Not Exactly What I Expected

The remnants of Rita washed over Arkansas, starting Saturday. That much I anticipated, from looking at the weather reports during the week. However, it didn't really start raining until 5 or so in the afternoon, which meant going to my poker game in the rain (not a huge issue). I then expected a lazy Sunday with the rain coming down all day. Turns out, Rita didn't stall like they thought and the rain was out of the area before we got out of church on Sunday. No damage save a few downed tree limbs in the area--the wind did pick up some strength on Saturday night, and there were some tornadoes in the state that did cause damage but not around here.

Still, it was a good weekend all in all. Got to see my friend Scott, whom I'd not seen since his wedding over two years ago. He knows how to play poker as well. I wasn't sure how he'd do, but he hung around and made a respectable showing. He and I actually were taken out on the same hand. We both went all-in and someone else at the table matched us. He had a 7-8 of diamonds, I believe, and the other player held A-2. I had J-10, which was looking good when a Jack came on the flop. It held up until the river, when another ace came, wiping both Scott and I out. It was the biggest crowd yet at the poker table--11 guys. We finished in the middle of the pack, but it was a good night.

Spent some time catching up on Smallville with the wife. We borrowed Season 4 from a friend and are going through it at a decent pace. I know the fifth season starts this week, so we'll probably start taping them so we don't get behind. I thought I'd be having fewer things to tape this year, but with Lost and Smallville, it's a good that Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica are done until January, otherwise we'd never get anything completed!

Benjamin is doing well, on the whole. The antibiotics kicked in this weekend which made for some lovely diapers, but it didn't seem to affect his mood or activity. He actually walked halfway across the room Saturday afternoon. Meron was in the back and I was flipping channels when I looked up and here he came. Must have been 20-25 steps, which is easily a record for him. I don't think he's done more than 3-4 in a row since then.

One week left on my rotisserie baseball league and it's not looking great. I'm only down two points, and I've got a shot to win, but I'm thinking it's going to wind up just short. If so, that'll mean I've traded my first 7 rounds of draft picks for nothing, but if you are close, you've got to make the moves.

Cards had a terrible weekend in Milwaukee, but they can put that behind them now. There are 5 games this weekend, all at home. These are the last five regular season games in Busch Stadium II, as next year they'll move into the new Busch right next door. The new stadium is looking great, but it's always hard to leave a place that's been around 40 years. They've been tearing off numbers on the outfield wall marking the number of games left, and there have been some big names. This weekend, there will be a lot of them as well.

Pujols should be tearing down #5 Tuesday night, Red Schoendiest will get #2 on Saturday, and the biggest Cardinal star to play in Busch (since Stan Musial never did), Ozzie Smith, will close the place out by taking off the #1 Sunday.

It should be a great week of baseball and memories in St. Louis. 'Course, then there are some new postseason memories to make starting next week!