Alabama Sunshine

Spring has officially arrived in Alabama, and it's positively gorgeous outside. The weather forecast calls for more of the same. Temps in the 70s, light winds and nary a cloud in the sky. It's vastly different from the springtimes of my younger days-- much wind and much blowing dust. It reminds me of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and a great quote: How could I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?

Today I went and ran a four-miler at about 10 am. It would've been a crime against humanity to run on a treadmill, so I ran on the University of Alabama campus (I *did* like what the scale told me today, too). I took 2 1/2 circuits of the quad, about .75 miles around, and was just stricken by how beautiful it was out. Yes, I had my ipod going, but it was some of my favorite music. There was a 5-k race earlier in the morning (the First Lady and I are running in one on April 24), there were parents taking pictures of their small kids near the flowers at the base of Denny Chimes, kids were giving tours of campus, the SAE frat types were preparing for a shindig later in the day, construction work at the Pike house was going on, people were playing tennis, and there were ultimate frisbee games going on. There were so many people having fun or doing their thing on what was a great day to be outside.

So I joined the fun.

I went to my first Tide softball game and saw a big win, 12-1 over Northwestern. The softball team was one of the last three teams standing at the College World Series last season, and they're off to a great start this year. The facility is incredible, and so is the fan support. Ann has a student on the team, and the kid homered twice. Man, can we swing the bat. Five bombs on the day.

During my run I saw the soccer team would play at 4. Since the softball game ended early, I went over to the rec fields to watch some of the action. What appeared to be a big tournament was in progress, with club-level teams from across the South playing ultimate frisbee on several different fields, plus the Tide lacrosse team playing Georgia State. And the sun was still out. Man, what a day. Then it was over to watch the soccer girls go at it against Mississippi State. We scored twice and hit two crossbars in the first 15 or so minutes. We were ahead 2-1 at half when I'd had enough sun for one day.

Then it was off to a nice meal with Ann and then a trip to a yogurt store I'd never been to. You serve yourself and add whatever toppings you want, they weigh it and you pay accordingly. It was good yogurt, better since I added cookie dough chunks and houndstooth chips (only in Tuscaloosa, I tell you...) and there was a cool vibe in there too.

It was just a great day to be alive, and I'm thankful to have sense enough to recognize it and to have been a small part of it. Sunday is church and Sunday School, so there's a lot more to look forward to. Oh yeah-- more of the same weather is expected. Who knows what I'll find.