Lone tree in the forest

Or something along those lines. As a displaced Phillies fan it is a bit lonely here. Surrounded by Yankees and Mets and Red Sox fans. The Mets fans are all in hiding at least after three dismal years, two late collapses and a really awful season this year. The Sawx fans are pretty quiet as they watch the Yankees enter the fall classic. It really is just the uproar from the Yankees fans....."10,000 losses"...."26 championships"...."new stadium (complete with faulty and cracked concrete)"....etc.

So, I will hold my vigil alone as even Mrs. JH is a Yankee fan (kinda). At least her boss is a Phillies fan. Maybe I should go spend a week in South Jersey, it would be closer to work.

At least when the dust clears and the Phightins are the first NL team to repeat in 20+ years all the shouting will die down. And I will be sending off my winning bet to Las Vegas again this year.

GO PHILS, WIN IT FOR HARRY!

Later,
JH

Header change again

Yep, curling has arrived with the start of the ice install yesterday. The good, a couple of new toys to play with including a nipper and a battery powered back pack sprayer. The bad, we are painting over the Labor Day weekend and it is tough getting help. Could be some long days. The ugly, well not too ugly. We seemed to be doing a lot better with the slush problem this year.

All will hopefully be done some time next week. Then the ice will be in use starting on Sept. 12.

And of course it is still baseball season. The Phightins' are holding a nice lead for the division.

Later,
JH

Don't look now

Last game before the All Star break. Have you noticed who is in first place in the NL East? Of course you have. The Mutts are under .500 and in 2nd 3rd 4TH. They have fallen behind Florida and Atlanta. Mid season prediction, if they don't make the playoffs, the manager is gone.

Not sure how the Phightins' are winning as the starting pitching still kinda sucks. But take em as they come. Oh yeah and I think there was a recent sweep of the Mutts when I was out of town.

Good times.

Later,
JH

Baseball and Pseudo-baseball

It has been a long time since I have posted about baseball. But the weekend brings the thing I hate most about baseball, interleague play. I get it, they want to generate interest in a rivalry between two teams that don't play in the same league. Makes sense for the Yankees and the Mets, Giants and A's. So what great rival are the Phillies playing, Toronto Blue Jays. Whoop de frickin do.

The Phightins don't really have a close to home rival in the American league. So, they simply rotate around against the American league East. Toronto, Baltimore and Tampa Bay. Sure there is some history there, Joe Carter 1993, Rays last year, Baltimore ??. How about we play our cross town rival instead. Right, they are in Oakland now playing the NY Giants.

At least the Muts are playing the Yankees and hopefully get a beat down. Because the games count in the standings! Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Don't even get me started on the designated hitter.

Later,
JH

The weekend

It will be a whirlwind this weekend. We are heading off to the City of Brotherly Love for a wedding. Normally weddings are okay but this one involves a curler. There will be a bunch of other curlers there as well. I know one thing, when a bunch of curlers get together a really good party usually breaks out.

We are headed down this afternoon to meet up with Prez Andrea of the LBI CC. Then we are off to dinner at Buddakan. Saturday we will hang out, probably head to South St. and hit Tony Luke's for some fine fare. The wedding is Saturday evening. A brunch on Sunday morning then hit the highway. Amount of time without drink in hand probably about 3 hours.

The Belmont is also this weekend. Need to find a tv close to the wedding which is at 6:30. The top three - Mine That Bird, Charitable Man and Chocolate Candy. Take it to the bank.

And in case you have not noticed, the Phightin's are in first with the Muts slipping away.

Later,
JH

Almost a great game

Well, it was close. Phils lead going into the ninth 4-2. Have our closer on the mound who was "lights out" last year. This year not so much. Give up a homer to A-roid and then the Stankees score another to win.

But, a nice day at the stadium. Phightins' need to bounce back and win today to take the series.

Not much on tap for the rest of the weekend. Yard stuff and some cleaning in the house.

Later,
JH

Upgrade update

Well, everything is working great now. Discovered the problem with transferring email from my old PC to the new one. Just had to make sure the backup tool was looking at the right directory. Did that by renaming all the ones I didn't want. But I got my address book and all my email folders moved over. That was huge.

New router has solved all the problems of the wireless dropping out and not being able to get to certain websites. And added bonus of IE8 lets me get to my work website which previously I had to use Firefox to get to it.

Of course, now with the new PC I can get to facebook. Still haven't decided if that is good or bad.

Anyway, holiday weekend starts in a few hours. Off to a small party tonight then tomorrow is the big day Yankees vs Phils at the new stadium.
GO PHILS!

Later,
JH

Another baseball voice passes

Harry Kalas, one of the voices I grew up listening to, passed away today. He and Rich Ashburn were the best announcers in the game. A sad day for Phillies fans everywhere.

It's melting

The compressor is off. The rocks are off the ice. There was skating and broom ball and a cookout. Yes, the season is finally over after an extra month when we put in early ice for September. Now the clean up starts. Push water to the drain, get the logos out of the ice and wash the floor at some point.

On the horsie scene, The Pamplemousse is out for at least six months. I Want Revenge had a huge Wood Memorial, Pioneerof The Nile looked okay in the Santa Anita. Quality Road had his Beyer figure upgraded to a 111 for the Florida Derby. Those three are on top right now. Time to start looking at who will finish strong to knock one of them off the board. And who to throw out.

The Phils weren't phightin' too good last night. Long season.

Later,
JH

This and that

The Florida Derby jelled the scene for the most exciting two minutes in sports a little bit yesterday. The monster that everyone was talking about, Dunkirk, finished second. May not have enough graded stakes earnings to make the Derby. Quality Road established himself as the front runner by winning. Still a month to go so a couple more prep races. Time to start the annual research project.

The Phightin Phils open the season next Sunday against the still hated Braves. I should say the defending World Series champion Phightins'. Hamels and Utley need to get healthy soon.

The curling club is still open for another week then the best part of the season happens next Sunday. MELTDOWN! So done for this year.

Yeah, the Men's Worlds are starting this Saturday as well. Will watch a few games. Hope the US does well and Scotland wins. Just can't root for Martin.

Later,
JH

It is over

The end of curling season for me came last night, at least the physical part of throwing rocks. The mental portion ended when I got back from Utica after the Nationals. Both last week and last night at least twice I couldn't remember if I had the hammer and really didn't care.

Glad it is done at this point. Now there is nothing left except the melting of the ice in a couple of weeks. We will be attending a party where curling is happening as we are heading to the Friday night fish fry at the Bonsqueal in Plainfield. Then back to Nutmeg on Saturday for the final in house spiel and dinner (no curling). The plant goes off on that Sunday.

All that is just in time for baseball to arrive. First Yankee game in the new stadium is April 30. The phightin' Phils make a trip to the Yankees this season in May. Have to try and get tickets for that (are you reading this Mrs. JH?)

Also time to start the annual vision quest to determine who not to bet on in the Derby. If you check the posts from last year, I did pick the winner and did not bet on the winner. So watch this space for the horse I throw out and bet the house on it.

Later,
JH

An early Christmas present to me

Guess what came in the mail today. Go ahead guess. Give up? Here is a hint, SUCK IT METS!

Yep, the check came today for my WINNING WORLD SERIES BET ON THE PHILS!!!!!

Made it back in February. Someone was headed to sin city so I says "here is $20, put it on the Phils to win the Series." 14-1 odds back then so a nice little Christmas bonus of $300. I do believe I may use it to buy a drink for some of my friends who are Mets fans. Just to rub it in a bit more. Or maybe send a box of tissues to David Wright who is still crying in his beer somewhere.

Now, just to parlay that on a winning horse in the Derby......hmmm.

Merry Christmas to me.

Later,
JH

Happy Thanksgiving

Let us all give thanks for friends and family. Stuff yourselves today as that is what is right. Watch some football or whatever. Lots of "marathons" on the tube as well like Deadliest Catch. Have some crab (great commercial). Have the extra dessert. A little late night snack of a turkey sandwich.

Enjoy the day as you worry about how to buy Christmas presents, keeping the kitten from climbing the tree and where to put decorations that won't become "toys". Maybe an extra glass of wine will help.

Watch the curling on TV this weekend, you do have that Canadian satellite right. Probably lots of college football as well. The skins golf if that is still happening. Go outside and finish the leaves.

Give thanks to the Phils on the World Series. And somewhere David Wright is giving thanks that the Yankees are getting all the headlines right now and not the latest Mets collapse. Suck it Mutts.

As the Mrs says Happy Gobble Gobble Day!
JH

It's Official

The GNCC Men's Curling Tour was officially launched today. We have commitments from seven bonspiels to be part of the MCT. First up will be the Calder in always snowy Norfolk. Just a little more stuff for me to do this winter.

No, I didn't go to the parade today. I will celebrate from afar. Need to get a flag or something to put out in front of the house.

So, to keep me busy until pitchers and catchers report there is curling, GNCC MCT, bonspiels, the new kittie and keeping the ice good at the club. And there will be curling on TV soon which we now get to watch in HD since we upgraded the satellite receiver.

Later,
JH

PHILS WIN!!!!!!!

YEAH BABY!!!!

SUCK IT MUTTS!!

The curse of Willy Penn is broken.

Time to mail in my winning ticket. Anybody going to Vegas soon, need to make a bet for next year.

later,
JH

PS Three and half months till pitchers and catchers report.

Post 101 on the Phillies

Just noticed I had 100 posts before this one. So much drivel to say to so few.

Anyway, game 5 "resumes" tonight. Hopefully it does not snow. Phils have an advantage by batting 4 times to the Rays 3. Less pitchers for us to use. I expect there will be extra innings unless the Phils come out red hot. But I also expect a Phils victory and a large party in South Philly tonight.

GO PHILS!

Later,
JH

Phillies and stuff

One more win to go. Ace Cole Hamels on the mound tonight. Look out South Philly, there is about to be a party breaking out.

The rocket scientist and his lovely wife won the Broomstones mixed doubles this past weekend. Looks like they will be busy again this playdown season with mens, womens, mixed, mixed doubles and club.

Coach Ray was busy yesterday with the Phillies and paper mache and 4 posts in one day.

Final open house was held at Nutmeg yesterday. So far we have 22 or so new members.

DC is getting into the hockey season with an "interesting" post rated PG-13.

And finally because I don't spend enough time on the interwebs, a new blog has been set up for the Nutmeg curling club. Hopefully other people will post to it.

Go Phils!

later,
JH

Two more to go

On a rainy, late night in Philly, the Phightins' pull one out. Nope, didn't make the end of the game. Mrs. found me asleep in the chair at 11:30 so off to bed. Knew they would win.

Big game tonight. A win and then Cole on Monday and the series is over. The curse of Willy Penn will be broken. All will be right with the world. Somewhere David Wright is crying in his beer.

Later,
JH

Three more to go

The Phils win last night. Another win tonight would be great.

3 more wins to go. Then the ticket in my wallet becomes good. A friend was heading to Vegas last February so I did what I always do. "Here is $20, bet the Phils to win the Series." So, hopefully I will be mailing that in soon.

Come on boys, lets bring this one home.

Later,
JH

THE DODGERS LOSE THE PENNANT

The Dodgers lose the pennant.

A famous call in baseball gets reversed. After losing their 10,000 game this year the Phightin' Phils are on the way to the World Series. Somewhere the Mutts are playing golf and crying in their beer. Time for the pitching staff to shut down the Rays or the Sox. Time for Howard to go yard a bunch of times in the series.

Time for another World Series in Philly.

Later,
JH