Let’s see, there’s baseball great Connie Mack…
He wore a tie, while managing his teams.
Tonight, heading straight from work, so did I.
We both coached teams that didn’t have lights for their baseball fields.
On the way home from the game, I purchased a gallon of milk. I bet Connie Mack was occasionally asked to milk a cow on the way home from the ballpark.
So there you have it, Hall of Famer Connie Mack and I… hard to tell the difference.
Nothing makes a soul smile like returning from vacation and seeing that your work phone was replaced with a banana phone.
#Upgrade
I was tuckered out. It was sunny. It was windy. It was hot. Looking back, I really didn’t stand a chance.
As the afternoon sun beat down, I plopped my chair behind first base. My family placed themselves on either side of me. I relaxed and prepared to watch my son’s ballgame.
After about an hour of sunshine and sunflower seeds, I started to drift. Drift off to a pleasant place. A place full of naptime and zzzzzz’s.
I suppose I was asleep for a while, since I had entered one of those quality heavy sleeps. The kind where waking up is disorienting. The kind from which your body is reluctant to return.
There I was in that deep regenerative sleep, surrounded by baseball, family, and sunshine, when I was jolted awake.
Something had slammed into my folding chair. Or did it slam into me? Had I been shot? Tased?
My body jumped from under my slouched baseball cap. Drool escaping from the side of my mouth.
A young ballplayer stood before me. “Sorry,” he said, as he grabbed a baseball and sprinted off. I had almost been thumbed by an errant throw. Mere inches from being plunked. A bad bounce from being felled for my lack of wearing a cup, as a spectator.
My family soon received a groggy lecture. They needed to save me next time. The sun had forced me to sleep. I needed protection. Something like SPF 50, but for a drowsy dad, always at risk of an errant bounce toward the netherlands.
My proudest moment from vacation is easy to name. I taught my boys how to play Poker.
Sure this also qualifies as questionable parenting, but really I consider it a life skill, so back off.
Any who, based on the staged “Learning to Play Poker” photo, I already have an idea of which kid is going to take this seriously.
Just the right pair of shades and just the right time to bet on a future appearance in the World Series of Poker.
I take great pleasure in our family dinners. Especially during the height of baseball season, we find it somewhat rare to all be sitting down together for a meal. It is a time to reconnect. A time to talk. A time to debate the trivial.
The other night, we were gathered around the table chatting, when older brother Jacob made the following profound observation about his youngest brother Ben, “I think we can all agree that Ben is most likely (member of the family) to have a garage sale.”
For a moment, we all paused in silence. We considered Ben with his warm and inviting smile. We considered the floor of his room, which is always covered with a random assortment of stuff. We envisioned the future. We nodded in agreement.
Ben would indeed be most likely to have a garage sale.
Next topic.
SPICYDOODLES
“This recipe resembles a Snickerdoodle, but has a kick! Note the four spices similar to a molasses cookie and revel in this egg free recipe. Am I in Heaven? No, you’re just gobbling up a Cookies by Dave original. Enjoy!”
Base Ingredients
Recipe3/4 cup Butter
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 pinches Salt
Topping Ingredients
1 1/4 teaspoons Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons Ginger
1/2 cup Sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the Topping Ingredients of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
Set aside one teaspoon of the Topping Ingredients.
Take the remaining 3 teaspoons and combine with 1/2 cup Sugar. Set aside.
Cream the butter and brown sugar.
Mix in the flour, Cream of Tartar, baking soda, and salt.
Mix in the single teaspoon of Topping Ingredient.
Mold dough with hands to form a single large ball.
Take Tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll in remaining Topping Ingredients. There will be lots of Topping Ingredients remaining. Sorry about that.
Place coated balls of dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Bake for 7 minutes or until the cookie bottoms have browned.
Makes about 22 cookies.
CINNAMON AND SUGAR MADELEINES
“Love cinnamon and sugar on your morning toast? Well, raise a toast to this cakey cookie and savor this breakfast alternative. Enjoy!”
2 Eggs
4 Tablespoons Butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Flour
1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Pinch Salt
Cinnamon and Sugar topping (about a 1 tsp Cinnamon to 1 TBL Sugar ratio)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter. Set aside.
Grease and flour a madeleine pan. Set aside.
Beat the eggs, until light and frothy.
Mix in the butter and vanilla extract.
Mix in the sugar.
Mix in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Divide batter evenly between the 12 madeleine molds.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the top has set and the edges are lightly browned.
Let cool in pan for 3 minutes and remove by gently loosening with a fork.
Dust with the cinnamon and sugar topping.
Makes 12 madeleines.
Revised Source: “Cinnamon Sugar Madeleines” recipe on the “Food Network.”
Ah, finally a photo of all my boys in perfect smiling splendor.
Just a little cropping and it should be perfect.
Wait. What’s that? What’s my youngest son Ben thinking?
“Really, Dad? Another photo? Please, stop.”
Yes, the camera can capture a moment, but it can also capture thoughts, so beware, smile, and I promise it will be over soon.
Okay, so maybe just one more.
Thanks.
KITCHEN SINK COOKIES
The cookies in all of their random glory.
“Got some random goodies sitting around the kitchen? I sure did. White chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, oatmeal. What to do? Well, these cookies sure fit the bill. Rich and tasty, the flavors of white and milk chocolate have plenty of room to mingle. The oatmeal contributes, but does not overwhelm. A pleasant cookie that’s sure to please and sure to make random ingredients shine. Enjoy!”
1 cup Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1 cup White Chocolate Chips
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar.
Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Mix in the oats, white chocolate, and milk chocolate.
Drop rounded Tablespoon size balls of dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the bottoms are nicely browned.
Makes about 30 cookies.
Revised Source: “The Best White Chocolate Chip Cookies” recipe on www.cookies and cups.com.
MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES
Shown in the nut-free variety.
“Time to begin celebrating The Fourth. Let’s start by honoring our newest state. Thank you, Hawaii, for macadamia nuts. This cookie is for you. Enjoy!”
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 cups, plus 2 Tablespoons, Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup White Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts, chopped (omit the nuts for a nut-free cookie alternative… Hawaii will still love you)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar.
Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Mix in the white chocolate and macadamia nuts.
Drop rounded Tablespoon sized balls of dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned.
Let cool on baking sheets.
Makes about 27 cookies.
Revised Source: “White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies” recipe on www.thechunkychef.com