MY LAST SOFTBALL GAME.

I'm hoping to play on an interim basis when I come back for summer visits as the team has vowed to continue in my absence. Maybe get back for 3-4 games each year.

Anyway, another sad reminder that my time here is quickly coming to an end. Three more days and we're out. The nervousness, stress, sadness, excitement, mounts...I knew it'd be like this but it's tough. Just had dinner with our dear friends Tim (Big Tim that is) and Mary Lyons at our favorite pizza/lasagna joint and it was yet another door shutting in our lives--not completely as, again, we will come back for visits, but still a door closing nonetheless and it makes us sad.

But, for Stella's sake, we only show her the happy side of everything. As a 7-year-old she can't see us getting weepy or she'll freak out. So we smile and tell her about all the great things we have to look forward to and just lie awake every night staring at the ceiling freaking out ourselves.

So, yeah, we're sad and freaking out but we know the move's for the best. Bottom line is we cannot stand the weather here and it ain't gonna change and we ain't getting any younger. Can't move when Stella's a teenager or she'll hate our guts. Gotta go now or never.

But I will miss those goons at Softball on Wednesday nights.