1) Roger -- the best husband in the world for me. I'm extremely thankful daily!
Obviously the other top things on this list are my family. The order I've listed them in is simply the one I use when I'm trying to count heads for Easter baskets, or buy Christmas presents. They are all equally wonderful.
2) Arwen
3) Bryan
4) Camilla
5) Blaise
6) Linus
7) Ambrose
8) Branwen
9) Larry
10) Daniel
11) Matthew
12)Lauren
13) Miriel
14) Brandon
15)Tirienne
16) Kelson
17) My brother P and his wife A. I am regularly thankful that he brought her into the family.
18) The good parents I had. They had their less-wonderful points, but then so do I
19) Roger's extended family. They welcomed me, the first in-law, most warmly, and I love 'em all.
20) Bryan's and Larry's parents/siblings/etc. The two families are as different as chalk and cheese, but good people all. My daughters have been blessed.
21) My own extended family of origin. I have no blood aunts or uncles left, but what a lovely mess of cousins.
22) The town in Pennsylvania where I grew up. I still enjoy going "home".
23) The mountains of Pennsylvania and Maryland
24) The Michigan town where I live now
25) The Great Lake you can practically see from here. It almost makes up for no mountains
26) The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I want to go back!
27) My car. It's been "on its last legs" for years, but it still gets me around town.
28) My house. Having to move for the "public works project" has been such a blessing. This house is roomier, prettier, more functional.
29) All the work my family has put into this house to make it beautiful.
30) Sunshine through my beautiful big picture windows.
31) Books
32) Free lending libraries
33) Online library access. This has save me SO much time, and some money in overdue fines. I renew online.
34) MelCat -- the Michigan elibrary access. If my library doesn't have a book, it's probably available from somewhere else in the state.
35) The computer that lets me do all this
36) All the technology -- cell phones, iPhones, computers, the internet -- that makes it so easy to keep in touch with my family
37) My knitting group
38) The member of the knitting group who moved across the state in August, but who still "attends" via Skype
39) All the people who developed all this technology
40) My "new" (Brandon's old) Kindle.
41) My friend Julia who has always lent me books, just now in eformat.
42) Brandon's old iPhone, no longer attached to a call plan, on which I play Hanging with Friends and Angry Birds.
43) Twitter
44) Blogger Because I couldn't be doing this if it wasn't free.
45) Turkey
46) Gravy
47) Filling. Which is almost like stuffing, but not in my kids' opinions. But it's what I grew up with, and I love it.
48) Sauerkraut with turkey. What can I say, I grew up in Pennsylvania Dutch country?
49) The fact that Arwen bought sauerkraut for me -- my favorite brand, too -- even though the rest of my family could have a happy Thanksgiving without it.
50) Pumpkin pie
51) Pecan pie
52) Whipped cream for both of the above
53) Wine
54) Chocolate, especially DARK chocolate (70 % and higher)
55) Caramel covered with chocolate
56) Good tea. It only costs a little more than "OK" tea, but it makes my days brighter.
57) Almonds. I eat lots of them.
58) Homemade bread
59) The fact that Roger makes almost all of the bread we eat. (12 to 18 loaves at a time, and freezes it.)
60) Roger's spaghetti sauce in the freezer
61) Ditto his chili
62) The awesome meat bundle we bought last January, which has lasted us most of a year.
63) The enormous chest freezer I keep all of this in
64) Electricity! My life "runs" on electricity.
65) My washer and dryer. We didn't have a dryer when I was a kid, and I used to help my grandmother with her tubs and wringer washer.
66) The proximity of excellent food shopping options. Everything from the locally-owned specialty shop where I buy meat bundles to Wal-Mart. And a lot of things in between.
67) And clothing shopping. I have to drive, because there's no road as the crow flies, but there's a whole mall within technical "walking distance."
68) Shawls! I am in the "hot flash" stage of life, and a shawl is SO much more adaptable than a sweater or jacket. I have at least 10 of them.
69) Inexpensive cute shoes. My everyday shoes are utilitarian and expensive, because I have really strange feet (inherited.) But I found comfortable ballet flats that fit. I bought three colors.
70) Automobiles. Because I can be with my grandchildren, who live 100 miles away, in under two hours.
71) Interstate highways for driving the cars on. A trip of 100 miles on the kind of roads that cover most of our area would take much longer.
72) Good mechanics, who keep my rustbucket of a van rolling. Thank you, Doug, Glen, and the other guys!
73) Music, and the church choir I sing in.
74) Sunrises and sunsets
75) I am also thankful that I have the freedom to change the goals I set for myself -- I'm here with my grandchildren, and this is enough time with my laptop. If 25 people read this, I'm done, since I'm thankful for every one of you!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Showing posts with label Happiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Happiness. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
It's a Boy! And another boy!
Arwen and Bryan's twins were born early this morning! Linus Michael and Ambrose John are 5 1/2 pounds each and doing well, though they'll be in the NICU until it's clear that they have all the skills necessary to handle life outside, since they were born at just over 34 weeks. I am hanging out with Camilla and Blaise until the twins come home, and then I'll be back after Bryan goes back to work. I love being a grandma!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Happy Anniversary, Roger!
I'm just dropping into the blogosphere for a minute to wish my dear husband Roger a happy 29th anniversary. (He reads my blog ;-D ) I didn't get him a card, but I made him a cherry pie, and we're going out to dinner to celebrate.
Happy Anniversary, Darlin'!
It's been great so far, and I'm looking forward to as many more years as possible.
Love you!
Ellen
Happy Anniversary, Darlin'!
It's been great so far, and I'm looking forward to as many more years as possible.
Love you!
Ellen
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Daybook. 4/11/10 -- Divine Mercy Sunday/Second Sunday of Easter
Outside my window... there is sunshine. The air is warmish, the trees are budding, the grass is green, and I am discovering that this house has daffodils. And lilacs. And violets, and hyacinths, and forsythia, and a couple of things I won't be sure of until they bloom. Whee!
I am thinking... that it will be good to get back to the routine, since this is the last day of Kelson's spring break.
I am thankful for... all the family and friends we've had here over the last ten days. I enjoy the opportunity to feed people without having to downsize my recipes for just two or three. ;-D
From the kitchen... I can still smell the yummy potato pancakes Roger made for breakfast. Having a Sunday breakfast chef is so awesome that I don't mind that I do the cleanup.
I am wearing... dark taupe pants, navy cotton twinset and socks, and black loafers. Yes, it is one of my favorite outfits. Why do you ask??
I am creating... a list of things that still need to be hung on the walls in various places. My desk will feel a lot bigger once the bulletin board and whiteboard don't have to sit on it.
I am going... nowhere much today, which feels awesome.
I am reading... blogs, and some forgettable chick-lit, and a couple of magazines. I am behind on First Things.
I am hoping... that this weather continues all week. I need to get my walking regimen back up to speed.
I am hearing... outdoor noises through the open windows.
Around the house... I am still awed by my "new" chandelier. My brother and SIL were going to replace the ugly-colored one that came with the house as a Christmas/housewarming present. When they came for Easter we couldn't find one I liked, so my brother took this one down, cleaned it, and spray-painted it a shade that fits in this house. I LOVE it. Thank you, Patrick!
One of my favorite things... is Wolfgang Candy, which I grew up with. The Easter order is almost gone, so there won't be more until Christmas, but it's awesome that internet ordering lets me have a taste of "home" at this distance.
A few plans for the rest of the week.... enjoying the weather, and getting my weekly disciplines back on track after break. Also having my van in the shop to get some niggling problems dealt with.
Here is a picture thought I a
This isn't my bush (we pruned ours back because it had been allowed to get seriously overgrown), but I can't think of a better picture of Spring!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Read the header!
Just stopping by quickly, since I am out of town and have reduced computer access. The reason is my wonderful new grandson Blaise Alexander _____, who was born yesterday mornig about 5:30 AM. I am hanging out with new big sister Camilla, and having a wonderful time. See you all again when things settle down!
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
This 'n' That
This is by way of being a catch-all post, keeping me in the habit of semi-regular posting. First, another Advent song:
(MIDI of tune here)
Then, a tasty tip I should have added to this: The recipe calls for one tablespoon of tomato paste. You can buy tomato paste in toothpaste-like tubes, but it's pricey and some of it usually goes bad. I buy cheap store-brand cans, shove the leftovers in the fridge, and it usually still goes bad but I'm not out as much. But I ought to put the leftover part in 1T blobs on a sheet, freeze, and then bag them. Keeps longer, and is pre-measured for when you need just one tablespoon.
Third, a reading update: I'm still working through the same stuff, although I took back Who's Afraid of Virginia Ham without reading more than half a chapter because the main character had what I considered a blatantly sinful lifestyle. Obviously one can't read mystery novels without encountering sinful behavior, but I have a bias that says it should belong to the "bad guys", not the hero. That's what I like about the Phoebe Atwood Taylor books -- they're from the thirties, when most people agreed with me!
And finally, a
BIG CONGRATULATIONS
to Jen, my most regular commenter, who just had a beautiful baby girl. Congratulations Jen and Matt!
1. O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Refrain:
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show Thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
2. O Christ, whom nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come break the captive fetters;
Redeem the long-lost fold.
Refrain
3. You come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will Thy cradle be;
All clothed in human weakness
We shall Thy Godhead see.
Refrain
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Refrain:
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show Thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
2. O Christ, whom nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come break the captive fetters;
Redeem the long-lost fold.
Refrain
3. You come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will Thy cradle be;
All clothed in human weakness
We shall Thy Godhead see.
Refrain
(MIDI of tune here)
Then, a tasty tip I should have added to this: The recipe calls for one tablespoon of tomato paste. You can buy tomato paste in toothpaste-like tubes, but it's pricey and some of it usually goes bad. I buy cheap store-brand cans, shove the leftovers in the fridge, and it usually still goes bad but I'm not out as much. But I ought to put the leftover part in 1T blobs on a sheet, freeze, and then bag them. Keeps longer, and is pre-measured for when you need just one tablespoon.
Third, a reading update: I'm still working through the same stuff, although I took back Who's Afraid of Virginia Ham without reading more than half a chapter because the main character had what I considered a blatantly sinful lifestyle. Obviously one can't read mystery novels without encountering sinful behavior, but I have a bias that says it should belong to the "bad guys", not the hero. That's what I like about the Phoebe Atwood Taylor books -- they're from the thirties, when most people agreed with me!
And finally, a
BIG CONGRATULATIONS
to Jen, my most regular commenter, who just had a beautiful baby girl. Congratulations Jen and Matt!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Down the River We Go. . . .
The title of this post is from a song that was in one of the music books my elementary school used. I don't remember which grade, but the series was published by Silver Burdett, before they merged with Ginn. If anybody half-remembers it, the lyrics are here. I can remember singing this song with great verve, which is rather funny considering that the largest bodies of water I had seen at that point were some creeks (pronounced "cricks"), a couple of ponds, and the murky, muddy, "lake" in which I learned to swim, more or less... Roger would say less.
But then I married my man from Michigan, and now live in a town on the shore of a Great Lake. And although it's not the O-hi-o river from the song, we also have a river.
It's a big enough river that our town hosts its own tall ship. And we have lots of sidewalks right at the river's edge, from which this picture was taken. And this morning, Roger and I were down there with our camera.
George was on board this cutter, headed down the river. He's the tiny little dot about halfway up the superstructure, directly above the G in Coast Guard. He waved, we waved, and then down the river he went. And I, of course, went on my morning errands with a little bit of a tear in my eye. (In a week or two they'll be coming back up!)
But then I married my man from Michigan, and now live in a town on the shore of a Great Lake. And although it's not the O-hi-o river from the song, we also have a river.
It's a big enough river that our town hosts its own tall ship. And we have lots of sidewalks right at the river's edge, from which this picture was taken. And this morning, Roger and I were down there with our camera.
George was on board this cutter, headed down the river. He's the tiny little dot about halfway up the superstructure, directly above the G in Coast Guard. He waved, we waved, and then down the river he went. And I, of course, went on my morning errands with a little bit of a tear in my eye. (In a week or two they'll be coming back up!)
Monday, July 28, 2008
Welcome, Matthew Benedict!
Rosie had her baby Friday evening. She had, slow, boring, not-quite-labor all day, and then a very lively time from about 6PM onward until Matthew was born about 10:15. I drove down to be with her in labor, but this is the last grandchild birth I'll try to attend. Sad-but-true fact -- I'm just getting too old. She and Anthony sent me away just about the time things picked up, because it was obvious that I was approaching "basket case" from fatigue. But they did superbly on their own, and Matthew is a sweetie!!
And there is something I'm not too old for -- holding the baby!
And there is something I'm not too old for -- holding the baby!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wednesday Afternoons
(This is the post that was percolating when I pinched my finger into a giant blood-blister trying to remodel a lampshade. All better now. AND the lampshade works just fine.)
I am a creature of habit. My kids would probably tell you that I am rigid and stuck in a rut, and Roger will politely say that I'm "not as spontaneous" as he is, but the truth is that I am just more comfortable when I have a general idea of what's coming on any given day. For the next year! We have a giant wall calendar in our kitchen that literally has "Major Grocery Shopping" written on every other Thursday from here through December -- which is when it ends -- with deviations for things like Thanksgiving. Somewhere on September is written "buy new planning calendar", because I need a while to get all the birthdays and regular monthly meetings and grocery days and suchlike transferred before November, so that I can start writing in things for January as soon as I find out about them. I prefer to believe I am organized! ;-D
So it should be no surprise to you that I have a regular weekly "plan of action". Sundays are big family breakfast, mass (unless choir sings on Saturday night), dinner, and our couples' group once a month. Monday is music planning stuff, or sewing, or nasty big jobs like cleaning out the basement. (The rationale is that I'll be well rested after the weekend.) Tuesday is laundry, ironing, and menu planning and grocery list. Wednesday is changing beds, sheet and towel laundry, and bathroom cleaning. Thursday is grocery shopping (and maybe some random stuff like mending on non-major shopping weeks), and choir practice in the evening. Friday is more laundry and ironing, plus going over the schedule for the upcoming week. And I usually cook an extra-nice dinner because some of the family fasts breakfast and lunch most Fridays. Saturday is mopping, vacuuming, housecleaning. Lather, rinse, repeat.
To be perfectly honest, most weeks are not that cut-and-dried. This week, for example, I did grocery planning on Monday because we have a funeral to attend on Tuesday. And in the summer, the kids do more of the work than during the school year. And when that next grandbaby arrives, I'm out of here no matter what day of the week it is.... But getting back to what I was saying, I like knowing what's on my agenda for any given day.
Those of you who work outside the home probably are thinking "That's all she does?!! I do all that stuff in my evenings!" But I promise you I don't sit around and eat bonbons and watch soap operas. For one thing, we don't have a television. For another thing, I need to be frugal with my grocery money, so I cook mostly from scratch and spend several hours with the weekly ads figuring out which of the things I need are cheapest where this week. (I have a regular route that includes five to eight stores on one loop with no gas wasted. When we had six kids at home "major shopping" took about five hours, with another two or so for putting things away.) But I spend $160 a week for our current family of four, including all paper, cleaning, and hygiene supplies, which is only $16 more than the government's "Thrifty" plan for just food. And we eat VERY well. I could probably cut back to below the thrifty level, and we'd still be healthy and happy. I'd just have to bake cookies more often instead of buying them!
When I had six kids at home, especially when all of them were under twelve, the weekly schedule listed above took ALL my time. In fact, at that point I didn't have time for choir. The kids started helping as soon as they were able, but some things (changing the sheets on top bunks for example) were just not in their ability range. And that Wednesday list of beds, bathrooms, laundry took the whole day.
Somewhere along the line, though, it got easier. Even when a kid can't make a top bunk, he can strip it. And when older siblings can entertain younger ones, you stand a chance of getting a bathroom cleaned all in one shot, instead of stopping several times for childcare responsibilities. About the time Tommy started kindergarten, I discovered that I could (usually) get out of the house for a Wednesday mid-morning Eucharist. I would then grab a Coke or a mocha at the Tim Hortons' drive-thru, pick up Tommy, and finish my work. Later, when he was gone all day (waaah, all of my kids are gone!), I had a mental breakthrough. If I worked REALLY hard I could finish all the work (except maybe folding that last load of towels) before time to leave for the noon service. And then I'd be free until school was out. To go to the library. To go sit by the river and watch the freighters go by. To hit Barnes and Noble, make a list of new books to look for at the library (frugal? me??), and get a real mocha in the cafe. Heaven!!
Tommy will be a junior next year. He's the only kid without a driver's license. It's been years since I needed to be home by the time school let out. I can go places any day of the week, and I often do. But I still clean bathrooms like a dervish on Wednesday mornings, because Wednesday afternoons?? They're all mine!
I am a creature of habit. My kids would probably tell you that I am rigid and stuck in a rut, and Roger will politely say that I'm "not as spontaneous" as he is, but the truth is that I am just more comfortable when I have a general idea of what's coming on any given day. For the next year! We have a giant wall calendar in our kitchen that literally has "Major Grocery Shopping" written on every other Thursday from here through December -- which is when it ends -- with deviations for things like Thanksgiving. Somewhere on September is written "buy new planning calendar", because I need a while to get all the birthdays and regular monthly meetings and grocery days and suchlike transferred before November, so that I can start writing in things for January as soon as I find out about them. I prefer to believe I am organized! ;-D
So it should be no surprise to you that I have a regular weekly "plan of action". Sundays are big family breakfast, mass (unless choir sings on Saturday night), dinner, and our couples' group once a month. Monday is music planning stuff, or sewing, or nasty big jobs like cleaning out the basement. (The rationale is that I'll be well rested after the weekend.) Tuesday is laundry, ironing, and menu planning and grocery list. Wednesday is changing beds, sheet and towel laundry, and bathroom cleaning. Thursday is grocery shopping (and maybe some random stuff like mending on non-major shopping weeks), and choir practice in the evening. Friday is more laundry and ironing, plus going over the schedule for the upcoming week. And I usually cook an extra-nice dinner because some of the family fasts breakfast and lunch most Fridays. Saturday is mopping, vacuuming, housecleaning. Lather, rinse, repeat.
To be perfectly honest, most weeks are not that cut-and-dried. This week, for example, I did grocery planning on Monday because we have a funeral to attend on Tuesday. And in the summer, the kids do more of the work than during the school year. And when that next grandbaby arrives, I'm out of here no matter what day of the week it is.... But getting back to what I was saying, I like knowing what's on my agenda for any given day.
Those of you who work outside the home probably are thinking "That's all she does?!! I do all that stuff in my evenings!" But I promise you I don't sit around and eat bonbons and watch soap operas. For one thing, we don't have a television. For another thing, I need to be frugal with my grocery money, so I cook mostly from scratch and spend several hours with the weekly ads figuring out which of the things I need are cheapest where this week. (I have a regular route that includes five to eight stores on one loop with no gas wasted. When we had six kids at home "major shopping" took about five hours, with another two or so for putting things away.) But I spend $160 a week for our current family of four, including all paper, cleaning, and hygiene supplies, which is only $16 more than the government's "Thrifty" plan for just food. And we eat VERY well. I could probably cut back to below the thrifty level, and we'd still be healthy and happy. I'd just have to bake cookies more often instead of buying them!
When I had six kids at home, especially when all of them were under twelve, the weekly schedule listed above took ALL my time. In fact, at that point I didn't have time for choir. The kids started helping as soon as they were able, but some things (changing the sheets on top bunks for example) were just not in their ability range. And that Wednesday list of beds, bathrooms, laundry took the whole day.
Somewhere along the line, though, it got easier. Even when a kid can't make a top bunk, he can strip it. And when older siblings can entertain younger ones, you stand a chance of getting a bathroom cleaned all in one shot, instead of stopping several times for childcare responsibilities. About the time Tommy started kindergarten, I discovered that I could (usually) get out of the house for a Wednesday mid-morning Eucharist. I would then grab a Coke or a mocha at the Tim Hortons' drive-thru, pick up Tommy, and finish my work. Later, when he was gone all day (waaah, all of my kids are gone!), I had a mental breakthrough. If I worked REALLY hard I could finish all the work (except maybe folding that last load of towels) before time to leave for the noon service. And then I'd be free until school was out. To go to the library. To go sit by the river and watch the freighters go by. To hit Barnes and Noble, make a list of new books to look for at the library (frugal? me??), and get a real mocha in the cafe. Heaven!!
Tommy will be a junior next year. He's the only kid without a driver's license. It's been years since I needed to be home by the time school let out. I can go places any day of the week, and I often do. But I still clean bathrooms like a dervish on Wednesday mornings, because Wednesday afternoons?? They're all mine!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
When I was a kid I loved baseball. My brother and I had our favorite teams, with player pictures hung on our bedroom walls in the shape of ballfields. His teams were the Yankees and Giants, mine were the Dodgers and Mets. We had countless arguments about whose teams were better, but since in those days the only inter-league games were the World Series, and not more than one of our teams -- usually the Yankees* -- ever reached that level at the same time, such disputes were purely theoretical.
We read baseball stories, notably John Tunis' The Kid from Tompkinsville series. My favorite was The Kid Comes Back. We went to occasional Baltimore Orioles games, mostly at the instigation of my Aunt Ethel. Aunt Ethel was my mom's older sister, and I have countless memories of her sitting in front of the TV, watching the Orioles play, knitting away at her current project and keeping score at the same time. I learned a lot of baseball terminology from her. One of the saddest things of her descent in to Alzheimers was when she could no longer follow a baseball game.
And then, well, I grew up. I moved from Oriole territory to the mid-west, and we decided not to have a television in our house. For a few years our congregation had a church-league softball team (for which I was scorekeeper), but that ended when Rosie was a baby. Baseball scores in the newspaper are not the same, and the only MLB [Major League Baseball] team in Michigan is the Detroit Tigers, about whom I care very little, and who play in the middle of a scary city. Since my reading of the sports pages is limited to a glance at the front of the section, I knew two player names, and that's about it. Baseball became a very marginal, almost forgotten part of my life.
Until last Friday night. A friend of the family has occasional access to a set of corporate season tickets, and six weeks or so ago we made plans for him, Roger, me, and Katie to attend the Tigers/Dodgers game at Comerica Park. It sounded like a fun time with a friend, but right up until Thursday I was waffling about actually going, since "I didn't care that much about baseball anymore," it was supposed to rain, and Tommy needed transport to and from an end-of-the-school-year party. Roger finally persuaded me to go, since Tommy had arranged to get a ride from a friend, but I tossed the afghan I'm crocheting for Rosie and Anthony's coming baby into my backpack, figuring I'd have something interesting to do.
We got to Detroit about 30 minutes after stadium opening time, and parked our car in a not-too-near but not-too-far $10 game-night empty lot parking area. I was glad I had packed umbrellas, since it was misting lightly. We walked the several blocks to the stadium, and our friend suggested that we get something to eat at Hockeytown Cafe (warning--link has sound), across the street from the stadium. As usual, I was unimpressed by another sports bar, but the food was acceptable, despite no T in the BLT/Club because of the salmonella scare. By the time we finished, about 40 min before game time, it was raining, hard.
We decided to go over to the stadium and get our tickets scanned so we would be eligible for rain checks. Since we were in, we walked around to our assigned section, and decided to stand by the entry-way to our seats (between two hot dog stands!) to see if the rain would let up. It was actually quite pleasant -- there was a breeze from the field, which can be seen very well from the whole concessions/walkway ring. In the Orioles old park -- since replaced -- you could only see the field from the seats proper. About 10 minutes before scheduled game time, we noticed that the rain had tapered to a mist. Since I had brought rags to dry our seats, we decided to go and sit in them (with our umbrellas) and see what happened.
The seats were amazing! Fourteen rows back, right behind the home dugout. Aunt Ethel always preferred the view over the plate, and our budget was NOT corporate, so I'd never before been in the "good" seats. By the time we'd been in them 15 minutes the rain had totally stopped, and the grounds crew came out to uncover the infield. For about 2 minutes we wondered what they were going to do with all the water standing on the tarp. The answer -- dump it on the outfield! By then the scoreboard showed that the game would begin about one hour late, and it was a good choice; there was no more rain that evening.
I had decided before we took our seats that I wouldn't bother getting out my crocheting, because I didn't want to get it wet. But during the extra time of the delay, I pulled it out. By the time of the National Anthem, I had finished a row and a half. And then the game began. For the first inning, I divided my attention, looking up for the pitch and then down at my afghan. But somewhere along the line -- maybe it was the first line drive third baseman Guillen snared too fast for me to see -- I remembered: THIS is what I love about baseball. Not the team or player stats; not loyalty to any particular team. What I loved , and to my astonishment still love, is the actual game play itself. Long flies caught just short of the fence. The batter acting irate if a pitch comes too close. The tag -- or missed tag -- on the steal to second or third. I just love baseball.
Roger, who has always been little mystified by my baseball knowledge (football is his game), was glad to hear that my rediscovered passion is not for the Tigers, but for baseball. We are already researching going to see the Lansing Lugnuts, where the best (non-suite) seats in the house cost $9. I can't wait!
And, oh yeah, the afghan? Despite getting caught up in the game, I still finished 6 rows. Aunt Ethel would have been proud.
* Although the 1969 Series, where the Mets "lost last place", lives so clearly in my memory that when I saw the movie Frequency, and the date flashed on the screen at the beginning of the movie, I knew exactly what was going on on that day.
We read baseball stories, notably John Tunis' The Kid from Tompkinsville series. My favorite was The Kid Comes Back. We went to occasional Baltimore Orioles games, mostly at the instigation of my Aunt Ethel. Aunt Ethel was my mom's older sister, and I have countless memories of her sitting in front of the TV, watching the Orioles play, knitting away at her current project and keeping score at the same time. I learned a lot of baseball terminology from her. One of the saddest things of her descent in to Alzheimers was when she could no longer follow a baseball game.
And then, well, I grew up. I moved from Oriole territory to the mid-west, and we decided not to have a television in our house. For a few years our congregation had a church-league softball team (for which I was scorekeeper), but that ended when Rosie was a baby. Baseball scores in the newspaper are not the same, and the only MLB [Major League Baseball] team in Michigan is the Detroit Tigers, about whom I care very little, and who play in the middle of a scary city. Since my reading of the sports pages is limited to a glance at the front of the section, I knew two player names, and that's about it. Baseball became a very marginal, almost forgotten part of my life.
Until last Friday night. A friend of the family has occasional access to a set of corporate season tickets, and six weeks or so ago we made plans for him, Roger, me, and Katie to attend the Tigers/Dodgers game at Comerica Park. It sounded like a fun time with a friend, but right up until Thursday I was waffling about actually going, since "I didn't care that much about baseball anymore," it was supposed to rain, and Tommy needed transport to and from an end-of-the-school-year party. Roger finally persuaded me to go, since Tommy had arranged to get a ride from a friend, but I tossed the afghan I'm crocheting for Rosie and Anthony's coming baby into my backpack, figuring I'd have something interesting to do.
We got to Detroit about 30 minutes after stadium opening time, and parked our car in a not-too-near but not-too-far $10 game-night empty lot parking area. I was glad I had packed umbrellas, since it was misting lightly. We walked the several blocks to the stadium, and our friend suggested that we get something to eat at Hockeytown Cafe (warning--link has sound), across the street from the stadium. As usual, I was unimpressed by another sports bar, but the food was acceptable, despite no T in the BLT/Club because of the salmonella scare. By the time we finished, about 40 min before game time, it was raining, hard.
We decided to go over to the stadium and get our tickets scanned so we would be eligible for rain checks. Since we were in, we walked around to our assigned section, and decided to stand by the entry-way to our seats (between two hot dog stands!) to see if the rain would let up. It was actually quite pleasant -- there was a breeze from the field, which can be seen very well from the whole concessions/walkway ring. In the Orioles old park -- since replaced -- you could only see the field from the seats proper. About 10 minutes before scheduled game time, we noticed that the rain had tapered to a mist. Since I had brought rags to dry our seats, we decided to go and sit in them (with our umbrellas) and see what happened.
The seats were amazing! Fourteen rows back, right behind the home dugout. Aunt Ethel always preferred the view over the plate, and our budget was NOT corporate, so I'd never before been in the "good" seats. By the time we'd been in them 15 minutes the rain had totally stopped, and the grounds crew came out to uncover the infield. For about 2 minutes we wondered what they were going to do with all the water standing on the tarp. The answer -- dump it on the outfield! By then the scoreboard showed that the game would begin about one hour late, and it was a good choice; there was no more rain that evening.
I had decided before we took our seats that I wouldn't bother getting out my crocheting, because I didn't want to get it wet. But during the extra time of the delay, I pulled it out. By the time of the National Anthem, I had finished a row and a half. And then the game began. For the first inning, I divided my attention, looking up for the pitch and then down at my afghan. But somewhere along the line -- maybe it was the first line drive third baseman Guillen snared too fast for me to see -- I remembered: THIS is what I love about baseball. Not the team or player stats; not loyalty to any particular team. What I loved , and to my astonishment still love, is the actual game play itself. Long flies caught just short of the fence. The batter acting irate if a pitch comes too close. The tag -- or missed tag -- on the steal to second or third. I just love baseball.
Roger, who has always been little mystified by my baseball knowledge (football is his game), was glad to hear that my rediscovered passion is not for the Tigers, but for baseball. We are already researching going to see the Lansing Lugnuts, where the best (non-suite) seats in the house cost $9. I can't wait!
And, oh yeah, the afghan? Despite getting caught up in the game, I still finished 6 rows. Aunt Ethel would have been proud.
* Although the 1969 Series, where the Mets "lost last place", lives so clearly in my memory that when I saw the movie Frequency, and the date flashed on the screen at the beginning of the movie, I knew exactly what was going on on that day.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Ten Things I'm Thankful For
These are not ALL the things I've been thankful for today, but they're the first ten that came into my head ...
1) That my husband understands when I forget to do something I've said I would when I'm overwhelmed with other things. This one came to me about 2:30 AM, when I woke up to go to the bathroom and realized "Oh gosh, I said I'd ........ on Wednesday, and it's already Thursday."
2) Four part harmony. Our choir sang at mass this morning, and it always makes me happy to hear the different parts fulfilling and enriching each other. A metaphor for some things in life that I would do well to remember.
3) Grandchildren. Camilla and Daniel are the cutest and sweetest little ones anywhere.
4) My turkey roaster. My husband has always done the turkey, and with the Nesco roaster I can use the oven for other things while the turkey cooks merrily away.
5) My good china. When we got married, we and most of our friends were poor, so our wedding presents were things like a handmade comforter and a big basket of kitchen staples that a bunch of people went in on. But I already had a set of very nice fine china that I'd bought at an auction sale back when I was in college in Pennsylvania. It has most things for ten people (it was originally for twelve), lots of serving pieces, and cost me $68!
6) Systemization I am an anxious person, more Martha than Mary, who tends to obsess over getting everything done. Many years back I put my standard Thanksgiving menu, shopping list, and work plan (what gets done in advance, what last-minute things come in what order) on the computer. Every year now I print a copy and follow directions. It doesn't make me stress free, but it sure helps!
7) The Internet We had a nice video-chat with George after dinner. It's so much fun to see the babies going crazy over his picture on the screen. They'll know him when he gets home!
8) Everybody will be home for Christmas Maggie flies back from Austria on Dec.18, and George and my brother "Ace" and his wife "Tink" all arrive on the 22nd. It'll be a full house, a madhouse, and just plain wonderful.
9) Pumpkin pie (and pecan, and apple, and ....) We made 6 pies for 10 people counting the babies. Pie for breakfast tomorrow!!
10) No school tomorrow! An "alarmless morning" is a rare treat. Even today I had to be up because the choir had a run-through before mass because some extra musicians were joining us. Tomorrow ... z.z.z.z.z.z.z.z.zZZ!
1) That my husband understands when I forget to do something I've said I would when I'm overwhelmed with other things. This one came to me about 2:30 AM, when I woke up to go to the bathroom and realized "Oh gosh, I said I'd ........ on Wednesday, and it's already Thursday."
2) Four part harmony. Our choir sang at mass this morning, and it always makes me happy to hear the different parts fulfilling and enriching each other. A metaphor for some things in life that I would do well to remember.
3) Grandchildren. Camilla and Daniel are the cutest and sweetest little ones anywhere.
4) My turkey roaster. My husband has always done the turkey, and with the Nesco roaster I can use the oven for other things while the turkey cooks merrily away.
5) My good china. When we got married, we and most of our friends were poor, so our wedding presents were things like a handmade comforter and a big basket of kitchen staples that a bunch of people went in on. But I already had a set of very nice fine china that I'd bought at an auction sale back when I was in college in Pennsylvania. It has most things for ten people (it was originally for twelve), lots of serving pieces, and cost me $68!
6) Systemization I am an anxious person, more Martha than Mary, who tends to obsess over getting everything done. Many years back I put my standard Thanksgiving menu, shopping list, and work plan (what gets done in advance, what last-minute things come in what order) on the computer. Every year now I print a copy and follow directions. It doesn't make me stress free, but it sure helps!
7) The Internet We had a nice video-chat with George after dinner. It's so much fun to see the babies going crazy over his picture on the screen. They'll know him when he gets home!
8) Everybody will be home for Christmas Maggie flies back from Austria on Dec.18, and George and my brother "Ace" and his wife "Tink" all arrive on the 22nd. It'll be a full house, a madhouse, and just plain wonderful.
9) Pumpkin pie (and pecan, and apple, and ....) We made 6 pies for 10 people counting the babies. Pie for breakfast tomorrow!!
10) No school tomorrow! An "alarmless morning" is a rare treat. Even today I had to be up because the choir had a run-through before mass because some extra musicians were joining us. Tomorrow ... z.z.z.z.z.z.z.z.zZZ!
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