Howdy yall. Haven't said that in awhile. Thanks for the response to the last post. I have to give honors to Ian and the Nightmare Band Vid...I also like the "Tony and the Pierre's" band name, Alex, I will keep my personal life to myself thank you very much and I know for a fact I am the hottest thing over here since Freedom Fries, Tiff, your Monday's at BigW's sounds good anyday, Karly, sorry will give description's about pics, Mom, thanks for chattin on skype, love you, Dad, love you and thanks for talking to me after the games.
Okie Dokie. After I rollerbladed the Seine...no big deal...I pretty much relaxed the rest of the day. The next evening, I went to Chris's house to help him set up for Anne's birthday. He said he needed some help with decorations and I said no problemo. When I got there, I saw about 100 balloons that needed to be filled. Chris was cooking and I was losing consciousness blowing up these damn balloons. It was Gabby's and Emmanuel's job to stick them all over the house. So we had it all set up for a surprise for Anne. I say surprise but Chris told Anne to stay outside until the kids were hid in the living room to throw confetti everywhere.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!"
Confetti and balloons went flying everywhere.
I could read Chris's mind. "Shit...I'm going to have to clean up this crap."
So we had a great dinner with chicken legs and potatoes. The cake that Chris bought was phenomenal. It was a fresh Raspberry cake with laced icing. He put sparklers on the cake for more pizazz that sent Emmanuel crying. The cake and the icecream were great. After all was said and done, I stayed up with Chris, like we normally do, and cleaned up a bit with a bottle of Cabernet helping us out. Nice day, nice night. The weather is absolutely perfect now.
Today. Wednesday. I have gotten into the routine of relaxing on Monday's and Tuesday's and baseball for the rest of the week. I had three practices today. The little "Minimes", the Cadets, and then our practice. Chris picked me up early with Gabby and Emmanuel and we headed for Bois Guillaume. The "Minimes" start at 10-12pm, Cadet 3-5pm, and N1 6-8pm. I have to say that I really enjoy working with the real little ones. I am always full of smiles around these kids. I love the fact that they come up to me, real cute-like, and just start jabberin' like I understand a damn word they are saying. So I reply the best I can with a pat on the head. We played soccer to begin and had a good baseball practice. I got a couple of videos that I am going to try to put up with the kids. We took a team photo and that was the end of the first practice.
Chris offered to take me back to Deville but I felt like being at the field the whole day. I had to stick around anyway and so I got a lunch from the market and stayed on the field. I raked, mowed, and tanned all day. It was really nice. I love the smells of a field and have no regrets about spending a lot of time there.
The Cadet practice went well. Ground balls, sky rocketing pop flies, and batting lessons. It is nice to see improvement in some of the kids swings. As long as I can get through to some of them, it's a victory. I am having a harder time with the ones who hear what I say in one ear and then it goes out the other. I can't express enough that a lot of the skills needed for baseball are taught at home. Throwing a ball with you, Dad, in the backyard...throwing me over the shoulder catches, throwing a wiffle ball and chasing it time and time again, has molded me into the player I am. I can only do so much with 2 hours and I am blessed to have a family that pounded baseball into my repetoire. It started to rain and so everyone went into the dugout for cover. I then motioned Paul over to me.
"Wanna play a game?"
"Sure...what is it?"
"It's called 'Black Magic'."
Baseball mind games are the essence of sitting in the dugouts across the States when the rain is pouring down, therefore delaying play.
Here is "Black Magic".
"Black Magic" is a game that involves two people. *These people have the special power of reading each other's minds*. Person #1 will ask anyone in the dugout to name an object. It can be absolutely anything. A shoelace, the sky, the fence, my pulsing biceps...anything. Person #2, who stands far away to avoid hearing, then asks if the "Black Magic" is ready to play. Person #1 will start naming objects at random. For example, (The object is my glasses)
Paul: "Tony, is it the flag pole?"
Tony: I will look at the flag pole concerningly. "Hmm...no."
Paul: "Is it your right leg?"
Tony: I will touch my leg. "Uhhhh.....No."
Paul: "Is it...your Bois Guillaume Hat?"
Tony: "Uhh....No."
Paul: "Is it your glasses?"
Tony: While taking off my glasses for examination, " Uhh..YEAH IT's MY GLASSES!"
At this point everyone is stunned. They have no idea how I figured it out.
Here is the trick... Person #1 names something "Black" before what the correct object is. Really incredibly simple but it baffles everyone, and I mean EVERYONE at first. So this charade went on forever. Laughter, cussing, and looks of bewilderment. Paul was just tickled to death that everyone was getting so worked up about this game. It was a little taste of home that I could give to these kids. They still have no clue how it works.
The N1 practice that followed was really relaxed. Not a lot of people showed up, due to rain I imagine, but we did what we could. It was all good until a couple of foul balls flew crashed into the neighboors roof. A lady came out and started yelling at us.
"Desole.."
I mean what can you do? Foul balls happen. We quit soon afterwards and headed home. The mayor recieves complaints often from this house about us and we have been threatened that they will take our field away. Empty threats if you ask me because the Mayor's worker's still mow our damn outfield. So anywho, that is it for now. I hope everyone is doing well and living life. Because I am. I love you guys and will talk to you soon. Au revoir.
*Here is a link to a couple of clips I have put together. Very rough draft material but enjoy anyhow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc-FQ1MHxsc
10 comments:
First - thanks for the mid-week post - as for keeping your personal life to yourself - what a cop out - dude just admit that the French chicks don't go for the goofy american - I'm sure the men do and you are doing well in that department - Love you and keep on having fun - Love Al
Great video clip of the kids team. These are the kids that will help you pick french fast! Kids will be patient and will repeat everything over and over again.
Your guitar playing has improved two fold - you and Olivier sound great. Keep it up. It's great to have something to do besides video games to pass the time.
Keep a list of items you might want in the next care pkg. delivery. Love you and always take care.
Two things....
1. "pulsing biceps" -- please, I almost threw up in my mouth.
2. Black Magic-- not understanding ... i even reread your instructions like 4 times.
Ok really three things... You have never been shy about "all your girls" before, why are you starting now?? I agree with Alex COP OUT!!! hahaha love ya ;-) Karly
I didn't get black magic either, but I think because the kid said "is it your hat" (which is black) tony knew that the next item was the one the kids chose "glasses".
Those kids are damned cute. So I guess Spider-man in french is Spider-man? (shirt the kid is wearing).
Really enjoyed the video--you laughing at the dancing was very funny, and those little guys can really play soccer (futbol).
So what about the upcoming team?
Really enjoyed the post, the guitar duet, and the vid.
Love, Dad.
Anyone else have a hard time picking out Tony from the other kids running around in the video? They look to me to be all the same size....al
I finally figured it out. Tony either is charmed and blessed and great things happen to him...or...he is a secret agent currently working for the CIA.
T.O.N.Y. or Technology Operative and Networking Youth, was a project that was formed at the same time as the D.A.R.Y.L (Data Analyzing Robot Youth Lifeform) project, with the goals of creating young and seemingly oafish agents. They seem just like ordinary knobs, running around, playing baseball, struggleing with languages, but at night, these deep sleeping agents perform counter-intelligence operations to ensure the saftey of the American way.
With this cover T.O.N.Y. has been able to stumble around all of Europe, completely undetected, gathering information along the way. The evidence is the secret code words---"purple flowers" "Black Magic", and "Sacre Bleu"---how could I have been so blind. While he was a stupid kid (the complexities of a peanut butter sandwich/ leaving all your money in your TMNT wallet at the mall) he was always gifted in complicated ways.
I just hope I haven't blown your cover.
TONY! where have you been!? haven't got to talk to you this week, but hopefully soon..
I couldn't help but laugh when you said you just pat the kids on the head when they are jabbering to you. I can just see it. Haha! Come to think of it, I think you might have done that to me before! lol
Pulsing biceps!?!?! ;)
I WANT SOME OF THAT CAKE!!!! you're such a tease!
After reading Ian's last comment, I was going to go off on he certainly has too much time on his hands. Then, I reread his comment; and laughted again.
Kudos to Ian - you got the best post again.
Love, Dad.
Oh, man, just read through your post about Eric's house. I spent many an hour trying to smash through the concrete in that bad boy when he first bought it two years ago. That thing was a wreck. Can't believe it's finally finished. Ask Eric about me and Matt tearing through the place with pickaxes and shovels. Man, what a zoo.
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