Sunday Dec 3   

                                                      Ice is NOT nice...

No electricity yet, folks.  We've been going home occasionally to grab stuff day by day that we need, hoping electricity will come on, and checking on the kitty-kitties...Poor kitties.  Glad they have their own fur coats.  Last time we were home, temp gage read 44 degrees in house.  Brrrr.  So we have to head back into town this evening, pick up stuff kids will need for school tomorrow (possibly...no idea if they're gonna be open or not, but better be ready just in case!).   And say goodbye to my wonderful and lovely bil and sil for letting us stay at their home for the weekend. Lord love them.  Even did the laundry we were wearing since Thursday. Ahh...(yes, we did bring changes of clothing...I meant all the clothes we've worn since), so the kids will have SOME clean clothes for the next 2 days...please let us have electricity before Wednesday!!!  So...we have to try to find a hotel for tonight...I've heard there's slim pickings for them, though, with the closest open hotel 30 minutes away, and too close to East St. Louis for my comfort level.  Sis also still has no electricity...her fish wound up dying, just too cold.  Kimodo the snake is having sleepovers at someone elses house with heat.  I'm hoping Jess's fish makes it...hers were the teeny neon tetras and a siamese fighter fish. Ours is a hardy little goldfish...so just maybe he'll be OK.  I just want to sleep at home, decorate for Christmas, work on Christmas gifts, and just be home....that's all I want.  Sigh. In the meantime, though, since I can't do my normal stuff, I am keeping up with xanga alot better!!!

Sis and I are supposed to start doing phonebooks again tomorrow....we're pretty slow at it, but they know we're honest, and that's good.  Apparently some people just take their phone books and chuck them anywhere, 'cause you get paid by the book.  Made some nice extra cash for Christmas last year with it...hope to do even better this year, since we're old-timers!!!

For those of you who asked about my business I want to open...it's a kid's activity thing for ages 6 mo-6 yrs...tricking kids into exercising, if you will...much fun...I'll go into more detail when I get opened and set up...wouldn't want anyone (not you guys who are my buddies), but just the cruise-byers to get any ideas, ya know?  'Cause it's gonna rock. 

Well, we're about to head back to Ice Land, so ya'll take care of yourselves, pray for everyone here to get their heat back!!!!

Edit:  Ya'll must have some mighty strong prayers...we pull into our subdivision, see Christmas lights up and down the street..pull into our drive, our neighbor's outside and says power just went on 10 minutes ago!!!  House is at 42 degrees, a little cold, but we've cranked on the oven, cranked up the heat, put a fire in the fireplace with fans surrounding it, and hopefully will warm up soon!!!! 

Edit 2:  10:30 p.m....sis now has electricity too...was having her stay the night here, she went back to get the kids' stuff, gets home, and lights ARE ON!!!  Woohoo!!!!  Thanks for the prayers everyone!!!!  LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Here's some chuckles...

The Indians asked their Chiefin autumn if the winter was going to be cold or not. Not really knowingan answer, the chief replies that the winter was going to be cold andthat the members of the village were to collect wood to be prepared.

Beinga good leader, he then went to the next phone booth and called theNational Weather Service and asked, "Is this winter to be cold?"

The man on the phone responded, "This winter is going to be quite cold indeed."

Sothe Chief went back to speed up his people to collect even more wood tobe prepared. A week later he called the National Weather Service again,"Is it going to be a very cold winter?"

"Yes", the man replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter."

Sothe Chief goes back to his people and orders them to go and find everyscrap of wood they can find. Two weeks later he calls the NationalWeather Service again: "Are you absolutely sure that the
winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely," the man replies, "the Indians are collecting wood like crazy!"

Friday, Dec 1

                                               BRRRRRR.....

Wow, either ya'll are as busy as I am, or I don't get on here often enough to rate a howdy!!!  Our internet connection at home keeps going down...I had planned to go to everyone's site when I posted the other day, but the stupid computer said no.  We're switching internet companies REAL soon.  I'm sitting at my husband's work right now...may not have ANY computer at all for a little bit.  No power at all.  Gone.  And freezing.  Power went out last night about 11:30 or so with that huge ice storm that hit.  Apparently most of the metro east (of St. Louis) is without.  Last rumor I heard is we'll be without for more than a few days.  REALLY REALLY hope and pray that is false.  They're saying this is worse than that spring storm we got last year...lines were busted, transformers were blown...too much ice.  It is beautiful outside, though...like crystal sculptures everywhere.  Alot of our branches are down in the yard, lost one pine tree...couldn't take the weight...and the gum tree that's really close to the house apparently has a crack in it near the point where it will fall right on the house. Great. How're you doing, sherrytwinklz?  HOPEfully that is a false rumor...I can't imagine not having electricity for that long.  In this cold.  Get our temps back to where they were last week and no problem...but this is just a little brrr.  My bil and sil in Chesterfield called and said we could shack up with them...probably thinking this wouldn't last too long...though they did say we could bring our kitties with us.  They're so sweet. 

Kitties.  We do seem to have an extra kitty right now.  Coming home from church on Wednesday, Jas and I see this cute little kitty outside the car...and SO friendly and cute.  Wrapped right around our legs and everything.  So we go inside, thinking the kitty must belong to someone to be so friendly.  Jess comes home an hour later, knocking on the door with kitty in her arms.  So we sit out on the front step loving on this kitty cat...and it comes up that it's supposed to freeze, and we're feeding kitty on the porch at this time.  Jess bursts into tears that kitty is going to freeze to death, can't we please just shelter it for the night...I'm thinking cracking the garage door, letting kitty decide to either go to it's home (I really think it has one...it's just too friendly and not bony enough...plus it pawed at our door like it expected to go in) or go in for shelter.  Call Dad, he doesn't want the door open (he has computer equipment inside- it would freeze up, I guess), and to hole up kitty in the office.  So Noel is up in the office until I either get up found kitty posters and someone claims her, or we give up on that and just have a new kitty.  You did notice she has a name, now.  Sigh.  She's mostly black with a white triangle that goes down from her nose to her chest and paws.  Such a cutie.  Name came about by trying to come up with a Christmas-time name since that's when we found her...called her Holly, no response, called her Nikki (for St. Nick), no response, tried Noel, she looks up from her food, does a little chirping meow, and starts purring and rubbing. So, Noel it is.  I think we may have been adopted.  Will have to take her to the vet, though, before we expose her to the other kitties, make sure she's not gonna disease my babies.   Hoping they don't freeze in the house...I can't see taking them to Bil-Sil's...Kiya already pees everywhere when she's stressed out...Callie would be fine, and new kitty can't get around the other kitties 'til she's checked.  NOT new kitty...I mean TEMPORARY kitty.  Good grief.

Sis just called...her son's snake has gone into hibernation, it's so cold in their house right now.  Hopefully they can pack up and go to our mom and dad's to stay warm for the weekend. 

I found a building for my business.  Let's all pray that it doesn't get rented before I raise first month's rent and deposit, and come up with a viable business plan.  And a loan for everything needed, though preferably a grant. If you're familiar with O'fallon, the old Parent Teacher Tool's building.  It's P E R F E C T.  And can't actually be rented until March of next year.  So I'm hoping that will put off some people that want something immediately. I really really want this...and I truly feel everything I've done has led me to this, and more importantly, that I'm SUPPOSED to do this, and this is what He wants for me, ya know?  So I'm doing some heavy duty praying, and if this IS where I'm supposed to do this and WHEN I'm supposed to do this, then it should all work out, right?  I'm not expecting it to be easy, though, don't worry!!!  Tons of work in front of me, for sure!!! 

Hmm...that's about all that's going on right now...li'l guy has strep, by the way.  That's why we're holed up here at St. E's and not at the mall or the Y...3:30 pm is the magic 24 hour "I'm not contagious anymore" time period.  Ever since Dad started working at the hospital, he's become kind of a stickler about such things...Personally, I think if we took ourselves out of quarantine an hour earlier, it wouldn't make a difference.  At 3:30 he's just not going to be magically fixed.  Oh well, at least we're warm and entertained.  We each have a computer to play on...Jess is webbing, Jason is on mspaint, and me on xanga...all is good. 

Well, I'm gonna head, though...I do want to check out everyone, make sure you're all doing OK...take care all, and hope everyone's nice and warm!

OK OK...I'm posting!!!   Kids are zoned out in front of the TV having a Christmas movie fest...and I'm trying not to feel guilty about the amount of time they've already spent there, and it's almost 70 degrees outside...they really should be out there...but I REALLY want to post on here and see what everyone's up to and how your Thanksgivings went.  So, let them veg. 

I had gotten 3 pounds away from my Turkey day goal weight, by the way.  Now I'm 8 pounds away.  That was a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving.  The food was SOOOOO yummy.  My mom made her sage stuffing, complete with giblets, my sis made the turkey, my other sis made her super yummy sweet potatoes, we had green beans with ham hock, mashed potatoes, chunky taters with giblet gravy, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce and berries, salad...I think that's it for the main course.  That's it, that's all...  And I had some of EVERYTHING.  Some of it twice.  Mmmmmm good.  DESSERT:  SIL made her pecan pie, we had like 4 punkin pies, 1 chocolate silk pie, key lime pie, strawberry cheesecake, and an assorment plate of cheesecake.  I felt so sick by the end of the night.  SO sick.  I think I not only was tipsy on all the wine (between the 12 of us adults we went through about 5 bottles that day alone), but the increased sugar intake from going low carb was a huge spiral down at the end!  But worth it, totally worth it!  Enough about the food...family was great too.  Let's see...mom and dad of course...it was at their house.  Me, Hubby, Jess, Jason.  BIL and SIL.  Sis from over here and her 3 kiddos.  Sis from Ohio, her hubby and her 2 adult kids.  Brother and SIL from Jeff City.  Can we say "full house"?  Still missed my other brother from Texas.  He would have brought 6 with him...but couldn't make it up.  Bummer.  Would have been great to have us ALL together.  Maybe he can come up for Easter...hope so...And most everyone got along so great!  My poor 21 year old nephew...the little ones just glommed on to him something fierce...as soon as he woke up in the morning it was "where's C?"  "We wanna play with C"...He's such a good guy, though, he just took it...though he did disappear a couple of times...One blow up between the 12 year girl cousins...(Jess and S...it's been stewing since they moved here..so many problems there it's nuts)  I do hope they work things out...it's nice to have someone be permanent in your life, almost like sisters, to have someone HAVE to love you, ya know?  Blood and all that.  S has a LOT of issues she needs to clear up before any good relationship can be had with anyone else.  How's that go..."you need to love yourself before you can love others"?  That's S.  Not a whole lot of love for herself.  Poor girl. ANYWAY...

That's about it for news on my end...back on low carb again (modified), and hope to reach Thanksgiving goal weight again by Christmas!  Then it's only 25 more 'til I"m totally done...WOOHOO!!!!  (and yep, that'll be a total of 100 pounds lost!)

Welp, hope ya'll had as great a Thanksgiving as I did, and will be around to say hello as soon as I feed the couch potatoes their lunch!!!

Hmm...this joke reminds me of the drive to my folks house....

> The Best Road Rage Story An honest man was being tailgated by a
> stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the traffic light turned

> yellow just in front of him. The man did the right thing stopping at the
> crosswalk even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating
> through the intersection. The tailgating woman hit the roof - and the
> horn - screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through
> the intersection. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her
> window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The
> officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands in the air. He took her

> to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed

> and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman
> approached the cell and  opened the door. She was escorted back to the
> booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal
> effects. He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up
> behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in
> front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose
> Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the
> 'Follow Me to Sunday  School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated
> Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen
> the car."

Ain't that the truth?

 Guess it's time to blog a little bit...not really a whole lot new going on...same ol' same ol' as it were...

Started my new job at the Y today...that was interesting...I'd like to get up to 12 hours a month there, so my membership can be paid for, one of the perks dont'cha know...but so far it only looks like 8.   Sad.  It was fun, though...3rd graders from a local school came out for swim-time...some of those kids are BIG, let me tell you...nothing like trying to keep a large child from sinking by holding them under their tummy with one hand/arm, and still let them feel confident...my arm hurts.  But they were SO sweet...one little girl was absolutely TERRIFIED to be in the water...arm wrapped in a death grip around my neck...by the end I could do the hand/tummy thing and she was holding onto the kickboard...brave girl...Oh, I had the group that had never in their life swum before...good stuff.  I was supposed to go for my lifeguard classes starting this Sunday...doesn't look like I'll be able to do that yet...fell down the stupid stairs Saturday before last, and I still can't fully rotate my arm above my head...and it seems to be getting worse...can't hardly swim at all, even that froggy stroke.  Quite a bummer in my workout routine, let me tell you.  Guess I'll have to go to the Dr., have it take a looksie at. 

OH...my kitty...she had her surgery yesterday...teeth cleaning, lump removal, chest x-ray...teeth cleaning, they had to remove 6 of her teeth....poor baby...she's always had really bad teeth...constant case of gingivitis almost...CANNOT brush them...lump removal-she's got an inch and a half set of stitches on her neck right now...the vet said she went wide to get the entire lump...x-ray showed NO signs of anything cancerous growing anywhere...will get biopsy results in about 10 days.  Meanwhile, kitty is PO'ed at me.  3 times a day I have to shove a dropper in her mouth for her pain killers and antibiotics.  This means fishing her out from under the bed, trying to hold her securely enough without hurting her neck, and trying not to hurt her mouth with the dropper...poor kitty.  And no, she doesn't fall for the medicine in the food bit.  Wish she would, that would make it so much easier on us all...my allergies are killing me too!!! When she's stressed out, her fur flies...and I am SO allergic to her!!!  Seriously, she licks me, and I hive up where she kisses.  So of course, her favorite place to sleep is right next to my head.  Isn't she sweet???

That's about it...I really need to put away these groceries...they've been sitting there for quite awhile, slowly thawing and such...I don't mind the shopping, it's the putting away that royally stinks. 

And God Created DOG to LOVE Man and CAT to teach him HUMILITY

It is reported that the following edition of the Book of Genesis was discovered in the Dead Seal Scrolls. And Adam said, "Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me everyday. Now I do not see you anymore. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me." And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will know I love you, even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish and childish and unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself." And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and he wagged his tail. And Adam said, "But Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and all the good names are taken and I cannot think of a name for this new animal." And God said, "No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG." And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail. After a while, it came to pass that Adam's guardian angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but no one has taught him humility." And the Lord said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not worthy of adoration." And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he was not the supreme being. And Adam learned humility. And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved. And Cat did not care one way or the other.

Happy day after Halloween!!!!  Wake up you sleepyheads!!!  Halloween was great. It DIDN'T RAIN!!!!  Ah..a Halloween miracle.    Kids LOADED up on candy...my friend came over with her 3 kiddos, sis came over with her 3, plus my 2...when that group hit your door, you had to grab the extra candy bowl!!!  At one point, we had to head back to my house for a potty break and a sack dump.  Yes, it's obscene the amount of candy they got...and no, they won't binge eat on candy for the next 2 weeks...we actually had to just dump all of last years loot  in the trash to make room for this years...they're only allowed one piece of candy/day.  You're only a kid once and trick-or-treating just plain ol' rocks.  They really should have trick or treating for adults.  Might be a little expensive...hey, I'd be OK with sugar free candy...it's free, right?  I'm good with that.  Now, if someone wants to treat a little more and say, slip in some diamonds, that's OK too.    Just let me live in my happy little world, OK?

Not alot of time to blog today...gotta take Jas to school in 5 minutes, swing by and pick up nephew, go work out, drive to Belleville pick up dh paycheck, go to bank, pick up GS cookies at 1:00, sort said cookies, pick up Jas by 2:00 (it's a short day), breathe for a minute, got to get rid of pine needle blanket in back yard before it kills my grass, and cherub choir practice at 5:00, then church dinner at 5:30, and Jr. bells at 6:15.  Whew.  I'm tired looking at that.  See why my Flylady list just keeps building?  OK...times up...gotta take lil' guy off to school!! Have a terrific Wednesday!!!

                                             BOO!

And a Happy Halloween to everyone!!!  I am SOOOO tired!  We went out Haunted Housing last night (me and DH, SIL and BIL)...hit 3 of 'em.  SO much fun!  First one was the best...no huge productions, just good old fashioned scare the bejeeepeers out of you "boo" kind of stuff. Done by Backstoppers...money went to a GREAT donation there.   Second one stunk majorly...grumpy people, starting in the parking lot!  There was an empty spot not 20 feet from the entrance, we park there, and the attendant comes and slams on our window telling us to move, that's not where he told us to park...where he wanted us to park was in the next row, just a little farther away.  No big deal, I can see if we all needed to come in and park in rows, but the rows were already there...guy was just on some weird "I'm the king of the parking guys, bow before me" trip.  But their house/hay ride was incredibly lame...lots of fog, to the point where you really couldn't breathe too well, and the people were just not into it.  Not worth the money, that one.  Last one was in downtown St. Louis...scaryville already, by the way.  Started off with the guy hollering at all of us in line, "if you touch the workers, you WILL go to jail.  If you touch the props, you WILL go to jail.  If you fall 'cause you're being stupid, we WILL point at you and laugh, THEN call 911, and it will be slow, for we are in the middle of St. Louis."   Nice.  Their's was more of a production...props WERE excellent...not so many scares, looked like something Disney would do, haunted wise.  SIL was a haunted house virgin, if you will.  Never stepped in one a day in her life.  We let the workers all know it too...so she got the treatment in a big way.  SO much fun!!!!  Though next year, we will skip Silo-X (the second one).  Anyway, we didn't get home and in bed until about 3 a.m.  THEN I had to sleep all by myself...dh had to go back into work, daylight savings time and archaic hospital computer systems and all that.  Kids were at my sisters staying the night, so I was ALL ALONE.   At night.  After haunted housing.  I didn't sleep well. 

Jess also went to her first haunted house last night...done by the junior high 8th grade class, trying to raise money for their trip to DC...wanted to go with her, but sis and her older ones went, leaving her littlest and my littlest with a baby sitter at my house.  Jess said it was SCARY.  Then, apparently, they went to my sis' house and watched Signs.  My sis said Jess may need to sleep with the lights on for a few nights, at least. 

Things have been busy, here.  Been a bad xanga poster.  Been a volunteer nut, lately, it seems. Tuesday morning I went and helped with stuffing goody bags for the kindergarten classes.  Reminded me why I don't typically get involved with PTO stuff...they can get a little catty.  Not my cup of tea.  Also been helping the church with their Pumpkin patch quite a bit...not really any time to myself lately.  Besides working out, of course...can't stop an addict, ya know.  Also tried that Flylady thing.  And still trying...last week, just couldn't manage hardly anything they asked me to do, so have a list for everything I've missed to do.  The list is pretty daunting, however, which I'm pretty sure defeats the purpose. 

Jess got her report card on Friday...I'm SO proud of that girl.  7 A's, 1 B.  The B is in P.E. They take a lot of written tests in there, about rules and who won what when...no one really cares, honestly, 'cept the jocks...so no worries.  But she pulled a 3.8 GPA.  And got her Mat7 test scores back too...scored post high school in more than 8 things, and nothing below10th grade level...that's m'girl!!!  Every time we get a good report card like that, I SO want to go throw it in that 4th grade teachers face, SO bad.  Stupid teacher. 

Need a prayer for my kitty, Kiya.  The one in the pics with Chako...she had an appt. on Monday...she has a lump about the size of a pencil eraser on her chest...I had thought this was just an old age bump like my mom's dog used to get...not so.  They aspirated it a little bit, and the cells suggest abnormal activity there.  I'm not willing to call it cancer yet...she goes in next Monday, the 7th, for a teeth cleaning, and while they have her out, will remove the lump and send it out for a biopsy.  They'll also go ahead and give her a chest x-ray, to make sure nothing has spread, if it IS cancer.  Folks, I can NOT lose another kitty to this.  And not so soon to Chako.  I can't.  She seems healthy, no weight loss, still acts like a kitten (she's 15).  So I really think everything will be OK, right?  Right. Sigh.

I need to go clean out my car.  It's a gorgeous day today, finally, after what seemed a week of rain, and my car is AWFUL.  So...have a great week, ya'll, and hopefully I'll have time to get on here this week too!!!

Oh yeah...ahem...

 

All in the Cards: St. Louis wins World Series

Updated: Oct.28, 2006, 3:55 pm EDT

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Favored by few, the St. Louis Cardinals used an unlikely cast of characters to win their first World Series in nearly a quarter century.

Jeff Weaver dominated, David Eckstein drove in two runs on balls that didn't leave the infield and the Cards took advantage of another wild throw by a Tigers pitcher to beat Detroit 4-2 on Friday night and won the Series in five games.

"I think we shocked the world," Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds said. "It's an unbelievable experience."

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesJeff Weaver allowed just one earned run over eight innings in the clinching victory of the World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Manager Tony La Russa's Cardinals had just 83 regular-season wins, the fewest by a World Series winner, and nearly missed the playoffs after a late-season slump. But the Cardinals beat San Diego and the New York Mets in the playoffs, then won their first title since 1982 by taming a heavily favored Tigers team that entered the Series with six days' rest.

After closer Adam Wainwright struck out Brandon Inge for the final out, the ballpark erupted. Wainwright raised his arms in triumph, catcher Yadier Molina ran to the mound and the pair bounced off toward second base, where they were joined by teammates running out from the dugout and the bullpen.

"I don't think anybody in uniform didn't do something in the postseason. Everyone did," said La Russa, whose uniform number -- 10 -- now matches the team's World Series titles. "The defense was great. The pitching was great. Timely hitting. The best bench I've had in a long time. They just refused for us to lose."

Minutes later fireworks filled the sky above the ballpark.

Eckstein, the 5-foot-7 shortstop who had four hits in Game 4, was the Series MVP.

"No one believed in us, but we believed in ourselves," Eckstein said.

On a cold Midwest night more suitable to football than baseball, the Tigers made two more errors, raising their Series total to eight -- three by Inge, the third baseman, and a record five by their pitchers. Eight of the 22 runs allowed by the Tigers were unearned, the most by a team since the 1956 New York Yankees against Brooklyn.

While the Tigers tossed the ball to the tarp, the Cardinals were mostly crisp, with the notable exception of right fielder Chris Duncan, who dropped a fly ball just before Sean Casey's two-run homer in the fourth put Detroit ahead 2-1.

St. Louis came right back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom half as pitcher Justin Verlander threw away a ball for the second time in two starts, and Scott Rolen added a big run with a two-out RBI single in the seventh off reliever Fernando Rodney, extending his postseason hitting streak to 10 games.

It was the Cardinals' first title since 1982 and the first for the NL since the 2003 Florida Marlins. La Russa, who led the Oakland Athletics to a sweep in the earthquake-interrupted 1989 Bay Bridge Series, joined Sparky Anderson (Cincinnati and Detroit) as the only managers to win Series titles in each league.

It marked the first time since the 1912 Red Sox at Boston's Fenway Park that a team won the Series at home in a first-year ballpark. And the Cardinals (83-78) almost didn't even make it to the postseason. They had a seven-game NL Central lead with 12 to go but lost eight of nine before recovering to finish 11/2 games ahead of Houston, the defending NL champion.

Minnesota, in 1987, had set the previous low for wins by a Series winner, going 85-77.

"The team that wins a world championship is the team that played the best," La Russa said.

As the Tigers failed in their bid for their first title since 1984, their season ended with Kenny Rogers rested and ready with no place to pitch. Rogers, who threw 23 shutout innings in the postseason, was saved by manager Jim Leyland for a possible sixth game Saturday in Detroit.

Weaver, cast off by the Yankees three years ago after a World Series flop, allowed four hits in eight innings, matched his season high with nine strikeouts and walked one before Wainwright finished for the save. St. Louis pitchers held Detroit to a .205 average (33-for-161) over the five games.

Verlander gave up three runs -- one earned -- and three hits, recovering from early control problems to give the Tigers a decent effort.

After a daylong rain, the weather cleared about two hours before gametime. Still, it was 47 degrees when play began, and a brisk wind made it feel that much colder. But the wintry conditions didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the 46,638 mostly red-clad fans.

Verlander, throwing up to 100 mph, was wild in the first inning, walking the bases loaded and throwing two wild pitches. By his fourth batter, Jason Grilli was warming up in the bullpen, but Verlander escaped by the thinnest of margins, needing 35 pitches to get through the inning.

Elsa/Getty ImagesDavid Eckstein was named World Series MVP.

He walked Duncan with one out, threw a wild pitch, then walked Albert Pujols. With a 2-0 count on Edmonds, pitching coach Chuck Hernandez came to the mound. Edmonds fell behind 3-0, then flied out after Verlander worked the count full. Following another wild pitch, Verlander walked Rolen, and when he started Ronnie Belliard with a ball, catcher Ivan Rodriguez went to the mound.

After fouling off a 3-2 pitch, Belliard hit a grounder up the middle that Carlos Guillen just got to in time to make an off-balance throw to first, beating Belliard by less than a step as Casey scooped the ball on a bounce. Verlander yelled and whipped his arm across his body excitement.

But St. Louis went ahead in the second, after Molina looped a single to center leading off, took second on So Taguchi's bunt and third on Weaver's groundout. Eckstein hit a smash, and both the ball and a chunk of his bat headed toward third. Inge dived and grabbed the ball as it went over the base and then, even though he had plenty of time, rushed his throw. It bounced and went up the line as Molina scored. Eckstein was given a hit on the play and advanced on the bad throw by Inge.

Weaver held the Tigers to two hits in the first three innings. With one out in the fourth, Magglio Ordonez lofted a fly to right and Duncan, calling off center fielder Edmonds, allowed it to kick off his glove for a two-base error.

Casey sent the next pitch into the seats down the right-field line for a two-run homer that put Detroit ahead. Then it was the Tigers' turn to make a key mistake.

Molina and Taguchi singled with one out in the bottom half and Weaver bunted back to Verlander. He had an easy force at third, but sidearmed the ball and it bounced past Inge for an error that allowed Molina to score the tying run and left runners on second and third. Eckstein followed with a grounder to shortstop that drove in Taguchi for a 3-2 lead.

Duncan had another adventure in the fifth, letting Casey's catchable two-out fly drop behind him on the warning track for a double. But Weaver struck out Rodriguez on a checked swing.

Pujols turned in the niftiest play, sprawling to snare Placido Polanco's grounder to first leading off the seventh, then making a one-bounce throw from his back to Weaver covering the base.

 

Basically, they kicked butt. 

                                                                   

Those of you on my protected list, can you see the last entry? 

After a lot of thought...I'm keeping this sucker.  I have a rotten memory and I figure this thing is great for momentous occasions, as well...I WILL, however, hold my tongue and not gripe about my husband ever again, like a good little wifey.  Oops...did I say that?  I meant it with all respect, of course.    Besides, I DO miss my xanga buds, and worry about you all, 'specially when your states hit the news!!!!   Note to number_one_blonde and number_one_brother...I am sorry, but will be taking you guys off my list.  You both can figure out why...you know I love you, though!!!  Like ya'll ever come on here anyway!!!!  

Also a quick note...my site will now be private after this entry.  If you want to come on in and have a chat, just ask...be expected to be checked out thoroughly first, however...not that I don't trust ya, but I'm just being careful who I open my mouth to, ya know? 

Things have been OK here...aside from a HUGE argument with my spouse...would love to go into it, BUT I WON'T.  Sigh.  (henceforth will not use word h u b b y, either...seems it can be searched for easily if you want to)  ANYWAY...

Busy busy busy.  That's me.  Here's my little itinerary:  work out 2 1/2 hours a day (if time...but there WILL be some work out...leftover sickness of anorexia from high school...easy addiction to exercise...feel depressed if I can't go to the gym, now...how sad is that?)  Tuesdays I teach Art for my son's kindergarten class, Thursdays I volunteer to help out all of kindergarten with computer classes, have taken over daughters girl scout troop, and all crap involved with that, am getting a job at the Y teaching little kid swim classes during the day, and on Sundays starting at the end of the month, I'm going to be taking a class to get my lifeguard license.  Oh, and I"m going back to school next semester to continue my Early Childhood Education and combine it with Physical Education and Business.  Whew.  I want to start earning money myself.  I'm tired of certain arguments that are had that involve me not making money...and it's almost time for that lovely tummy tuck operation, ladies!!  20 more lbs. to go 'til I'm under the knife!!!! Woohoo!!!!  (and just for those trying to keep count...that'll be a total of 85 lbs. lost!)  Yeah, so I know he's saying he totally supports me getting it cut off...but what I forsee are future arguments when we talk about the kids college or something else for the family...My vanity over whatever. (if you can call if vanity, anyway...I know this'll sound gross, but it's like I have 3 sets of breasts right now, with all the loose skin....I know, gross visual, but it's true!!!!)   I know there'll be some resentment.  I'm not stupid.  SO...if I can make at least enough for a monthly payment for the operation, then that should make everyone happy, right?  We shall see...

Kids are doing good...Jess has acclimatized to jr. high, finally...tried out for poms...didn't make it.  Not totally surprised...kid has never taken a dance class in her life...though now she's begging for one...getting good grades-report cards come out in 2 weeks...can't wait to see!  Jason is learning how to baa like a sheep. Sigh again.  I hate to have his individuality squished.  BUT he's just such a bright little star in the sky, ya know?  Another parent came up to me the other day and said how glad she is that Jason plays with her little boy...her little boy is just SO shy, and Jason SO isn't, and hopefully Jason will draw her little boy out of his shell...not sure if I told ya'll that he's got the best teacher already, because another little boy he knew in pre-k has an IEP for selective mutism and is EXCESSIVELY shy...anyway, his IEP requires Jason to be in class with him.  The teacher uses Jas all the time to help draw kids out...very cool, if you ask me.  Twinkle, twinkle, my little star...

That's about all the news I have for ya right now...I'm plum tuckered and just need to go to bed!!! Though I know I will lay there for another hour just calming down my head...hey, that rhymes!!!!  I'm so talented....HA!!!

And yes, my friends, let me leave you with a smile....

I think some people have WAY too much time on their hands!!!

First and foremost....I did the biathlon!!! Yeah me!!!!  I rock.  Yes, I do. It was a 5 mile run and a 12.3 mile bike...mostly uphill!!!!  Now, the 5 mile run I swore I was going to walk.  Then I went and got competitive like a silly woman.  So I ran the whole thing.  Dumb.  Very dumb.  I still hurt and today is Monday.  Not just my muscles, my hip joints are also very angry with me.  My husband has to pull me off the couch 'cause I can't get up myself!!! Pathetic.  BUT I DID run the WHOLE time, and then biked the WHOLE time...not even resting after one of those giant hills!!!  AND not only did I finish the race...but I BEAT 5 PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!  How awesome is that?????  I so misjudged my finish time, though.  Hubby was actually planning on being there 30 minutes early so he could psych up the boy...I wound up coming in 45 minutes earlier than I thought I would...so he saw me coasting in while he was driving down the hill...called sis to tell her how I did too, she hollers at me that she was just hunting down her camera, little A starts crying 'cause she wanted to be there...oops...sorry to rock so hard!!!  So I'm walking my bike up to the front of the Y, and Jason runs up to me..."Mommy, I missed it...can you do it again?"  Ummmm...I don't think so.  By this time, my butt is numb...though I do pedal around the parking lot to "race" with him.....very proud of myself.  Just wish I could walk now. 

Second order or business...I'm done with xanga.  I will miss you all so much...I know I haven't gotten on here lately much, but those of you I have made a connection with I do consider good friends.  There's just too many problems with this affecting family and friends.  I have used my xanga as a dumping ground for my thoughts and feelings, often being very open with them.  This has hurt my daughter, sister, husband, and a few good friends.  I don't think I"ve ever been too hurtful, but that's OK, I guess...it's just not worth it for the pain it's apparently caused.  This really sucks, honestly....sorry Tejas, I know you hate that term, but it fits.  Little notes:

KpsMom3:  You are fantastic...I love your strong faith, your love for your family, your devotion.  You take care of yourself and keep giving it up to God...He'll take care of you...but you know that don't you?

TejasTotallyBooked:  So glad you seem to have learned to say no!!!!  Though I seem to have caught your "yes" bug!  Take it easy lady, and remember..don't pet the sweaty things!!!  (or is that don't sweat the petty things?  I always get those confused!)

Frogsong:  You KEEP UP THAT BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK!!!  You are doing GREAT.  Stay strong in other things too...all will get better, regardless of what you decide...you are a VERY sweet, kind hearted lady...things can't HELP but get better. 

Sherrytwinklz:  Well, neighbor, I so identified with you half the time with what you've been working with with your relationship...your commentaries helped me quite a bit, realizing that we do have pretty typical relationships! (sigh)  Take care of yourself, your beautiful family, and that cutie patootie baby of yours...

Mamaglop:  I loved reading your stories of memories past...they brought me back so many pleasant ones of my own...thank you for that...and stay away from that head cheese...ewww!!!  *hugs*

Lonelystarsabuv:  You are inspirational, you know that?  Stay strong, keep up the grades...and remember, you don't need anyone to complete you...you are awesome all by yourself. 

FlimFlam_Papermom:  I'll miss reading you, too...I know I didn't comment all the time...most of the time for lack of what do I say to that?  I definitely want to pick up that book you wrote...cause your blog rocks!  Hope things stay on the happy track for you as much as possible...and that last line up there for Lonely?  That's good for you too...

Bkmg:  Can't remember the numbers there...probably something like the year...anyway, BRIDGETTE, hope things go Okay with your kiddos...great comparing notes with our ages...so helpful...and hope everything works out otherwise...still expecting you to come do my hair, by the way!!! 

Azcason:  You, tinman, I may miss most of all.  We are just too much alike, I think!!!  Have fun down there in beautiful Hawaii...keep up the gorgeous pics for everyone...we all love seeing the sights down there...

Photomom:  LOVED your picture blogs...your kids are so full of fun...takes a great mom to raise 'em like that, ya know!!!   Take care of yourself...I'll be praying for you....

If I didn't name you up there, please know that you have been part of my life, and have, I"m sure, helped saved my sanity some way at one time or another!  I will miss everyone on my sub list...some don't come on here very much either anymore...hugs to all....

I'm gonna title this one:

THINGS THAT MAKE ME WANT TO SUCKER-PUNCH MY HUSBAND IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS SLEEP:

Where do I start?

1.  OK.  I'm sick...got a nasty little chest cold going on. (which would figure...I'm ACTUALLY doing a biathlon next Saturday...5 mile run, 13 mile bike ride...I"m SOOOO excited about this...not competing for the win, obviously, but for the "look what I can do now" factor...this will also figure into the smack my hubby list)  Hubby worked 3 days round the clock last week. (keep in mind when I say round the clock, it means no sleeping for 3 days)  So Wednesday morning he comes home, crashes on the couch, moves upstairs to sleep, sleeps almost all day, all night Thursday night.  No problem.  I understand he needs to catch back up on his sleep.  I'm hacking around like an emphysema victim, but that's OK.  FRIDAY I expect some kind of special treatment.  I do. "go take a nap honey" "oh, here, honey, I made you some nice hot tea"  "oh, don't worry about taking Jason to the dr. in the rain...I know you're sick, you just stay home and rest".  Nope, none of that.  He falls asleep on the couch sporadically, goes up to bed finally, I PLAN on taking a nap, as I"m heading up, school calls, come get Jason..complaining of ear ache and low grade fever.  Hubby HEARS me heading out door, asks what I'm doing and rolls back over to sleep!!!  Then have to take Jason to dr in an hour...have to wake up hubby to possibly pick up daughter at bus stop, because we were in line for some pretty healthy storms.  He grouches and complains something fierce that he doesn't feel well, are you sure the storms are going to hit before the bus?  WHAT????  I'm coughing up my lungs, NEEDING to get all better, and he just "doesn't feel well"?  Poop.  Also helped out sis last night so she could go out on a date, so I had her children stay the night.  He stayed all night up in bed...his attitude being since I said I'd help with the kids, then ONLY I would help with the kids.  Nice, hunh?  THEN, when I come up to bed, my side of the bed is all messed up...sheets and blankets all wound together, I have to remake the bed.  (yes, he messed it up in the first place)  I'm just about crying 'cause all I want to do at this point is curl up and die, and he FALLS BACK ASLEEP!!!!!  Jerk.  Can we say POW in the middle of his forehead?

2.  What is this sleeping on the couch ALL the time?  He is a VERY VERY hard worker at work.  AT WORK.  If I had him as my employee, I would be a mucho happy boss.  As my husband, I'm frustrated.  Now, he does have some problems with this rash on his feet right now, and has been told to take it a little easier.  But I'm pretty sure the doc didn't mean to disappear from the house and family life.  I do EVERYTHING here at home.  I try to justify this to myself by saying he works at work, I work at home, but sometimes this wears a little thin.  ESPECIALLY when I'm sick, and I"m still cleaning, making dinner, playing chauffer...they get time off for being sick, why don't we?????   Grrrr...used to be, he'd at least take care of outside chores...nope, that's mine, now too.  Sneaky kick to the leg  on this one...

3.  When I do ask him to do something..."I'll do that in just a little bit".  Little bit few days later..."when are you going to do this?" "Oh, I"m sorry, I forgot all about that...let me just finish this show"  He falls asleep 'til dinner.  Done.  I HATE waking him up 'cause then he's just this big grouch who I don't even want to be around, and whatever I get him to do he does VERY begrudgingly, usually b%@##ing the whole time.  Case in point:  I asked him months ago, before I even signed up for this biathlon, to pull my bike down from the garage and get it back in shape for me.  Asked him and asked him.  Not nagging...just occasionally reminding him to please get it for me.  Years ago, I was a HORRIBLE nag, and it was a problem...now it's a problem apparently for me NOT to be one.  So my sis' bike is on our front porch.  He wasn't getting my bike, obviously, so maybe my bike was just inconvenient for him to get.  Her front tire is flat, so asked him to check out tire, make sure everything is good.  This was about a month ago.  Signed up for biathlon 2 weeks ago...have been asking him about every 2-3 days to please fix bike so I can practice for this thing.  (I need to learn how to ride a real bike...I used to ride when I was about 10, and do the bikes hard and heavy at the gym, but it's just not the same)  Day before yesterday, he was telling me how he tells everyone he's so proud of me, and I told him "if you're so proud of me, why can't you help me cross the finish line...'cause I'm not going to unless I get on a bike before the race!"  Not exact words...he got all huffy, saying how I didn't think he was proud of me, whatever, 10:30 at night, it's cold..."c'mon, let's go air up your damn tire"...this is what I get. 

He just makes me so dang angry sometimes.  Why do I baby him, do nice things for him, be thoughtful, and I get squat?  I deserve to be treated like a princess sometimes too, ya know?  Not even a princess, a beloved part of the family.  That would be nice too.  Words aren't always the fix.  Sometimes you have to show it.  Romance me.  SHOW me some love.  Not just say you love me and tell me you brag about me to people.  I want/need more.  Gosh dang it.  I need to wake him up now for a dr. appointment.  Yippee.  Have a great weekend ya'll...sorry this was such a grump-fest!