And better...

They usually make us all sweat it out a little more.



But it's over. The Red Sox have won the A.L. East. I'm guessing we face the Angels with home field advantage. So now my father-in-law and I have to put on our game faces and enjoy the competition.

And I am really hoping for a Red Sox -Cubs Workd Series.

Rachel had her second Physical Therapy appointment today. They did some heat therapy, some ultrasound therapy, a little treadmill walking and some stretches. And they sent us home with instructions on how to do the stretches.

What kills me is they look so easy. Like I'm pretty tubby and out of shape these days and I could probably do 30 reps of each without working up a sweat. But to watch Rachel agonize to do 3, and for the doctor to make her goal to work up to 10 reps over the next couple of weeks...well, it gives me a better understanding of how much she hurts and how long a road we have ahead of us to get her well again.

But you know what, we've started walking down that road, and we are walking it together. Not just she and I, but all of us. Thank you again for your continued love and support. The first step is always the hardest, and we've taken it.

I was wrecked, but I'm feeling better...

No, I didn't take some of Rachel's meds. I took a hot tub and got a massage. It's been a long couple of days.

For instance, yesterday, I had to be on a conference call at 6:00 AM that lasted until almost 4:00 PM with a break for lunch. Wore down the batteries on both of my phones and halfway through a third. And whenever we had a break, I spent that time feeding and medicating Rachel. And lunch time was spent getting her in and out of the hot tub. And then the call wrapped up and I spent some time reviewing notes and working on call flows.

Then I had to take Rachel to her first Physical Therapy appointment in Lakeport. Then we had to take Jake to Santa Rosa to refill his prescription and get his blood work done for his Remicaid appointment on Monday. And, of course, I'm going to have to take time off work to take Jake to that. Rachel says she'll do it, but there's just no way I'm going to let her drive to San Francisco and then sit in an uncomfortable chair for four hours and then drive home.

And Rachel feels guilty that we have to take care of her even though we do everything we can to let her know how much we love her and don't mind. She's just that way.

And honestly, I go through these periods where I am just wrecked - worn out, nothing more to give. And then I say to myself the last line from Waiting For Godot - "I cannot go on. I go on." At least I think that's the last line. I never read it. And then we ate dinner at the Lyon's in Santa Rosa that Tom Waits supposedly hangs out at since Reihart's Truck Stop in Petaluma closed. Only it isn't a Lyon's anymore. It's one of those Chinese/American Buffets that seem to be popping up everywhere in the Bay Area suburbs. And Tom Waits doesn't hang out there anymore. But we ate there anyway. And we didn't get home until almost 10:30. And, of course, as tired as I was, I was all amped up on adrenaline and couldn't fall asleep.

Anyway, then I had another call this morning, same time to wrap up what we started yesterday. And about 15 minutes in to that call, one customer representative came in with the news that they were having another meeting next door that pretty much made 90% of what we had done the previous day worthless because the whole scope of the project changed. But the group in the room of the call that I was on decided to move forward anyway. So instead of 5 applications, we are talking about perhaps 25. No documentation on up or downstream systems. The communications interface between the various back end systems has yet to be defined, let alone developed. Their customer address information is both inconsistent and often inaccurate, and does not conform to USPS Standards. Which is going to make our address lookups really challenging. Sort of like trying to find a specific needle among many needles in an enormous haystack based on a blurry picture of the needle in question.

I am really proud of that last simile.

And to top it all off, they have an outside consultant who is insisting that the first prompt we play is, "To speak to an operator at any time, press or say zero." And, of course, I advise STRONGLY against that because most people will just hit zero and not even give the system a chance. And the main goal of the project is to automate tasks. And whenever we have done what she is insisting on for "maximum customer satisfaction", six months after we deploy the system, the call center group complains that the IVR system is under utilized and we failed to meet our call deflection goals - like it's somehow our fault.

And sorry to most people, but some of my friends and colleagues know exactly what I'm dealing with and how frustrating it is.

And today I got a call in the middle of my conference call from my AAA claims adjuster who relayed information from the at fault party's claims adjuster who said that because the woman who hit Rachel was in a borrowed car, the maximum liability is "probably" going to be rolled back to the state minimum requirements of $15K personal injury and $30K property. And that would just about cover the ambulance ride and the first visit to the emergency room.

Then, if the woman who hit Rachel had insurance, that would kick in. And if she doesn't, then ours kicks in another $85K to our policy maximum of $100K. And I don't have any idea if that's going to be enough.

But we don't know if the lady who hit Rachel has insurance because every time our claims adjuster calls her, she hangs up and then doesn't answer the phone when she calls back. And that really pisses us off. To the point that I want to just hand everything over to our attorney and sue the woman and see if we don't end up with a nice Summer house up in Cobb or something.

And of course, we do have medical insurance through my work, but I don't understand why my medical insurance should have to pay for this awful woman's negligence.

Sorry, I don't know for a fact that she's awful. I'm just assuming she is since she is ducking our claims adjuster. Oh, and because she did what she did to our dear Rachel.

Where was I going with all of this? Oh yeah, so like I said, I was wrecked. And I got a massage. And I learned that because my shoulder has been bothering me so much lately, I didn't even realize how jacked up the rest of my body is. And I'm a little sore from the experience, but it was great to just shut off for an hour and let somebody work out my stress. The best thing is she lives right up the street and has a massage room in her house. Not nearly as cool and relaxing as yours, Laurie. But the thing I hate most about getting a massage is having to drive home from Calistoga or wherever it is. It just makes you all tense again right away. But with this lady, I just hopped in the golf cart and drove up the block. The only traffic was a friendly little kid on a Big Wheel who told me he liked my spotted balls. Which made me laugh because he was referring to the fuzzy dice on the Hotel Yorba Courtesy Car.

Anyway, I feel better emotionally. I even had a little cry after the massage while I was laying there by myself for a few minutes. That was kind of weird, but good, I think. I came home and drank some green tea and a ton of water. Then watched Earl and a new CSI with Rachel. And then I put her to bed. And now I'm going to go drink some more water, take a quick hot tub, and go to sleep. And I don't have to be on a call at 6:00 tomorrow. Just 9:00.

Oh, yeah, and today was all about me and a lot of people are checking in to find out about Rachel. So here you go:

Her pain levels were noticeably higher today, but that is to be expected because of the manipulation and measurements for baseline pain and flexibility tests, the e-stim and cold therapy that were done yesterday. She has a follow up with her doctor on Monday. Which conflicts with Jake's Remicaid, so I guess we're going to have to change that one or something. I don't know. We'll work it out somehow. Oh, and she's really bummed because the power plant she's been working at from just about the get go finally got online this week and they had a party today to celebrate. And, of course, she couldn't go.

That's it. Sorry the text to picture ratio is infinite in this post. I just don't really have any new pictures. So go ahead and lok at Barry and Rod again if you want.

Is it just me...

or has anyone else noticed?

The older Barry Manilow gets...


The more he looks like a younger Rod Stewart?

Perhaps they should put out an album of duets.

Title it, "Maggie I Just Can't Smile Without You At The Copa Cabana If You Don't Want My Body Because I'm Getting Old But Looking Younger And It's Getting Creepy"

Dinner tonight...

...was our first family dinner at the table since the accident. I've been lazy about cooking. Neighbors have brought food for us (we really do have the best neighbors in all of Hidden Valley up on Coyle Springs), and we've done take out, and smoothies, and frozen pizzas and sandwiches grilled cheese and tater tots and easy stuff. And I've brought Rachel most of her meals in bed. And Jake and I have eaten like bachelors.

But tonight I cooked, and we sat at the table. After we moved the piles of insurance forms and accident reports and medical bills and pictures and so forth.


I made sticky rice, stir fried and steamed veggies, Teryaki Tri-Tip (henceforth known as 3T Beef), and 3 Cup Chicken. I even made the rice look pretty like in John's Adobo dish. I just crammed it in a little round bowl and dumped it out on the plate. It was all grubbin'. And I think I prefer a thin tri-tip to flank steak and will use it from now on for Teryaki beef.

Funny what you discover when the butcher doesn't have what you really want and you go with whatever has the $2 off coupon.


I had one of those barbecue catastrophes that makes you a little nervous while cooking the Tri-Tip. I guess I haven't cleaned the drip pan for a while because it got a little raging fire going. And I scrambled to find my squirt bottle. Found it cracked from being left in the sun. Ran to the garage and filled my backup. And squirted for about five minutes. And thinking, "That tank top my Mom gave me is probably flame repellent, right?" And, "These cannisters are safe and don't blow any more, right?"

I was about three squirts from running for the fire extinguisher under the sink. But I was finally able to get it out. The tri-tip got a little burned on the outside from the fire, but I pulled it off and checked it with my meat thermometer - 140, just right. And I let it rest like Alton says before slathering with a little Teryaki Dipping Sauce and carving on the bias.

The meal was brief because it hurt Rachel to sit at the table. But it was good eats and wonderful to sit together as a family and talk about our days again. I really missed that.

Sunday was moving day...

...for Lauren and Paul. Jake and I went down and pitched in. What a bunch we are. Paul's got three bulging disks, one of which is pressing a nerve in to his spine and hasn't felt his left for for a couple of weeks now. Rachel's recovering from her accident (and stayed home). Jake has his UC. I've got my shoulder that has been much better lately, but that I managed to whack out whack again carrying a futon frame. It wasn't even that heavy, just awkward. Anyway, Dolores has permanent disability with her back. And Michael's got his pacemaker to worry about when the landlord is arc welding. John McNaught and Lauren were the only healthy ones in the bunch. But, as usual, we pulled together and got it done.

Their old place was funky, and largely built off of this travel trailer that served as the kitchen.


Paul couldn't even really stand up all the way in there. But it would have been cozy for Hobbits. And their landlords were royal pains in the arse. Which is the main reason for their move. They also happened to run in to the previous tenants and learned that was the reason they moved as well. I will miss Cowzilla, but that's about it. I have some great memories of barbecues, a walk to the top of the hill, Lloyd's visit, and a wonderful dinner before a roaring fire.

The new place is also funky. But funky in all sorts of good ways. It's hard to describe. It looks like a duplex, but it's not. the first door opens to their bedroom, and the second is the front door. And they have an office slash guest room. They won't slash their guests, don't be silly. And it has a "baby room." We've been thinking about that possibility, too. But between Rachel's back and Paul's back, I'm not sure, but I'll probably be an uncle before I'm a father again.


It also has a "proper kitchen" so Paul will enjoy cooking again.

And they have a garage right across from their unit.


And if you walk through the a door in the back of the garage, they have a huge patio that the landlord (Delmar, nice guy) is screening in. And there's dirt and room for a garden and no goats to eat Lauren's pretty flowers and vegetables.

I think once they settle in, they will be a lot happier here. And we all hope they will be so happy that they won't move to Idaho or Montana or Wyoming or wherever. And it's about 15 minutes closer to our house. And 15 minutes closer to work and school for them.

Oh, and on the drive down, I played Ozzy's Blizzard Of Oz for Jake for the first time. He loved it. So I'm giving him the CD as soon as I get it on my iPod.

3 Is A Magic Number...

And it is also, The Red Sox Magic Number after they beat the A's and the Yankees lost in the 10th to the worst team in baseball, Tampa Bay. It's almost as if...no, I mean, come on, Detroit could...nah...5 games left, Glenn, they are bound to win at least one of them right? And surely Detroit will lose one of their next 4.



But I don't much care what the pinstriped pansies do - it's about what the Sox are doing. Moony is back, Yuke is back, Shill is back, and Big Papi homered. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

See? They're in...

Sure, the Yankees won in the 10th. And I watched in horror as Tampa Bay took the lead in the 7th. And I was nervous. But then it all came together the way it should - the way it will continue to come together.

Gagne did his job (and got the win), Captain and Jugo homered in the 9th, and Papelbon came in for the save.

And Detroit lost to Kansas City.

American League
East		W	L	Pct	GB
x-Boston Red Sox (6)		92	63	.594	--
New York Yankees		89	65	.578	2.5
Toronto Blue Jays		78	76	.506	13.5
Baltimore Orioles		66	88	.429	25.5
Tampa Bay Devil Rays		63	92	.406	29.0

x-Clinched Playoff Spot;

The Red Sox are the first team in the league to secure a playoff spot. They are in. Period.


Now there's that Division Title - and I am confident we will take that, too. The pressure is off, they will play loose, and they will win most of their remaining games.

It ain't all baloons and sunshine...

Here's what we usually see here at The Hotel Yorba...

And we enjoy our mornings. Cody doesn't even mind being Rachel's personal ottoman while she recuperates.


And Jake took this picture through the sunroof while we were on our way to pick up Rachel from the hospital...

But man, Winter pushed Fall aside last week just to remind us to get that firewood ordered...

It was an angry little storm. I saw lightning bolts strike the mountain. And the rain came. And Jake and I scrambled around taking down the Martha shade and umbrellas and bringing in the patio furniture and a few dozen other things you don't want left out in the rain. And there was snow and ice on Cobb and I heard a bunch of accidents on icy roads.

That was one of the 31 flavors of suck last week. But we got it done. And after that, it was actually kind of fun to sit inside and watch the weather.

Things you get stuck behind when you're in a hurry - and a Rachel Update...

Sorry for the delay in getting any updates up. Last week sucked all over the place in 31 flavors.

We had a bit of a scare last week. We had a follow up visit with Rachel's doctor on Tuesday. Dr. Clarke was very concerned because Rachel was showing no signs of improvement and her pain levels were still very high. And she was very tight in her back, neck, and shoulders. So she was suggesting we see a pain management specialist - and that's for things like morphine and methadone. And we don't want that. And she wrote up an order for Rachel to be out of work for a month. And we don't want that either.

Also, I pulled from my file a sheet of paper Dr. Clarke had given us the week before. I asked, "Now, is this for the MRI?" No - those are for X-rays I wanted you to go get last week.

Now, I can understand with Rachel being on drugs that she wouldn't have realized that. And I was pretty stressed out. But I still don't understand how we could both walk out of there and not know what that sheet of paper was for. I mean, I was taking notes and everything. Anyway, we rushed over to X-ray and got the pictures taken and then went home.

Fast forward to Wednesday morning and I'm downstairs working and Rachel gets a call upstairs around 11:00 saying they are squeezing her in for an emergency CT scan at 12:30 because the X-ray tech saw what could be a fracture. A fractured what? I don't know, she didn't say. So we jumped in the car and left for yet another trip to Napa.

Fortunately, we have found an alternate route that gets us there quicker and without the dreaded twisty bits over the mountain. We take Butts Canyon on out through Angwin to the Silverado trail. So we were sure we'd make it in time. But then, there are the things you get stuck behind when you're in a hurry...

A big truck with two giant septic tanks...


A big truck with grapes because this is the wine country and this is the crush...

And a classic car that on any other day, we would love to see...


We still made it on time.

And about halfway there, I realized that if her back was broken, they'd have sent an ambulance and not have me drive. So we relaxed a bit.

The Tech said it was possibly a fractured Sacrum. And that would explain a lot about her pain levels and difficulty going to the bathroom. We got the scan done and came home.

Then Thursday was something of a miracle day. We got a call in the morning saying the CT scan was negative. And that gave us a mixed sense relief. On the one hand, we were thrilled that nothing was broken. But on the other hand, we were disturbed because we were left wondering why she was still in so much pain and having such difficulty going to the bathroom. At least if it was a fracture, it could be treated, you know?

So then the miracle part comes in - for some reason or combination of reasons, by mid-day Thursday, she was in a lot less pain. Maybe John and Chris and some of the others who pray went to a prayer group on Wednesday? Maybe the swelling had finally subsided? Maybe the hot tubs did the trick? Maybe we finally got on a good schedule with her meds that keeps the pain down in the 4-5 range instead of the 7-9 range?

Whatever the reason or reasons, she is doing much better since Thursday. She is even hoping to get a release to go back to work next week some time. And I feel a little about this like I feel about the Red Sox. I am thrilled that she is feeling better. But at the same time, I've been through this before - the wheels could come off any minute. But I am staying positive.

My first golf outing with my son...

I had one of those nostalgia filled milestones yesterday.

I can remember playing golf once with my Dad and his Dad. Just once. And I didn't play the whole course. Dad used to sneak a few of my clubs in his bag and let me try to play a few holes int he middle of the course away from the pro shop. And, of course, I have played a lot of golf with my Dad over the years. And now, the tradition continues. I played with Jake for the first time yesterday.


Jake needs a lot of practice at the range because it was a largely frustrating experience for him. He hit a few houses. No whiffs, though. And he somehow managed to get a par on a short par 3. I don't know anyone who got a par on their second time playing, except for Kim Jong Il. Hopefully he'll stick with it. And hopefully some day we'll have a foursome with Michael and my Dad. And then someday I'll play with Jake and his kid.

Anyway - we played with a couple of his friends. I tried my best to not be a dork Dad, and I guess I did OK because they said they'd like to do it again.

This is Jake's friend Eric who isn't very good...

...but he is a nice kid and treated the game with respect.

Then there's Blaine, who is going to be a monster. Check out his follow through...

From the third hole on, I called him Tiger. We only got through 7 and a half holes because of darkness. And he beat me by a stroke on almost every hole. I think I tied him on one.

Now, in my defense, I haven't played in a while. And we rushed down there and went right to the first tee. And, of course, my shoulder is killing me today because it was cold and it was stupid of me to do that. But I really wanted to get out on the course and let go of the stress of the last couple of weeks.

And I did that, for the most part.

Oh - and we took our cart. That was pretty cool. On the course, it feels as fast as any other cart I've been in. And it made it home fine. So I might try to take it out for 18.

And then this...

We Red Sox fans don't need this. We know it all too well. And we could probably come up with a Top 30 or Top 40 reasons. But here it is...

10 reasons why the Red Sox will collapse

(http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txredsoxcollapse&prov=st&type=lgns)

The sky is falling on Red Sox nation - again.

The Boston Red Sox celebrated their first World Series title in 86 years in 2004. Just three years later, they are conjuring up memories of another historic campaign - 1978.

The Red Sox have lost five of their last six games - many in excruciating fashion - to see what was a 14 1/2-game lead on May 29 shrink to just 1 1/2 over the rival New York Yankees in the American League East.

Boston squandered a 14-game advantage to New York in late July 1978 en route to the Yankees' second straight championship. Granted, this campaign, the Red Sox have the wild card to fall back on.

But as the noose tightens in New England nearly 30 years later, here are 10 reasons why it will be deja vu - all over again.

10. Big Papi's health - David Ortiz has been limping around with a myriad of injuries to his shoulder, knee, quadriceps and hamstring. With his team needing a lift, the clutch slugger may not be able to provide it. Ortiz had his chance to knock out the Yankees with the bases loaded in the ninth inning against Mariano Rivera on Sunday, but the aching All-Star just could not get around on the fastball.

9. Earth to Manny - Manny Ramirez is a surefire Hall-of-Famer, an RBI machine and one of the best pure hitters in baseball. But his space-cadet routine finally may be wearing thin in Beantown. He has a strained left oblique muscle, which has sidelined him since August 28. But prior to the injury, the 35-year-old Ramirez was in a fog. Without him in the lineup or with his head in the clouds, Boston's lineup becomes easier to attack.

8. Hideki Okajima's arm - Okajima was a Rookie of the Year candidate and one of the best relievers in the American League. His unorthodox delivery - specifically his head motion - confused hitters, making him the perfect bridge to star closer Jonathan Papelbon. But Okajima's arm is tired, and he will be shut down for five days. It's September, the AL East is on the line and one of your best relievers is not available? That's the real head-turner.

7. The Smug Race - There is no doubt baseball fans in New York and Boston border on the intolerable, wearing cockiness on their sleeves. But Red Sox nation has taken it to a new level after the 2004 World Series title. However, the Red Sox have done nothing since their historic championship to warrant gloating - failing to make it past the division series in 2005 or even into the postseason last campaign. Maybe Boston's rabid following is getting just a bit ahead of itself. Could it be that the Red Sox just are not that good?

6. Fall of the Dice-K - Daisuke Matsuzaka has just two wins since July 29 and looks to be out of gas. If you listened to the hype machine prior to the season, the much-heralded former World Baseball Classic MVP was somewhere between Tom Seaver and a righthanded Sandy Koufax. In fact, he was supposed to be better than that. But in reality, he has been John Burkett with a little more velocity. In the final days of the season, Matsuzaka - and his golden arm - need to show what all the fuss was about.

5. Papelbon - The luster is off one of the best young closers in baseball. There is no argument here that Papelbon will be a force in the AL for years to come. But in 2007, the mystique is lost - mainly against the rival Yankees. The 26-year-old has a miniscule 1.96 ERA and just 15 walks in 55 innings. But as Rivera's past exploits have shown us, a closer's season is defined by the big moments. Papelbon is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA and five walks in seven frames against New York this season.

4. The Pink Hat Factor - The Red Sox always were the loveable losers, but not anymore. With a swelling fan base, they have become the chic club to root for with fans sprouting up all over the country. Red Sox nation has an immigration problem with most newcomers not knowing Johnny Pesky from Johnny Damon. All the good will built up from the baseball gods? Gone.

3. Eric Gagne - The newly acquired reliever would be higher on the list, but his effect on the Red Sox will diminish - simply because he will no longer pitch in big spots. Or will he? General manager Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona seem insistent on throwing Gagne into the fire. He is responsible for at least five of Boston's losses since joining the club at the July 31 trade deadline. And Epstein may continue to try to prove Gagne's worth - and himself right - at the team's expense.

2. The Yankees - Holding the best record in baseball since the All-Star break, it is all coming together for New York. The Yankees have steamrolled through the competition, including taking five of six from the rival Red Sox since late August. Boasting the league's most dangerous lineup, New York also has fixed its bullpen problems with the addition of rookie phenom Joba Chamberlain. Robinson Cano has broken out of his first-half slump, and Alex Rodriguez continues to post MVP-caliber numbers. If New York continues to play like this, Boston's play is irrelevant.

1. Harsh Reality - Simply, they are the Red Sox and these things happen. History does not lie. As much as the 2004 World Series title was supposed to erase all the bad memories, 100-plus years of suffering just does not disappear. Ask any die-hard Sox fan. It is never easy. Get used to it, Boston.

___________________________

So that's that. But being the Red Sox fan that I am, always hoping for the best but prepared for the worst, I agree with everything mentioned in that article.

But, here are the ten reasons the Red Sox won't collapse:

10.) Big Papi - when it really matters, he will come through. And in the next week or so, it will matter.

9.) Manny is as Manny does - He will do some amazing things. They've rested him up and he will come through.

8.) I am watching Fever Pitch frequently and I believe.

7.) The Smug Race? I'm sure the Yankees are all sure they will win the division. And they will stumble and fall because of it. Just like in game 4 of '04. I can smell it.

6.) The rise of Dice-K - Last time I checked it was something like 7 of his losses came after giving up 2 runs or less. I agree he hasn't been everything we thought he would be when half of the sports photographers in America were snapping away at his first warm-up pitches. But he is awesome, and you watch - he will put up some incredible post-season numbers.

5.) Papelbon - nothing to worry about here. He will come through in the ALCS series and Rivera will have a double digit ERA.

4.) What the hell is a "pink hat factor?" New fans? They can only help us. They root for the Red Sox, but they don't know the history - so that's millions of people rooting without knowing about what usually happens. I think those of us who are long time fans jinx ourselves. Like when Big Papi was up in the bottom of the ninth in the game that made me don the Jeter jersey - I was absolutely sure he was going to double off the wall - but more than that, I knew he was going to pop up to the pitcher or look at strike three. The new fans will be watching and they will think only good thoughts.

3.) Eric Gagne - He is a Hall of Famer - it will click for him. The pennant and post season fever will take hold and he will return to greatness.

2.) The Yankees - Since the All-Star break, they have the best record in baseball, and they STILL haven't caught us. They've come close enough to sniff our butts, but that's it. They've given their all and the Red Sox are still in first place. The Yankees will win the wild card, sure. But they will be looking ahead to the Red Sox and get their butts kicked in 3, probably by the Angels.

1.) Harsh Reality - History does not lie. Glenn will not be able to help himself - he will tune in and watch and the Yankees will lose.

Someobdy wrote the wrong ending tonight...

It was storybook baseball. Almost a cliche. Bottom 9, 2 outs, bases loaded, Red Sox down by 1 with Big Papi at the plate and Rivera on the mound.

It should have been a towering home run.

Or perhaps an opposite field double off the monster. But alas, here you go Glenn...

It felt a little like the '86 series. A little. Like 1/950 th of the stress and pain. And even 1/950th of the pain is more than most people can endure without passing out.

OK, it wasn't that bad, really. But it was exciting. And that's one of my favorite feelings while watching professional sports. I watched a lot of football today and didn't get that feeling once. Not even when Seabass kicked the game winner, that wasn't a game winner, and then hit the upright with what would have been the game winner. Not even when after the morning games I was winning Brad's pick 'em pool.

There is nothing in all of sports like a close Red Sox-Yankees game when both teams are playing well and it matters.

The worst thing of all is this loss gives the Yankees the edge 10-8 on the season. And if the Red Sox somehow manager to blow it with their magic number at 9 this late in the season, well...

I don't even want to think about it.

And that picture was cheap. Here you go Glenn.

Good bet, well won, sir.

Why don't the Raiders start Culpepper?

Why?
Why?
Why?

Why do they call it a rubber match?

I know "Rubber Match" means the third game in a three game series when the first two games were split.

But why do they call it that? Anyone?

Could it be if (when) the Red Sox win, Glenn has to draw me a picture of David Ortiz...and there's the rub?

Rachel's supposed to go back to work tomorrow...

And I don't know how she's gonna be able to do that. She's still in a lot of pain whenever the pain killers wear off. We'll see.

Your attention please...

...just for a minute. Well, almost 5 minutes, actually. Please take notes and tell your friends.



and if you've got five minutes more, this is worth reading...

Behind the Anbar myth
By Pepe Escobar

After the elaborate theatrics just performed in the house of mirrors of Washington, US President George W Bush is now recommending to the nation what he told top Iraq commander General David Petraeus to recommend to him. Only those paying more attention to the botched comeback of the "fat" lip-synching Britney Spears will be fooled by Petraeus, the iPod general - a player of what is fed by his master's voice, the White House...(click for full article)

How long can we let this go on?

And the Red Sox keep it interesting...

(84-64) (90-59)	Final 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E NY Yankees 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 Boston 1 0 0 0 1 3 4 1 X 10 12 0 WP: J. Beckett (19-6) LP: C. Wang (18-7)

Tonight we get Clemens vs. Schilling. Could a Red Sox or Yankees fan ask for a better matchup?

Well, It's On!

(84-63) (89-59)	Final 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E NY Yankees 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 0 8 12 2 Boston 0 1 1 3 0 2 0 0 0 7 13 2 WP: B. Bruney (3-1) S: M. Rivera (27) LP: J. Papelbon (1-3)

Can somebody tell me how this all happened? I left in the 5th to pick up Jake from the golf course with my beloved Sox up 5-1 and Dice-K looking strong. I went to the Demon-Mart to pick up Rachel's prescription. I got an e-mail about Glenn accepting the bet. And I'm excited because I figure I'm a game up. And I'm thinking, maybe Glenny will sign the portrait and mail it to me. And I'll frame it and put it over the bar, or perhaps in my office next to the portrait those cute British girls gave me.

And then I get home and see the score on my Yahoo home page. And I think, no, that can't be right. That must be a typo. Or perhaps that F is really a 9...no...No...NOOOOOOO! How could this happen?

My Dad, also a fan, and a Yankee hater, used to say, "They'll break your hearts in August." But it's September. And my heart isn't broken. At least not yet.

I'm just worried about how fat I'm going to look in Jake's Yankees jersey.

Could somebody please explain to Mr. Papelbon what a "closer" is supposed to do.

And before Glenn can post a comment, I'll say it for him...

"I'm sure Mr. Rivera could explain it...if talks slowly and doesn't use any big words."

All right. It's OK. It's OK. It's OK.

Two games to go. Plenty of beer and a big screen to watch them on.

In the meantime, maybe Rachel will watch Fever Pitch with me again.

Challenge to Glenny...

OK, here's the bet, Glenn. 2 out of 3 or better wins the series. If the Red Sox win, you draw me a nice picture of Big Papi and post it on your blog. If the Yankees win, I will pose for a picture of me wearing a Yankees hat AND jersey and hold up a sign that says, "I HEART Derek Jeter," and post it here.


What do you say, Glenn?

Nice...

Got this in the mail today...
They would have looked great, I'm sure. What are we supposed to do with these now?

Also, I took a picture of the hard copy picture of the car upside down...
Now I'm going to try to find something non-accident related to blog about.

Thank You!

Thank you from both of us to everyone for their love and support. And thank you for the offers of help, as well. This last week has just flown by.

I can't believe it's been a week already. Here's an update...

Two dogs today. This webcam is great. It makes me seem magical when I show up to, say, take away her lunch tray right when she's done eating. I have to admit, though, I am sick of listening to Crafters Coast To Coast and movies like "You've Got Mail."

She seems to be moving better today, and her pain has diminished a little. And she made it down to the hot tub this morning for a soak. I think we're going to try to do another one tonight. It's just that going back up the stairs sucks. But we'll see. Today she asked, "How am I going to go to work on Monday if I'm still like this?"

I don't know. We'll see what happens.

Is this a...what day is this?

When in doubt, quote The Big Lebowski.

Jake and I have been doing everything we can to keep Rachel from doing anything. But sometimes we catch her in the act. I'll be working down in the bat cave and hear footsteps upstairs, for example. And if she's just going to the bathroom, that would be fine. But she shouldn't be moving the TV closer to the bed, or getting an ice pack out of the freezer. So I moved our Hotel Yorba webcam to the bedroom.

Now she doesn't even have to pick up the phone to call me - it has a microphone built in. And if she gets up, I'll know about it. And Cody is taking his shift on guard duty. Moe takes over at three.

As for her condition, I think she is out of the woods as far as any real danger goes. Right now it is all about pain and pain management. I've learned to write down what she takes and when because it gets hard to keep it all straight.

Jake has become a smoothie making pro and should probably open a smoothie shop in town when he grows up. And fortunately for me, I have a couple of projects going at work to take my mind off the accident and related hassles and keep me busy.

Also, I wrote to VW of America asking why the side curtain airbags did not deploy. A nice man there gave me a good explanation about it - that the integrity of the "B pillar" was not compromised, so the deployment was not necessary and may have caused further injury and abrasions had it deployed. I am 96% satisfied with that answer. And he is sending me a $750 coupon towards the purchase of our next VW.

That cracks me up - a $750 coupon. I wonder if I should wait to use it until double coupon Tuesday or whatever.

In the mean time, the first payment on our totalled car is due on the 16th. That is a painful check to write.

Rachel's Home...

We got her home around four this afternoon. She's bruised and sore all over. But with a little help from the pharmacist, she is sleeping upstairs in bed.

Again, thanks for all of the love, prayers, and support. It's helped a lot. I'm gonna let her sleep tonight, but if you want to talk to her, go ahead and give us a call on Sunday.

Also - the facilities and staff at Queen of the Valley in Napa are top notch. If you live around here and get hurt, it is definitely worth the drive.

But if you'd rather pop some codeine and valium and take a hot tub with internal injuries, by all means, go to Redbud.

Quick Friday Night Update...

I spoke to Rachel one more time.

Well, I actually called and asked the floor nurse for an update on Rachel's condition and she said because of HIPAA regulations she couldn't tell me anything - but that Rachel was awake and watching television, and I could talk to her.

Um...OK.

Anyway, Rachel sounded much better than the last time I talked to her. She said her nausea was better and she ate all of her dinner and she was in less pain. I asked why and she said they switched her from Dilaudid to Percocet and it seems to be the magic combination.

Now I am going to bed knowing she is feeling better and that Jake and I will probably bring Rachel home tomorrow. But if she starts talking like Rush Limbaugh, I am going to be concerned.

Rachel Update Friday Night...

Hey friends and family. Yes, that was Rachel's car in that picture in yesterday's post. It could very well be the first totalled '08 VW Rabbit in the U.S.

I was awakened at 7:45 Thursday morning simultaneously by my alarm clock and a ringing phone. I hit snooze and answered the phone. It was Carlos from Rachel's work who told me that Rachel was OK, but she had been in a fender bender on 175 on the way to work and she wanted me to head on up there. He told me that white lie so I wouldn't freak out. On the way out there (after pouring coffee and getting my camera and a blanket for Rachel and such) I got another call saying they were taking Rachel to the hospital to get her checked out. When I got to the scene and saw the car, I freaked out a bit. (I actually passed Rachel's ambulance on my way out there - but there were no lights, so I figured everything was OK)


Rachel was on her way to work Thursday morning when a woman in a silver Honda crossed over the double yellow line and slammed in to her. This is where it happened:


It looks like she hit Rachel at the bottom left in the picture and then the 'S' whiteish mark is the path the other woman's vehicle took after the collision. The impact was severe and it caused Rachel's Bunny to roll. Realizing she was upside down and in the middle of the road on a blind turn, she managed to free herself from her seatbelt, climb out, and get to the side of the road. I am so proud of her for having the pressence of mind and strength to do that.

A CDF fireman on his way to work happened upon the scene and held Rachel's head and neck still until a medical team arrived. Rachel was strapped to a board and transported to Redbud. I took some pictures. I told a CHP officer that my wife was in the green car and asked if he could tell me what happened. He said, "That lady there in the boots says she fell asleep at the wheel and crashed in to your wife." Looking at the scene, I would think that if she fell asleep at the wheel entering a left hand turn, her vehicle would have drifted to the right in to the mountain rather than to the left in to my wife. So we'll see if her story holds up. The lady left before I could get any information from her, but I am told everything will be in the CHP report.

I took some pictures of the cars and the scene and then went to find Rachel at Redbud. I found her strapped to a board in the emergency room.

They did some X-rays and CAT scans and when they determined that nothing was broken, they unstrapped her from the board. Once unstrapped, she was able to breathe better, and when she took a deep breath, she had some abdominal pains that she didn't feel before. The doctor there was considering whether or not to perform some additional CAT scans. I said, "We are well insured, please do whatever you need to." They were going to give her some sort of dye and then do another CAT scan. They ended up skipping the dye part. And when the second CAT scan came back negative, they gave her morphine for the pain and sent us home with a prescription for some pain killers, advice about ice and heat (a hot tub would probably be good). We got her home around 2:00.

I have all kinds of terrible things to say about the quality of care at Redbud Community hospital, but I'll save those for another post when this is all over. But imagine what it would be like for Rachel to sit in a hot tub is she had internal injuries.

Anyway, I had to wait for Jake to get home before I could leave to fill her prescription. So I called our insurance and was told what to do. I called our attorney who helped us with our last case that didn't go very well to make sure we do everything right to make sure this case does go as well as possible. And we called Rachel's personal physician. After describing the pain she was feeling, Rachel's physician asked that we take her to Queen of the Valley in Napa (or St. Helena if we couldn't make it all the way to Napa) and go to urgent care for reevaluation and testing.

Jake got home from school, and Rachel's Mom came to watch Jake. I went to the wrecking yard and got our stuff out of the wreck. Got some auto glass in my hand in the process. I also took some more pictures.


I am impressed with how bad the exterior of the car looks and how much space there was inside the car around the passenger compartment. I don't think it is an overstatement to say that good engineering saved Rachel's life.

OK, so then I went to WalMart to get Rachel's prescription filled. By the time I got home, Dolores was there to be with Jake and I drove Rachel to Queen of the Valley in Napa.

After an evaluation, they decided to keep her overnight for observation and additional tests in the morning. I was allowed to stay there with her. So I sort of dozed in an uncomfortable chair and actually got an hour or so of sleep on a little couch in a lounge. This morning, they drew some blood and took some additional x-rays. And then we waited for a doctor to arrive. Around 11:00 this morning, Rachel felt like she had to go to the bathroom but couldn't. The nurse did a bladder scan and found that there was a lot there, so they had to do a catheter. That was awful and just added to Rachel's discomfort. And since she was not able to go to the bathroom on her own and wasn't eating or drinking much, they are keeping her there another night.

By this time, I was pretty wrecked and decided to come home for some sleep and a shower and to pack some things for Rachel. We were going to have Dolores go stay with Rachel tonight, but the hospital might not have let her and she would not have been able to sit all night in an uncomfortable chair. So we decided that it would be best for her to go home. We called Rachel and she was fine with spending the night by herself and it would do her some good to just sleep. Jake and I are planning on getting to the hospital at the start of visiting hours tomorrow morning. And we hope she will be able to come home with us tomorrow.

I'll let you know how it goes as soon as I can. Thanks to everyone who has offered love and support. And especially to Dolores who stayed with Jake, was able to listen to me ramble, and did a hundred or so other little things to make this as easy as possible for us.

And if you happen to be the type who prays, please say one for Rachel.