We went to a rave...

 

... and a baseball game broke out.

Last night, we met Mark and Cindy at the Peoria Baseball Stadium.  We were coordinating by text for where to meet... Mark texted me "Raise your hands so we can find you," and the pregame entertainment broke into Y-M-C-A!  LOL

We did find each other and waited in line at the gate while players from both teams came out to entertain the crowd...

 We made our way into the stadium and found seats...

Who's playing?  Thanks for asking: the Savannah Bananas vs the Party Animals.  (Like the Harlem Globetrotters are always playing the Washington Generals.)  This is baseball... kinda... with rules that differ from, and are more entertaining than, regular baseball.  It is "Banana Ball!"  And entertaining is what it is all about.  There isn't a lull in the music that is blasting - both teams dancing through it all.

What are the rules in Banana Ball?  Teams score points by winning an inning (no matter how many runs are scored during the inning).  The only exception is the last inning, where every run counts.  While the traditional game goes 9 innings, Banana Ball is on the clock: 2 hours or 9 innings, whichever comes first.  There are other "entertaining" rules, but this is how you win the game.

It is open seating, so you want to get there early to get good seats.  In this stadium, built for the Spring Training leagues, every seat is good - our seats were on the first base line, just beyond first base.  There is an announcer (Ring Master?) and all kinds of things going on at the same time... like trying to watch a "3-Ring Circus."  Merchandise sales are brisk - I waited in line twice: once to get a jersey for myself, and a second time to get a jersey and hat for Dan (he and Cindy were holding our seats while Joan, Steph, Mark, and I went "shopping."  Judging by the lines, sales were brisk.

More images during the game...

It was definitely more entertaining than a traditional baseball game, but the players are all good.  They range in age from 18 to 23 and some are drafted into the MLB.  It is a for-profit venture; the team is valued at 20 million dollars.  Real baseball with a large measure of showmanship.  They regularly have the crowd on their feet.

In the end, the Bananas won.  No, it isn't "fixed," last time Mark went to a game, the Party Animals won.  But, the crowd always gets a good show... and it starts while you're waiting in line to get in.

Walking back to the car, my ears were ringing.  The volume level is more like a rock concert than a sporting event.  I was wore out - you get your exercise at one of these games.

Our thanks to Mark and Cindy for making tickets available to us: these games are always sold out, wherever the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals play.  Mark is a member of the K-Club, a fan club for the team - members get first shot at tickets for any venue around the country.  As a member, you can get tickets (there is a "lottery" to get to buy) at the face value of $35 each... on the secondary market, tickets sell for $150 and up.

The Peoria Stadium is the Spring Training (Cactus League) home for the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners.  Seating capacity is around 12,000... and this was a sell out.

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Chillin'...

Taking it easy this morning, all three of us were out on the patio.  I was the first one out, slipped into the hot tub.  Joan came out next and opened up the patio umbrella and rolled the catio out of the shed.  Then, Murphy joined us... the boy likes his catio...

Going Bananas...

 

You decided to become a Minion?  No.

 

Mark and Cindy asked if we wanted to go to a Savannah Bananas baseball game - they bought tickets for this months ago, and offered 4 of them for Joan, Steph, Dan, and me.  Steph and Dan are excited, and their friends are jealous - the Bananas' games in Peoria (a suburb of Phoenix) are sold out.

Mark told me about this team a couple years ago.  Sounds like the baseball version of the Harlem Globetrotters: part baseball, part theater, part comedy show.  The game is this evening - we're looking forward to it! 

It's a new day...

 

If you said, "A song by will.i.am, 2008," you get 30 bonus points.  If you were wondering how Murphy is doing after his day with the vet yesterday - the boy is himself again this morning.

 He hasn't been his typical kitten-ish self for a couple days (since going to the vet on Tuesday).  I may be reading more into it, but he seemed very lovey and grateful last night.  Perhaps after spending a day at the vet's office, he now appreciates even more how good he has it at home?  Yes, I am kidding - he's a sweet boy.

This morning, he was more lovey than usual, more grateful to have his breakfast on time... and he was full of energy: running and jumping; playing with his toys.  When Tango came over for a short visit, he kinda wrestled with him.  He wanted to be playful, but Tango wasn't sure about that.  But, they were nice to each other.  I think I heard him tell Tango: "They took me to this place where they locked me in a cage and poked and prodded on me.  Then, after hours and hours, they shaved my leg and stuck a needle in it!  Not sure what happened after that, but when I woke up, it felt like they rammed something in one ear and out the other!  Then, they put me back in a cage again, until my Mom and Dad rescued me."

Yeah, that sounds pretty close to what went down.  This morning, though, he got some snuggling, his regular breakfast, a nice walk out in the courtyard, and lots of running, jumping and playing... including a couple "ninja kicks" on the furniture (all 4 feet off the ground, and a kick off with the rear feet).

Yeah, I'd say he is good.

He doesn't understand...

 

I feel like a bad cat-Dad.  Our little furry guy Murphy didn't get breakfast this morning.  In the nearly two months he has been with us, his meals have always been on-time... even if he didn't know what that time is.  We have been dealing with an ear infection with him for 3 weeks, and the cleaning and antibiotic ear drops that we have been diligent with haven't helped.

At his vet visit on Tuesday, the vet recommended we bring him back on her "procedure day" (today) to let them sedate Murphy and do a cleaning and exam that he wouldn't tolerate if he was awake.  So that meant no food after 9:00 last night and no breakfast this morning.

Murph understands the morning routine: I get up, he follows me to the bathroom, then the kitchen.  I get stuff ready for the day, then he gets his breakfast.  He waits to get petted, then he eats.  He and I both appreciate the routine.  This morning, the routine was different... "Why am I not getting food?"

I explained to him what is going to happen.  Yes, more for me than him.  A little after 8:00, I put him in his carrier and we drove to the vet.

Of course, the vet-tech brought in paperwork.  I knew what I was going to sign.  Any time one of these furry kids have to be knocked out, there is always the chance that things can go wrong.  Yes, please do whatever is necessary for our boy.  I felt the tears welling up... the loss of Rufus is still way too fresh and raw.  And in the short time Murphy has been with us, he is already deep in our hearts.

It is hard to leave him there, hard to have to wait for a phone call, and harder knowing our furry boy has to go through this.  In the grande scheme of procedures, this should be pretty minor and not a threat to his life.

He's a sweet boy, and we can't wait to get him back home and back into his routine.

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5 1/2 hours later, I gave the vet center a call.  The receptionist put me on hold to go check on Murphy.  They hadn't started his procedure, yet... "but the doctor is about to start on him."

That's 5 1/2 hours he had to sit around... on an empty belly... in unfamiliar surroundings.  Not what I wanted to hear, but not much I can do about it.  This vet seems good and thorough.  No doubt I am being an over-protective cat-Dad.

I know they will keep him for observation for a couple hours after they do the procedure on his ears... so, we wait.

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We have our little furry boy home.  We were able to pick him up just before 5:00.  The culture today showed that the antibiotic drops made no difference.  On the bright side: no polyps or anything unusual.  With this deep cleaning, we are starting fresh... the vet thinks it may be a food allergy, but nothing certain.  We take him back in a week for another culture that they will send out.

In the meantime, Murphy is home.  Starving (we can't feed him right away), and just a bit wobbly on his feet.  They had to shave the inside of his right front leg for an IV, so he has the indignity of another hairless spot...

If you look close at that front leg closest to the camera, he looks like he is wearing Ugg boots.  That is a bandage (and the shaving) - we'll be able to take that bandage off in 20 minutes.  If he licks at it too much, he is going to have to wear a "cone of shame"... hoping it doesn't come down to that.

Look at his eyes in this photo...

The pupils are huge, making him look a bit glassy-eyed.  He should be back to his old self by tomorrow.  In the meantime, we'll keep him off his tower or the bar stools (he likes to sit on those).  Small portions of food.  And, hopefully, a good night's sleep.

He doesn't seem to be mad at us for letting the vet people do all this to him, but he isn't anxious to sit right by us just yet.  All in due time - we're just relieved to have him back home.

If you get dead...

 

... I'm going to give all your guitars away... to people you don't like.

Happy Valentines Day!  Yes, Joan said the above.  "Why?" you ask.  It's her sweet way of telling me that she worries about me.  I had music practice with 3 of the guys today, at Ron's house.  Ron lives in the downtown Phoenix area.  It is a lot closer than going to Mark's place.  And the other advantage today: I wanted to take my scooter... with my Emerald X7 strapped on my back.

Yes, like the singing nun...

 I won't be dressed like a nun... don't want to get in the habit.  (rimshot)

Joan was concerned that it wouldn't be safe with the guitar strapped on my back (the case has backpack straps).  I had concerns about it at freeway speeds, but I did do a "once around the neighborhood" as a test, and knew I could get to Ron's house via surface roads (not needing to get on the Interstate).

Joan really thought I should take the car; I was intent on riding the scoot.  In the end, it all worked just fine.  No issue getting to Ron's, and a shorter distance on surface streets instead of taking the Interstate.  I never got above 45 - 50 mph.

We had a good practice - worked up a few new songs, practiced some old ones, walked to lunch at a nearby restaurant (a big plus for living right downtown).

And then on the way home, when I checked the Maps app, there was plenty of "red" on the Interstate - surface roads are best way back, too... traffic was a lot heavier on these streets, but not stopped (other than at stoplights).

So, music and a couple of scooter rides - not a bad way to spend Valentines Day if I wasn't going to be with my Honey.  When I got home, I had a couple hand-made (well, computer-made) cards from my Honey and the new furry boy.  Joan made us a nice supper.  Murphy got in a late afternoon walk.  It's all good.

Round 3...

 

You've taken up prize-fighting again, Jim?  No, but thanks for asking.

Back to the vet for the little furry boy this morning.  The first time was a general wellness checkup, where they found he had an ear infection.  Ear drops for a week, then another visit.  No change.  More cleaning and another round of ear drops.  Today: cleaner ears but no change in the infection.

 Time to take stronger measures - we will bring him back once again and they will sedate him so they can get deeper into the ear canal.  I am not a fan of the sedation thing, but we want to get this infection taken care of.  Sounds like it is going to be at least a few more vet visits in the near term.

Murphy let them poke and prod - he's pretty patient and a good boy.  For now, he is back home and diving into his lunch.

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Off We Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder...

If you said, "The US Air Force Song," you get 20 bonus points.  If you said, "Your former boat (Wild Blue) and the dinghy (Yonder)," you get an additional 80 bonus points.

This isn't about the Air Force or that wonderful C-Dory boat... out on the Burgman 200 today, after taking Murphy to the vet and Joan to lunch; I took the HoverAir X1 along, just in case there was the opportunity to get any drone shots.  There was (the opportunity to get some drone video)...

While getting that image immediately above, a guy with a Goldwing pulled in.  He watched for a moment, then came over to ask some questions.  People are curious about the Hover.  I didn't get his name, but he was from Manitoba, Canada; no he didn't ride the bike down here, he towed it.  He's been here a couple weeks.  We visited for a bit, about Goldwings, DCT transmissions, riding, how other people perceive Goldwings, scooters, and DCT.  He had to tell me how: "There isn't a Harley made that can keep up with my Goldwing."  OK, and by that I mean: it isn't a contest.  No question, though, if you want to eat up miles comfortably on two wheels, there isn't much that can compete with a Goldwing.

Of course, he asked, "How fast will that go?" pointing at the Burgman.

"About 80."

"Miles per hour??"

"Yeah, miles per hour - it won't get there as fast as your Wing, and it won't be as planted, but it will do it. It's happier at 65 to 70, though."

"I had no idea," he said.

"Most people don't."

It's his 4th Goldwing, the second with DCT... of course, he loves that feature... I get it.

He pulled out while I was still putting stuff away... about two minutes later, I had caught up with him on these twisty roads.  I'm guessing he won't be telling anyone that a 200cc scooter can hang right there with his Goldwing on tight, twisty roads.  ;-)

And as a bonus for reading this far, here's a HoverAir X1 video...

 

Take A Walk On The Wild Side...

 

If you said, "Lou Reed, 1972, from his solo album Transformer," you get 25 bonus points.  If you added, "Produced by David Bowie," you get an additional 15 bonus points.

This walk was more on the mild side, but Murphy was having a good time walking as the sun was going behind the Estrella Mountains...

 He was doing "laps" around the yard...

Looking southeast, the last bit of light was illuminating the tops of South Mountain...

Murphy checked out some of the cacti...

Looking across the yard, to the west...

The cover was on his catio as we walked by it (several times) - he was wanting me to take the cover off of it so he could go in... "Tomorrow, buddy."