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I had some shocking news a little over a week ago when I was told (by him) that Kramer "Butch" Rock was going to have open heart surgery on Friday, August 26. Butch has been a friend since the time we first met in high school. He played DHS basketball and baseball and then softball with me after college. He is an avid supporter of DASFI (Dodgeville Area Scholarship Foundation) and the annual Golf Outing Fundraiser. He reported to me that things went well and he will be "rebuilding" himself. He plans to attend the DASFI Golf Outing on September 18, but not as a player. His graduating class of 1965 usually has at least three teams in the tournament. Butch - we look forward to seeing you at Dodge Point on the 18th!
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Saturday breakfast took Bob, Terry, Dewey and myself to Anita's in Arena. We added another as Dennis Kopps was picked up by Terry and then Bob and I joined them in Terry's SUV. Dave lives just to the east of Arena and Dewey in Spring Green, so they both joined us there. It was French Toast and Ham day for me and it was very good. I usually have an omelette, but I just had one the day before at the Red Room. Dave is an oatmeal fan and the rest had "very big" omelettes. We never go away hungry from there as we don't from anywhere we go!
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This will probably be the last breakfast we have Dennis riding with us as he's moving to the east side of Madison to an Assisted Living facility. He has family in Madison and he needs more attention health wise now. Dennis has been seen by many walking the streets of Dodgeville for many years. He was once an avid lawnmower for people around here and he also was quite the bowler in his day! He did errands for many business people here too. During his daily walks through town, he made quite a few stops to talk with people, especially at businesses. Maybe we can get together with him and some of his family members in Verona, Mount Horeb or Arena in the future!
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Last Sunday was the first one for "Fall Ball". That's baseball for teams that want to keep this going while the weather is good. We were to have four doubleheader games at Centennial Park and the High School Field plus two games at Mineral Point, but the weather had a different idea. The Mineral Point games were played and finished, but only two of the four games at the Dodgeville fields were finished. Third games at both fields were started, but then it poured down rain. It's pretty easy to get things taken care of when it rains Centennial Park since there is a concession stand there, but at the High School Field it's a different story. We have to make a temporary stand there that consists of two tables, a tent over them, two small refrigerators, two small grills and two coolers. We have most of the stuff you find at Centennial Park, but not as many condiments and choices. Thanks to Dewey Christoph, Tanner Bockhop and Shelby Jones (last two were umpires Sunday) we got things into the maintenance shed fairly quickly. We don't play this coming Sunday due to the fair going on, but resume for several weeks on the 11th.
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Speaking of the fair. It's the Iowa County Fair and it starts Thursday and runs through Monday (Labor Day) at the fairgrounds in Mineral Point. There's a lot going on there, so make it a point to stop in and support the Iowa County youth. Remember - It's Your Fair - Be there!