Cycling

I was reflecting to myself yesterday, as I rode to the grocery store, that it's a good thing I enjoy walking and cycling so much. I would really, really be hating this otherwise. But really, cycling is so liberating that I find myself wondering why everyone isn't doing it. It would also solve that nasty problem of so many Americans having obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease... and the list could go on. To say nothing of the fact that gas prices are expected to go up, again, for the summer "driving season" (is that like hunting season? basketball season?). And of course we can add the minor detail that if there is another round of hurricanes on the Gulf Coast like the last one, we may have no other choice but to cycle. And so I say, Join me in my cycling lifestyle! (While it's still your choice to make!)

Anyway, yesterday evening I was riding to the store and was pleasantly surprised at how light the traffic was. Apparently, the good citizenry of Lubbock stays home at 7ish on a Monday evening, which I appreciate. There were some boys practising baseball at the school just a couple of blocks from our house. As I rode by, one of them was running to third base and the coach was shouting "Hold it! Hold it!" to the boy with the ball. I appreciated that as well, because while I enjoy watching Little League baseball, and I get lots of mileage out of my I-got-hit-on-the-head-with-a-softball story, I had no desire to get hit by a flying baseball while cycling. Which is almost certainly what would have happened, because I was just beyond third base, and there didn't seem to be anyone there to catch the ball, had the boy thrown it for the out. (And while I don't think it's likely that a small boy would leave any permanent marks on me, I do still have a bump on my head from the last time, even though it's been 14 years.)

Speaking of small children and baseball, all the diamonds in Maxey Park (near my work, where I go for my lunchtime walk) are all spruced up for the summer. Fresh lines are drawn in the dirt, all the rubbish has been cleaned up-- they really do look nice. Plus, the new adverts are up all around the fences. They are all set to go for another season of children learning such values as teamwork, doing one's best, and corporate sponsorship. While I do realise that organisations such as Little League could not exist without such corporate sponsors, it still makes me laugh. A lot.

We just bought our plane tickets to go to California and see Chad's family! When I say "just bought", I mean, 15 minutes ago. I had an IE window open for every travel website there is, I think, only to finally hand over our money to Priceline. We named our own price, and it worked! For the second time in my life!