Storms and Sunsets

More rain this weekend. I held off taking a walk today for a long time, mostly because of the heat. The other reason was that yesterday afternoon storms blew up and I didn't want to take the chance to get caught in one. It was about 4:30 when I left. Hot, steamy weather. I got all the way to the western end of the park when I heard a rumble behind me. Ran part of the way home before heat, lack of stretching and hurt lungs forced me to slow to a walk. More rumbling. Got home, peeled off clothes, drank water. Looked outside, saw the sky darkening. More rumbling. This went on for a good 45 minutes before there was a drop of rain. Then it came down in buckets, and cleared out quickly. On the upside, there was a spectacular rainbow to the east as the rain was sweeping away.
The sunset was beautiful this evening - orange and pink against the blue, with wispy white clouds hovering on the horizon.

The storm is passing over
The storm is passing over
The storm is passing over
Hallelujah!

1-1

This was the final score between England (NOT Great Britain, or the United Kingdom) and our good ol' United States of America in our first World Cup 2010 match. Ordinarily, I wouldn't think much of a tie, especially after watching the highlights and seeing the opportunities that the Americans missed, but I'm making an exception.

First of all, this is the World Cup. Everybody (except U.S.) is watching. Most Americans might not care about soccer (I don't) but the rest of the world does.
Secondly, we played England in our first game. Soccer to the Brits is like basketball to U.S. Losing (or tying) in international competition is intolerable. Soccer (they call it football) is their sport. Even though England hasn't won a World Cup since 1966...but I digress. Schadenfreude is a great thing. This would be like our Olympic basketball team playing, say, Greece and winning by two points. Not exactly a confidence builder. Also, need I say again that we played England? And tied them. We pretty much fought them to a draw at a place in Massachusetts almost 235 years ago, too.

Matt Drudge wins the prize for best headline for this one: BRIT KNEELS BEFORE AMERICA!

All I can say is, "God Bless America!"

Wow.

And not in a good way. I am by no means a Detroit Tiger fan, but...wow. One out shy of a perfect game and...ouch. That ranks up there with the '72 Olympic basketball fiasco when the referee gave the Soviets about fifteen trillion tries to catch an incoming pass and make a basket to beat the good ol' U.S.A. At least there was no political overtones to an umpire making a bad call.*
I hope the pitcher keeps his chin up, and his perspective. Not to sound cliche, but there are much worse things.

He could play for the Cubs.


*Caveat: If in the next 48 hours someone blames the whiffed call on President George W. Bush, I reserve the right to repeal this sentence.

Little Man and Bam

I must say a few words about these two. They're ridiculously cute. While they're brothers, they each have their own distinct features. One is blond, the other is (for now) dark-haired. Little Man, being older, has been observed to be affectionate towards Bam. For his part, Bam has been observed to start crying when he hears his older brother crying. On the other hand, he managed to sleep through L.M.'s demon-shrieking Sunday night. Little Man's name comes from his parents; Bam comes from his brother's attempt to say his Christian name. Little Man has his mother's nose; Bam has more of his father's. Bam is bigger than Little Man was at that age.
Both slept through most of Sunday service. L.M. snored; Bam did not (he sometimes whimpers in his sleep). Both are very much loved by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.

A King In His Old Country

Re-watching The Civil War for an unknown number of times, I am struck by a thought: no one now comes to this country because he is a king in his old country.