Sweeeeeet!

Well, if I was happy yesterday on Frail Deeds, you can guess where I’m heading today. The Red Sox executed another walk off win to send the very talented, but very young, Rays home for the winter. It was kind of an ugly win as the Sox blew a five run lead, predictably in the 8^th inning and then won the game on a single, bunt, fielder’s choice and then a sacrifice fly. Fenway was once again electric and more than helped the Sox dispense with the boys from Tampa. I think that was the difference in the series, maturity. The Rays, by virtue of their limited budget rely on young players. While that can be a strength as they seem to have a preternatural ability to identify young talent it can also hurt when they’re experiencing playoff pressure for the first time.

These Guys Know how to Party

They came into the game with a lot of swagger though, like they had this in the bag. None more obvious about it than their brilliant young shortstop, Wander Franco, who looks to be a certified Sox-killer. While he did his level best to rise to the occasion the rest of the team wilted under the pressure. That was, of course, more than fine with me. The bottom of the 9^th win sent the house into a frenzy followed by the obligatory family text messages flying back and forth. The Cantankerous One even got into the spirit of things from his South Carolina vacation spot. It was a very New England kind of thing.

Less Swagger now, Wander?

The Boys of October

I typing this in the midst of some deafening noise as the workers that were supposed to be here yesterday showed up today to replace a bunch of our windows. They have to cut the old ones out first, hence the noise. The Maine Musquetera showed up last night but I don’t have a picture of them together yet because she showed up during the game (need I say more?) and then they fled early this morning to escape the noise. You can guess their destination. They were a little crestfallen to learn they had to be back by 3:30pm since I have a dermatologist appointment this afternoon. So, Go Sox, I never imagined they would knock off the Rays but as wise, yet Cantankerous Friend, opined, get into the playoffs and anything can happen.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                            

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn