Monday, March 7
Although I'm on Spring Break vacation, I wake up at 7:00 and don't even consider going back to sleep. Dad and I are in a hotel in Surprise, AZ after having driven 13 hours to get here. Dad has already been up for about an hour writing in his journal and drinking coffee. I shower and get dressed for sunny, 70-degree weather. After leaving Abilene in a 40-degree rainstorm, I am more than excited to see the sun shining. Dad and I have breakfast, then stop at a used book store. Within a mile of our hotel is a Barnes & Noble (with Starbucks), a used book store, and a Goodwill, all of which we check out on Monday morning. Then we head over to the stadium. The spring training complex, complete with a ballpark for games, and several practice fields for both the Rangers and the Royals, exceeds my expectations by far. I can't believe this is all just a place to practice. We go to the practice fields and watch players hit BP and practice pitching, etc., and then go over to the stadium to watch the Rangers and Cubs play. Beautiful weather and wonderful view of the game from sitting in the grass in the outfield.
Tuesday, March 8
Another sunny, warm morning and this time, a drive across Phoenix to Scottsdale, an upscale suburb that houses Scottsdale Stadium, home of the San Francisco Giants. After Dad and I explore the downtown area, he walks over to the stadium a few hours before the game begins, and I take the Explorer, a map, and a list of consignment shops. I find one called My Sister's Closet that has a lot of really cute clothes and spend about an hour there, then go on to the stadium for the game between the Rangers and Giants. After the game we go to a restaurant to meet Brandon's aunt for dinner. She lives in Phoenix, and I had only met her before at the wedding, so it was nice to get a chance to visit with her in her hometown.
Wednesday, March 9
Possibly my favorite day of watching baseball. Perhaps because I know this is our last, so I want to appreciate it. The game at Surprise Stadium is between the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners. Dad and I again sit in the grass, this time just above the right field fence. Ichiro is very popular among the kids sitting around us. One little girl frequently walks to the fence and yells, "Hi Ichiro!" She is disappointed that he doesn't answer back, so her mom explains, "He's working now." At one point when the Mariners are up to bat, she goes to the fence and asks, "Hey, where'd Ichiro go?" When her mom explains it to her, she simply informs her parents she is going to go to the dugout to see him. During a pitching change, several people try to get his attention to take a picture, but he doesn't turn around. Dad yells in Japanese, "Ichiro-sama, can we take a picture please?" At which point, Ichiro turns and waves and I snap a picture. Helps to know the language!
Brandon was jealous that he couldn't be there with us. He was with the ACU team in Arkansas where it was 40-degrees and drizzly. We kept calling him letting him know who we had just seen, where we were going, what the weather was like.... Kind of cruel I know, but I hope someday he can go too and experience it for himself.
