball, I was wrong. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t as competitive as I figured it would be. I got back to the hotel by 9pm and ordered a pizza in. Sunday morning, I took advantage of the buffet breakfast at the hotel. Sunday, I drove down to Okotoks to umpire 2 15u AA games. The quality of ball was worse than the night before, however, the players seemed to enjoy themselves, so that’s what really matters.

Back to the hotel, cleaned myself up, it was a very hot and dusty day. I had a quiet evening, went to Denny’s for dinner.

I had an early start on Monday, per usual. No breakfast as it was a holiday, so the hotel restaurant was closed. I did some shopping. Bought a life jacket, a waterproof box for when I kayak and a replacement watch for the one that recently died. I also purchased myself a retro Astros jersey, #34, Nolan Ryan. It was a fairly expensive purchase, so, I said that the dogs bought it for me for my 50th birthday, even though I have no one to justify purchases to. Dinner was Denny’s, again, 3 meals in a row.

Tuesday was a relaxing morning. I stayed in bed and don’t check out of the hotel until just before noon. I killed time in the afternoon, I wasn’t meeting friends for dinner until 6. We had dinner at a new BBQ place in Calgary, it was great. They surprised me by buying me my dinner for my birthday. Thanks 🙂

I dropped off the truck at 9pm and they drove me to the airport. Check-in and security was a breeze. The flight to Toronto was delayed by 40 some minutes for whatever reason, but was otherwise uneventful. We landed late in Toronto, but that happens. I didn’t sleep much, just over an hour or so.

I had reserved a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited from Alamo. I got there just about 7am and provided my credit card and what not. When I went out to get my vehicle, the guy was sorry, but they didn’t have my Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I thought I was in the Seinfeld episode, “you know how to take the reservation, you don’t know how to hold the reservation”… I was offered a Rav 4. That’s a midsize SUV, so I asked if he’d be refunding me about $30 per day… I asked for a full size pick-up truck and got a Chevy Silverado. Not a bad truck, not as nice as mine at home though.

I made it to my aunt’s place by shortly after 8am. We headed out for our day at the Toronto Zoo. I was pushing her in her wheelchair, it was quite the workout. We stayed for about 3 hours, it was quite hot with humidity. We had an excellent dinner at Milestones. I slept well that night after not much sleep the night before. In the morning, I had a sandwich from Chick-fil-A, it was amazing. We walked to Hy’s Steakhouse for lunch, me pushing her wheelchair again. I left for Burlington around 4pm.

I met a former boss and her husband for dinner at The Keg. We had a great visit and excellent food. I stayed at the Motel 6 in Burlington with one of the softest beds I’ve ever slept on. Friday morning I met a friend at The Lancer in St. Catharines. The food was not very good unfortunately. The eggs were just weird, not sure what was up with them.

Lunch was with another friend (who knew I had so many?) and the pizza was excellent. I then headed to Kitchener to meet another former coworker, his wife and daughter. The meal at the smokehouse was great. I headed to St. Catharines with a pitstop in Stoney Creek at Costco.

Early Saturday, we all went out for a walk with my brother in law’s dogs. By 630am, it was already crazy hot and humid, I don’t miss that living in Alberta. I met a friend for breakfast at what we call The Greasy Spoon, actually Golden Grill, one of the best breakfasts around. I headed towards Peterborough to see a friend that I haven’t seen in 10 years or so. We had fun catching up. Saturday evening was spent at a friend’s place that I met in grade 7. She’s an excellent cool and Baker and the food was out of this world great. I didn’t get back to my brother in law’s place until after 2am.

I was taken back to the Greasy Spoon for my birthday on Sunday, another great breakfast. I did some running around, including getting stuff for my party. I was able to catch a nap before guests arrived.

My party was a success for sure. Had 20 people there, or so, everyone seemed to have a good time. I did as well, although I drank a bottle of ammerreto. I mixed it with OJ, so it was healthy. My last guest left around 10pm. I hit bed and immediately fell asleep (or passed out perhaps) and slept until 5. I got up and spent some time with my brother in law until he left for work at 6am. I went back to bed from 6am-9am and slept like the dead. I felt like a new person when I awoke up.

I headed for Oshawa for my last Ontario meal with a friend and former coworker, Red Lobster and Endless Shrimp was on the menu. We had a good tim catching up. I didn’t sleep well last night, unfortunately, and I’m drowsing off here while writing this. I’m now waiting until 930 when I can board my flight. My rental truck has been returned and all is well.

I’m hoping for an uneventful flight home. I’m staying in Calgary tonight, I knew I’d be tired so I booked a hotel.

It was a whirlwind trip, zoomed by. Always nice to visit, better when you go home maybe…

I have not been sleeping all that well at home lately, typically waking up early, 3/330 in the morning, that’s too early. What is it with hotels, I wake up even earlier. Yesterday it was just after 2am, same with today.

I went for a buffet breakfast in the hotel yesterday morning. Decent food, nothing to write home about though. I headed to Okotoks to umpire around 730. I stopped at Costco to fill up the truck. Bonus there, the gas is about 10 cents a liter cheaper and I get my 2% back on my Costco membership.

I got to the park plenty early. Got dressed for the plate. My partner was a young umpire, 15, like the players in the game. It was an uneventful game, ended after 2:40 due to time limit. Not great baseball by any means. It was hot as well for Alberta, temps in the low 30s…

I was on the bases for the second game with another very young and very green umpire. He did a decent job. The game ended in the top of the 5th inning with the home team ahead by more than 10 runs. It was dry like a desert, and sandy like one too. I couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel and have a shower. That’s a wrap in umpiring until Fall. I’m glad that I got back into it.

That leads me to this morning, awake shortly after 2am, too damn early. I see a nap in my future for sure. Nothing really on the agenda for the day. I plan on doing some shopping perhaps, that’s about it. I’m looking forward to heading East late tomorrow, well, get early Wednesday morning actually. It’s been 2 years since I’ve been back to Ontario, in sure to have a great time.

For any Canadians reading, enjoy the holiday today. Have a good week as well.

I got a call around noon on Friday from Costco Optical that my new sunglasses had arrived. I decided that I would pick them up on Friday as opposed to waiting until Tuesday and going all the way from Calgary to Lethbridge and back to get them. I made sure it was ok to drop the dogs off earlier than planned and it was. I’ll miss Blondie, Hera and Twix for the next 10 days for sure, but they’ll have a great time.

The drive to Lethbridge was uneventful. It took 1:20 to get to Lethbridge and then the final 3.9 kilometers took 42 minutes. Mayor McGrath Drive was insane and the lights along the way were so unsynchronized it was pure madness. The lineup for gas was at least 10 cars deep, so I didn’t fill up, not worth my time. I got my sunglasses, they are great and it was so nice not having scratches to look through. I had dinner with the neighbours and did last minute things for my trip on Friday evening.

Was up bright and early Saturday and left for Calgary at 650am. I umpired a great Babe Ruth game at 10. It was over at the time limit at 1230. I headed for my hotel and was able to check in early. It was nice being able to relax for a bit with my feet up.

I headed East of Calgary to a little town for my 18u double header. The weather was hot for Alberta, very hazy with lots of smoke in the sky. My plate game was good, surprisingly, I didn’t even get hit by any foul balls, a nice change. The second half of the double header was a quick, 1:45 game that ended in the mercy rule.

It was 35 minutes back to the hotel. I ordered a Domino’s pizza and it was delivered quickly, I tipped the driver well.

My schedule for today has been changed about 4 times, I’m now heading to Okotoks to umpire 15u ball at 9am and noon. Should be a good day.

Monday and Tuesday will be relaxing before I head to Ontario. Nothing really planned except dinner with friends Tuesday evening. I’m looking forward to that and my trip, of course.

Have a great Sunday.

Today is my last day at home for 10 days or so. I’m dropping the dogs off at boarding around 3. They’ll have a great time, as they always do. I’m hoping that my new sunglasses that I ordered from Costco arrive today. If they do, I’ll make a quick trip to Lethbridge. If they don’t, they’ll arrive Tuesday (more than likely) and if I want them prior to heading to Ontario, I’ll have to make a longer trip from Calgary to get them. We’ll see what happens.

Tonight I’m going to the neighbours for dinner. It’s good since I then won’t have leftovers. I need to clear out some perishable food in the fridge. Don’t want to come home to rotten stuff.

I had to Calgary tomorrow morning around 630 and umpire 3 games. I have an additional 2 games on Sunday then that’ll wrap up umpiring until Fall Ball in September.

I’m looking forward to heading East. It’s going to be a good time.

Enjoy the long weekend, to any Canadian readers anyway.

Just another week until my trip back to Ontario. I am greatly looking forward to it. Nothing much planned for this week. It is supposed to be warm, temps in the upper 20s, so I think the dogs and I will visit the lake a few times. I will enjoy the extra time with them as I won’t see them for 10 days or so when I am away. I know they will be well looked after though, so that’s good.

I drop them off on Friday evening. I umpire a double-header on Saturday for Baseball Alberta, which got changed over-night last night. I am now umpiring at 3pm in Strathmore, Alberta. Definitely, a bit out of the way for me, for sure. I umpire at 3pm and 6pm, so the evening game will be cooler anyway. I will have to see if I can check into my hotel before I leave for the first game, but it is doubtful I can check in by 1pm, we’ll see.

I am umpiring 18u on Saturday and 15u on Sunday. I have partners for both games anyway, so that’s good. I think next season I will likely stick with Babe Ruth baseball games. I know where the parks are and the pay is a bit better. I am also very familiar with the league.

I would like to try to do another World Series next year, if I can. I will have to see how things are then. It would be cool anyway.

So, back to this week. It’s an early start today, woke up just after 3am. As I said, not much planned, nothing really. At some point, I will have to go to Lethbridge to Costco to pick up my new prescription sunglasses. The ones that I have been using are getting old, are really scratched and the prescription is old – I don’t really think they are at all good for my eyes any more. At some point, I would like to send them to Oakley to get a new prescription put into them. They are the only ones who will do it.

Well, enjoy your week, I know I will enjoy mine. Gotta get stuff ready to travel back to Ontario. I have decided I will pay to check a bag at the airport for my trip. It’s going to be easier than trying to jam everything into a weekend bag. It will also give me some room in case I buy anything in Ontario and I always seem to buy something.

It’s been a quiet and relaxing week. I’ve spent time with the dogs, going to the lake, and have enjoyed some real down time.

For the first weekend this summer, I have nothing going on. I was going to umpire, as per usual, but no one was available to either look after my dogs nor let them out. I feel bad that I can’t help out with any games, but I’m not willing to leave the dogs for 10 or 11 hours and go to Calgary to umpire a double header. Going for a single game makes no sense either, I’d spend more in gas than I’d receive in a game fee.

So, today, we’ll go to the lake again. Nothing else planned, although I may go for breakfast.

This coming week will likely zoom by. Nothing really planned though. Friday, I will drop the dogs off at boarding and they’ll stay there until August 11. Saturday, I head to Calgary to umpire two double headers for Baseball Alberta. I’m umpiring 13u and 15u, should be fun.

I’m staying in Calgary until I fly out to Toronto on late Tuesday night. I’m taking the Red Eye to Toronto. I arrive just before 6am on Wednesday morning and have a rental vehicle to pick up. It’s going to be a busy and fun 6 days in Ontario. I’ll see some friends that I haven’t seen for 10+ years and others that I saw just 2 years ago on my last trip back to my home province.

I’ll be driving all over the place. From Peterborough to Kitchener to St. Catharines and points in between. My schedule is jam-packed. I’m really looking forward to my trip.

Well, it’s the weekend, hopefully you’ll enjoy yiurs, I’m sure I’ll enjoy mine.

I’ve had a slow few days, which is good. June and July have been relatively busy, relatively busy for a guy who’s not working that is. So, a couple of more down days is welcome. I have no umpiring this weekend either.

I was going to umpire 2 games on Saturday, but no one is available to look after my dogs at all. The people where they normally board are full. Crowsnest Pet Care is taking some well needed downtime and are going on vacation with their families. My neighbour is on vacation so she can’t let them out for me and my other neighbour is also away. If I was to umpire on Saturday, I would need to leave at 7am and would not get home until 6pm or so, this would be for a double-header. There is no way I want to leave the dogs for 11 hours. They’d be OK, other than a bathroom break, or two. So, I will skip umpiring this weekend.

I hope that the weather is nice, I will take the dogs down to the lake on the weekend. I am trying to get Blondie to actually swim. She is currently the world’s only non-swimming Lab. When she was a puppy, we were in Ontario and I didn’t want to take her to Lake Ontario as should would have grown a second and third head. When we got to Alberta, we’d go down to the Bow River but the current freaked her out so I think she developed some sort of fear of water.

We have plenty of lakes here that are great, no current and not overly deep. Island Lake, which is about 10km to the West of where we are is awesome. You can walk right in, steps away from the parking lot, it’s not deep so it warms up in the summer and there is absolutely no current. Wish me luck anyway, Blondie doesn’t take well to “new” things.

Today they head to doggie day care for the day to socialize with their dog friends. They have a great time and come home exhausted. It’s my day to run around, I have not decided what running around I need to do. I typically go to Lethbridge to Costco, but I don’t think I need anything. I am sure I will find something to do.

Enjoy your day.