Summer, baseball, us

"Summer is here, summer is here!" twitted birds everywhere. No, really, they did.
This week we had two 90+ degree days for the first time this year.
Last weekend was Mother's day. I was hoping to continue with our tradition of going to Ventura to fly a kite and have a picnic, but Sari wished to go to the beach, and since it was warm enough for the first time this season, we agreed.

First, there was Saturday. While dining on a delicious Einstein Bagel, Carlos came up with a fabulous idea of going to a baseball game to see Dodgers. After fiddling around with iPhone apps, we got our tickets, and after a short picnic at the LaBrea Pits, and a quick shower at home, we headed to the game. This was going to be the very first experience for Sara. She was in attendance of a soccer game last season, but never a baseball. Right away we gave her the highlights of the upcoming evening: there will be popcorn and ice cream. That seemed to be worth the long drive in traffic, and a walk from parking to the stadium. We got a bunch of snacks and settled for a game. Sara asked a few questions, but definitely the game itself lacked the pace or the excitement to keep her interest. Plus, we were sitting pretty high up. But she enjoyed watching the crowd on the big screen, and especially lots of doggies (it so happens that this was a "bring your dog to the game" day, so one whole section of people were with their animals, which were constantly showed on the screen). She also enjoyed listening to the conversation of two pre-teens sitting a row above us and intensely watching the game. She didn't really get squirmy until it was passed her bedtime, and she ate enough popcorn, ice cream, and pretzel to loose interest in it, so only for the last couple of innings she was inquiring when we could leave. So, i'd say it was a successful outing overall.

But that brings me to talk about baseball.
I always hated baseball. I was not familiar with it in my early years, since it is absent from the Russian culture, so i only encountered it in the US on the TV screen, or watched some amatures at local park as i was in passing. My perception was that the game was something very slow, not very athletic, and had ugly uniforms. I never had actually gone to a baseball park, since i saw no point in it. But i was a young woman, not weighted down by obligation and with disposable time and income. Now things are different: i am a busy mom and wife, i am constantly in a rush, not much downtime, and not much extra money to blow. So, my appreciation for baseball came from a different place. Of course, the beginning was that my husband loved it, so he was able to explain to me what is going on. But, the essence of my appreciation for it is different. I do not enjoy it as a "game", like soccer or hockey or basketball, i do not watch it with full attention, on the edge of my seat, because that is just not what baseball is all about to me. I view it as a pass-time, rather than a sport. It is the perfect downtime for the busy moms and dads with their little children. It is 3 hours of sitting outside, breathing air, having your children being completely occupied with watching other children, the screen, or their own popcorn. It is the announcers silly participation items that brake up the pace. It is the cold beer in my hand that i can slowly sip. There is no place to go, there is nothing to do. Snacks are here. Weather is sunny and warm, you can talk to each other, and no one would be disturbed. You can stay silent, and no one would be offended. You can glance at the field at your leisure, or just breath and live this day. This is how i like my baseball.