Opening Day

At the end of September every year, with the exception of only a few fans associated with only a few teams, the frequently heard phrase is "when is opening day" which hand in hand is paired with "wait 'til next year."  You see, in baseball October is reserved for but a few but even for them when October comes to an end the phrases become much the same for most of those fans too.  The season is over and all anticipation turns to the new beginning, the new life, which comes in April or, this year, on March 31.




The offseason is like a purgatory.  We fans sit and wait all in anticipation of the new season.  Oh, for sure, there is the hot stove league, the excitement in trades or other pick-ups that will, hopefully, make the next year better;  there is the Grapefruit League and the Cactus League to help you pass the time; but more than anything else there is the wait.  The great Hall of Fame second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, Rogers Hornsby, commented "People ask me what I do in Winter where there's no baseball.  I'll tell you what I do.  I stare out my window and wait for Spring."  And as that day approaches like the maple trees readying themselves for their gift of Spring syrup so also the baseball fan readies himself for the gift of of the umpire's call for "Play Ball."




It is new life.  There's a reason every stadium is full to capacity on Opening Day.  There is not a baseball fan anywhere who does not believe "this will be the year."  There's a rise in every heart that October for this year should be set aside.  The players and fans together are flush with enthusiasm and the excitement for all on Opening Day gives warmth to even the cold that may be a last gasp from Winter's hand.  The sounds from the crack of the bat and the ball hitting a leather glove are all that are necessary for the new beginning to be set in place and for a fresh breath to prime and then run the heart and soul of every baseball fan in whatever stadium or venue he may find himself.  Let it begin!




May tomorrow be an "Opening Day" for each of you in whatever stadium or venue you find yourself.  It has been a long winter and now the empty stadium will fill and as sure as anything the call of "Play Ball" will resound for all.  The long wait is over...

...til later...

Gianna's Birthday

The reason for the trip north to Michigan this past weekend was to celebrate Gianna's birthday on Saturday.  It was festive for a two year old's birthday and "big sis" Kiera gave an early toast for the occasion.  Mind you, no need to worry over the glass contents.  Kiera is the same 6 year old who favors a good steak, salmon, asparagus, broccoli - and here - it is a glass of blueberry, pomegranate juice.  Kiera would say "here's to your good health too."  

Then it was the birthday girl who was the center of attention on Saturday.  Almost buried in packages of which she made quick work she was full of smiles.

From a pillow pet, this one a bumble bee,

to a sit and spin, she was spinning all day long.  Rebbecca made the theme for the party "Crayons" and, as you see in the foregoing pic, Gianna was clutching her crayon box in one hand while opening most of her presents with the other.  Also note the wrapping paper above with candles posing as crayons to the

Crayon styled rainbow cake which was then further decorated with a generous helping of hand made ice cream  (actually custard) made by Aaron for all to eat.

A wonderful day with limitless frolicking (from a good Dutch word - vrolijk) which became lively even for the Irish among us.  A little bit too lively with the grandchildren for which a vacuum was necessary.  Is it any wonder why I choose to hide behind the camera?!

...til later...

Pilgrimage to Milan

In setting out on another trip to visit with grandchildren (and, of course, their parents) in Michigan, I grabbed up some reading material for those free moments that might arise. One of the "grabs" was an insert from our local Public Works department that accompanied the monthly utility bill. We're riding along, I'm driving, and I asked Sheila to scan the insert to see if there was anything of significance.  She reached page 3 and while reading to herself began to breathe more heavily then before.  I asked and she read the following to me.

Never Put CFLs in the Trash

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Contain Mercury

Q:  When an energy efficient light bulb breaks, is it okay to vacuum it up and throw it in the trash?

A:  NO  -  energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) contain mercury.  The amount is small, but it is still very dangerous to humans if leaked into the soil or water.  In addition, the mercury vapor leaked into the air at the time of the breakage is dangerous to anyone present in the room.

HOW TO DISPOSE OF CFLs

Place burned out CFLs that are NOT broken in two re-sealable zipper storage bags (bag within a bag).  Take them to Home Depot, Lowe's or any other recycling center that will accept them.  Or, take them to the Manassas Transfer Station on Household Hazardous Waste collection days (April 2, May 7, June 4, July 9, August 6, Sept. 10, 8 a.m. to noon).

BROKEN CFLs MUST BE HANDLED CAREFULLY

   1.  Leave the room for 15 minutes or more.  Take pets with you and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.  Open a window.  Shut off the heat, air conditioning or fans.

   2.  When you return, carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using an index card.

   3.  Place fragments in a glass jar with metal lid or in two re-sealable zipper storage bags (bag within a bag).

   4.  Use sticky tape to pick up any remaining glass or powder.  Place used tape in jar or bag.

   5.  Wipe area with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place in a jar or bag.

   6.  Wash your hands.  Seal the jar or bag and place outside your home.  Take to recycling center or the Manassas Transfer Station on Household Hazardous Waste collection days.

   7.  The next few times before you vacuum, open a window and shut off circulating air.  After you vacuum, wait 15 minutes before closing the window and turning on air.

_______________________________

And with that the blurb ended.  It too must have been out of breath.  My 1st reaction was "gad zooks."  I then immediately thought that this must be an April Fools joke - but it was only March 24.  I then thought of those fluorescent tubes I had handled in the past and how I had surely done so in violation of someone's law and how in having done so I had probably shortened my life by years.  For those who know me, ziploc bags are a piece of cake.  The other steps are going to be a challenge.  I haven't had an index card for years.  Time to stock up knowing how clumsy I am.  Wet wipes - not a problem either.  As for jars (I opt for them over bags unless they tell me how thick the bag must be), we still have a few old Mason and Ball jars downstairs and I'll have to check on lids. We'll handle that task alright; if we get that far.  That's because opening the windows will be a problem.  We so seldom open them and when we do it is usually to wash them.  That is a project - not washing them, but opening them.  You see our windows stick - and do they stick!  Putty knives and patience are always needed.  It could take many (apparently precious ones at that) minutes to open a single window.  It will probably take two of us to handle a breakage and while Sheila is struggling with the window(s), I'll tackle the A/C or furnace.  Of course, the problem is even greater for us as the "next few times before you vacuum ..." means the window ordeal does not pass with the breakage but it continues.  Now, sealing the jar or bag and placing outside your home presents another problem.  Where to place it, in proximity to what, and for how long?   Since Home Depots, Lowe's and other transfer stations won't take the broken CFLs, we would need to wait until the next Hazardous Waste collection day.  Heaven forbid the breakage occurs after September 10.  It would be a long winter before April arrived.  What happens if we have the grandchildren visiting?  If, as the blurb states "the mercury vapor leaked into the air at the time of the breakage is dangerous to anyone present in the room," is it more so to children?  Do we chase the children out of the room - but how far away?  And will they stay away?  Of course not!  That means Sheila goes with the grandchildren and I'm "stuck" with the stuck windows and juggling all the other required tasks.  Oh well - progress always comes at a price.

Fortunately Sheila read the blurb to me early in the trip and I had plenty of time to think about how to handle plans before the first changes begin (with 100w bulbs) in 2012.  Satisfied that I'd be stuck with the windows I knew it was time for a trip, in this case a pilgrimage, to the birthplace of Thomas Alva Edison.  The home where he was born and then raised for his first 7 years is in Milan, Ohio, along the way and thus not a major deviation from our travels.  Surely our presence in his childhood environment would yield an answer to this challenge.  After all, it was Edison who put us in this predicament.  Although he did not invent the incandescent light as others had devised incandescent light systems before him, those others had failed to find a way to make it a commercial product.  Edison did and thus he is credited with inventing the first commercial incandescent light.  Well I pondered, and I pondered, while in the presence of his home, but I found no auras or signs that were of any help.  It was left to me.  The answer:  We came back from Michigan with a trunk loaded with 100w incandescent bulbs and I'm on my way out to buy more.  At the very least I will have bought more time to resolve this challenge.  The only thing I will have to worry about for the first year or two will be those strange bags and jars that show up in my yard deposited by frustrated neighbors who don't know what to do with the darned things over the winter and who are upset with me for my incandescent bulb collection.  Oh well...

Edison's Birthplace and childhood home - Milan, Ohio

SYB or save your bulbs ...
...til later...

Two Sides to the Coin

This has been a week in which Spring has received it's invitation and the signs are that it has accepted.  From the worms that couldn't make it off the pavement following the rains,  to the crocuses and tulips that are trying to say it's time, and to the temperatures in the 50s and 60s which have made it all possible. One side of the coin is the Ahhhh!  The fresh air, open windows, soft breezes, smells and colors of Spring to which the early springtime flowers contribute so much...

 

to the other side of the coin, the uhhhh!  The uhhhh includes the attention needed for the weeds which have outpaced the flowers in their appearance, the shrubs which failed to weather the winter so well and need replacement, and, oh yes, the 75 bags of mulch that need spreading.  

The coin landed heads up meaning ahhhh prevails but the  ughhhh will no doubt for a short while follow the uhhhh after the mulch is spread.  Hope you're enjoying your spring.  ...til later...

A Little Saturday Fluff

It was a partly cloudy morning after a brief shower and the temperatures were to flirt with the 60s in the afternoon; rain was forecast for the nighttime hours.  The options included doing some much needed yard work (still branches about that need collecting from earlier storms and ...) or finding some fluff activity in keeping with a master procrastinators natural inclinations.  I persuaded Sheila that we needed to travel up US Highway #1 in Maryland.  I've always preferred traveling the older highways in search of the Mom and Pop diners and restaurants but time has usually dictated otherwise.  Eventually I will travel the highway, north to south, Maine to Florida, and hopefully the lengths of US 40 and US 66 but today, I insisted, only a stretch in Maryland.  In the back of my mind the planning included "The Dairy."  

Many of the universities with agricultural schools will produce dairy products.  Many of those schools will then have an outlet from which the general public can purchase (usually reasonably priced) very rich and satisfying (we won't use the word filling) ice cream.  The closest for us is the University of Maryland in College Park.  Oh sure, there are the B&Rs, Cold Stones, and whatever other choice you might have, but the best for me has been from the dairy outlets.  "The Dairy" is located directly on US Rt #1 just a few miles into Maryland from DC.  What planning!   We arrived at just the right time for a pairing with lunch.  Only "The Dairy" was closed.   It seems there are only a few Saturdays during the year when it is open.  What planning!!!  A disappointment at the very least but a wonderful day followed notwithstanding.  The U of M dairy outlet is easy to find as it's located at the Visitor's Center but the best dairy outlet (so far with more to come) was the University of Wisconsin's which is hard to find.  Put me in Madison again and I'll find it though.

Here's a pic of the Visitor Center and if you look to the left between the far left columns you'll see where to go.

Back onto Rt 1 and north to Baltimore.  "Charm City" as it is called is an easy day trip allowing for plenty of "fooling around" time.  Fooling around we did.  We left Rt 1 at US 40 and headed east eventually winding our way back into Baltimore having followed as closely as we could the train tracks upon which we rode just 2 weeks ago.   A relaxing day that permitted our return home for a late dinner.

This is a pic of Baltimore as approached from US Rt 1 on the south side.  Notice the string of billboards.

Of course we returned home to the same branches on the ground and the other chores I had evaded - all of which can be handled on another day.   ...til later...