Every time mid-August rolls around, I get a weird, panicky feeling right in the pit of my stomach. I don't know if it's the prospect of winter looming "right around the corner" (I spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking about the weather. God, I'm a Minnesotan.), or fear that I haven't maximized the three months of the year when everyone is deliriously excited about just plain living life to the fullest, or pre-emptive nostalgia for "the good old days of summer."
At any rate, I'm starting to feel that pinchy panic for summer 2014. I mean, my teacher friends are setting up classrooms and talking about back-to-school. Target's had school supplies out for literally a month, and J.Crew's pushing merino wool again. I'm seeing and hearing Minnesota State Fair ads on the TV and radio. Don't get me wrong...I adore fall...but I'm JUST NOT READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO SUMMER YET.
So in that vein, I'm going to obnoxiously share all the cool, fun, exciting things I've done all summer but failed to write about because I've been having too much fun. Get excited for "Summer Snapshots:" because it wouldn't be a blog by me if it weren't cheesier than the Mouth Trap Cheese Curds booth at the Fair.
In the spirit of checking off as many items on my Summer Bucket Lizt as possible, Kels and I went to a minor-league baseball game back in June! The St. Paul Saints are our hometown heroes of choice today, and oh my gosh, I genuinely haven't had that much fun at a baseball game in a really, really long time. And now, without further ado, your recap, as told (partially) through Snapchat screenshots (we're classy and Millennial like that):
One of my favorite Twin Cities things is the Peanuts statues all over the city, a remnant from the "Peanuts on Parade" Charles Schulz tribute. I have the fondest memories of going to see the statues with my family as a kid--to this day, running into Snoopy around town makes me smile. Also of note: we found out Heaven IS for real (see signpost).
Immediately upon arriving at the stadium, verrrry early, we picked up our tickets, for $14, and PBRs, for $3. You just TELL me where else you can get beer at a sporting event for those prices!! Minor leagues for the win!
Kels and I took advantage of our early arrival to watch the players warm up (yum, cute booties in baseball pants) and pick our future husbands out of the lineup. I think our theory is gold: these kids are all rookies who have the potential to be the next Joe Mauer hometown sweetheart. What better than to snag them while they're young, vulnerable and uncorrupted by major league fame? Are we right, or are we right?
Once we settled in, we enjoyed the game, but also the antics of cute children on the field doing cute, funny, or...in some cases, downright weird...things between innings. Case in point: this Snapchat was of kids dressed up as Kinky vodka bottles, running along the third baseline. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thiiiiink this maybe sends mixed (drink) messages.
Also of hilarious note, we were equal parts baffled, charmed and amused by the antics of Sister Rosalind Gefre, the famous Saint Paul Saints "massaging nun." Check out her story here...such a bizarre but kind of charming story. I know I didn't believe what I was seeing when the line of people waiting for massages stretched out of the bleachers...or when she hugged and individually blessed each massage recipient after! Cute, in its own weird way!
While we watched the game, joked about our future husbands, and downed a couple cheap beers and Von Hanson's brats (I had the "Kevin Bacon," Kels tried out the "Kim Lardashian," haha!)...the skies continued to darken and grow more ominous. We waited for the inevitable downpour and, just as a train passed the station on the adjacent tracks, blowing its whistle, the skies opened up. Thank heaven for $5 ponchos--stylish and practical!
Eventually, the rain blew through and we went back to our old-school antics...the people-watching was EPIC. The Saints emerged victorious and we enjoyed celebrating their win with fireworks, of course :)
All said and done, the game was a fantastic, cheap, easy way to enjoy a midsummer baseball game without paying major-league prices. Can't wait to make this an ongoing tradition!
