Three Beautiful Things 07/07/07: Russell and Anne, Pudge and Sheff, Molly and Hiram

1. Russell and Anne joined hands in marriage today and the Deke and I were invited to the reception that followed. It featured a happy Russell and Anne and a generous buffet. The weather was nearly perfect: the sun, scattered clouds, and breeze kept the day moderately warm, but not blistering. Plenty of trees at the Campbell Senior Center gave people cool places to sit and enjoy each other's company.

2. I had taken a nap this afternoon and forgot to turn on the Red Sox/Tiger's game. When I did, they were tied 2-2 after ten innings and the tense contest wasn't settled until the bottom of the 13th inning when Pudge Rodriquez drove home Gary Sheffield to score the winner. Sheff, by the way, was on second after getting hit by a pitch and then stealing second. My devotion to the Tigers has seriously elevated my respect for Sheff as a player. He can bomb home runs and scratch out runs, too. As a well-traveled player, I hope he is content playing for the Tigers.

3. Quite a scene in the kitchen when the Deke and I returned home from the wedding reception. I thought I could smell pork frying from the driveway. Indeed I could. Molly and Hiram decided to fry up about a pound of bacon, about nine Jimmy Dean pork sausage patties, and grill up about a dozen pancakes. If an army lives on its stomach, it looked to me like the lovebirds and Molly's brother, Pat, would be doing some kind of battle today. But, no, it was all in the name of peace and the huge appetites of young people in their early 20's. God Bless 'em. It's good to be putting a roof over their heads and havin' a place where they can fry pork and pig it down and have some pancakes to boot!

Three Beautiful Things 07/05/07: Tigers, Vet, Stranded

1. 12-3. Yes 12-3. The Tigers exploded for seven runs off of C.C. Sabathia and went on to club Cleveland 12-3. The Tigers are back within a game of first place and host the Red Sox in a weekend series starting tomorrow.

2. Annual exam at the vet for Snug today. He's fit. The vet had nothing but praise for Snug, including, most importantly, his behavior.

3. Speaking of animals, I'm nearing the halfway point of the unusual zoological, theological, Robinson Crusoe-like novel "The Life of Pi." It's been a pleasure so far and quite unlike any book I've read -- well, except "Robinson Crusoe."