Cardinal Baseball Curse

Whether it is the fact that Erica and I went to our first Cardinal baseball game or the fact that Sean Daigle came to visit us in St.Louis while training to fly a new plane, the fact remains that the Cardinals have not won since those things happened.

This past Saturday Erica and I went to our first Cardinal baseball game together. They played the Cubs and Chris Carpenter pitched. Before the game began, I made Erica go and watch batting practice with high hopes of getting a baseball. About halfway through the Cubs taking BP a ball was hit about 20 feet from where we were and almost hit a few fans. I, being the observant one, was watching the fans fight over the ball, when all of a sudden I hear Erica yell and a thump. As it turns out a ball went about a foot from my face and landed right at my foot. It is for this reason that Erica and I are holding a ball with shocked faces.

However, the rest of the game didn't turn out so great and the Cardinals did not come out on top. After they lost the next day and then their next game against the Brewers, I decided that I MUST go back to reverse the curse. Adam Wainwright was pitching in a day game and I was certain they would win against an average Brewer team. However, they were not able to hit until the 9th inning and in the end it just was not enough to win. So although we have had a great time at the ballpark, I'm scared to go to any more games. However, I can guarantee that will not happen...

But that wasn't all we did this past weekend. As it turns out, Erica has a cousin, Sean Daigle, who is the son of Erica's mother's brother. Sean is a pilot for Colgan Air who you know as Continental Connection, United Express, and US Airways Express. Sean has been in St. Louis the past 2 weeks training to fly a bigger plane. Over the weekend we got the privilege of having him stay with us and between Sean and Mom and Dad Rockwell, we have now had as many guests as we had in 3 years at our old apartment.

On Saturday Night, we took him to eat at Ozzie's restaurant and, like the Rockwells, we walked around the Arch and riverfront. On Sunday we visited Covenant Presbyterian. That afternoon we visited the Budweiser Brewery then went to Ted Drewes for some frozen custard. Having Sean here was great, he told us all about flying, his fiancé, and updated us on his family. If only all our guests are as interesting as Sean, then living in St. Louis will be quite the adventure.

School is getting closer and Erica is getting more responsibility and excitement in her job everyday. Keep praying for us and please, come and visit!

St. Louisans or still Tourists?

We have now lived in St. Louis for 2 weeks and I think it is high time we call ourselves St. Louisans, but there is only one problem: we are still acting like tourists!

After we settled in and our family left, we stayed at home for a few days and unpacked. I quickly found a sports radio station that talked about Cardinal Baseball all day and that became my best friend. And although most of you thought the next sentence would be that talk radio only lasts for so long, that is not how this story goes. In fact, with school not starting for another few weeks, I have grown to enjoy listening to all the interviews (as well as the whining and complaining) about a professional sports team where they can really criticize as opposed to the college stuff I was used to in Knoxville.

However, my radio interests will not carry you all through the rest of this, so I will move on. Erica and I quickly found the Brentwood Public Library and checked out some books and movies to entertain ourselves. We also got internet and cable and we were officially "moved in."

Erica and I began to research the city and find out what we could do here to entertain ourselves. It didn't take long to realize there would be plenty to do. Last Friday night, Erica and I went out to eat at Pappy's. Pappy's is a Memphis style Bar-B-Q place that we attempted to eat at when the Rockwells were in town, but were not able to since it was closed due to selling out of food. We later learned that it is so popular that they often sell out of pork and are forced to close, so if you want to go there, you have to go early! It was worth it.

Our night did not end there as we finished our date by going to the City Museum. I'm not normally one for a museum full of art, but this is not normal art. In 1997, the city bought an old building that housed the International Shoe Company and went out and got a bunch of old "junk". They then used the junk to make a huge adult playground of cages, slides, and tunnels. Included is an old airplane, school bus, the world's largest pencil, and a mini circus. After being on our hands and knees for about 3 hours climbing, sliding, and exploring we didn't even have to pay for souvenirs to say we had gone as we clearly had the bruises, scrapes, and aches to prove it.

Over the past week, Erica has gotten settled into her new job, and I have now read 2 books and watched several movies (oh how I will miss these days in a few years when I'm working all the time...). Erica and I also discovered Forest Park as a great place to walk. Forest Park is located just outside of WashU and it was the location of the World's Fair in 1904. All but 2 buildings from the Fair were temporary and were torn down, but they converted the rest of the park into one of the Nation's largest urban parks, which happens to be about 500 acres larger than New York's Central Park. Although we have enjoyed it, the heat is as unbearable here as it is anywhere else in the South and the grueling 105 degrees has made it hard to take too long of walks.

After a week of recovery, the following Thursday we went to went to see a play at the Muny. The Muny is a giant outdoor theater located on the grounds of Forest Park. The theater was built in 1917 and when it opened they had a section in the back where the seats were free. Today they still have 1,500 free seats and although they seem about a mile away from the stage, of course I was cheap enough to only want to sit in them. So Erica and I went to see the musical Showboat, which interestingly made it's premier outside of New York at the Muny in 1930. The musical was one neither Erica and I had seen before and so neither of us recognized the songs. Although it might not rank as our favorite, the experience of watching theater at the Muny is very exciting.

This weekend, we are attending our first Cardinal baseball game in the New Busch Stadium, which happens to be Erica's first Cardinal baseball game, and my first Cardinals game when they are playing the evil Cubs. So, as you can see, although we now call ourselves St. Louisans, we are still acting like tourists.

Meet Me in St. Louis!

After 8 hours, 4 states, and 1 big truck, Alan and I have now officially moved!

We hit the road early Saturday morning with my parents (thanks so much Mom & Dad!) and got into St. Louis mid-afternoon. We are living in an apartment complex called the Villas at Brentwood. The Brentwood community is about 10 minutes west of Downtown, and about 10 minutes south of Wash U. It's a pretty urban area with lots of shopping and eateries. It will hopefully be a fun area to explore. We unpacked the truck and then my parents took us out to eat at the Buffalo Brewing Co. The rest of the weekend was spent unpacking. On Monday, I started work at U.S. Cellular as a Sales Manager. The store that I'm working at is in High Ridge, MO which is about 30 minutes southwest from where we live. The associates there are very friendly and easy-going and I think it will be a pretty easy transition. My parents took us out to eat that night at Carmine's Steakhouse downtown and then we walked around the riverfront and the Arch. Tuesday my parents headed home and Alan and I tried to get into some type of routine. While I've been working, Alan has been setting up our utilities, cable, etc. and getting us settled in. He has also done fun things like signing us up for library cards and running in Forest Park. We're enjoying the city so far. There is so much to do and see! Miss y'all!