So this year’s baseball season has almost come to a close. One more game, tomorrow night. The Lawton Lugnuts have won the last two games, decisively, after an overall dismal season.

Oh, to hear them congratulate themselves! Many ‘you da man’s out there on the field. One boy comparing himself to Babe Ruth because he had two doubles last game. Woops all around. Little men, strutting their stuff. It’s fascinating to watch.

The parents thanked the umpire tonight. He was unusually professional and was obviously trying to help the kids learn the real rules of the game. Some of those we’ve had have been just phoning it in. Our league is not plagued with irate parents, but the coach on the other team did contest a call tonight – which is technically against the league rules. What the ump says, goes. But there was no swearing (unlike Sam’s soccer league – there’s a coach there who swears, not just at the ref, but at the kids themselves) and it blew over quickly.

I suppose I should be sad that the season is over. I’m not. No more stuffing down dinner and rushing to the game, no more bug spray, no more evenings lost. But maybe they weren’t lost in the first place. Maybe these are the makings of the fond memories of my children I’ll have in my dotage. Nah.