Bringing the Heat!

Tuesday started the real work week off (heck yea for Monday holidays). Just another day at the office, only tonight we have softball. We meet in the lobby after work and the wife and I are lucky enough to hitch a ride with MF while the others have to take the tube! DOH - sucks for them. Anyway, I guess he gets to park under the building (I had no idea this was an option); so we head down to the 20 car lot under the building. Pack the Lexus SUV with the softball gear and head out. We pull up to what I assume is a garage door, it opens but there is no street on the other side. We drive in and are now enclosed by 4 metal walls......this is very uncomfortable - I'm enclosed in what I finally realise is a car elevator! What?!? Umm....let me out! I don't like this at all!! Luckily, after about 20 seconds, we've moved up a floor and are safely headed to the streets of London. It was interesting - I couldn't even feel that we were moving up. And with the space issues here, I guess it makes complete sense to have an elevator for the car.

SO - out onto the streets in London in a car. YES! We have been here for 2 months, only been in a car twice and haven't driven at all. And, wouldn't want to. Other side of the car, other side of the road and intersections that include no less than 3 different streets filtering into it; it would overload my brain! Thank goodness MF knew his way around the city and drives like I do (a maniac); it was the best car ride I've had in this city.

After a NE tour of the city, we arrive at Regents Park an hour early so we can warm up. We spend the next hour stretching, throwing, catching, and hitting (yes, in that order). The bankers league isn't ready for what we are about to bring! We are standing at the pitch (field) which was on the fixture (schedule)....all alone. Is the team we are playing ever going to show up? Oh yes, there they are....wait.....this team is on our pitch, but we aren't playing them. Huh....OK....we'll move over to the next pitch and wait. Geez, nobody is showing up and of course we can't get the web link on our blackberry's! After about 20 minutes and getting a spouse on the phone, we realize we've been moved to another pitch. Only, this pitch isn't on the flat part of the park, it's half way up Primrose Hill. Now, if you've never been on Primrose Hill, here's a brief summary; Primrose Hill: the highest hill in the city! There is a wonderful view of London from the top of the hill - I would suggest taking a glance if ever in the area. Of course, we've been practicing for an hour and seeing how this is the first game of the season most of us are a bit tired by now. So, walking up the biggest hill in the city carrying all our gear - SO NOT COOL!!! After a 15 minute trek, we finally arrive at our pitch - which slants downhill. Now, this is good for people like me (Beth), I can hit the ball and it will roll downhill a bit. But, with JaNae and I both playing in the outfield and the other team being full of home run-hitters, this is a very bad combination!

Luckily, JaNae gets outer left field with the long-legged trader from....well, I'm not sure where he is from. Now, this is where all the right-handers hit - JaNae and Rogier are going to be busy!!! And they were! Lots of running and the two most awesome catches of the night done by none other than the athlete of the century - JANAE!!! She got the same guy out twice - he was NOT happy, nor were his teammates! As you can imagine, how JaNae is the most famous person in the office - and she doesn't even work there! Good job honey! Unfortunately, she will forever be stuck in left field running for the ball - a work out that will count for at least two days each week.

Now I got put in right field; they put me here because I have a fright of catching the ball (firmed up when I had to catch a ball in practice and got scared so put my un-gloved hand out - yes, my thumb was swollen and bruised for a couple days) and because there generally aren't a lot of lefties that play softball. Thankfully, I didn't have to do much work in my area; except for this one hit. If memory serves me right, dude was right handed - should NOT have been hitting in my area. But, strategically playing, he knew I was the weakest player on the team. BAM! He spanks it my way - a grounder that is gaining speed! It rolls by me and I take off at a dead sprint heading down the hill! In my head, there is not doubt I will lose my footing and take the biggest face plant this side of the Atlantic Ocean.......but, I didn't. I was sprinting like crazy until I got that ball and heaved it back to the infield! YEA~personal height of the night!!! Oh yea, and I spanked on and made it to first base once....then the team brought me home! I actually made a run for the team!

Enough of this - here is a quick rundown of stats for the game. Janae hit some good ones, made it home at least twice and caught the two biggest hits of the night. Beth hit one good one, made it home once and didn't face plant. At one point, we were up 8-7 after scoring 8 runs in one inning. The best team in the league (our opponent) then scored 13 runs in the next inning putting us in our place. I think the final score was something like 26 - 14. We didn't win, but we showed up and brought some serious heat!

Tuesday night - successful with lots of stretching and Tylenol to follow.