“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”
The day isn’t pretty, but it’s warmer than it has been so I’ll take it. Icicles are dripping and falling off the eaves. Gracie barks at the sound of them falling thinking we have an intruder. The snow is melting off the roof to the deck and sounds like rain. Miss Gracie has been in and out all morning, another sign of a warmer day. Her paw prints cover the kitchen’s tile floor. Maddie the cat, on the other hand, sits with her head inside the lamp shade close to the bulb. I’m thinking it is her way of fighting seasonal affective disorder. The light isn’t needed for reading any more but I’m leaving it on for Maddie.
I am bored with winter. I am sick of staying inside and tired of being cold. I want the snow gone. I want spring. This weariness, this languor, isn’t unexpected. It happens the same time every winter, at the beginning of February, two weeks from pitchers and catchers and three weeks from position players reporting for spring training. My mind gets filled with images and sounds. I can see the grassy, plush outfields and hear the crack of the bat hitting the ball. I think about watching the ball arc and sail over the wall followed by shouts and cheers. I can’t wait for baseball to start. I check the sports pages every day for even the smallest tidbit about the Sox. Forget the Celtics, easy to do this year, and the Bruins. Bring on my Red Sox.
My sister gave me a Red Sox sweatshirt for Christmas. I now have three: a blue World Series 2007, a green one with Red Sox across the front and now the new red one with Boston emblazoned on it for all to see. No one will doubt my allegiance.
I’m more than ready to hear Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: Baseball, grey sky, icicles, melting snow, paw prints, Red Sox, Red Sox sweatshirts, spring training, tired of cold, tired of winter, warmer
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January 31, 2014 at 1:31 pm
USA USA
Records were set, as the overnight was enough to push January in to the record books, what excitement. Maximus marches in to southeastern Michigan with a promised to kick off February with 6 to 12 , surely not too records in one year. According to the NBC News California is out of water – never going to be our problem.
Torii Hunter and his Detroit Tigers are on their traditional winter caravan through Michigan and word has it (ok, I heard it on the radio) that Verlander is gently pitching. The Flying Tomato is about to kick it up at the Sochi Games and my quadrennial interest in curling returns. After taking a terrible beating mid week at the feet of Manchester City, Tottenham travel to Hull tomorrow morning to play a team more at their level. The summer brings not only the Tigers but the World Cup.
I wonder how Gracie has reacted to four discs of Bob singing in some strange voice ?
January 31, 2014 at 1:59 pm
My Dear Hedley,
Gracie has only heard 2 thus far and applauded them both, paws together and all.
Congratulations on your new record. Quite an accomplishment which I hope you don’t repeat.
I read of California’s plight in the paper. We will also not have that problem with all the snow and rain this winter.
I read that Verlander may miss a few games but only a few. He didn’t have a lights out season last summer so maybe the surgery will bring him back to his former glory and all-star status.
I’m ready to watch the Sochi Games, but the World Cup is still a bit far away both in time and distance.
January 31, 2014 at 2:38 pm
I’m not convinced that Gracie can differentiate between a dump run and “Another Self Portrait” and strange voice Bob
January 31, 2014 at 2:39 pm
MDH,
The dump means the car so it was easy for her.
January 31, 2014 at 2:40 pm
It’s still snowing here, millions of those tiny flakes that never really shows on the ground afterwards. It’s no use in being tired of winter yet, we still most likely will have both February and March with winter temperatures and most likely snow if we’re unlucky. So Icehockey and handball will dominate the sports news for quite some time.
The Olympics is on the way of course but for the first time in tv history they’ll be shown on channels I don’t have so no use in hoping for good sports tv either.
Have a great day!
Christer.
January 31, 2014 at 3:07 pm
Christer,
The snow is melting way here and rain is expected in a couple of days, but, as you said, this is only just February and lots of winter is left.
Sorry you’ll miss the Olympics. I watch the opening and closing then pick a variety of the spots to watch.
Time for a nap!
Have a great evening!!
January 31, 2014 at 8:20 pm
Today was absolutely gorgeous with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 70s. Tomorrow a cold front is approaching which will bring down the temperatures by Sunday night with a slight chance of rain or a winter mix. I drove home with my sunroof open and enjoyed the weather.
Today Michael Young retired from baseball for the right reason. He wants to spend more time with his family and he’s probably made more money than he could reasonably spend in a lifetime. Like you, I anxiously await spring training. The Dallas Stars have new ownership and are in a rebuilding phase and the Mavericks are always rebuilding trying while trying to recreate that championship win over the Miami Heat with LaBraun James.
The weatherman seems to be cooperating with the NFL since there will probably not be a blizzard in Northern New Jersey on Sunday night, just very cold temperatures. What idiot decided to play the Super Bowl in an open air stadium in New Jersey in mid winter. I vote for every future Super Bowl to be played either the South or inside domed facilities. Dallas never was awarded the Super Bowl until Jerry Jones built his billion dollar retractible domed palace. Who in the New York metropolitan area really cares about the Seahawks or the Broncos? I might even watch the National Anthem and the half time show.
January 31, 2014 at 8:33 pm
Bob,
We won’t hit the 70’s until maybe late June or early July. I’m happy at 45 and the day we hit 50˚ was heavenly.
I even watch the spring training games when the manager puts in players he’s eyeing for possible spots on the roster. Half the time I don’t even know them as they are from Pawtucket or Portland, two Sox farm teams. I don’t care-it is, after all, baseball.
I got chuckle out of the outside game thinking teams with domes would have a decided handicap. You can not play a Super Bowl in home territory for either of the teams. That would be too much of an advantage. It has to be a neutral field.
Who other than Denver and Seattle care about the Seahawks or the Broncos?
January 31, 2014 at 11:37 pm
The site of the Super Bowl is planned several years in advance and the home field team could be a participant. I don’t think it has ever happened. I think the folks in New York were hoping that either the Giants or the Jets would play on Sunday. They and the San Francisco Bay Area are the only cities with two NFL teams which doubles their odds.
The name Super Bowl was coined before the second or third game by Kansas City Chief owner and AFL founder Lamar Hunt. He was playing with his kids in the garage with a super ball. The super ball could bounce very high and he liked the sound of the name in conjunction with the word bowl. So Super Bowl was born. The first couple of games were called the NFL and AFL Championship Game.
January 31, 2014 at 11:48 pm
Bob,
It seems the story of naming the Super Bowl is an urban myth. I went hunting and found this great story about the origins of the Super Bowl:
http://www.wtsp.com/callitthat/article/295165/260/Why-do-they-call-it-that-Super-Bowl-wasnt-always-Super-
February 1, 2014 at 12:31 am
Why would I believe the Tampa TV station’s story? I like the Lamar Hunt story better. Lamar passed away a couple of year’s ago so anyone can knock holes in his story because he can’t defend himself. The other great story was how Lamar Hunt, owner of the Dallas Texans and Clint Murchison, original owner of the Dallas Cowboys flipped a coin to determine who’s team would leave Dallas. Lamar’s team lost so he moved them to Kansas City and they became the Chief’s.
I would put more faith in this article:
http://www.kansascity.com/2006/12/07/536264/as-lamar-hunts-achievements-grow.html
February 1, 2014 at 11:11 am
Bob,
I’m not sure I care all that much where the name came from but that was a great story about Lamar Hunt. Thanks for passing it along. He would have been a fun guy to know.
January 31, 2014 at 8:23 pm
My very favorite quote in the world on the game of baseball.
That is all…as you were.
🙂
Coleen
January 31, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Coleen,
It is the state of affairs here-longing for spring!