# 162 Take me out to the ballgame...

Let me start this post by saying this: I am still on meds. I went to work today because I had court and by lunchtime, I was all wacky. Like, halfway in pain and halfway not feeling anything because I was so loopy. It was interesting-- I'm sure that in a few days, when I'm feeling better, I will look back on my work done in court today and will be finding a lot of mistakes. Great!

But, no matter what, the blog must go on. Rain, snow, sleet, shine, lortab, muscle relaxer, etc. So I've pulled myself up off the couch (really, I've pulled myself up to where I am SITTING on the couch, not lying) and am bring you this blog.

A couple weeks ago, Cleveland and I got a special treat-- a visit from one of our favorite people, Uncle Bobby-- Bobby Glaze. For all you not in the know (aww, how sad for you), Uncle Bobby is not actually my uncle-- he is my dad's BFF (!) and I've grown up calling him Uncle Bobby and I still do. I think its such a good way to portray a person who isn't technically family, but might as well be. I always like it when my friends kids call me "Aunt Jess" for the same reason.

My dad grew up in Newton in the 1950s and 60s, and things were a lot different than they are now. He had a group of friends who he was very close to, and they still spend a lot of time together even now. For years, they always got together, with their wives and/or families on New Years Eve or around that time. Its about 5 or 6 men and their wives, and when we were younger, that was really the only time they got together because everyone was so busy and so spread out, but the last few years, they've been trying to get together once every month or two and go eat dinner, catch up, etc. Each year at the party, they have a white elephant gift exchange-- lots of the presents have been passed around through the years, and each year I love helping mom figure out what to bring. The best gifts are the ones that involved pictures of the guys from the 70s-- complete with long hair and hippie glasses. Or from the 80s with even bigger glasses, short athletic shorts and white knee socks.

Several of these men live in or around Newton, and they'd see each other occasionally, but I think it was really nice for them to make a point of meeting up at least once each year-- I'd love to do this with my friends-- so in many years, it will be a tradition. I think its so cool that they do this.

Anyway, this group, as my dad would say are a bunch of "chuckleheads". They really are. They grew up together and have all sorts of hilarious stories about things they did growing up, in high school, and even in college. Heck, some of their silliest stories took place well after college when they had real jobs and real responsibilities!

Betsy, Nick and I grew up hearing these tales as bedtime stories all our lives. And I'd like to think our lives were all the more enriched for that. Like the time when they pantsed a local eye doctor after dinner in Meridian. Or the time the cops were called on NYE because of all the fireworks they were blasting in the middle of town. Or when they convinced their college professor (sister-in-law to one of the group) that her clock was wrong and she let them out of class 45 minutes early.

Those stories were the heart of my childhood-- I love it that my dad has such good friends that he is still close to. And I love that they are crazy enough to do all these silly things. And I love, even more, the fact that these crazy guys did a bunch of crazy things but there was never anything illegal or inappropriate involved. Just a bunch of crazy guys and the crazy things they did.

So, a couple weeks ago, I found out that Uncle Bobby was headed to Cleveland for a baseball tournament with his son Jonathan. He tried to convince my dad to come, but the Mayor had to be at a rodeo in Newton (you know how he never misses a local rodeo!). Saturday morning, I headed over to the Delta State baseball field (which is very nice), and watched Jon's summer league team (ironically, they were playing a team from Hattiesburg. So, the Laurel area team and the Hattiesburg area team drove to Cleveland to play each other!).

Here's Jon Jon playing-- he did a great job and had several amazing defensive plays. See, I know a little something about sports!!

I love watching any kind of sports, so I was excited to get to go to the game! It was super hot, and I got a hilarious tan line on my arms, but it was a fun day! Uncle Bobby had a cooler full of ice cold DC's, so you know that hit the spot. It was really nice to get to see him and talk to him and get the gossip about people we know in common. Uncle Bobby lives in Ellisville and used to coach baseball at JCJC, so we know a lot of people in common. I also got to see Jon and catch up with Mariana and Christopher, his other two child, and his wife, Mrs. Linda. I love Mrs. Linda- she's so pretty and so sweet! Uncle Bobby really lucked up on that one!

It was a nice, laid back day and it was really nice to get to see someone from home and just enjoy being there. Uncle Bobby has been in my life as long as I can remember (he had two adorable flower girls in his wedding-- his niece Jamanda, a friend of mine in high school, and yours truly!). I think he is even an occasional blog reader! We talked about the good old days and all the crazy things they used to do-- like when they canceled Sunday night church, or when they'd play jokes on Uncle Bobby's baseball players, or when Uncle Bobby, this big, tough guy, would start crying in the middle of class when he dropped a book. Just to freak everyone out!!!

Sometime soon I will get out some of the old pictures of Dad's gang and post them on here so you all can laugh, er, look at them. They are hilarious. I love hearing those stories and I loved seeing Uncle Bobby in Cleveland. Perhaps next time Dad will come with him-- they are a lot of fun together!!!