Catching up.

I make a lot of mistakes. I do try to learn from them. Sometimes I do things I have said I would never do because I know they would be mistakes. Yet when the time comes they look a little different and not really what I was expecting. Then, in a day or two, I realize that it actually was a bad decision and in general I am both insane and delusional. I am mostly harmless though and can be marginally entertaining whilst I attempt to disentangle myself from one predicament or another.

YES. IT IS VAGUE. INTENTIONALLY SO.

So, this summer, like some others, is a dream. It isn't real. Just something to occupy the space and time between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next. I have to keep that in mind. I have to make sure other people keep it in mind. It isn't really me they see and interact with, it's more like virtual reality. So in the last week or so, this is what the dream looks like:

Friday a week ago was softball and then drinks and food after the game at Buffalo Wild Wings. Not so great games, but great fun, and great friends.

Saturday morning was spent with the Asperger's support group. Three hours. It is always great to share thoughts, concerns, IEP information, teacher and administrator information, books and other resources, and things about doctors and testing. Saturday afternoon was soccer game number one. Saturday evening found me in situation I've never been in before, having to pick between parties to go to. It was hard because one was the birthday party of a good friend, but it was in Norfolk. The other was a get together of various team members, but it was only two or three miles down the road (stumbling distance). I chose the latter because of distance and it was late (ie I left the soccer game at 7:30pm). We had a great time in and out of the pool and got to meet some new people.

Sunday morning I did laundry, chores, and things. I was supposed to go to a beach party, but I was tired so I stayed home until I needed to leave for soccer. Yes, another soccer game Sunday afternoon. It was our last one for the spring season. One of my team mates was really pumped up and came by yelling "shock and awe" the whole game. We were undefeated for the season. I picked up a couple of nick names, "rock" and "wall". I think I need to combine them as it would at least describe how my son sees me. He's been climbing me since he was old enough to climb and I've often felt my primary job as parent is being a portable jungle gym. I really wanted to go see Charlie Austin at Murphy's Sunday evening, but somehow I forgot all about it.

Monday was work like normal, but I did an aerobic routine at the gym afterwards. I then went down to my volleyball games at the beach. We didn't do so well, but I had a great time swimming and listening to the band afterwards.

Tuesday was a down night. Nothing planned and that is exactly what I did, nothing. :-)

Wednesday was "Bad Movie, Good Friends" night. Wow, what a bad movie too. "The Death of Ocean View Park". It was filmed here in Norfolk in the later 70's as a made for TV movie. I was actually an extra in that movie too.

Thursday was dodgeball. :-) Yep. You can see a slide show of one game from last year below. We went to the pizza place that sponsors the league, Shorebreak Pizza, after the game. We won so we get a free pizza. Friends, pizza, and beer. What's not to like?

This Friday was softball again, and our last two games. I hit a couple of home runs, and nearly pulled a hamstring running the bases. Fields with fences are easier, but this one didn't have any.

Saturday was grocery shopping and chores again. I went to a pool party at a previous co-worker's place and THAT was a great time. It was nice to see and talk to everyone. Wrestling in the pool with the kids (yes, I know I'm not supposed to), and playing volleyball in the pool. I was having so much fun that I nearly missed the baseball game at Harbor Park with my current co-workers out in Suffolk. Our team, the Norfolk Tides, lost, but the park is awesome. I know I'm getting old when everyone on the field look like little kids to me.

Sunday, today, was spent doing odd things, going to lunch in Norfolk (shrimp and grits), and in a few minutes I leave to go back to see Jeff Dunham, the comedian that plays with puppets. I'm also looking for Dive trips out of here and the Outer Banks over the next couple of days. I have a couple of days off that were supposed to be spent in Cozumel, but that is a whole other story.

Hopefully later tonight I'll get some of the incriminating pictures from the pool party and get one or two up here.

Here's the dodgeball slideshow: