June has arrived,

The late spring rain palpitates upon the panes of my windows, performing an opus of tranquility as I prepare for my fresh week.

My first weekend of what I believe to be the birth of summer, (although technically it is June 21st) was a pleasant one. The weather was generally a bit dreary and temperamental. Mother nature couldn't seem to figure out what she wanted to do, and so intermittent showers and cloudy skies were the rule.

It started out Friday night. My initial intentions were to try to get lobster and clams for supper. I usually pick some up from the Market Basket in Woburn because they typically had the best prices. To mine, and Jason's dismay... more so mine (I'd been thinking about it all day at work), Market Basket was getting renovated, and the fish market was closed. Lobsters were ridiculously priced at 12.99 everywhere else so Jason suggested Chinese food instead. I grumbled and we went and got take out. We watched the Yankees pound the Red Sox, and then I glumly headed up to my apartment and went to bed.

Saturday I got some errands done during the day and did some laundry. Kate came over and arrived as I was watching the end of the Sox/Yankees game. I was really confident we were going to win, and was prepared to go after the 7th inning (which turned out to be long and successful for the Sox). But then we saw the collision between Doug Mientkiewicz and Mike Lowell and it looked like Mientkiewicz might be seriously hurt. I was kind of numbed from turning the game off until we saw him off the field. It's always tragic when these things happen, and it was good to find out today that it doesn't sound to serious. It is such an unlikely coincidence that Lowell and Mienkiewicz happen to be good friends to. The MLB article off of redsox.com is pretty good. Everyone watching at Fenway seemed notably concerned, and it was good to see the standing applause as the guy who caught the game winning out of the 04 world series win for the sox, stood up, was put on a stretcher and carried away, despite that he is now in the Yankees uniform. After completion of the 7th, Kate and I went to the Liberty Bell for supper. Kate got chicken fingers and I indulged in fried clams (I had to nip that seafood craving in the bud). It was a fried feast, high in cholesterol and artery clogging goodness. After this, as planned we drove up main street a little way into Wakefield and went to Cravings, an old fashioned soda-jerk style ice cream parlor. Kate and I split a sundae with Kahlua Mudslide ice cream, hot fudge, "real" whipped cream, white chocolate topping, and a cherry. It was a truly religious experience consuming this divine delicacy. After Kate walked around Wakefield for at least an hour. A sketchy ripped Latino dude who was loitering out front of a dive pizza parlor on main street asked us if we had change for a hundred. Of course we said no... I never carry money and if I did, I sure as hell wasn't going to tell him. Of course I didn't even really pay attention to what he asked for... I had to ask Kate later as I just sort of said no as a reflex.

Sunday was a little dull... a lot of TV watching, sleeping, and lounging. Kate and I did go to the Texas Roadhouse and I tried their steak tips. They were good, I will say the 99 still has better steak tips, but a plus at at the roadhouse is everything comes with two sides, so I had smashed potatoes and Cesar salad. And the Roadhouse's rolls... to die for (If you've read my blog regularly I must sound like a broken record). Regardless of its uneventful nature, it was tough to see the day conclude as I dropped Kate off in Brookline.

I got back and ended up talking with my mother on the phone a little longer than I had hoped and knocked on Jason's door... (he had seen Kate and I driving out as he was taking some trash to the dumpster, he told me to drop by for the rest of the Sox game when I got back) Jason didn't answer. It was probably due to him having both TVs running... but I didn't push it and just headed up to watch the game in my apartment. I've got to say, it had an unfortunate (and painful) ending, but THAT was baseball as it should be, what an entertaining game. Manny's slide into second was great! It's just a shame that his valiant effort didn't contribute to a win. Papelbon giving up a run on a 0-2 count was atypical.... and when it really started to pour, you could tell there was a lot of displeasure and distraction to be had by all. A-Rod's on fire... I don't like the guy, but he has certainly been one hell of a ball player this year and it was very evident tonight (sigh).