Yesterday evening the Bees had their second game of the Yorkville Sports Association’s 2008 softball season.  The opponent this time was Oxford (Publishing) Blues and we played on Field #8 in Central Park, right near Mount Sinai Medical Center (quite convenient if you get on the disabled list).  Since I work on Park Avenue in the 40’s,  I walked to 51^st Street to get the #6 subway line to 96^th Street and walked through the lower blocks of East Harlem (quite nice there) to the field. The 103^rd Street

 

 

 

 

This is a couple of days late, but the Bees played a game on Tuesday (May 6) evening at Central Park’s North Meadow, field #7.  A teammate and I took the Madison Avenue bus to 102^nd Street and then walked up the small hill to 5^th Avenue and then the field.  Even this far north of the former Line of Demarcation (East 96^th Street) it is starting to gentrify, at least this far west.  We noticed new apartment buildings going up, and former tenements getting the makeover.  Also, the stores now seem to cater to a more upscale clientele.  Our opponent that evening was a language services company called Translate This.  The game began at 6:45 PM, and like last week, we were the home team.  I was the official scorekeeper for both teams, and was also an extra hitter.  In my one time at bat, I grounded out (as usual).  This time there was no mercy rule, since the final score was 13-9 in favor of the Bees.  As of today, the Bees are 2-1.  Some of my teammates walked to Brother Jimmy’s.  Since it was almost 7:45 when the game ended, a few of us suburbanites opted to head home.  We walked to Central Park West to get the subway to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and Penn Station.  I just made the train by less than a minute, or else I would have to wait an hour for the next one. 

Today is National train Day, since it was 139 years ago today that the golden spike was driven in Utah to finish the transcontinental Railroad.  AMTRAK had festivities in several cities, including New York City, where Ellen, Eileen and I went since we had tickets to see Chicago at the Ambassador Theater on West 49^th Street.  When we arrived at Pennsylvania Station we went upstairs to the AMTRAK level from the Long Island Railroad tracks to check out the goings on.  There were tables giving out brochures and maps, as well as a few novelties like a wooden train whistle, tee shirts commemorating National Train Day, and activity books.  In another corner was a large model railroad, in N-scale.  The real treat was the guest appearance of the Harlem Globetrotters at 12:30.  I was on line getting some goodies when the players arrived, and got to watch them do their tricks on a makeshift basketball court.  Hopefully I can see them at a regular arena sometime this year, or else it’s “wait until next year”.  We then walked up 7^th Avenue to have lunch at McDonald’s on 42^nd Street and the walked to the Ambassador Theater to see the show.  Our seats were in the second row of the mezzanine, and were quite good.  Even though it’s our fifth time seeing it, we still had a good time.  Anyway, it was a birthday present for Eileen, and Chicago is her all time favorite show.  After the final curtain we walked to Restaurant Row on West 46^th Street to have dinner at Mesón Sevilla, a Spanish & Italian restaurant that we have patronized in prior years.  After I paid the check (we did not want to wash dishes) we walked down 8^th Avenue to get the Long Island Railroad home.

First of all, Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms.

In February I had been summoned for jury duty, beginning in March.  However, since we had the staffing issue at the Firm, I postponed it to May.  So starting last night, I have to call a number, and based on my line number, do as instructed.  So far, all I have to do now is call back on Monday evening after 4 PM for further instructions. 

This morning we had soccer with the West Islip Soccer Club.  Since it was the last session of the spring 2008 season, it was also Trophy Day.  Like last time, Eileen got a trophy.  We also decided that since Eileen is now 18, we will not sign her up for the fall season, but will look for other activities.

In the afternoon we drove to Saint Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh for a special Mass presided over by an auxiliary bishop from the Diocese of Rockville Center.  The Mass was for people with disabilities.  Most of the congregants were Down’s syndrome people, as were the altar boys and girls. The cantor was blind and one of the lectors was in a wheel chair.  After the Mass we were invited over to the school auditorium for coffee and cake.  For Ellen and me, seeing those other people with more sever disabilities made us grateful that Eileen only has autism (and is high functioning).
 

On the baseball front, the Mets and Yankees finish the Battle for New York this evening. As of this typing, the score is 0-0 in the second inning.