A Pause in the Season

Last night the Monarchs won a baseball game, 5-1.  This was after winning the first 8 games, then losing the second 8.  The early wins for the most part came easy, and as expected the loses were hard.  After losing two separate games 6-5 in the last inning while playing well, we look like we've never been coached and lose by embarrassingly large deficits.  You start questioning if we will ever win again.  Everyone gets a bit snippy with each other.  You start wondering if you need a Crash Davis rainout.  But this isn't the movies, we actually had to play a game in the rain. Wasn't pretty, but nothing got hurt except our egos.

One of the wonderful experiences of a win streak is the feeling that the world stops.  It's hard to describe, but while winning or playing through a championship season everything fades into the background. Homework and grades become less important.  The broken sink is tolerated, or fixed with little effort.  Life gives you a pass so to speak.  For me the reality is Maureen covers up most of the difficulties and I am thankful for her doing that.

When you're losing it's just the opposite.  The principal wants papers graded and grades posted yesterday. That dripping sink sounds like a bucket of water dropped from two stories.  Even the dog looks at you funny.

But a win erases that at least for a while. And a win in the last game of the Easter tournament is even better.  We now have a five day break over the Good Friday and Easter weekend.  The separation that refreshes is made all that much better by going away a winner.  Players can rest and coaches can sleep just a bit sounder knowing that, "Hey, we can still play real baseball."

For me this five days is a time to relax by working around the house.  Instead of starting a project and having to stop for practice or a game, I can finish, or at least work on, something as long as I want.  Now I am engaged in redoing the chicken fence so the hens have more room to wander about and not get into the plants they love so much. We recently took out the last of our grass and are revamping the backyard to create more vegetable space.  I am looking forward to the fence building on these projects.  There will be something concrete to show at the end of the day.  The real touch of wood and metal and tools.

All of this while spending time with loved ones.