Trip to Des Moines: Part 1
I just got back from Des Moines. I took my nephew Mason there to play in his tournament with the Rising Knights Traveling Baseball team.
More to the point, I met up with Mason in Iowa City so that I could take him to and from his games so that my dad could head on to the memorial service for Joe Calbrecht Jr.
Here are the high points and low points from the trip.
High point- I didn't get in trouble for not getting to Raccoon River Park until 12:07. Mason was depending upon me for his cleats. He forgot them in Davenport. I left the Quad Cities at 9. I stopped at my parents' house for a quick cup of Caribou coffee and a slice of Hy Vee crumble cake. I left there at 8:30, and stopped by my sister's house to pick up Mason's cleats.
I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't make the effort to arrive at Des Moines at 11. Had I done that, I would have been leaving my parents' at 7:45, and getting the cleats by 8. But Mason wasn't punished. He just couldn't play until the 3rd inning.
Low point: The first game started early. They were already into the 2nd inning by the time I got there with Mason's cleats. Coach Sammon did thank me later, though, for bringing them up.
Day 1 was a loss and a win. It was also the day the huge lines of parents with cases of beers in coolers kept the elevator from running as smoothly or as quickly as it otherwise may have.
High point: Our second game was a 12-2 win over the Fort Dodge Legends. Mason did get to play in the whole game, including outfield and coming up to bat. He didn't get any outs at the plate during the whole tournament. This was something he was very proud of.
Low point: The first game, a loss to the Norwalk Naturals, was 15-4. I still kick myself for not getting up just a little bit earlier to make it to the ballpark.
Dinner from Caribou Coffee on night one. A definite high point. I got the turkey sandwich on a bagel with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Cup of fruit. And a mocha cooler.
High point: Two beers at the bar downstairs. Bud Lights. I hadn't had a drink, other than a few sips of wine, in over three weeks. So this definitely got the creative juices flowing for Nathan Jones. It's a play I'm in the process of writing. I got two pages written Friday night alone.
Low point: I think somebody used my MasterCard debit card. In addition to the 10.00 (plus 2.60 tip) charges for those drinks Friday, someone else used my card, rung up to the tune of 12.72. This turned up in my credit union statement today.
Day 2 moved the action to Urbandale.
High point- you can't go far in the greater Des Moines area without running into a Hy Vee. In most cases, they are massive Hy Vees. The one near the Walker-Johnston Ballpark off of Douglass Ave. in Urbandale was a midsized by Des Moines standards. Mason got a salad. I ate most of the leftovers. I also got him a mix and match of rootbeers, six pack. As for me, I got three cans of Peace Tea! Razzleberry, Green Tea, and Snowberry. We watched Mexico play against Korea in the World Cup from the Market Café. The team burst into applause for Mexico, the closest country to us in contention, as they scored their first goal. They'd go on to win this game 2-1.
Low point- The Hy Vee wouldn't redeem my glass iced coffee bottles from Starbuck's and Casey's for a refund.
Mason got breakfast pizza and a donut from Casey's. I got a cherry cream cheese turnover. It tasted fresh, flaky, and right out of the oven. Then one of the dads brought in a huge bag of breakfast sandwiches from the QT Gas station. He asked if anyone wanted one. I of course at first said no, since I was stuffed from my turnover. But then I saw him walking towards the trash can. I decided to save that sausage egg and cheese croissant from going to the dumpster.
High point: It was delicious.
Low point: I got uncomfortably full.
Win against the Rebels at 8 am. Win
High Point: Dinner from the Caribou Coffee again. This time the Chicken Pesto with chips and a sparkling lemonade tea.
Low Point: I grazed on it as I fought stomach cramps.
High Point: Found another Caribou Coffee! Valley West Mall in West Des Moines. Found another Hy Vee! It was at Valley West in West Des Moines. Not as cavernous as the one in West Des Moines off of I-35. But still at least as large as the Rock Island one. Bought Pepto Bismol. Deodorant. Floss.
Low point: This after spending $184.00 at U.S. Cellular on my June statement.
To be continued...
More to the point, I met up with Mason in Iowa City so that I could take him to and from his games so that my dad could head on to the memorial service for Joe Calbrecht Jr.
Here are the high points and low points from the trip.
High point- I didn't get in trouble for not getting to Raccoon River Park until 12:07. Mason was depending upon me for his cleats. He forgot them in Davenport. I left the Quad Cities at 9. I stopped at my parents' house for a quick cup of Caribou coffee and a slice of Hy Vee crumble cake. I left there at 8:30, and stopped by my sister's house to pick up Mason's cleats.
I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't make the effort to arrive at Des Moines at 11. Had I done that, I would have been leaving my parents' at 7:45, and getting the cleats by 8. But Mason wasn't punished. He just couldn't play until the 3rd inning.
Low point: The first game started early. They were already into the 2nd inning by the time I got there with Mason's cleats. Coach Sammon did thank me later, though, for bringing them up.
Day 1 was a loss and a win. It was also the day the huge lines of parents with cases of beers in coolers kept the elevator from running as smoothly or as quickly as it otherwise may have.
High point: Our second game was a 12-2 win over the Fort Dodge Legends. Mason did get to play in the whole game, including outfield and coming up to bat. He didn't get any outs at the plate during the whole tournament. This was something he was very proud of.
Low point: The first game, a loss to the Norwalk Naturals, was 15-4. I still kick myself for not getting up just a little bit earlier to make it to the ballpark.
Dinner from Caribou Coffee on night one. A definite high point. I got the turkey sandwich on a bagel with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Cup of fruit. And a mocha cooler.
High point: Two beers at the bar downstairs. Bud Lights. I hadn't had a drink, other than a few sips of wine, in over three weeks. So this definitely got the creative juices flowing for Nathan Jones. It's a play I'm in the process of writing. I got two pages written Friday night alone.
Low point: I think somebody used my MasterCard debit card. In addition to the 10.00 (plus 2.60 tip) charges for those drinks Friday, someone else used my card, rung up to the tune of 12.72. This turned up in my credit union statement today.
Day 2 moved the action to Urbandale.
High point- you can't go far in the greater Des Moines area without running into a Hy Vee. In most cases, they are massive Hy Vees. The one near the Walker-Johnston Ballpark off of Douglass Ave. in Urbandale was a midsized by Des Moines standards. Mason got a salad. I ate most of the leftovers. I also got him a mix and match of rootbeers, six pack. As for me, I got three cans of Peace Tea! Razzleberry, Green Tea, and Snowberry. We watched Mexico play against Korea in the World Cup from the Market Café. The team burst into applause for Mexico, the closest country to us in contention, as they scored their first goal. They'd go on to win this game 2-1.
Low point- The Hy Vee wouldn't redeem my glass iced coffee bottles from Starbuck's and Casey's for a refund.
Mason got breakfast pizza and a donut from Casey's. I got a cherry cream cheese turnover. It tasted fresh, flaky, and right out of the oven. Then one of the dads brought in a huge bag of breakfast sandwiches from the QT Gas station. He asked if anyone wanted one. I of course at first said no, since I was stuffed from my turnover. But then I saw him walking towards the trash can. I decided to save that sausage egg and cheese croissant from going to the dumpster.
High point: It was delicious.
Low point: I got uncomfortably full.
Win against the Rebels at 8 am. Win
High Point: Dinner from the Caribou Coffee again. This time the Chicken Pesto with chips and a sparkling lemonade tea.
Low Point: I grazed on it as I fought stomach cramps.
High Point: Found another Caribou Coffee! Valley West Mall in West Des Moines. Found another Hy Vee! It was at Valley West in West Des Moines. Not as cavernous as the one in West Des Moines off of I-35. But still at least as large as the Rock Island one. Bought Pepto Bismol. Deodorant. Floss.
Low point: This after spending $184.00 at U.S. Cellular on my June statement.
To be continued...