I woke up very happy yesterday, just knowing it was opening day is a happy thing for me. It's like Christmas in April with no gifts to unwrap, no dinner to fix and all other stressors are melted away for just one day. It started out with a little rain but God allowed the rain to stay away for the entire game and then let it loose later on. More on that later.
Here we are walking to the Ballpark. Yes, we walk from our house there. It's Jon and Tylar, and then Conrad, me and the girls. We had forgotten a binky at home (a major trauma) so when we got inside the Ballpark, I went immediately to the gift shop (very busy place) to see if perhaps they had one. No luck. So, while I was by "Captain's Corner" (the place to buy food for kids for cheap) I got the kids their lunches and was on my way back to our seats. I start hearing them announce the line-up for the Rangers (which happens right before the National Anthem - which I MUST be in my seat for so I can see the fly-over and whoever is singing) so I start to panic. I make it to the escalator which is not working. They're not even letting people on it at the time. We're all lined up to get on it and they act like we may be able to ride it soon and since I'm on the very tippy-top, the escalator is worth waiting for. However, I'm hearing "tick-tock" in my head so I start for the ramp that goes around and around and around and around until you finally get to the top. OH, MY GOODNESS!!!!! If I did that everyday, I'd have beautiful legs, thighs and lugs that expand until I could swim the English Channel underwater.
Finally, I'm up to our seats and I have another 19 rows to climb and people to climb over but I MAKE IT!!!!!
Here is Eric Nadel (the white shirt) and NOLAN RYAN!!!! (in the khaki colored suit) about to throw out the first pitch. Eric threw it, Nolan was there for moral support.This video is about 3 minutes long. It's the National Anthem, sung by Neal McCoy. I decided to record it because I wanted you all to hear the song, see the Eagle (which if you look real hard - when the people start clapping toward the end - you can see him, his handler is on the pitching mound) and hear the fly-over.
Kinda disappointed? Yeah, me too. I was as far up as you could be and I could have carried on a conversation during that fly-over. I want it LOUD. I want the plane where I can see it. I want to KNOW I've just been buzzed by a B-1 Bomber. Oh well, maybe next year.
Now, I don't want you all to think that I was disappointed in my day. It was fantastic. A wonderful day out with my family. The Rangers lost but that was not what has stuck with me. Please indulge me while I write a letter to Tom Hicks, Owner of the Texas Rangers. If I had one iota of an inkling that he would get it, I would actually send it. But it would be thrown in "file 13" with all other complaints, I'm sure.
So here goes:
Dear Mr. Hicks,
One of my favorite days of the year is Opening Day at The Ballpark in Arlington. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the baseball. Win or lose for the Rangers, it's a major family holiday in my house. We take the kids out of school so they can enjoy the experience and have these memories to last a lifetime.
Up to now, I've never written a complaint to you. However, with the 4th straight year of stale buns I feel compelled to write and tell you what I think about the concessions at the Ballpark. How is it that on OPENING DAY you have stale buns for the hot dogs and brats? I mean, are they left over from last year? Are you going to the Mrs. Baird's seconds store and buying day-old buns? This is ridiculous. Also, yesterday I bought what the concession person told me was a brat (even though I asked specifically about them because I didn't see them on the menu, she told me "oh, yes, we have them"). When I opened it, it was a foot long sausage on a regular size bun. REALLY? You don't have foot long buns? Give me a break. It wasn't enough it wasn't a brat, but then it's all hangin' out of the bun. Mr. Hicks, I need my carbs. Get a bun that fits the sausage.
Also, is it because we're in the cheap seats that there are no interesting food concessions? I mean, I love brats (even sausage ones) and dogs, pretzels, popcorn and the like. But, while I was walking around the bottom trying to find a way up to my cheaps seat - because the escalator wasn't working (hello - can you fix that?) I smelled something yummy and garlic-y, I saw pizzas, mexican food and a bunch of other things that looked like it would taste good going down and I wouldn't mind it sticking to my thighs for a while. While I could use the excersize, I am not walking down to the main concourse to get my food and taking it back up to my seat. I realize as the season rolls on and the Rangers are further and further behind in the standings that less people are buying concessions upstairs, but on OPENING DAY? When all the seats are full? Come on, give us some variety.
Allright, Mr. Hicks, I guess that's all my griping for now. Overall, it was an enjoyable day. You can't do anything about where the B-1 flys over, I know that so I'll let you slide on that one. Thanks for changing the name back from Ameriquest field. I hope Jerry Jones takes a lesson from you on that one or no telling what that new "whistling" stadium will be called.
Sincerely and with great hopes for this year's team,
Lisa Wangler
True Ranger Fan
Thanks for indulging me. I feel better now that that's off my chest.
Now to last night at midnight. I was sleeping very, VERY soundly when I was awakened by very LOUD rain. Obviously hail. I've never heard hail to that degree before. What do I do? Grab my camera, of course, so I can share with you.
You can tell the size by the electic cord that is by the hail.
This was our yard in the middle of the storm. No telling how much was out there by the end. It lasted awhile so I didn't stay up for the whole thing.
And this is the van this morning after last night's storm. It looks like God threw up a salad he ate yesterday at the Ballpark. Look at all the leaves all over the street and driveway and van. What a sight.
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