The next morning we were up and out for a 10:00 Soccer game. JD, you came away with two goals on this day. This was the second to last game of the year, and I must say, it's bitter sweet. Slug came to watch as did Grandie and PopPop. We all came back to the house and had sandwiches and a nice lunch together. Shortly after I brought Slug back to his car in Dover and he was off. It was nice to see him. He doesn't get back to Millis much so I'm sure he had a nice time here too.
In the afternoon we played in the playroom pretty much all day. The ground was wet from overnight rain so outside was kind of out of the question. Adam, you have been playing with the skeet ball game a lot lately. Sometimes you just walk into the playroom and turn on the music to that game then leave the room. Its just great to hear that music piping through the house!
JD, on this day we built mostly with Legos. We haven't played with Legos in quite a while. I forgot how relaxing it is to get lost in building with those things. I see that it relaxes you too.
After dinner Ad went off to bed and Mom to work and JD and I prepared to watch game 6 of the ALCS between the Sox and the Indians. I must admit they reeled me in again! They were down 3 games to 1, then won game five. They got me believing! J, I explained to you how the series works and you had many questions about my explanation. Throughout the season you have become very good at reading the scoreboard area on the TV screen. You can tell how many outs there are, what the score is, and how many balls and strikes that the batter is working.This night was my favorite sports experience yet with you. Maybe not better than actually going to Fenway, but certainly close. You were so into the game that it made me that much more interested and involved. There was a time in the beginning of the game where the based were loaded for JD Drew, who was just not been performing all year. He hit a Grand Slam and you and I simultaneously jumped out of our chairs! We cheered, talked, and ate Cheetos together on this night. I let you stay up til 10:00 and by then the game was decided anyway. They home team won! You were ready for bed and out like a light by the time your head hit the pillow. Thanks for this night, JD. I look forward to the day when AD can understand this sport and stay up late with us.
The following morning after watching many Sox highlights, Mom and I packed you guys up and we went to Mt Agamenticus for a hike. This is the perfect hike for kids. Its basically a walk up a hill that happens to be in the woods. There is a great view once you reach the top. Adam you enjoyed the ride on my shoulders the whole way up and down. You talked the whole way waving to people passing us by and noticing birds, planes and other dogs.
JD, you and Asbury lead the way up. I swear, I think you ran up the whole entire Mountain, Az by your side. Asbury made sure you didn't go too far without being by your side. Mom and I noticed on this hike that Az is getting old. He got tired so much easier than he ever did before. By the end he was panting pretty good. His tail was wagging the whole time though as he loves to be outside with his family. He's a good dog and he loves us all.
After our hike we came home to play outside for most of the day. We hadn't played baseball in quite a while but took out the bases and balls on this day. You haven't missed a step with your swing but you fatigued early because I kept you up the night prior. Addie, you came out too and practiced your throwing. You are starting to get some serious zip on the ball!
Later this night was game 7 of the ALCS. I haven't been this nervous for a game in a long time. Even though they won it all in 2004, I still don't trust em'! Its funny JD was alive in 2004 and we watching some games in MA and some in ME. I remember telling him about the bade luck the Sox have had for generations and how lucky we were to be witnessing the Sox in the Series. I had a similar conversation with you tonight, JD. You understand a lot more now, obviously.
Almost all of my great sports memories growing up are with my Dad. Bird, Boggs, Buckner, Grogan, McHale, The Rocket, The Chief, those are the guys my memories are made up of. I can just see you developing small memories of Schilling, Papi, Manny, Brady, and others. ALL of my Red Sox memories inevitably didn't end well. They didn't win much when I was young, and worse then that they always reeled you in and broke your "HAAHT!"
The thing that is funny about this to me is that things for you guys, at the ages of 5 and 2 are already better than they ever were for me, my dad, or the entire life of my Grampa as far as the Sox go! I have to say though there was an unspoken camaraderie between Sox fans for a long time.
You could even tell a true fan by a glance that someone would give you who might also be wearing the hometown cap. The caps are camouflaged now amongst pink hats and towel wavers. Casual fans who happened to jump on the bandwagon cuz its the, "Thing to do." Its still fun to be a fan but there was something to say about the years of the Curse. Tomorrow night is game one of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies. GO SOX!
