Marlena and her friend, Olivia |
Team Lee Summit Tigers, 4th and 5th graders |
Getting Ready to Serve |
Oops |
Perfect passing position |
As I mentioned yesterday, we were up early, Nick off at 6:30 for a soccer game in Omaha, a three hour drive and Marlena had pictures and a volleyball game at 7:30. So by 7:15, we were all out of the house. Mary volunteered to drive Nick, so Evie, Tom and I got to go to Marlena's game, at Lee Summit Recreation center, with two volleyball courts and indoor soccer court, a really nice facility. The girls' teams surprised me in that they played quite well for having just learned some of the fundamentals of volleyball. Most could serve the ball over the net underhand and they all had the idea of how to forearm pass or bump the ball across the net or to a teammate. They played three twenty minute games, the team that's ahead after twenty minutes wins that particular game, a good way to do it. It was fun to watch Marlena have fun and compete and there were lots of parents their on an early Saturday morning.
Tom and Nick |
After the game, we shopped for dinner at the local HYVEE, picking up chips and dip for the March Madness games. For lunch, we bought beer flavored bratwursts. Since it was in the high 60's outside, we cleaned up Tom's grill, then cooked them outside, fighting a strong windy day. They really tasted good, making me wonder why we don't have them more often. The rest of the day we just took it easy, not doing much. Nick and Mary did not get back from Omaha until about 4:00. We watched TV, played games with Marlena and both she and Evie made more birthday cupcakes as Evie's sister Jean is coming over for dinner and Saturday was her birthday. It just felt good to relax after two days of driving. Marlena had her good friend Ella over too, so played some both in side and out, all of us went to the playground, even played some soccer, and eventually the girls helped Evie wash the car, as they both came in laughing, soaking wet from the hose.
Spring Swinging |
Tom and Bella |
Both basketball games had exciting ends to them, frustrating in some ways if you wanted certain teams to win because, for example, Michigan played so poorly the last five minutes that they deserved to lose but did not. I admit to getting tired of basketball and all of us took time out from the games, to either do something else or even nap. We all went to bed around 10:15, after the basketball games, tired from doing very little except for Mary (driving), Evie (baking and cooking) and Nick and Marlena (playing soccer and volleyball. I guess that leaves Tommy and me.
Spring has come here in Lee's Summit almost overnight, as I saw a solitary cherry tree already in blossom and most trees have huge red buds, ready to leaf forth. Here is today's poem from The Writer's Almanac that I particularly liked....can summer be far behind?
342 It will be Summer -- eventually.
by Emily Dickinson
It will be Summer — eventually.
Ladies — with parasols —
Sauntering Gentlemen — with Canes
And little Girls — with Dolls —
Will tint the pallid landscape —
As 'twere a bright Bouquet —
Tho' drifted deep, in Parian —
The Village lies — today —
The Lilacs — bending many a year —
Will sway with purple load —
The Bees — will not despise the tune —
Their Forefathers — have hummed —
The Wild Rose — redden in the Bog —
The Aster — on the Hill
Her everlasting fashion — set —
And Covenant Gentians — frill —
Till Summer folds her miracle —
As Women — do — their Gown —
Or Priests — adjust the Symbols —
When Sacrament — is done —
Ladies — with parasols —
Sauntering Gentlemen — with Canes
And little Girls — with Dolls —
Will tint the pallid landscape —
As 'twere a bright Bouquet —
Tho' drifted deep, in Parian —
The Village lies — today —
The Lilacs — bending many a year —
Will sway with purple load —
The Bees — will not despise the tune —
Their Forefathers — have hummed —
The Wild Rose — redden in the Bog —
The Aster — on the Hill
Her everlasting fashion — set —
And Covenant Gentians — frill —
Till Summer folds her miracle —
As Women — do — their Gown —
Or Priests — adjust the Symbols —
When Sacrament — is done —
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