June 13 – “Baseball, politics, and garage sales”

 

 

And in baseball news … the Roger Clemens trial went to the jury yesterday.  Big time liar?  Innocent victim?  Or perhaps just too-big government?  Wait.  Was that a political statement?  Let's move on to the signing of Galveston phenom Billy "Nick" Williams.  He gets to play for his favorite team.  Drumroll here.  No, not the Astros.  They signed the other 17-year-old – the one from Puerto Rico.  Our guy goes to the Texas Rangers.  Well, after he goes to Arizona for instructional league and eventually down to Nolan Ryan's team near Austin – the one that used to be the Astros farm team.  So in three years he might get a chance to play in Arlington.  But he gave up a scholarship to A&M.  In three years he could have been almost done with a college education, then headed for the pros.  But he did get $500,000 to sign now.  Half a million dollars.  That's twelve and a half years of working at $40,000 a year.  And he hasn't even boarded the plane to Arizona yet.  But will he live like he's making $40 K a year so it will last that long?  Hmm.

 

Big garage sale coming up this Saturday at Seaside.  Nathan went with me to pick up some donated stuff yesterday.  Very nice cabinet with a 5-cd changer (that would be an antique ipod), a cassette player (that would be an antique cd player), and that contraption with all the little slide bars that controls the various aspects of noise that emanate from the two tall speakers.  Also some nice assorted dishes and even a box of books.  Good start.  Nathan and I talked about getting rid of some of the old bed frames we have as well, either at this sale or at the one they plan to have "someday."  Mom and Dad had a bunch of them stored up in their attic that we salvaged after Hurricane Ike.  Still kind of rusty, but definitely useful to someone.  We also have a box or two of stuff in the garage that I'm anxious to part with.  What would we do with some actual room to turn around in the garage?  Christi said she is interested in the student desks we have, so I may have to get serious about cleanup there instead of just taking them as-is to the sale.  I did decide as a result of my work thus far on them that I want an electric drill.  The battery one just doesn't last long enough.  So as I see it, this garage sale has the potential to cost me at least the price of a good drill and a lot of sweat.  Not a bad trade-off, I guess.

 

Psalms 1:6 says, "For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."

 

Father, looks like some of your watching is needed over there in Washington … again.  Amen.