Forget the Ides of March

Grab your brackets. It's March Madness! Isn't this a fun photo spoof on the Sports Section of yesterday's USA Today? Other than BYU and Jimmer (who gives us heart attacks when he plays), we have no favorites. But each year (in our retirement) we have enjoyed filling out our brackets using the ANK method (almost no knowledge). Go Cougars! Have fun.

PS Mom picked NC Asheville in the first game. They won in OT. We are 1 for 1.

Buy us some peanuts and Cracker Jacks...

...and pizza and ice cream. Here is Gramma with a few baseball snacks. Note she is wearing her classic Vero Beach Dodger Town hat. She and Becca enjoy the treats available at a ball park. Becca's fav is the stir fry noodles with teri chicken sold at a little kiosk called "Aloha Noodles," whose owner, we are told, is from the Islands.

Today, 3/12/11, we attended our third and last Spring Training game. It was our second at Scottsdale Stadium, home of the SF Giants (whose fans tediously chant "Beat LA" and they wear shirts with that wording. So sad that one team defines itself by concentrating so much on another team. I'm just saying ). Here are our boyz walking in. We almost won today

Going into the bottom of the 9th inning the Dodgers were ahead 7 to 6, when the smirking Giants scored 2 more runs. Supposedly, this was the largest crowd here this Spring--12000 plus, mostly Giants fans all chanting you-know-what.

The Giants have a Seal as a mascot . Chosen I suppose because back in the day San Francisco had a minor league baseball team called The Seals. Anyway, this stuffed-toy looking character ran around in the stands.

On his/her back is the name "Lou Seal"

Dodgers radio announcer in blue, is Rick Monday, a former Dodger player. To his left is Jon Miller, the Giants announcer. To Rick's right, out of sight, is Charley Steiner, who we met the last time we were here.

Speaking of meeting, we met Gaylord Perry, Baseball Hall of Famer. His credentials, for those not knowing them, are on this sign. He was signing autographs for a baseball charity. Becca and I enjoyed speaking with him for a few minutes.

I really enjoyed going to these games. Baseball was my game as a young man. I played Little League and Pony League. I played as a 9th grader at Rialto Jr. High (where I met Gramma). I lettered in baseball at Aquinas High School. As a young adult I coached a number of teams, including Uncle Ganon's TBall team with assistance from Uncle Jon. And of course we enjoyed playing Church softball in Hawaii. Both Jon and Ganon have stories. Maybe some day I should write about my experiences with baseball.

So let's fast forward. I have enjoyed listening to Vin Scully since the 50ies. And now the Dodgers are the only professional sport team that I follow.

So I really appreciate Mom and Becca supporting my wish to go to these Dodger Spring Training games. Quite a bit of effort is required to plan and attend each game. Mom and Becca are both good "noticers". They pay attention to what's going on, ask questions and try to have fun. Mahalo Planty to both of them.

Happy Fat Tuesday

A highlight of the VDO activity calendar is the Mardi Gras Parade, complete with beads thrown to the folks along the parade route

There was a long line of enthusiastic participants. Motorcycles, three wheels and two were represented

Some entries followed the theme of "Hooray for Hollywood". Here is Rhett and Scarlett, as if you couldn't tell.

And here is the mansion at Tara (here, built upon a golf cart)

One of the amazing one-of-a-kind activities in the park is "Garden Railroad", which really deserves a blog all by itself

A few of the participants got a jump on St. Paddy's Day

Becca sports her Mardi Gras beads, all modestly earned at the parade. (That satellite antenna which appears to be growing out of her hat, is on the roof of the park model across the street)

The Auswanderers' site is on the parade route--very convenient

We send our best wishes to you as we begin the season of Lent. Give thought to the meaning of the approaching Easter. We hope that your family continues to be full of love and happiness.

Take us out with the crowd...

Today, 3/7/11, we went to our second Spring Training game. It was being held at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (they picked this name because all of the simple short names were taken). No, no--the new stadium is built on Indian land--that's why the name. On the scoreboard screen are the four hefty, elderly cowboys singing the national anthem, pod-ner. The audience could relate. Joking aside, we appreciate the Western culture of our Winter home. Remember Papa is an Oklahoma Boy--yee haw!

Here are a couple of our tickets to this LA Dodgers vs the Colorado Rockies game, plus our parking lot ticket

Here is Gramma on the entrance bridge. Note her windblown hair. The weather report was for temps in the 70ies and breezy, with gusts up to 30 mph--as demonstrated by our model here. This is the first year this stadium is open. The Rockies share the facilities with the Arizona DBacks. It is a beautiful park

Here are our Boys of Summer warming up. You can see the fans behind the low fence. Some fans get their tickets for this section on purpose to get close to the players. Before the game, they gather there to get autographs. This is one of the reasons to come early.

Big Dodger news--our First Base Coach is Dodger Base-Stealing

Legend Davie Lopes (Google him). Our hopes are that he will improve our base running skills

Fun pre-game activities include prepping the batter's box

...and chalking the lines

Things begin with a nice Flag Ceremony

Here are the singing cowboys from our perspective

Speaking of our perspective, our nice seats were in the shade and in what is apparently a natural wind tunnel. It is Spring, but Winter occasionally--like today--keeps its foot in the door with wind-chill. We eventually got Gramma layered up.

Oh, and almost a big moment for me. I walked past Tommie LaSorda in the hall as the game was finishing. I didn't have my camera, nor my tongue, apparently. I was unable to say at that moment, "Hi Tommy. You are one of my favorite Dodgers!" Or "Good game today. We beat the Rockies 7 to 1" Or "duhh" or anything. Then he walked on. Sigh

Crab Louie Salad

This is one of Gramma's most ono recipes. This is what the naked salads look like before she adds the super secret dressing! Good eating that night!