From Reds.com:

CINCINNATI -- If his 2008 option isn't picked up, Adam Dunn might have played his last game with the Reds.

Two on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, with the Reds down 8-5. Jeff Keppinger at the plate.

Go Reds!

Usually, Red Hot Mama is a blog about the Cincinnati Reds, but sometimes, especially when the team is boring or when I've got a lot going on, it's about me. I think it's good, really. It gives us a chance to know each other better, allows me to vent, and gives my poor husband a break from listening to me talk.

And, since the Reds are right boring right now, having lost their last two late-night, irrelevant games and taking tonight off, I'll use my space tonight to take you through my weekend. Don't worry: it shouldn't be at the top of the page long, theoretically. After all, today is supposed to be podcast day, but that can't be assumed. It's almost 10 already and, as the title foreshadows, the CTS is currently in the basement, playing with his Wii.

Friday was the Crack Technical Staff's birthday. Right after work, I got a call from my brother who had seen a Wii in stock at Wal-Mart while he was shopping for Jon. I asked him to pick it up for us, knowing full well that there wouldn't be time to play it for days.

That evening, we took off for practice with the Special Olympics volleyball team for which we volunteer and had a good time screwing around for an hour. We played four practice games with the other Delaware County team, and won three of them. Wally--who's MO is to serve the ball about three feet in front of him and immediately start telling everyone around him that it was a good try--had found his stroke and was getting 75% of his serves over the net. It was a good start to the night.

At 7:30 we headed for my brother's house to change clothes and give gifts before continuing on to go-karting. Jon was the lucky recipient of an additional Wii-mote, a copy of Pokemon Pearl for the Gameboy DS, and a handle of Knob Creek. I think most people would agree that it was a good haul.

Go-karting was fun, as was the hearty meal of Arby's food, and we finally rolled home around 11p.m. We were planning a camping trip the next day and had to pack, so we were finally in bed around 1a.m.

Eight o'clock Saturday morning, we were back up and at'em to take off for Turkey Run State Park. Once there, we pitched our rather mildewy tent among the walnut trees around our campsite. The walnuts are ripe, so they were falling from the trees, which made sleeping in our tent somewhat like sleeping on golf balls. Plus, one fell on the car and dented it.

We decided to take the kid for a canoe trip. Alas, we had packed nearly in our sleep, plus we're apparently stupid, because we were all wearing tennis shoes for this activity and only I had an additional pair of shoes back at the campsite. So I got to be the one to push off the canoe, plus get out and pull it through some shallow spots in the river. Good, soggy fun!

After another couple hours on the trails, running into a woman who came on to Jon when they were in high school, and a few frustrating attempts to get a good fire going, we were toasting marshmallows and watching the bachelorette party.

That's right, there was a bachelorette party going on across the street from us. You could tell by the giggly woman and the three-foot tall phallus-shaped ring toss game they had set up next to the road. Despite the loud drinking games they were playing, it seemed like a lame party, as you might expect of such an event occurring in a state park, and they were quiet by the time quiet hours started at 11p.m.

In less time than it took for the Hawaiian islands to form, the night of sleeping on golf balls had passed. After enjoying our miniature boxes of Kellogg's brand cereals, we threw our nasty tent away and began the journey home. Jon was to have a birthday lunch at his mom's that afternoon.

The birthday lunch was lovely, and Jon got more sedate gifts from his family than he had from mine: two music stands and a couple cards. Plus enough leftovers to fill our entire fridge. Not that we could put them in the fridge right away, because we were scheduled to be at the circus for the show beginning at 5p.m.!

The circus! Woo-hoo! It's elephants! It's acrobats! It's mediocre! At 7, we hauled our tired butts back to the parking garage to go home, only to find that someone had broken into our car and tried to steal it.

Awesome.

Apparently their efforts were thwarted by something, though, because the car was not stolen, nor was anything in it. My purse remained on the back seat; Jon's DS remained in the center console; the leftovers remained in the trunk. Just the empty envelope that had contained the circus tickets was gone, and the driver's side window was smashed in. The cover they'd taken off under the steering column wasn't even permanently damaged.

So, a lesson for the wise out there: don't leave your empty envelopes sitting on the driver's seat of your car when it's parked in a parking garage. Apparently criminals can't resist an empty envelope.

We couldn't drive the glass-filled car, and no one was around to pick us up, so Jon rode back with the tow-truck driver to our house to get the other car and come back for me and our son. We waited at the Hard Rock Cafe. I explained the situation to the waitress, lest she give me dirty looks for having my 6-year old out at 10p.m. on a school night.

Finally, we were home, exhausted but not too much worse for the wear. Jon couldn't stand to leave the glass unvacuumed, but I was ready to pass out and headed for bed, another day gone without a post to Red Hot Mama.

But not tonight. I've been writing about myself for like an hour now, even though there's a perfectly good Wii downstairs I could be pretending to bowl with. Speaking of, I'd better go rouse the CTS from his Nintendo revelry if there's going to be any hope of putting together a podcast.

Not that there's much to talk about right now; the team's pretty boring.

The Reds are running some special in the month of September. The Red Hot Family will be in attendance for the game against the Cubs on the 30th so that the tot can run the bases with the rest of the Reds heads afterward.

Tuesday, Sept. 25 - Cincinnati Reds vs. Houston Astros, 7:10 p.m.

* Oktoberfest Music at GABP - The authentic German polka band, Heuboden Musikanten, will perform at the Crosley Terrace entrance of the ballpark from 5:10-6:10 p.m. A pregame concert on the field will follow from 6:40-6:50 p.m. The band is in town from Germany for Cincinnati's annual Oktoberfest Zinzinnati.
* Reds Community Fund Wheel Spin - For $10 you can spin the wheel to win Reds memorabilia.

Wednesday, Sept. 26 - Cincinnati Reds vs. Houston Astros, 7:10 p.m.

* Bleacher Discount Special - Fans may purchase bleacher seats for only $5. Subject to availability.

Thursday, Sept. 27 - Cincinnati Reds vs. Houston Astros, 7:10 p.m.

* Senior Citizen Special - Fans 60 and older may purchase non-premium seats at the Super Saver price - a 45% savings! In advance of game day only.

Friday, Sept. 28 - Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs, 7:10 p.m.

* Pepsi College/Teen Night - It's a Friday night party at the ballpark, complete with live music in the Fan Zone as part of the half-price student deal in September. Tickets are available at the GABP ticket windows or online at reds.com/students. Valid for non-premium seats only.
* Happy Hour at Club Red - $3 Bud and Bud Lights from 5:10 p.m. until the end of the first inning.
* Photo Friday - Stop by the RCF booth for your own customized digital photo taken with one of several ballpark backgrounds. The keepsakes are just $5.

Saturday, Sept. 29 - Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs, 7:10 p.m.

* Fifth Annual Mascot Wiffle Ball Game - Pregame event will feature mascots from Tri-state sports teams, universities and businesses including Smokey the Bear, Snappy, Buddy Bat and many more!
* Silent Auction - Bid on autographed memorabilia, game-used equipment and other one-of-a-kind baseball collectibles.

Sunday, Sept. 30 - Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs, 1:15 p.m.

* Fan Appreciation Day - Prizes will be given away to lucky fans throughout the game. Postcard entries accepted.
* Joe Nuxhall Book Signing at the Reds Hall of Fame - Stop by the Reds Hall of Fame from 12-1 p.m. to meet Reds broadcaster Joe Nuxhall and purchase a signed copy of his book, Joe: Rounding Third and Heading for Home. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit the Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund and the Reds Hall of Fame.
* Free Copies of Baseball America - The Reds will provide a free copy of the latest edition of Baseball America to the first 5,000 fans in attendance.
* Reds Youth Baseball Parade - Youth baseball and softball groups throughout Reds Country will have the opportunity to walk on the same field as their favorite Reds in a pregame parade.
* Buddy Roger's Music Reds Rocker - Kids, make your rock star dreams come true on the Bud Select Stage! It's your chance to step up and play your favorite songs, and we want to see you there!
* Mystery Ball - For $20, you can select a bag that will contain an autographed ball signed by a Red, former Red, or visiting team player or coach.

Featured Throughout This Homestand

* Half-price Tickets for Students presented by Pepsi - It's your last chance to take advantage of half-price tickets for all students to every remaining Reds home game! Students can show their school IDs, hats, shirts or anything else school-related and receive half-price tickets in selected seating areas. Tickets are available at the GABP ticket windows or online at reds.com/students.
* George Foster Autograph Signings - The Reds Hall of Famer will be here all week signing autographs at the RCF booth both pregame and from the seventh inning until the end of the game.
* Raffles - For $5 you can have a chance at winning the raffle prize on Sept. 26 and 27.
* Reds Rally Games - Pick up your Bingo card at the entrance gates or the RCF booth on Sept. 26 and 30. Then watch the game and cross out spaces based on the action on the field. Get a whole row crossed out and you will receive a prize! Prizes are first come first serve.
* Pete: The Exhibit! at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum - Make sure to stop by and see the exhibit honoring all-time hits leader Pete Rose on your way in or out of the ballpark!

The Reds are officially out of it, Griffey's pulled an abdominal muscle, and the game tonight doesn't even start until 10:15. It will be the dedicated Cincinnati-area Reds fan who stays up for this one.

On the other hand, it's Thursday, which is among my favorite nights to party. Maybe I'll stay up late and give myself a manicure or do some scrapbooking.

Or maybe I'll find a press release to call a post for the day and call it a night.

Go Reds!