Thursday Night at Fenway Park

I can't quite sum it up as well as Jere, so please check out his posts!

Boston Advances!

We are moving on to another series with the Rays, except this time it's a playoff series. Who would have thunk it? A playoff series with the Rays?

I can't help but feel bad for Scioscia and the Angels. They hate our winning asses. We shut the door on their World Series dreams time and time again. At least it wasn't a sweep this time. Eh, I'm over it. When we won in '04, the reign began. (I hope I'm not committing baseball hubris here. If we can't beat Tampa Bay, you know who to blame.)

We've Got a House!

In theory, anyway. Lots of paperwork still needs to be processed (and looked over by an attorney), but we accepted the counter-offer, with a few conditions. The deposit is in! Soon, we will be "Pawtucketites." "Rhode Islanders." "People who live in a very small state." Wait, we are already people who live in a very small state.

Word to the wise: Don't buy spray on sun screen. It doesn't work all that well. My lobster burn today is proof. And Jere's little nephew (one of the family members we spent yesterday with on his parents' beach) came running into their condo at the end of the day screaming about the sunburn on his back. He then looked at us and said, "I'm gonna take a tub!" He is so adorable. By the way, the sunburn was the only drawback to yesterday's fun. We had such a blast hanging out with everyone, including Jere's cousin Kara, her husband Ben and their super cute daughter, Lanie. It was the first real summer day. I think we checked every box - kayak, float, ocean, swimming pool, beach, picnic. Good times!

Speaking of good times, I should also mention that we went to Manny's big 500 home run game in Baltimore last weekend! Special thanks to Taylor and Kathie for treating us and letting us stay at their place in Philadelphia after the game. Loved the waffles! It was nice to get a real crab cake, too. I know New England offers kickass seafood, but nobody makes a crab cake like the fine people of Baltimore. And I am a big fan of it.

Mom update: She's doing well, though I could punch that old E.R. doctor in the head. After more scans by her oncologist, she was told that there is still cancer in the lungs. And everywhere else. Bu the good news is that it hasn't gotten worse or metastasized any further. They changed up her chemo, so her side affects won't be so bad. This one just gives her an intolerance to cold temperatures (she likens drinking cold beverages to swallowing shards of glass) and messes around with her jaw when she chews. Other than that, it seems to be better for her. She prefers this to vomiting.

I will be spending this sweltering day indoors making soap and other bath products to prepare for a pretty big Stella Marie spa party on Friday. It is best for me to stay out of the sun for a while. Besides, game 2 of the NBA finals is on tonight. Not to be missed!

Wig Shopping

Though my mom's chemo is not technically supposed to cause her to loose her hair, it's thinning quite a bit (it was already very thin to begin with) and she's decided to have it cut really short and buy a wig. So ... that's what's on the agenda today. Somehow, I don't think it's going to be as fun as the old days of going to department stores and trying on the worst ones, then breaking out in huge fits of laughter. Who knows? Maybe she'll be in a goofy mood. She had a blood transfusion this week and she feels like a million bucks. Lots of energy, full appetite, more color in her face. She's like a new person.

I can't WAIT to start looking at houses this weekend. If I had loads of expendable cash, I would opt for a retro kitchen in black, red and white. Check out these amazing (and super expensive) appliances from Northstar in Candy Apple red:





I would also go with a 1950's table and chairs. Look at this gorgeous number:



I adore this button back chair in Tiffany blue, but they do make them in a "crushed ice" red:




And in sports:

The Celtics are going to have to win a road game, it seems. And how about the Red Sox? Two grand slams? The Royals are probably feeling pretty low right now. They really got knocked around.

Speaking of ...

A little after 5 PM yesterday, I called my mother. I had been on the phone with a mortgage lender earlier in the day and felt really good about beginning the process of buying a home. The pre-approval should happen before the end of the week. Between some money I have saved and some savings bonds I inherited from my father (who inherited them from my grandmother), I've managed to put together a little down payment. I wanted to share this with my mom. She answered her cell phone from the emergency room. At this point, I don't panic at the idea of knowing she is there. It's more like, "What, now?" She's had shortness of breath and lightheadedness and was advised by her oncologist to go to the ER. They proceeded to run their usual battery of tests, including an EKG and a chest x-ray. Both came back normal. To the chest x-ray results, my mother replied, "Normal, except for the cancer, right?" (I may have mentioned that the cancer metastasized to both lungs.) "There is no evidence of cancer in your lungs," the doctor said.

No cancer in the lungs.

NO CANCER IN THE LUNGS!

I guess the chemotherapy is doing it's job. We don't know about the other areas, but my mother did say that the tumor under her rib is loosening up. I don't want to get my hopes up, but when you are dealing with cancer, you have to celebrate all the victories - big and small. Because you don't know when it's going come around and take the wind out of your sails again.

The shortness of breath is due to a low oxygen level in her blood. She will need to discuss a way to treat that with her oncologist. It is supposed to be at least 60 and it's fallen, continuously, down to 21 since last year. This, combined with her asthma, is causing her to feel winded just by walking from the driveway to the back door. She may need iron supplements or possibly a blood transfusion.

She is going in for a port-o-catheter today to make her chemotherapy treatments a little easier. It's better than digging and digging for a vein that eventually presents itself. She's got tricky veins. She would make a terrible heroin addict. Or, at the very least, a very slow one.

Speaking of cancer ...

On another happy note, Lester pulled a no-hitter out of the ether yesterday! I wonder if he had a port-o-catheter. Someone at work just pointed out that he has an enormous head. It's true. And it's all fuzzy bear on top. Anyway, you've got to tip your hat to John Lester. Cancer survivor. Pitcher extraordinaire. Until his next start, anyway.

Speaking of pitching ...

We lost our softball game last night. You want to know why? Because we played a team that clearly belongs in a more advanced league. It sucks that a group of highly skilled players gets together and decides, unanimously, to play in the recreational league simple because they'll breeze their way through. Jerks. Plus, I struck out looking during my last at bat. Jere did great! Came up HUGE in the outfield and robbed these jackasses of a few good rips.

Speaking of coming up HUGE ...

The Celtics play game one against the Pistons tonight at the Gah-din. I am so excited! Prepare to be riveted, people! I predict that Ray Allen is going to step up his game tonight. And hopefully Doc will let Eddie House play again.

Red Hot Celtics

Can you believe it? I really don't know what to say. Last night's game was riveting. And a little bittersweet. I really like Delonte West. And in Red Sox news, you have to love being on top in the division standings, and 4.5 up on the Yanks. [Boy, the Yankees are in rough shape these days. And how about that psycho Yankee fan in New Hampshire, killing a Red Sox fan with her vehicle?]

I am on vacation from my day job this week, but it's been anything but a vacation! Doctors appointments, lots of Stella Marie work, shopping, softball, real estate research ... whew!

My mom is getting accustomed to her chemotherapy. And by this, I mean that she knows now what to expect. It's her week off, so she and her husband are spending several days at a Bed and Breakfast on the Cape.

Like Ice Cube Says ...

1. The weather was killer! It felt like the first official day of spring. Sunny, good smells, a prelude to the inevitable coming of milder times.

2. My grandmother is over her stomach flu and my grandfather spent the entire day outside painting the fence. They are both in their eighties.

3. I received a glowing soap review from Joanna of Product Body fame! And I received my first piece of feedback at my Etsy store!

4. Manny Ramirez got a huge homer in this morning's game. (How strange is it to hear Don and Jerry, announcing a live game, first thing in the morning? My grandmother was psyched - she's up at 5 in the morning.)

5. My mother discovered that the oncologist that she (and I) are seeing on April 11th comes highly recommended. He works at Faulkner Hospital and at Dana Farber. She remains in really good spirits and her last radiation treatment was today!

Can you guess what I am doing here? Many parts of my life are less than sunny right now. In an attempt to keep myself from sliding into a serious clinical depression, I decided to use some old fashioned psychology on myself and list all the good things/breaks I got for the day. Stay tuned for daily doses.

Schilling: One More Year

Do you know why I love Curt Schilling? Besides the fact that he was willing to sacrifice his own health and well-being to bring a championship to a championship starved city? Besides the fact that he's one of the most dedicated ball players the Red Sox have ever known? Besides the fact that he would never pitch for the Yankees because of his principles? I'll tell you. He gets Red Sox Nation. He gets our fierce loyalty and he doesn't take an ounce of it for granted. The experience of retiring in Boston means more to him than an extra 6 million dollars playing somewhere else. Don't get me wrong, I really do like the Phillies, but I'm glad he chose the Sox. I've lived in Philly and as die-hard as their fans are, I never did get the sense that there was anything like "Philly Nation." The team is on an upswing now, so maybe something like this will happen. I sure hope so. I think Ryan Howard is the cat's meow.

Anyway, this post is about Curt Schilling.

Can't wait to see you take the mound next year, number 38!

Putting the Cart Before the Horse

Rolling Rally today! Due to my silly day job, I was not able to attend the parade, but I've got many people representing GFT02145 on the scene. I look forward to their pictures and stories! Our company president wheeled the old creaky television out of the closet and set it up in a small conference room. Oh, glorious day! It feels good to win after losing for so long. Several more WS championships will not spoil me. We are simply making up for lost time. I hope that the city erects a huge statue of David Ortiz on the Boston Common. Wouldn't that be nice?

So, in typical me fashion, I'm already developing some branding concepts for my soap business. Mind you, I have not made a single ounce of cold process soap. All in good time. Since my plan is to move to Northampton, I've decided to call the business NOSOCO (Northampton Soap Company). What do you think of these designs? I am so married to Stentiga, as I think it's a clean, classy font. I couldn't resist using pictures of my cat. He's totally photogenic, and he's fascinated with the tub.



A poster?



Little stickers or labels?

I am going to be experimenting with bath bombs, lip balms, and lotions, also. I've decided to go with 3 main scents to begin with, one being spearmint. I think I'm going to call this line, "Nor'easter." I will start with traditional scents, but I am really looking forward to doing things off the beaten path. You know how sandwich shops name some of their selections after street names or whatever? Why not devote soaps to great things? "Black Flag" soap (licorice-scented black soap with poppy seed exfoliate). "The Clockwork Orange" (tangerine mint souffle). I also want to make a Fluff soap. I think the marshmallow might add a moisturizing element - and it's totally vegan! I can make soap modeled after famous drinks like "The Shirley Temple" or "Apple Martini." I am so excited about this!

WE DID IT!

We painted the Rockies red ...

2007 World Champions!

Going to the Big Show

World Series, baby. World Series!

Up 2

Could this be any more scripted?

I attended my very first Red Sox playoff game last night. It was, of course, brilliant in every imaginable way.

• The weather was spectacular.
  
• The seats were sweet.
  
• The Cleveland-Yankees game was shown on the Jumbotron, at least until the Red Sox-Angels game started. And during the 5th or 6th (I think), the Indians final run was shown.
  
• The Star Spangled Banner was the best I've seen performed at a baseball game, and I don't usually rave about such things.
  
• The Red Sox have shown that they are really clicking in the post season, despite a few Dice K jams. He pitched out of them, for the most part, though.
  
• Manny. Wow.
  
• I got to use the handicapped stall in the ladies room. It's cleaner, obviously more roomy, and it has a hook for your purse/backpack/whathaveyou. I never noticed this in other stalls, but I was never really paying attention, either.
  

The only downer was the woman planted in front of us. She was non-stop talkie-talkie with a friend of hers during a playoff game. Very annoying. She was the kind of woman for whom, after getting killed during your typical body count horror movie, everyone in the theater claps.

I'm really pulling for the Phillies, but they aren't making it easy for me.

Was that a playoff game?

Advice for the Enemy

Billy Crystal is walking around pretending that nothing is wrong. But we all know, similar to that scene in The Exorcist, he is crying out for help through messages on his forehead.

Hey, Billy, I feel your pain. We've been there. It's been a while, but Red Sox Nation is no stranger to hopeless baseball situations. Here's a little advice to the newcomers:

1. Get your jollies by rooting against the Red Sox. With all your might! If your stinky team can't put together a string of meaningful wins, then root for "whoever plays the Red Sox." Make up tasteless nicknames for Red Sox players and shout out, "Red Sox Suck!" at every game, regardless of whether or not the Red Sox are playing in it.

2. Give the Red Sox shit about their inflated pay roll.

3. Show us your soft side. Share your feelings. Have a good cry.

4. Talk about the days of old. Remember the Dynasty. Celebrate the good times.

5. Savor your victories. Though it is doubtful that your current team will provide you with much joy this year, live in the moment. Just don't praise A-Rod when he cheats to deliver a win. Which brings me to ...

6. Petition to get rid of A-Rod. Can't you see now why he is clubhouse cancer?

Try to keep your chins up, Yankee fans. Maybe someday, your organization will be run by an ethical group of professionals instead of the devil himself.

GFT02145: Keeping the Summer in Somerville

Greetings, one and all, from Winter Hill



Wow, the Red Sox are 11.5 games ahead of the Yankees. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Boston could manage to maintain this glorious lead over the Yanks all summer? I am not getting my hopes up, as tempted as I am. Even Steve Somers over in New York has put the proverbial fork in the Yankees (of course, Somers is a die hard Mets fan). I'm not quite ready to do that. I've seen the Red Sox blow huge leads in games and I've seen them lose their grip on their place in the standings. It's early yet.

On the other hand, it seems that no matter what the Yankees have tried to do, their so-called deep pockets have not brought them much return. Sure, Andy Pettitte is a decent pitcher (he is 3-3, with an ERA of 2.66), but you will need another 3 Andy Pettittes to accomplish anything resembling winning. Mussina, who the Sox usually fair pretty well against, is doing miserably right now (2-3, 6.52!). Add Wang to the shit camp, too (3-4, 4.13). These are the Yankees' best starters, people. That's pretty piss poor. They've got a couple of bright spots in Bruney and the much anticipated return of pukey Roger Clemens, but, overall, the forecast isn't very promising. For once, I'd like to see the order of the final standings look something like this:

Boston
Baltimore
Toronto
Tampa Bay
New York

Yours truly will be in attendance at tomorrow's "Trot Nixon Returns, Wearing the Opposing Team's Uniform" game at Fenway. I'm hoping that, with the power of my mind, I can change Trot back into a Red Sox player. I'll have to rent Zapped! starring Scott Baio for pointers.

Enjoy the remainder of this beautious Memorial Day weekend!

P.S. Will someone please get some Claritan for Tavarez? This is one of the worst player pictures I've ever seen.

Suck it, Yankees!

Is that bad baseball karma? You know what? I don't care. It's evened out by Jeter's ridiculous "I'm Safe" gesture during what, the 6th? Sorry, but that is the umpire's job. Not your's, buddy boy.

Red Sox - 1
Yankees - Zip

It's Been a While

... since I've done a muppet look-a-like post ...



Baltimore Manager, Sam Perlozzo and



Sam the Eagle

By the way, Cora just homered in tonight's game against the O's. I heard the crowd going crazy and ran into the living room to see what had just happened, assuming one of the birds got a hit off of Schill. Nope. I mean, come on Baltimore fans! How about supporting your boys? Every time I go to Camden Yards for a Baltimore-Boston game, it's a sea of red. Taylor (that's an O's fan friend of mine, for those of you not in the know), what gives?

By the way, the Yanks are, in fact, in last place. And yes, I was, in fact, at the dong fest that was Sunday night's game.

Sox Going for Sweep

All is right in the Nation today. The Sox are going in for the sweep tonight as Dice K takes the mound against the Yankees for the very first time. Come on, run support! Actually, I think it's going to be like batting practice against this no name starter of theirs. Chase Wright? Whatever. I'll be there tonight with Jere, watching the game from the bleachiz.

Game 1 was a victory of the sweetest kind. The old, "so you think you've got it all wrapped up, eh?" A-Rod was totally relaxed and smiles abounded going into the bottom of the 8th. Then, WHAMO, the Sox offense slapped Rivera's shitting pitching all over the place. Incidentally, I don't see how a guy who knows only one pitch can go down as the greatest closer of all time. I think a guy has to have a few more tools in the toolbox in order to qualify for that.

And lastly: