CrissCross LaCrosse

 Merrick is heading off to Lacrosse and we spent the day there getting an his courses registered and being given the finer points of admission.  Both him and Grace had their AP scores come in from the spring exams and ..wow, just wow we could not be more proud of their hard work.  It will certainly pay off from them both in college.  From UW-LaX to Summer LaX it has been a full summer.  Grace has her final summer weekend tourney in Chicago this coming weekend, and has a solid list of scouts their to watch her and chat her up about their respective schools.  We spent a weekend in Racine, complete with Italian dinner tradition, and another in Cincinnati.  The drive to Cincy started at 3 am, and ended at Mark's place about noon.  It was nice to have the extra space and creature comforts of a house rather than a hotel.  The whole Cincy family came to the early game on Saturday and Mark was able to make the whole tournament....and it was a crazy drama filled series between an Ohio team...complete with play stoppage for roster checks on the other team for two ineligible players that were playing on 2 teams in the tourney....extra player in 95ish heat makes a difference.  Then the most psychotic LaX mom hollering at the refs to check the rule book...reciting highlighted portions of the rulebook across the field.  Grace won the game but as Mark and I walked over towards the team and were discussing the game we unknowingly past the psycho...she overheard our comments and then it she unleased an profanity laced tirade for all to hear.  Grace's team advanced through the tournament to the championship game, she scored in each game, but ultimately lost in OT...I told Mark all in all we can not provide a tournament with more drama than this.  Sun scorched and sweated out we hoped into the car about 2:30 pm and drove back home....making as good of time as can be made on a nineish hour drive.

Grad Party

The weather was perfect for Merrick's Grad party and the families made their drives from far and wide.  We had smoked pork overnight and set up tables borrowed from work.  Merrick and his buddy were started to shoot some hoops while the adults chatted and ate....Merrick brought down the hoop, rim and post right on his own head.  Him and I left the party for the ER and he would ultimately need 7 staples in his scalp, but no concussion and were back to the party in about an hour.  His friend had waited for him and several other friends arrived while he was away.  This worked out well for Grace's friend how hid upstairs and watch the boys through the bedroom window.  Merrick was a little shaken but rebounded quickly.  His friends started kicking at the remaining post when Grandprize nudged me and said 'hand them a shovel"...the recent grads started digging and rocking the post from the cement, and with the help of a maul, expertly introduced by Grandprize as their enthusiasm was curbing they soon had the remaining basketball hoop free from the ground.  Kory offered to take the post and the remaining backboard, now sans glass, to his shop for disposal and with some borrowed dirt and grass seed from neighbors the whole clean up project was a smooth and fast as possible.  Merrick felt good enough to head off with his buddies to shoot a round a golf and another 2 rounds the next day.