Way #8: Play Ball!

Welcome back, Peg! It was fun to read your post from the road. I know what happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas, but, you mentioned playing three games with your 45+ women's team... May I ask: How did your team do? Don't want to come right out and ask, "Did you win?" because I know it's not always about winning. But I did want to ask how y'all felt about, you know, what happened in Vegas.

Of course you may ask. We actually played another game the following morning at 8am, for a tournament total of 4 games. Our record was 0:2:2. That's 0 wins, 2 ties, and 2 losses. We were actually quite pleased with that given our past record (pathetic) and our numbers (too few healthy, too many injured). As to what else "happened in Vegas"...I'm afraid we're all too old, er, I mean, wise for any craziness. We dined, we (mostly window-) shopped, we people watched. We noticed that our shoes were flat and our chests covered, as contrasted to the more "typical" (if there is such a thing) Las Vegas female tourist. We congratulated ourselves on our good sense and pain-free backs as a result. Oh, and we ate at In-N-Out Burger twice! French fries fresh off the potato - yum! I didn't gamble a single cent.

Also, Peg. I was thinking... How would you like to 'play ball' on this chapter? I myself am not much of an athlete, at least not in terms of team sports. But as you know from my notes in The Tome (translation: our big, three-ring Book of the Book), team sports has a place in this chapter. I hadn't thought it would be the central place -- that, I thought, would be the big exercise ball they use in gyms these days -- but now I'm thinking (oh no, I feel a metaphor a'comin')...

How 'bout we run a reverse play? How about I pass the ball to you on this one?

I'm open, I'm open! Running down the line, ready for a pass, I'll receive, shoot and score!!!

The exercise-ball bit becomes a sidebar that I write, and the team-sports bit becomes the central chapter essay, written by YOU, the new rookie (um) runningback on this project! (OK, tell me some of the positions in soccer -- since, in my ignorance, I'm trotting out words from the other kind of football.)

You be the sweeper (that's the last defender before the goalkeeper - crucial position). I'll be the left (as in "out in left field" to mix metaphors) midfielder.

What do you say, Peg? Wanna "Play Ball"?

I'm game. Kickoff in five, four.....let's talk! Love, Peg

Love, Sheila

P.S. from PS - For this chapter, I'm thinking not only about writing about my experience with soccer (stay active, do a team sport, etc - include other ball sports like racquetball and tennis, other team sports like kickball, softball), but also about "stepping up to the plate" - getting involved in something you believe in, take action. Like your "get in the game" and "get off the bench" notes for this chapter. As I said, let's huddle!