DAY 113, BLASPHEMY

I've been gone for 16 weeks. In some ways that seems like a long time, in some ways it doesn't. I was just beginning to cope with it - especially now that it's April and baseball starts next week! I'm pumped, or so I thought until I found this picture waiting in my inbox this morning:



Nephew Matt, on a recent visit to my house in SoCal, must have thought my kids needed more of a "brauts and beer" influence in their lives. Of all the things I was worried about when I knew I was leaving my children for 6 months, I had not even considered that they would start wearing Brewers gear.

It was bad enough that AJ broke his hand (see PINK cast in picture). He was tagging a kid in the infield during a game. Ironically, the kid that broke it was on our team last season. I remember teaching him to run hard into a tag because the ball might come out. Well, he listened well. AJ's season is over (with the possibility of returning for the play-offs).

He did play for a week with a broken hand before the trip to the doctor. He pitched, caught and even hit one that one-hopped the fence in deep left field (not bad for a 10-year old). I would like to have seen that hit with two good hands! Now, if I can just get him and his sisters to lose the Brewers logos before I get home, we'll all be okay . . .

66 day to go.