Category: Chicago White Sox (Page 21 of 24)

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Retirement is not without Hassles: No Date #258

September 13, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s date night and I have no date. My wife is on a business trip to D.C., so it will probably be chicken pot pie for me tonight. I did cook last night but had to remake the glaze for my flank steak, after burning the first batch. The whole house smelled like burnt garlic, so it wasn’t one of my better efforts in the kitchen. I should probably stick to the microwave, but I would really like to become more proficient with my cooking. I don’t feel comfortable around the oven yet, and one night a week may not be enough to build confidence. It’s been very stressful finding my way, and I’m lucky that I haven’t burnt or cut myself yet.

My wife woke me up at about 5 a.m. in anticipation of an 8 a.m. flight. I was not motivated to run, so it was a slow process getting up. With the cancellation of Pints to Pasta and the $250 price tag to run the Portland Half Marathon, I’m currently without a goal. I am sitting at 3,181 consecutive days and counting on my running streak, but that only gets me out the door each morning and through the first mile. With all those extra miles that I ran to get ready for the Hood to Coast Relay, I need to maintain this new level of fitness. I had already run a 10-mile training run last week, and felt ready to do more distance, but the fires affected the Pints to Pasta course and they were forced to cancel. I got a notice today for the Shamrock Run, but that isn’t until March, so I need to make a firm commitment to Run Like Hell or the Holiday Half.

I don’t plan to leave the house again today, with the exception of a couple of short dog outings. I’m stocked-up on Diet Coke, peanut butter, and bananas so there’s really no need to leave. i may do some more travel planning for 2018, since flights, hotels, and rental cars have all been secured for the remainder of this year. My wife is chained to the office for budget planning in January, but in February we’ll go to Phoenix for her annual meeting. Baseball schedules for 2018 were just released yesterday, so I’ll plan to attend some White Sox or Cubs games in L.A., Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, New York, Miami, St. Louis, San Diego, Denver, Washington D.C., and Seattle. Opening Day is March 29th, the day we return from our overseas adventure to Amsterdam, Venice, Croatia, and Athens, part of which is a Viking Cruise. In April, we’ll attend a wedding in Hualtulco, Mexico, and perhaps extend that weekend to include Puerto Vallarta. There will be at least four trips into Chicago next year, a long weekend in Vancouver to see the Gardens, a French Laundry dinner, Broadway Shows, and at least two get-togethers with my grandchildren. It will be another busy and expensive year of travel that will require a lot of planning. While we don’t have a date tonight, there are certainly many ahead of us!

Old Sport Shorts: Veeck #257

September 12, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

One of my baseball heroes is Sherm Lollar, who played catcher for the Chicago White Sox from 1952-1963 and wore number 10. He was the second best catcher in the American League in the 1950s, behind Yogi Berra of the Yankees. Earlier this year, I wrote a letter to the Golden Era Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame, hoping to spur some consideration for induction. (See Post #5). I’m currently reading the book Bill Veeck Baseball’s Greatest Maverick by Paul Dickson, and I ran across several references to Lollar. On August 24, 1951 (three days before my birth), Veeck organized a promotion to give fans the opportunity to manage his team, the St. Louis Browns. He placed manager, Zack Taylor, in a rocking chair near the dugout and provided selected fans with placards marked YES and NO, which they would hold up to determine what the Browns should do next. Sherm Lollar had come to the team after the 1948 season from the Yankees, because manager Bill Dickey determined that Berra’s left-handed swing was more compatible with Yankee Stadium. Lollar earned a World Series ring , despite only 11 at bats and 1 home run in 1947. Finally in 1948, the year Babe Ruth died and Sherm’s last year in New York, he only got to play in 22 games, The Browns got him for virtually nothing, but he was still limited to only a part-time role.

Veeck was known for his promotional stunts, including the very controversial “midget” game less than a week earlier. He used three-foot-seven-inch, sixty-five pound, Eddie Gaedel, as a pinch hitter against the Detroit Tigers. Because of his narrow strike zone, Gaedel easily walked. and then was replaced with a pinch-runner. The “fan vote” event was Veeck’s much tamer follow-up, but still irked the other baseball owners. Bill Veeck had previously owned the Cleveland Indians, taking them to a World Series Championship in 1948, so Lollar would have been part of his 1946 squad, the year he bought the team. Veeck then orchestrated one of his characteristic “bundled deals” that sent Lollar and Ray Mack to the Yankees in exchange for Hal Peck, Al Gettel, and Gene Bearden. Veeck re-inherited Lollar when he bought the White Sox in 1959, so their baseball paths are strongly intertwined. In fact, a cricket promotion that Bill staged in Comiskey Park between games of a double-header with Kansas City, involved both Lollar and Luis Aparicio taking at-bats, while the crowd chanted “That’s not cricket.” At least, they were not part of the circus show he put on the week before!

The first decision of the fan jury was to determine the starting line-up for the game. They chose to go with Sherm over Matt Batts at catcher. After the season, the Browns traded Lollar to the White Sox where he became a regular starter, including the 1959 World Series against the Dodgers. It just shows how perceptive the Browns fans were in promoting him to a starting role. According to his 1951 Bowman baseball card, he played in only 126 games in 1950 and hit .280 with 13 home runs. In 1949, he batted .269 in 109 games. More importantly, he made only 4 errors in 322 total chances (.988). Defense would become his trademark, and what should have gotten him into the Hall of Fame.

Veeck added Slugger Ted Kluszewski late in the season to the 1959 White Sox team that he inherited. (See Post #118) His White Sox lost the series to the Dodgers, despite home runs from both “Big Klu” and Lollar. After the season, he installed what I consider to be his greatest contribution to Chicago White Sox baseball, “The Monster,” an exploding scoreboard of fireworks in center field to celebrate each home run blast. (See Post #156). Disco Demolition Night in 1979 was Bill Veeck’s other infamous promotional contribution to Comiskey Park lore, when a stoned mob wrought havoc on the field. Sherm Lollar died in 1977 and has yet to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, despite a lifetime .992 fielding percentage. Bill Veeck was inducted in 1991, five years after his death.

Old Sport Shorts: Storm Brewing #253

September 10, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

As Irma batters Florida, the Cubs have their own storm to weather. Their lead in the N.L. Central is down to two games over both the Brewers and the Cardinals. The Brew Crew got the sweep and the Cardinals beat the Pirates, so their is no joy in Wrigleyville. The Bears dropped two potentially winning touchdowns, to add to the misery in Chicago, and the Colts are losing badly to the Rams, if anyone cares. The only good news was a meaningless White Sox victory over the Giants. St. Louis has won three in a row and seven of eight, face a three-game series with the lowly Reds, and have seven games remaining with the Cubs. With the Cubs and Cards having the day off tomorrow, The Brewers can move to within a game and a half of the lead with a victory over the struggling Pirates, and then travel to Miami to see the storm damage.

The Brewers had their way with the Cubs, outscoring them 20-3 in the three-game sweep. The Cubs had not been swept since May, and to make matters worse this was on their home turf. They have had one of the best records in baseball since the All-Star break, but they needed put the Brewers away, and instead left the door open for a four-game storm brewing in Milwaukee later this month. In fact, difficult trips to St. Louis and Milwaukee will determine the Central Division winner. Second place will probably not be good enough to earn a wild card. Who will be left when they turn off the regular season lights?

It was not a good weekend of sports for me. The only winners on my list of favorites were the Indiana Hoosiers and the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs, Bears, and Colts fell short…oh my! My son still hopes to see the Cubs again this year when they travel to Tampa to play the Rays, if Tropicana Park is still standing. It will be a meaningless two-game set for Tampa Bay and must-win situations for the Cubs. He brought them luck in the game we went to together in San Francisco, but the only luck he’s wishing for now is that Irma spares his home and family. Sorry, the Cubs just don’t matter today, and they played like it!

Old Sport Shorts: Worries #243

September 4, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

My concerns for the Cubs heightened after today’s 12-0 loss to the Pirates. The hamstring injury to Jake Arrietta reinforces my skepticism for back-to-back World Series Championships. I was already worried about their rotation, considering that a team like the Astros strengthened their position with the acquisition of Justin Verlander. The Astros are taking a page out of the Saints playbook from Katrina, hoping to capitalize on the misfortunes of Harvey and lift the spirits of Houston by winning the World Series. It was a smart move!

The Cubs had a great August, including the six-game streak at the expense of the Pirates and Braves. I thought they were headed in the right direction, but injuries can change a team’s momentum quickly, and the Brewers are on their heals. Milwaukee lost in walk-off fashion to the lowly Reds this afternoon, failing to gain any ground on the division-leading Cubs, while the Cardinals gained a game in the standings. The Cubs have to at least split this series in Pittsburgh and keep the Pirates out of the race. Tomorrow’s match-up of Quintana and Cole could be pivotal in the drive to the playoffs. The Pirates are still 9.5 games out, following last week’s Cubs sweep at Wrigley.

This may be the last time I mention the White Sox this season, but they are a pitiful 26.5 games behind the Indians in the AL Central and still not the worst team in baseball. The Phillies still own that distinction. The red-hot Tribe won their 12th straight game today, and Trevor Bauer, who the Cubs remember from the World Series, won his eighth decision in a row. They can fight it out with the Astros in the playoffs. Of greater concern to the Cubs are the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Nationals that have already shown superiority this season. The only non-division teams remaining on the Cubs schedule are the Mets and the Rays, who are dangerous simply because they’re out of contention.

Go Cubs!

Old Sport Shorts: What’s Next #221

August 17, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

The Cubs couldn’t take out the lowly Reds and expand their Central Division lead. This sets off a loud alarm, as we head into the home stretch. Cubs hitting has been all-or-nothing, they haven’t dominated individual series, and relief pitching has been atrocious. Today, it was starting pitching, as John Lester gave up 7 earned runs in the second inning. It was part of a 9-run barrage, reminiscent of the Big Red Machine of years long passed. The Cubs were somehow able to rebound from this deficit only to give up more in relief. It was just like yesterday, when the inconsistent Cubbies jumped out to a five-run lead, lost it, and then regained it for victory. At least this series ended in a 2-2 split, with Joe Madden facing a fine for arguing a really bad call.

The only good news in the loss is that Red’s reliever, Drew Storen, got the victory, his fourth of the season. He is the son of a former co-worker that I’ve followed as he moved from Stanford University, to the Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and currently the Cincinnati Reds. It’s rare when you know a Major Leaguer, but he’s actually the second that I’ve encountered via friendship in this lifetime. The other was Scott Rolen, the son-in-law of a former boss. Both of my connections actually worked for the same television station in Indianapolis, as I did. Even more remarkably is the fact that Drew Storen and T.J. Yates, currently a back-up QB with the Buffalo Bills, grew up near each other in the Indianapolis area. Drew’s father liked to joke that his son “had the second-best arm in the neighborhood,” even though his fastball approached 100 miles an hour, 410 career strike-outs and 100 career saves. He just pitched an “immaculate inning” earlier this year – nine pitches for three strike-outs. Immaculate is not the word for Cub pitching this year.

Meanwhile on the South Side of Chicago, the White Sox have slipped below 20 games out of first place. Only Philadelphia has fewer wins and no losses. Rookie sensation Yoan Moncado hitting only .185 with two home runs – so much for the future. The Sox lost a tough one to the Dodgers, now 51 games over .500, last night on a walk-off, after leading most of the game. They did recently sweep the Houston Astros before their current four-game losing streak.

Hang in there, Cubs – only a month and a half left in the season before the Playoffs begin. It doesn’t look like St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh “want it” bad enough, as they can’t seem to gain any ground against the struggling Cubs. I’ll be in Chicago for the AL Division series, if they need me, and I’ll be in New York for the World Series. Maybe the Minor League All-Star Game won’t be my last hurrah this year! It’s been a good retirement year, especially if I extend it back to the 2016 World Series at Wrigley. Following that experience, it was spring training in Port Charlotte, Dodger Stadium, AT&T Park, Oregon State, Yankees at White Sox, and both the Minor and Major League All-Star Games. What’s next?

Old Sport Shorts: Minor Stars #203

August 2, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s been an “All-Star” retirement year for me, so far. Never in my life have I attended one professional All-Star Baseball games, let alone two! The major league event in Miami was all about New York Yankees rookie sensation Aaron Judge and his home run power. Since that time, his batting average is hovering at .300 compared with .329 going into the break, but he still leads the regular season home run race with 34 to go along with a top .632 slugging percentage. All that, despite getting off to a relatively “slow” second half start. The American League won again, and Cubs pitcher Wade Davis let Robinson Cano’ steal the show. It was an exciting first All-Star Game and Home Run Derby for me.

As an encore, I also got to attend the Northwest League (NWL) versus Pioneer Baseball League (PBL) game in Hillsboro, Oregon (Portland). Although it was a “Minor” affair as opposed to a “Major,” I found it to be just as enjoyable. The temperature at Ron Tonkin Field, home of the Hops, was 102 degrees, as opposed to the air conditioned comfort of Marlins Park. I was not familiar with many of the participants, having not yet attended a Hillsboro Hops game. The only name that struck a connection for me was Craig Dedelow of the Great Falls Voyagers (PBL). I knew him from my alma mater, Indiana University, and as a recent 9th round draft choice of the Chicago White Sox. Just like the Futures game in Miami, it was a White Sox connection that drew me to the autograph table. (See post #179) Yoan Moncado was just promoted to the big league club and got his first major league home run the other night on a tough pitch by Jake Arrietta of Cubs. It will be a while, if it all, before Dedelow makes that jump to join college teammates, Kyle Schwarber and Sam Travis. The other White Sox future that I met was Anthony Villa, Dedelow’s current teammate. Villa got a hit in the game in a pinch role, while Dedelow narrowly missed the finals of the Home Run Derby.

There were also a few future Cubs that I enjoyed chatting with at the autograph tables. Gastavo Polanco, Aramis Ademan, and Luis Aquino all represented the Eugene Emeralds (NWL). None of them was a factor in the actual game. The MVP was Luis Asuncion of the Tri-City Dust Devils (Padres PBL), his teammate Henry Henry (signed autograph as H2) was credited for the win, and his other teammate, Jose Galindo got the save. Seven Hops players made the squad, along with the entire coaching staff. The NWL winning runs came in the bottom of the 5th, after the PBL took an early 4 run lead in the 2nd inning. Daniel Jipping of the Boise Hawks (Colorado Rockies NWL) won the Home Run Derby, and the Northwest League (NWL) remains unbeaten in the All-Star Series games.

Next stop on the retirement tour is AT&T Park, where the Giants will host the Cubs in the opening game of a 3-game series. Hopefully, the Cubs can continue to roll, and maintain their lead over the Brewers. The Giants have the worst record in the National League, but the Cubs did manage to lose an entire series to the Padres, who were in that lowly position the last time the Cubs visited California. Please leave the “Anchorman” costumes back in Chicago!” (See Post #101)

Old Sport Shorts: On a roll #198

July 31, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

A 13-3 record since the All-Star break is an impressive start to baseball’s second season. The Cubs are on a roll worthy of a World Series Champion. 10 of these victories have been on the road with only 1 loss, and a six-game home stand lies ahead against the Diamondbacks then the Nats. However, both Arizona and Washington have better records than the Cubs, so they’ll need a home field advantage to win these two critical series, before they hit the road again. It’s been pitching that has given them the edge, with starters going 11-1 since the All-Star rest, and being stingy with only 5 total runs to the Division-rival Brewers in these last three games. The acquisition of pitcher Jose Quintana from the White Sox sparked this Cubs surge, but he’s also the only Cubs starter with a loss, as the Brewers beat him despite only four hits. This particular game was a frustrating loss to open the series, but the Cubs rebounded in the final two pitching duels to gain a 2.5 game lead in the Central.

On the South side of Chicago, the Pale Hose somehow managed to snap both the Cubs six-game winning streak and the Indians nine-game string, but these were the only 2 games that they’ve won since the All-Star break. They had been swept by the Mariners, Dodgers, and Royals to start the second half at 0-8, to finally upset the opposite trending Cubs in the first game of the Cross-Town. Overall, the Sox are now 2-13 since dumping Quintana, Robertson, and Frazier in favor of building for the future. They’ve already lost 62 games this season, with only Philadelphia, Washington, and Cincinnati having racked-up more Ls. At this “rate,” they’ll be “guaranteed” a new field sponsor soon. I still like their uniforms, though!

I plan to go to the Minor League All-Star game tomorrow night in Hillsboro. The home team, Hops, host the Pioneer League All-Stars against the Northwest League All-Stars. The players will use wooden bats for the Home Run Derby that precedes the actual game. The Eugene Emeralds are the Cubs affiliate in this Region, while the Great Falls Voyagers represent the White Sox. Pitchers, Tyler Johnson and J.B. Olson, first baseman, Anthony Villa, and outfielder Craig Dedelow are the future White Sox stars. Dedelow also went to Indiana University, my alma mater and should compete in the Home Run Derby competition along with Villa. Both have 9 home runs so far this season, one behind leader Luis Paz of Ogden. Cubs futures include pitcher Luis Aquino, catcher Gustavo Polanco, and shortstop Aramis Ademan, although none are likely to compete in the Derby. Here’s to the future!

Old Sport Shorts: Cub No Dub #196

July 29, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

The Cubs, hoping to gain some momentum going into the All-Star break, had a chance to reduce the Brewers lead in the Central Division with a home win in a make-up game. Instead, they fell flat on their faces, losing 11-2. Cubs starter Mike Montgomery gave up seven runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings, and the team then went on to lose 2 out of 3 against the Pirates. Things continued to go downhill for the Cubs even during the All-Star Game as the only two Cubs representatives, Wade Davis and Manager Joe Madden, were credited for the National League loss in the 10th inning.

As the second half of the season began, the tables slowly started to turn. The Brewers won two of their first three against Philadelphia at home, and then lost seven to the surging Pirates in a home and away series, and two out of three in Philadelphia. The Cubs won six straight, including sweeps of Baltimore and Atlanta, and then took two out of three against the Cardinals and three out of four against the White Sox. Suddenly the Cubs had a 1 1/2 game lead on the Brewers in the Central and all the momentum, going head-to-head in Milwaukee. Surely, the tide had finally changed for the Cubs, and they could extend their lead. Once again, the Brewers prevailed and the Cubs offense sputtered.

I’m very frustrated with this loss, and with the Cubs inability to win opening games of series this year. The Cardinals somehow took game 1 at Wrigley, and the Cubbies should not have lost even one game against the White Sox, let alone this key opportunity in Milwaukee. They just don’t have it this year! Sure, they could come back and win the next two against the Brewers, but they seem to lack that killer instinct of a champion. Even Kyle Schwarber, who has been on a roll, couldn’t make contact with the tying run at third in last night’s game. The result – No Dub.

Dubs are wins, and the Cubs need to win the next two against the Brew Crew, and then go on and have at least a 10-game winning streak to take command of the Central. The Cardinals and Pirates are hanging in there, and it doesn’t look like there will be a Wild Card chance for any of these division rivals. The Central Division is weak, and it will take a dominant leader to have any hope for a World Championship. All these teams will be making trade moves in the next few months, with the Pirates and the reinstatement of Starling Marte making the most noise so far in the second half of the season. The Cubs and Pirates will meet again at the end of August, just before the home stretch. If you’ll remember the Pirates swept the Cubs at Wrigley to start the season, before the Marte 60-game suspension. He’s back! Is there anybody out there than can enhance the Cubs chances for a repeat? The drama continues….

Don’t be a Dud….Fly The Dub.

Retirement is not without Hassles: What day is it? #192

July 26, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

Bachelorhood ends tonight. I’ve slowly made the adjustment today with plant watering, pet sitting, vacuuming, dusting, laundry, and dishes. I even made room in the garage for my wife’s car that has been in airport parking lot for the last 4 days. I’ve also showered and shaved for tonight’s reunion. When the alarm goes off tomorrow morning, I’m back to a normal routine, and will actually vacate the house by car for most of the afternoon, as I work in a lunch and happy hour with former co-workers. The first question they’ll ask me is “how are you enjoying retirement?” I’ll smile and ask them, “what day is it?” I think that regardless of age, most people have distant aspirations for retirement. I hope they are also prepared to face the aches and pains, bladder issues, appearance changes, and other hassles associated with aging. I feel that I’m an excellent example of something to look forward to, but maybe trying a little to hard to be young again.

A rocking chair is not my thing, but I have nodded off the last couple of days in the afternoon after the longer runs I’ve been doing in preparation for the Hood to Coast relay. I’m still obsessed with getting up the “hill from hell” and really haven’t made any progress the last couple days of training. My muscles are tired and strained, but I feel good about the effort. We have a team meeting next week, and I would like to go for a drive this weekend to check-out my sections of the race. As a result, the pups may get a trip to the coast or a trip to Timberline Lodge, depending on what direction we decide to go.

When I was training for the Detroit Marathon 38 years ago, I accumulated over 116 miles in one week. Scared to death that I would fail, I logged every mile in a diary, had a specific time goal, and sometimes ran three times a day. I’m not that guy anymore! I’m about 15 pound heavier, at least 4 minutes slower per mile, and all those years older. I can honestly say that I was seriously addicted to running back then, and it took a series of injuries to get me to stop pushing myself. I’m still motivated to run every day, but I don’t have that competitive edge that I had back then. I’m equally scared of this event, but it’s 17.4 miles over two days compared with 26.1 miles in one day. If I factor in a 50% loss of speed, I’ll actually be running for more hours, almost 3.5 hours as opposed to just over 3 hours for the marathon.

I did not run twice today, and spent some time with my feet up. I did some reading on the back deck, walked the dogs five times, watched a couple of documentaries, including the HBO series, “The Defiant Ones,” and enjoyed the Cubs vs. White Sox baseball game on ESPN. The two Chicago teams have one more game tomorrow evening to complete the Cross-Town rivalry series. We’ll be back at the ballpark in 11 days, as the Cubs face the Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco. I’ve been by the park several times, but have never seen a game there. When I come back home, I’ll be a bachelor again, with my wife back in the Midwest. I guess we’ll leave our hearts in San Francisco, fly back separately, and reunite 4 days later. I’ll be really confused on what day it is by then!

Retirement is not without Hassles: The Hill #188

July 25, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s day two of the bachelor life. I slept a little later, did a hilly, four-mile run, and walked the dogs. I’ll try another two miles this afternoon, but my thighs feel like concrete, and I didn’t even come close to conquering the hill today. I have managed to shed about ten pounds over the past two weeks, with longer runs on more challenging terrain. I also have a two-day growth of beard, and have that youthful feeling of an athlete in training. Unfortunately, I still can’t regain any of my former speed, so I’ll have to be satisfied with endurance.

I always imagined what it would be like to be an Olympian. Your only job would be to train. I’m not sure I’m ready to give a full 8-hour day to training, but I will commit a couple of hours each day. There is a medal at steak here, and my team is counting on me to give it my all. There’s only 31 days until race day, and I’d like to lose at least another five pounds. I’ll need every advantage to combat the mileage, hills, and lack of sleep associated with the event. I should be just taking it easy in my rocking chair, but instead trying to find that guy inside me who ran track in high school 50 years ago. Insane but true!

I did hear back from the fellow “streaker” that I wrote to yesterday. No, we don’t run naked in public, as Ray Stevens describes in the lyrics of his hit song, “The Streak.” We simply run every day at least once. She and her husband operate a local running store, and have had a lot of experience with the Hood to Coast relay. I read their blog, and was invited to run with them any Saturday morning. Oh, you mean “everyone else is home day. (Post #66). I also know it as “movie night,” “popcorn dinner night”, or “run with the dogs” day, since Saturday is no longer a part of my new retirement language. Every day is the same now and that includes birthdays, holidays, weekends, and vacations.

Speaking of movie night and/or popcorn dinner night, we did go to see the new “Spider-Man: Homecoming” movie. I wasn’t particularly impressed. I’m not a consistent fan of these comic book action movies, but I did like “Wonder Woman.” We’ll probably go see “Dunkirk” next, especially after our recent trip to Normandy. I’m also not a big war movie fan, but the historical significance in that time frame just before D-Day is appealing.

I made a bachelor’s lunch platter of mini-peanut butter sandwiches. It’s various combinations with honey, banana, mayonnaise, and pickles on thin-sliced french bread. I’m apparently channeling Elvis, Kinsey Millhone, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. while watching the Cubs play the White Sox on television. These sandwiches are not exactly low on calories and hardly on any Olympic training table, but should give me enough energy to complete another two miles this afternoon, and another attempt at the hill.

I hope to get some sun this afternoon, read some more of Dennis Lehane’s novel, Prayers for Rain, and maybe pray for strength to get me up that hill that has challenged me since we moved into the neighborhood. I’m originally from the Midwest, so I’m intimidated by steep hills. It’s not Boston’s Heartbreak Hill or Hurricaine Point at Big Sur, but it is as tough as it gets in this hilly neighborhood. Before I load into that van at 2 a.m. on August 25th to head to the starting line, I want that hellish hill to be just a routine part of my daily run. Give me strength and some Advil!