Mrs. That One

Did everyone see Michelle Obama on The Daily Show last night?

I hear she was excellent on Larry King, as well, but I don't watch Larry. She's impressed me. And I was a hard sell on Obama during the primary. She also said some really nice things about Hillary Clinton in the Larry King interview, as told in this CNN write up:

"Are you happy with the way she's supporting your husband?" King asked.

"She has been phenomenal. ...She has always been just cordial and open. I've called her, I've talked to her. She's given me advice about the kids," Obama said.

"We've talked at length about this kind of stuff -- how you feel, how you react. She has been amazing. She is a real pro and a woman with character."

I feel really good about this woman being in close proximity to the Oval Office.

Progress Report

Apologies to the gang, I didn't make it to lunch today. It was a very busy day at the homestead. We had John the electrician here, Pete and Terry-the counter guys, and the usual cast of characters (Terry and Matt, who have been on the job a week now).

Last week, team Terry and Matt built a temp wall so we could stay in our bedroom at night and still breath, keeping a lot of the dust at bay (there's still plenty of dust).The last few days we have seen our first floor bathrooms and laundry room disappear, leaving behind studs and holes in the floor.

Windows going away, then coming back in the form of new vinyl energy conserving ones.The blue formica countertop cut into sections and removed so the new one could be templated.

I never thought I'd miss Big Blue so much, but a kitchen without counters is like.. heck, skip the simile, it's USELESS! There will be much eating out in the next week or so.
Now there is a gaping hole in the living room wall where a new picture window is going.

Did I tell you it was in the 30's last night? That there is new snow on Hood and Adams???

I've been knitting Lloyd an icelandic sweater in the evenings. Got a lot done last night with the debate and all. It's nearly finished. I've proudly broken the 5 year sweater jinx. I knew it was all those hot places I was living. They are not conducive to knitting with wool. Photo soon, upon completion.

Next Stop: Tampa Bay

It was a WILD wild card night in Boston. Down to the ninth inning, tied AGAIN. But this time Boston emerges victorious. Thank God. I was ready to call up Francona myself and ask why exactly did you take out Lester? But they pulled through. Whew. Sorry Angels, better luck next year. Kinda sucks when you had the best record in baseball this year. Thanks for the tune up for the Rays!

Chase Rooster

That would be my name if Sarah Palin was my mother.

Think I'm kidding? Go to the Palin Baby Name generator, type in your name, and see what comes out. Come on. It's kind of a fun thing to do in this silly season. Very silly.

Not to spoil the fun for my siblings, I'll leave out their middle names...and recreate my mother calling us for dinner when we were kids playing outside in our Kool Aid gang neighborhood:

'Chase, Duct, Rot, Smoke, Wesson, Steak and Shaver!'

(Sorry, Mark, it really did come out Rot...it sounds better with your middle name, Pipeline.)

Update: I heard from Duct Idaho and Wesson Scalper, who loved their new names. Wesson hopes she was named for the gun and not the oil. She was unable to access the generator for some Comcast reason, so I told her that her middle name indicates it's definitely for the gun. Besides, Alaskans don't use Wesson oil, they use whale blubber.

Cue Music: Cover of the Rolling Stone

I don't think John McCain is gonna be buying any copies for his mother...

A not so pretty picture of McCain is painted by Tim Dickinson in his October 16 cover piece "Make Believe Maverick". It's long. It's unnerving. Even the parts from McCain's own memoir. Worth taking the time to read, though I doubt any McCain supporters will. They should. We need a president with a 'disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty' like we need another term of W.

Long Night

Last night we headed over to Hooba's to watch the game. Had the TV section all to our selves as the football crowd vacated. Good thing we watched the Pats at home, they were watching something else at Hooba's. Hooba hit a home run with his red beans and ham soup on a cold and rainy evening. We wisely headed home after the sixth inning. Little did we know there would be six more...I had a feeling it was going to be another thriller. And it was. So the good news is, we get to watch baseball again tonight! I'm not into any more bad news. The stock market is bad enough. I have to keep Lloyd away from the Quicken files, lest he head for the deck and leap....

Take THAT Rally Monkeys!

My sweetie and I went out for our 27th anniversary dinner last night at the Good River Restaurant in Mosier. It's our new 'nice dinner' place. As I sipped my O'Reilly's Pinot Gris, waiting for the Alaskan Rockfish to arrive at the table, my cell phone buzzed. It was Jill, with an update on the ballgame. I got in a little trouble for texting at the dinner table, but after 31 years of full disclosure of my Red Sox 'condition', I was forgiven.

I stifled my thumbs, put the phone on silent, and waited til I got home to watch the rest of the game. I was not disappointed. Another excellent game that went right down to the wire. And once again, the boys from Beantown came through, much to the huge disappointment of the LA fans. The Rally Monkeys seem to have lost their magical powers. What can I say? The Sox are firing on all cylinders right now. May it continue back at Fenway, on Beckett Sunday.

I love the playoffs.

News Flash for Sarah Palin

Nuclear is pronounced:

NOO' - CLEE - AR

I can't take another person in the White House who can't pronounce this word.

PS: Don't you know what an Achilles Heel is??????

Great Start to ALDS

Jill's shrine worked. The game was definitely worth staying up for if you were on the east coast. Or the Gulf coast, like Jill. I got to bed at normal time, but was too wired to get to sleep easily.

It was a classic pitcher's duel for most of the game. It could have gone either way. Jon Lester was stellar, stepping up to the No. 1 spot in place of ailing Josh Beckett. Masterson and Papelbon did their parts in relief.

There were stunning fielding plays, like Jacoby Ellsbury's diving catch (how does he DO that?) and Youk's quick recovery of a blooper to first to nail Guerrero at third in a base running mistake (will he be the Angel's Bill Buckner?).

And then there was Jason Bay (Manny Who?) and his two run smash in his first playoff at bat to put the Sox in the lead. Late inning insurance runs didn't hurt, either.

Thank God for Baseball. It gives us a break from crashing stock markets, debates, talking heads, and Caribou Barbie. No wonder Jon Stewart has been so furious lately. With no New York teams in the playoffs, I'm afraid Indecision 2008 might do him in. He needs to adopt a team, for his mental health!

It's Soxtober!!!!!

Jill's got her shrine up. The faithful are ready.

Game One, Red Sox vs Angels, tonight with Lester on the mound.

Oh yeah, it's great to be on the west coast. Start time for my friends back east? 10 pm.

Sorry to rub that in....