The Modesto Nuts

When we first moved to Modesto 19 years ago we discovered the Modesto A's.  It was the minor league affiliate to the Oakland A's.  Going to the games held great appeal.  The stadium was close, cheap, and friendly to small people (of which we had 2).  There was a cute mascot, an elephant named Peanut--the kids loved him.

Several years ago the team was sold (or moved or traded or whatever they do with minor league teams) and they needed a new name.  I believe there was even some kind of contest held.  When they announced the new name I was in disbelief.  The Nuts.  I know we produce copious quanitites of nuts in Modesto, that's not a bad thing, but who names their baseball team The Nuts--apparently we did.  Then we were introduced to the new mascots, Wally and Al (The nuts--walnut and almond).  I never liked Al, he looks depressed.

Fast forward several years.  My niece was here visiting and we took her to a Modesto Nuts game.  Here's our conversation:

Niece:  Who's the peanut guy?

Me:  He's not a peanut, he's an almond.

Niece:  I think he looks like a peanut.

Me (texting my sister, niece's mom):  Your daughter thinks our mascot looks like a peanut, I think he looks depressed.

Sister (texting me back): You'd be depressed too if you were an almond and everyone thought you were a peanut.

BUT, although our mascots are a little ridiculous, I still love going to Modesto Nuts games.

• After 19 years, the tickets are still cheap.  You can sit in the best seats in the house, right behind home plate for $12. 
• You can get good tickets the day of the game.
• The players play their hearts out.  They're not playing for big bucks, they're playing because they want to impress the coaches.  And because of this you get a great show.  Never leave before the end of the game--no matter how far behind they are, they always seem to catch up.  And they catch up in a "I'm going to give it everything I've got" way that makes for really exciting baseball. 

Steve and I went to the game last night.  They were behind 5-3 as the 9th inning got underway.  They won in spectacular fashion, I'm glad we didn't leave early.

One of my favorite things about Modesto

It's no great secret that Modesto isn't always my favorite place.  But, at this one time of the year, every year, there's no place I'd rather be.  The 4th of July in Modesto is 100% hometown grown.

We start out our fourth of July celebration every year, for the last 16 years with a trip to Moband's concert in the park at our very own Mancini Bowl in Graceda Park.

We play games, eat good food, visit with good friends and enjoy a (hopefully) cool night in the park.

We listen to some patriotic music with a huge crowd of other people

And then we get to my favorite part--the salute to the armed services.  They play a medley of songs from all the armed services.  As they play the song from that particular branch anyone in the audience who has served in that branch of the military stands up.  It makes me cry every year, as those elderly (and some not so elderly) veterans so proudly stand and salute the flag.  It doesn't get any more patriotic than that. 

Happy Fourth of July!

The "Real" Splasher

We've lived in Modesto for 18 years now and, as are all those who hail from Modesto, we are well acquainted with Splasher the frog.  Splasher is the MID mascot, who regularly warns children to stay out of the canals.  In fact he is the canal safety frog. 

In his mascot form he appears at various functions about town and makes the rounds touring schools for assemblies during the spring months.  Seeing what gets dumped in canals is enough to discourage me from going into a canal, but I digress.

This morning on my bike ride I was riding along the canal banks when I saw several "splashers"!  Not the tacky mascot form, but the real hopping thing.  Unfortunately they were too quick to get any photos, but I could have reached out and picked up their big slimy selves had I been so inclined (which I wasn't--got enough of that with Jessica's 3rd grade habitat project).  It reminded me once again of my darling nephew Cameron--"what's up with all the frogs?"

Wienermobile

I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener...Good times at the new SaveMart!

The New Savemart

The NEW and IMPROVED Savemart opened in our neighborhood this week.



We have shopped at the OLD and WORNOUT Savemart since moving to Modesto in 1992. At that time, the spot where the NEW and IMPROVED Savemart is now located, was a huge watermelon field! We visited the NEW and IMPROVED Savemart on Thursday--here are my impressions:
1. It is very crowded--where did all these people shop before last Wednesday?? It was definitely not at the old Savemart.
2. No running in to grab some milk. The place is huge. I hear that on opening day they were handing out maps so people could find their way around.
3. The cream cheese is located with the cheese products by the produce section--which is not by the butter and yogurt which is by the milk section.
4. The milk, butter and yogurt section is separated from all the rest of the food by the drug store section--NOT a fan of this layout.
5. They do have a pretty cool olive bar--if you are an olive lover, which by the way I am.
6. They have some pretty unusual produce. Not quite sure how to cook it, they need to hand out recipes.
7. They have a "sample kitchen". They prepare samples here instead of at the card table at the front of the old store.
8. The old store is now an empty building, just what we need in Modesto--another empty building.
9. No one seems to know my name, or care if I've already been in once that day and obviously have forgotten something, or wonders if I'm still going to the gym, or asks about my kids, or asks if I need help unloading my cart.
10. I almost forgot the best part--the exterior of the store is ugly. They could have done much better. First, it is in parts, a kind of ugly orange. There is a huge metal?? facade with a Salvation Army sign?? AND best of all--the teleports--these bizarre neon glass cases that obviously transport you to the mother ship....

I wish they would transport me back to the old store, I miss it.....

Sun, Glorious Sun

I live in Modesto, California and the sun is a rare commodity in January--we live in a constant state of gray fogginess (tule fog for those who want a more technical term). Now if you live in other sunnier places:

1. You will not understand this problem

2. You may somehow imagine that it may actually be nice to live in the fog (you are delusional)

3. You are much luckier than me

I do not go back to work until January 19, which is a delightful thing; except when you spend your days looking out the window at the wet, cold grayness of life. So when you are blessed with a 62 degree day like today,



you wear flip flops, roll down the windows and bask in the glow of the sun--and when the fog comes back tomorrow bringing us back to the grayness, you hold onto days like today.