Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Impeccable Timing As Always

Preach it Papa Grande, preach it!
Yes, the hiatus is over.  The reason for said hiatus is because My Man's baby sister got married last weekend, and we spent the entire week in New York.  Whenever I mention that we're visiting the in-laws in "New York," I generally clarify it with "not New York City."  People who don't "know" New York seem to think it's all "the City."  Um, no.  I was in the country.  Farm country.  And when I wasn't looking at a corn field, I was hiding out in the woods.  To give you some idea of the rustic nature of this trip - My Man's parents don't have cable TV.  Not because they don't want it - because literally cable TV isn't available for them.  They haven't run cable up to their "neighborhood." 

Yes, these places apparently do still exist on Earth. 

Needless to say, that also meant no Internet.  Hey, no problem.  Sure I got the shakes by Monday, but I also got quite a bit of reading done (reviews forthcoming).  My Sony Reader is jammed, I've over-extended myself (again) - surely I can live without the Internet and cable TV for a few measly days.  Right?  Right?

Now since this is generally a romance novel related blog - I'm sure you're all wondering about the wedding.  Yes, it was lovely.  Yes, My Man's sister looked beautiful and she married a really nice guy.  Yes, when she shared a dance with her big brother (My Man), I was a total sap and cried.  There, I said it. 

Blah, blah, blah.

But lest we think Wendy has totally run off the rails, let us remember that I blog because It's All About Me.  And what happened while I was away - with no Internet binky and no cable TV?  Yeah....

My Detroit Tigers went on a 12-game winning streak!

None of the games were televised (I was in Yankee country, although a small rogue band of Blue Jays fans  lurks in the area), no highlights on the Internet or even ESPN.  None.  All I had were box scores in the local paper!  ARGHHHHH!  Seriously, it was like being thrust back to....the 1970s.  ::shudder::  Before cable TV.  Before ESPN.  Before the Internet.  ARGHHHHHH!

Now this might not seem like a big deal to...oh, normal people.  But the last time my Tigers won 12 games in a row?  Yeah, 1934.  And what has my team done during the second half over the last several years?  Yeah, swoon.  They've sucked so bad in the second half that in 2006 they coughed up the AL Central Division title and went to the playoffs as the wild card.  And I can't even think about 2009 when we had to play a flippin' tie-breaker game only to lose to the Twins in extra innings.

On the bright side, they're playing in Oakland this weekend, which means - late games.  Which means, once our plane landed and we ran the gauntlet of Friday evening rush hour traffic, I got to watch them clinch the AL Central Division (Playoffs baby!  Playoffs!).  I also got to watch my curmudgeonly old goat of a manager cry on TV.  Which is about when I stopped watching the celebration.  Seriously, grown men crying.  Harder for me to take than watching My Man dance with his baby sister at her wedding.....

10 comments:

Phyl said...

Awww, sounds lovely and fun. And congrats on your Tigers. I was thinking about you. Maybe we'll be doing some trash talking in late DOCtober!!!

Tracy S said...

My Brewers magic number is 5 then they clinch it baby! Here's to hoping they do this soon!

Barb in Maryland said...

Wendy--Glad YOUR team has had flashes of brilliance! Otherwise--
Shuddering sigh here from Baltimore. If it weren't for the Astros, the O's would be the worst team in all of Major League Baseball this year(which is no comfort to my sister in Austin, the Astros fan). So to all my fellow baseball fans--if your team is doing well--enjoy it while you can!
from Barb in Maryland.
And a big hug to the fans in Pittsburgh, whose season losing streak is even worse than Baltimore's!

JamiSings said...

Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most places that can't get cable end up having those huge-ass '80s style satellite dishes? At least that's what I've always seen when my parents go camping. Some sheep rancher with a satellite dish so big a family of five could live in it.

On a side note, I originally misspelled "satellite" so badly that spell check kept thinking I meant "Satanism." Wonder if that's a sign about the evils of tv? Especially when you think of such shows like The Jersey Shore.

(Had to go to google to get the correct spelling, though at first google thought I meant Satanism too.)

Kristie (J) said...

Lets hear it for that rogue band!!! Although if me and my fellow band members don't have the Jays to cheer for in the playoffs - and will we ever again, I'm glad to cheer for your Tigers.
And as someone with a wedding of my own that I'll be attending, I give a great big awwww - to you welling up. I shall be doing the same myself soon.

Hilcia said...

Awww, a great wedding and baseball, what more can you ask for? Congratulations on your Tigers, Wendy! Love that post season. Like Phyl says... fun trash talkin' comin' up. LOL! I will look forward to reading your posts. :)

Alie said...

I heard about the Tigers and thought of you, Wendy :) Good luck in the playoffs.

Dr J said...

Just for some historical perspective: I remember the Detroit Tigers giving absolute fits to all the other top American League teams when I was growing up in Chicago. They could inevitably make the Yankees miserable, topple the Indians from a winning streak, and Al Kaline managed to hit one out of the park when least expected. Great memories of a really great team!!

nath said...

LOL glad the hiatus is over! I think it was perfect timing no? You got to be away and just relax :)

As for no internet and cable. Wow. Then again, what you've never have you can't miss right? I mean your in-laws.

Wooohooo for the winning streak!! I hope thy keep on :)

Wendy said...

Phyl: We'll see if my team sticks around long enough for us to do some trash-talking. I fully expect us to get knocked out in the first round.

Tracy: Go Brew Crew Go!

Barbs: ::pat pat:: There, there. I feel your pain. I truly do. I have scars from 2003 when my Tigers almost nabbed the record for most losses in one season.

Jami: LOL! A lot of people do have Dish and DirecTV, but My Man's folks live around so many trees, I'm not sure it's an option. Unless they were the strap the dish to the nearest, tallest pine :)

Kristie: Ahem, you need to blog young lady :) The Jays used to have a AAA team in the area - hence that rogue band....

Hilcia: I fully expect for us to lose to either your Yanks or the Red Sox. I'm a realist ;)

Alie: I can't believe we won the division. Good times!

Dr. J: Those were great teams. Al Kaline, Willie Horton, Mickey Lolitch, Denny McLain....

Nath: I got quite a bit of reading done, although not as much as I would have liked. Still, I didn't do too badly....