Today I will pick up my fully repaired car from the body shop. It’s been in there twice now since I moved to Florida. This latest incident, when I was sideswiped, happened on a Date Night. It will be good to have two cars in the garage once again, although we could easily operate with just one. This is why there is still some consideration about trading in my car in for a golf cart. However, I’m not quite ready for the neighborhood parade.

Yesterday was far from routine, although it started as always with a run and a swim. We had visitors once again from Decatur, Illinois who were down visiting parents. They almost became our first overnight guests, but decided on just a day trip to see our new digs. It was a rainy day so we just sat on the lanai and did some catching up. I was last with them at the Final Four in Indianapolis and the MLB All-Star Game in Miami. My wife, however, hadn’t seen them in years. They are sadly Cardinals fans but despite this flaw continue to be good friends.

As is typical for us sports nuts, we went to the ballpark where the Rookie leagues will start next week. It’s great to have the Atlanta Braves complex in our neighborhood but there’s not been much to see since we moved in. They hosted the Venice Symphony and fireworks for Memorial Day and have the Tomahawk Tiki Bar where you can watch games on the massive stadium scoreboard. Spring Training has of course been a bust the past two seasons, but eventually there will be plenty of activities to watch. I’m even thinking about running their 5k race in December just for a little variety in my daily jogging habit. 

Their visit concluded with dinner at The Grill at 1951. It caught my eye because it’s my birth year, although really just their address, with another anniversary next month. It turned out to be a unique evening with an Italian baritone cranking out the hits of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Dean Martin. The backdrop was a gaudy Vegas-like stage with dueling pianos and mood lighting. I may be back there again in a few weeks, as the celebrations heat up for my seventieth birthday. It’s also know as JD’s Bistro & Grille, but I’ve yet to figure out why it has two names?

There was no birthday singing yesterday or even “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” There was not a game – just an empty stadium. It was still fun to be there with a guy that I’ve been to many baseball games with through the years. We’ve seen the Longhorns play in Austin, and the Cardinals in St. Louis, Miami, and New York. We missed our chance to see them at the new Globe Life Park in Arlington because of the Pan-Damn-ic! We were back at the ballpark yesterday but there was nothing to sing about.