Not that there's a competition

but Tom wins the contest. He was out of the house at 4:00 this morning to work the early shift at a half marathon, dropping traffic cones off a truck to mark the route and then picking up the same cones when it was all over. The "cone heads" were rewarded with a spiffy fleece jacket, and a race tee-shirt. (Does it help you get to heaven if the rewards are that good?)

I put in 3 hours this morning helping sort through donations to the St. Rose flea market, which is next weekend. I can't say I went into it with a completely pure heart. Usually, the workers get first chance at great bargains. This year, the rules were changed. No advance selling to workers. My worldly reward was a slice of pizza. One of those great ethical questions: Would I have volunteered if I had known this ahead of time???

If it weren't for yesterday's $5 purchase or for dinner tonight with Cullen you'd have to settle for a report on the geraniums from the cemetery which survived the 7-hour ride in the back of the truck. I'm betting we can keep them blooming at least until Halloween.

Depending upon who you ask

he's staking out stadium seating for the new tennis court...lots to be sold for an apartment complex...the rock garden to end all rock gardens.

Those of you who know any Little Valley history are probably betting on the tennis court, considering that he and Jerry built the first dirt (LV term for clay) tennis court behind their house at 214 Fair Oaks Street numerous years ago. Archie Frank came in with a bulldozer ($80), the net was ordered out of New York City, iron posts were sunk in the ground, some kind of wooden template was built for marking the lines with lime, and the tennis matches began. The posts are still standing. Ancient history. Probably in the early 1960s.

Not that this will make it a lot clearer, but there's a plan now, to work on an area farther in from the road, kill the weeds, rent a rototiller from "Merows", thatch the area, and replant. "Plan" is the operative word. The weeds need to be sprayed, they need to wither and die, and then the thatching can be done. Late this fall? Early next spring? It's a work in progress.

The plot that was seeded close to the sidewalk, despite the horrible rocky soil, is looking good. Ready to be mowed. We made one quick stop into Betsy's secondhand shop yesterday. Check this purse out. I knew it was good leather, good enough so I didn't think I could lose when I bought it for $12, but it's always good to have that confirmed.

You were expecting a Bucky report?

The month-long celebration

is officially over. The rain ended yesterday afternoon, the birthday tickets were for today, and we had great seats right behind home plate. Frank Robinson kept his cool (does he even blink?), some new-to-Washington players stepped up to the plate, and the crowd was friendly and well-behaved.

We've had a lot of press here about how the new owners are working hard to make sure EVERY fan is treated well and has a good time. It may be working. I was having a hard time squirting mustard on my $4 kosher hotdog. One of the cleaning staff stopped her work, asked me if I had the strength to do that or needed some help, and then instructed me on a better technique. A lot of bonding over a gallon of mustard. It works for me.

The two fittest men at the baseball game. Food report: one ice cream cone, one beer, one banana, one bag of peanuts, one kosher hotdog. That's between the three of us. I'll let you guess who had what (maybe the above mustard incident gives you some help).