Mark's Reading Place: Chapter 24

^Of course, I had to feature my Cubbies this time around, as they head to the World Series, for the first time since 1945.

The bottom photo, is the Freeburgs at Wrigley Field in June. We are a happy bunch.

Go Cubbies! Lets win it all!!

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:


Books Read So Far...

August:

97) Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden 4.2 stars (audio) CAC
98) Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 4.2 stars
99) Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee 3.3 stars (audio)
100) Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan 4 stars
101) Atonement by Ian McEwan 3.8 stars (audio) BAC
102) The Sunlight Pilgrims by Jenni Fagan 4 stars ER
103) Dust by Arthur Slade 3.5 stars (audio)
104) The Regional Office is Under Attack! by Manuel Gonzales 3.4 stars (audio)
105) The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck 4.7 stars (audio)
106) The Mare by Mary Gaitskill 3.7 stars (audio)
107) Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates 4.3 stars AAC
108) Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter 4.3 stars
109) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 5 stars (audio)
110) Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes 3.8 stars Bowie 100
111) The Lighthouse Road by Peter Geye 4 stars

September:

112) The Hour of Land: America's National Parks by Terry Tempest Williams 4.6 stars (audio)
113) White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg 3.7 stars (audio)
114) The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 5 stars
115) Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee 4.2 stars
116) Pax by Sara Pennypacker 4 stars (audio)
117) The World According to Garp by John Irving 4.4 stars (audio) AAC
118) All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews 4.3 stars (E)
119) A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson 4 stars (audio)
120) The North Water by Ian McGuire 4.5 stars (audio)
121) Casino Royale by Ian Fleming 3.8 stars (audio)
122) The Blue Star by Tony Earley 4 stars (audio)
123) Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout 3.7 stars
124) Madam Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 3.6 stars Bowie 100

October:

125) Dog Run Moon: Stories by Callan Wink 4.3 stars
126) The Grass Is Singing by Doris Lessing 4 stars BAC
127) Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon 4.2 stars (audio) AAC
128) A Whole Life: A Novel by Robert Seethaler 4 stars
129) Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir by J. D. Vance 4.2 stars (audio)
130) The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney 4.3 stars E.R.
131) I am No One by Patrick Flanery 2.7 stars (audio)
132) Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson 4.2 stars (audio)
133) The Hike by Drew Magary 3.8 stars (audio)
134) The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan 3.8 stars (audio)
135) Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill 5 stars CAC
136) The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman 3.7 stars (audio)
137) To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey 4 stars (audio)

November:

138) Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson 3.7 stars BAC

American Author Challenge 2016

January- Anne Tyler
February- Richard Russo
March- Jane Smiley
April- Poetry Month
May- Ivan Doig
June- Annie Proulx
July- John Steinbeck
August-Joyce Carol Oates
September- John Irving
October- Michael Chabon
November- Annie Dillard
December- Don DeLillo

Mark's Picks for the AACIII: (under construction)

January- Anne Tyler- Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Completed
February- Richard Russo- Straight Man Completed
March- Jane Smiley- Some Luck Completed
April- Poetry Month The Dream of a Common Language Completed
New and Selected Poems, Vol. One Completed
May- Ivan Doig This House of Sky Completed
June- Annie Proulx Heart Songs and Other Stories, Bird Cloud Completed
July- John Steinbeck The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men Completed
August-Joyce Carol Oates Blonde Completed
September- John Irving The World According to Garp Completed
October- Michael Chabon Telegraph Avenue Completed
November- Annie Dillard
December- Don DeLillo

The General Discussion Thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/209611

The Poetry Thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/220301#
Part 2: http://www.librarything.com/topic/230813#

BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE/CANADIAN AUTHOR CHALLENGE

There is no way, I'll be able to read all 4 of these Challenge authors, per month but I will select one each and try my best to bookhorn them in. There are other various Challenges going on, in '16 and I would like the chance to give one or 2 of those a chance too.

BAC:

January - SUSAN HILL & BARRY UNSWORTH -Morality Play Completed
February : Agatha Christie & William Dalrymple The Murder on the Orient Express Completed
March : Ali Smith & Thomas Hardy The Accidental Completed
April : George Eliot & Hanif Kureishi Silas Marner Completed
May : Jane Gardam & Robert Goddard The Man in the Wooden Hat Completed
June : Lady Antonia Fraser & Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness Completed
July : Bernice Rubens & H.G. Wells The Island of Dr. Moreau Completed
August : Diana Wynne-Jones & Ian McEwan Atonement Completed
September : Doris Lessing & Laurie Lee The Grass is Singing Completed
October : Kate Atkinson & William Golding Behind the Scenes at the Museum Completed
November : Rebecca West & Len Deighton
December : WEST YORKSHIRE writers
Wildcard : Rumer Godden and George Orwell

CAC:

January: Robertson Davies, Kim Thúy- The Manticore Completed Ru Completed
February: Helen Humphreys, Stephen Leacock The Lost Garden Completed
March: Farley Mowat, Anita Rau Badami Never Cry Wolf Completed
April: Margaret Atwood, Michael Crummey The Heart Goes Last Completed
May: Michel Tremblay, Emily St. John Mandel Last Night in Montreal Completed
June: Timothy Findley, Joseph Boyden Through Black Spruce Completed
July: LM Montgomery, Pierre Berton Anne of Green Gables Completed
August: Mordechai Richler, Gabrielle Roy
September: Miriam Toews, Dany Laferrière All My Puny Sorrows Completed
October: Lawrence Hill, Jane Urquhart Someone Knows My Name Completed
November: Michael Ondaatje, Margaret Laurence
December: Alice Munro, Rawi Hage

All-time best ever thread toppers, Mark. Go Cubs Go.

I also love the toppers! Happy new one, Mark!

^A flock of Canada Geese stopped by my route. They must have heard about my recent birding interests...

The Time Has Come. CUBS!

Happy new thread, Mark!

>5 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda! Hooray for being number 1!! Funny, I knew I was going to be starting a new thread this evening and I was thinking about what toppers to feature- another National Park, a fall color shot ? And then like...DUH!! Got to be the Cubbies!

>6 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie!

>8 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie! This town is getting ready to rock, my friend. The joy and confidence is almost palpable.

Happy new thread, Buddy.

The last time the Cubs won the World Series the first Model T Ford was produced, Teddy Roosevelt refused to run for a third term and the Last Emperor of China ascended the throne at aged 2. Oh and Ohio company Hoover acquired the rights to the recently invented vacuum cleaner. Those Cubbies have been waiting a while!

>10 PaulCranswick: LOL! That is some serious history, 108 years ago. We need to finally win the big one, my friend.

Thanks, Paul! Go Cubs!

So when is the World Series anyway?

...Wait...are the Cubs going to the World Series?

(I know they are but thought you might want the opportunity to say it again!)

Happy new thread!

Good morning, Mark. Congrats on you shiny new thread. What a lovely family photo.

Happy New Thread, Mark! Great family picture. So, did Someone Knows My Name measure it up? It was 5 star read for me, prior to me starting on LT. I'm one of those " cool kids" that read Someone Knows My Name before the advent of LT- for me at least :)

Not since 1908...Go Cubs!!! Love the family photo. : )

Happy new thread, Mark!

>12 Morphidae: Hi, Morph! The WS stars tonight. The first 2 games will be in Cleveland and back to Chicago for the weekend. Go Cubs!

>13 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne! That was the Cubs goal all year. We were the best team in baseball for most of '16, but it still a beautiful surprise.

>14 Ameise1: Thanks, Barb! Happy week!

Morning, Mark! Happy new thread!

>15 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb! Someone Knows My Name definitely measured up. 5 star read for me too. I am now a Semi-Cool Kid! I learned a lot from this book. Many things I did not know.

>16 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers! Very exciting times in Chicagoland. Go Cubs!

>17 DianaNL: Thanks, Diana.

>19 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! And Good Morning!

^Thanks to Paul & the BAC, I am finally starting Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I adore Atkinson and I think she keeps getting better but I had never read her debut. Sweet timing.

>21 msf59: If she keeps getting better and better then her debut must be her weakest effort, but, au contraire, I think you'll like it.

Haha, Mark. Our sports broadcaster on the radio posted this, this morning: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/chicago-cubs-lions-hat_us_580e0edce4b0a03911...

I love it when a city goes nuts for their team. It's happened here before (and it will happen again!)

Go Cubs!

Happy new thread, my friend!

ETA: The weather is beautiful in Cleveland and a great night for baseball. Let the fun begin!!!

Happy Tuesday, Mark!

Oh, I'm envious of your starting Behind the Scenes at the Museum. It's in my future.

I'm near the end of Mister Pip, and it's been excellent. This one strikes me as a Mark book, so you might give it a gander at some point.

>22 PaulCranswick: Good point, Paul. I thinks she started out good, right out of the gate. I first read Case Histories, one of her early ones and it knocked me out. I do think her range and depth has grown considerably.

>23 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. We are pumped. Thanks for the link. I did see that iconic image. Go Cubs.

>24 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. See you tonight at the good old ballpark. It should be a great showdown.

Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday! I also have Behind the Scenes at the Museum in the stacks and am hoping to get to it this year, although I am running out of year.

>25 jnwelch: Morning Joe. Hoping to crack the Atkinson soon. Mister Pip sounds. I appreciate your recs.
Go Cubs!

>27 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie! I am glad the BAC finally gave me an opportunity to finally pick up this Atkinson. I am such a fan of hers.

Good morning! I've started The Hike: a novel.......terrifying and hysterical! Really enjoying it so far...love Crab :)

Happy new thread, Mark. Just one quibble, >7 msf59: it is not a Canadian Goose, which implies that they belong to Canada, the actual name is Canada Goose. Apparently they range all over temperate North America and occasionally reach Northern Europe. I hope you are enjoying Behind the Scenes at the Museum, its a good one and a very impressive début for Atkinson.

Go Cubs Go, Go Cubs Go...Hey Chicago whaddya say, the Cubs are gonna win today.

I can hardly wait for the game to start.

>21 msf59: Amazing I always seem to be slightly out of phase with the AC groups around here. First Chabon, now Atkinson. I just started listening to God in Ruins on audio over the weekend. Was just scrolling thru my wish lists on Overdrive and saw it come up. Too funny

Per Wikipedia, "The Canada goose is also colloquially referred to as the "Canadian goose"."

Loads of the Canadian geese here (Northern England). They like to stop over in the local wetlands (wwt) from about now for the winter. Noisy things!

Mark, Ellie pointed out this article on two translations of Rilke, Mitchell and Snow: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2009/11/10/translation-mitchell-rilkes-snow/ Given your interest in translations, I think you'll enjoy it.

>29 kittenfish: So glad you jumped right into The Hike and you are enjoying it too! Yes, Crab is a hoot, isn't he?

>30 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! And thanks for pointing me in the right direction with the Canada Goose. I think we just fall into a habit calling them Canadian.

>31 lindapanzo: Lovely singing voice, Linda! Getting pumped. Schwarber in the lineup too? Sweet. Glad to see them sitting Heyward too.

>32 mahsdad: It sure is nice when the Challenges match up with something you were reading anyway or something off the shelf. It worked for me on both of these authors too. I really wanted to bookhorn in The Gentlemen of the Road. I may just have to squeeze it in next month.

I hope you are enjoying A God in Ruins. I LOVED that one.

>36 msf59: I'm surprised it's Coghlan in right, though, and not Soler. Can't recall the last time he started in right. I'd also like to see Willson Contreras in the line up, too.

I hope Schwarber does OK and doesn't get hurt. He hasn't faced major league pitching since April and that's a lot to ask. Don't count me in the "glad Schwarber is back" crowd. I'd rather see that one left handed relief pitcher or, secondarily, even Szcur or LaStella. Of course, I was pretty upset when Maddon had Montero pinch hitting with the bases loaded in game 1 of the NLCS and look how that turned out...

>33 Morphidae: Thanks for that Morph. I rarely hear anyone here, say the name correctly. Although, that doesn't make it right. Grins...

>34 charl08: Yes, the geese are noisy and messy, Charlotte, but I guess that is their natural state.

>35 jnwelch: Thanks for that, Joe. I will check it out. Has Ellie read Rilke?

>37 lindapanzo: I can understand your feelings about Schwarber, Linda but I am sure they wouldn't play him if he wasn't ready. They are a cautious organization, especially with someone as key, as he is.

Soler is rusty in the outfield, so I have no problem with Coghlan starting in right. Soler might be more useful off the bench. Did LaStella make the roster?

>39 msf59: I like Coghlan and Szcur (still can't spell his name and you'd think I could) more than Heyward and I was never a big Schwarber fan. I would've made Willson Contreras the DH. I like Coghlan in the outfield as he's ok in both hitting and fielding, unlike Soler is not ok as a fielder and Heyward who is not ok as a hitter.

Just read that an American won the Man Booker Prize for the first time. Paul Beatty for The Sellout.

>40 lindapanzo: I hope to see more of Contreras. He has been so good. Hope he starts tomorrow.

Most of our pals on LT, thought The Sellout was okay but not worthy for the award. Interesting. I have it on audio.

>41 msf59: I'd never even heard of it. Mom was telling me about the short list and I insisted that The Underground Railroad was on it but, of course, I was wrong.

Schwarber also strikes out about one-third of the time. We had enough of that with Heyward. We need somebody who can put the ball in play.

Just over 2 hours to go. I have to finish up and head home. As I was telling someone, I'm not reading that much this month, except when I'm nervous.

I'd love for the Cubs to pull out a win in at least one of the two games in Cleveland.

Bummer, Mark, The Sell-out takes the Man Booker. Sure he is the first American to take the Booker, but what a dreadful book!

>42 lindapanzo: The Underground Railroad is on the National Book Award list and remains my hands-down favorite. You would really like that book, Linda.

Hope you got home, ate something and now are relaxing before game time. You know I have a beer in hand.

>43 vancouverdeb: Hi, Deb! No one around here convinced me that The Sellout was a worthy read. That is too bad, especially with so many great books that were released this past year.

^I saw this guy at my bird feeder yesterday. A Tufted Titmouse. First time ever. Happy Camper.

Glad I checked the county traffic app before I left as there was a big accident on the tollway so I knew to get off early. I made it home right as the game was starting. Good thing I left early.

Mark, with this home plate ump, it's going to be a long, long night, I fear. He's got to call a big zone for both pitchers not just one of them.

>47 lindapanzo: - Yeah, what is it with umps, anyhow? I know we've been seeing it all season. They are so inconsistent and some seem outright clueless, or visually impaired. Personally, I'd have loved to see some of THEM get tossed out of the game! In one of our post-season games, one of the Jays (I think it was Encarnacion) was tossed out in the first inning, for crying out loud. And he isn't even a player that argues much at all, ever. Who do the umps answer to, anyhow?

Anyhow, I see the score is not in your favour right now but the game is still young...

Also crazy is the umpiring crew giving the Indians so much time to deal with the injured player. If he's hurt or has a cramp, keep him in or pull him out. Play ball. I've been watching baseball for upwards of 50 years and don't ever remember a team getting that long, unless the player was unconscious and needed ambulance transport.

It is early but might already be too late for this game.

Ugh. This game is not going well and I agree that the ump feels inconsistent. I doubt that Cleveland fans agree with us but that just shows you that they are deluded.

It's only game one. The Cubbies have come back before! Let's go Cubs!

I finished A God in Ruins and very much enjoyed it. Commonwealth is, so far, leaving me a bit underwhelmed. I don't yet care about any of these people.

>45 msf59: Beautiful spot.

I'm not sure if I'll read The Sellout now. Strikes me as a choice by the judges to get people talking about the prize.

What on earth happened in Game 1!! 6-0. Oh dear.

>47 lindapanzo: >49 lindapanzo: Tough loss, Linda. Lots of opportunities. Just could not get it done, bad umpiring or not. Upside: How about that Schwarber?

>48 jessibud2: The Indians pitching was tough to hit and the umps weren't making it any easier.

>50 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! It is always difficult to watch a loss, especially when we are failing to get clutch hitting. We have to get it done tonight.

Glad you loved A God in Ruins. I will be watching further thoughts from you on Commonwealth. It has received mostly positive response.

Morning, Mark!

>51 charl08: Hooray for the Tufted Titmouse! And I might agree with you on The Sellout. It looks like a sloppy choice.

>52 PaulCranswick: I went to bed after the 3-run homer. I had had enough. We just need to come storming back tonight. We can do it, Paul.

>54 scaifea: Morning Amber!

^The Indians beat us up pretty good last night. 6-0. We have to bounce back tonight. Come on Cubbies!

>53 msf59: - Mark, Cleveland beat my Jays in our opening game in the ALCS. Here is what our CBC sportscaster tweeted the next day: "Jays lose 2-0 in opener of ALCS. Fortunately, Kluber and Miller can't pitch every game. At least, I think they can't."

Thing is, they indeed used Miller in the second game (and possibly all the games, I can't remember).He is deadly (for opponents). Also, Trevor Bauer was to pitch our game 2 (as I believe he is for your Cubs). Don't know if you heard the bizarre story but the weekend before the ALCS began, he was repairing his drone and cut his finger. it required 10 stitches but said he was fine and good to go. Apparently not. He had to be pulled from the game before the first inning was over because the stitches didn't hold and he began to bleed all over the baseball and the mound. It was dubbed the horror film finger. According to the sports news this morning, Bauer says he's good to go tonight. Exactly what he said with us. Hehe, watch for it....

Sorry for the loss last night. I really do know the feeling...:-(

On the other hand, this is a really sweet story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cubs-fan-world-series-tickets_us_580fd240e4b...

Howdy, Mark! Yeah, Schwarber! What a story! Even as a Cleveland fan, I'd agree there were a couple questionable calls but it doesn't factor into it when the Cub's bats were just cold.
All in all, a great match up and fun to watch! Have a great day!

I'm so out of touch right now that I wasn't even sure who was playing. I knew it wasn't the Reds or Braves, but that was about all.

Happy Hump Day, Mark!

It was great to see Schwarber do well. I never did figure out that ump's strike zone, other than it was wide to his right side. Except when Lester was pitching. :-)

Yes, Ellie has read more than one translation of Rilke, and the Mitchell translation is her favorite. She likes Cavafy, too, whom I've read very little of.

Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday! I am in love with that tufted titmouse. SO cute!

>57 jessibud2: >58 jessibud2: Thanks for all the great baseball chatter. You have quickly turned into one of my favorite visitors.

I did hear that story about Bauer and his finger. LOL. Wow. Thanks for the heartwarming link about the longtime Cubs fan too. There is still plenty of joy to be found in the world.

>59 Carmenere: Morning Lynda. You are right, in the end the strike zone didn't matter as much, but the lack of clutch hitting sure did. See you tonight. Hooray for an early start.

>60 thornton37814: Hi, Lori. Good to see you. Glad you could drop by.

>61 jnwelch: Morning Joe! Short work week, since I have the weekend off. Big Grin. Now, let's get a Cubs win tonight and that will be perfect.
Hooray for Schwarber!

The Rilke collection is huge. I might see if I can just purchase a nice used copy from somewhere. It would be worth it, right?

>62 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie! Glad you liked the Titmouse. One of my favorite surprises so far. It took me awhile to figure out what it was but I got there.

>45 msf59: Isn't it so much fun to find and figure out a new bird?

Oh, yes, I forgot to comment on your new bird! Great shot! I haven't seen a titmouse at my feeder yet but maybe one day. He is so sweet! I was over the moon the first time I looked out the window and saw a goldfinch! And the nuthatches and juncos have also won my heart. I still covet blue jays but I tend to hear them more often than see them. Probably just as well as they can be hogs and bullies to the smaller visitors.

Birding is so addictive and really fun. When did you begin?

Good morning, Mark! I have no hopes of actually getting caught up on your thread, but congratulations on the Cubbies and I hope you like Behind the Scenes at the Museum, a very good book IMO.

>65 Morphidae: Yes it does, Morph. It has become infectious too, as I get my family all excited. Smiles...

Glad I put up the suet feeder, since I saw my first Downy Woodpecker yesterday.

>66 jessibud2: I have had an interest in birds for many years but never really got serious about it, until I went on an organized bird walk a couple months ago. That hooked me, when I realized the magnitude of the bird life out there.

I am going on another birding walk tomorrow morning.

It is raining out here at the moment, adding to the cold and the wind. Oh joy...

Hope my books keep me pleasantly distracted.

>67 karenmarie: Morning Karen. Great to see you. I am enjoying the Atkinson. It was not what I expected.

And yes, Go Cubs!

>64 msf59: A used copy of the Mitchell translation of selected Rilke poems would be worth it, seems to me, Mark. Ellie's enthusiasm for it convinced me. I haven't been Rilke's biggest fan, but I'm looking forward to trying this translation. What little I've seen sounds like a major improvement over what I read way back when.

Ah, the irony. A friend just sent me this link:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/montreal-expos-world-series-1.3821233

I am originally from Montreal and of course, the Expos were my first love. I was in high school when they first started and remember skipping school with a bunch of friends to watch the first game televised.

I love the last line of this article...

After "sleeping on it," I'm feeling a lot more confident about our chances. Despite the umpiring, the Cubs had a lot of hits (but couldn't get the clutch hits). Cubs have more starting pitching depth and, as I understand it, after Kluber, the Tribe doesn't, though they do have those great relievers. That really tall guy, included. Miller?

This is the third time they've gotten shut out in the playoffs but they bounced back fast after the others.

There's a lot of room for optimism. I hope they can get the game in. This cold, damp rain is probably heading that way. What a miserable day here.

>59 Carmenere: Questionable doesn't even begin to describe it. More than a dozen by my count (a friend and I started to count but only after we'd griped about it for a few innings) and I knew the Cubs were in trouble from the first batter. Two feet outside vs balls almost right down the middle vs balls above the neck vs balls at the ankles. Guess which one of these wasn't a strike?

If I were managing, I'd have gone out and raised a fuss and totally embarrassed that ump and, yes, deliberately gotten thrown out of the game but that's not Joe's style.

Good morning :)

I googled Drew Magary and came across his application for the Food Network show Chopped http://deadspin.com/5924495/our-drew-magary-applied-for-a-spot-on-chopped-this-i...

Love this guy! LOL!! He was chosen to compete and you can find the episode on YouTube.

Hi, Mark! Happy new thread! I love your thread toppers!

I'm really sorry about the game last night. I hope the Cubs bats wake up, and the umpires' vision improves.

Good morning, Mark!

>56 msf59: Ain't nothing, but a thing. Tonight is that night! Go Cubs!

Soler in right tonight, Mark. Hope he doesn't make any stupid defensive miscues. He's the guy who is terrified of the wall. Good hitter though.

>70 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I think I will look for this Rilke collection. It is over 600 pages, so I don't want to try with a library copy. I am so impressed with Mitchell right now.

>71 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley! That article definitely put things in perspective. LOL. Poor Expos. Damn strike. I can't believe they haven't had a team since 2004.

>72 lindapanzo: Glad you slept on it, Linda and are feeling a bit more optimistic. I am feeling pretty good about tonight's game. Glad to see Contrares in the line-up.

It was a cruddy day but I am happy it stopped raining for a couple of hours.

>73 kittenfish: Thanks! I will check out the link. Glad you are having a good time Margary. I want to read his last book too. Sounds fun.

>74 tymfos: Thanks, Terri! Yep, hoping the Cubs fire back up tonight. We need to win this one. I am feeling good about it.

>75 brodiew2: You are our ray of hope around here, Brodie! I saw how that paid off with the Dodgers. Grins...Go Cubbies!

>76 lindapanzo: I agree with you, Linda. Soler makes me a bit nervous too. I would rather have him come off the bench. How about Almora?

^On audio, I started To The Bright Edge of the World. I have wanted to read this since it came out. I really liked her last novel, The Snow Child and this one also seems to ring all my bells. Love an historical, adventure novel set in Alaska, so expect it to pass the Marky-Mark Warbling Test.

Plus, I am on a bit of a roll with reading books with birds on the cover. Maybe I should fit Do Not Say We Have Nothing into the rotation? Many of my LT pals love that one.

Hey Mark, just a quick visit to see how the game preparations are going. Cub fans should be optimistic, our pitching is really hanging on by a thread. Kluber was focused last night but sometimes he gets pulled in the 2nd inning. Other guys are hurt by their drones or have pulled muscles. I guess that's what makes it so exciting. >76 lindapanzo: LOL looking forward to seeing the Cub who's afraid of the wall.
Have fun!

>80 Carmenere: We cringe whenever a fly ball is hit Soler's way. He has gotten better but we still worry.

Over on FB, they were just saying that the tarp is about to come off. Wed is my busy day at work so I probably won't be home til 7:30 at the earliest.

>80 Carmenere: Thanks for stopping by, Lynda. We are feeling good about our chances tonight, but just watching a well-played baseball game is always enjoyable too.
Glad it is starting early.

>81 lindapanzo: You will have to listen to Pat Hughes on the way home. Nothing wrong with that. I miss hearing his commentary.

Mark, I just turned on the game to watch and I was surprised (and delighted!!) to hear our very own Blue Jays play-by-play broadcaster, Buck Martinez, calling the game with an American guy, Matt something, I think. Are you hearing the same guys locally, at your end? It's odd. During the ALDS and the ALCS, the tv broadcast rights were American only so that Buck had to be on the sidelines on the field, giving commentary only twice during the game. I didn't like the American guys who called the games so I muted the tv and listened to the game on the radio. But now, at the World Series, he is back to calling the games. I don't understand how that works.

I have always loved listening to Jays games when Buck calls them. He is really an interesting and smart (and funny, at times) man. I learn a lot about the game from him. He used to be a catcher for the Jays (after other teams) and I love that he is *our* tv guy.

Anyhow, 2-0 in the 4th is sounding good...:-)

Hi Shelley. Glad you are watching the game. The Cubs look dominant in this one. 5-0 in the 6th.

I think we have different announcers. Joe Buck and John Smoltz, an ex-pitcher.

>84 msf59: There goes the no hitter...

Hey, it was sweet while it lasted...

Glad to get 5-plus strong innings out of Arrieta.

Hope the bullpen comes through now.

Hmm, interesting about the announcers. I recognize John Smoltz's name, not Joe Buck. He must have been a National League player in his day.

Hmm, Cleveland is now on the board but I am not worried. I think Chicago will be ok...

>87 lindapanzo: Let's do this, Linda.

>88 jessibud2: I think Joe Buck's father was Jack Buck a legendary announcer.

Wish they'd break the game wide open. They keep getting chances.

Also worrisome but the rain isn't far away.

Hurray!! Feeling much better now. Now if I can just snag some tickets...

Mark, I have a friend (Britsh but living in NZ) who recently went to NY and while there saw a Baseball game. now he is a baseball fan, and he was telling me about the Cubs. I was all...the Cubs? I know about them, they are Chicago!
Hehe, your warbling travels again :)

>90 lindapanzo: >91 lindapanzo: Much happier with those results, Linda. But I agree, we could have easily added a few more runs. Good luck with those tickets.

>92 kac522: Big Big Smile, Kathy! This town is going to rock!!

>93 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. Great to see you. Glad my warbling resonates around the world. B.A.G.

Go Cubs!

^Cubs Win! Cubs Win! We even the series at 1-1 and return to Chicago, Friday night for game 3.

Morning, Mark!

Happy new thread, Mark! I'm glad that the Cubbies came back to life in Game 2.

Congrats on a decisive win, Mark! This is going to be one good Series! Naturally, I'm hoping the Indians bounce back on Friday but enjoying your win just the same.

Morning, Mark! Hooray for a win!

>96 scaifea: Morning Amber!

>97 kidzdoc: Morning Darryl. Thanks. Nice win. Let's keep it going.

>98 Carmenere: Morning Lynda. I am so glad the rain held out. That could have complicated matters. See you tomorrow night.

>99 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie! And yes, hooray for a win.

Good morning, Mark!

I hope you have a wonderful Thursday.

Well 1-1 and it looks as if it is going to be a nail biter doesn't it? Feel a bit sorry for Lynda today after the tables were turned but not much as the Cubbies have had 40 years longer to wait for the World Series.

Good morning, Mark!

Nothing like giving the Indians a taste of their own medicine to let them know this won't be easy. Go Cubs!

>101 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Are you back home yet?

>102 PaulCranswick: If our bats stay hot, we will be tough to beat, Paul. It would sure be nice to win it all in Chicago Sunday night. No easy task...

>103 brodiew2: Morning Brodie. When we are hitting on all cylinders we are a mighty force. Hendricks on the mound tomorrow night. He has been flawless.

>104 msf59: Yes, got back Tuesday about 10:30 p.m. Yesterday was feeling like I'd been hit with a two-by-four. Today's some better, although it's 11:12 a.m. and I'm still in jammies drinking coffee. My husband went to have lunch with a former co-worker of ours; I was invited, but just couldn't muster the energy to get dressed and go. Plus, I'm not overly fond of the restaurant they're meeting at. Bad me. Today will be attempting to scan Mom's DPOA into my computer and send a request to her mortgage company for the origination documents, which I couldn't find a copy of at her house. Sigh.

Anyway, I'm very very glad to be home, sleeping in my own bed, drinking my own coffee, and seeing husband and kitties.

Hi! Morning! Good to hear you all chipper. Me, I'm due at the dentist for drillin' and fillin' in an hour and a half. Can't even read whilst the work's going on. Hahahaha....

Where I live in Kansas we get all kinds of geese in huge numbers. I have noticed, over the years, that their migration times are earlier and later. They are not only fierce birds, they are very noisy. They honk incessantly. They make enough noise that most evenings in the fall and the spring when you step outside there is a regular cacophony. About ten years ago I was in Kansas in late February and we were headed from the house, on the edge of town, to the farm. It was about 9:00 p.m. and it was dark. No moonlight. But even dark there is still color and some ambient light so you can almost always see the horizon and make out distinguishing landmarks. The geese were flying all around. Generally they were headed north, but there were lots of birds flying in many directions trying to find a roasting spot for the night. We topped an open hilltop with wheat fields on both sides of the road. Geese love green wheat and eat it voraciously. Wheat stays green year round, at least parts of it does, and if it is warm enough and wet enough it will green up at the wrong time of year. That spring there was enough moisture that the wheat had greened up and was providing the geese with plenty of green to eat. We knew there was a large flock of geese on both sides of the road so Dad pulled the pickup over to the side of the road and stopped. He shut the pickup off and we listened. The noise was tremendous. And so loud. Every goose had to be non-stop honking. We listened for awhile and talked. Then when he started the pickup and turned on the lights all those geese were startled. They flew up in a great mass of wings and honking. The noise from the take-of was a loud as the honking. There were so many of them that it was disorienting. It looked, and felt, like the ground had just heaved upward in a great gout of moving white wings. We both sat there - totally awe struck.

It was one of those moments in time that a person never forgets.

>105 karenmarie: Hi, Karen! I bet is great to be back home doing your thing. Good luck with finishing up your stuff with your Mom. I will stop by your thread and see what you are reading.

>106 weird_O: Hi, Bill! Yes, all chipper here, my friend. I hope the dentist went well.

>107 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita! Is this Canada Geese, you are talking about here? Do they winter there in that area or are they passing through?

Go Cubs!!! : )

Thanks, Kimmers! Go Cubs! Can't wait until tomorrow night. B.A.G.

134) The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan 3.8 stars

“And you know what happens when a bomb goes off? The truth about people comes out.”

“A bomb was a child. A tantrum directed at all things.”

Two Hindu brothers, of school age, are visiting a Dehli marketplace. A bomb goes off and both are killed. A Muslim friend of theirs, is injured but survives.
How this random, “small” bomb, effects the lives of the people close to these boys, is the focus of this story.
Watching the parents grieve and attempt to put their shattered lives back together, is painful. The second part of the novel, is a look at the young terrorists who planted the bomb. How they became involved and how they deal with the aftermath.
This is a thoughtful, well-written novel. Not quite as powerful as I expected but still quietly effective.

I hardly know what to do with myself tonight. No Cubs game. No Blackhawks game. I know, maybe I'll READ!!

Hooray, for reading! Great idea. I have been catching up with some stuff, I have been neglecting. I am getting seriously pumped about tomorrow night's game.

#108
I am not sure about this and don't have time to look it up, but I think that technically most North American geese are 1 species with many subspecies. At home we call all of these geese Canada geese, but I am sure that not all of them are the same sub-species.

The area I am from is also on the migratory route for the Sandhill Cranes and there are millions of them as well. The migrate at the same time as the geese, so when all of them are flying the skies are full. The cranes squawk instead of honk, but otherwise there isn't much difference.

>108 msf59: You do know, Mark, that the dentist is "the house," and the house always wins. So the dentist did great. Me, following an extraction, I have a crater in my gum and some achey in my mouth. Oh, and there's an empty spot in my wallet.

I don't think anyone has mentioned snow geese. We see them passing through at this time of year. There aren't as many of them as Canada geese. Snow white, they are. They sound the same as Canada geese, and have the same body configuration, but they don't mix with Canada geese that I've seen.

Well, so. Back to Carl Sagan.

>114 benitastrnad: Well, this gives you a research project, Benita. LOL. I don't think I have ever seen a Sandhill Crane on the ground but I am sure I have seen flocks migrating across the sky.

>115 weird_O: Sorry about that empty spot in your wallet, Bill. Might have to forgo a few future books. Grins...

I do not think I have seen snow geese around here. Boo!

"Why are books so very powerful?

What do the books we've read over our lives - our own personal libraries - make of us?

What does the unravelling of our tradition of public libraries, so hard-won but now in jeopardy, say about us?

The stories in Ali Smith's new collection are about what we do with books and what they do with us: how they travel with us; how they shock us, change us, challenge us, banish time while making us older, wiser and ageless all at once; how they remind us to pay attention to the world we make.

Public libraries are places of joy, freedom, community and discovery - and right now they are under threat from funding cuts and widespread closures across the UK and further afield."

Wow! Smith's new collection Public Library and Other Stories sounds great, doesn't it? It doesn't come out until next month but it has firmly landed on my list.

According to Wikipedia Snow Geese are a sub-species of the Branta Goose. Branta geese are Canadian Geese. I am not sure about that so will try to do more in-depth research tomorrow to find out for sure.

I did manage to identify the bred of domestic geese we had on the farm. Chinese geese. I will keep looking.

An interesting sidelight - (I might begin to sound like Walt Longmire here). Brent grade crude oil is named for the Branta goose. The word Branta is old Norse and the Branta goose/Canada goose ranges as far a Northern Europe. The English form of the name is Brent. The prime crude that came out of the North Sea Oil fields is called Brent crude - named for the Canada goose.

>107 benitastrnad: Some of my strongest memories involve geese like you describe.

My dad grew up in Montevideo, Minnesota in the western part of the state. One of the lakes outside of town is on the big flyways for geese.

Every Thanksgiving we would go out to Lac Qui Parle to look at the geese. There would be some where between 80kand 120k geese on the lake at once with huge V's flying in and out to feed in the farm fields around the reserve. It was an awesome sight and one I haven't seen in decades. It remains one of my more vivid memories from Thanksgivings of my childhood.

I had thought that we had more Canadian Geese these days due to destruction of the wetlands and less migratory behavior in the geese. Also, destruction of the predators.

Personally, I find geese pretty, but annoying. However I also feel that they would be less annoying if we humans hadn't destroyed their world, so I try to be compassionate.

Side note: I watched "Sully" last week (which I don't especially recommend) and it made me curious about the bird strikes that took the plane engines out for US Airways Flight 1549. I looked it up and it turns out they were Canadian Geese, and afterwards the government tried to reduce the goose population by gassing some geese, and coating goose eggs with corn oil, which apparently kills the goslings.

Just looked it up in my Common Birds of British Columbia and a Canada Goose is scientifically called a Branta Canadensis. A Snow Goose is a Chen caerulescens. We have plenty of them around my area. A problem at the airport that they handle with raptors, border collies, hovercraft, pyrotechnics, and yes, pouring canola oil on the eggs.

snow geese ( the kind we have here ) as per wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_goose

Canada goose https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_goose

^These guys have been getting some serious post time. Grins...

>118 benitastrnad: Ooh, Chinese Geese. I do not think I have heard of them. Brent, Branta, Prime Crude...all interesting. Thanks, Benita.

>119 Oberon: "80kand 120k geese." WOW! Must have been quite a sight, Erik. Thanks for sharing. You must have plenty of bird activity in your neighborhood, eh?

>120 banjo123: "I find geese pretty, but annoying." I think that might sum it up, Rhonda. I thought "Sully" received some pretty good reviews. What didn't work for you? I heard Hanks was terrific.

It never is a pleasant thing, when they attempt to reduce an animal population. Ugh.

>121 vancouverdeb: Happy Friday, Deb. It looks like your airport has things under control. How does the hovercraft work? Does it just fly around? Grins...

They use dog silhouettes at our local high school, to keep them off the sporting grounds. Funny to see geese gathered all around them.

Hey buddy, just checking in. Happy Friday!

I saw *Sully* and thought it as excellent. I faced down my 2 worst fears: I don't enjoy flying (haven't done so for years) and big water. I am not a swimmer and don't do boats at all. Watching this film certainly raised my blood pressure but I only went to it because I knew it had a happy ending (and I love Tom Hanks).But I was also fascinated by the part I hadn't known about, the investigation work and the outcome of that. Wow! I thought it was very well done

Woo Hoo! Happy Friday, Mark! Are you as psyched as I am?! How's the weather look tonight? I'm going to the last half time show of my son's high school career but intend to leave right after half time. Don't let anything happen before I get to a TV ok?

Morning, Mark!

>124 jnwelch: Morning Joe! Missed you yesterday. I am off today, so getting ready to head out on a bird walk.

>125 jessibud2: Morning Shelley! Yah, for a Thumbs Up for Sully. I missed it at the theater, so I will watch for it on DVD.

>126 Carmenere: Morning Lynda! Yes, this town is buzzing. Nice and warm for game time but very windy and it will be blowing out. A hitter's night. I will use all my mental forces, to prevent you from missing anything. Grins...

>127 scaifea: Morning Amber!

'Hope' is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—..."

-Emily Dickinson



^Since I have today off, I am going on a organized bird walk, at a local forest preserve. For some reason they have many of these on Friday mornings and since I work most of them...sighs.

40 mph winds blowing out. Fairly warm though, for the season. I hope Hendricks is on top of his game tonight.

Good morning Mark!

I hope your bird walk is enjoyable and filled with new species of birds for you.

Have you started your life list?

>122 msf59: Since moving to the lake we have definitely gotten more birds. My favorite is an osprey that we see regularly fishing on the lake. Lots of different water birds.

Good morning, Mark!

>129 msf59: I hope you enjoy your day off and your bird walk. That should be fun.

^I saw my first bluebird! I saw my first bluebird! Actually, we saw 4 of them. Sweet! I am meeting my wife for lunch, so I will be back later.

>134 msf59: Wow! Very pretty bird :-)

>134 msf59: What a beauty!

>134 msf59: How exciting! Congratulations.

Hi Mark - Happy Friday. Go Cubs.

>128 msf59: - Hi Mark. Not sure you will even see this, in the flurry of excitement for tonight, but for what it's worth, I thought I'd put it out there. When you see the film *Sully*, be sure to watch at the very end, after the credits roll. The real Sully and the real passengers come out for a curtain call and it's very emotional.

I'll be watching tonight!! Go Cubs! :-)

>130 lindapanzo: Big winds at Wrigley, eh, Linda? Hope we take advantage. Go Hendricks!

>131 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Had a good time on the bird walk. The birdy veterans considered it a slow day but I was happy with what we saw.

>132 Oberon: Thanks, Erik. Osprey are spotted around here on occasion. I have seen them mostly in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

>135 FAMeulstee: >136 Carmenere: They were beautiful, Anita & Lynda! A Definite highlight.

>137 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Bird people are almost as interesting as book people. Almost...

>138 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. Go Cubs! Getting ready to go to a favorite brew pub to watch the game with friends.

>139 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley! I will keep that it mind. Go Cubs!

^Another bird highlight from today was a Cooper's Hawk. We saw at least four, soaring and playing in the late fall skies. Also spotted: goldfinch, coots, mallards, doves, robins, woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks and cardinals. I am probably missing a couple...

Ohhhhh, a dagger in my heart. One of my closest friends is at Wrigley tonight. Not sure she's gone to any games this year but she's there tonight. Ohhhhhh.

OK, to be fair, she's with her husband but still. I know her husband.

I am getting interesting texts updating me to all that's going on. Police presence. No one can get around. Makes it all seem more real somehow. I'm going out to breakfast with her on Sun and will get a full report then, no doubt.

Glad you saw the Bluebird of Happiness, and that's some hawk. I was a pushover for hawks even before H is for Hawk. We saw a slew of them in the sky in the Smokies - I've never seen that many together. Great wind eddies, maybe? They probably were broadwinged hawks, which are common there.

Hawks - the rodents of the skies.

Out on the plains the Hawks, of various species are causing a problem. To many of them. They are predators and they prey on other birds. Especially the birds that have to learn to walk before they fly. Birds like pheasants, quail, prairie chickens, etc. and even rabbits and certain species of snakes. The numbers of the prey species have dropped to dangerous lows. In my home area of Kansas the pheasant population is so low that experts doubt it would recover naturally due to the extremely high numbers of raptors.

Now if you want to see graceful flying try Vultures. Them is some beautiful birds in the sky.

Good Job, Mark! I just got home and I'm glad to see 0-0!

Mark, here you thought you were taking up a calm , relaxing hobby of bird watching and what do you find? Everyone on LT has an opinion , including me. Apparently they use the a small hovercraft at the airport to scare away the birds on the marshes and small islands that surround our airport. I've yet to see a dog profile to scare birds away. I find that they that the geese are not easily scared.

I have book to recommend to you. It's a shortie of 99 page or so , Wenjack by Joseph Boyden. You are not going to want to miss this one.

>147 vancouverdeb: - Deb, did you watch *Secret Path*, the graphic animation project of the story Boyden first brought to light, last Sunday, on CBC? To be honest, I have not generally been a fan of Downie's music or the Hip in the past, but I do admire his ethic and his passion and drive. I found this animation of the graphic novel to be so well done and exceptionally moving:

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/arts/secretpath

http://secretpath.ca/#Home

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-edition-1.3814041/gor...

>143 lindapanzo: When I saw your "dagger in the heart", I thought you were talking after the game not before. LOL. What a sad loss, especially for all those fans, at Wrigley. Ugh!

>144 jnwelch: Hooray for Bluebird Happiness and more Hawk Love! Morning Joe! And speaking of H is For Hawk, goshawks have been sighted in this area. I would love to see one.

>145 benitastrnad: There is Ms. Sunshine! Grins...Well, there has always been raptors right? I would not think there was an increase in their population, so nature has been dealing with the "rodent in the skies" for eons.

We do not see many vultures around here. Probably have to get well out of the city limits,

>146 Carmenere: Morning Lynda! Nice win for you, bad loss for us. No offense at all. Boo!

>147 vancouverdeb: Hi, Deb! Yes, bird-watching is a lot like FB, every one has an opinion. Grins...I was watching the game last night with Carl. We did not talk politics.

And thanks for the book rec. I really like Boyden and had not heard of that one.

>148 jessibud2: Happy Saturday, Shelley. Thanks for the links.

^The Tribe beat us 1-0 last night and lead the series 2-1. Very disappointing, especially for all those Cubs fans at Wrigley. They came to see a Game and a Win. Sad.

That's a bummer Mark but don't the Indians lead the series 2-1? Hopefully the Cubbies can even the score tonight.

>152 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! Maybe, it felt like 2-0. Grins...Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Yes, a sad loss. But it was a close game and if there has to be a loss, better this way than a blowout, I always say!

Today is a new day, another chance!

Just frustrated that they couldn't drum up any offense, Shelley. And our pitching kept it so close too. Talk about flat-lining.

We need to come roaring back tonight.

Morning, Mark! There is a lot of bird talk on this thread. LOL! Glad you got to see the bluebird - those are my favorites because they are such a gorgeous color.

Good luck to your Cubs tonight!

Close and tight game last night, Mark, but to no avail. Two shut outs out of three games is not promising. Must level it up tonight - a must not lose game.

Have a great weekend, buddy.

Hey Mark! Tough loss especially due to the fact the Cubs played flawlessly. I hear Kluber will probably start tonight on 3 days rest. It may be your chance to even it up.

Good morning, Mark! Sorry your Cubs lost last night but I am sending positive thoughts for them to win.

>156 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie! Yep, I am a full-fledged "birder" now. I am getting ready to go to a nearby lake and walk around a bit and see what I can drum up. The weather is very mild here too, so I should take advantage.

Go bluebirds! Go Cubs!

>157 PaulCranswick: We have such good hitters, Paul. It makes it so frustrating when the bats go so quiet. Hope we can come roaring back.

>158 Carmenere: Morning Lynda. I thought we hit Kluber pretty well in the first game, just couldn't get any runs in. We will see. I bet you are elated that we will be returning to Cleveland.

^American Coot. Saw a few of these guys this morning and yesterday morning. Beautiful waterbirds.

Yay! for American Coots. Both feathered and un-feathered. Not to be confused with bandicoots, of course.

>162 laytonwoman3rd: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. And hooray for all the Coots!!

This looks to be a fierce battle of wills. The Cubs will prevail!

hi, Marky. better late than never, maybe? the farther behind i get, the harder it is to post. today, i dive in like a peregrine.



they used to have a peregrine at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. it had been brought in after someone shot it. they'd a cage attached to a huge balloon that floated, oh, perhaps 200 feet above the bird show arena. they'd open the door to the cage, a guy would toss out a lure and the falcon would simply dive straight down, just as in the photo, and as the lure hit the top of its arc, would catch it mid-air and land on the man's arm. imagine the stress the wings have to handle to pull out of such a dive. 'strornry. i don't suppose she reached terminal velocity but if you blinked you missed it. utterly deadly and gorgeous.

sorry about the Cubbies' loss last night. did you see the fivethirtyeight.com piece about the inconsistent strike zone? they don't see it as causal but it's an interesting piece.

>107 benitastrnad: wow, Benita, what a beautiful description!

later, Mark.

p.s. CUBBIES PREVAIL

>164 brodiew2: Thanks for that shot of optimism, Brodie! Always helpful. Another frustrating loss last night. I just don't understand the inconsistencies of their offense. NEED this win tonight.

>165 mirrordrum: There is Ellie! Always a pleasure to see my pal. Love the peregrine story. I do think I have ever seen one in the wild. I know they are around here, just elusive.

Thanks for the baseball link. I will check it out. Everything is so amplified in the postseason: every pitch, every play. You want the right call.

Hope the Cubs can pull it out. They need to win 3 out of 4. Will not be easy.

>165 mirrordrum: We're on the East Coast migratory path for peregrines and red tails. It's pretty common to see them sitting on lights along the road looking for lunch or dinner:) Once had one dive my car as I was driving along...

Oh, and... Go Cubs!!!

Hey Mark! I'm hearing there may be rain showers in the forecast tonight. What say you, my friend?
Really windy over my way and they're saying it may rain on the watch party at Progressive Field.

>167 drneutron: >168 drneutron: Hi, Jim! we have plenty of red-tails here, year round. I saw one today and yesterday.

Thanks, for the cubs cheer, my friend. We NEED this win.

>169 Carmenere: Hi, Lynda. It has been overcast most of the day and now they are talking possible mist or light rain during the game. Hopefully nothing more than that.

Game time: 2 hours!!

Excellent Mark, Sounds playable! Woo Hoo!

Hey you old Coot, I'm reading your rec, Another Brooklyn and it's really good!

>171 Carmenere: I just hope the fans going to the game were prepared for light rain.

Since, our offense took the night off, last game, I am hoping for some fireworks tonight. And I am sure you are hoping Kluber shuts us down. The suspense builds...

>172 vancouverdeb: It takes a coot to know a coot. Grins...I am so glad you are enjoying Another Brooklyn. It is a fast, engaging read. Woodson owes me a check.

The Annie Dillard thread is up. Stop on by: http://www.librarything.com/topic/238289#5779417

>170 msf59: - Just curious. With such mild(ish) weather, and on a weekend, why are the games tonight and tomorrow at night, instead of day games?

Sorry about the Cubs, Mark. But I bet tonight will be good.

Re: Sully, of course Hanks was great, but I thought the action was too slow and repetitive. Also, I did some internet research after the fact, and it seemed to me that the NTSB is unfairly portrayed in the movie.

>175 jessibud2: It is all about the money, Shelley. Prime Time, baby.

>176 banjo123: If the Cubs can jump on top early, we should be able to win this one.

Thanks for your further thoughts on Sully. I will see it, at some point.

Except for the Cubs pitching, hitting, and defense, they're doing just fine. Still in it but hanging on by a thread.

I thought after we scored in the first, that we would get back on track. It did not last long. What happened to Javy?

>179 msf59: I was coming home from my niece's conference swim meet (they finished 4th) and listened to Pat and Ron on the Score. They said that, if the Cubs could score first, they'd be fine. I thought so, too. Feels like it's slipping away fast.

Even so, only down by 2. If they can sneak away with a win today, everyone'll be feeling confident.

Yes, we need to get some offense going. This is getting tiresome.

Now, Montgomery is in a jam. Sighs...

This game is feeling like deja vu, all over again (apologies to Yogi). Just a couple of weeks ago, my Jays vs these same Cleveland bums, same woes with the silent bats going numb from otherwise hot hitters. It's just a head-scratcher. Their pitching isn't helping matters. Andrew Miller still to come....

:-(

^The Tribe beat us once again and now lead the series 3-1. The Indians are a tough and scrappy team and are one away from taking it all. The Cubs were out-pitched and out-hit. Period.

>182 jessibud2: "This game is feeling like deja vu." You can say that again, Shelley. It feels like one team wants to win and the other...Well, the only way the Cubs can do it, is by winning 3 in a row, with 2 of those in Cleveland. A mighty task.

Happy Sunday!

136) The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman 3.7 stars

The expression bird-brain is immediately debunked in the opening chapters, as the author lays out the argument that birds are one of the most complex and intelligent species on the planet. A chickadee can hide as many as 30,000 seeds over large distances and remember the location of each one, months later; songbirds, that can store 200 to 2,000 different songs in a brain a thousand times smaller than ours and of course the genius and mind-blowing art of migration.

This is an academic book, but the author keeps the narrative light and easy to follow. It may have bogged down at times with repetition and scientific jargon but for the most part I found it informative and entertaining and the timing, for me, has perfectly coincided with my recent interest in “birding”. Bird-lovers rejoice.



^Black-Capped Chickadee. I see these all the time at my bird-feeder. Now, I know they are caching, each of those little seeds.

>183 msf59: very kind comments towards the Indians, Mark. Ya know, when Fowler dived for that line drive and didn't bounce back up, I thought, OMG that's what defeat looks like.

Maybe your Cubs will bounce back tonight, it would certainly make it interesting.

Morning Lynda! The Indians look like they want to win. They are spirited and driven. The Cubs look a bit lost. Is their inexperience catching up with them?

Hey, regardless of what happens, this was a great, historic season for both teams. We might win tonight with Lester but beating the Tribe 2 games in Cleveland, is quite a mountain to climb.

Morning, Mark!

Good morning, Mark!

I'm sorry that the Cubs are down 1-3 to the Indians. I hope they turn things around and go all the way.

>188 scaifea: Morning Amber!

>189 karenmarie: Morning Karen! We have our best pitcher going tonight, so our chances are good, but the 2 remaining games in Cleveland are going to be quite the challenge. Fingers crossed.

Love all the birds, Mark. I'm cheering for your Cubs to pull even. Happy Sunday.

Happy Sunday, Mark!

Those are some powerful pieces Shelley linked up in >148 jessibud2:. What a sad story.

Glad you're finding so many beautiful birds out there. I'm pretty sure I've got The Genius of Birds somewhere on my WL. Good comments on it.

I'm reading a sci-fi-er by a new author for me, Peter Hamilton, called Great North Road, and enjoying it. I finished a birthday book, Slow Burn, a Spenser mystery continuation by Ace Atkins. He deserves the accolades he's been getting.

The sighting of a bluebird is a birdwatching thrill. At least I know it was for me. A group of coots is called a raft. I'm sorry your Cubs are struggling.

>193 Morphidae: Yes! Bluebird sightings are rare and special!

Black-capped Chickadees are a dime a dozen but I love love love them. Their spring song always cheers my heart (and I usually hear it in February). We get a lot of them at our feeder, along with House Finches, Goldfinches, and occasional visits from others: Townsend Warblers, Vireos, Bushtits (I adore Bushtits!!!), and White-crowned Sparrows. I'm glad you're so enjoying your bird feeder. The suet might bring some Flickers your way; ours brings them in.

Hi Mark! I am pulling for those Cubbies but they have their backs against the wall now. One game at a time. Win tonight. That's all that matters right now.

Commonwealth fell flat for me but I started Do Not Say We Have Nothing last night and I think it's going to be my cuppa.


White-crowned Sparrow


Flicker

All the pictures of American birds are lovely. I'd love to see a bluebird - we don't have them here.

I'm still boring my family with random anecdotes from the Genius of Birds - I particularly liked the one about the ?crows who remembered the researchers who caught them and avoided them / warned other birds about them many years later...

I want to see some November baseball this year but not feeling very confident that it'll happen.

Mark, I know a big game is coming up tonight for your boys. I was so excited when The Royals won last year. I wish that same joy for the Freeburg family tonight. Did I spell that right? I know it wouldn't win the series but it would keep the fun going a little longer.

>195 charl08: - Oh, I do want to read this book, too!

If you are interested in crows (and they are so smart, how could anyone not be), I can highly recommend a book I read a few years ago called Corvus: A Life With Birds by Esther Woolfson. Not only is the story engaging but she is a magnificent writer. She effortlessly moves from science to art to poetry to personal tales and is just a delight to read. When I reviewed it for bookcrossing, I quoted so many passages, I thought someone was going to tell me to shut up! There are just so many lovely passages.

Dagnabit. Sometimes I'm an idiot. I wish I'd looked a few hours earlier at tickets for tonight. All the bandwagon fans are jumping off.

Bringing you a crying towel, for the losses your of your Cubs. In Canada, a "crying towel" is customary for fans of losing hockey teams. I did not know until my mom bought my son a " crying towel" for the Canuck Hockey team.

>191 BLBera: Happy Sunday, Beth. Go Cubs! Go birds!

>192 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! Hope you are having a fine Sunday. Not sure The Genius of Birds is quite your cuppa but if you want to prove me wrong, go right ahead.
Go Cubs! We NEED to stay alive.

>193 Morphidae: Hi, Morph! Hooray for bluebirds! Definitely a highlight in my young birder career.

>194 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! Thanks for chiming in on the bird chatter. I WANT to see some Bushtits, but I do not think they come through here. We do get House Finches, Goldfinches, warblers and vireos, though. Our flickers are northern flickers, they must be related. Ours are of a more brown hue.

Come on, Cubbies! It is do or die.

>195 charl08: Hi, Charlotte! I do remember the story about the crows and their long memory. That is amazing.

>196 lindapanzo: >199 lindapanzo: We should win tonight, Linda, otherwise it is over. If we do, we have a chance at taking it all. I am remaining hopeful, although it is not easy.

Too bad, you could not have scored seats. Bummer.

>197 Donna828: Happy Sunday, Donna! Yes, you have the Freeburg clan, right! And we are all hoping for a Cubs win. Hey, regardless of what happens, it has been an incredible ride.

>198 jessibud2: Lots of crow love, eh, Shelley?

>200 vancouverdeb: Hi, Deb! No, crying towels needed yet. Maybe tomorrow? But I am remaining hopeful.

>202 msf59: The Hawks have come back from 3-1 down several times in the playoffs in recent years. Admittedly, they were playing well but still, it can be done.

Good luck to the Cubs! No crying towels needed. :)

Hey Mark! 30 minutes to go! Hoping both of our teams play well.

>203 lindapanzo: Got to spark that offense, Linda. Lester is keeping it close.

>204 The_Hibernator: Happy Rachel! Thanks for the encouragement.

>205 Carmenere: Looks like another nail-biter, Lynda. The Tribe always hangs tough.

Good luck with your Cubbies, Mark. It's a tough go when a team needs to win 3 straight in order to clinch the title!

Don't know if you are getting much reading in right now, I've just started The Great Gatsby a book I admidt to have been avoiding most of my life, but Mamie's praise lured me into giving it a try.

Do you know what else is really cool to see? A pileated woodpecker. Do you have any old growth woods nearby? Our neighborhood has a lot of old hardwood trees so occasionally we'll have one hang out for awhile. They are *big.*

ETA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pileated_woodpecker

>207 DeltaQueen50: Happy Sunday, Judy. The Cubs look good tonight. I hope we keep it going.

I hope you are enjoying The Great Gatsby. I love that book, although I am due a revisit.

Actually, my reading is going pretty good. I am nearly finished with Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Have you read that one.

>208 Morphidae: We were just talking about pileated woodpeckers, on my last birding walk. They are seen here but not very often.

I remember seeing a few on my grandfather's farm, as a kid. He had a place in northwestern Illinois. Beautiful birds.

>209 msf59: I have Behind the Scenes at the Museum sitting on one of my shelves so there is another Kate Atkinson that I need to get to!

Glad the Cubs have the lead but this is too close. I am a really nervous nellie tonight.

>211 DeltaQueen50: It is a good, accomplished first novel, Judy, but I think she really matured as a writer as she went along.

GOOOOOOO Cubbies. some outrageously cool defense tonight. and a super homer. happy happy, Marky!

Cubs rock 'n' roll

Cubs climb the wall

this is my fave:

Cubs juggle and grab like Champs

Go Cubs!

Yay! Stayin' alive!!

Love your new found bird interest! One of the reasons I love going to the lake here, particularly early or late in the boating season, is seeing the birds. We have cormorants, grebes, herons, bald eagles, hawks, a variety of ducks and geese, but best of all, White Pelicans. They are huge, graceful, and positively prehistoric-looking when they glide low overhead.

Morning, Mark!

^Cubs Win! Cubs Win! It was a nail-biter but the Cubs finally got a win at home but the Indians still lead the series 3-2. Back to Cleveland tomorrow night. Go Cubbies!

>214 mirrordrum: Thanks, for the tunes, Ellie! It put a smile on my face. It will be tough to win the next 2 games but it is not impossible.

>215 banjo123: B.A.G. Go Cubs, Rhonda!

>216 Copperskye: We really wanted that win, Joanne. Had to win one at home for the fans. Funny, I saw one of these white pelicans on Saturday, in a marshy area. I did not even know we had pelicans. It was huge and beautiful.

>217 scaifea: Morning Amber!

Happy dance for Mark - hope the winning continues.

Congrats, Mark. That was quite a game!

Welcome back to CLE, Mark! What a game! Even though the Indians are ahead 3-2 I'm still a bit nervous. Playing on our home turf should help them but weird things have happened in Cleveland before so not 100% confident.

Has your wife become a bird watcher too?

I was so happy for you, Mark, when I heard the Cubs had won :-)
When are the next games?

Yay! for the Cubs! I'm glad they're still in. You've got me rooting for them.

Go Cubs! Still in it!

Hey, Mark. That starts the week well, right?

Should be pretty nice out for the next couple of days. I plan to leave early to catch the Halloweeners - it starts late afternoon at our place, with the young 'uns.

Good morning, Mark!

I checked the score last night sometime during the game, and the Cubs were ahead and was happy for you. I'm glad they won.

Happy Monday!

Good morning, Mark! Sorry I missed you over the weekend. Tough loss Saturday, but strong bounce back last night. They are still in it!

Three in a row...*Darth Vader voice* It...is...your...Destiny.*Darth Vader voice*

Heavy volume Monday, so my time is limited, but I have a few minutes...

First off a shout-out to my lovely wife, Sue- Happy Birthday! She is my Halloween Baby!

>220 avatiakh: >221 jessibud2: Thanks, Kerry & Shelley. Hugs to my pals.

>222 Carmenere: Intense game, Lynda. It was too close for comfort. Let's see what happens in Cleveland.

I think my wife is caught up with the excitement of my birding, especially watching our own feeder, but she doesn't geek out as much on our walks. Grins...

>223 FAMeulstee: >224 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Anita & Rachel. Much appreciated.

>225 jnwelch: Morning Joe! Yep, looks like comfy temps for most of this week. We will take it. We will be going over to my BIL's tonight for Halloween and to celebrate a certain birthday.

Oh yeah: Go Cubs. Good win.

>226 karenmarie: Morning Karen. Enjoy your Monday and Go Cubs!

>227 brodiew2: Morning Brodie. Hope you had a good weekend.

Yes, nice Cubs win, although we should have scored a couple more runs.

May the Force Be With Us in Cleveland.

Yay for a Cubs win!!

I don't even like sports. And I mean I REALLY DON'T LIKE professional sports. And you've got me rooting for the Cubs.

>232 Morphidae: Glad my warbling paid off, Morph! Books, beer, biking, birds & baseball! The Mighty B's!! Go Cubbies!

Ready for a Halloween story...

YIKES! *runs away screaming*

>235 Crazymamie: *flies by Mamie, shrieking*

Oh I am so scared! Say , Mark, what did you think of the book Shelter by by Jung Yun. Think I would like it? I keep looking at it a the bookstore and now I've put a hold on it at the library.

>235 Crazymamie: >236 Morphidae: Sorry, Mamie & Morph! Pretty scary, I know.

>237 vancouverdeb: Tonto is so fearless! Hi Deb! I really liked Shelter and I met the author at Booktopia. It is a very dark book. Some very disturbing moments. If you are in the mood, for something like this, give it a try.

Hey Happy Halloween. Speaking of scary stuff, did you see that Josh Malerman has a new book (remember Bird Box), its called A House at the Bottom of a Lake. Not much about it here on LT, but if you google for Josh, there's a link to his facebook page and Amazon that has more information.

Great that you got a CUBS Win.
Happy Halloween. 🎃

>165 mirrordrum: great picture!

>234 msf59: not a great picture! *yikes*
;)

Go the Cubs. We have been hearing about it in our media too :)

>239 mahsdad: hi, Jeff. I did not hear that Malerman had a new book out. I find that surprising, since Bird Box was such a hit, at least in our little book universe. I will have to exlore further.

>240 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. Good to see you. Go Cubs!

>241 LovingLit: Hi, Megan! Always a pleasure to see you. Sorry, about the creepy clown. Glad to hearing that they are chattering about my Cubbies down in NZ. B.A.G.

Morning, Mark!

^Red-Bellied Woodpecker. We spotted one of these guys at our feeder over the weekend. It was a first. That looks exactly like our suet feeder box.

>243 scaifea: Morning Amber!

I love red-bellied woodpeckers! Looks like the suet feeder is great at attracting them.

Morning, Mark!

>244 msf59: = great. >234 msf59: = not so much. :-)

I'm heading into the (long!) final lap of Great North Road. Good sci-fi, but for sci-fi nerds like me, IMO, not general readers.

P.S. Bandette is a pretty good GN that you might want to look at. Very chipper, but charming in the French way.

Morning, Mark! I can't believe it's November already!

Good morning, Mark!

Taking a breather between games, right?

>246 lauralkeet: Morning Laura. Now, I would love to see a red-headed woodpecker at the feeder but it is fairly rare.

>247 jnwelch: Morning Joe! Looks like it is going to be a gorgeous day. Low 70s. I will take that for November 1st.

I appreciate the book update. I have been slacking on my GN reading...once again.

>248 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie. Gorgeous day in Chicagoland. I should be birding or reading.

>249 karenmarie: Morning Karen. It was nice to have a breather. Rest those nerves. Should be another tense one tonight.

Good morning, Mark! Go Cubs!

Hey Mark! It's a spectacular day in Cleveland. The weather is perfect and close to 70f. Thanks for sending it over to us.
So much excitement around here, I'm not sure if I could take one more day of it!

I've been reading a lot of GNs, but nothing to write home about before Bandette. I did finish the Ta-Nehisi Coates Black Panther A Nation Under Our Feet, but it was just okay. I actually stopped for a while from boredom. It's only Book 1, and he was learning how to write in the GN genre, so maybe what comes after will be better.

Go Cubs go! ( not that I actually watch the games, nor do I know what sport I am pulling for,) but you know, you go!

Raptors. Here's a falcon for you. Somewhere in France. Photo by Robert Doisneau 1912-1994.

Enjoy the game, Mark!

>252 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie! You know I'll be glued to the TV. Go Cubs!

>253 Carmenere: >257 Carmenere: Getting pumped, Lynda. eating dinner now, so my stomach can settle before game time. Let's see a good game.

>254 jnwelch: Sorry to hear the Black Panther GN fell short. No wonder I haven't heard much buzz. Maybe he'll turn it around next time.

>255 vancouverdeb: It is baseball, Tonto. It is baseball. I am very glad you are rootin' them on, despite your lovable lack of interest. Go Cubs!

>256 weird_O: Great raptor photo, Bill. We mostly, see red-tailed hawks here. There are others around but they are more elusive. Do you see any on your vast property?

^I know I rarely talk about it, on my thread, but I LOVE music. All kinds, from jazz, blues, country to, of course, ROCK, and it's myriad of variations. So, it is no surprise that I wanted to read Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, a memoir by rocker, Carrie Brownstein. She is the founder of the seminal band, Sleater-Kinney. This music is tough and edgy and not for everyone, but these three women are immensely talented.

Brownstein is also a talented actor, (Portlandia, Transparent) and one helluva good writer. She also narrates the audiobook and is doing a stellar job.

I am just over halfway and it is excellent.

Wow! Looking good (1st inning).... go Cubs!

Oh my. 3rd inning. 7 is not enough, if you ask me. But it sure feels and looks good....

Can he pitch again tomorrow? ;-)

Looking very good, Shelley! Thanks for the cheers. I would not let my guard down though. The Indians are scrappy.

Go Cubbies!

Ugh. These announcers. When talking about Cleveland, they say "we." Unbelievable.

Jake needs to keep dealing. No walks.

ETA: Whew. Glad he managed to get out of that one with only the one run.

>265 lindapanzo: - Where I am watching from (Toronto), on the Sportsnet channel, the announcers are Buck Martinez (the Blue Jays regular play by play guy) and an American announcer I did not know, Matt Vasgursian (sp?). I am loving that Buck is one of the announcers as I've always liked him.

>265 lindapanzo: I hope Chapman is okay. How do you feel about bringing him in this early?

>266 jessibud2: It looks like you got the better Buck....LOL.

Congratulations to your Cubs, Mark. They really came out swinging.

I have a terrible feeling that once again the Indians are going to fall short tomorrow.
We'll see!

Announcers bug me. They say Cubs need to win two. But first they need to win one. I'd keep Chapman in til he falters.

One game, winner take all. Unbelievable.

ONE MORE TO GO! Can't believe it's happening!

>265 lindapanzo: Linda--we mute the TV, bring the radio in, and turn on Pat & Ron on 670! There's a couple of seconds delay, but it's well worth it.

how about them Cubs, huh Marky? wow. glad you and Joe have gotten this household interested. have a good day.

Well I guess that it had to come down to a one-game decider. My word even I am watching baseball!

Morning, Mark!
Rainy here today, which is much more to my liking for November, although I know it's not exactly what you'd like to see. If only it could be chilly and rainy here and sunny and warm there...

^Cubs Win! Cubs Win! We needed that offense to catch fire and they came through, beating the Indians 9-3, forcing a Game 7 tonight. Whew!!

>270 lindapanzo: >271 kac522: There is my two Chicago Peeps, chiming in, on a great Cubs win! Believe it, my friends. Let's Do This!

>272 mirrordrum: Hooray, Ellie! Glad we have the household cheering us on!

>273 PaulCranswick: We wanted this to come down to Game 7, Paul and it is happening. If our bats stay hot, we will be tough to beat.

>274 scaifea: Morning Amber! I don't think it is raining here yet but it is on it's way. Bring the rain gear.

One more to go, my friend. Which one remains to be seen but it's pretty intense around here.

Well, that's one thing we can agree on, The Announcers can take a hike. Funny how Cubs fans think they favor the Indians and Indians fans believe they favor the Cubs. At the pre-game desk they all believe the Cubs will win and only the Cincinnati Red non-Hall of Famer Pete Rose thinks otherwise.
Hopefully for Cle, Kluber still has enough juice to take us through 5 or so innings.

See you tonight, Mark!

Morning, Mark! I am so happy that your Cubs made it into the final game - winner take all. I don't follow baseball, but I love when sports comes down to one final agonizing moment. Good luck to your Cubs!

>260 msf59: Yay! A book comment (I didn't even know it was baseball until you told Deborah up there). I enjoyed Hunger Makes me a Modern Girl - fearlessly honest I thought, even when it made the author look less than perfect.

Looks like I missed the link for your new thread! Caught up now!
Congrats on forcing a game 7!! Good luck tonight!

>277 Carmenere: Morning Lynda. I can understand that feeling of dread. We have experienced that too. Should be a great showdown. Kluber & Miller are tough but we will be tossing in all our best too. Hope we stay dry.

It looks like everyone hates Joe Buck. LOL.

>278 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie! Thanks for the good cheer. We are pretty excited. Should be a helluva game.

>279 charl08: I plan on getting back to books and birds, starting tomorrow, Charlotte. I promise. I am really enjoying this memoir.

>280 ChelleBearss: Morning Chelle. I am loving the fact that my Canadian pals are rooting us on. Big Grin.

Morning, Mark! Watch any exciting baseball lately?

Should be a helluva game tonight, all right. More mellow weather today - have a good one, buddy.

>283 jnwelch: Morning Joe! It has been a great ride, my friend and I am waiting for the perfect way to cap this off.

The other big positive is, it is taking our minds off this ugly, ugly election cycle.

Go Cubs!

Conversation last night:

Me: "Someone on LT actually has me rooting for the Cubs."
MrMorphy: "Really?"
Me: "MmHmm. Who are they playing against?"
MM: "Cleveland Indians."
M: "I thought it was the Cleveland Browns."
MM: "That's football."
M: "Oh."
MM: "..."

Good morning, Mark! Congrats on the big win. the former voice of Mariners, Dave Neihaus used to say:

"Get out the Rye bread and mustard, grandma! It's grand salami time!" I bet there was a big sigh of relief when that ball left the park.

3 Down, 1 to go!

Just dropping in to add my best wishes for the final game, Mark. Although my daughter and SIL are rooting for Cleveland (they aren't big baseball fans, but are rabid about the basketball team, so looking for two championships in one year). An underdog will be on top when it's over, no matter what.

Well, Mark, you must be going crazy along about now. I hope that your Cubs win.

Sending good vibrations for the Cubs today!

Hey Mark it's a gorgeous night for b-ball. Rumour is Charlie "wild thing" sheen will throw out the first pitch. enjoy the game! I've recovered from last nights mess and will enjoy it too. both clubs are winners no matter what happens

>285 Morphidae: That definitely put a smile on my face, Morph. Thanks. Go Browns! Grins...

>286 brodiew2: "It's grand salami time!" It sure is Brodie! You have been a fount of optimism and I appreciate it. Go Cubs!

>287 laytonwoman3rd: "An underdog will be on top when it's over, no matter what." You sure got that right, Linda. Hey, your daughter got her basketball championship. Tell her not not to be so greedy. Grins...

>288 karenmarie: Hi, Karen! Yes, I am buzzing along with the entire city. We were hoping for it to come down to Game 7 and we got our wish. Go Cubs!

>289 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! It is great to get those good wishes from across the pond. Do you watch American baseball at all, over there?

>290 Carmenere: "both clubs are winners no matter what happens". I love that attitude, Lynda. Of course, if one of us loses, it will still hurt a bit but what a helluva season for both teams.

I took a short nap after work, to take the edge off. Now dinner and a beer or two, to get the old pump primed...

>291 msf59: Frank might catch a glimpse of American baseball now and then, as he LOVES to watch all kinds of sports, football (soccer for you) is his favourite. I sit next to him, with my laptop... ignoring the TV ;-)

The day we have dreamt of our whole lives is finally here, Mark. Can you believe it? Hoping we make the most of our big chance.

The team with more runs inevitably wins the game. Good luck to your Cubs, Mark.

I won't be watching. Sorry. Gotta read #75!

I see that there is a big game taking place in the Cleveland area tonight: the Akron Zips are hosting the Toledo Rockets, which will go a long way in determining which teams play for the MAC football championship next month. Who ya got?

(Go Cubs Go!)

>293 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Tell Frank hello for me. Go Cubs!

>294 lindapanzo: It is like a dream, Linda. We are off to a nice start. Keep piling them on.

>295 weird_O: Oh, come on, Bill, at least have it playing in the background. Grins....

Good luck on hitting #75!

>296 kidzdoc: Go Zips! Go Rockets! And yes...Go Cubs!

Thanks, Darryl. Very excited about this one...

So far, so good, Mark. Our play by play guys just mentioned that this was the first time in World Series history that a game 7 was opened with a homer. That lead-off guy has made history

Ugh. Not getting a good feeling. Cubs defense is letting us down. They've got to tighten that up.

>299 lindapanzo: - No worries.......;-)

Just don't blink.....

>298 jessibud2: Wow! I did not know that. Our lead off hitter is Dexter Fowler. He also made history by being the first black player to play the World Series, for the Cubs.

>299 lindapanzo: Defense is poor but we are hitting. Feeling a bit better. Hendricks is back on track.

>301 msf59: - Mark, our cbc sports guy tweeted, after Fowler's homer: "Dexter Fowler just got more expensive if the Blue Jays are interested."

lol

4-1 now. But Miller is on.

Oh good god...now they're bringing out the tarp....
What a night, Mark.

Long night but looking very promising . . .

Oh, this game is driving me crazy . . . can't they get just ONE MORE OUT??????

Congratulations, Mark! Good game!

WOO HOO!!!

Sweet, Sweet, Sweeet Thursday, Marky. whew. they gave the fans all you could ask for. congrats Cubs, congrats Chi-town.

learned something. i'd never heard of "defensive/fielder's indifference" before. that was bottom of the 10th.

Congratulations to you Marky Mark and your funky bunch of scrappy Chicago Cubs! World Champions! Wold Series dramatic endings, The Cubs be thy name. My Oh My! (another catchphrase of our dearly departed Dave Niehaus former voice of the Seattle Mariners)

YAY, the Cubs did it, congratulations Mark!

Was happy for you Mark. My son immediately mentioned Back to the Future when I told him I was following the Cubs.

Wow! What a game! I fell asleep during the 7th inning, when the Cubs seemed to have a comfortable 6-3 lead, but I suspected that there would be some late inning drama. Congratulations to the Cubs, and to the end of the longest title drought in the history of American sports.

Congratulations and commiserations also go out to Cleveland. It's a shame that someone had to lose, but hopefully they can end their long drought (which now becomes the longest active one in the four major American sports, right?) in 2017.

CUBS WIN!! What a great game.

^We are the Champions! The Cubs won the World Series, beating the Indians 8-7. It was not easy and I nearly went into cardiac arrest a few times, but we got it done.

Needless to say, I slept like crap but it was worth it.

Morning, Mark!
Go, sports team! (Sorry, best I can do, really.)
Seriously, though, I'm happy for you and your Cubs.

Big Hugs & Thanks to: Shelley, Joanne, Erik, Terri, Lynda, Ellie, Brodie, Anita, Kerry, Darryl and Laura. You are all the best.

I am going to try to whip a new thread together before I leave work, so this one doesn't get crazy!!

>314 msf59: Thanks, Amber, Sweet Thursday!