Queen Anne's Lace and Lilacs

Slide Show of the Game

I thought I'd do a slide show of Tim's photos from the Kings game against Phoenix the other night.  We don't often get such clear photos or have such close seats.  If you click on the slide show, it will take you to their website, where you will have a few choices in viewing size.

Tim and Bethany Go to the Game

Last night, Tim and Bethany attended the Kings/Suns basketball game.  It was a great deal - seats in the lower bowl, regularly $140 apiece, for $40 a ticket, or something like that.  The first quarter was awful, but things picked up in the second.  It ended up being another game we almost won.  There are getting to be too many of those.  Just WIN, already!  Seriously.

The bigger news is this photo that Tim took (click for a larger view and enjoy the perfection!).  That's Omri Casspi, with his arms in the air.  Right behind him is Tyreke Evans (#13).  You can even see the Maloofs in the very back of the photo sitting court side. 

Tim and I have taken thousands of basketball photos, mostly of the kids' games.  In the vast majority, if there is even the slightest motion, the picture is blurry.  So, since it's basketball, most of the photos are blurry.  This has driven me insane for years.  We've tried many different cameras.  Anyway, Tim tried a different technique, I guess, and as you can see....no blurriness.  Now, if we could just go all the way back and start over, taking pictures this way!  I would be more than happy to go back and do it all over again.

I watched the game, of course, but the camera didn't make it around to Tim and Bethany.  I haven't seen the other pictures he took, but Tim tells me he has a good photo of the "Sign Lady."  She's been at just about every game for 25 years, I'm thinking, and I expect to see her on TV at least once during each game.

The Kings are a much better team this year, fun to watch again, but they've got to win a few games!  And, I'm sincerely hoping Kayte comes back.

Forgive Me, Evan

I've actually scrapped a couple of pages these last two days (click for a larger view).  I don't know what's come over me!  Normally, I'm much better at shopping for kits than scrapping with them.  (Shhh!  don't tell Tim)  I don't especially like to do journaling, but Tim thought the one layout needed some.  So, I journaled.  Unfortunately, there's one sentence that reads a little weird (I'm sure Evan won't even notice), but I didn't feel like going through the rigmarole to fix it.  Just know that I didn't intend to be...insensitive.

I wish I had some current photos to do some Christmas scrapping with, but Bethany's usually the only one around.  And, WHY couldn't she be one of those people that LOVES being in pictures!  I will have my chance to take some pics when Evan gets here on the 21st, but by then, I probably won't be doing much scrapping.  And, shoot! trying to get Brett up here will be a pain, too.  It would be so much easier if everyone just lived here!  Hmm....don't get me started.

Now, before I close here to go heat some water in the kettle for some of our yummy cocoa - topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and chocolate chips - I have a question.  Probably the seniors will be more likely to know the answer, but I'm not picky. 

I'm watching the Kings game.  We're currently beating San Antonio, but there's plenty of time for THAT to change.  I love our announcers, Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds.  Jerry grew up in that big town, French Lick, Indiana.  Perhaps that accounts for this quaint colloquialism of his that grosses me out:  "I'm just so thrilled, I'm about to spit up."  Really?  Must this be spoken aloud?  And, is that truly the correct way to say it?  Yuck.

Not feeling so much like cocoa, now.

Kings, Draft, Kayte, New York

The NBA draft is over.  I have no idea about our new players.  I don't even intend to find anything out.  It seems that the draft isn't the end of it.  They can trade these people, willy nilly, throughout the summer.  I'll just wait and see who's on the court/bench in the first game.  There are already changes to next season about which I'm pretty disgusted.  House Party and Jim Kozimore are gone.  At least the Kings had the sense to keep Kayte.

Speaking of Kayte, while she was waiting to attend the draft thing in New York City, she did a bit of sightseeing.  I am including this video mainly for Tim, one of Kayte's biggest fans.  From the looks of the video, she chose as boring of sights as I did when I was there.  Unfortunate.  But, Kayte's cute.

Hey, Birthday Boy! - UPDATE

Yes, it's Tim's birthday once again.  Happy birthday, Baby!!  Man, he just keeps crankin' these things out!  Today is Friday the 13th, and Tim was born on Friday the 13th.  Tim will be celebrating his birthday in several parts.  Tonight, he goes to a basketball game.  And then, Evan gets home on Monday.  So, we're planning the big birthday dinner for Monday night.  I suppose I'll let Tim open his presents, today, though.  Maybe we'll have a really nice meal tomorrow! 

Unfortunately, Tim had to work today - in addition to being on call (although, to be honest, Tim loves his job, so he's happy to be there).  However, he and Bethany are going to the Kings' game tonight.  They get to see Lebron James (I still don't get what's so special about him.  Whatever.).  But more importantly, they're sitting in the "Koz Rows" (a special section for about 40 people, I think) with Jim Kozimor and Kayte Christensen (she played in the WNBA until this past year).  Oh, guys!  Get a picture of Bethany and Kayte!  Henry Turner and "Fat" Lever may be up there, too.  We'll see.

So, Baby, I hope you guys have fun and get to meet a few (ex) stars.  And, I hope the Kings play like an actual NBA team.  Try to get autographs, pictures - and enjoy some good snacks.  I love you!

UPDATE:  The "Koz Rows" things was a total bust, I'm sorry to say.  I sent an email expressing our disappointment and have been offered two tickets for this Sunday night's game - and sitting with Koz and Kayte.  How wonderful!  I may end up with my Bethany and Kayte photo after all! 

Now that the Inmates are Running the Asylum...

Last night, I looked forward with great hope and anticipation to the Kings' game, excited to see the change in my team.  Not a victory, necessarily, but no more of the embarrassing and humiliating playing of a professional men's basketball team that, as of late, Bethany's junior varsity team could whip handily.  Alas, and alack, nope.  Didn't happen.  Same ol', same ol'.  How is this possible, now that the Obamessiah has been anointed?  I mean, now that we don't have to worry about world peace, hunger, or injustice, a little of that good juju would come the Kings' way.  Just sayin'.

Disclaimer #1:  Just so's ya know, I think ALL politicians - regardless of party - are insane sleazes. 

Disclaimer #2:  Bethany did come away with the ball, of course.

"Haysville 2 Hollywood"

is what the sign said at the Kansas City auditions for American Idol.  I was stunned!  I do believe that's the first time I've seen "Haysville" outside of, well, Haysville.  I wonder how the person with the sign happened to fare at the auditions.  Hmmm....what are the odds that it wasn't some Stephen King - type character....And I'm not insulting Haysvillites/Haysvillians/whatever.  Those  types exist everywhere, as I'm sure you've noticed.

Tonight (Monday), by the by, was the first night of the new season of American Idol.  After watching the Kings get trounced by Orlando (and Orlando setting a new record for three-point shots - woo hoo!), I honestly thought Tim was going to cry when I announced American Idol was coming on next.  He really hates the audition shows.  However, it's a bonding time for us and Brett.  So!  It's fun.  Some of it. 

We Have a Winner!

I've been dreading this election day for months.  However, Tim did manage to come up with some news that made me smile.  A while back, I had both of us enter the News 10/Kings VIP contest to meet a  couple of the Kings and attend the first home game free of charge.  I confess that I had forgotten all about this contest.  It was, indeed, a happy surprise when Tim called to inform me that he had just gotten off the phone with a guy from News 10.  Yes, Tim  - and Brett, who drew the longer straw...sorry, Bethany - will be going with this guy to interview some of the Kings.  Or maybe Tim will be the one interviewed, I don't know.  They will be watching the game from floor seats on the sideline.  They will get a good dinner.  Tim will be taking pictures (please, make sure they're good!).  This isn't the first time someone has been blessed just by knowing me:)  Although, with the way the Kings have played so far, I don't know how much of a blessing it will be.  Come on, Kings!  Play like you know what you're doing!

Phils Win it All!

My dad has to be thrilled!  He's waited FOREVER for his Phillies to win the championship.  I don't remember the story about how a Kansas boy ending up going for the Phillies, but that's how it turned out.  (The Kansas City Royals weren't around when Dad was a kid.)  Tim has enjoyed watching the baseball games the last two or three weeks.  He's new to the sport for the most part.  So new that I'm an expert, if that tells you anything.

I am a bit concerned.  When we started watching the Kings games back in 2001, and until a couple of years ago, Tim really was only interested in the Kings.  Now, I have a few other teams, the Huskers and the Jayhawks, so when they would be playing football or basketball, we'd watch.  Of course, with Evan at the University of Houston, we've watched their football and basketball games, too.  If none of those groups were on TV, we didn't watch sports.  Several times over the years, I've wondered how long this would last.  Well, a couple of years ago, Tim got it in his head to watch NBA games that didn't involve the Kings.  Yuck.  This issue of his is becoming more pronounced.  He is going to have to accept the fact that, if my team isn't playing, I'm not watching.  It's OK.  He can watch his sports, I'll watch my shows. 

You know, I grew up in a house of continuous sports on TV.  I vowed it would never happen in my own house when I grew up.  Well, when Evan's home, all that's playing is ESPN.  I'm stuck in my room with my TV.  I can do that with Tim, as well.  I did a pretty good job of holding it off, now, for a few decades.

There was a time that I followed baseball quite faithfully.  When I was a kid, Wichita had a Triple-A team, the Wichita Aeros (the websites containing Aeros' information show a logo that was not used back in the '70s).  I had a transistor radio, and every night during the season, I listened to the game.  When I would get in trouble, I would lose game-listening privileges.  It was torture!  Also, at some point back then, George Brett joined the Kansas City Royals.  I liked him and Hal McRae.  For years, I followed the Royals - until Brett retired.  There were a couple of other teams that I was interested in back in the day, the Pirates and the A's.  (I'm mostly including this info for my kids - someday they may wish they'd asked about all of this.) 

Maybe Tim and I will stick with the Phillies, since we're kind of familiar with the players now.  I don't know.  What are the odds we'll remember any of them next spring?!  Well, we'll remember Victorino.

Speaking of the Kings, their opening night was tonight.  They lost.  Hmmm....  Frustrating.  

Bless You, Beno

As anyone with even a passing interest in the NBA knows, it was just a few short years ago that the Sacramento Kings were the greatest team in professional basketball.  We all know now that, were it not for the refs' rigging of the game, the Kings would have been the 2002 Champs.  No - it's not even a matter for discussion anymore.  And like I always say - and, indeed, pride myself on following faithfully - you can't live in the past.  When travesties of justice occur, you must move on.  If I've said that once, I've said it a million times.

Unfortunately, the anguish and disappointment were so great amongst the players, that not even our wonderful coach, Rick Adelman, could drag the team out of whatever dark, nasty place they'd fallen into.  When Adelman was fired - and how stupid was that! - I wasn't too sure about his replacement, Eric Musselman.  I'd never heard of him before.  Well, we found out about him soon enough.  He'd earned a DUI within minutes of arriving in Sacramento.  It was all down a very long, 6-month hill after that idiocy.  Wasn't hard to see the writing on the wall with that one.  (I was more than happy when they hired Reggie Theus.  He seemed to have confidence in what he was doing.  Oooh, and Mr. Theus has a fabulous wardrobe, too.  Just sayin'.) 

But, we had been blessed with Ron Artest.  I was well aware of some of the chaos he had created up to the point of our obtaining him, but you know what I always say:  "It's a new start.  Give him a chance."  He's been the model of perfection.  He wants to win, he plays with energy.  I love having him on our team, I love to watch him play, and I would have been sick (!) had he decided to leave.

Still, the team couldn't quite get it together.  Ron couldn't do everything.  Oh, sure, on any given night, another player would usually step up and give him a hand.  But it was never the same one twice in a row, and there are five people on the floor, for crying out loud!  Aargh!  And then, one day last year, there arrives a sweet, young man by the name of Beno Udrih.  I'd never heard of him, either, and you do have to admit he doesn't look like he's going to take the basketball world by storm.  But, he did a decent job.  He caught on to the team's system before people had agreed on how to pronounce his name!  We still had Mike Bibby, but he was out injured....again.  You know, I like Mike, he'd done a good job for us, but it had gotten to the point that I thought I'd have to smack him - on a regular basis.  Totally inconsistent.  But, then, here comes this little guy, Beno.  In no time, we were thrilled with him and happy to watch the games once again.  We desperately wanted him to stay, but he would become a free agent at the end of the season. 

The talk around here was that, more than likely, Beno was outta here.  The Clippers wanted him.  I read that the Kings were going to try to give him an offer he couldn't refuse, but even my hopeful nature couldn't keep me from just knowing we'd be telling him good-bye.  Lo, and behold! however, I see that he's decided to stay with the Kings!

Tim has reminded me it's not a done deal.  Things can still happen with Beno.  I hope they do whatever is necessary to keep him.  Of course, they can also try to trade Artest.  But until any of that happens, I'm looking forward to the next season with great anticipation.

(Beno is so cute, he seems sweet and gentle, and he has the most delightful accent.  He would make an excellent husband for Bethany.)