I'll admit it, I didn't watch the opening ceremony nor do I care to.  It's not something I'm interested in it so I just watch the events. 
First off a huge apology to my old bocce teammate Herbster for all the crap I gave him about gymnastics.  I'm really enjoying most of the gymnastics events, even my long time least favorite floor exercise.  I'm still not a fan of the dancing aspect of it but the actual gymnastics they do I like.  I didn't see any of the rings which is another I'm not overly big on.  I only saw a little of the vault which is normally my favorite.  The uneven bars is another of my favorites but I enjoyed the high bar more than normal.  And finally I really enjoy the pommel horse especially the kid who specialized it.  He looked like someone out of the movie Revenge of the Nerds but he came in and did great. 
For those who don't know Herb was a gymnast at SIU and he specialized in the pommel horse.  He actually won the event at the NCAA's, a great accomplishment.
And to Apryl, I really liked the rugby 7's.  Nothing like the rugby I'd seen before but very exciting, especially the USA's last second bronze medal.

The 2024 summer season concluded yesterday with the league tournament.  We barely made it in when several teams didn't play.  Not unusual with so many players being on multiple teams.  We didn't have any Wednesday teams in our pool for the first time in quite a while.
In our first pool play game we played Boro City Rollers on the middle court.  They didn't  have Fred since was playing for Holy Balls.  We started out the game scoring three points but then they battled back.  The game went back and forth until it was 7-6 them.  At this point they left it wide open after Debbie's first shot.  Her second shot was a tad long but Mike picked her up and got his next two in for a 9-6 win.
We moved to the first court for our second game against Can't Be Trusted.  We never really showed up and they kept making a throw on their last throw that we couldn't beat and we lost 9-3.
We played our last game against the Eclectics, who've long been one of my favorite teams to play.  At this point each team in our pool was 1-1 and all we had to do was win to move on.  Once again we couldn't do it and lost a poorly played game 9-3, we just didn't have it.
It was great getting back in the tournament after missing it for a couple seasons and hopefully we can start improving and be back in the fall.

We showed up yesterday expecting to play No Beer, No Bocce but one team didn't play in the tournament so we played Usual Suspects.  We sat out the first round and got lucky when we played on the first court.
In what has become a disturbing trend we started off down 4-0 after one frame.  Big frames are hard to overcome and this was no exception but I've got to hand it to Usual Suspects.  They made throw after throw either getting inside of us or knocking us off the pallino.  We managed to scratch out three points but lost 9-3 ending our hopes of another towel.
Before the game we got some good news and found out enough teams dropped out that we made the league tournament on Saturday.  We're going to have to pick it up to have any hopes of getting out of pool play.

We got a later than normal start yesterday so we opted to take a nice ride around our favorite area, Hutchins Creek-LaRue Pine Hills but cut it short with a trip down snake road.  Debbie didn't remember snake road and the last time we went with them it was closed by a downed tree blocking the road.
After we came out on Route 3 I was hungry and I gave several options knowing that Bottoms Up would come out on top.  Bottoms Up is always good and very reasonable so off we went.  We got there and there 4 or 5 Jeeps there but they were finishing up.  We took our normal favorite table and ordered or normal favorite things.  Mike ordered chips for everyone and they ordered half a chicken all white with two salads and more chips.  We ordered wings and a salad to share. 
Something seemed off from the start, the cook who we normally joke a lot with seemed subdued and didn't really come out like she normally does even though the place was about empty.  We requested all flats but when our food came it was a mix but thats no big deal.  The wings didn't look like their normal fried chicken and that's what we'd requested.  They also didn't taste like their normal chicken.  Comparing them with Debbie and Mikes chicken the appearance was different.  When we talked to the waitress she assured us they were the same.  The wings were okay but no where as close as their normal wings.  A rare subpar experience for there.
After we left it was a quick stop at the spillway and on home.

Once again we were in need of at least a split to stand a chance of making the league tournament.
In the first game we played Muddy Rollers on the dreaded third court.  We gave up a four point frame right of the bat and fell behind 4-0.  We managed to string together some points and tied that game at 4-4.  They hit us with a three spot and the game was effectively over, finally losing 9-4.
In the second game we stayed on the third court and played No Beer, No Bocce.  Once again they got a four point frame to start the game.  We strung together a couple points but once again we got hit with a three point frame and fell behind 7-2.  Once again the game was effectively over as we lost 9-2.
Like Spring season we came up small in a big situation.  It was a total team failure, we had a few nice shots but couldn't capitalize on what chances we had.  We'd been a lot better at not giving up the three and four point frames but that's what got us last night. 
Now we just wait for the standings to come out but don't have much hope in making the playoffs.

Mike took me to my eye followup yesterday in Marion, luckily it wasn't as long of a wait as previously.  On the way back we stopped at Taste Buds & to see where Carbondeli's will be.  We walked in and were given a tour by what appears to be the owner of Taste Buds.  I was expecting a lot of throwback candy type and while they had some it was mostly imported candy, chips, soda and the like.  My biggest impression is that it is expensive.  I bought a bag of imported Doritos and a bag of imported Lays chips and it was over seventeen dollars.  See what I mean?
Later on we decided to take care of Lisa's italian beef hankering and headed down to Sinisi's.  We hadn't been in two or three years and it seems like they've add some stuff to their menu.  Lisa stayed with her plan and ordered a regular roast beef with au jus on the side.  I ended up ordering a chicago dog with no tomatoes and a large order of fries.  My dog was decent but not as good as I'd hoped for being a place that specializes in chicago food.  The fries were your standard crinkle cut frozen fries.  They were good but nothing special.  Lisa's beef was really really good.  The bottom of the bun was soggy which I like but she doesn't.  The beef was thin shaved and didn't appear fatty.  The au jus was really good and put it all together it was a good italian beef. 
I doubt I get the chicago dog again but the italian beef is a must one of these trips down there.
Afterwards we took a nice ride up Hutchensons Crick and LaRue Pine hills but cut it short and went through Pomona and back up 127.

We played the 6&7 games last night in need of two wins to just about clinch a spot in the league tournament.  With Debbie in California we once again turned to Danny to help us out.
We played Bertha's Ball Handlers on the middle court first game.  The game started bad as we gave up one and then two point frames.  We answered with one and two point frames of our own to make it 3-3.  They pulled ahead 5-3 with a two point frame but we came back and tied it 5-5, they made it 6-5 and I thought I'd lost the game when I moved our point ball but it stayed just inside to tie it 6-6.  they moved ahead 7-6 and then we tied it again.  Lisa put one close but on their last ball they blew it up but left it wide open.  My first ball was right on so with my second ball I told myself don't short it.  I didn't, it looked good but was too hard and hit the back wall.  Danny picked me up and put the first ball close enough they couldn't get inside him and we won.
In the second game we moved to the third court to play the Usual Suspects who had just finished a game on that court.  Once again we gave up one then two point frames but this time we decided to make it a little harder and give up another two point for a 5-0 deficit. We managed to get back in the game with a three point frame to make it 5-3 but that was it, losing 9-3.

I underwent cataract surgery last Tuesday.  Everyone was saying the worst part was the drops.  Yes you have to put a lot of drops in your eye but that's not a problem, at least not for me.  The worst part was the waiting.  The surgery was done a Harrisburg hospital, a combination of where the eye doctors work out of and where my insurance would cover so right away was an hour plus drive both ways.
We got to the hospital and was admitted right right away.  I got to a room and got a port in and was dilated very quickly thinking this was great then it stopped.  We waited over three hours in the room before I was wheeled back.  Once back there you're put in a twilight sedation, I had to fight off sleep a few times.  Basically you hear some talking and very shortly after you're done.  No big deal, you don't feel any pain.  Lisa said I was back there about 45 minutes total but it didn't seem that long. 
The next day we had a follow up at their Marion office.  We got there and the place was packed, we waited another two hours there.  When I finally got in the nurse was not happy that they scheduled that many patients and then short staffed the nurses.  She also wasn't happy that they didn't schedule the post surgery patients first.  When the doctor finally came in I thought he rushed the visit and seemed ready for lunch.
I have a follow up visit tomorrow so we'll see how everything is with the eye.  Overall it wasn't a terrible experience just didn't like the waiting buy hey, I can see out of that eye again.
For the record Talley Eye Institute out of Evansville did the surgery and they have been doing my eyeball shots for the past few years.  Overall I'm very happy with them except the drive to Harrisburg and Marion.

Lisa mentioned steaks yesterday and I immediately said "Let's try Texas Roadhouse".  We've been to ones in Cape and O'fallon but I haven't been to one in a long time probably before I started this blog in 2016.  We called over and said we'd be there around 2 and would prefer bar area but not the bar.
When we walked in about 20 minutes early we had to wait a couple a minutes but got a booth in the bar area, perfect.  This place might have the nicest wait staff we've ever experienced, even ones who weren't on our table reached out to us. 
There were rolls waiting on us and this was the only downside to the whole meal.  The rolls tasted like they'd been sitting out too long or something.  The butter helped but still wasn't that great.  They did have Shiner Bock on draft so we got a couple of tall drafts that were really nice and cold.  I got a 16oz ribeye while Lisa got a 12 oz. filet.  We both got side salads and baked potato.
The salads were good but I could have done without the cheese, next time I'll order without.  Both of us ordered our steaks medium but when they brought them out Lisa's was undercooked, not even warm on the inside.  The waitress took it back and "threw it on the grill".  It was back there a while but when it came back it was a perfect medium and excellent, very tender.  I'd gotten my ribeye blackened and it was great a nice little kick at the end.  Only downside was a glob of fat in one spot but hey, it's a ribeye.  The baked potatoes were also great they brought Lisa a whole new potato when they recooked hers so we brought most of one home and part of another.  I didn't bring as much of mine home as I thought I would because I couldn't stop eating it.
I can't say enough of the experience, we stopped the manager and told her how great an experience it was and because it was our first time there she brought a coupon for a free appetizer.  It's hard to find a good steak cooked medium when eating out so I don't really order it much.  We'll be back soon.

This past week has been a very hectic week with cataract surgery and waiting rooms and such so we decided to go somewhere to eat.  Did I mention our power was out for around 8 hours.  I decided on Frenchmans Widow over Quatros and Midlands.
When we got there the special was two pieces of swai with hushpuppies, fries and pasta salad.  I'm not real big on swai but I decided to take a chance and get it.  They let me sub a side salad for the pasta salad.  Lisa opted for nachos with the cheese sauce on the side.
I got french dressing on the salad and it was a very nice sized salad.  I would have rather had more lettuce and less cheese, tomatoes and croutons but it was still good.  The fish got there a little after I'd finished the salad so it was good timing.  The swai was very good, surprisingly so.  The breading on it was very nicely done, I found out later they did their own breading which is a nice touch.  The fries were good but I didn't eat a lot of them.  The hushpuppies were very good and I'm not a big hushpuppy eater.  If I ever get that special again I'll try to sub a salad for the fries just to cut down on fried food.  Lisa really like her nachos.  We both had enough to bring food home.
Overall a much needed relaxing trip out.