Softball and Storms

Friday, Kim and I, along with the rest of the Southside Teamworx softball team were back on the diamond. When we arrived Coach Hooper says "Dee, can you pitch?" "Absolutely coach, whatever I can do to help!" Innings one and two went well. 1 run and a strike out... then they figured me out. Inning three saw me allow three runs, but we were still in it at 4-2. The fourth inning, the wheels fell off. I allowed 8 runs to end the game in a 12-2 run-rule. The most devastating was the home run I gave up. It was a monumental shot. After the game, JD ran up to me and excitedly said "Dad, Dad, that guy that hit the home run... he hit it clear over that road back there. He hit it really far!" Thanks son, you really know how to make your old man feel good.

Sunday we spent the afternoon and early evening at Kanopolis Lake, in the Yankee Run area on the west side. It was a nice day, we caught a few fish, cooked out, had smores, and visited with Linda and Andrew. Around 5:30 we got a call that Ellsworth County was under a Tornado Warning. We packed up while JD sat in the car in the fetal position -- he is a baby when it comes to storms. As we left I monitored the situation on KSAL. We headed south from Yankee Run, as we listened to developing reports of 'possible' tornadic storms from Salina back west. We hung to the south of them as we headed toward Ellsworth, taking dirt roads west accross the county always leaving an exit to the south if needed. At one point we stopped to watch the clouds before heading north. At that point Kaylee started freaking out and JD (honest to God) became a comforter. Rising above his fears to console his little sister. "It's OK, Sis. We'll be fine. The storms are a long ways off. Do you need to hold my hand?" I think he may have matured just a little there...

D