There’s no point in even mentioning the Chicago Cubs anymore as they continue to fall to the bottom of the National League Central. The Chicago White Sox, however, seem to have found new life under the guidance of bench coach, Miguel Cairo. Tony La Russa continues to recover and could soon be back in charge. It could change the momentum of the team that has won 8 or their last 10 games and claimed second spot in the division. They are only 1 1/2 games out of first behind the Guardians with four games yet to play against the division leaders. They could still make the Playoffs despite the injuries and lack of clutch play that has plagued them all year long.
One of the highlights of this particular White Sox run was a ninth inning rally this weekend, after being held hitless through the seventh. Oakland held a 3-0 lead but the stubborn Sox scored five to keep their streak alive. Too many times this season they had failed to score with runners on base. It restored my faith in the team after giving up on them countless times throughout this futile season.
Fantasy football officially begins today, although Cooper Kupp has already given us a lead from his steady performance Thursday night against the Bills. Our opponent failed to outscore him using three players, so we have an advantage heading into the rest of this week’s action. My son and I drafted the team a few weeks ago at Buffalo Wild Wings here in Port Charlotte. We were able to use last year’s winnings to fully pay our participation fees.
I was swinging a golf club again yesterday, during an outing with my grandson at Top Golf in Ft. Myers. As expected, I quickly tired of the activity but it was a good bonding moment with my son’s 15-year old. It was a good thing that I had selected an indoor course because it was pouring down rain most of the time.
Hoosier football once again responded in the second half last night with another come-from-behind victory. This time it was Idaho that took an early 10-0 lead, but Indiana scored the next 29-points and went to 2-0 with a 35-22 victory. They next face undefeated Western Kentucky with decisive victories over Austin Peay and Hawaii, followed by Cincinnati, Nebraska, and Michigan in their quest to become bowl eligible. I can still see wins over the Hilltoppers and Rutgers to get five of the six necessary conquests. Nebraska and Maryland are possibilities, with rival Purdue as a longshot. Let’s get ready for some football.
I was supposed to pick up my 15-year old grandson from the bus stop at 3p yesterday afternoon. He sent me a reminder text because I was running late. It was pouring down rain and our street was flooded. I could barely see through the windshield and that was before it began to fog up. My car nearly ended up in a ditch and after numerous delays and detours I finally made it, although an hour late. Also, my texts apparently didn’t go through so he had no idea where I was – good reason to be upset. The ride share system that he has access to was also not available under the circumstances, so he was wet and mad once he got in the car.
We typically have afternoon showers here in Southwest Florida, but this deluge was the worst I’ve experienced since moving here. Plus, it didn’t stop for hours. Hopefully, it will be clear when I pick him up today. Running conditions were comfortable this morning but my stomach had me on the toilet once I got out of bed. I decided to shorten the course to the minimum mile. More and more often, I find an excuse to take the easy way out, searching for the motivation to keep going. My legs are heavy and unstable so every step is a challenge.
After getting my grandson home dry and safely this afternoon, my wife and I intend to go to the movies. Our Regal Unlimited passes are not paying off with all the travel we’ve been doing. There’s also not much out to see right now, but we’ve got to try and get our money’s worth. After the movie, we’ll go to dinner as part of “Date Night,” another deposit into the Love Bank.
I was struggling to find some entertainment for my grandson this weekend, knowing that it would be too hot for golf outdoors. I made a reservation at Top Golf in Ft. Myers, a bit of a drive. We can get a bite to eat, and I can watch him hit some balls in air conditioned comfort while taking a few swings for myself. This afternoon I have lunch at the ballpark with a neighbor friend and tomorrow night is Date Night. We might even catch a movie. It’s the last weekend before we depart for Portland, on our route to Alaska.
Work continues today on the outdoor kitchen. Lumber and stone are in piles on the lanai while the appliances/venting wait in the garage. It should be all put together by the time we get back in five weeks, the last home improvement project of the year. Next year, we’ll add more landscaping, have the pavers sealed, and begin construction on the master closet. It seems to be a never ending process and will probably force both of us to seek part-time employment.
We have a lot of packing decisions to make over the next week. Portland rain, Alaska cold, and Hawaiian heat will require some thought with regard to clothing choices. We’ll be able to do laundry on the ship but will also need some more formal clothing for dining. It’s time to to get ready to rumble. The travel clock is ticking.
One week until departure, as time flies by. We’ll be in Portland for five days before ship embarkment from Vancouver and then North to Alaska. In the meantime, we’ve started the outdoor kitchen project and I’ve set-up lunches with a few of my neighbors. I was also back to my routine 3.1 mile run this morning, feeling the strain of day 5,001. Soon, I’ll be with my chiropractor for a weekly adjustment and back in front of the TV for more Sons of Anarchy or House of the Dragon.
I really lead a very boring life with the exception of these bursts of travel. Weeks away from home make me long for the comfort of my office chair, as I feel the exhaustion of life outside the routine. Although our pup Tally seems to enjoy her time at Schnauzerville, she also misses my chair. This will be the longest we’ve ever been away from her and her longest stint from home. Taking her out is the first and last duty I have every day. Our only other interaction seems to be the constant struggle for possession of the chair.
Lunch tomorrow is with a guy that I see most every day during the course of my run. He has two dogs, Snoopy and Duke, and I learned his name at last year’s Tomahawk 5k. He’s not a regular runner but decided to do the race last year, and has signed up again this year. I will miss it because of our trip to Kauai. He sent me a note last week that he was returning home, after I wondered why we hadn’t crossed paths recently. I’ll find out more when we see each other at the Tiki Hut tomorrow noon.
I need to find a project for my grandson and I to do on Saturday. It will be blazing hot for golf but that seems to be his only interest outside of computer games and apps. We sadly have little in common so it’s always a challenge to keep him entertained. I have to try harder to get to know him because he’s already 15 and time flies by!
This morning I reached the 5,000th consecutive day mark of my running streak that started nearly 14-years ago. I was only able to squeeze in the minimum mile since my son needed me to drive him to a doctor’s appointment. However, I typically tend to average about 1,000 miles a year, shooting for 5k a day. My pace in the early morning Florida sun is very slow, but I carefully trudge on.
On this particular journey, I’ve now only crossed the halfway point of circling the earth. It will take me at least another 14-years to get back to where I started. I would be surprised if I make it at age 85, so this is likely one of my final hurrahs. I also never expected to get this far, thinking that maybe one year of running every day would be a satisfying accomplishment. My name would then be listed on the United States Running Streak Association (www.runeveryday.com) site. Thirteen years later I’m still running every single day, ranked #225 in the world, and have somehow been able to avoid serious injury.
I obviously haven’t yet found the right excuse to stop, earning a Forrest Gump-like reputation. It will be tough to get my miles in during the upcoming four weeks of travel. Conditions at sea may restrict me to a treadmill and flight schedules will make it impossible to establish a routine. Run, Mike, Run! All I can say is tomorrow is another day.
I’ve been expecting a run by the White Sox all season long. It’s hard to believe that with the lineup of stars that they have, they’re still in third place and have failed to outscore their opponents going into the last month of the season. There have been some teases like early last month when they won five straight games and moved into contention, only to fall apart once again. It’s been a consistent story of injuries, bad base running, poor defense and a lack of clutch hitting. Tony La Russa, the aging manager, has justifiably been under fire and has finally succumb to health issues. Miguel Cairo has taken over at the end of losing 10 of their last 12 games in August and falling once again below the .500 mark.
The temporary change in management has proven effective with 4-straight wins, including last night’s 13-0 rout over the Twins. A no-hit effort by Dylan Cease was broken up in the ninth inning. The White Sox are now only 2-games out of first and a game behind the Twins, but this is where the wheels fell off in August. I’ve never felt such frustration for a baseball team than I have this season. In any other division, they would be entirely out of the pennant race. I refuse to get my hopes up and once again dashed, but fortunately there’s only a few weeks left in the season. They need to somehow maintain this hot streak and get Tim Anderson and Luis Roberts back in the lineup. May luck finally be on our side in September!
Speaking of frustration, Indiana football failed to win a Big Ten game last year. They finally ended that painful draught with a 23-20 victory over Illinois this week, even though it was an ugly win. The team got some breaks for once and can build on the momentum. Missouri quarterback transfer and new Hoosier Hero, Connor Bazelak, led the come-from-behind winning effort with the clock running out. In the case of the Hoosiers and White Sox this year, it’s better to be lucky than good.
Fifty-two years ago, September 2, 1970, I went to see Led Zeppelin at the Oakland Coliseum. It was a memorable concert with mounds of empty glass bottles and the smell of marijuana lingering in the air. Apparently, Van Morrison and Seatrain were supposed to open but they were both no-shows. It seemed like we arrived late anyway, having spotted a poster for the show that night at the Fillmore. My friend Alan and I ran up and down hills to the car parked near Fisherman’s Wharf without enough money to ride the trolley back. Our cash stash was in the glove compartment of the car so we hastily drove to the venue and paid for our tickets – about $3.50 each at the very top of the arena.
It was Led Zeppelin’s 6th concert tour of North America. According to Wikipedia, the set list was as follows:
- “Immigrant Song” (Page, Plant)
- “Heartbreaker” (Bonham, Page, Plant)
- “Dazed and Confused” (Page)
- “Bring It On Home” (Page, Plant, Dixon)
- “That’s the Way” (Page, Plant)
- “Bron-Yr-Aur” (Page)
- “Since I’ve Been Loving You” (Page, Plant, Jones)
- “Organ Solo”/”Thank You” (Page, Plant)
- “What Is and What Should Never Be” (Page, Plant)
- “Moby Dick” (Page, Jones, Bonham)
- “Whole Lotta Love” (Bonham, Dixon, Jones, Page, Plant)
Encore:
I have a bootleg album of the event but the recording is horrible. The “Blueberry Hill” encore is what I remember most and was the subject of an unpublished novel I once wrote called “Thank God There’s An Ocean.” (See Post #295). I do vaguely remember a projection screen so we could actually see the tiny figures that played on the distant stage. Concert promoters called it “Concert Closeup.” Like everyone else, we rushed towards the stage for the encore. It was my very first concert experience and A Whole Lotta Love!
Property values continue to increase in our area, so I’m pleased with our home investment. It was a great location already with the beach nearby, Spring Training facility, resort amenities, and a small shopping center close by. Venice and Port Charlotte are the closest cities, with Sarasota just 45-minutes away. Wellen Park, next door, is the new up-and-coming community with a lake, golf course, dining, and shopping. They also just announced construction of a Costco and a new hospital just a mile from our new home. The possibilities are never ending, but in the process property taxes are also escalating. Fortunately, I was just able to file our Homestead exemption that will give us some protection over these increases.
We continue to make improvements to our home including a much-anticipated outdoor kitchen. Our builder should be soon returning from Italy and get this project underway. The garage is overflowing with the building materials and appliances that make up this new addition to the lanai. It will be great to get the new kitchen operational and at the same time clear out the cluttered garage. We’re hoping to get it all done in time for the holidays – maybe a Thanksgiving turkey on the rotisserie between travel adventures.
We ordered our Covid e-tests for clearance into Canada to jump on our cruise ship. It’s a computer monitored testing system required within three days of crossing the border as part of the Arrive Canada app. More tests will be necessary once we get to the ship, so we’re naturally nervous about the consequences of testing positive. This could absolutely disrupt our travel plans even though we’ve been vaccinated, double-boosted, and already affected by the troublesome virus.
Tonight is the first official “Date Night” since we’ve settled back into the home routine. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 2-weeks since we returned from our 4,000-mile drive. In that time, I’ve had a birthday night in Tampa and finally saw Santana/EWF in concert. This morning’s run was #4,996 – only four days away from the 5,000 milestone. Then, it will be on to the completion of a full fourteen years as the New Year approaches. It’s one day at a time with no finish line.
A busy morning of running, swimming, mulching, washing, raking, dusting, and blowing. We were also able to prepare a final resting ground for our two beloved pets, Tinker and Frankie. They’ve been in a box throughout our move from Portland to Florida, and although neither of them ever lived here, we wanted them to be close by, looking over the pond and shaded with two big palm trees. After all this busy work, I was finally able to sit down at the computer.
We have visitors this Labor Day weekend – my wife’s niece and her boyfriend. I got them some Voodoo Ranger beer – their favorite. It’s their second stay at our new home, as they now make the frequent visitor’s list, although it’s only for one night. After they leave, we’ll repack some of the lanai items to secure the pool area for any potential hurricane activity while we’ve gone for four weeks. It’s now been a year-and-a-half since we moved in and storm damage has been limited to a ripped screen, Hopefully, we’ll continue to have a quiet storm season.
Snowbird neighbors will begin to return this weekend and so will the traffic. We’re fourteen days from departure to Portland and 21-days from setting sail to Alaska. Another break from the routine is therefore just around the corner. We’ll soon be subject to the stress of travel deadlines but at least there won’t be the hassle of packing and unpacking. This is the nicest benefit of traveling by cruise ship – the same bed is waiting for us every night. In this case, twenty-four nights aboard ship on our route from Vancouver to Alaska to Hawaii. Flying through Portland on the way there will also give us the opportunity to reunite with friends and family. We’re getting ready!
The month of August comes to an end with my total running mileage standing at only 84 after 31 days. This accounts for seven days of travel when my morning runs were shortened to just over a mile by the need to proceed to the next stop. It’s the absolute monthly minimum to achieve 1000 miles a year. I will face the same situation is September trying to get miles in on the boat deck or treadmills of the ship that will take us to Alaska and Hawaii. I will also experience some very cold mornings and will need to pack gloves, a hat, and insulated pants. “The Streak” has now reached 4,994 consecutive days and counting.
As I approach the 14-year mark of running every day, I marvel at how I have kept on going despite the daily struggle of simply taking that first step. I’m sore and tired while the last thing I want to do every morning is sweat and strain. Yet, I’ve somehow managed to keep “The Streak” alive. It has become a necessary evil in keeping off weight, lowering my blood pressure, and getting me going every day. For motivation, I keep referring to the quote, “You don’t stop running when you get old, you get old when you stop running.” I continue to chug along at an embarrassingly slow pace for this very reason.
I was reminded that I will miss the annual Tomahawk 5k at the neighborhood Braves stadium this December because of our trip to Kauai. They are also organizing a “Howl at the Moon” 5k that I will miss at the end of September due to the Alaska cruise (I probably wouldn’t do it anyway because it starts at midnight). There is also a half-marathon in the works, but I’ve resigned myself to a maximum of 5k, although this is clearly a sign of getting old. My legs are already jelly-like in getting through the third mile, let alone a 10k or half. Staying healthy to continue is my sole priority, so why risk it?
