We went to the Braves game tonight. They been the Houston Astros 5 to 2. I left work as early as I could so that we could get down to the game early. We had no problem getting a $3 parking place just across 85/75 from the stadium.

Danny and Nicole were decked out with war feathers, paint, shirts, and each had a Krystal Tomahawk, which Kathy says is not a weapon of war, but a gardening tool. Seems like everyone in the stadium had gardening tools to shake at the Astros.

We brought our dinner and ate in on the steps outside of the stadium, watching all the sights. Men painted reddish brown from head to toe, two giant tomahawk head dresses, supported by metal shoulder and back braces, lots of drumming.

It was a lot of fun. Kathy screamed the most. Danny and Nicole tied for second. I had been practicing “Take me out to the ball game” with the kids, and they got to sing that with the entire crowd. We each got a box of Cracker Jacks.

The tomahawk chant was unnerving to the Astros. Their short stop was particularly unnerved as he made at least 3 or 4 huge errors.

Terry Pendelton hit a home run.

After the game, their were fireworks. Then we marched back to the car singing and chanting with the crowd. Someone invented words to the tomahawk chant: “The car’s over there…. The car’s over there…”

On the way back to the car we saw the HondaHawk: A tomahawk mounted on top of a Honda with ropes and pullies so that it looked like it was trying to chop the hood in half.

Danny and Nicole passed out during the 11:00 pm drive home. They did real good. So did the Braves.

Saturday’s game against the Dodgers was one of the longest, most exciting on record. The announcers said they’ve never heard anything as impressive and eerie as the sell-out crowd’s Indian chant that started spontaneously during the 10th inning. Kathy became a die-hard Braves fan that day.

Sunday, Kathy had to go to work, and I set up the computer downstairs, working hard on a the PriceMaker demo due Monday. At about 3:00, Kathy came home. Unlike her normal returns from work, she flew through the door yelling, “You don’t have the Braves game on! They just hit a grand slam!” She was whooping and yelling. I’ve always thought she was exaggerating her Marriott exhaustion. Or maybe it was simply offset by Braves fever.

Grant is watching the kids while Kathy is in Florida. He’s impressed with the new Mac.

I took the kids swimming tonight. It’s been fun coming home early enough to get in dinner and a swim before dark. Especially since it has been so hot lately.

Danny surprised me with two tricks. He showed me how he can swim under water with his eyes open. I think the snorkel and mask he has used from Destin encouraged him to take this step.

I guess he decided to imitate Nicole swimming free-style. Next thing I know, he says, “Dad, look at me!” and starts doing a really nice stroke. I wonder if he can teach himself to read.

Grant-Monster-Key.mp3

Yesterday the four of us were picked up by GrandDad, Ted, and Bob for a drive out to Athens to see Grant play Ultimate Frisbee. It was sunny and hot when we got there.

Grant and his team were already dirty from their first game which they won. We got to watch UGA win in their second match. It rained off and on. Kathy and I enjoyed sharing an umbrella with Bob.

We then watched the “Freaks of Nature” from Huntsville, Alabama, whup up on another team. That led to Grant’s final match of the day. UGA against the Freaks. It was a good game, but UGA lost 13 to 10. The main difference was this tall guy. I told Grant that he should get a tall guy. Ted explained that ultimate teams liked to have tall guys, but tall guys were busy playing basketball. If there is ever any money in it, he went on, then the tall guys will start playing ultimate.

Danny was confused by the champion team from Florida. They had won the tournament 2 out of the last 3 years. They all wore sun dresses.

Nicole and Danny began their own “save the earth” campaign in the trees behind our seats. They collected bottles and cans to dispose in a nearby wastebasket.

The UGA team enjoyed having the noisy bunch of us there. They don’t usually have a crowd. Bob proved to be a champion rabble rouser. But the group did well on such rabbles as “Goooooo Whiner! Wah Wah Wah!” and “Give me a Wah! (Wah!) Give me another Wah! (Wah!) Whattayah got? (Wah! Wah!)”

Grant’s nickname on the team is “whiner.”

Afterward, Dad treated us to a fine dinner at the Varsity. Chilli burgers, PC’s, and onion rings were popular among the hungry, damp, somewhat muddy fans.