Sunday Stealing

Ask Questions, Yo

1. Are you a very open or private person? Depends where I am and who I'm talking to. I'm very blabby and can talk about current affairs and celebrities, which gives appearance that I'm open and friendly. But at the end of the conversation, strangers know little about me.

2. Change one thing about the world what would it be? That people would live their religious faith -- whatever faith that may be -- rather than proselytizing. Living one's faith brings us together, trying to recruit sets up an "us vs. them" that is not healthy.


3. Live in any country/city, where would you choose? I love Chicago and would never leave. But if I could live anywhere in this city, I'd choose the Palmolive Building. It's a beautiful art deco building from the 1930s. It's historic -- the light you see is The Lindbergh Beacon, added way back when to help aviators navigate over Lake Michigan, and it was also the headquarters of Playboy back in its heyday. And my view would either be Michigan Avenue or the Oak Street Beach! Now all I need is $14 million for a condo unit.

4. What perfume do you wear? Exceptional. It's crisp and rather uncommon.

5. How are you feeling right now? Happy. I've got the windows open and I can hear church bells.

6. If money was no object, where would you move to? Shit, I answered this already. See #3.

7. Who was the last person to make you cry? The Cubs Kyle Schwarber. This terrific kid suffered a season-ending injury in game three of the year, before the Cubs even got home to Wrigley Field. On Opening Day, he came out on crutches and nearly 40,000 fans got their feet to wish him a speedy recovery. I get verklempt just thinking about it.

8. What age do people usually mistake you for? Late 40s. Which makes me happy because I'm a fat old broad in my late-50s.

9. Is there a song which can bring you to tears instantly? I'm not much of a crier, but "Save the Best for Last" will do it. I so loved the man that song reminds me of. Still do. Wherever he is, I hope he's happy.

10. Do you play video games? Nope

11. What do you think about before you go to bed? Whatever I'm reading

12. Have you ever online dated? Nope

13. Do you get cranky when you’re hungry? Nope

14. What drink did you last consume? Milk

15. Have you ever tripped while walking up the stairs? Ever? Of course. I've been going up stairs for a half century.

16. Is there something you’re happy about at the moment? Yes. Right now both my cats are healthy and happy and within my sightline, so my life is good.

17. Are you a shy person? Not shy, but I am introverted.

18. Were you happy when you woke up today? Yes

19. Do you like rain? Sure

20. Can you go a day without music? Not willingly

It's a gift to be gotten

By "gotten" I mean understood.

I've got a lot of emotional "stuff"going on. Mainly I'm wrestling with news about Connie and the radio silence from Barb.

•  With Connie, I'm trying to be a responsible, vigilant guardian while still living in and enjoying the moment.

•  With Barb, I'm trying to balance her need for privacy right now with letting her know she has my support.

I have financial issues, too. And work is more roller-coastery than is comfortable. And ... and ... and ... I'm trying to stay positive and face forward. (After all, I've got the Cubs!)

And right now, it's good to know how heavily I can lean on my oldest friend. She knows me so well, knows my history, knows I need to laugh and be distracted and knows just how to do it.

She has shit going on in her own life. She always does. She's one of those people who lives in perpetual chaos.

But she's able to put it aside for me right now, and I treasure her for it. I just wish she was here. I won't see her until late summer. I can't wait!

The Connie File

I've kept a close eye on Connie since getting the bad news about her bloodwork. And here's the thing: she doesn't know her immune system is compromised. She's a happy girl who feels just fine, thank you.

She's alert, watching the branches move in the breeze from our 4th floor window. She's active, eager to track a bug across the wall and willing to engage Reynaldo in hijinks. She's affectionate, demanding to be picked up at times but also content to just be near me. And she's eating, though she's far pickier than I'd like her to be.

I must remember these important dates -- and I keep getting this wrong so I'll list them all again here -- because the vet says it would "not be unusual" for her to live to be 10 or 12.

•  Connie was (likely) born in September 2011. That makes her 4 1/2 years old right now. (I thought she was just three, but that's wishful thinking.)

•  She joined our household in June 2014, when she was 3. She had a gum infection and runny, sensitive eyes, both likely side effects from FVR. Think of it as a forever cold that lives in her system and will flare up if she's stressed or otherwise compromised. She's been outwardly healthy now for well over a year.

•  She has the virus in her system that causes FIP. I just have to keep an eye on her to make sure it doesn't flare up, because this one can kill her. The symptoms are those runny eyes, like she had at the shelter, and diarrhea.

Since, God willing, this little girl and I have 6 or 7 more years together, I have to chill out about this. I have to concentrate on keeping her healthy and treasuring her, not waiting for her to die.

Saturday 9

Little Red Corvette

1) The subject of this song is frankly sexual. Do you blush easily? I don't think so. But it's hard to tell from the inside if you're blushing, isn't it?

2) Prince was his real first name (Prince Rogers, to be exact). Growing up, his relatives called him "Skipper." Do you have any nicknames within your family? My dad had nicknames for me when I was very young. "Mouse" and "Andy Panda."

3) Prince said he was "obsessed" with Mozart and read whatever he can find about the composer. What's the last book you read? The Chairman. It's the final volume of James Kaplan's biography of Frank Sinatra. What a life that son of a bitch had! I was tired just reading about it.

4) Between Prince and The Beach Boys, the Corvette is a much sung-about car. Tell us about your vehicle. No car

5) In the 1980s, when Prince was popular, MTV could turn a song into a hit. In 2016, where do you hear new music? They play music videos at the health club. Where I must go to more often.

6) In 1982, when "Little Red Corvette" ruled the airwaves, Braniff Airways shocked the travel industry and threw passengers into chaos by declaring bankruptcy. When did you last fly? Did your trip go smoothly? I spent Christmas in the Keys. The last flight, the one from Key West, went well enough. But the one going down there ... OY! Security was arduous. I was really afraid I'd miss my flight.

7) 1982 is also the year Disney opened Epcot. Have you ever been to a Disney park? Yes. Both of 'em.

8) 1982 is the year Cheers premiered. The sitcom was set in a bar where "everybody knows your name." Tell us about your favorite local bar or restaurant. La Cantina. It's a little restaurant tucked away in a basement. I think being a cellar gives it an acoustic advantage: It gets busy but it never gets noisy. And the manicotti! It literally melts on your tongue.

9) The 1980s were considered a highpoint in professional tennis, with Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe dominating the sport. Do you play tennis? Badly. Very badly. I don't even try anymore.

I MIss Barb

Saw Bullets Over Broadway this week. Instead of my usual theater buddy, Barb, a coworker was in the seat beside me. And nothing was as good.

The play wasn't as good as the movie. I was disappointed because Susan Stroman directed and choreographed this and she can be marvelous. But the music was ... weird. None of it was original. Why "Hold that Tiger!" and "Yes, We Have No Bananas?" Didn't make sense. And a musical whose musical score doesn't move the action along is, well, weird.

The company wasn't as good. My coworker was excited to be there and clearly enjoyed hanging out with me, which was flattering. But I miss Barb, and I'm worried about her. I've known her for more than 20 years and have been going to the theater with her nearly that long. She's supposed to be in the seat beside me. I can't wait for her to get well.

"Move over baby, gimme the keys ..."

Prince died this past Thursday. I heard about it on the way back from lunch with my neighbor, Nancy, a freelancer who coincidentally is working in the same 83-floor office building as I do. She prefers her coffee from Caffe Rom, not Starbucks. While her order was being prepared, the counter girl started telling me about Prince. She said it with such urgency. it was like she was handing off plutonium. I was surprised that someone so young (late teens?) cared so much. She was more upset about it than I was, and I'd lived Prince's 80s heyday.

I can't claim to be much of a fan. I have just six Prince songs on my iPod. "When Doves Cry," "Purple Rain," "1999," "Kiss," "Let's Go Crazy" and my favorite, "Little Red Corvette." It's that last one that is etched indelibly in my consciousness.

When it was popular, I was in the first flush of a very passionate and ultimately very destructive affair and that song summed the powerful lust that had overtaken me. It was reckless and distracting. We couldn't keep our hands off each other. I remember that spring was unusually warm and we did it everywhere. And that song seemed to be playing everywhere -- in bars, from passing cars (radio still mattered back then), through open windows, in the bars, in my head.

A 12" single! Remember them?

Then there was "So Emotional." That relationship devolved into something very unhealthy very quickly. We were still lovers but no longer friends. The affection dissipated but the lust remained. By the time Whitney's song had taken over the airwaves and the jukeboxes (jukeboxes still mattered then), this was who we were. "I remember the way we touched, I wish I didn't like it so much ..."

So when I see that meme that's going around of Bowie and Prince, meeting up in heaven for a super jam, I shake my head. You guys have it wrong. In my celestial 80s oldies concert, Prince opens for Whitney.

So good it was stupid

Thursday night's Cub game featured a no-hitter AND a grand slam home run. The no-hitter was pitched by Jake Arrieta's, last season's Cy Young Award winner, who just pitched a no-hitter in Los Angeles in September. The grand slam was hit by last season's Rookie of the Year, Kris Bryant.

16-0. That score means the Cubs are so good it's stupid.

I'm afraid to accept the evidence before my eyes, which is that the "next year" I've been waiting for is finally here.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

Carole Lombard enjoying two of my favorite things

WWW.WEDNESDAY is back! To participate, and to see how others responded, click here.

1. What are you currently reading? Three Witnesses by Rex Stout. This is a trio Nero Wolfe novellas, written in 1956, and so far it's completely charming. I haven't read a book from the Wolfe series in nearly two years, and it's a joy to be spending time with the orchid-loving genius gourmand and his right-hand man, Archie Goodwin. (I admit I've always been a little in love with adorable Archie.) If you're a fan of mystery series, I highly recommend Rex Stout and Nero Wolfe. There's minimal violence, maximum atmosphere, and a supporting cast of colorful characters.

I'm reading a second-hand paperback, published in the 1980s and purchased for $1 from the local library book sale. I enjoy second hand and library books. Wondering who held them before adds to the romance of the story. As I read this, I worry about losing that as the world moves inexorably to e-readers.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Sinatra: The Chairman by James Kaplan. It took me nearly two months to plow through this prodigious tome. But oh! Was it ever worth it!

Sinatra was complex and fascinating and never, ever dull. He was a monstrous, affectionate, generous, violent, tender, brave bully. His life was so big, his mood swings so drastic, that I felt exhausted every time I put the book down. And while there's plenty of drama -- what with his Mafia ties and many, many, many women -- there's also wonderful background on how Sinatra created his music. He knew how good he was, and he always tried to do right by his music and his audience. Now that I know how much work went into making those recordings, I can no longer just have them on as background music or white noise, I find myself listening as though I'm hearing them for the first time. So while I often didn't like him during this biography, I always admired his integrity ... when it came to his work, that is.

3.  What will you read next? I don't know.

Oh, sweetheart!

My Connie really is such a sweet cat. Spirited and affectionate. And that's what makes this news so sad and unfair.

Her first year, 2013, was a difficult one. She began her life with a hoarder who kept at least 9 cats in a little apartment. When she ended up at the shelter, she was emaciated and pregnant with a stillborn litter. She had terrible breath because of bloody gums and was suffering from an upper respiratory infection that manifested itself in chronically runny eyes. I knew her history when I adopted her. I realized she was "special needs," that because of her eye trouble she'd need to be dosed regularly with Lysine.

What I didn't know then was that she'd already been exposed to FIP, an incurable virus that will someday take her life. I just found that out Monday afternoon.

My dear old tomcat Joey had -- among many other health problems -- a rather rare virus that sapped his strength and contributed to his passing. It weakened him as his old body tried to battle late-stage kidney disease. Because he shared a water bowl and litter box with Connie and Reynaldo, I was worried that he may have passed this virus onto them. My vet said it was unlikely but I wanted to be sure. So last weekend, when I took Connie to the vet for her annual vaccines, I asked for a full blood panel.

The vet was right. She didn't catch anything from old Joe. But she does have FIP, which is different, and worse.

She's fine now. Her heart and lungs sounded good to the vet. Her eyes are clear. She's lively and sociable and her appetite is good. The vet advises me that, with the proper care, she could lead a normal life. What will predictably happen is that the opportunistic FIP virus will one day in the future turn a simple cold into something fatal.

Connie deserves a good life. The way it began -- in crowding, in squalor -- is not her fault. I'm going to see to it she gets the best possible diet and regular vet care and lots of affection. I don't know how many years she has (the vet says 10 is not out of the question), but I'm going to give her the best I can. I love her and take my responsibility to her very seriously.

 

PS Later this month, when Rey goes in for his vaccines, we'll learn whether he's picked up a virus from either Joey or Connie. The vet says it's unlikely, but we've got to find out.

The soundtrack of my life

Stolen from Kwizgiver.

What if your life was a movie? What music would accompany the action?

Opening Credits: A Hard Day's Night -- The Beatles
Average Day:  Just Another Day -- Paul McCartney
School Experience: At 17 -- Janis Ian
First Crush: Opus 17 -- The Four Seasons
Falling in Love: Can't Help Falling in Love -- Elvis Presley
Secret Crush: If Only You Knew -- Patti LaBelle
Life's OK: Dancing in the Dark -- Bruce Springsteen
Feeling Proud: Man! I Feel Like a Woman -- Shania Twain
Family Relationships: Pachabel's Canon D



Fight or Flight: Don't Rain on My Parade -- Barbra Streisand
Learning a Lesson: Friends in Low Places -- Garth Brooks
Friends: Part of Me, Part of You -- Glenn Frey
Deep Thought: That's Life -- Frank Sinatra
Flashback: Moonlighting -- Al Jarreau
When I Was Young: Come on Down to My Boat Baby -- Every Mother's Son
When I Get Older: When I'm 64 -- The Beatles Can't find a good version on YouTube
Happy Dance:  September -- Earth Wind and Fire
When I'm Feeling Down: Stoney End -- Barbra Streisand
On Top of the World: Brand New Me -- Dusty Springfield
Closing Scene:  Tears Dry on Their Own -- Amy Winehouse


I realize this list reflects my advanced years. But I enjoyed this exercise enormously. Thanks for sharing it, Kwizgiver!

Oh, yeah!

That other local team, the White Sox, is doing well, too. (I'm so full of joy and love I can be generous.)

Feeling positively Angelic

That's Revlon #141 Angelic. Got my spring pedi today from Joanna. The neutral pale pink has me feeling fresh and ready for sandal weather. Even turned the air conditioners on! (Mostly to see if they worked, but also because it was pretty stuffy in here.)

Sunday Stealing

25 Large Meme

1. Travel anywhere, where would it be? I'd like to sneak away for a weekend in a place I haven't been in years, like Hot Springs or Memphis or Boston.
2.  Meet anyone, who would it be? Michelle Obama. I'd like to ask her how she handles the scrutiny and relentlessly unfair criticism with such grace. And why doesn't she want to move back here to Chicago when their time in the White House is done?
3. Bring anyone dead back to life, who would it be? I wouldn't. I don't believe it would be wise to change the course of history that way.
4.  Be anyone for a day, who would it be? I'd like to be a petsitter. Doesn't sound all that glam, does it? Well, it's something I've thought about doing when I retire from advertising and I wonder how I'd like it, how good I'd be at it.
5.  Get anything for free for the rest of your life what would it be? Electricity and light bulbs. I don't know why, but I really resent paying for those things.
6.  Change one thing about your life what would it be? My laziness.
7. Have any superpower what would it be? Time travel. I'd love to be a fly on the wall at many moments in history.
8. Be any animal for a day which would you be? One of my cats. I'd love to speak to them, learn what they like and what they don't, about their lives with me.
9. Date anyone who would it be? Bruce Springsteen. Of course, since he's married he shouldn't be dating.
10.  Change one thing about the world what would it be? The divisive us-against-them that permeates everything. Naturally I would start with Donald Trump.
11.  Live in any fictional universe which would you choose? I don't like sci fi, so I don't know how to answer this.
12.  Eliminate one of your human needs which would you get rid of? Sleep
13.  Change one thing about your physical appearance what would it be? I hate how fat my face is
14.  Change one of your personality traits which would you choose? The aforementioned laziness
15.  Be talented at anything instantly what would you choose? Singing!
16.  If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? How is this different from question #2?
17.  Erase an event from history (make it so it never happened) which would you choose? I wouldn't. I don't believe it would be wise to change the course of history that way.
18.  Have any hair/eye/skin color, which would you choose? I like my coloring (pale skin, light brown hair, green eyes)
19.  Be any weight/body type, which would you choose? Tall and lean
20.  Live in any country/city, where would you choose? I like it right where I am
21.  Change one law in your country, which would you change? I'd like to protect the separation of church and state. Legislating one's faith feels very unpatriotic and un-Christian to me.
22. Be any height, which would you choose? I'd like to be 5'7 and wear a size 8.
23. Have any job in the world, which would you choose? Queen of the circus
24. Have anything appear in your pocket right now, what would it be? The key to Leroy Jethro Gibbs' heart
25.  Have anyone beside you right now, who would it be? My cat, Joey. I miss him that dear old tomcat more than I thought I would.

Change is the law of life

So said JFK. The man knew what he was talking about.

When I went to my new doctor's office last Wednesday, I found myself riding through a neighborhood I haven't seen in years, since my mother died in autumn 2012. I used to spend a lot of time waiting there, as I made the connection between the bus and train, en route for a Sunday afternoon visit. I can recall specific books I was reading as I sat outside, weather permitting, on the steps beside the open-air train shelter.

When the weather didn't permit -- and in Chicagoland, that was really more often than not -- I killed time and avoided the cold or wet or wind at either Arby's or Burger King. There was also a very nice 24/7 coffee shop with an extensive menu of surprisingly good food that's still there, but if I could afford that I could afford a cab instead of public transportation. So usually it was Arby's or Burger King.

They're both gone! Not closed. Gone.

Arby's was completely renovated and is now a pancake house. I'm curious as to how it looks inside, as I think it's a little small for a sit-down restaurant.

Burger King is now rubble. There was an early morning fire in 2013 and extensive damage was done
to the roof. Apparently the fast-food chain decided it wasn't worth repairing it to reopen and the building has come down.

My little world of heading over to my mother's every other Sunday to chat with her and play Scrabble with my little nephew is gone. My mother's dead. My nephew is in high school, with a neck beard and a girlfriend and a full plate of adolescent problems. The quick serve restaurants where I hung out, used the restroom and waited for the train have disappeared.

It's the slow, unrelenting constancy of change that fills me with wonder and melancholy tonight.

She's made new friends

Connie went to the vet today. She needed her annual rabies vaccination and a blood test. I've been worried about her and Reynaldo. My beloved old Joey had an immune deficiency virus at the time of his death and while it's unlikely that he passed it along to Connie and Rey, I want to be sure.

As I was settling our bill at the front desk, one of the vet techs -- the one who actually drew Connie's blood -- came over to tell me what a sweet and special little girl she is. Finding a usable vein was a little harder and took a little longer than was customary, but during the process Connie maintained eye contact with the tech and kept on purring. "I thought, 'this is one I want to take home!'" the tech enthused about my gentle and trusting girl.

Hopefully I'll get good news about her blood work on Monday.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: You're Beautiful

1) The first line is of this song is, "My life is brilliant." Using one word, describe your life.
Improving

2)  This is about a chance encounter between strangers in a crowd, specifically the subway. What "crowded place" were you most recently in? The train Thursday morning was crazy crowded. The gentleman sitting next to me was a smoker and his leather jacket retained the stench. It wasn't at all like encountering an angel, as described in the song.
 
3) Near the very end of this song, James Blunt sings, "It's time to face the truth." Do you believe you face things head on? Or do you tend to deny or put off the unpleasant? I don't like hurting anyone's feelings, so I suppose I put things off longer than I should.

4) James Blunt went to an all-boys school. Some educators recommend single-sex classrooms because they maintain girls just naturally approach subjects like math and science differently than boys do. Do you agree? I don't really have an opinion on this and have heard compelling arguments on both sides.

5) Blunt put his father in charge of his finances. Income taxes are top of mind for many of us this time of year. Do you do your own taxes? Or do you go to an accountant or tax preparation service? I use an accountant, and consider it money well spent. My oldest friend does her own taxes, and is always finding out she owes more than she thought she would. I pay to make sure I have no surprises.

6)  In 2005, the year this song was a hit, the sitcom How I Met Your Mother was also popular.  Do you know how your parents met? My dad was a mechanic, working on this lady's car. The lady thought he was such a nice young man. That lady, my mother's mother, played matchmaker and wrangled my mother an invitation to a party at the mechanic's house.

7) 2005 is also the year Tom Cruise famously jumped on a sofa. Do you remember where he did this? Oprah. I saw it live. I happened to be home from work that day because I had a doctor's appointment. I recall thinking Oprah was just as weird as he was. "He's gone," she kept saying, "The boy is gone." The whole incident was very strange. People just don't naturally behave the way either of them did.

8) 2005 was also the year YouTube really took off. What's the last video you watched? The video for this week's song.

9) Random question ... Which of these high profile jobs would you enjoy more: head of General Motors, CEO of Apple or president of the New York Yankees? My first response is that they all sound like too much stress and I'm not interested in any of them. But then I remembered how nice ballplayers look in their tight pants, so I'll choose president of the Yankees.

I miss him

I miss Frank Sinatra. I finished The Chairman last night, the final volume of James Kaplan's massive biography of Francis Albert and I was riveted. Now that it's over, I'm exhausted. And absolutely everyone else on the planet seems dull in comparison.

He was a peerless artist, a tender lover, a loyal friend, a compulsive womanizer, a cruel bully, a superficial social climber, a beloved father, a quick intellect, and a Mafia groupie ... sometimes all on the same page!

I hate the way it ended. Not the book, Frank's life. This lion among men, this great romancer, the original jet setter who would fly to London for dinner, had his last meal -- half a grilled cheese sandwich -- from a wheelchair. He was senile and impotent. Heartbreaking.

Therefore I've decided to simply not grow old. No, thank you.

Is this for real?

Friday reflections:

•  This week the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks twice and the Reds three times. No losses. Yes, they're down by three right now (top of the 6th), but with this team and their big bats, I'm not counting them out. As Jake Arrieta's shirt proudly proclaims, they are good.

•  Looking back on my week, I can't recalling scolding Reynaldo once. He's gotten more cuddly in his old age (he turned 12 this month), taking Joey's spot beside me on the futon. He's still eating well, and he and Connie indulge in a little nightly rough house. As long as his appetite and social instincts are strong, I suppose I shouldn't worry. But this is the first week in memory that I haven't yelled at him for knocking the photos off the shelf or the paperwork off the table, or chased him into or out of the bedroom, or pleaded with him to please shut up.

The Cubs are winning and Reynaldo is behaving. Wow. I believe I have everything I've always wanted!

Now THIS has been a good day!

I haven't had many lately, but today was one and I'm savoring it.

I saw a new specialist today. She talked to me. She asked questions. She listened. It was great! She explained that what I had -- c. diff -- is actually rather serious and it takes awhile to get over it. I've really only been c. diff-free for a little over a month. I think I'm recovering slowly, but she doesn't necessarily agree. She thinks I'm expecting myself to be the way I was on December 22, the day before my first episode of c. diff, but that may not be what "well" looks like for me anymore. I might be looking at a new normal. She wants me to relax, to concentrate on upping my fruits and vegetables and reducing my admittedly prodigious soda/caffeine intake, and to talk to her in two weeks. She wants to talk to me! As opposed to the last specialist, whose office couldn't commit to when, or if, he'd ever call me back.

Barb called! She left a voicemail at home when she knew I was at work, so I'm taking that as a signal that she didn't really want me to call her back. But it was good to hear her voice and get an update. She's home from the hospital and had one of the drains removed, which she reports, "is huge." I'll call her tomorrow or Friday, just to check in.

Things are better at work. AD is rolling up his sleeves and making changes. I'm not sure they will all be changes for the better, but that's not the point. He is enthusiastic, he's open, he's smart. YEA! The agency is beginning the appraisal process soon and I wish AD (account director) was my supervisor so he could write my review, instead of my boss, but it is what it is.

The Cubs are winning ... again. These guys are so good tonight it's actually boring. They're winning 9-2. Up by seven runs! Can you believe it? They've so outclassed the Reds in pitching, fielding and hitting that I'm comfortable switching back and forth to a Law & Order rerun I've never seen. What a luxury!

Well, yes, I cried

I cry every year when I watch the opening ceremonies at Wrigley Field. The tradition and the romance and the goodwill ... the were all on display, and they are all what being a Cub fan is about.

At this point, we had no idea how bad it was

This evening, when the announcer introduced "your 2016 Chicago Cubs," the last name he called Kyle Schwarber. The crowd went wild. He ambled out on crutches. I turned on the water works. For this charming 23-year-old kid, this hitmaker, this hero from last year is out for the season. In a heartbreaking turn of events, he took a tumble in the outfield during Game 3, while the boys were still on the road. Schwarber tore the ligaments in his knee. He played two games, and now he's done. So unfair. I was touched to see the Wrigleyville faithful shower the kid with love. We're good people that way. We're loyal and we really love our guys.

Then three of the Cubs Hall of Famers threw out the first pitch. The heroes of my youth -- Fergie Jenkins and Sweet Swingin' Billy Williams -- were joined by my grandmother's all-time favorite Cub, Ryne Sandberg. Sniffle, sniffle, sniffle.

If my own personal hall of famer, my beloved Greg Maddux, had joined them, I would have simply died of completion. But he's working for the Dodgers now. Which is OK. Doesn't matter. I'll always love him best.

Sunday Stealing

Ask Ask Ask Meme

1 -If you were stranded on an island, who do you wish to be with? Tom Hanks. He has experience with this.

2 - What do you feel right now? Lazy


3 - What chocolate is your favorite? Mint chocolate chip ice cream

4 - Why did you create a blog account? It's my online diary

5 - Who is your favorite blogger? The one I read most often is Kwizgiver.

6 - When was the last time you cried? Why? I cried a lot when I said my final goodbye to Joey. He was a wonderful cat and it was a privilege to know him.


7 - Who is your best friend? Whom I turn to depends on the circumstance

8 - What kind of music do you listen to? I'm a Baby Boomer. I like the oldies.

9 - Do you have troubles sleeping at night? Sometimes

10 - What do you prefer, jeans or shorts? What's the weather?

11 - Did you try to change for a person? Yes. It didn't work. (It never does.)

12 - Are you in a good or bad mood? I'm in a good mood right now. Absent an irritant, I'm usually in a good mood.

13 - Name someone you can’t live without. Cubs manager Joe Maddon. I've put all my hopes and faith in him. This could be the year!


14 - Do you have a grudge against anyone? Yes. I'm not proud of this, but that's the truth.

15 - Are you a crybaby? No

16 - When people praise you for your looks, what feature do they praise? My green eyes.

17 - What hair color do you prefer? On myself or on the opposite sex? I tend to be more attracted to men with dark hair.

18 - If you can change anything about yourself, what is it? My chins. I'd like one fewer.

19 - Can you live without internet?   Yes, but not happily.

20 - Have you ever experienced being hysterical? No.

21 - Did you have an accident last year? I twisted my ankle while running for the bus.

22 - What are you thinking right now? That my skin feels a little dry.

23 - Have you been hurt so bad that you can’t find words to explain how you feel? Yes

24 - Do you have trust issues? Yes

25 - Who’s the person who first comes to your mind when someone mentions “love?” Not a one. I'm blessed with many long-term friendships, and they all flood in.

26 - Do you believe in the phrase “If it’s meant to be, it will be?” Not always. For example, you shouldn't gulp a fist full or barbiturates and then swig a bottle of Jack Daniels and assume you'll be safe because "it's not my time."

27 - Do you believe in destiny? To some degree. I believe God created each of us and He has a plan. But we each have free will.

28 - How do you look right now? Messy

29 - Did you ever feel like you’re not good enough? 24/7/365

30 - Favorite city? The one I'm in. It's a toddlin' town.

And there's still more

Our conversations are different now. They all seem to revolve around our health troubles.

So far, 2017 has been The Year of One Gal's Gut. Whenever my friends and I get together, my c. diff comes up.

Then there's John's ongoing creaks and aches and pains. He just can't move like he used to. He has trouble with ramps and stairs -- he gets winded going up and down is hard on his knees. In January, when we went to the Cubs Convention, we found ourselves sitting on the floor and he had a difficult time getting up.

Barb has cancer. Kathleen's and Ed's cancers are in remission. So is Ed's daughter's leukemia.

Today I just learned that my friend Mindy is putting her 85+ mother in hospice. Last month, Mindy's husband had an angioplasty.

My oldest friend continues to suffer from depression, and anxiety, and heart trouble. (Which reminds me: I have to call her.)

At 58, I'm the baby of my circle of friends. So all of this reminds me of Nora Ephron's quote about what happens when you turn 60 and your thoughts suddenly turn to mortality.

His face looks fuller

Had lunch with my nephew on Saturday. We did not talk about how poorly he's doing in school,* or that he's been feeling suicidal, or he is seeing his second psychiatrist and first therapist, or that the anti-depressants he'd been taking made him gain weight.

We talked about Bernie Sanders and his girlfriend Anna. He's known Anna since pre-school, so I didn't need any introduction to her. What I heard is that this summer, she's volunteering at the local zoo and he's hoping to spend his days at the animal shelter.

And we ate a prodigious amount of fries and ketchup.

I felt better for having seen him. I thought he was happy to see me. I don't know many teenage boys who would willingly spend 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon with their old fart aunt.

*By his standards, not the school's or his parent's. He has a 2.3-2.7 GPA.

Saturday 9

That's What Friends Are For (1985)

1) This week's song is performed by an all-star quartet: Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder. You have your choice: which of these four would you most like to see in concert? Gladys. I love her voice, I love her music. Elton would be my second choice, because he was ubiquitous when I was growing up and I have so many memories attached to his music.

2) Dionne Warwick was Whitney Houston's cousin. Name a Whitney Houston song. This one is my favorite. It captures that flush of lust so well. (And I always liked the little jacket she wears in the video.)




3) Gladys Knight owns a chain of chicken and waffle restaurants around Atlanta. When you have waffles, what do you top them with? (Powdered sugar? Butter? Syrup? Fruit?) Melted butter and maple syrup would be nice, thank you.

4) Elton John has turned his bad eyesight into a hobby, claiming that over the years he has purchased well over than 200,000 pairs of glasses. Do you wear glasses? If so, how many prescription pairs do you own? I've got two pair of prescription glasses, one in my bathroom and another in my purse. Neither one of them is really strong enough, though. This fall -- when I run out of contacts -- I've got to get my eyes checked again.

5) Stevie Wonder has a scar on his nose from a 1973 car crash. Have you ever been in a car accident? Nothing noteworthy.

6) Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager were married when they wrote this. Do you know a husband and wife who work together? No. My friend John worked for a husband/wife team who ran a small agency -- five employees, including the bosses -- and he reports it was weird on a daily basis. Mrs. Boss was crazy jealous of Mr. Boss.
 
7) This song celebrates friendship through good times and bad. Tell us about a happy time you recently shared with someone close to you. The aforementioned John took me to the annual Cubs Convention. I had the best time. It was a lovely and generous gesture John made to this ol' Cub fan.

8) Now share a time when you were there for a friend through a tough time. I'm trying to be there for my friend, Barb. (See post below.) Thanks to everyone who posted advice. I appreciate it, because I want to handle this with sensitivity.

9) Random question: When is the last time you were out of breath? Going up the stairs as fast as I could (don't know if that constitutes 'running') to catch the train.