Woo hoo! I don't need a bra!

Today was our first softball practice of the season. This is a team that I have played with since 1990, except when I lived in Virginia, Fairbanks, Alaska, or Connecticut. A lot of my good friends were there (Tammy and Rick Webb, who host the weekly card game, Tammy's sons Don and Scott and their wives (Lynn and Betsy) and kids, Rick's daughter Kathy and her husband Chris and their daughters, Carol Olufson with her husband and three kids. I have played softball with Carol since 1990 and Rick and Tammy since 1991. (Tammy may have been there in 1990, but I don't recall - sorry Tammy if I got it wrong.) Other card playing buddies were there - Jay and Gina and Ruby. Erik was there - he's now on the volleyball team. There were a few others who are relative newcomers to the team.

I wondered how well I would do playing softball again after my surgery. I have been playing volleyball since mid-January and at first, I was tight, but I think it did me good to play so that I could stretch muscles again. I wondered how my chest area would do playing - would I be able to run without a bra? How would I do batting again? And, what about throwing?

Good news! I can continue NOT wearing a bra. I have not worn a bra since November 15, 2007. Cool, huh? I even ran around the bases once after hitting a line drive out to right field. (I used to hit grounders to shortstop, but after playing tennis, I've learned timing and can now hit to right field when I want.) No problem with batting. But I was certainly tighter throwing than I've ever been. I have a fairly decent arm - I can sometimes throw to the pitcher on a single hop from outfield. I may not be able to do that for awhile because I need to get the throwing muscles (chest wall, bi and tri-ceps, and shoulder) into shape.

But I can play! Yippee!

Before practice, my sister told me about a fundraiser for Jeff Tolbert, who has played on our softball team off and on for several years. A few years ago, Jeff found out that he had a benign brain tumor and it was surgically removed. Last summer, he found that it was growing back and I believe he just had surgery for it last month. But around the same time, he found out he had prostate cancer. They're doing a benefit fundraiser for him tomorrow night, Monday, April 14, at Bomb's Away Cafe. A band will be playing from 8-10pm ($5 cover) and folks can have dinner beforehand. I think they said 20% of the proceeds were going to Jeff. I'm planning to go as well as some of my teammates. He has two boys, teenagers I think, or one teenager and one nearly so.