(# 30) Petco Park, Padres vs Mets

Sunday was a great day. Because of the weather (warm and sunny) , for me (getting to see Petco for the first time and hanging out with a great bunch of guys) and for the Padres (they beat the mets 7 to 4 to tie the week, 2 to 2). We (my friend Tony, his sons Jonathan & Michael and myself) picked a good game to go to and we had really good seats (field level almost at third base). Giles hit a grand slam in the 5th, and Trevor did a great job closing up the 9th inning. Petco has a nice set up and nice shops and restaurants. They also have a History of Baseball display. I had to laugh because one of the "Antique" gloves they had in the case, was just like one we had at home growing up (although I think it was my Dad's when he was a kid). I would definately like to (and will) do this again! Have a great week, Sue

(# 29) Pro Basketball; Clippers vs. Sonics

Hi All, Tonight my brother Steve, nephew Marcus, son Doug and myself went to see my first Pro Basketball game. We saw the L.A. Clippers, get handily beaten by the Seattle Sonics(114 to 98), at the Staples Center in L.A. It was fun (not a typical Easter evening) but it was fan appreciation night so we got a few fun things (free sodas, kettle corn, little towels, basketball cards, etc. but didn't we win any big stuff). We also got to see Billy Crystal, Gary Busey and the red haired guy (I can't remember his name) from NYPD Blue. I probably wont be heart broken if I don't do this again too soon(I'm not a big basketball fan), but it was a nice time. We were celebrating my brother Steve's birthday a couple weeks early, so this is what was on the list that he wanted to do. He said he probably wasn't the 'scuba diving, hang gliding or swimming with the Dolphins', type of a guy as much as a basketball fan, so that's what we did. Have a great week all! Sue

(#28) Indoor Electric Go Carts

This was fun! Today my friend and I went Indoor Go Cart Racing in Carlsbad, Ca.
They have them set so the average cart "can" go up to 45 MPH. It's something I'd do again (now that I know what all the flags mean it'll be easier next time, this time I had to think too much :). The yellow is 'caution', the red & blue is 'go to the outside so someone faster can pass' (this is the one I saw a lot), a red one 'No Bumping other cars', a white one 'one more lap to go', then there's the black one "You're dangerous and outta here!" and the checkered 'race over'.
I came in 5th within my group of racers. Unfortunately there were only 5 in our group. The best time in our group was 33.60 seconds per lap, my friend had 33.62 ( a very close 2nd place finish) and my best time was 52.81 secs ( a not so close 5th place :)
If you qualify, (so many laps at a certain speed without crashing seriously) they'll allow you to drive the faster carts that can go up to 90 MPH. The good news is I didn't spin out or crash and I got no caution, or bumping or outta here flags.
It was fun and would be a lot of fun with a larger group. In fact I tried to get in with the group 8 year olds, having a birthday party, that went after us, but they said I was to tall and wouldn't fit in the smaller racers (I think I could've beaten some of them, in fact I'm sure of it!)
Have a Hoppy Easter Everybody! Sue

(#27) Richard Petty Stock Car Ride Along

Today we celebrated my Son In-law Josh's Birthday(26th). We went to Las Vegas this weekend because he has never been there before (he's from Pennsylvania). He and I went for a ride along in a Stock car, at "The Richard Petty Driving Experience", located at the Las Vegas Speedway. He's a big Nascar fan and this was his pick. It didn't scare me nearly as much as the roller coaster did yesterday (probably because it didn't go upside down or even leave the ground) , in fact I really enjoyed it. We got all suited up with the protective gear and then rode along with a professional driver in a Stock Car, at speeds up to about 180 MPH. I think it was a little intimidating when we started towards the wall and at times wished we weren't so close to it, but the toughest part was climbing in and out of the car window :) This was a lot of fun and I wouldn't mind doing it again. Josh wants to do the driving course next time. They teach you how to drive the cars and let you take them out on the track after completing the course. As for me, I think I'll leave the driving to the pros! Have a great week everyone, Sue

(#26) The Manhattan Express / New York, New York, Las Vegas

Saturday was a busy day. After Mandalay Bay Shark Reef, my daughter Dawn and I rode the "Manhattan Express". It's the roller coaster on the top of the New York, New York hotel in Las Vegas. It was pretty scary and I must admit I closed my eyes for all the upside downsie parts. I've been wanting to try it ever since I saw it, so cross that off! I'm also not in a hurry to do it again :)

(#25) Petting Sharks at Mandalay Bay

This weekend we went to The Shark Reef at the Mandlay Bay in Las Vegas. My grandson Isaac (3) and I got to pet a Shark! It was just a baby, but it was fun. It felt like #10 sandpaper. My grandson Jeremiah (14mos.) was in awe of all the fish and sea creatures swimming throughout the exhibit. It's an interactive Aquarium, all the tanks are numbered and the electronic tour wand tells you everything about the creatures in each of the tanks. It's also pretty impressive as you walk through and under the glass, seeing the fish swim beside, under and over head. It's always fun to see the faces of little ones discovering new things. We had a great time and we learned some new things too!