The picture I ruined my shorts for

Sometimes I think the best posts or columns are the ones involving poking a little fun at ourselves. With that in mind here is the story of the picture I ruined my pants for.

I spent most of yesterday afternoon doing some work, watched Heroes and was surfing the net. I had one real job to get done (besides my everyday stuff like making the bed, doing the dishes, and other things us stay at home moms do), to bring in a treat for my wife's Young Fives class around 2 p.m. and then take their picture for work.

It should have been easy enough, the treats were already bought. I just had to show up on time, but for some reason I was running a few minutes late. Which would have been okay, but I forgot to put the battery back in my camera that I was supposed to use to take the picture (it was on the charger getting ready for a track double-header).

So then I had to get my wife's camera, dig through her purse to find it, etc. and I put her class a little behind schedule.

Now, it was about 84 degrees out and I was enjoying a nice day with the windows open. Sometimes I more of a hermit, so I actually thought my wife would notice and appreciate the fact that I left the windows open on such a nice day. Not really and I'll tell you why.

It turns out it was destined to rain. In fact around 4 p.m. as i was heading out to the GTW meet in Bad Axe, I got a phone call that said it was pouring in Harbor Beach and the meet was delayed.

In most cases, this should have indicated that I needed to turn around and go close the windows. But then my buddy dropped the bomb shell that gas in Bad Axe was $3.49 a gallon and all I could think of was filling up in Ubly while it was still $3.25 (what a bargain).

I headed over to Hatchet Country and by then it started to rain. I saw no sign of life in the parking lot and realized the meet was called or delayed. So I drive around and I'm going to head over to the office when suddenly... What was that? What was that noise? Did someone hit my car with something?

I'm looking around and came to realize it was 3/4 inch hail pelting my car and not some juneville delinquent. The rain starts pouring down and I get drenched dropping off some paper work to the office. As I leave, the tornado siren sounds and I think this could be an interesting night.

I start driving over to the GTE league meet in Harbor Beach. I'm resigned to the fact that at this point the only league meet that is surely going to be on is the NCTL Meet in Peck. So I decide to go there via Harbor Beach in case things settled down their earlier. They didn't (at least at that point) because everyone was huddled in the school in case of a tornado.

I, on the other hand, had my camera and the "big lens" ready in case I saw a twister. Take pictures first, strap myself to something sturdy second I thought. Luckily that showdown never took place.

As I make the ride up M-25, the rain is still following me and as I'm talking to some people at the Peck meet I warn them the storm is coming. They think it is over. I was right.

Eventually, I get to Peck, snap some pictures before the rain starts pouring down. A buddy I met up with and I duck into my car to keep dry and I see my wife called about a half an hour earlier.

She had finally returned one of what seemed like 100 calls trying to find out if her and Feena where okay, since they were in BA during the storm. Well the real storm was about to strike.

Boy did I get an earful and my buddy got one too because my wife was yelling so loud about me leaving the windows open and how I could have ruined our brand new comforter and bed, etc.

Wait! She said could have, because the rain never came in that side of the house. My error caused no damage at all, but I never would have known it by my wife's tone.

Eventually the rain stopped enough to go take more pictures and one of the area's best high jumpers Megan Heffner of North Huron was jumping. I hurried over there and took one picture, which wasn't what I wanted. In between jumps I got to a better spot, but the lighting wasn't too good and the picture was a little blurry.

So I parked my butt on the wet asphalt and shot up to get more light and came up with this doozy. I had black remnants on my hands and all over my tan shorts. BUT I GOT THE SHOT!

Driving home in some of the worst rain I remember between Peck and Sandusky stunk, but it was well worth it to experience North Huron's league title win.

Heck after putting in a 21 hour day at the State Track Finals last year this was easy.

By the way, congratulations to the North Huron girls' track team on their NCTL title win. It should be the first of many more to come.