0512-0514 - Softball Days, Barbecue Nights and Dancing after Midnight

Friday was as usual nice end to the week. With a full day of Saturday planned I stayed in for Friday Night and after dinner and NBA Finals just watched DVR programming. All of those Charmed episodes and Adult Swim Cartoon Network saved meant I had plenty of stuff to watch. I even made sure to pack my change of clothes and the rest of my stuff in my PC bag before bedtime. I was finally tired enough and ready to turn in at 3am and await the coming of daylight.

Softball and Barbecue
Saturday morning I awoke around 10am, ate delivery breakfast and we saw on the TV the accident at the NJ side of the Lincoln Tunnel which meant our normal path to the Jersey fields was cut off. We left the house before 11am and ran into traffic as soon as we came out of the Battery Tunnel. After it took us almost 10 minutes to go 2 blocks we headed over to Church street and dodged all of the drivers who were taking the Holland Tunnel as the Lincoln alternate. Larry called on the phone to let us know that the GWB bridge was the way to go and after calling back Glenn to make sure of our connections and pulling out the laptop to verify the directions on the Route 66 Map software and I knew we had to go from GWB to Local exits to Route 80, past Hackensack and onto the Garden State Pkwy. Once we were on the Garden State the trip was just as fast as if we had come through the tunnel. We pulled up to the park and found the municipal lot spot to park the car and then we headed into the park. After I stopped with Hal to put money in the meeter for the Jimmy (Hal got a broken meter) I took a trip down to the check cashing place to pick up some change. I put money in the Murano meter and Donnie's meter I then said hello to Larry and headed back to the check cashing place to pick up quarters for Larry's car. Since the check cashing lady had been so nice I bought her a cup of coffee. Back at the field I ate my Milky Way bar and Russ had one also before the games started. The first two BASL softball games were between the Buddies and the Expos. After getting left behind at first the team did the Buddies did the come from behind win and made sure to pull it out and get the runs to win the game. The second game was also close but was a matter of making sure the Expos did not catch up after building the lead. I ran out to the cars and filled up 4 parking meters before heading back to see the games. The double header over, we moved onto the game against the Titans. The other team built an early lead but then at the end the team came together and made a nice run to catch up and pass the other team. So the Buddies were able to go up 3 wins for the day. Thanks to stringing together some hits and great fielding by Barbara and our outfielders our team was still in first place. After all of our re-shuffling we carpooled and grouped to head back to Larry's for our backyard barbecue. After Donnie passed us we decided he was the best person to follow to Larry's but he was not the the best person to drive behind especially going onto the Garden State Pkwy but we made it with no fireball crashes and pulled onto route 3 and onto Larry's. All parked and inside everyone took their turns starting the chill-out and some taking showers in one of the two available showers. I stayed well hydrated myself between soda and juice and enjoyed a great meal of ribs, pasta salad and cole slaw. Members on the team enjoyed the food, the music from the cable radio 80's station, and the hot tub, which was enjoyed both with shorts and without. I also had great conversations with Hal, Jonah, Donnie and Dave's other half. Later on in the night after filling off two different bottles of Grey Goose Donnie and I made a run down to Shop Rite to pick up a bottle of Ketel One. After I got back home I showered and changed clothes myself and then hung out for a bit before 11:20pm rolled around. After saying all of our goodbyes it was off the road and onto the highway heading back to Route 3 and then the Lincoln Tunnel. After listening to the pop CD par tway home I switched over to the R&B Rap CD before getting dropped off by Russ at 18th Street and making my way down the street.

In Da Club
I walked down the one block and made my way over to the line and said hello to Derek and headed inside. After armband, cashier and coat check it was inside to see the Midori sponsored Babylon Party at Roxy. The decor was city skyline and the crowd was definitely coming in to hear the beats and spin of DJ Manny Lehman. I did not find any of my friends at first but found Dwayne and his friends and headed to the bar before making my way back to the dance floor. Later on I hung out with Keith and his friends and gave him a copy of my "DivaSpring" CD. Manny once again kept the crowd in the music with the Offer Nissim mix of "Fascinated", Donna Summer "Power of Love" and MJB "Be Without You". But I had to overcome a little fatigue at the beginning of the night before I was fully into the groove and dancing on boxes starting at the back across from the stage and the box next to the stage and the stage itself. I also had to get used to new hand lights I had just received in the mail. They were nice and bright but one was not as stable as I would like so I switched to the backup of the old lights so had one old and one new and proceeded to dance like I usually did. I will say that I did enjoy the night but despite some nice drinks from bartender Louis I still would not rate the night as high as Manny's last visit but still better than most and the crowd was definitely there with me till the end of my night. I danced on the speaker near the door and finally called it a night at 4:30am and after retrieving my jacket I picked up a magazine and walked over to 10th ave and walked right into the taxi that could take me home to Bklyn. The driver took directions well and I was back home with no problems. Nice busy Saturday and a nice cap off of a Saturday night. I guess it ended up friend heavy at the beginning of the day and afternoon and night and after midnight just the bartender and 2 friends at the end. Not much but it was enough for me.

Sunday was all about the recovery.
I watched TV and DVR programming while Russ did some work and pretty much stayed in. Delivery Breakfast to start with and then Russ brought home the pick up Dinner from The Good Fork. The bun on the hamburger was different yet again but it was still a good burger and Russ made sure to get a side of onion rings as they are so good the little bit we usually got with the burger was not enough. The Sopranos was good but we are looking forward to a more dramatic show next week as everything seems to be coming to a head. After Russ went to bed I watched some more DVR programming and ate a bowl of Rice Krispies before turning in to go to bed myself.

I think back to the party at Larry's and was very glad I went not just because I had been missed for the previous two weeks but also for the great conversations I did have talking about relationships, hanging out and plans for the summer. I felt that a lot of people were glad I was there and I even got to take pictures with Barbaras camera since mine does not seem to want to take daytime pictures anymore. Again, if I can help just one person to have a better time and to make my friends happy then that is what I plan on doing. I don't want to be the drag on the party but the firestarter and the life that is. Until Next Time. Keep it poppin.