When I started this blog I thought I'd be writing every week about all the things that are unique to this area...the gorgeous hikes, the beautiful beaches, the rolling vineyards and diverse wildlife. Of course, I write about those things sometimes...but today I want to tell you about something really fun we did last Sunday afternoon...that we could have done just about anywhere...if the weather was tolerable and we could find the right group of people.
We accepted an invitation to gather at a little park in SLO and play kickball! The friend who invited us is someone we don't know very well...and the rest of them were complete strangers...so we really didn't know what we were getting into. K suggested that they might be real serious athletes...dressed in gym clothes and chugging gatorade. Or, she thought, they might be a bunch of fun loving ex-frat boys...touring the bases in baggy jeans and celebrating each home run with a beer bong.
Turns out, they were more of a stripy-socked, suspender-wearing, neon mohawk crowd. We couldn't have been more delighted. And the beverage of choice...icy white russians in red plastic cups.
I stuck to water, and to make up for my 30 year history of totally sucking at team sports, really focused on helping my team win! (Which we did.) But other people were a lot more relaxed. Which was good...because despite my best efforts I still messed up a lot and it's nice to have people laugh good naturedly and pat you on the back when you when make mistakes.
On of the most dramatic moments of the game came when on of the outfielders saw a ball sailing through the air straight towards her. We all watched as she mentally prepared for catching the ball neatly with one hand. At the last moment, she must have decided she wouldn't be able to do it. So, she let go of her cocktail, and caught the ball in her two free hands at the exact moment her cup hit the ground in a big splash of ice cubes and cream liquor.
I wish I had a picture of that!
But I was having too much fun to take many pictures. Here is one...and you can see K standing out there ready to catch the ball if it gets kicked toward her. You can also see her drink set a "safe" distance away.
There was a beautiful blue and white sky above us for most of the afternoon. And, similar to almost any spot in SLO, we were surrounded by rolling, undeveloped hills in every direction. It couldn't have been a more pleasant day, or more pleasant spot. Except for the ten minutes when clouds poured in, the temperature dropped by what felt like 15 degrees, and it started to rain down on us.
And every one kept playing, despite the rain and sudden darkening of the sky. Maybe the alchohol was keeping everyone else warm and they didn't even notice the change in the weather? I don't know. But I loved that we kept at it. And, before long, the nice day came back.
After the game, most of the players headed across the street to have a barbeque. K and I headed home so I could start getting ready for my job interview on Tuesday.
But on the way, we drove through the Laguna Lake neighborhood. This is a section of SLO that is about as close as you can get to Los Osos and still live in town. There is a house for sale that we can't even begin to think about being able to afford...but we like to look at it on-line. The back yard faces the lake, with a breathtaking backdrop of fields and hills behind it. The front of the house is nice too...see?
I feel pretty committed to living in Los Osos...but I guess living here wouldn't hurt my feelings too bad! And we'd be a lot closer to the kickball games.
But, unless we win the lottery (which we won't, because K promised to stop buying tickets when I pointed out to her for the umpteenth time that she never checks to see if she got a winning one or not) I guess we'll be staying here in our little blue house with the red door for a while longer.
P.S. I totally bombed on that job interview. I think the manager and I just weren't a good fit for each other, so I guess it's all for the best.
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