Sunday, January 31, 2010

Re-living my glory days...

Yesterday was the big day...Adult kickball!!  You heard me right...kickball.  When my boss asked me if I would play I happen to be busy working so without thinking about it I said yes.  I used to be pretty good at kickball in my day.  In after thought I asked my boss, "What time does it start?" 

His reply, "9am." I would have to get up at my normal 4:30am to get everyone ready to go!!  Oh Lawd! My stomach turned slightly.

My next question, "How many teams are there?"

He said, "16."  OMG!  This was going to take the entire day!!!  My stomach did a complete flip.

"Ummm...so how many games are we playing?"

He said, "3."  The tention eased a bit.   I told myself, "That's not going to be to bad." 

I began to believe that answer might have been a mistake.  My co-worker, M, some how convienced her entire family to go to the Carolina's that weekend to see a family member (a senoir) play a basketball game.  So she was not going to be able to play...Uh huh...right! 

C (my other half) thought it was a great idea! I didn't think so.  What I didn't realize at the time was that 3 games was just the start, if you won your team would go into the finals.  Now all of this was for charity ok!  So I just said this to myself over and over again.  To be honest I prayed for a rain out.

As the date drew closer the weather called for rain, I said to myself...I am saved!!  My boss first said they were going to re-schedule for February 13th...then I was told no - game is on.  Oh NO!

Now I have to explain a few things...it normally takes me an hour and a half to get to work on a daily basis.  This includes two stops...daycare and school.  So in reality I live approximately an hour from where I work, one way.  Then you have to take into consideration I have a 10 year old, a 3 1/2 year old, and a 2 year old at home.  I just don't work a full time job but I also have a second full time job...Household Manager!  This job I do on the weekends.  It entails... Manage time, priorities, money and activities, operate and repair small machinery. Plan, prepare, and serve meals, accurately follow recipes and first aid directions. Maintain a clean and safe environment and schedules for three individuals answer phones and take messages. Work independently as well as part of a team, budget money.  Not including the tons (yes, I said tons) of laundry!!  I have two...count them...two in potty training.  Now one pretty much has it down pat, but the other...well let's just say he's a little stubborn.  So we go through lots of clothes. 

So in doing this chairty kickball tournament it was going to set me back a day in my second job, which makes catching up very difficult.  I would not be able to "sleep in" until 6:30am, which is my beauty sleep time for the week.  And I didn't think of the abuse my body was going to take since I haven't really been keeping my self in the best shape...well you know.  My 21 year old graciously took the kids for the time I needed to play, so I couldn't use that as an excuse either.   

It looked like I was going to have to "bite the bullet" and play. 

We did arrive on time...well by the deadline anyways.  We didn't practice before hand because my boss didn't think we needed to.  Mistake!  So a few of us decided to go onto the football field and practice.  This is me going to practice. 

After kicking a few balls I begain to realize how much of a mistake this really was...for me anyways.  My kicking foot was killing me, my ankles were hurting and my legs were shaking.  Let's not even talk about the lower back pain...luckly I had brought some meds...but I had left them in the SUV.  And they called for the games to begin.

The first game was pretty intense, we were behind by one point.  I do have to say proudly that we had a pretty good bunch of people playing!  We were bulldogs in the out field!!  Shamefully I didn't get on base during this game, I was still getting used to that ball!  So we tied the first game, then we immediately had to play game #2.  OMG!  No break??

Game 2 was even better!!  No score until the 5th inning!!  It wasn't us that scored, but still.  This is when I had my shot!  I had finally learned how to bunt that dang bouncy ball and I got to first base!  YEAAAAA!  Next kicker got me to second!  WOOHOO!!  But my glory was short lived because we struck out.  We lost that game by one...count it one point!  KEWL!

By this time my body was screaming for rescue!  My left ankle and kicking foot was killing me!!  Yes, I'm a lefty, which makes it even more difficult to bunt.  We had an hour break, next game at 1pm.  Not enough time in my opinion but I had to work with it.  I grabbed a hot dog and tried to relax.  During this time I felt a drip hit my forehead...were the gods finally going to smile down on me??  Another rain drop, then another and another.  Holy Cow it's sprinkling!! 

But do these boneheads call it?  NOOOOOoooooo!  They want to play! 

My boss, who happened to be our team captain, comes to us with the other teams offer.  They said they would give us the game if we didn't want to play in the rain.  They were proceeding to the finals anyway, we were not.  Decisions...decisions...well everyone on my team wasn't going to go out like that.  And it got my goat too...so we played!  In the rain!  Ball wet+clay wet+grass wet=what?  A muddy great time actually!  We didn't win but we gave it our best shot!!

I got confirmation that we were through and we headed directly to the SUV.  I was freezing!  I changed my top and put on my jacket and we were out of there!!  Oh, I was in pain.  I could barely get up into the SUV.  Half an hour drive to get the kiddies, then a hour and a half drive home.  Stopping for potty breaks and so forth.  Finally we arrive home.  I'm exaused and in pain!  Still had to feed the kids and get them ready for bed; by the way it was early to bed night.  Then I passed out!

I'm still sore and in some pain today.  I did realize that kickball wasn't as fun as it was 20 some odd years ago, but all in all I have fun!  I won't be so quick to volunteer in the future though.