One, Two, Three Strikes You're Out!

Tim and I spent Friday evening taking what we initially thought would be a 9-inning vacation. Turned out, Thursday's game was rained out and Friday turned into a 7-inning double header. So, we ended up with a 14-inning vacation and post-game fireworks to boot!

It's no secret that Tim and I both love baseball. I love the slowness of the game. I know a lot of people complain about that, but I love just relishing in moments and baseball is the perfect sport for me to do just that. Plus, I can never pass up a ballpark polish sausage. Yum!

We were pretty excited about going to begin with. I'd bought Tim tickets for his birthday. It's just not summer here without a Smokies game! Plus, with Tim being a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, it helps that the Tennessee Smokies are a Double-A Affiliate of the Cubs. So, he and I were even more excited to find out that Geovany Soto (Catcher for the Cubs) was going to be starting his rehab on the very evening we were there! Catcher is my favorite baseball position - and Tim, he just loves seeing anyone from the Cubs.

We were pretty disappointed, however. I'd just like to say: Mr. Geo - It's not conducive to a good first impression when you ignore six-year-old children just dying for your autograph. Quit spitting tobacco and sunflower seeds for five minutes and sign the kid's baseball. The article in the Knox News this morning does not fit the REAL character you portrayed whatsoever. You really should do better. Because you know what? Someone else is watching... and they might just BLOG ABOUT IT.  

Needless to say, I'm still a Michael Barrett fan (even if he doesn't play for the Cubs anymore)... and Get Well Soon, Mr. Barrett!

But - We had an INCREDIBLE time, nonetheless and would advise anyone vacationing to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/Smoky Mtn area to drop buy and see the Tennessee Smokies play. It's great fun for the entire family - tickets are VERY affordable - and the food and fun is great. It's one of the cleanest stadiums I've ever been to, and the people don't get any friendlier (as long as your not looking for friendly from Mr. Soto, hehe).

After Hours

Being outdoors is always relaxing for us. Even when we are out working up a sweat and pouring all our energy into climbing a mountain, at the end of the day we always breathe easier and find our spirits relaxed and renewed. And "outdoors" doesn't always mean "in the mountains," "in the park," "on the trail," or "climbing that mountain." Outdoors, for us, is just that simple. It means being outside the confines of walls. So, after a small hike today, we wanted to spend some relaxing time in our backyard by our flint-ringed fire pit soaking in the breeze, the smell of wood burning, and the tree frogs that sing non-stop this time of the year.

We don't really live too far from the city, but we're definitely rural. And when I say rural I mean, we can look up and see a million stars, we can close our eyes and try to count crickets chirping, we can listen to the fire crackle, and if we're really lucky, we can even hear the bloodcurdling calls of a barn owl or red fox.

But not tonight.

Because tonight, as we sit by our fire trying to relax for the week ahead (and burn up all the dead fall from last week's storms) we are being serenaded (once again) by our lovely neighbors who illegally operate a business in a subdivision in which they apparently must rev engines for hours, run diesel trucks that sound like high-powered generators, and mow their lawn at 10pm on a Sunday.

So, yes, consider this post a rant, at best. But it's very odd that we also live beside a legally-operated vehicle repair garage that never bothers us with this constant noise. Matter of fact, I rarely hear them even during business hours.

We just want our peace and quiet back. Is that too much to ask for? At least after dark? Please?