Charlotte Sports Park

It rained and got windy today. It's ok. There are no banks of dirty snow here. There are white water birds hanging around on docks next to water in the liquid form. We had a walk around the neighborhood and noted the large number of "for sale" signs and houses that seem empty of human presence. One homestead with fliers in the box next to "for sale" sign, and not located on the water, specified $57,900 as its asking price. The real estate market here is in a deep slump. The bird in this photo, a white heron I think, doesn't seem to be affected by the economy.



Yesterday, we bought tickets to watch the Tampa Bay Rays spring training opener at Charlotte Sports Park against the Orioles from Baltimore. The game is Thursday afternoon. Santini is standing by the map to the complex. We have seats along the third base line.



The Twins will be here next week to play the Rays, I think, but I'll be gone, back to the land of dirty snow banks and geezer tennis.

Curling, curling

On a day when the temperature actually broke into above freezing temperatures, tonight the Miller Rink scored our third victory of the season. We will not be chosen to represent the USA at the next Winter Olympics, but it's nice to win once in a while. We played with just three curlers - Mr Moohoo, Wireless, and me. Of course we were bolstered by the support of our loyal fans - PP and BB. They watched and had a brew or two while we coasted to an 8-1 lead after four ends. Then the unexpected happened. With two ends left to be completed, our opponents decided to pack it in. They didn't realize that we are capable of blowing a lead even that large, I guess, or maybe they needed to get back to drinking beer. They shook hands and we swept the ice, the chore of the winners. Pretty sweet.



I've been back from my trip to Port Charlotte for almost a week now. It's been winter since I returned, but today seemed to hint at spring. The puddles on the street corners were growing large, and they were liquid almost all day. I still have a little tan on my legs from the tennis and biking I did in the Sunshine State, but I suspect that it will fade before real spring arrives in the North Star State.

I played USTA mixed doubles tennis Sunday evening and lost to a pretty good team. Marcia and I lost 6-0, 7-5. It took us nine games before we broke into the win column, but after we finally figured out how to play the other team, things went pretty well. It was a match against the team that we are tied with for the league lead, so it would have been nice to win, but it was a good match and I was proud of our ability to come back at the end.

Baseball been bery, bery good

The Tampa Bay Rays fell to Cincinnati Reds 7-0 in their first spring training game in their new stadium. Santini and I were there to take in the action including a fifth inning grand slam home run by the Reds' Jerry Hairston, Jr. The stadium is a very nice venue for the Rays and the summer occupants, the Port Charlotte Stone Crabs. There was a full stadium and a full scale traffic jam on the way to the park as the city learns to deal with the success of the 2008 American League champions. We had good seats in the stands behind home plate. They were in the shade and a nice breeze blew though.

My best action shot of the day was taken along the first base line in the last of the 6th inning. It's baseball, baby. The Reds are in red. Although he played, I don't think that AL rookie of the year Evan Longoria is in the photo.


There is a walkway all the way around the stadium, so it is possible to watch the game from many different vantage points. Santini stands near the beginning of the boardwalk in her baseball fan disguise.

I managed to escape the park without any Rays themed merchandise, a fate somewhat luckier than Santini, although some of their baseball themed tee shirts were tempting - just to get the economy humming again in my own small way.

My time in southwest Florida is drawing to a close, but it is possible that Minnesota winter weather may extend my visit. Winter storm warnings have been posted for the Saintly City.