New Fan Experience

To one of my relative's strong request... Hi, Lynelle! Today's post is about a couple nights ago.  What better topic to get back into the swing of blogging than baseball!  (Pun intended.)

The Bee Jays, a summer college baseball league (semi-pro), you've probably heard me talking about either while in person or on this blog, started this year's season on May 31st.  Since then, I've only missed one of all of the home games.  Local businesses always buy out the games so people can attend free of charge and some of the businesses even offer free prizes in between innings.

On June 1st, after grabbing my free little blue ticket, I went to my favorite spot in the bleachers, sat down, and so began the evening of watching my favorite sport.

Lo and behold, a few innings later, they were drawing a couple more ticket numbers for two more prizes.  I don't know about you, but I sometimes get a gutty feeling right before my winning ticket or name is called when such things are happening.  And I got that feeling right as they called out each number on my ticket.  I was excited and nervous because this prize was nothing like a free tee-shirt or gift card to a business or restaurant.  This one was much different.

I think I nervously grinned at myself because I had won and thinking, "of all of the people here, they picked me," I made my way down to the booth to receive my prize.  (All the while hoping I hadn't imagined my numbers being called.  What an embarrassment that would be!)

I handed over my ticket, and they gave me a sheet of paper.  I looked down, reading the words written in bold and regular print in at least two different fonts.

"This Certificate Entitles you to 'Fan Experience in the Pressbox' with (announcer) during a home Bee Jay game"

All I needed to do was call and redeem it and pick out a home game that would work for me to come to. 

~~~

June 18th, I got all of my boardies (pets being boarded at my boarding place) settled in and my family and I went into town to watch some baseball.  Like with most new experiences and unknowns, I was pretty nervous...something I'm not usually when going to watch baseball. 

We arrived around 25 minutes before the game started and I made my way towards the press box, acting as if I owned the place and knew where I was going.  (Maybe not quite, but I was trying to convince myself that I was beyond capable of doing this.)  

I opened the door with the "Authorized Personnel Only" sign clearly legible.  I figured I counted this time, and let myself in.  Instantly, I noted how big the stairs were which went up to the booths.  For some reason, I'd always figured they were steep, narrow steps, but they were like a staircase in most homes.  Wide, and not too steep.  I made my way up, opened the door at the top and right of the stairs, and found myself in a long hallway of doors.  With a little help, I found the right booth, went in, and met the game broadcaster I'd listened to so many times and was about to spend the entire game with.

He was very nice, happy to explain to me how some of the equipment worked, and who all was behind the scenes with making the game and all that available to listeners on the other side of the radio.    

He handed me my headset, asked a few questions, and there we were.  I was minutes away from not only being on the radio, but being on the radio with an amazing sports announcer and having the opportunity to be a color commentator! 

The press box view is really nice.  I used to only have one favorite spot to sit in and watch the game, which is facing straight up to third base from home plate.  I guess because that's the first place I ever sat to watch a baseball game, it's my best viewpoint.  But now, I really like that birdseye view from up there in the press box.  It's such a good way to see the field.  

I tried to sound interesting, be myself, and just enjoy this perhaps once in a lifetime opportunity.  I started out pretty nervous but ended by having a blast.  

I kind of took advantage of the moment and did a little free advertising by mentioning that I owned a pet boarding business.  

I was able to get to know more about the man who is hard to beat when it comes to how well he announces games on the radio.  I mean, he's one of the greatest! (At least in my opinion.)

I was able to experience baseball in a whole new and fun way.  

I stepped out of my comfort zone and spoke on the air.  (I have kind of always struggled with how I think my voice sounds, and I really think the struggle has gotten harder in the last year or two.  {But I didn't sound too bad when I relistened to parts of it.})

I got to learn a bit about behind the scenes stuff in radio.

I got to experience "pressbox life" firsthand, if you will.

I got to see how much paperwork there is in keeping track of how the game goes and what happens in each inning.  That was interesting.

I found out the announcer is left-handed like me!  Meeting a leftie is always a high point in my day.

I got to give shoutouts to my grandma, aunt, and mom as they were listening.  I had and still have no idea who all was listening.

It was amazing!

Though we lost, 7-1, and got rained out at the last of the game, I had a thrilling evening and it's one baseball-filled night that I'll forever remember and cherish. 

Day 14-18 / Farewell, South Africa

  May 15, 2018
We slept in until 7:30am while Dad and Big J. went bird hunting.

It's very cold here during the morning and night.  It's nice* during the day.  *Nice being still a little chilly.  The weather has been cloudy and now stormy this evening.  It tried to rain earlier.

This morning we girls went with J.L. and S. to town.  We "shopped" at a mall.  In all reality, we are not your typical girls who love to shop.  We actually don't enjoy shopping, but how often do you get to go to a South African mall?  We walked around stores and only bought chocolate and junk food and drinks at a general/grocery story.  Again, how often do you get to try South African food?  We did get to go to a pet store and I got Behati a green baseball.  And we went to the South African version of Walmart.

In the afternoon, I took a bunch of pictures and then Mom and I went to where Dad and Big J. were bird hunting.



They shot quite a few pigeons.  Instead of joining in on the bird hunting, I hung back and helped S. and another black man pick up empty shells and dead birds.

When finished with bird hunting, we went back to the lodge.  It was sprinkling on and off then.

Dad and J.L. finished the last of the paperwork, and we signed them. 

Little J. decided not to hunt a steenbuck anymore and so she had the day off, hence the reason she stayed back and rested.  She didn't want to make anyone upset for stopping her hunt and everyone was quite fine with her decision.  Dad told her he was proud of her, I added that I was as well.  Then someone said, "3 cheers for Little J.!"
Mom started singing "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow" and we just laughed so hard!  I don't know why it was funny, but it was.  In short, we were completely fine with her not hunting.  We want her to be happy and get or not get the steenbuck if she decided.  

Dad, Big J., and Little J. tried brandy, scotch, vodka, tequila, Malibu, and another thing.  No joke.  They tasted  shots.  Mom tried one or two different drinks as well.  (Both Big and Little J. had wanted to try alcohol, and Dad and Mom thought that it'd be better to give them a sample under a controlled environment compared to if they went out with friends and peer pressure was high.  After trying it, Dad threw a drink into the fire and the flame's reaction was strong.)  

My, did they (drinks) smell bad!

I enjoyed my water and hot cocoa....

For supper we had mini enchiladas and duck (which Dad and Big J. had hunted), chicken, etc.  It was very good.

Fun Facts:  Sweetie Pies are so good!  And red velvet hot chocolate here in South Africa is the best.

***

  May 16, 2018

This morning, we slept in till 8+/- and ate breakfast after showering.  

We packed the van and said last farewells to J.L. and S.  We said good bye to the staff at the last lodge and are now going to Johannesburg with J. and B. (the couple in charge at the bird hunting lodge).

***

May 19, 2018

We are home and have been since 12:45AM of May 18th.

Before flying out of Johannesburg, we got to shop at a huge souvenir shop.  That place was amazing and had so, so much to look at and buy.  The first room you walked into was covered from floor to ceiling with actual taxidermy mounts for sale.  Ah, I had heart eyes!  They had a box plumb full of warthog tusks and bunches of this and that.  Almost anything you could think of taking home to a friend or family member was in this store.

The flights (2 of them) were fine, but long and we are glad to be back.  From Dallas, we drove straight home.

Our family "selfie" became a family photo with the help of a kind person.

***

Below are some pictures I took while at the last lodge.

And thus ends the South African Trip blog series.  Thank you for following along on this wonderful vacation/experience my family and I got to have.  I hope you smiled and got a glimpse into what all we got to do and see.  Truly, all of you who've read and looked at my posts mean a lot to me.