Since returning from South Dakota, our lives have been largely taken over by John’s June Centex baseball tournament. As his team’s manager, I have had to be at 3 practices per week, and manage 3-4 games per weekend all month long. Even the week John was gone to Texas A&M Galveston’s Sea Camp, I still had to manage the team even without my own son present! It is a lot of work, a lot of driving, and very very hot. But at the same time, I quite honestly have nothing better to do, and it is mostly fun and rewarding. If I wasn’t coaching, I’d be sitting around doing nothing.

The team completed its 9 games of pool play this past weekend with trips to Oak Hill and Manchaca, both way south of downtown. The team is just 1-7-1, but has played a lot of close games. The team excels at walking—we’re very patient at the plate. The team’s downfall is opponents running at will, with a staggering 114 stolen bases against us in 114 attempts! This week we wrap up the tournament with the playoff bracket—a game on Friday night, and who knows how many more Saturday and maybe even Sunday if we were to win a couple.

About the only non-baseball activity all month was a trip out to Lake Travis with our friends the Novaks on their boat this weekend. We docked the boat in a nice quiet cove and did some swimming and stuff, but we were interrupted by a boat of male nudists! The kids were in for quite a surprise. We made a hasty exit from the area.

Let’s see, what else… I haven’t been watching much of note. Twins games, 20/20, and the new season of Rick & Morty. I have been taking 2.25-mile walks over lunch break, then hopping into the pool to cool off. No question, I have gotten into the pool most of anyone in the family since we moved! Mowing the lawn is a bit more of a chore at this house than the old one, with the deceptively large backyard. However, there is much less edging to be done. Minnie is going to doggy daycare every Wednesday, and the kids are being shuttled in and out of different camps every week. Last week was a basketball camp, this week is Spanish camp, and next week they are back to YMCA Twin Lakes.

It helps my mental health to have several trips on the horizon to look forward to, especially through the heat of summer. In July it’s the annual South Dakota road trip where we dump John off at Grandma and Grandpa’s for a couple weeks. I will drive home alone, while Lauren and Edie presumably fly back. That allows me to stop off and see some friends and maybe some baseball on the way. In September the Glanzer men are meeting in KC for NASCAR and a baseball game. In October the old MN gang is meeting in New Orleans for Vikings-Saints.