Every Day an Adventure

Today was rainy. Jack helped me with a bunch of database stuff today at work. We solved the problem I'd been stuck on. That was great. Right afterwards, my parents called -- they were downstairs, and we were going to the Mariners game tonight.

It was Fan Appreciation Night, but really, it was Dan Appreciation Night, since Dan Wilson was catching one last inning before retiring. He wanted to catch Jamie Moyer, since they've been battery-mates for a whopping 191 games in the last decade. And as he was swapped out of the game in the second inning, and hugged Jamie, then came into the dugout and hugged all the players, then did a curtain call, I swear, not an eye in the park was dry. Moyer later even commented that he'd never had to throw warmup pitches with tears in his eyes before.

(After I got home, I downloaded this picture of the hug, from ESPN, and printed it out and put it up on my wall, as yet another one of those "Why I love this game" sort of reminders. Heck, it almost makes me all weepy yet again just looking over at it.)

As it is, the Mariners totally kicked butt tonight, whomping the A's 4-1. Ichiro went 4-for-5, meaning I got to see him get his 199th, 200th, 201st, and 202nd hits of the year, which set a record for him being the only player in MLB history who managed 200 hits in each of his first five seasons. Oddly, this day last year, I was at Fan Appreciation Night with Brian R, and we watched Ichiro go 3-for-4 and get his 257th, 258th, and 259th hits of the season, breaking George Sisler's 84-year-old single-season hit record. It was cool. Both times.

Fan Appreciation prizes included things like a Mariner Moose office party, and getting to mow the lawn at Safeco Field. I am not making that up. Also, in the 9th inning Hiram Bocachica came up to pinch-hit for the A's. Wooooo, it's Bocachica time!

But really, the night belonged to Dan Wilson. I may have missed your glory years, Mr. The Man, but at least I got to see you while you still had some kick left. Here's to another great guy and great ballplayer -- and many more years with the Mariners organization in other capacities, hopefully.

After the game, we shuttled back to Northgate, where I'd parked this morning, and my parents came over here for a little while. I fed them cupcakes, and lent my mom a book, and hung out a bit, and then I took them back to their hotel, where my mom gave me several brown-bag breakfasts, and coupons, and other leftovers. Whee. The funny part is, I'm betting I'll go to sleep around 3am when they have to wake up to get their flight back home.

Ah, baseball. What a beautiful game. (Also, GO PHILLIES! YOU'RE STILL IN IT!)

Whee, so my mommy and stepfather are in town, having never been to Seattle before. (This stymies me, as my stepfather has been, like, everywhere in the world. No joke.)

Yesterday, after work, I bussed to the Seattle Center area where they're staying, and we ended up going to Ivar's for dinner. It was pretty good. I got my stepfather to drive me home, and then they went back to their hotel (still on east coast time) and I cleaned up the apartment a bit more and watched "But I'm a Cheerleader", which was amusing, but disturbing.

Today, I drove down to the Seattle Center, found a place to park, and played tour guide for a bit. We went to the center, and went up the Space Needle - it was good weather for it today. After that, we took the monorail downtown, and for lack of any better idea, I guided them down to the Pike Place Market, where we saw the flying fish. Whooosh. Eventually after wandering around a bit, we ended up at Todai for dinner, because my stepfather mentioned liking all-you-can-eat crab legs. It went over really well and they were both very happy with the food. (Stepdad ate nothing but crab legs for the most part, mom ate some other stuff but mostly crab legs. Neither of them eat sushi, so the all-you-can-eat sushi aspect of the place was totally lost on them.)

After that, we tried to take the monorail back but it was closed down - so we bussed back to the hotel, and then I drove them up here so my mom could see my car and my apartment. She seemed to like both of them, and didn't even think my place was messy. After an hour or two, I drove them back to the hotel. I stopped by Tower, since it was across the street from the hotel, and used the coupon they sent me in the mail the other week... got two DVDs and a CD. Whee.

Came home, watched one of the DVDs (Chicago. I really needed it. Trust me. The musical's been going through my head since July 1st). And whoosh, lo and behold, the evening is goon.