Did the Nats make up for the 11-0 Mother's Day debacle of '08? Maybe.

Sunday afternoon was a sunny but chilly time at the ballpark, with our Nats playing the Marlins. We sat in a section of the stadium new to us, the 200-level, and saw more fouls near us than we'd ever seen before. None hit my mom, so that made it a successful Mother's Day. When the swirling breeze got too frigid, we ducked into the cushy lounge. When the game held close at the end, we and everyone in the park got loud.

Livan Hernandez pitched well for us, and I was glad to capture his gut.

Two surprises. 1: Screech surprised his mother. 2: He has a mother!

She appeared to be early Screech in make-up, a wig and a dress.

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Copied from Facebook since my mom's not on Facebook: A crop of this '05 photo was my Fb profile pic for a few years. Time to bring it back for a day with a different crop. Happy Mother's Day! Tomorrow: Today pix.

CRC friends have likely already seen this P&G Mother's Day commercial on Facebook, but here's the video for the rest of you. Friend Nate — a fellow Dan Neil fan, creator of the Waiting for Bruce storyboard and co-creator of our imaginary 2002 comedy about the shadow government — works in beautiful footage of his wife Liz and their new son Calvin.

The last time I witnessed someone hit a home run on the first pitch of a ballgame was high school. I last saw a grand slam in person in high school as well. And the last time I saw Mike O'Connor look as young as he looked tonight was — I think — a Gonzaga at Mount St. Joe's doubleheader in 1996. The final damage tonight was 11-0, Marlins.

We cheered for Mike as always, but it was an ugly night. That first-pitch homer clearly got in his head. As the Post noted (in reporter Chico Harlan's unfortunate first game on the beat), the start was Mike's first since late 2006. Only down that run when he got the inning's third out, he trudged off the field with his head down and may have been the last player to make it into the dugout. He had control problems as the game went on, dumping a bunch in the dirt. When Manny finally gave the hook, Mike was standing behind the mound. He couldn't have looked more overwhelmed.

The rest of the Nats didn't play much better. We managed three hits and continued to look defensively lackluster. As has happened at every game I've seen so far, several outfield hits appeared more playable than we played them. In other news, the Nats ejected — or almost ejected, hard to tell from the other side of the field — a fan who threw back a home run ball. Later, in the top-of-the-dugout karaoke contest, a kid who tried to sing Gwen Stefani as Johnny Cash lost to a girl whose microphone didn't work.

But what made everything better? Great seats. My dad picked up four in the lower bowl, the best seats we've ever had for the Nats, and Rob came down from New York for Mother's Day weekend. Despite the odds, the least in her favor since the Cooper-infamous '93 Memorial Stadium incident, my mom was not hit by a foul ball. The seats made 11-0 more amusing than painful, and we had a good time in the gallows. The weekend weather turned around to be some of the best we've had at the stadium this year.

A note for fans going to weekend games in the next month: The gameday Metro conditions were some of the best I've had. As WMATA warned everyone about new delays for track work, no one paid much attention to the "shuttle trains" option running between L'Enfant and the Navy Yard. But they were as smooth as regular service, running every few minutes. If you were coming from Virginia, there was no impact. If you were a Red Line person, you had an extra transfer but no more issues.

A nice bonus was ending up in the Metro's testing car for the dark-rubber flooring. (See more about the test floors.) The surface was solid, attractive and even more non-slip than I expected. I'd have to try the car a few more times, but this ride felt like the end of Metro carpet to me. The relative emptiness of the car and the surprise of the shuttle train working out so well may have helped.

Update, the next morning: The ball-tossing fan was indeed ejected (see the comments). Among other early reaction, the BallparkGuys forum split on the incident, and Nationals Pride was not pleased.

"This Mother's Day we've got you covered" says Brookstone in a e-mail, and the retailer surely does. All the gifts you thought were too expensive at the Sharper Image suddenly seem a bargain when shown amid moderately outdoorsy items.

But, really, I think that's the most interesting part of Brookstone — how do you sell gadgets to the Average American market? If yesterday's Mother's Day e-mail is any indication, Brookstone tries to make those sales through reinforcement. The company doesn't push people too hard but instead works right up the ladder, plausibly offering people the lives they have now, only easier.

Take the gifts offered in the e-mail:

"Gifts for mom $30 and under" include a folding garden kneeler/sitter, a talking pedometer and microbeam flashlights.

Brookstone-to-English translation: Your mother does manual labor, walks a long way to work and usually doesn't make it home until after dark. Some handy gadgets should change her life.

"Gifts for mom $50 and under" include a stress-relieving cushion, a multi-angle massaging cushion and a Heritage connoisseur's wine opener set.

B-to-E translation: Your mother is struggling to make ends meet. Drinking should ease her problems.

"Gifts for mom $75 and under" include comfort-step slippers, a comfort gel seat cushion and a Smart Find remote control key locator

B-to-E translation: The Man was generous with your tax refund this year. Regardless of your political beliefs, you will briefly fancy yourself a philanthropist. Using your mother as justification, you will blow the money on overpriced gifts.

"Gifts for mom $100 and under" include a portable backpack hammock, a Comfort U pillow and a gardener's essential tool kit

B-to-E translation: Your mother is a member of the leisure class, albeit still at a socially conscious level. Raised as a child of privilege and yet unspoiled, you support her endeavors.

"Gifts for mom $150 and under" include "The Perfect Club," a shower CD player/radio and "The Comfort/Pillow."

B-to-E translation: Your mother desires expensive, well-named gifts. And you can't think of anything sentimental. At all.