Tex @ KC 4-8

We packed up in the morning and drove up 17 to the Hilton
Garden Inn Phoenix North Happy Valley, arriving around 11.
I threw myself on the mercy of desk clerk Keisha, who very
accommodatingly found us a room that was already ready for
occupancy. It was a pleasant though smallish room; the view
might have been nice at one time, but now it was a good
panorama of the mountains with lots of warehouse and office
space between them and us. As elites we got free water,
cocktail at the bar, and breakfast. We used just the last,
as we had places to go and things to do.

Surprise ballpark was half an hour - actually, with the
traffic, closer to an hour - away. It is the regular field
of both of these teams, and I guess they must alternate
homeness when playing each other. Swisher hadn't been here
either and had no excuse as this is by no means a new venue.
In fact, we went to four games together, all in parks new
to him. Sort of cool, I guess.

Notable things about the venue: it's in the middle of
nowhere, so it offers free parking; it's a small park with
no bad seats or blind spots but still doesn't fill up well;
it offers Shiner Bock. I think that counts for two balls
and two strikes.

Another great day for baseball, and this time we got a
little shade due partially to the design of the park and
partially due to a few clouds that came and went.

The Rangers (whom I don't care for) took their medicine
from the Royals; Alcides Escobar was the hitting star,
going 3 for 3 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI. It was a quick
though sluggerly game, and after the 8 1/2 necessary, the
teams agreed to play a bottom of the ninth to let some other
nonregulars get their licks. Few patrons stayed to watch,
and nothing happened anyway. We did and stuck around a bit
afterward, as we were early. Then off to do a little
shopping, then back up to Glendale or Peoria or something
to JanAZ's for dinner.

JanAZ looks good; her son is getting married this year,
which means that time has flown shockingly. In deference to
Swisher, who has little interest in the minutiae of the
frequent flyer world, we talked about real subjects for a
change. Dave, sad to say, was called away to some faraway
land and couldn't join us. He's still the road warrior, and
JanAZ reaps the reward as a million-miler spouse - she gets
1K without having to fly. I used to run into her all over
the world, mostly Asia. Now I see her only on her home turf.
Life has changed so much. There are bunches of people I used
to see in exotic climes. Now not so much, though I am still
putting on them miles, mostly for pointful but pointless
purposes and leisure.

Hey, I'm a 2 million miler, does that mean I get to give my
status to two spice? No? Poop.

TransWorldOne flew in from Vegas to join us - we've been
seeing spring training games together for over a decade
now, but this year he could only fit one into his busy
schedule. Of course as soon as he arrived the conversation
veered off to the things we know and love the best, and
Swisher quieted down all of a sudden. He flies one round
trip a year, basically, with his cat, in first, on Alaska,
and that's all folks. His life is perhaps normal compared
to ours.

Steak night, nice 16-oz 1 1/4" strips, grilled just right;
smashed taters; broccoli; Norton Reserva Malbec 10, which
was somewhat better than acceptable and went quite well.

It had been a long day for everyone, so we called it quits
fairly early. The trip back was easy with the lack of
traffic, and soon the question arose: drink coupons at the
bar or just collapse in bed? The latter won.