“Watch the Wind Blow By” by Tim McGraw 
Oakland 5, Tampa Bay 0 at Tropicana Field
Winning Pitcher – Barry Zito (9-9)
Losing Pitcher – John Halama (6-6)
OAK Runs: 5, Hits: 9, Errors: 0
TB Runs: 0, Hits: 5, Errors: 1
HR: OAK: M. Scutaro (4), B. Crosby (17), M. Kotsay (12).
Oakland Record: (70-52)
Zito is back to .500 and the A’s are keeping pace with the Rangers and Angels. Why does it seem as though all three teams are hot together? Amazing!
Pretty flowers…
So today was the company party, held at the in-laws’ house. (They are the owners, after all.) The weather was quite lovely, the pool was inviting (but I didn’t go in), and the music was non-stop. The band stuff was set up in the garage and the musicians just seemed to rotate all day long. The music only stopped when it was time to eat. Yummy food!
(from left to right, top to bottom: Before everyone arrived, eating under tents, kids in the pool, lifeguard keeping watch…)
I had a few cups of a drink called a square cow. Rum, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice. Makes for a delicious drink. Easy on the tastebuds. 😉
And just a little rant
As the years have gone by, I realize that I’m on the liberal side of conservative. I don’t think I’m totally conservative, but neither am I absolutely liberal. Most of the time I can sit and listen to people air their political differences and I’m not affected. I believe that the beauty of living in this land is the freedom we have to believe what we believe and to say what we want to say. But I also personally believe that when you say something, you should be aware of *what* you’re saying and *who* you’re saying it to. In this forum, I say what I will. You don’t have to read it, but maybe I have to say it. But no one should be offended because they have the choice to be here or not.
I’m within hearing distance of a conversation, but I’m not part of it. Still, I’m there and I can hear what’s being said. I was offended at one point. Someone talked about captives being raped and this person said, “Well, it’s happening. That’s what they’re doing out there.” The conversation turned to the woman who was in the pictures of the captives who had been abused and she commented on how that woman is now pregnant, supposedly by a fellow soldier. The same person said, “Well, we’ll see when the baby comes out.”
I stood up and walked away.
Maybe it was alcohol I consumed. Maybe it was the utter SHIT coming out of her mouth. Maybe it was the mixture of it all. I was offended by what this person was saying. What if I had a brother or sister or cousin or uncle or aunt or whatever out there FIGHTING in a goddamn war and this person is sipping a drink in the lovely sunshine and saying that my brother or sister or cousin or uncle or aunt was a rapist and whore and whatever the f—! This person didn’t know. And I found it utterly DISRESPECTFUL.
Although I do not think war is the answer to anything, I will not ever disregard the sacrifice my fellow Americans are making in far flung countries in MY name and in YOUR name. And I will never believe that they were forced to leave their homes and loved ones. It was their choice and I am proud that they decided that serving this country was a good thing. No matter how screwed up things can get, how could anyone doubt the essence of their calling?
I am not so naive as to think that all soldiers are honorable and courageous and loyal. They are human after all. And bad things happen. And sometimes bad people do bad things. But that doesn’t mean every single soldier out there is exactly like the bad ones they show us.
Know what I mean?
And remember, I don’t usually get like this, but I think it was the square cow.
Okay, enough of that!
Otherwise, I like square cows…
The party was groovy. The food was great. The kids were funny playing in the pool. The weather was perfect! And it was nice seeing people I haven’t seen in awhile.
The drive home was lovely. It’s fun going the backway, but it would be even better in a convertible. Oh yeah…
