20 : 356 : 6 : 9

Puck and Violet dawdled after class let out that afternoon. Usually Violet runs out first from the gym to give Yali a big hug. Then she carries him around on her hip, parading him around the other kids until Puck joins us.

“Aren’t you going to give your brother a big hug like you always do?” she asked Yali.

He doesn’t need much coaxing. Then, they stall for a little time. Today it was checking out the little bearded dragon in one of the 2nd grade classrooms. Then it was examining the names of the new 2nd graders writte on their desk nameplates.

“Reese?! … These kids have weird names,” Violet concluded.

Finally, I managed to get us back out the door after several rounds of farewells.

Puck was all set for homework, even if it was math. A two-sided page waited for him on the kitchen table at the Big House. But it usually only takes a little self-incentive to finish something even so daunting as two pages of math homework on a Thursday afternoon.

“I know, Mom!” His eyes lit up like two sparklers. “I will have one pretzel stick every time I finish a problem!”

Worked like a charm. The kid was done in record-breaking time. I may have also added one Reeses Pieces for each problem finished correctly. He lined them up by color.

Game Twenty of my season was a sweet-seat 300 section down the third base line. Carrie-Bri and I came prepared with another bag of Reeses Pieces.

After realizing the Cardinals would most likely take this game, we left in the 8th, both pretty tired after a week of early mornings, late nights, class, appointments, and life in general. We could hear cheers through the balmy night air as we walked back to the parking garage.

“Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” – Yogi Berra

CARDINALS:

St. Louis: 7-3 win against Brewers; Wacha’s 17th win.

4 games up on Pittsburgh: 97 and 56; 9 games remaining.

Magic Number: 6.