Chasing the Elusive Winning Season

Even though it is like the third coldest morning of the winter--Orioles fans have a warm spot in their hearts for the team that has entered Spring Training in Sarasota, Florida.

We believe that this is the year!

The year of what? You might ask.

Well for one, a winning season--the first in 13 seasons.  To post more wins than losses would be a truly great accomplishment for a club that has dramatically underperformed and resides in a division the the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Rays.

We get excited when we read in Peter Schmuck's article:

SARASOTA, Fla. — How’s this for one of the biggest problems facing manager Buck Showalter this spring?
The Baltimore Orioles are hitting the ball too far.

Showalter had to move batting practice from the northeast practice field to the southwest field that mirrors the dimensions of Orioles Park after several unhappy spring training spectators came to the O’s administrative office hoping to be reimbursed for damage to cars parked beyond the left field fence.

We believe there is hope for our team.

But wait, there is more. Being the the American League East Divison, we want more!

We want our downtrodden Orioles to not just have a winning season--but to finish ahead of the over-rated Yankees and their millions of dollars, and ahead of the Red Sox, and the Rays, and the Blue Jays.

We want a playoff team again!

I remember going to playoff games so many years ago here in Baltimore. I find it hard to believe that I have actually lived my adult life in one place long enough to actually have attended playoff games in a city where the home team has 13 straight losing seasons. But I have and this crazy place called Baltimore has become my home.

In a few short weeks, I will be in Sarasota for my first ever trip to Spring Training. I have my tickets and I am more than ready.

I hope I like what I see.

But Springtime is in the air and it is filled with baseballs and visions of winning seasons and playoff games.

Oriole Magic lives.

Back for more fun

And here is a pile of snow from this morning's fun. It had to come back for a do over it seems.

I could have done without it.

But the driveway is cleared. The temperature crawled over freezing and we are on the road to Springtime.

But really? We were at 75 degrees on Friday and then we had snow this morning. And not just a little. A significant amount.

Spring is coming. Hold on to that thought.

Winter's Revenge

Yesterday morning as I was watching snow fall on the Today Show hosts, I laughed to myself about how nice it was to be in Maryland and not be part of the oncoming storm.

Yes, everyone ,this morning's mess is my fault.

I thought we were safe. I put away the remainder of the salt and started thinking about Spring.

But as yesterday continued--the weather report got more ominous--and it became apparent that Winter had heard me joke about it being all but over and decided to make a return appearance.

Ugh!

By 9:30 last night the snow was falling--not just a little bit--but in significant amounts.

I had to put the cinder blocks back into the bed of my truck for a bit of added traction. And the snow was falling and laughing at me. I could hear the laughing as the flakes slammed into the ground and on my head at an ever increasing speed.

I have to deal with it at least one more time.

But I am up for the challenge. Again.

Deal with it!

Monday Musings - February 21, 2011

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1. It is amazing how out of touch legislators in various states are--Wisconsin, for example. Wow--what a way to mismanage a situation, revoking the rights of government employees to participate in unions. Sounds like the early-1900's all over again.

2. The Arab world is aflame with demands for freedom--too bad democracy is so slow to respond to be a viable answer.

3. Geese are wild animals--but they sure get close sometimes.

4. Baseball is back in the news with Spring Training shifting into gear--and the NFL is preparing to self-destruct with a lock out by the owners.

5. Wild variations in weather and temperature--snow melting, green beginning to be seen in the bushes--must be Springtime.

6. We talked about "aha" and "oh-my" moments in church yesterday. Who knew they are different?

7. Brinksmanship has taken on a new form--threatening a government shutdown.  And you think we have problems now? Wait until it totally stops working.

8. BTW--it is definitely Springtime--the Daytona 500 has already been run. I totally missed it.

9. In honor of  President's Day and in recognition of the spreading unrest in the Arab world, I was reminded of this statement made by George Washington: "Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."

Out with the Boys

Last evening was the night the grandparents get to spend uninterrupted time with the grandsons. It is a gift we are giving to their parents in the form of free baby sitting so they can do dinner and/or a movie without the added bite associated with childcare.

And while this is only the second time we've done it (so far this year), it is shaping up to be an adventure filled night which always seems to include making smores in the fireplace.

Last evening, we took the boys out to Centennial Lake to feed the waterfowl. We had hoped for ducks, we got geese as well.

There was some ice on the water in places which made for some comical situations with the geese--slipping and flying on the ice.

The boys had fun and so did grandma and grandpa.

Sadly--it was very cool--so we could not stay long and enjoy the scene.

But that was not really a problem either since we were there as the sun was setting--so it would soon be dark anyway.

The promise of Spring makes us do crazy things, I guess.

Blue Skies and High Wind

Ready for the Growing Season

Well it is cooler today than the 70's of yesterday. But the respite was appreciated.

The grasses around the pool are cut and the debris of winter has been removed from the lawn.

The lawn service even paid its initial visit to get the first load of chemicals down in the lawn in preparation for the Springtime growing season.

In a few months, the grasses will be 6 feet tall and the summer sun will be beating down on us as we lounge in the pool.

But yesterday was the day to get it done. It was warm and we actually enjoyed being outside doing yard work--the first of the emerging season.  I had some broken branches to cut out of one of the plum trees and we even had the tractor out with the mower cleaning up leaves and debris--although I am sure the wind will blow a lot more in today.

Memories like yesterday will keep me going strong until the weather changes over for good.