Six Pence...None the Richer?

I got a package from my Grandma the other day (which I have yet to properly thank her for, but will at least publicly thank her for now) of a card with a sixpence in it. Why a sixpence? Because the complete old saying goes:

Something old,

something new

something borrowed

something blue

with a sixpence in your shoe

And what's even cooler is that sixpences weren't made after about 1970, so it's rare. I think it's super cool that she sent it to me and am excited to put it in my shoe for luck tomorrow. While we aren't doing a lot of traditional wedding things, I'm happy to be able to do that one.

And also in preparation for the day, my dad came in. We had a great day today and instead of just having a father daughter dance, we had a father-daughter baseball game. It seemed very appropriate for us. We drove down to Anaheim and saw the Angels play the Tigers. We had good tickets that were perfectly under the shade and saw a few homers, a few good double plays and had a good tie. Mostly it was just nice to relax and talk for a few hours. And neither of us had been to a game in a while. It was a dream for me to play hooky and watch an afternoon game. Loved it.

Now I'm prepping for dinner at Lawry's (yummy prime rib) and then a good night sleep for our civil ceremony at 10 a.m tomorrow. I'm not nervous about being married, but I have to admit the whole idea of a ceremony kind of freaks me out. I was nervous enough about messing up just getting the marriage license. I'm sure it'll be fine. I only have one line to remember.

But I'll have to say it with a coin in my shoe :).

My Favorite Signs of Fall

For the first time this year, I felt it was fall. It was not only the lack of rain, but the crisp bite in the air while you're car's still warm inside from the day's sunshine. Here are some of my other favorite signs of fall:

• Football games that mean something. Once you're this far into the fall, College games get interesting because top teams aren't playing the little sisters of the poor and pro teams have either won or lost enough to either confirm or refute any predictions of the season.
  
• Pumpkin Spice Anything. Today I had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. I also saw an ad for pumpkin spice candles, cupcakes, donuts and even beer. And I will probably buy them all because when you mix pumpkin with nutmeg, cinnamon and clove what you get is delicious and/or fragrant.
• Tall boots. I've got good legs and I know how to use them. Primarily in leather zip-up rockin' boots.
  
• After 120+ games, baseball is interesting again. The pennants were decided (for the most part) long ago, so now that the play offs are starting, it's time to start watching baseball again.
• Midnight Madness. The first official practice for NCAA Men's Basketball. Where hope springs eternal for Hoosier fans.
• Running in crisp mornings rock!It's too warm to run with a jacket and just cold enough that sweating provides comfortable relief.

Thank you mother nature. I used to think that Spring was my favorite season, but now I'm having second thoughts. . .

We're Tired of You, A-Rod. Leave Us Alone

Was it not enough that we had to spend three weeks hearing about his use of steroids that now we have to endure even more?

Yes, Alex Rodriquez is a good baseball player. Okay, a great baseball player. And he has the perfect storm of playing in the largest market (New York), looking good (although I prefer Jeter), and breaking up marriages (Madonna's). But does he really need to keep fueling the fire? Is he that much of a publicity whore?

The answer is yes. After spending weeks leading up to the World Baseball Classic (where he was supposed to play for the Dominican Republic- and they could've used him), going over every emotion, lie and sideways glance A-Rod gave about steroids, we had to deal with hearing about his injured hip. It took surgery to repair and now A-Rod is convalescing. We were all supposed to be given a break. Baseball, the media, A-Rod and most importantly people who believe Albert Pujols is the true baseball icon of the era. But, no. A-Rod had to do a magazine photo spread.

In Details, he kisses himself in the mirror. Isn't that what we've all suspected all along? That as much as A-Rod loves baseball, he loves himself most of all. I know I've perpetuated the cycle by talking about it, but I'm tired of A-Rod. We need a break.