Batta Batta Swing and Other Tales from the Desert

My Dad is a huge baseball fan and on Saturday he got to take Addie to her very first game. He warned me that if you haven't been to a spring training game before, you'll be hooked. Sure enough, I'd be up for a White Sox vs Diamondbacks game in Tucson anytime. You get to sit right on the field and eat delicious El Charro quesadillas. We all were expecting to take turns walking Addie around the concourse, but instead she sat happily with us or on the dirty cement floor trying to pick up scraps of peanut shells and mustard packets. She even learned how to clap this past weekend and put her new skill to good use. Going to Astros games with my Dad as a kid is one of my fondest memories. We'd drive home from the Astrodome with the moon roof open and I'd put the seat back all the way and stare up at the stars.

Dad also got to have a serious talk with Addie about her future, college choice, career path.

You know, Grandfatherly advice.

And no vacation would be complete without some pool time. I can't wait for this coming weekend in Palm Springs where we'll be splashing around in between matches at the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament. I can't wait because my bestest college buddy Doug gets to meet Addie, and I get to see Andy Roddick.

And back to some desert rock exchange. We had hoped to go stalk quail in the Javelina picnic area but they were scarce. I did spot a giant jack rabbit so big I thought it was a small deer. So where were all the birds? Good thing GranJanne taught Addie how to activate the bird songs book so we could enjoy the call of a Cooper's Hawk indoors at least. I read in one of my bird nerd books that the sound of a mourning dove sounds like "who cooks for you." So true and who does cook for me? Trader Joe's I think. I certainly don't.

GranJanne, Grandpa Mit, Great Grandma Vede, Pop Pop and Nana - giant hugs and some slobbery rubber ducky love from Addie!