From Dome To Dome

Reliant Astrodome, originally uploaded by markhodgins.

You might be surprised to find out how many ways Houston and Toronto are alike!

Now, we do not live in Houston, but rather a hundred miles up the highway, but that is just about a two hour drive.

One of the features that makes me feel "at home" is Reliant Stadium where the Houston Astros play. Reliant Stadium was renamed since I have been here.

SkyDome in Toronto has also been renamed and is now Rogers Stadium.

Both covered stadiums have domes that open three ways and make for a better baseball experience in both cities. Toronto does not claim to have great weather in the early spring and Houston gets really hot mid-summer.

The Houston Astros are in the National League and the Toronto Blue Jays are in the American League so this weekend was the first time the Houston team visited Toronto to play. As Toronto has been doing very well this year and Houston has not, I was expecting The Jays to trounce the Astros. So, I was quite surprised to see the three-game series end 2-1 in game wins for Houston Astros.

We once attended a game in Toronto when the Texas Rangers (from Dallas) were playing and we really enjoyed it. So, Hubby has seen "The Dome".

[I was rather surprised that when they built a new stadium in Arlington (Dallas), they did not do a covered one, but I guess for everyone money is money and domed stadiums take plenty.]

In case you did not know, Reliant Stadium is not Houston's first covered stadium. The Astrodome was the first and I think the first in North America. I have been there . . . to a dog show where I saw Canadian, Dr. John Reeve-Newsom judge Scottish Terriers, a breed I should know a bit about.

If you have ever heard indoor-outdoor carpet called "Astro Turf", that is because the Astrodome had carpet rather than grass.

I think some indoor stadiums have real grass now to enhance the baseball experience.

When I first came here, I learned that former President, George W. Bush was one of the owners of the Texas Rangers and belonged to the consortium that built that team which is in the American League.

The Bush Family are ardent baseball fans. Laura Bush (George Jr.'s wife) has said how much she likes baseball because it is a sport you can watch while still enjoying the company of those you are with.

Barbara Bush, wife of President George H.W. Bush likes to mark her card at the Houston games and she and George Senior are still often seen in the front row, behind the hitter.

For me, baseball is a sport I can easily understand and so I really got the best of it all this weekend when the Astros visited Toronto.

I'd like to thank the announcer for his comment which was so typical of a Texan - off the cuff and casual - but it made me proud to hear it,

(We have enjoyed seeing Toronto) - "Canada does cities well!"

Oh, yes. And thanks for bringing it all into our living room this weekend!