This post contains TMI ("too much information") so if you are grossed out easily (by period talk), just skip it!
Michigan is still under stage-whatever of lockdown for COVID-19. Eli's baseball coach set up some tournaments in Ohio, which is much less restricted than Michigan. We still have to practice social distancing at the game (which makes no sense--when you're around a lot of people, you can't help but be near them).
The number of guests per team was limited to 40, so roughly 3-4 per player. I was going by myself on Friday with Eli, though. Jerry was working, and we had to leave home at 6:30 AM to be there on time, so I just let Noah stay home and sleep in.
First, I had no idea it was going to be so HOT outside. Miserably hot. We got there at 7:15 AM, and the humidity was already making us sweat by the time we got to the field. I sat under the shade of a tree and called my friend Emily to chat while I waited for Eli's game to start (the game started at 8:30, but his team was there early to practice).
When I walked into the park, I was asked to show a wristband, which I didn't have. Luckily, Eli's coach was right behind me and I was able to get a wristband to enter. As I was walking, a woman next to me said that I must have a boy on her team. I said yes, that Eli had just joined the team in January, so I didn't really know anyone.
She kindly offered to help me carry stuff (I had two heavy lawn chairs, my backpack, my purse, and my phone--while Emily was waiting on the phone). When my phone dropped on the gravel, she insisted on helping me carry stuff, so I hung up with Emily and talked with her while we walked.
She was carrying a Ziploc bag of toilet paper and said that per the email from the tournament director, the bathrooms would not have toilet paper (due to COVID?!). Also, the boys had to have lawn chairs because they wouldn't be allowed to sit in the dugouts (the dugouts are basically just a bench inside of a fence). I'd brought a chair for Eli, but didn't know about the toilet paper.
Here is what a "socially distanced" dugout looks like. Hahaha! Same as a regular dugout, just with more comfortable seating.
By this time, it was nearly 90 degrees and ridiculously humid. I gave up on trying to mask my sweat. I didn't even care what I looked like at that point.
I set up Eli's chair near the dugout, and then set mine up near the first base side (nobody was allowed to sit on the bleachers, either--everyone had to bring a chair). I knew it was going to be a long day--Eli had games at 8:30 and again at 11:00. (To spoil the ending, Eli didn't even play at all for the first game, and only played two innings of the second game. I sobbed when we got home. Again.)
Anyway, to get to the TMI stuff...
What a great morning to start my period, right?? Usually, the first day is pretty light, so I didn't worry much about it. Just into the second game, however, I stood up to take pictures (I brought Noah's camera and was taking pictures of all the players to post for the parents on Facebook later) I noticed that my chair had a spot of blood on it.
I still had a full game to go until we went home, so I had to go the bathroom. Thankfully, I had tampons and panty liners in my purse (this was lucky--sometimes I have them, but most of the time I don't). When I went into the bathroom, there were three stalls. The person in the first one seemed to be taking an awfully long time. The second one had a door that didn't lock, so it kept swinging open. And the third had a sign that said, "Do Not Use".
When it was my turn in line, I got the stall that wouldn't lock. Lucky me!
I hung up my purse and backpack, and dug around in my purse for what I could find to help with my situation. (All the while, trying to elbow the door shut.) Since the stalls didn't have toilet paper, I had to remove my current tampon and wrap it IN A RECEIPT FROM KROGER that I found in my purse. And the stalls didn't have trash bins (because COVID...?!) so I had to tuck it inside my purse until I could find a garbage.
Thankfully, I have a lot of receipts in my purse--they came in handy in my "messed" up situation.
When I left the stall, I threw away the stuff from my purse. Then I tried the first two water spouts to wash my hands--neither of them worked. The third one was a charm, so I was able to wash my hands. I'm surprised they even had soap!
Of course, there were no paper towels, so I had to shake my hands dry once I was outside.
So, to tell you way too much information, I'd bled through my tampon, panty liner, underwear, and pants.
And you know what? I didn't even give a shit! I was miserably hot and sweaty, super sad for Eli that he wasn't able to play the first game, and just irritated beyond measure at the whole situation.
To top off the final play of the final game, Eli was the last batter. One pitch went by (a ball that went past the catcher) and the runner on third base stole home. That run made an official "mercy" (we were up by 10 runs), so Eli didn't get to finish his at-bat.
I did get a few pictures of him though from his first (and only, really) at-bat. He ended up walking, and then stealing second and third, and running home with an RBI:
The game was over and after his team briefing, we headed home. Needless to say, it was a rough game! And when I got home, I was super upset about Eli not being able to play (I'll have to write about this in another post because I get emotional about it) so I just had a really bad afternoon/evening.
Today, I made some serious progress on hanging the drywall in the garage, then took an afternoon to chill. Jerry is off work tomorrow, and I'm so glad. I have been really emotional lately, and I just feel lonely with him working so much!
I think we're going to play mini-golf, hit balls at the batting cages, and ride go-carts with the boys. It should be a fun day! (I'm just hoping it won't be as hot as it was on Friday)
