on the plus side

actions are being taken.

running with Jody up in the hills followed by beers at sunset and re-heated pieces of pizza from town.

baseball starts Saturday. for a kid who never followed sports (and still basically doesn't) and only played soccer until they had good loner competitions like track and cross-country - I have come to like playing the national pasttime with my kids, or coaching them, or whatever they call this bit of fun. i can hear that warming and satisfying "phup" and hint of "snap" of a dusty ball hitting the pocket of a glove and springing the worn leather shut. your hand just reacts to the kiss of the ball. And all my cares melt away.

what could be more important right now than watching this southpaw batter who likes to tug it right (field) of center, but he doesn't have the power to really put it back, so play in and get ready to go to it. the bugs are lit up in sun beams like white sparks sawing the air. swing batter. bring it to me. there's a force at second, and the second baseman and I trade a look that says "ready?" "yeah". the evening sun is hot on my right ear, and the base runner is leading, and swing batter, cause I got your number and the inning's almost up. cold beer at the Harp and fried food they're so good at. summer.

and as Joe Strummer once said (with shouts out to Hound Dog Taylor and Bob Marley): "tell your ma, tell your pa, everything's gonna be alright, now. you can hear it. don't ignore it. gonna be alright-ight-ight"