The view from the top

As we go into the All Star break, my Cubs are in first place. I am, of course, thrilled. I'm also surprised. I knew we were improved over last year, but I didn't expect them to be this good.

 I'm especially happy for our phenomenal center fielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong. PCA! PCA! He's a fan favorite. An all-star who hits, has a terrific arm, and is a demon on the base pads. He's got a relationship with the Bleacher Bums, who paid him this unusual tribute. 19 of them stripped down to spell out his name on their chests in Pantone 294.  (I love the hyphen.)

 

So I'm having fun. I miss Anthony Rizzo, of course. This is the first season since 2012 that I haven't watched him anchor the corner. There's a hole in my heart.

 

Book fair recap

I clocked 7 volunteer hours for this year's annual library book sale. First I built boxes for the book sorters to sort into, later I was reunited with my boxes, now full of fiction, mysteries, sci-fi/fantasy, classics and young adult. I took them out of the boxes and placed them onto the designated sale tables.

These labors earned me the right to peruse the books that were left after the sale and just take whatever I want. I took two oversized books for myself – one about Princess Diana, the other a Frank Sinatra career retrospective – and grabbed a paperback mystery by Karin Slaughter for my aunt.

And now for my annual observation.  Every year there's a book donated in bigger numbers than any other; a book many of my neighbors bought and then decided not to keep. I suspect it's a tome chosen by local book clubs. Without further ado, here's the dubious honor roll:

2025: Living History by Hillary Clinton 

2024: Water for Elephants

2023: My Life by Bill Clinton

2022, 2019, 2018 and 2017: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2016: The Help

2015: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

2014: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2013: The DaVinci Code

2012: Sixkill (a Spenser Mystery)

2011: The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

2010: Scarlett, the Sequel to Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind

2009: My Life by Bill Clinton

2008: The DaVinci Code

2007: The Nanny Diaries

2006: The Corrections