Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Thirty-One Days and Counting

I’m not sure of all the reasons, but for me, January is a bugger. Sure, it starts out fine, renewal and all that. But by the time the kids go back to school, it quickly dissolves into the dark, bleak month that it is. Alas, today is the first day of February. Time to flip the page on the family calendar, time to celebrate surviving the darkest month and gratefully, it is time to move on.

Historically, the second month has always been easier. For that I can attribute a few rituals I begin every year at this time that serve as checkpoints propelling me toward the Vernal Equinox (and ever onward presumably).

Among them is attending the always inspiring Northwest Garden Show with my sister. Not to mention the fabulous dinner and drinks after the show. It is advisable to discuss with your sis all the brilliant ideas you’ve gotten, before going home and bombarding your husband with the changes you plan to make to the yard – employing him as the head laborer, natch.

Not too long after I’ve filed away my pamphlets and ideas from the garden show, will begin the sweetest of all spring rituals. I’ll get to turn my radio to the AM. Dial to hear the man that will yet again coax me through another cold, wet spring: Dave Niehaus, voice of the Seattle Mariners.

About the time I file through the gates at the convention center, Dave will arrive at the Peoria Baseball Complex. While I’ll toil away the final days of winter, he’ll gather the veteran players’ winter stories; learn the names of the innumerable hopefuls trying for a spot on the 25-man roster, and of course scope out the hot new prospects. By the time the first game rolls around, he’ll be ready to wow me with stories and statistics that I’ve been waiting since October to hear.

This year my world will be righted on the third day of March. Precisely at 12:05pm PST Dave and his broadcast partners, Rick Rizz and Ron Fairly, will clear their throats, dust off their microphones and call the first pitch of the first inning of the first spring training game from the sunny fields of Arizona. And each and every day after that broadcast, until what we fans call Opening Day (April 4th at 2:05pm versus the Los Angeles Angels if you’re wondering), I can tune in for a daily update of my boys on the diamond.

And you know, it is only 31 days until March 3!!

4 comments:

Bon said...

Hey Monk
Rick's a-ok in my book, but Ron Failrly is another story. I respect what he's done alright, but when he's blathering on and on I begin to wonder if Dave Valley or Hendu will ever be as full of themselves as Red is.

Enjoy the game.
~bon

spaceneedl said...

did i ever tell y'all that my college roommate designed safeco field?

fo' real! doesn't do me much good though...he can't get me free tickets.

so it goes...

Bon said...

Space,

I believe you mean he caint get you free tickets.
Next time you see 'im, tell him he did a real smart job of designing that thar itty bitty stadum.

~bon

spaceneedl said...

that's what i said, the boy cain't get me no free tix.

fo' shizzle, bonizzle.