Bon Voyage, Patrick!

LLGA models another Tea clearance dress. Strategy Sombrero (TM) is in the background.
Our young friend brought an old school pay-off to the Crab for SIX B-school letters of recommendation. He's currently heading to Notre Dame, and the Crabs are holding a grudge against our alma mater on his behalf. We'll have to dispatch APC to South Bend to check in on LLGA's godfather!
Stunned by "Ratbag's" non-Navy-issue hair/beard, LLGA cowered in Papa Crab's arms. Pa Crab heckled him mightily.

Don't let cancer define you...

Shellie's latest. Scroll down to see the video of her talk at the VA Hospital.

http://www.katu.com/news/47883667.html

Dan, Susan, Ben & LLGA

Ben and his folks on their way to Guadalajara Grill.


I had Grandma's cane...Lucy was all about looking at it & grinning.

Video: Jack reciting the Little League pledge before Sunday's game.

He is the blur on the right; Mat is the one on the left. Gotta love the double-fence.

Sunday's Loss :(

The player is warm.
The fans are installed upon the bleachers.

The team is introduced.

===

It was grim. Not one Mission Bay player reached base and 15 struck out. 8-0. The other team had an Outstanding Pitcher and a Big-Boy Batter (who hit 2 HR, one a grand-slam).

There's always Thursday, when they play again.

Grandma with LLGA & C-boy

Council on Foreign Relations "Care Package"

Ben helped coordinate a visit for CFR fellows. He received a letter, a mug, and a zip-top(!) tote bag thank you parcel. LLGA approves.

Pix from the Victory on Saturday

Mission Bay Little League Major All-Stars, 2009.

Jack and his teammate/good buddy, Mat, led the Pledge of Allegiance and Little League pledge.
Throwing it in from center field.
View of the bench...Kurt, Mat, and Jack. His coach tells everyone how much he enjoys Jack's great attitude.
His nickname this season: Whack-a-Mole. The swing isn't always pretty, but he makes contact. He rarely strikes out and seems to start more than his share of rallies, including the single with 2-out to begin a 4-run, come-from-behind rally.
On the basepath. Jack scored two of the team's nine runs.

The Catch.
The outfielders and 2nd baseman reach the celebratory spot first.
Btw: The boy on the far right is the son of MLB pitcher Akinori Otsuka.

Rejoicing as Mission Bay was expected to lose-lose-lose.
The coach (Mat's dad) is pretty exuberant himself (although probably begging them not to hurt anyone).

Video: Post-Game Analysis

Video: Ma and Pa Crab Deliberations

Some might say "from HERO to ZERO".

Basically, we were going to take the boys to Islands for burgers but then the sitter couldn't come until 1 p.m. and they won, which necessitated a Costco run (in order to procure snacks for Sunday afternoon's game).

Mission Bay All-Stars Win!

Cool program obtained last night at the "opening ceremonies". Jack went with his buddy, Mat, and family.


Name in the program spelled correctly.


Pre-game portrait.


J-crab Sr. contributed to the win -- 2 for 3 batting, 2 runs scored, and 2 put-outs in center field. No errors. Oh, and one of the put-outs ended the game, 9-8, resulting in Jack being mobbed by his team in the field. Ben puts it as one of his proudest father moments ever.

In fairness, I should note that his team trailed 5-8 heading into the top of the sixth. With 2 outs, Jack started a rally with a single. His team scored 4 runs, including Jack touching home plate.
Welcoming the winner home!
Jack & the spectators.

Jack showing off his souvenir T-shirt, of which we have 3 or 4 courtesy of Grandpa Dan.

Jamie sporting the Souvenir T-shirt.

The shirt is spelled correctly!

Double-elimination tournament so we're back tomorrow for another game.

The Crabs Visit the Natural History Museum.

Jamie and I (and LLGA) had to trek to the museum after locating a far-away parking spot. We paused by the fountain.


Jamie at the pendulum.

Jack inspecting.

Jamie taking a water survey.


"Ahhh, Poppies!" Mocking the photographer.

Interpretive dancing in the exhibit hall.

Ben demonstrating where his progeny get their jackassery antics from.


In the California Room.


Mandatory photo: Jack.


Mandatory photo: Jamie.




J-Jr. in character.







J-Sr in the giftshop with a long-lost family member.



Stunningly-large amount of amethyst.

Definitely jade. Lots of it.
We think this was Plutonic something; however, I just thought the interior pattern was beautiful.






Jack "picking" the elephant's nose. I am so very proud.




Messing with Daddy's (actually Jack's) ballcap.




A long-shot of the Darwin exhibit. (Prohibition on photography notwithstanding).


Oops! The J-crabs came up the staircase, but the rest of us reached the 3rd floor via elevator, bypassing this instruction. (The CQ was the primary transgressor).

When she becomes the Alexander Aggasiz professor at Harvard...


...these shall be her first "natural history" encounter photos.






















At the fountain in Balboa Park.