Sunday, June 4

5:46 a.m. - Softball yesterday was on the agenda.  I worked six games in Muscatine at a USSSA tournament.  My partner was good to work with, which was nice, as I hadn't worked youth games in a long, long time.  The weather didn't really help the experience...temps were in the mid-90's, and there wasn't much of a breeze.  And the six games were consecutive.  I did three on the bases first followed by three on the plate in the heat of the day.  I was pretty pooped afterwards.  I listened to the Rockridge game on the way home and watched the end of television.  Congratulations Rockets - back-to-back-to-back state titles.  That's only been done twice before by any team in the state.  It's such an incredible run they are having.  And Kendra Lewis very well could be the national player of the year this year.  Then after the game I of course watched some NCAA college softball, as the World Series is currently being played.  After that, I got in the inflatable hot tub to help my aching bones and muscles.  I'm not exactly a "spring chicken" anymore.  I don't know how the hell I'm going to do nine basketball games next Saturday.  I'm going to be taking a lot of Tylenol.  

Today it's off to a basketball clinic.  I'm not exactly excited about a basketball clinic in June, but we'll get it over with.  Plus, I'm going with Marcus and Shawn and Tucker, so it will be fun to get "the band" back together.  After that, I'm probably headed to the backyard for some pool time, as temps are forecasted to be very hot again today.  I thought about mowing the yard, so I'll keep thinking on that one.  I also need to pick up my weed trimmer.

I wonder if we can do some camping this coming weekend?  The temps are forecasted in the mid-80's, which is doable.

Things to do

• burn the dead weeds
• mow the yard
• send $100 check to Wilbur Bogart - 37675 HWY E, Green Ridge, MO  65332
• be sure UT regional money gets into checking
• pick up Stihl weed trimmer from Huffman's
• wack the  rest of the swamp (after it is serviced)
• June 23-24-25-26 -- Springfield trip - Double J  https://doublejcampground.com/ -$62.00 per day

June

Sun., 4 - Joe's clinic at Knoxville - 8:30 a.m.

Mon., 5 - 10 a.m. at Assumption with Lennie

Tues., 6 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Cahill

Wed., 7 - 10 a.m. at Bettendorf with Vern 

Thurs., 8 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Ralph

Fri., 9 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Kraig McPeek

Sat. 10 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sun. 11

Mon., 12 - 10 a.m. at Bettendorf with Steve Connell

Tues., 13 - 10 a.m. at North with Jason

Wed., 14 - 10 a.m. at Central with Duane Rakestraw

Thurs., 15 - 10 a.m. at Assumption with Jason

Fri., 16 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Chuck Schuette

Sat., 17 - referee at Monmouth Shootout - 8:30 a.m. ; Kraig at 1:10

Sun., 18 - Amber's Birthday

Mon., 19 - 10 a.m. at Clinton with Brad Ebersole

Tues., 20 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Jason

Wed., 21 - 10 a.m. at West with Jason

Thurs., 22 - 10 a.m. at North with Jason

Fri., 23 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sat., 24 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sun., 25

Mon., 26 - BLOCKED OPEN

Tues., 27 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Jason

Wed., 28 - 10 a.m. at DeWitt with Cahill

Thurs., 29 - 10 a.m. at DeWitt with Chris Law

Fri., 30 - 10 a.m. at North with Kraig McPeek

July 28 - Mexico

Saturday, June 3

5:24 a.m. - The Rockets softball team won it's semi-final yesterday and advanced to the state championship game!  It was a whole lot different going down this year as simply a spectator.  We sat with Shawn, Mary, and Marcus, so it was nice to sit with "the crew".  We didn't get back until around 9 p.m., so it was off to bed after getting my umpiring clothes ready for today.

Before heading to the game yesterday, we had some pool time, and before that I was able to get some weed-n-feed down on the grass in the front yard and down the sides of the property.  I also got in a lift and completed a little ski-walk, so I got my exercise for the day.  

Today is an experiment day.  Am I too old and grumpy to umpire youth softball?  It's been a long time since I was up early to start at 8 a.m. on a Saturday for some games.  Today I have five games; I hope the temps are set to cool down a little.  I'm going to have to get used to some things I haven't done in awhile like keep a timer and remember all the rule differences.  I'm with the same partner all five games, so that's good.

I'm not sure what's going on after the games, but I hope to be home by 3:30 to watch Rockridge on television.  They play Beecher, who has traditionally been a good team with multiple state finals appearances.  

Things to do

• send $100 check to Wilbur Bogart - 37675 HWY E, Green Ridge, MO  65332
• be sure UT regional money gets into checking
• pick up Stihl weed trimmer from Huffman's
• wack the  rest of the swamp (after it is serviced)
• June 23-24-25-26 -- Springfield trip - Double J  https://doublejcampground.com/ -$62.00 per day

June

Sat., 3 - Work USSSA at Muscatine - 8 a.m.

Sun., 4 - Joe's clinic at Knoxville - 8:30 a.m.

Mon., 5 - 10 a.m. at Assumption with Lennie

Tues., 6 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Cahill

Wed., 7 - 10 a.m. at Bettendorf with Vern 

Thurs., 8 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Ralph

Fri., 9 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Kraig McPeek

Sat. 10 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sun. 11

Mon., 12 - 10 a.m. at Bettendorf with Steve Connell

Tues., 13 - 10 a.m. at North with Jason

Wed., 14 - 10 a.m. at Central with Duane Rakestraw

Thurs., 15 - 10 a.m. at Assumption with Jason

Fri., 16 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Chuck Schuette

Sat., 17 - referee at Monmouth Shootout - 8:30 a.m. ; Kraig at 1:10

Sun., 18 - Amber's Birthday

Mon., 19 - 10 a.m. at Clinton with Brad Ebersole

Tues., 20 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Jason

Wed., 21 - 10 a.m. at West with Jason

Thurs., 22 - 10 a.m. at North with Jason

Fri., 23 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sat., 24 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sun., 25

Mon., 26 - BLOCKED OPEN

Tues., 27 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Jason

Wed., 28 - 10 a.m. at DeWitt with Cahill

Thurs., 29 - 10 a.m. at DeWitt with Chris Law

Fri., 30 - 10 a.m. at North with Kraig McPeek

July 28 - Mexico

Friday, June 2

5:20 a.m. - I survived yesterday...first bit of good news was that the junior high games at Northeast Gooselake were double-booked.  There was only supposed to be one umpire, but there was a mistake and I and another guy both showed up.  The A.D. acknowledged the error and agreed to pay both to work.  After the games, I headed into Bettendorf - got some food at Culver's, got my hair cut at Great Clips, and then I filled the HHR with fuel - a little cheaper in Iowa.  I then arrived on site at Pleasant Valley and tried to take a little snooze before the next double-header.  The games went fine; I'm reminded once again that Iowa softball is just better, and I'm reminded once again how I don't want to work Iowa varsity softball at night.  It's just too long of a night.  We didn't get done until around 9 p.m., and that's just not right on summer break.

I did work with a partner I hadn't seen for awhile, and he's struggling.  He is really skinny...too skinny, and I was afraid he was really ill.  Fortunately but unfortunately he's gone through a hard divorce, and I know all to well what that is like.  He's hanging on, but he continues to beat himself up with questions that don't have answers.  He doesn't like his new job, his relationship with his children has changed, and life just looks a lot different than it used to - and it is a lot different that it used to be.  That doesn't mean he can't make the most of the path that he's now on, but that is much easier said than done.  I feel bad for him, and I know what he's going through...it sucks.  

Yesterday I also found out that Chase had a court date earlier in the week that he didn't attend.  I contacted him about it, and he admitted that he didn't attend but called in to report his absence.  I still try to advise him and encourage him in directions, but I realize that my advice and encouragement don't go very far with him - he sure makes life tough on himself, and I told him that.  Of course, he responded by telling me it depends on your perspective.  He always seems to have a rationale that seems to support his decisions.

The weather has unexpectedly caused me more work...this was something I warned Amber about, and it has come true.  She was dead set on me attempting to mow the swampy area behind our house.  I told her if I mowed the weeds and it rained that it would just make for a bigger mess than already exists.  And last night and now this morning we got rain.  I don't even want to look outside to see the results.   On another note, once the rain passes, it might be a good time to spread the weed-and-feed that has been on my to-do list.  I know we needed the rain...area farmers really needed the rain.  And the rain wasn't/isn't widespread, so we were very fortunate to get the rain...but now I'm going to be doing a lot of raking heavy wet weeds to try to get everything dried out to eventually burn.

Today we are supposed to go to the Rockridge game.  I'd honestly prefer to stay home, but I think I'm going to get overruled.  

Things to do

• send $100 check to Wilbur Bogart - 37675 HWY E, Green Ridge, MO  65332
• spread weed and feed in front yard
• answer the Loud Thunder question of the week
• pick up Stihl weed trimmer from Huffman's
• wack the  rest of the swamp (after it is serviced)
• transfer UT regional arbiter money to checking
• June 23-24-25-26 -- Springfield trip - Double J  https://doublejcampground.com/ -$62.00 per day

June

Fri., 2 - open

Sat., 3 - Work USSSA at Muscatine - 8 a.m.

Sun., 4 - Joe's clinic at Knoxville - 8:30 a.m.

Mon., 5 - 10 a.m. at Assumption with Lennie

Tues., 6 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Cahill

Wed., 7 - 10 a.m. at Bettendorf with Vern 

Thurs., 8 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Ralph

Fri., 9 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Kraig McPeek

Sat. 10 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sun. 11

Mon., 12 - 10 a.m. at Bettendorf with Steve Connell

Tues., 13 - 10 a.m. at North with Jason

Wed., 14 - 10 a.m. at Central with Duane Rakestraw

Thurs., 15 - 10 a.m. at Assumption with Jason

Fri., 16 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Chuck Schuette

Sat., 17 - referee at Monmouth Shootout - 8:30 a.m. ; Kraig at 1:10

Sun., 18 - Amber's Birthday

Mon., 19 - 10 a.m. at Clinton with Brad Ebersole

Tues., 20 - 10 a.m. at Muscatine with Jason

Wed., 21 - 10 a.m. at West with Jason

Thurs., 22 - 10 a.m. at North with Jason

Fri., 23 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sat., 24 - BLOCKED OPEN

Sun., 25

Mon., 26 - BLOCKED OPEN

Tues., 27 - 10 a.m. at North Scott with Jason

Wed., 28 - 10 a.m. at DeWitt with Cahill

Thurs., 29 - 10 a.m. at DeWitt with Chris Law

Fri., 30 - 10 a.m. at North with Kraig McPeek

July 28 - Mexico