Cue the Excitement

I refuse to get excited about the Red Sox, I refuse to get excited about the Red Sox, I refuse to get excited about the Red Sox, etc, etc.  Who the hell am I kidding, of course I’m going to get excited.  At least this team is likable and if yesterday is any indication, very likable.  They also did it against the hated Yankees where their pretensious fans departed en masse well before the game was decided - sweet. 


Best Play of Whole Game

That is something that’s been missing from the last few incarnations of my beloved Sox, decidedly so and culminating with last year’s collection of self-important wannabes.  There was hustle, desire, and emotion that was sorely lacking last year.  Sox fans will endure a lot except for not caring.  Even the robotic Ellsbury seemed engaged yesterday.  This team has a lot of the personality that made the 2004 team so memorable; not pretty nor blessed with great stats but lots of heart.  Dammit – they got me again.  I’ll have to repeat the mantra over the next few days – it’s only one game, only one game.   

The Very Last Remnant of 2013's Impressive Snow - Good Riddance

In another sign of spring the snow is finally making its exit.  It’s hard to believe that only a week ago the entire yard was snow covered but now there’s just a few spots left.  I was spooked yesterday evening when my wife let out a blood curdling scream when it started snowing again outside.  Again, not a lot of sympathy from this quarter as I reminded her that this small squall was nothing compared to what we’d been through while she endured the beaches of Panama.

My wife did fall victim to a typical Latina affliction while in Panama.  Her mother got her hooked on a couple of “novellas”.  These are Spanish language soap operas.  They differ from American soaps in that they actually end.  My wife never liked American soaps because they go on for decades.  She’s aware of her predilection for the Spanish soaps and studiously avoided them but she came back fully hooked on two.  I found them on the internet for her and she was thrilled.  I came home to find one of the living room easy chairs moved in front of the computer for some serious viewing.

Serious Viewing Going on Here - Buddy Not Impressed!

Her fixation on the novellas allowed me some free time to get sucked into the time crushing vortex that is the 2000 piece puzzle.  I’m in the home stretch and my wife even stopped by a couple times to “help”.  I had to caution her against forcing pieces in.  She saw something that should fit and then applied some fist pounding pressure to make it fit (setting Buddy off, of course, thinking someone was at the door).  It’s kind of how she rolls – love having her back; really missed the salsa.

Progress So Far

Since I spent the last couple of months immersed in reading the Chronicles of the Black Company I decided to return to one of my other favorite genre’s- the military thriller.  I found Andrew Peterson had published another Nathan McBride book – Option to Kill.  I polished it off in three days as McBride reminds me a whole lot of Jack Reacher.  He’s a lot more vulnerable and social than Reacher and usually ends up seriously hurt (very un-Reacher like) but he has the same relentless methodology and skill set that makes Reacher so “lovable”.    

Very Good Read

In this book he rescued a family member, a twelve year old girl, from a crime syndicate and then spent a breathless three days protecting her from them.  I really like the way Peterson weaves in the interpersonal dialogue amidst all the carnage and explosions.  He was especially good this time out with the pre-teen family member and her interactions with the hulking, battle scarred but good guy – McBride.  This book read like a script from the old TV series “24” which, for me, is high praise indeed.  I’m always looking for new series to follow and Peterson and McBride are definitely in that category now. 

Construction Downhill Continues - Pile Getting Bigger