What would Jimmy Dugan say?

(Good thing she plays softball).

As I said earlier, Solae is playing softball again this year. She played last year, but this year has been so much better. Well, not weather wise, but everything else wise. The weather this year has sucked (for the most part) on a whole other level. In all fairness though, it's not just the softball season that's been affected by this weather. If we're being honest, most things have been affected by it. Mostly, I've had to redo a shit ton of yard work. Because hail. So there's that.

Aside from that though, the kid has had a pretty good season. They've lost a couple of games, but to me, that's just a part of learning how to deal with "the game." They're still young and learning the parts that they excel the most in. Solae seems to be a great catcher to me (but she hates it, so she won't attempt to "hone her skills" as one would say), she enjoys being on first base, but the coach usually ends up putting her on third.

This past Friday their team had a game on the "fancy field" (it has lights and they announce their names like an actual pro game) at eight o'clock. And I know what you're thinking, and you're correct in that thinking, I totally didn't want to be out that late on a Friday night (because I like my house and hate people), but we all piled up and went anyway.

And it was cold, and rainy (Shantel was freezing us all by being in a teeny tiny dress that looked more like a cute bikini cover to me), and miserable, but she was beyond excited and they played one hell of a game. They ended up scoring and winning a total of 20-9. They would have won by more than that, but the coaches insisted on playing one last inning so their team had a chance to "catch up" and "win." And most of the girls were immediately cocky and I had to knock them down a couple of pegs by telling them to quit strutting around, because that other team could very well beat the snot out of them with a whole other inning. And once the other team made a run, they got serious.

But Momma and I rode home with Aunt Poot (we rode to the game with Aunt Mary), and she stopped and we got Taco Bell for supper, so I ask you- who's the real winner here?! That would be me. 

Opening Day.

(No, I didn't join an athletic team).

This past Saturday was Solaes first official softball game. You know, the first one from this season. She's no longer playing at the field that she did last year (thank everything that is holy, because that place sucked), but instead has joined a new league. And her team name? The Kentucky Wildcats. I know, I never would've guessed that would happen either.

Read here for more Softball escapades. 

But she seems very happy with her decision and is enjoying the game a lot more this season. I think it's mostly, because she's more comfortable and confident this go around. I can't believe that she's growing up so fast. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was carrying her around and I was slipping her candy (don't tell her mother). And now, she's twelve and completely outgrew me at least 2.5 years ago. TWELVE. Luckily for her, she can still look at me with those big ole cow eyes of hers and she usually gets what she wants just like she did when she was little.

The games are supposed to last around 1 hour and 45 minutes (according to what her mother told us last night) and in that time she managed to make a few good plays, she seems to be friends with a couple of her teammates, and she slid into home base!! You might not think that's a big deal considering a lot of people slide in softball/baseball, but trust me when I say that her doing it is a big deal.

Her team brought home the win: 17-10. And let me tell you, she couldn't have been happier. The only thing that bothered her was the fact that she made one swing that was so low to the ground it looked like they were trying to play kickball or something. But she of course missed (shitty pitch) and her mother got all up in her grill about it.

Don't worry, when we got into the truck, I made sure to tell her that she is still new to all of this (the people from the softball season last year didn't teach anybody anything; they really do suck), and shit happens. She'll have another chance, even the greats have swung at pitches that they shouldn't have and they're just fine. It happens. She seemed to feel much better after our talk, and she hugged me extremely tight. I didn't mind.

Her mother also got hit in the head/face with a softball and nobody even bothered to shout out a "heads up" or "sorry." I think that might be part of the reason that she was so grumpy. That, and the fact she had to work in the concession stand for two hours. And it's not like they tricked or anything, it's just that each child has to have one person work the concession stand for them for two hours or they get benched the next game (that is totally unfair). She kept trying to talk me into doing it, but I told her it wasn't going to kill her or anything, she was going to be perfectly fine. I don't think she believed me though, because she mean mugged me and  told me I sucked. I'm good with it though.

She's supposed to have her second game tonight, but with all of this rain, I don't know if that is going to happen. It's been coming down since at least two this morning and is supposed to keep on all day/ evening. I guess we shall see. Wish us (mostly her) luck.   

What I learned from going to Solae's softball game.

Wednesday night was Solae's first softball game of the season. And I would like to say that I learned multiple things about the sport (which, I learned one or two that I didn't), but in all actuality I learned more about the people that surround the sport. Who knew that little girl fast pitch was full of crazies? And I'm talking the parents, not the kids.

What I learned:

• Coaches that are also the mother of one of the girls on the team are bat crap crazy!! Seriously, they just yell, scream and act a fool. I guess it's true, bitches really do be trippin.
• We are definitely "that" family. You know the one that yells, hoops, hollers and is convinced that their kid is the best player out there on the field? Yeah, we're definitely that family. And I might be head of the clan on that one.
• Not everyone should be allowed to be an umpire. Say what you will, but that guy really didn't have a clue what was going on. He wandered around, looked everywhere except where the ball was at and called fouls when they were clearly strikes. 
• Prices are completely ridiculous at those types of events. Do you know those little bags of chips that end up having like five chips and some crumbs in the bag? Do you know how much they were? One dollar. One dollar for five chips and some crumbs. I call bullshit. 
• No matter how much they try not to and no matter how good they are at sports, some girls are truly just meant to "run like a girl".

A little of this. A little of that.

I actually fixed my hair this morning. And while that doesn't seem all that big of a deal, it kind of is. And not because of any other reason than the fact that I haven't fixed my hair to come to work (or on weekends) in weeks. Don't get me wrong I brush it and pull it back, with it not always looking so hot. And the only reason is just because I didn't want to do anything with it. I haven't wanted to blow-dry it at night, therefore it's impossible to do in the morning. You know, compared to all of the other times that it's impossible.

You see, I have naturally wavy/curly hair and without the proper tools things can go awry fairly quickly. Fortunately for me my hair is about to the middle of my back, so pulling it back after letting it dry naturally has gotten much easier over the past few years. I also thank the fact of working in a nursing home for a long while, because you just learn ways to keep it out of your face. Enough about my hair, it's not even that big of a deal, I just thought the world should know for some odd reason.

^^^^^ I sent Momma this picture early this morning with the caption- 'I'm practicing my "I'm smiling, but I secretly want to punch you in the throat" face for today. Wish me luck.' It's a good thing she finds me amusing. For some reason.

Tonight her and I are going to Solae's first Softball game. It was supposed to be this past Saturday, but the weather was horrible and the game was rescheduled for tonight at six. Her teams (and I'm assuming many other teams) parade to kick off the season is this coming Saturday. Um, had someone told me that you got a parade when you played Softball, I might have looked into playing it growing up. Just putting that one out there.

Also, Momma went to a specialist for her 'Frankenfoot' yesterday. Apparently, the whole reason that it's like it is, is because she has something called 'charcot' foot. And she somehow got a hairline fracture (we're assuming it had something to do with her arthritis weakening her bones) straight across her foot and because of her neuropathy she couldn't feel it break, only that it was hurting. But when the swelling started and we initially took her to the doctor, her podiatrist ordered x-rays and then proceeded to completely miss the fact that her foot was broken in half. (No wonder she's been in so much pain with it! P.s. She's not going back to him). It's too far along to cast and they can't do surgery to repair it, because apparently the bones in between are the consistency of jelly. So, they ordered her a special boot and we have our orders. As long as it helps and she gets to feeling better, I'm all for it.

My brother has come up and spent the last two weekends with us and he's supposed to come up tomorrow night and spend until Sunday evening again. I know Momma really enjoys having him around and I like it when he's there too. As long as he's not being an ass (which he hasn't been as of late) it's all good with me.

And that's all I got for now. We're halfway there, people!! Halfway.