[caption id="attachment_539" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Uncle Slam with Some Kids"] [/caption] This week had so many highs and lows, I'm not sure I can relate them all.  But the old adage The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat forced itself into my thinking for this report. The week started Monday with the first game of a 7 game home stand of the Potomac Nationals.  This was our third Monday of the season.  For the first two, I had Tank in Woodbridge to help and both of them were terrible.  Nothing like the Mondays of last year.  So, I decided to work this one by myself and, of course, I got hammered.  While it still wasn't like last years' during the summer months, it was a good game right on the borderline of what one person could handle. Basically, I got through it but without the quick service I prefer. [caption id="attachment_540" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Tuesday was a Brutal Night"] [/caption] Tuesday was cold and miserable and despite a rehab appearence by Big League Pitcher Jason Marquis, which normally would draw a big crowd and a good night for us, about 50 fans were there and I had total sales of $18. As I have related at times in the past, the Big Red tent at the PNat games has on occasion taken a foul ball or two off the canopy and on a more prevalent basis, has had foul balls bouncing nearby.  One game last year had six all within 3 or four feet.  Tuesday night, during the 7th inning, I was cooking one of the few funnel cakes I cooked that night, when I took a direct strike from a foul ball. . . .right on the cheek of my butt!  We're not sure how it happened or how it was possible for a foul to get into the middle of my tent without hitting something beside my butt, but it did.  And, it hit hard enough the the ball ricocheted off me a traveled about 40 feet to the wall of the ticket booth building. [caption id="attachment_541" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Oompa's Big Butt"] [/caption] Needless to say, I took a good bit of ribbing from the PNats staff. The next morning, I was at Peggy's and went into the bathroom to shave and shower.  Kagen, Peggy's 3 year old grandson, decided to come in and help.  First, he announced to the world, "Oompa is Naked." Then, he pointed to a certain portion of my anatomy, and said, "Oompa's Big Butt." "Yea, kid. I got hit by a baseball and it's swollen," I replied under my breath and hollered for Todd to get his son before I drowned him. [caption id="attachment_542" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Cajon and Handsonic and JWP"] [/caption] Wednesday and Thursday were both slow nights but at least better than Tuesday.  Easily handled by myself which saves me on a little labor costs.  Thursday's entertainment was worth noting.  JWP (Just Wanna Play) performed during the pregame of $1 beverage night.  They are a really good Top 40 type of band that played a lot of music I like.  I enjoyed them a bunch.  Their drummer had a set up I've never seen before--yes, I know folks. I must live under a rock.-- He sat on a Cajon, a box drum that made different percussion sounds depending on where he tapped on it with his hands, plus had a Handsonic next to him, that he played.  All with his hands and it sounded just like a full drum set without the overwhelming volume in a small space.  I was fascinated with his performance. After the game, I drove back to the farm, got a couple hours of sleep, loaded up Big Red and moved it to Liberty High School for the Bedford County Relay for Life starting Friday night.  Due to the wet football field and forecast of more storms, the Relay was moved inside so I had to set up along a sidewalk at the rear of the building.  Not the best location for Tank and Laura because we weren't right in the middle of the action like at most Relays.  I headed for Harrisonburg to pick up Peggy and then on to Woodbridge for Friday's game and a big crowd. [caption id="attachment_543" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Crowds Coming into The Pfitz"] [/caption] Peggy and I had a decent game Friday night but the crowd was diminished some by a storm right at Gates Open with some pretty good sized hail.  The game was delayed about 30 minutes but was played in full.  In the meantime, the Bedford Relay was closed down early due to a big storm system heading right at Liberty High School.  Tank and Laura ended up with less than half of what should have been sold at the Relay. On Saturday, Chuck and Ryan joined me in Woodbridge. Peggy couldn't work the weekend as she had to be in Lynchburg.  [caption id="attachment_544" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Sunday Autograph Session"] [/caption] It was a beautiful day for baseball and Scout night where some 1,000 scouts camp out in the outfield after the game. We were expecting a good game but nothing like happened.  We ran out of lemons in the 6th inning and were too busy for me to make a store run to get more. By the way, that was over a case of lemons for the game.  It ended up being my second largest PNat game surpassed only by last 4th of July.  And, we did it with only three of us working. [caption id="attachment_545" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Just Wanna Play"] [/caption] Sunday had a huge presale of tickets as well so I had Chuck and Ryan come back.  Sundays have always been disappointing to me so I was hoping for a good game but not counting on a great game.  Of course, I hit BJ's early Sunday and got another case of lemons.  It was gone by the 6th inning again so we had no Fresh Squeezed Lemonade again for the last part of the game.  And the totals for the day far exceed any Sunday from last year. Despite all of the ups and down, it was a great week for Big Red. And, my bruise has all but cleared up.  My bruised ego is another story. This week, we're off to Richmond for the Logging Show.  We'll be offering a full menu and it should be a big weekend for us. Tank, Laura and I will work most of it with Peggy coming in when she can get away from Allison's graduation festivities. My thoughts were with Daniel and Allison all week but especially yesterday when they had their dad's Memorial Service.  May he Rest In Peace. I wonder how many cases of lemons I need for the next PNats home stand?