Ying and Yang

The weather was good yesterday and is going to be good today too. It is a nice way to enter the weekend.

Drew had a game last night and he really played well. He was up to bat 4 times. The first time he boomed one out to left field for a double. His second time up to bat he boomed one into center field for a single. They walked him the last two times at bat.

He also played first base and did a nice job and pitched the last three innings. He had a good night and the team won for the second time of the year. Well, they beat the same team twice but it still counts.

Jess has a game tonight. Who knows what will happen with that. I am sure we will lose but who knows what the drama on the field will be. The coach told the girls last night that she didn't owe them anything and she was going to play the 8th graders. She is building for the future. Whatever!

I told Jess to just have fun and enjoy playing with her friends.

Not much on the agenda for the day. We have had a little issue with Vista and connecting to the Internet so I hope it doesn't blow up today. Every day is an adventure isn't it.

This weekend, Drew has a makeup game but other than that, it is open. I may clean the garage depending on the weather. We are supposed to get more rain.

Oh, I got the paper last night. It is a bunch of stories about Jess at state. The sports editor even wrote and editorial about her. I need to get everyone's address so I can mail papers to you all. I am going to buy a bunch of copies.

If you are reading this, and want a copy of the paper, email me at Rich.Nichols@perry.k12.ia.us and give me your home address. I will send them out this weekend.

Off to start.

Up is down....black is white....What the heck!

The weather is going to be good today. It has been rainy the last couple of days so it is going to be nice to have a sunny day for a change.

This is a short week. It is already Thursday and we are counting down the days until school is out for the summer.

Drew's game on Tuesday was rained out. I am not sure when they will make that game up but I would imagine in the next week or two.

Jess had a softball game last night. They played Winterset who is the defending state champs(we got 10 runned in the 5th inning). The coach didn't start Jess. She had her DH which is a bunch of crap but whatever. I think she is punishing the track girls because the other girl that went to state sat the bench until the 5th inning.

Jess actually ended up playing center field after the first few pitches. I am not sure what the coach's motivation is but she has the whole team all ticked off. She has two girls that are in 8th grade playing in the infield. One of 1st and the other on 3rd. They both suck and made a bunch of errors.

We will see how things develop as the season moves on but right now it kind of sucks. Jess did play well. I think she caught 7 balls for outs. The Winterset coach came up to her before the game and congratulated her on her state championship. He said he really enjoyed watching her run this year.

Drew has a game tonight and Jess has a game tomorrow. Both are here in Perry so at least we don't have to drive.

4 and a half days of school left. It can't get over fast enough for me.

Off to start.

Memorial day - Memorable weekend

Lightning struck twice at the state track meet this weekend. Jess won the 400 on Thursday and then won the 200 on Saturday. It was a very good weekend for her.

The local newspaper has an article and some pictures of Jess. Here is the link: www.theperrychief.com

This week is going to be a busy one as well. Drew has baseball games tonight and Thursday night. Jess has softball games tomorrow and Friday night.

The softball coaches have decided to move Jess to left field because she is fast and they need speed in the outfield. She is not a happy camper about that change. I am not a fan of the change either but whatever. I have little confidence in a coaching staff that won 3 games last year and had a team goal of not getting "10 runned" in every game.

I coached most of the girls on the team but the big difference between me coaching and these coaches, is I won! If I had a three win season, I would want to shoot myself in the face.

The three day weekend didn't seem like a three day weekend to me. It went quick and I did very little. I hope my energy level increases soon.

The school is building a new auditorium and I have a meeting with a group of people and the architect today to go over some initial ideas.

Tomorrow I do my staff evaluations. I really don't enjoy doing that very much but it will be good to have it done.

I have a video of Jess state races and I will try to get them posted in the next day or so. I also have some pics.

Off to start the week.

STATE CHAMPION!!!!

It was a good day on the blue oval of Drake stadium. The weather was good and Jess ran great.

She won the 400 in a time of 56.41. Which is a new school record and the state track meet record for 3A is 56.08 so she is close. Maybe she can get that next year.

The 200 was something we were hoping she would get to the finals in. She had only run it two other times ever so we weren't sure what to expect. Well, she won her heat and has the fastest time of all the girls going into the finals on Saturday. She has a shot at another gold. Who would have guessed that one.

Two more events for her on Saturday. The sprint med relay, maybe a top three finish and then the 200 finals.

Jenny and Matt came up and watched. It was really nice to see them and share the moment with them. It was really great that they came. It meant a lot. I think Jenny was as excited as anyone.

It was a very good day and she is getting interviewed live on the radio this morning at 7:10.

I will post again after she runs on Saturday.

Whew!

Big Day

Well today is the big day! The state track meet will be an emotional one no matter the result. Jess seems excited but I can tell there is a bit of nervousness underneath her excitement.

Jenny is coming up so that will be fun. It will be good to see her and her family.

Drew had a baseball game last night. he pitched and did pretty well. They lost 6-3 so it wasn't too bad and he didn't give up many runs.

I have to go in early today. Nancy and I are proctoring a technology literacy test this morning. I hope it is done by 10. I really don't like doing this but we have to do it every year as part of the No Child Left Behind requirement.

I plan on heading up to the track meet around 2:30. Nancy is going up as well. She is taking one of the grandkids.

We had team unity at our house last night for the track girls going to state. I made chicken alfredo. It was good. I think the girls liked it.

I think the weather is going to be good for the meet today. I am looking forward to watching.

ok, off to start. Wish Jess luck! Results tomorrow.

I don't think I have cursed the weather in over 48 hours

The weather has been pretty good this week. Yesterday was really nice, almost hot but you won't hear any complaining from me. Just seeing the sun without a 30 a mile an hour wind is nice.

Drew had a baseball game Monday night. The got killed! The score was something like 18-3. It was rough. Drew played 1st base and had a base hit. He did a nice job but the pitching on the team is terrible. I think Drew is the best pitcher on the team. I hate it when he pitches. I just am stressed the whole time.

Jess has been practicing like crazy. Her big day is tomorrow. I am pretty nervous about it because I know she wants it so much. It will be rough if she doesn't win.

The sports guy from the radio interviewed her yesterday. The interview should be on the radio this morning.

Drew has a game tonight. Dawn is headed to that. Jess has team unity at our house tonight and I am making chicken Alfredo for the team. It is ten girls, all the state qualifiers and the alternates. I do this every year the night before they run. A good carb/protien meal for that good energy for the big races tomorrow.

I think I will leave work early, around 3 today to get everything ready. They need to eat by 5 because they have senior awards ceremony tonight at 6.

Ok, Off to start.

revetahw - whatever

Monday of a busy week ahead.

Drew has baseball games tonight, Wednesday and Friday. Jess has the the State track meet Thursday and Saturday. I am hoping this terrible weather ends soon. This Spring weather has just sucked!

Work has been busy lately and I really have been expecting it to taper off here soon. I am not sure what the big "end of they year" rush is about but it needs to end soon.

Weekend was cold and rainy and a bit windy.

Jess qualified in 4 events for state. The 4x800 team actually qualified but she isn't going to run it at state. It is right before her 400 and I want her to be at full strength for that event. The alternates can run it. The coaches used her to get them in. Whatever.

Ok, so a bunch of stuff going on. I will keep you posted at the week progresses.