Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Here Comes Peter Cottontail (from the archives)

1) Which do you prefer: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside? Colored hard-boiled eggs. It once would have been plastic eggs with coins inside, if the coins were quarters, because I need them for laundry. But as a member of the condo board, I now in charge of collecting the quarters from the washers/dryers and taking them to the bank. I'm swimming in quarters now!

2) What's your favorite color of Peeps (yellow, purple, or pink)? Yellow. Though I must admit I don't really like Peeps and haven't eaten one in ... could it be? ... a decade.

I enjoy Peep-inspired art

3) All this talk of sweets is making Sam hungry. What's for lunch? Saturday I'll be having leftover barbecue chicken. I'm going to the dentist Saturday AM and, if he can repair my tooth himself and doesn't send me to the oral surgeon, I may not be in the mood for anything more. Sunday is Easter, and Easter means ham.

4) This song was introduced by country singer Gene Autry and it's still a favorite. Please share some of the lyrics. (And you're on your own; Sam didn't include a link to the song this week.) "Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail. Hippity-hoppity Easter's on its way."

5) Gene Autry was so popular that a town in Oklahoma named itself for him. Have you ever been to Oklahoma? Nope.

6) He and his horse Champion also had a TV show. Can you name another famous horse? Velvet's beloved horse, The Pie.

7) Gene Autry also recorded "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer," and it was, of course, wildly popular, too. Who is your favorite recording artist? The Beatles. Always and forever.

8) In 1950, the year Autry recorded this song, Diner's Club issued the first credit card. Think of the last thing you purchased. Did you use cash, a credit card, a debit card, an e-wallet service (Visa Checkout, Paypal, Google Pay, Apple Pay ...) or a check? Cash.

9) Easter is recognized as the start of the spring season. What are you looking forward to this spring? The crack of the bat. Especially Anthony Rizzo's bat. He's my all-time favorite-most Cub. It looks like this could be his last season here, and I want to treasure every moment.

 

 

A beautiful sight!

Chicago Sun-Times

Yesterday, for the first time in a year, fans re-entered The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field! As you can see from the gloved gentleman at right, it was cold on Opening Day. (It's always cold on Opening Day.) The wind chill was in the upper 20ºs.

But that really doesn't matter, because baseball is back and the Cubs are home. With the Biden Administration's welcome emphasis on masks and vaccinations, I may even be emboldened to go to a game this year. How I missed the bricks and ivy last year!

Anthony Rizzo got a double with his first at bat and brought a runner home later in the game. He also participated in a rather balletic play at first. The game didn't end as I would have wanted, but still, it was baseball! 

Cubs President Jed Hoyer told reporters that he is "very optimistic" that he and Rizz will come to terms on a contract extension. (See post below.) This is huge. I cannot accept that I just saw my all-time favorite-most Cub take the field for his last Opening Day in Cubbie blue.