April 1-5

The new month began on Monday, I had my mother at doctor appointments on that day and Thursday. On Wednesday Jenny and I had our midweek lunch, in the evening the McCaskey boys basketball program had its end-of-season banquet. Freddy had mentioned it to me back in February, he asked me to be sure to keep April 3 open on my calendar. All the members of the varsity and JV teams were recognized along with the ninth-grade team. I was sitting with Gloria (Coach Powell's widow who I've known for thirty years), she was called forward for recognition and became very emotional when she was presented with a framed photograph of her husband. I was singled out as well, they said I didn't have to say anything unless I wanted to and I pointed out that I'm most accustomed to speaking when my audience is looking in the other direction. On Friday there was rain in the forcast, I was at The Hotel in the morning and by early afternoon the predicted rainfall had arrived. There was a ballgame at McCaskey at 4:15, by 2:45 there was no word on a postponement so I made my way to the ballfield. It was still raining at game time and it never stopped the entire time we were there, visiting Hempfield took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Red Tornado got on the board in the third, Mason Lee singled and scored on Alex Ruiz's fielders choice groundout. In the fourth JPM had two men on with one out when the umpires conferred with both coaches and called a halt to play. Conditions were deteriorating badly and there's no question they made the right call, one can only wonder why (given the forecast) the game was ever started. We'll get word eventually on whether the game is considered suspended or wiped out completely, the next home game is on Wednesday the 10th. When I got home there was a phone message from Jenny, her mother took ill and was in the ER here in town. Helen has had heart trouble and has an occasional hiccup ever now and then, hopefully this is one of those. We'll know more on Saturday morning. Take care, thanks for reading.