Exciting few weeks

How could I ask for anything more? Summers in Cleveland never disappoint. The last few weeks my Cleveland Indians have been up and down but still very exciting! How can you beat 'beating' the dreaded Yankees, then Carlos Carrasco dueling CC Sabathia, Pronk's walk-off come back win all heading into the All-Star Break where Cleveland's representation consists of Asdrubal Cabrera, Chris Perez and Manny Acta.

I was fortunate to experience a dear friend's very first ballgame at Progressive Field and trip to the Terrace Club for girls' night out!

On the man front, an unprecedented summer like no other, though absolutely nothing has panned out yet.

In the movie, "Pretty Woman," there was a scene where the twins were speaking of Edward's 'flavor of the month.' Ironically, it seems there have been different boys stepping up to the plate each month....May had a charming boy-next-door suitor who still remains a friend....June brought a social media pal, who again, still remains a friend. July just brought an unsuspecting charming friend who I met at a station party in a bar of all places, and I instantly fell for his smooth lines. I violated many of my rules, one being never meet anyone in a bar! I could not resist. Where will this go? Who knows, but all my friends say just have fun and savor each moment.

My mystery man tossed me a line like I've never heard before charming me to no end. We have
a mutual friend so when I thought he left without saying goodbye, I still had a glimmer of hope knowing both of us could track each other down through our mutual friend. And sure enough, I received an email from my mystery man ....which started this unsuspecting rollercoaster ride leading who knows where?!????! I've seen my mystery man a few times already. Fingers crossed.

On the home front, very proud that I am finally crossing a few things off of my 'to do' list including important doctor appointments.....for the first time in a long time I feel as if I am catapulting the highest mountains....with an uneasy background feeling of 'what if' waiting for all of my test results. What will be will be.


Finally, wrapping up this whirlwind stretch at the "Taste of Tremont." What a tremendous festival. If you've never been before, please go next year.... you will sample the greatest fare of foodstuffs, adult beverages and music like no other. This street fair a small slice of the pie encompassing what happens in Cleveland, Ohio all summer long. It's a great place to live. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world!

Through someone else's eyes

A friend of Mom's went to the Indians' Game with me Saturday night.

Mom was not feeling well, and honestly, I would have rather not gone (I can not believe I said that. Baseball is my life!) My place was at home with Mom.

However, Mom's friend had never been to Progressive Field let alone a baseball game. She was so excited and we had promised.

When I arrived on such a rainy night, Donna said she had arrived when the gates opened so she could take it all in. She was like a kid in a candy store.

She did not know much about baseball but more than I expected.

She said it goes much quicker in person than on tv and is more exciting in person.

It was a pleasure answering her questions and explaining the basics to someone. Just possibly, I was helping mold yet another baseball fan.

She also saw how beloved Mom was as ushers, vendors and others went up and down the aisle asking where Mom was and asking me to please tell her hello!

Just as the mist began spraying a bit more, we made our way up to the Terrace Club to warm up, get out of the rain, and of course, get a delicious dessert!

Yet another new experience which made Donna's eyes bug out of her head!

And the cherry on top was when Jhonny Peralta hit the game winner scoring Valbuena which set off the fireworks, and put a nice ribbon on Donna's trip to Progressive Field!

She explained it as 'the feeling of a playoff or World Series game' as the players high-fived each other and pounded Jhonny on first base!

I rarely experience anything new with anyone anymore....just as much as Donna enjoyed the entire evening, the pleasure was all mine!

Playing in the sand with the Cleveland Indians

Well, not really, but wouldn't that be a hoot!

It was Beach Weekend at Progressive Field!

I love this weekend.

They have done it for a number of years now and it's a treat for the kids and for those of us still 'young at heart.'

I'm a tropical girl anyway so sun, sand, and baseball = HEAVEN!

Good luck Nick & Missy

And because I am a bone head, I have no pictures of Nick and Missy!

Nick and Missy were servers in the Terrace Club at Progressive Field.

Being at Progressive Field often is a treat in a number of ways.

We enjoy a hobby we adore.

We spend quality time together.

We relax and escape from work or other issues for 3+ hours.

And we have an extended family--the people in your section, your usher, the vendors, and the folks who work up in and frequent the Terrace Club.

We knew Nick better than Missy. What a gem. Always bend over backwards for Mom. He continuously had a smile on his face and was one of the most pleasant young men we've met.

Missy was also a waiter/server.

They are moving to Houston, Texas after both finding fantastic teaching jobs down there.

Houston's gain is our loss.

However, Nick said he'd be back to visit next summer....gives us something to look forward too, especially since our Indians are not doing it for us this season.

We wish them well and the best of luck in their new venture!

Emotional weekend

Probably not particularly healthy but when I get very emotional and do not allow myself to cry, I get a huge lump in my throat that feels like it is going to just bust!

This weekend was chock full of those moments!

It began Friday morning (a vacation day) at 530am heading off to the hospital for Mom's procedure. I don't think I will ever feel what it's like to sleep in on a vacation day!

Things went moderately smooth today at the hospital except Mom was in even more pain than usual. It was awful. I'm not even going to go into any further detail or that lump in my throat will flare up. The good thing, all the nurses were extremely nice and Mom actually bumped into just about every one of her doctors! The nurses are quite caring and actually remember not only Mom but me too!

I must share this story--there is a little foreign 'house doctor' who is a trip. I'm not sure what he does, why they retain him, or what purpose he fulfills, but he brings comic relief. Right after the foreign doctor who speaks no English vacated our room, the nurse came over to assure us he had NOTHING to do with Mom's procedure!

Then off to dialysis. I have no idea how Mom does this?

You would think Mom would be exhausted and spent after dialysis, but she wanted to go to the Indians' game, being the final home stand, so off we went.

We did have a few scary moments. Mom had one of her post-dialysis episodes. We had to steal away to the Terrace Club bathroom couch for about 20 or so minutes while Mom recovered.

I'm very fortunate that I know what to look for and how to remedy the problem. Within 1/2 hour, Mom was good as new!

The game itself quite emotional with the big Fausto-Sheffield fight breaking out in the 7th inning. With this turning point, you just knew we were going to win the game!


Saturday: Do you ever feel totally out of control of a situation and a missed opportunity? Well, that is how I felt today. Mom and I went to Mass. Upon entering, we saw the wrap up of a bride and groom finishing their wedding pictures, family saying their goodbyes and parishioners entering for Mass.

We knew many of the wedding goers! I grew up with them. I felt as if I had missed out on a wonderful opportunity to sing this Mass while seeing some long lost friends! My best friend from grade school had been at the wedding but had already retreated back to her hotel. I have not seen Joan in years.

She's a wonderful girl who has had, at times a very sad life. Yet she has a tremendous core group of family and friends who have helped her get through all of her trials. Her mother passed away when we were in the 4th grade. Her brother passed away a few years later on New Year's Day. She lost a very close uncle and her Father, just to name a few awful moments. Though she still had a lot of family up here, she opted to go live in the same area as her sister and brother-in-law and nephews.

I miss her. I can not believe she was in town and I could not even say hello. I felt handcuffed and a missed opportunity that I will never get back. These feelings do not happen that often, but today was one of them.


Sunday: The final game of the season at Progressive Field. To us, this is a huge deal. Baseball is part of our life. It's part of the many fibers that make us who we are, give us strength at times, entertain us, yet saddens our spirit.

Overall, a festive day with us sweeping the Detroit Tigers. After all the celebrating ended, we realized that we will not be back at Progressive Field until April 10, 2009.

Good luck, Kyle!

One of our favorite servers at The Terrace Club is done for the summer but assures us, he should return in the Spring of 2009!

Kyle was a gem. Such a sweetheart! Such a professional! Added humor and had great people skills! Yesterday he brought two patrons their left overs and had formed their containers into the shape of a duck and a goose! What a talk-a-about for all the guests surrounding this table! He always brought smiles to his customers' faces! And you know me, anyone who is so attentive to Mom gets an A+ Gold Star in my book!

We spend way too much time up in the Terrace Club. However, Mom deserves it! So why the heck not! Right now because Mom moves a little slower than she would like, it is great to be able to spend rainy days or very hot days upstairs and not have to scramble when the skies open or the hot sun is baking us!

Mom has her own little fan club up there who just love her. I know I will forget someone but Kyle lead the pack along with Meghan, Mary Jo, John, Nick, Missy, Ruth, Marla, Chris, and the little girls who work there from our church! Such great people!

Well, Kyle came over to us today and said he was hoping we would be in so he could say goodbye, for now!

We wished him well and DO hope to see him come April, 2009 if not before!! Mom hopes to be doing cartwheels by then!

Nightmare at Progressive Field

The day was coasting along flawlessly. A little Zoo action, the baseball exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and off to Progressive Field!

As usual, the masses start greeting Mom since we are regulars (I am just her invisible sidekick!).

An absolutely PERFECT night for a baseball game. And we have missed our boys. They had an awful road trip but they are not that bad. They have a great team and we just need to get all the cylinders spinning together!

Things were humming along. The Shaw band, just back from Beijing, played the National Anthem. What more could we ask for on this perfect night. There has to be a catch!

And sure enough, the catch strolls in and sits in the row right behind us. A group of young kids who do not look like they are old enough to drink but most of them are drinking. They are loud, obnoxious and every other word is the 'f' word. Finally, a woman sitting a few away from us turned around and told them to please be quiet.

Well, this turns out to be the least of our worries.

In the 4th inning, Mom takes a bite of her grilled dog and begins choking. It was awful. Absolutely awful. I did not panic too much. However, it was proven again that Mom has a guardian angel over her at all times. A lovely woman sitting right in front of me, slowly turned around and began monitoring Mom. I knew deep down inside she must be a nurse. Mom kept trying to work the piece out on her own. She could still talk a bit and was not turning blue yet. Finally, after about 3 or 4 minutes, Mom got the pesky piece of hotdog out of her throat.

Turns out the 'guardian angel' in front of us WAS a nurse. She told Mom that she had plans for her but was hoping she could work out the item on her own. Basically, the woman saved Mom's life.

But wait, there's more.

The jackal sitting behind us, the drunken idiot revved up again and after some great play, hauled off and whipped Mom in the neck with his shirt. It was again, AWFUL! At this point, I have had it. I got up, checked to make sure Mom was ok, was not bleeding and did not have anything broken. I then proceeded to tell him that I was going to get an Usher and if that did not work, the Police. How in his right mind could he strike an elderly woman with his shirt. He said he did not do it on purpose. Not acceptable. This guy is toast.

He apologized profusely to Mom. She is better than I. She gladly accepted his apology impressing how badly he hurt her. We are all really lucky he did not strike her in her dialysis arm because that would have opened and she may have bled to death. It is an extreme challenge taking care of Mother 24/7 which no one, and I mean NO ONE has any clue.

After about 1 more inning, maybe not even. He and his group left giving their tickets to 4 other more civilized folks never to be heard from again.

The bright side is that Mom began feeling better on both fronts, and our boys put their hitting shoes on, especially the fabulous Casey Blake!

Maybe my ritual at the Zoo REALLY DID WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!???!!!!!!!!!!