Season Opener
I can't get enough of the agreeable weather we've had in Omaha lately. A birthday celebration for my mom on Saturday turned into an all-day outdoor event, complete with backyard games, kites, squirt guns, and good grilling. If these activities aren’t sure signs of summer's arrival, I've got grass stains on my shorts from a lively, spontaneous game of softball to submit as further evidence.
This day in the sun should serve as a fitting warm-up for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, which is somehow now only a few short days away. My wife, the beagles, and I are hosting some family this year, and I'm ready when it comes to food and outdoor seating. My main concerns are the bocce and croquet deficiencies I exhibited last Saturday. Hopefully my backyard-game season debut was a chance to kick off the rust, rather than an indication of things to come.
Either way, the thing about backyard games is that there are so many of them. That means when one becomes tiresome (read, "mercilessly humiliating"), I can insist we move on to the next one.
But win or lose, it's important to remember the fun lies in the ribbing banter exchanged between well-meaning siblings. The joy is in the gathering itself. And without question, I experience that joy at its fullest when I end up with the most points.