September 1: Kevin McReynolds of the Mets hit the ball. Dad caught it sans baseball glove and injured a finger. I think he even went to the infirmary. As any Dodger fan knows, we won 1988 National League Championship Series in 7 games. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series against the Oakland A’s.

Dad’s small baseball collection also includes a ball signed by Pete Rose and a ball signed by Mike Piazza (#31!) during his Dodger days.

September 2: I went kayaking for the first time at Lake Casitas in Ventura County. After breathing in the smoky air all week, we took a break on the lake. The water was a great relief from the heat and the air felt good in our lungs.

September 3: Smokey sunset over Venice Boulevard in Palms

September 4: This griffin (I think that’s what it is) watches over the revelers at The Abbey in West Hollywood.

September 5: Vanny turned 21 on the 2nd and celebrated with a luau the following Saturday. I think she still wishes she was in Hawaii.

September 6: Our neighbor, Jorge, proposed to his high school sweetheart earlier this summer. They celebrated their engagement with a sporty party. Everyone wore a t-shirt/jersey/hat with their favorite team. The party was a lot of fun, but the guys — who played every sport except basketball — were sore the next few days.

September 7: A belated birthday gift

September 8: Rather literal take on the saying “tiene el nopal en la frente.” Sorta. My sister and mom found this shirt. I love it. They know me well.

September 9: VR ran away during a walk with the grandparents on the 2nd. He came back later that day and was pretty beat up. Lori and Adrian took him to the hospital. He was down for a few days, but now seems back to normal, save for the weird patch on his neck where the veterinarian shaved him.

September 10: I went from Ontario to Las Vegas to Chicago to New York. I lost all sense of time and don’t know how many hours passed, only that I listened to a lot of podcasts. Now, time to enjoy my mini-vacation.