Wait 'til next year

The Astros have succumbed to the force that is the Chicago White Sox, but it was an honor just to be nominated. We had a great season, with a magnificent comeback from the dead at 15-30, making it to our first ever World Series.

The results of the series were not great, but the games, on an individual basis, were. You did not know who was going to win each game until the last out in each game. The games kept me up to odd hours and I was happy to be watching.

I hope the city throws a parade for the team. They deserve it.

I'm considering a mini-season ticket for next season, but the logistics don't work very well. I'll just have to mull it over some more.

Matt meet Art

I've been on a bit of a wave of finding the art work I've purchased at Art Shows over the past few years and getting them framed. Most of the stuff is sketches by various artists and their presentation of the pieces at the shows was fairly bare.

I've done a lot of matting over the past 2 weeks and I think I'm done with the Art Show stuff (some other stuff has been uncovered that needs to be worked on). One of the pieces took me a couple of tries to get it right because I combined two pieces onto one mat/frame. The first attempt I rushed and laid out improperly. The second attempt worked out: I caught myself just before making cuts that would have ruined an hour's worth of work.

I'm going through some online sites (www.americanframe.com and www.mettleco.com) and choosing frames. I've got 6 pieces to frame and, while it won't be cheap, it won't be too expensive to get them all finished. If I'd dropped them off at my local frame shop, I wouldn't be able to afford it.

So, gotta go commit frames and drop some dough.

Mighty Casey..

My boys with the flying star have their backs against the wall from here on out. One more loss and the World Series is out of their reach for the year. So far, it's been a closely matched, fairly well-played series. The results suck.

There've been a few calls blown that could have given us some more opportunities to score, but we've have had quite a number as it is. We've just failed to capitalize on most of them.

I've tried to find shirts and caps for the World Series, but the local stores don't seem to have them. It looks like I'm going to have to order them on-line. My mom and aunt both want t-shirts, so I'll have to add those to my order.

Holier Toledo

The Astros are in the World Series!

I've hoped for this day throughout the years. Mainly in '86, when I remember watching the playoffs in the common room of my dorm at A&M.

I'm not certain I really even knew the World Series existed during the days that I was a Coca-Cola Astros Buddy. I do remember going to a field day at the Astrodome, when the Astro who played each position was going to be out at his position giving a brief demo on the workings of his position. The Astro who played my position, Lee May (at first base), was not able to make it for the demo. I'm pretty sure I was very disappointed. I don't remember who took his place.

Just 4 games to go to win the Series. Go Astros!

Sports

A&M beats Oklahoma State 62 -23? What in the world is going on. OSU must be horrible because the A&M team I saw play Baylor was a disaster.

Astros: Sunday: What a game ending double-play!

Astros: Monday: Come on Lidge. Don't give Eckstein a pitch to hit with 2 strikes.

Astros: Wednesday: We'd better win. I want to go buy World Series paraphernalia.

Ciabatta

According to the cookbooks I've been using, ciabatta bread is supposed to be a rustic bread with large holes in it. Why is it that my renditions are very finely holed, soft loaves.

Kim loves the flavor, but I'm frustrated that it doesn't turn out how I think it's supposed to.

Holy Toledo!

Astros Win!

Kim managed to score some tickets for the Astros vs. Braves game on Sunday for an anniversary gift. 20 rows from the top, directly behind the catcher.

We drive to the game, since Metro no longer provides the ballgame shuttles. It would have cost us more to ride the shuttle ($10) than it did to park the truck ($7), but it would have been more pleasant, as we wouldn't have had flashbacks while driving through the traffic.

Arriving at Minute Maid Park, we wander around a bit, hit the Shed to see if they've got any good caps to commemorate the series, grab some food and get to the seats.

Everything's going fine until the Braves get the grand slam. Disappointment and disillusionment are the emotions of the moment in our area. We see fans throughout the stadium leaving. Not huge numbers, but noticeable from our view from the top. We stick it out. The game was a noon start and we've got nothing pressing on the schedule for the rest of the day. We might go to the Bayou City Arts Festival if we get out of the game at a decent time.

Bottom of the 8th. Astros down 6-1. Bases loaded. Lance Berkman at bat. Suddenly, we're only down 6-5. Joy abounds.

Bottom of the 9th. Two outs. Bases empty. Brad Ausmus at bat. Suddenly, we're tied and going into extra innings. I didn't realize he'd hit a home run until he rounded third and no one tried to throw him out.

10th. 11th. 12th. 13th. 14th. 15th. 16th. 17th. 18th. Pitchers come, pitchers go. First basemen come, first basemen go. Shortstops come, shortstops go. Center fields come, center fielders go. Catchers come, catchers go, catchers return.

Chris Burke at bat. The game's over! Pandemonium erupts and confetti falls from the vents, 5 hours and 50 minutes after the game began.

We started the day at the stadium with lunch and it was just about dinner time when we were through.

What a game.

Flextennis

It's my third season in this flexible (i.e., no set day to play - you schedule your own matches) tennis league. My match last night was against a guy whose playing in his first season. His first competitive tennis in a while. I beat him handily, but he'll be much better by the end of the season. He was just rusty.

www.flextennis.com

A&M vs Baylor

Friends of the family had some extra tickets for the A&M - Baylor game and I had a Saturday free unavoidable obligations. Kim was supposed to have an appointment in west Houston on that day, so I got my neighbor (Steve, also an Aggie) to join me for the game.

It turned out Kim's appointment was cancelled, but not until after arrangements with Steve had been set up.

Steve and I left early to meet up with a bunch of folks tailgating before the game. WE managed to get there in time to get a parking spot near the tailgaters. The next couple of hours were spent eating, drinking and low-key rabble-rousing.

Next, the game. Geez, what sort of team is A&M putting on the field this season? We can't move the ball on offense and we can't stop Baylor (or Texas State, for that matter) defensively.

I'm still annoyed at the rich old Ags who drummed R. C. Slocum out of the head coaching spot. I've yet to see anything worthwhile out of Coach Fran.

I don't expect us to win any more games this season.