Stress-free, Loss-free

This week's blog was a collaboration with my guest writer wife, Julie, who has helped me learn to relax a bit more, which sometimes means letting tasks go when I don't have time.  I could get used to this...

Over the weekend, I whisked Captain Cougar west to Miraval Spa in Tucson, part of the beautiful Sonoran Desert.  Miraval is a very Zen experience, as their website hints,

"Mindfulness is the core of the Miraval philosophy. In everything we do, we encourage our guests to live in the present moment, conscious of the unique intersection of mind, body, and spirit."

Tuesday night the Cougars were mindful only of the diamond in front of them.  Emails, phone calls, spreadsheets, documents, bills, and other stresses were left behind as they focused on re-energizing their bodies and spirits on the gem we call Howard Park.

The Cougars left the Slaughter House 9 in need of their own spa vacation after a 5-inning romp that must have felt worse than falling into a bed of prickly pear cactus.

Boom led off the game with a double and my well-rested husband added a single.  JD, Martini, Thejokewriter, and Diddy all added shots, letting us chant "Om" all the way home for a 5-0 lead in the first.

Slaughter House 9 would not be easily entranced by our team's skills and answered with 3 hits and 1 run in the bottom of the first.

In the second inning, Diamond Dave, Boom, Captain Cougar, Fort, and Martini found an oasis at home plate for a 10-1 lead.

In the bottom of the second, our opponents experienced a scoring drought.

After two quick outs in the third inning, Hogs and Diamond Dave singled but were left meditating on the bags.

Not willing to lay down in child's pose, our rivals scored two more in the third making it 10-3.

Warriors I, II, and III (Rads, Fort, and Jokewriter) collaborated to add a tally in the top of the fourth, making it 11-3.

In the bottom of the fourth, we effectively told SH9 to take a hike and sent them back to their dugout in order.

Like a resounding gong, the bats chimed in the fifth as Philthy and Ski hit back-to-back singles. Boom drove those horses home, earning two RBIs and making the score 13-3.

We held our opponent scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, which meant we were up by 10 runs after 5 innings, so we sent a slaughtered Slaughter House 9 home early to contemplate the meaning of the universe.

The Cougars are not only stress-free but loss-free with a 2-0 record, which feels almost as good as having our tight muscles kneaded during duet massages or almost as nice as warm towels wrapped around our visages during evening facials; but we digress.

After the game, fans and teammates headed down a peaceful path, a.k.a. Spencer Avenue, to our first backyard post-game of the year.

Well, we weren't exactly in the backyard.  The Blackhawks were playing, so the Cougars stuck by the TV and transmitted their positive energy through the Comcast cable lines to the ice rink, making all the difference in the Hawks' victory.

With 250-calorie spa dinners a distant memory, Captain Cougar decimated his diet by dining on Diddy's delectable dishes.

On Tuesday nights, the Cougars' camaraderie must get first mention in our gratitude journal entries. Win or lose, in the immortal words of that sage Carly Rae Jepsen, it's always a good time.

Special mention must go to Cheryl & Steve, a.k.a. Grammy & Grandpa, who have a perfect attendance record in the 2013 Cougar season despite living over an hour away from the fields.  Because they held down a somewhat chaotic Radtke fort last weekend, the universe was returned to balance as we made our Zen journey to the desert.

Until next week, NAMASTE.