Altoona Curves 12, Fisher Cats 0

We drove up to NH yesterday for Michael's mother's memorial service this afternoon. It's a sad time, but life continues to swirl around you even in times of quiet and sorrow...especially when you have little boys in your family.

My sister Sarah has two sons. Solon and Nathan are sports enthusiasts...to put it mildly. They invited us to join them at a baseball game last night and we watched the Fisher Cats (the local AA farm team for the Toronto Blue Jays) play the Altoona Curves (farm team for the Pittsburgh Pirates).

Despite the resounding defeat we had a wonderful time. The boys raced ahead and got the best seats in the house: four, padded reclining chairs behind home plate, just under the overhang. (That overhang came in handy during the 54 minute rain delay.)

The seats are saved for VIPs or very cute boys who ask nicely.

The whole evening seemed quintessentially American to me in a gentle, home town, I-can't-believe-this-still-exists, kind of way; we loved every minute of it. Park for free on the street and walk to the game. $4 bleacher seats. A park small enough that you can walk around inside and actually FIND your sister without having to call her on her cell. (In fact, very few cell phones in evidence at all.) Boys crowding around the dugout to get autographs and players actually giving them. Terrible, corny entertainment between each inning.

A far cry from the big league that is New York City and a very welcome change of pace.