FIFA World Cup Games huh, what and 63
I thought I should at least check in and tell you that I'm over Germany's loss to Italy in the semis.

I was really burnt and it pretty much ruined my 4th of July. But we went for a walk at the Fort and saw the gathered masses for the big 4th of July display which made up for it. A little. We saw some live music and ran into a few people we know. Tried to cruise through the Pearson Air Museum which I'm sure is wonderful when there aren't already a gajillion people crowded in there. Ate a corn dog and rode the Zipper. (Totally kidding, I can't even look at the zipper without my last 3 meals lurching in my stomach.)

If Germany wasn't in it I was hoping for Portugal since it would have been nice to see them win their first Cup. But France destroyed that fantasy. So now I was in the position of having to watch two teams I couldn't bear to see lose again in the 3rd place game.

That game was today and it was good for a game that two broken-hearted teams who didn't really want to play. I still wanted Germany to win, which they did. And it was fun to see Oliver Kahn play although you have to feel a teeny bit bad for Lehman the way the crowd and commentators treated it like the second coming. I love Ollie as much as the next guy but Lehman has done a bust up job this WC. Italy's first goal was a brilliant play. It was nice that the referee didn't decide the game. (This is poor reporting because I'm talking about two games in 1 paragraph. Italy made a great goal in the semi-final against Germany on July 4th. Today's game involved Germany and Portugal.)

Also today is was fun to see Klinsman do his best Bad News Bears and make sure everyone got to play. Also I got to see my favorite referee Toru Kamikawa one more time.

I like France a lot. How can you not love Zidane? And Henry and the rest of the gang as well. That game against Brazil is unforgettable. But I'm going to root for Italy. That Cannavaro is something else. (As a player and to look at although I think he should grow out a big shaggy doo.) And I don't think anything can get through the Italy defense except possibly their own feet. (yeah USA).

The U.S. press has had a field day with articles about why the US isn't more into WC soccer. Including the buckethead who wrote that maybe the question was why Europe was so into WC and maybe because they didn't have any better sports to watch. Isn't US mentality great that if US doesn't like it then somehow it isn't valid?

Plus there are plenty of US people who are soccer freaks. For example, twice we went up to Seattle to see European teams play in exhibition games. Events that sold out in minutes. Portland's Pioneer Square "the city's living room" hosted a big screen for the semis and will host the finals for fans to come down and watch the games. They had 5000 people down there.

Bob thought his sounded great and all I could think about was: where will I go to the bathroom? (This is what I thought about the big crowds shown in Berlin and Munich. I'm single-minded about this sort of thing.)

Plus I find that the more people involved with watching the game, the more distracted I am, the more I can't see and hear what is going on. I like actually seeing the game. There was a picture in the paper and it looked pretty civilized but I still would rather see it in Pam's living room.

I still have a few photos and stories for you on my Michigan trip. And the garden has all sorts of fun stuff to share. Dahlias. Tomatoes. Little frogs.

Tonight is a perfect night. Clear sky with pretty clouds. A nice breeze. Third place Germany or no, I'm feeling pretty lucky right now.