I also had a cookie, you know, for some fuel for later exertion.
My mom and I then went for another run. It was a beautiful morning for such joyous an activity, although being quite humid I produced obscene amounts of sweat. As soon as we got back home I downed another brotein bar to retain as much of my muscle as possible.
I then got to work mowing the rest of the yard. I did that, then I took the weed eater to every edge on our property. I edged everything expertly; that is, once my mechanically-gifted mind figured out how to start the weed eater. But figure it out I did!
I then traded in my lawn mower and weed eater for a power washer. I attacked the patio with a vigor not known to be humanly possible. I got done with the outer half, and the contrast is quite astounding.
The patio didn't look that dirty beforehand, but after this cleaning it was obvious that we had all gone blind to its grimy disposition. It now sparkled with a renewed brilliance, the return of which had been long overdue.
Next, I turned my wrath to the deck. Now, the deck was obviously in a sad hygienic state. I mean, there were oak trees growing out of it!
So I turned the wand woodward and blasted away. I made a fair amount of progress, but then the power washer ran out of gas. Apparently, when that gas stuff runs out, the washer turns off. I don't exactly know why, but it just seems to be that way. Also, when it ran out of gas, it became difficult to start again, so I decided I'd be done for the day.
But the contrast between before and after is even more astounding than that of the patio.
It almost looks like new wood where it was blasted by high pressure water!
But now it was time to try a food experiment. My mom found a no-cook chocolate pudding recipe made predominantly with chia seeds, cocoa, and honey. We blended it up yesterday and left it in the refrigerator overnight to chill. This was the result:
While it certainly was not a traditional chocolate pudding, it certainly was good, and it is a perfectly reasonable low-carb substitute. I would definitely make this again.
I was eventually tempted to eat another cookie, but it's hard not to be when they're only 80 calories in a cookie.
Sidney then met up with my mom and I, and we headed to Kauffman Stadium for the Royals game.
Our seats were almost all the way down the left field line, or as my mom called it, "foul ball territory." And I kid you not, when the second batter of the game, Brad Miller, came up to bat, he hit a foul ball, and...
He hit a sharp line drive that seemed to be headed in our general direction, so I stood up, just in case. Well, as it got closer and closer, I noticed that its trajectory was focused closer and closer on me. By the time it got very near, I realized that I was within reach, so I stuck my glove up a little over my head. The ball hit straight in the webbing of my glove, but unfortunately I made an error and dropped it. I though it was gone, picked up by someone behind me, when I felt it roll off my glove and into a seat in front of me. It came to rest between someone else's back and the seat back, but they made no effort to even turn around, so I picked up the ball, claiming my second foul ball in as many games. The common denominator is, of course, Sidney. She really is my good luck charm. She was there when we got our first foul ball 2 years ago, she was there when I was finally able to get Roger Federer's autograph, and she was there for this. There have been other bouts of luck involving Sidney, but these are the main events.
So it's settled. I'm taking her with me everywhere I go, especially if I need an extra shot of luck.
We hadn't eaten anything for dinner before the game as we wanted a full ballpark experience. I had a feeling this would be a costly decision...
...and it turns out I was right. Jeez!
That being said, I got what I usually get. They call it a "Footlong Sheboygan," I call it a brat. Either way, it's fairly big and fairly good. I added some chopped onions and sliced jalapeños to spice it up a bit.
Sidney had ordered a pretzel with cheese, and they gave her quite a lot of cheese actually. So I stole some...
Sidney then grabbed the attention of a passing vendor, and this is what she ended up with.
Through her persistence and my willingness to please, I ended up eating probably a third of this frozen lemonade, all with Sidney literally spoon-feeding me. Not bad; I could get used to that kind of treatment!
By the time the 7th inning stretch rolled around, we decided that it was time for some Dippin' Dots. Sidney and I left our seats and headed for the Dippin' Dots stand that was right at the top of our section.
It was closed.
No matter, we simply walked to the stand that was near where we entered, on the other side of the concourse.
But it was straight gone.
I started to become discouraged, but Sidney asked another vendor if there were any Dippin' Dots locations that were still open. The vendor explained that there may be a couple on the back side of the stadium, and that they are usually open until the bottom of the 7th inning, which it now was. So that's where we went.
When we got back behind the outfield fountains, we found an unmanned and obviously closed Dippin' Dots stand. My discouragement was growing. Then we passed a Belfonte ice cream shop with a line way out the door. My discouragement was nearing a maximum. Then Sidney spotted a Dippin' Dots stand that still had workers standing behind it. I asked, with a cold sweat and my heart racing, if they were still open. They said that they were, and I was overjoyed. The Dippin' Dots they had, however, were pre-packaged. But it really didn't matter, because they tasted the same.
I was so joyed that I couldn't let the opportunity to take a picture pass. We were now fully immersed in the outfield experience.
But we had Dippin' Dots to disperse, seats to fill, and a game to finish watching. Once back there, I began the nostalgia and sugar-laden journey into the mystical bag of chocolate Dippin' Dots.
This was the first time that I had ever seen the nutrition info and ingredients list for Dippin' Dots. It wasn't really that bad.
And then it was time.
These little liquid nitrogen chilled beads of ice cream that so familiarly stick to your tongue never get old. That distinctive hard and super cold feeling turning to slightly warmer ice cream melting in your mouth is a unique novelty not shared by any other dessert. Also, when you inevitably drop some of the little dots on your shirt or shorts, they're so cold and so frozen that they don't leave any mess behind.
As I was finishing my little marsupial-inspired container of Dippin' Dots, Wade Davis came into the game for the top of the 9th and shut down (not without a little excitement, of course) the Rays for a save and a 6-3 Royals victory.
Wader, check please!!
All in all, it was GREAT day!! I ate some cookies, got some exercise, did some yard work and maintenance, and went to a fun baseball game with good food, great weather, amazing people, and a generous gift from an opposing player. What could be better than all that for fun at the ol' ballpark?! Ya can't beat it!!
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