Setting The Bar Reeeally High

Greensboro Flight Attendant Flight 93

The kids got out of school on Friday. Their weekend was packed full of fun and excitement. Now I’m fearing that we’ve painted ourselves into a corner; what do we do for an encore? Friday night we went to a baseball game in Greensboro. It’s a downtown stadium that’s only a few years old. There is a monument out in front of the gate honoring one of Greensboro’s bravest citizens; Sandy Bradshaw. We, of course, sat in a luxury suite. As you know, the NukeFamily has become accustomed to a certain level of affluence when we venture out into the realm of family entertainment amongst the great unwashed. Yeah, right; we were just lucky enough to get these tickets for a Friday night. Friday night is fireworks night; everybody wants tickets for fireworks night. Thankfully, NukeMom was able to get them. Oh, it also happened to be our 14th wedding anniversary. Romantic dinner for just the 2 of us? Nah, hot dogs and beer on the balcony with an outdoor ceiling fan. It was great, though.

Yogi snares a bat

The Greensboro Grasshoppers have 2 black labs that act as bat boys (bat-dogs?) for their games. Yogi Berra and his girlfriend; Babe Ruth. They also bring out a bucket of baseballs to the home plate ump every other inning so that he can re-stock. The ump didn’t look too happy about the arrangement. Babe dropped and spilled the bucket at his feet while he was facing the other way and then barked at him because he was a little tardy with the kibble treat. Two innings later Yogi left a meadow muffin behind home plate. Hey, when a bat-boys gotta go, he’s gotta go! I noticed that nobody slid into home plate face first after that. A 3 run triple in the 10th inning ended the night for our team. No pitchers mound pow wow could fix the problems they were having. I think I saw the 2nd baseman and the right fielder both filling out Home Depot applications after the game. They both committed errors that allowed the winning run and the 2 insurance runs to score. Such is life in Minor League ball-at least they don’t have to listen to Susan Sarandon quote poetry to them.

NukeBoy2 and NukeGirl Lookin' To Land A Monster

Saturday morning we were up early for a fishing derby for NukeBoy2′s cub scout troop. This was a “family” event (not all of them are), meaning NukeBoy2 could bring his brother and sister; and he did. Friday afternoon we owned 2 fishing rods, Friday night, after a trip to Wal-Mart, we owned 5 fishing rods and Saturday afternoon after the derby, we owned 7 fishing rods. Great. Information I could have used Friday night at Wal-Mart. NukeBoy1 and NukeGirl each won a fishing rod and a plethora of other fishing gear. NukeBoy2 came away with his fair share too, so don’t worry about him. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission put it on as part of a Statewide campaign to get kids interested in fishing. EVERY KID LEFT WITH SOMETHING, which was awesome. The park rangers and volunteers did a great job with this event; I was very impressed. The creek was small, so fishing on it with 50 scouts, including some who had never even seen a fishing pole before, was an adventure to say the least. I looked like Muhammad Ali the way I was bobbin and weavin to avoid getting hooked.

Believe it or not, this DID NOT win the smallest fish prize

The "Horny Head"-Ugliest fish on the planet

I thought it was diseased

NukeBoy2 had the misfortune of being right across the creek from a girl that lives near the creek. The Park Rangers all knew her by name, but I never found out what her name was. We’ll just call her; “The One.” She’s like a local legend up there, and I can see why. She pulled 3 fish out of the creek in the first 30 minutes; one of them a 15 inch Catfish. NukeBoy2 thought it was going to be easy pickins. Guess again. He did finally catch one, and I thought he was a shoe-in for the smallest fish caught prize, but, alas; it wasn’t to be. NukeBoy2 caught the ugliest fish of the day; a “Horny Head.” Just like its name implies, it has horns on its head right between the eyes: about 8 of them. Ugliest fish I’ve ever seen; hands down. The only one who didn’t catch anything was NukeGirl, bless her heart, but she tried her darnedest. She was anything but shy. She was sticking her fingers down into that cup of dirt and pulling out night-crawlers like she was Babe Winkelman. She was getting bites like you wouldn’t believe, but the crafty old fish (I’m sure he was a monster; fish don’t get big by being dumb) would take her worm every time. I suggested that we break the worms in half and really get them on the hook good so that we’d have a better chance of hooking that bad boy. When I turned around to grab the cup and get a worm I saw NukeGirl tearing this worm into 3 or 4 pieces. Just like that. No “Ewww!” or “Gross!” or any of that nonsense, she wanted a fish! We didn’t catch him, but I have a feeling that we will be dueling with him again soon. Sunday was spent poolside at the neighborhood pool we belong to, and then the weekend was over. But the stories. Oh, the stories. NukeGirl cried when we left the creek. She wanted to stay. On the way home she said; “Daddy, can we go fishing tomorrow?” The girl is hooked. Wow. That was punny. NukeBoy2 and I are off to the mountains for cub scout camp this week, so I promised her a date with destiny the following week. This little girl has got to catch a fish. We also talked about setting up more fishing trips this summer, camping trips, rafting trips; hell, we even went out and looked at a camper yesterday. Our van won’t pull it, so NukeMom is looking for a used truck. Seriously. I’ve never seen her like this. It’s like my whole family has turned into the gang from Deliverance. I just hope I don’t have to play Ned Beatty’s character.

Launch It:

WeaselMomma

That sounds like a great weekend. Yay, for school being out. I’ve been to Greensboro once. I’ll tell you about it some day after a 1/2 keg of beer.

(NukeDad) Can’t wait to hear that story. Let me know when you’re ready to tell it and I’ll procure the beer.

WeaselMomma´s last blog ..Road Trip

Jun 16, 2009 @ 5:38 am

Melisa

Nukegirl is going to be VERY popular once she gets to biology class. She’s going to come home with pockets full of money after all the other girls pay her to dissect their frogs and pig fetuses for them. Good for her! (icky though: I was one of the girls who would have paid someone to do it; instead I was forced to flirt with a couple of nerdy boys so they would do it for me)(It worked)

I wish I could have seen Yogi and Babe in person. I love dogs, but dogs with talent? Totally awesome. Glad you had fun!

I hope you have a fabulous time at scout camp! The great thing about being a parent at scout camp is there’s lots of downtime to do things like nap or whittle, and when the boys are off at their merit badge workshops you can indulge your pyromaniac tendencies at the campfire.

So I’ve heard.

(NukeDad) Camp should be a blast, he is so excited he can’t see straight. Yogi and Babe were awesome. After the game their trainer takes them out to home plate and throws baseballs all the way out to center field for them to fetch. They are FAST!

Melisa´s last blog ..Meat Maidens Gone Wild!!!

Jun 16, 2009 @ 5:50 am

Momo Fali

If this blog starts squealing like a pig, I am so outta here.

Hot dogs and beer at a baseball game is my kind of anniversary dinner! Congratulations on 14 years!

(NukeDad) Thanks, Momo! It doesn’t seem like 14 years-it’s gone by so fast. Thanks for not saying that this blog has a pretty mouth.

Momo Fali´s last blog ..The Meat Wagon

Jun 16, 2009 @ 7:55 am

SurprisedMom

Congratulations on your anniversary! What a unique way to spend it!
And you really did set the bar very high. It sounds like NukeBoys and NukeGirl had a blast fishing. I have to admire a girl who can dig up worms with ease. When I was a girl I could touch worms. These days, oh ick. You’ll have to tell us how she does on her next fishing trip.
I hope NukeBoy2 enjoys his camping trip. You, too! I was a Girl Scout a long time ago. We went camping in tents and used outhouses. I remember staying awake listening to things make noises under the tent (they were on platforms). Hmmmm, nature. I did like the campfires, though. It’s a fire thing.
It sounds like you and the family will be spending a fair amount of time outdoors this summer. Enjoy!

(NukeDad) Should be fun! I haven’t fished in a long, long time; this will be the perfect excuse to get back out there! Camping should be fun also; I have a feeling it will be a more frequent event for us as well.

SurprisedMom´s last blog ..I’ve never been a meat maiden before

Jun 16, 2009 @ 9:48 am

Otter

What a weekend. It sounds like something of my dreams. Beer and a dog at the ballgame. Then fishing. Can I be an honorary member of the Nuke Gang?

(NukeDad) You’ve got it, Otter! You live in a paradise for outdoorsmen; Arkansas, right? There’s no end to the things you can do there. We’ve got lots of options up here as well in NC. You know you’re getting hooked when you bookmark the State Wildlife Commission page!

Otter´s last blog ..Random Tuesday Thoughts: Student Driver

Jun 16, 2009 @ 2:36 pm

tom

Wow, what an itinerary. I’m glad if I can get my butt in the van and haul the kids to the beach one day a summer. I bow to your family’s activity level. Good for you all!

(NukeDad) Thanks, Tom; I’ll tell my back and my feet that we have well wishes coming our way, we’re going to need them!

tom´s last blog ..Father’s Day Gift Guide

Jun 17, 2009 @ 11:11 am

'cuz I'm the mommy, that's why

hehe…You got a purty mouth…hehe
Sorry, couldn’t help myself.
You must help NukeGirl catch a fish! It is a very special moment for a girl. I still get excited reeling one in. Find a farm pond full of brim. If worms don’t work, try over-microwaved hotdogs, that’s been magic bait for me for years (catches fish and small boys…)
Have fun at Scout camp!

(NukeDad) Thanks for the hot dog tip! I can’t wait till she catches her first one. We’ll post the picture as soon as she does!

‘cuz I’m the mommy, that’s why´s last blog ..Last Night at Work…

Jun 18, 2009 @ 5:17 am

Also, “meadow muffin” cracked me up. I must remember that!

(NukeDad) Ha ha, that was my Dad’s. Another one he used to use was “Road Apples”.

Jun 18, 2009 @ 5:18 am