Friday, August 7, 2009
Summer Lovin'


There are many reasons I'm excited about a future in teaching. But one that should not be downplayed is that we will always be able to enjoy my favorite season -- summer. With friends both visiting and moving away soon, we were a couple of social butterflies this week.

We took in a Giants game at AT&T Park. Couldn't resist the $5 view reserve tickets, not to mention the fact that my team is "in this." I'm only half-joking when I say Giants playoff tickets are an "unforeseen cost" projected in our budget.


There was also a night out with the Grandpeases, who will soon be moving to the ultra-cool neighborhood of Rockridge Oakland (about 45 minutes up the east side of the bay from us, and directly across the water from SF for those non-Bay Area-ers). We ended up exploring a few bars in downtown Campbell and discovered that in three years they had never used the light rail. We will miss them living just two blocks away, but surely there will be visits. I mean, who else can you count on to hang out with until four in the morning? (Yeesh, that was a late night.)


In addition to those fun times, my good friend Eric is here from New York City and can also be called a baseball/summer enthusiast. I gathered up a few of the local gang (Michael and Monica are on the right side of the pic) for a San Jose Giants game on Tuesday, where the five us enjoyed the tasty BBQ. Yum!


There was a lot of squinting as the summer sun went down but I can't remember the last time I've seen so many homers at a minor league game. Surely it didn't hurt that San Francisco Giants infielder Rich Aurilia was in the lineup that night rehabbing an injury.


The same crew gathered the next evening for a game of kickball. Yes, you read right. My friend Michael is in an adult kickball league (WAKA) and we were able to join his team for Wednesday's game. I can't tell you how much fun this was. It's the perfect mixture of sport, competition, and summer without really needing any serious skill or knowledge of the game.




And adding to the enjoyment, we went into extra innings and ended up being part of the team's first win! Go One Kick Wonders!

Unfortunately, Chris missed out on the game, but he joined us afterward at the team's official bar where there was no shortage of silliness (see below).


As of Monday, we have two weeks until school resumes, and we're taking full advantage of every remaining day. There is more baseball, a day trip or two, Shakespeare in the Park, and a week in Chicago still on the agenda. Life is good!

Posted by Kelley at 5:50 PM | 1 comments