Take Me Out to the Ballgame

I don't feel Spring is truly here until I make my first visit to the ballpark. The aroma of hot dogs, popcorn, and peanuts (not to mention the gourmet items that now show up on every major league ballpark's menu), serve to drive home the notion that mild temperatures and outside fun have finally arrived.

Today I'm heading to my first game of the season and looking forward to soaking up the experience. St. Louis area peeps tend to be a tiny bit obsessed with the Cardinals. We dress up in Cardinals gear and head to the ballpark or to a sports bar or simply listen to the game on the radio.

I remember hearing Harry Carey and Jack Buck on KMOX announce the play-by-play. It's a treasured part of my early days.

"It might be, it could be...it IS...a home run! Hoooly Cow!" 

St. Louis Cardinals baseball makes me think of my dad listening to a tiny transistor radio while barbecuing pork steaks as Mom prepared potato salad and baked beans. We'd groan at every out and cheer every time the home team scored a run.

In Mom's final few years, when she couldn't do much else, she could watch the Cardinals on television. It gave her so much pleasure...especially when "her" team won.

I believe heaven has a special place for Redbird fans, so I'm sure Dad and Mom will be cheering along with me today. Maybe between the three of us we can bring home a winner.

Saga of a Sale

I've been thinking about a new car for the last two years. Seeing 100,000 miles roll past on the odometer made me figure it's likely that costly repairs lurk right around the corner.

Hubby has been resistant. He insisted that our car could go on much longer (perhaps to infinity and beyond) and we didn't even need to consider a purchase.

In recent months after plenty of arguments debate, he agreed it was time to pull the trigger...on a vehicle that will soon undergo a major makeover in 2013. So of course, we wanted the 2012, which has become more scarce than hen's teeth (and that's pretty scarce!).

Long story short, after many days of visits and phone calls prompting a salesman to search multiple locations throughout the Midwest looking for just what we wanted, the poor man finally tore out a handful of his own hair and begged...

"We'll give you an extra $500 off on a new car if you buy it from our lot...please!"

It's hard to refuse an offer like that.

We now have a new vehicle sitting in the garage. It's not exactly what I wanted, but close enough.

Funny thing. I had tears in my eyes when I left my old girl behind and drove off in the new car. It felt almost like I'd abandoned a long time friend. Over the years our car took us to our children's sporting events, to college visits, to agility and flyball classes, hauled materials for humane society special events, and took us to wonderful vacation spots. She moved kids in and out of college dorms and helped me bring home baby Indy and baby Bogey, not to mention a few foster critters through the years. She took me to my mother's funeral and my daughter's wedding and was a faithful member of the family for well over 10 years.

Gosh, is it weird to get so sentimental over a car?

Canine Memories

One of my very talented writer friends is Linda O'Connell. She's been published in more venues than I can count, and her work is always a joy to read.

I particularly like her essays. They often evoke a tear, a smile, or both. Recently Linda did a blog post recalling the dogs in her life. It seemed like perfect subject matter for Critter Alley readers.

So if you'd like to take a walk down memory lane, check out her post called "Doggone It".

It just might bring back the image of a four-footed friend of your own whose memory now rests gently within your heart.