where the pets go

Did you know that we have ourselves a great ballpark here in San Diego?

We do. It's called Petco Park. 

Petco. Where the Pets Go.

One day last week, my boy had a field trip to none other than Petco Park for a day game, and the school asked us to pick our kids up from the park. I wrote right on the permission slip "I'll be at the game!" Because if I have to go downtown to pick up my kid from the ballpark at 4:00 on a Wednesday, I'm going to the damn game.

My family was a veritable mish mosh of mixed messages about who could go, who wanted to go, who had to go, etc. I ignored them, and bought 2 tickets. I originally went for the park passes, basically a general admission ticket to get you in the park to walk around or sit in the grass, but then I saw that the uppers cost the same and I remembered how much my ass likes a seat beneath it, so I went for these:

Front row upper deck, $15

I love those seats, no one in front of you to drop your peanut shells all over, clear view of the game and the whole park and our beautiful city, sun shining brightly at your back but not in your eyes. Ahhhh.

I had been in touch with Beth's mom Pat when planning the outing, knowing that she is a fixture at most games. She had texted me that morning to confirm that I was coming, and graciously offered to buy me a beer at the game. It was 8:30 am and my reply was: "I'm thirsty already."  We touched base  in an early inning and I said that Bill was on his way downtown, and we'd love to meet for a beer once he arrived.

It was the world's best day and the world's worst game, so by the time Bill arrived it was the 6th inning and the Padres were stinking it up to high heaven. We happily departed to Pat's fancy season ticket holder oasis and picked up a couple of cold stellas and cokes, as appropriate.

Then we followed Pat back to HER seats

and parked it for the remainder

They were great seats. At one point an usher leaned over to talk to me and I thought we were getting kicked out, but she just asked if I wanted to be spritzed by her refreshing spray bottle. Yes please!

Oh, but one of our pitchers was the biggest weirdo:

zoom in. wtf? he did that before every throw

After the game we grabbed the trolley back to home

Where I discovered the mark that the warm sun had left on my dumb self

Good thing I'm not wearing a backless dress to a certain wedding NEXT WEEKEND or anything.

Sigh.

Later that night, the kids and I set out to purchase gifts for our favorite little devil dog who would be turning 8 the very next day. Guess where we went? PETCO! I know.  We had a surprising amount of fun there.

First there were the phallic playthings

   Then there were the birds

and the bobble headed lizards

But the real fun came when volunteers arrived to take out the homeless kitty kats for free play time in giant portable cages that they set up right in the middle of the store. My kids were smitten for the kittens, natch. We spent ages petting them through the wire grates and dropping down dangling toys for them to pounce upon hilariously. I got bored, natch. I went to pay for our wares then called out to my peeps to join me at the exit. When they didn't respond, I went looking for them

Found 'em. Mykle pointed out that my girl is holding an imaginary cat

now she's reaching out to the invisible cat

If an invisible cat bites you, does your wrist bleed?

It does, but that doesn't stop anyone from picking up a volunteer application

Petco. It's where the pets go.