Reflecting on an old Buddy's Passing: Two Years Later

Time passes. Memories remain, even if the physical being does not.

Two years flies fast

Two years ago at the beginning of October, my family and I took our old dog Buddy for his last ride. The short six-minute car trip to the vet seemed like it lasted only six seconds, which especially sucked, given the nature of the drive and the empty car we came home with after a trip to the crematory where we had our last sights of his lifeless body.

I remember coming home to the emptier house, and while Pixie (her younger compadre) was not fully aware of what happened, you have to sense that she knew something was not right when we came back and her brother wasn't with us. The first time we let her outside to go to the bathroom, Pixie looked back at the door, as she usually followed her hobbling brother down the stairs - antagonizing him all the way down, biting his back legs as if she were in the wild herding sheep.

But this time, her brother was no longer there. At that moment, I knew she knew something was missing and terribly wrong. It was at that moment, I balled my eyes out (well, for about the 30th time that day anyways, but the first time since we got home from putting the old boy down).

I feel awful that my sister, who was living in Tennessee at the time, was not able to say good-bye to him, although I felt a little better knowing that anytime she came to visit, in the event something like this were to happen, she told me she would say her goodbyes, just in case.

On this particular day, I was less than two weeks into my relationship with Jen. I was not aware at the time, but earlier in the week was the first and only time that Jen would get to meet the stinky dog - also happened to be the first time she met my mom and dad - thanks for sticking all that out Jen!

As the afternoon developed that day, I was wondering if I would stick with my original Saturday evening plan of meeting with Jen and her friends at the bar many of them like to go to right next to their work, as Saturday at 5pm begins their weekends. I don't remember if I justified it this way when I made my ultimate decision of spending the night over at Jen's old place, but I don't know how well I would have done with spending the night in my old basement dwellings that night without my best friend laying right next to the bed, waiting for me to get up so he could hobble up the stairs with me to officially start the day.

Ultimately, I was glad I did go out and try getting away from the two tons of weight that the day had put on my emotional back. I was able to meet some of Jen's friends for the first time. I do remember telling some of them that I wish I had met them on a better day than this and that I may not be myself, but I doubt I needed to explain that given what happened.

I forgot exactly where me and Jen went out to dinner that night (I know it was close to Belmont and Sheffield), but I know it felt good to share my emotions with my new love as my old love had passed. In a brand new relationship, a moment like this can go a long way in determining what the future holds. Sharing my thoughts and enjoying dinner with Jen was as perfect of an end to my night as there could be to such an imperfect day.

As far as the two years that have passed, I wish I could say I've had Buddy in mind every day - because I haven't. But every now and then, when I walk into my office area (or what was planned to be my office area) and see the wallet-sized pictures I have of Buddy and Pixie from when my mom got them professional pictures, I occasionally tear up and always smile when seeing how excited Buddy was for his picture (and how timid and frightened his normally eccentric sister was).

It has been a while since I looked at the blog I wrote for him 18 hours preceding his passing. For those of you who haven't read it or those who would like to read it again, here it is: http://b-boknows.blogspot.com/2011/10/some-buddy-to-love-eulogy-to-this-mans.html. The love me and my family had for him has never died. I'd like to think if anything, the love we had for him is reflected in new loves in our lives: Jen, my nephew Brayden, and anyone else who has joined our lives in the past 2 years.

As the years go by, I'll likely remember October 1st just as well as any other important day of my life, including a later date in October (the 24th was when we put the first dog in my life down when I was 13). The big difference between the two dogs was that I didn't think there was any way in hell of a dog impacting my life the way my old dog Crimmy did. Also, I have full memory of Buddy's entire life, while Crimmy preceded me by a few years.

In both cases, I will always have a fond memory of my childhood and young adulthood living the first 28 years of my life with these two dogs. As I have developed a strong relationship with Jen's two cats (who are now "our cats" in my eyes), I hope to continue to have pets make such a strong impact on my life as they already have.

Man's (New) Best Friend(s) or: How the Hell Did I Become a Cat Person?

This weekend a year ago sticks out as clear to me as a weekend possibly could. Putting down man's best friend is no easy task for anyone, especially when that pet has been a staple of your family for a 15 year period.

Buddy (RIP) and Pixie

After I got home from bowling last night, I came home to a sleeping g/f who had work in about 6 hours, so I figured I'd hop on my computer for a little bit and watch some baseball highlights on mute. I knew that this was the weekend we put the old man down, but it wasn't until this silence in the early morning hour of the night (I know that doesn't make sense, but not sure what to call 2am) when I started thinking about every little detail from last year.

Around that time last year, it was when I shared one last Miller Lite with Buddy. It felt awkward sharing that beer with him, when I knew of his fate the next day but he didn't. Naturally, these thoughts brought some tears to my eyes.

Bella sleeping next to me moments after my reflections of Bud

And wouldn't you know? One of my new pets Bella, inherited when I moved in with Jen in June, hops up next to me as I have these sad thoughts and falls asleep (albeit briefly) on a spiral notebook sitting next to me.

The unusual thing about these new pets is that they're not dogs, but rather of the feline persuasion. Yes - I am now a person who lives with cats. And the timing last year of meeting/dating Jen right around the time we put Buddy down couldn't have worked out better. I've always been a pet person. Correction - I've always been a dog person, having always had one in my parent's homes for the first 29 years of my life.

The cats sharing rare moment of peace and friendliness together

I knew that Pixie (unfairly portrayed in this story as 'the other dog') wouldn't be enough to fill the void that Buddy's companionship left in my life. While the two cats still cannot compare in my mind to a childhood dog, it's remarkable in my eyes that I'm even mentioning these cats in the same breath as my old dog.

Once you live with the cats for a while and see how these particular cats warm up to you (well, her male cat Tenders is a whore to everyone while Bella is very selective in her love of humans), it's hard not to fall in love with them. Collectively, they are as close to dogs as I've ever seen any cats be with the affection they've shown me as I've gotten to know them the past year.

If you want to see how much these new pets of mine mean to me, all you have to do is look at the pictures in my phone to figure it out. Even pictures of Lauren's cat Tigger are plentiful in the phone.

While the void of Buddy (and dogs at our new place in general) is impossible for me to replace, the transition into a guy who has cats couldn't have went any smoother.

I can now say that I love cats. Or at least these ones (and Tigger too, Lauren). To be honest, those are the only ones I need to love.

B List - 10 Months (List 10)

I swear I didn't plan my 10th list to have this title, but it has this name for a reason. Today is the 10 month mark in me and Jen's relationship. Everything is going great so far. We're both still very happy together, and our new living arrangement has been a success.

I figured I'd highlight 10 days (1 day in each month) of our relationship, without getting too sappy and make people want to vomit. I'll just go chronologically:

1. September 20, 2011 - Of course, I have to highlight this date.  I've written about it before, but there's a few random things I forgot if I mentioned before: (a) We went to DMK, a burger joint that Jen said she never would have suggested if she knew how picky I was. (b) I remember making a comment about someone holding the door open for us, saying (in a joking way) that I wish I would have been able to do it since she talked up chivalry in her dating profile. (c) Watching the movie Bridesmaids was probably the only time I've ever enjoyed a "chick flick" and would actually want to watch it again (although we haven't).

Me and the Bud Man

2. October 1, 2011 - This being one of the sadder days of my life, it felt good having someone I could talk to and comfort me. This was the day that my family and I put our dog Buddy down. I still occasionally look at the blog I wrote in his honor the day he died and get teary-eyed. The day was made easier when I went to go hang out with her downtown and meet some of her friends for the first time. Not exactly the best day to meet people for the first time with all the emotions going through my mind. But I'm glad I did go downtown that day - it helped me get my mind off of the sadness encountered earlier in the day and it was the first time I got to meet some of Jen's great friends.

3. November 11, 2011 - She's gonna hate that I forgot the name of the Cajun restaurant we went to on her birthday, but I enjoyed the steak that I ate and I was very happy that she was able to eat some food that we don't normally go out for - given my very particular food tastes. It was the first in a weekend of birthday stuff for her weekend, including going to see a comedy show and capped off by a Bears game.

4. December 23, 2011 - The day before we were supposed to go to over to her Mom's for Christmas stuff, we hung out and decided that we would start our own Christmas tradition of opening one gift on the 23rd - our own Festivus tradition. I had her open my gift of elephant figurines that I bought for her and knew she would like. I received a "Bazinga!" t-shirt that I proudly wear around to this day. It was a great start to the Christmas season.

5. January 1, 2012 - It was the first New Year's in a while that I had a date to kiss, so I definitely enjoyed that part of it. I am glad that she was open to going to my friend's party for the new year, especially a party where she only knew a few people. And best yet - she was willing to be the designated driver! What a sweetheart. But the best part of the night was going to White Castle to ring in the new year. Now that's true romance.

The Bear and The Roses

6. February 14, 2012 - Like the previous occasion, I hadn't had a Valentine on the Hallmark holiday in a while. And yes, while I was single, I shunned the holiday and didn't think much of it. I didn't do anything over-the-top Hollywood on this day - just bought her a huge teddy bear and some flowers. She made me a delicious dinner. We stayed in and watched TV - my idea of romance.

The Bunny & His Babe

7.  March 31, 2012 - We went over to Jen's aunt and uncle's in Princeton, IL and I agreed to play the role of the Easter Bunny for Jen's cousin's kid. I had a blast, as you can see based on this picture. Easter was over a week away, but the family wanted to celebrate it a week early. It was yet another great time had in the presence of her family. I make a sexy bunny. Paging Hugh Hefner.

8. April 7, 2012 - We signed our lives away for a year...the official day of me and Jen signing off on our current place. One of the most expensive decisions I've ever made - but also one of the best. No regrets on that front.

The cat getting in the way of moving

9. May 31, 2012 - Crazy day of moving Jen and myself out of our respective places. See all the boxes piled in the moving truck and my dad's van made me realize that we were taking our relationship to the next level - moving in together. It is hard to believe that it took me so long to move out, but I believe I was always looking for the right situation. Apparently the right situation took 25+ years of living in the parent's place.

Grillmaster

10.  June 18, 2012 - Let's be honest - it didn't become our place until the first grilling session. It was the first meal I was able to cook for us - and funny, neither of us remember whether it was brats or hamburgers. Either way it was delicious meat. Along with a beer in hand, who could ask for a better scenario?

As you can see, there's been plenty of days over the months that have been awesome at the same time. And many more to look forward to.

And to those who notice this list is 3 items longer than normal - you're right. I bent the rule on this one. So sue me.

Packing Away the Memories (And Ready to Make New Ones)

I just packed my first box to move out.

I know that doesn't sound like much, but it's the first step of moving my belongings from the basement that I've called my own for the past 17 years and a home I've stunk up for the past quarter century.

I remember my first nights down here, wondering what the hell the sounds were coming from the laundry room. Not sure if they were imagined or real to this day.

As I grew older, I remember having my first beer down here, a can of Miller Lite that looked to be many many years old (it didn't taste that bad, given it was many many years old and that it was Miller Lite). I remember all of the Monday Night Raws I would host with friends coming over to watch the teenage male soap opera before it went all PG and started to suck.

And who amongst my friends of 10+ years doesn't love remembering the days of Toilet Toss, which required a person to throw a tennis ball from the couch aligned with the bathroom into the toilet. Surprisingly (or maybe not), the shooting percentages of me and the friends were not very high. But it wasn't so much making it in the toilet that made us enjoy the game, but rather my dad getting pissed off at the sound of a ball hitting off the bathroom wall. At least we didn't paint a backboard on the wall (think positive, Dad).

I don't remember where I heard this one, but sometime during my college run from 2001-2005, I believe my brother was supposed to move down here to end my reign as King of the Basement (no, unfortunately, I don't have a crown for this). However, my folks were hesitant to let him have a room/area to himself that would be hard to supervise him and his g/f. They didn't have much faith in my ability to get a girlfriend at the time (can't say I blame them - I'm far removed from my days as a nerd that was uncomfortable talking to girls).

The last of rituals that was established downstairs were the poker games, usually on Wednesdays, that would last until 1 or 2am. The side tables would create the most fun though, with random card games being played for four or five times more than the hold'em tourney about to finish off. All the while, some beers were consumed, even by Buddy, who would often be jonesing for a beer whenever a game was going on

I think it's fitting to tell these stories as it represents the immature side of my life. That may never change though. However, taking the next step, moving into a place with Jen and being responsible for a lot more now, it makes me reflect on all the times spent in the basement/garage over the years and realize how much I've grown.

While I have many more boxes to pack before moving out in three weeks, I figured I'd reminisce a little about all the good memories I've had in the basement down here. I haven't given much thought to what I'm leaving behind until now. I must say, I'll miss some aspects of this place.

But it's time to move on, become a responsible adult, and start the next chapter of my life with my great girlfriend. Time to become a Chicagoan, soaking in the sights and sounds that the city has to offer - including a great view of Lake Michigan from our complex's rooftop.

In the meantime...to my friends of yesteryear, anyone up for a game of Toilet Toss before I leave the suburbs?

Dating Myself

Ever since I was about 4 or 5 years old and starting my life-long love of sports statistics, I have been a man skilled in remembering many numbers and dates. Nevermind the uselessness of 98% of them. Does anyone really need to know every single World Series, Super Bowl & NBA Finals since he was a kid? (Now that I've mentioned this, I almost expect to get called out on this and to fail at the task).

As far as recent and upcoming dates go, there's several dates that I'll never forget. For most people, unless it's your birthday or anniversary, most dates don't mean much. March 20th was the 6 month mark of when an amazing relationship started in my life. April 1st is the 6th month mark of when one ended.

Of course, that date will mark 6 months since we put the old pup Buddy down. It's hard to believe that 6 months has passed since then. I'd say getting through this time has been made easier with the relationship I started just 10 days before that. Every now and then, I'll go by his container of ashes and dog collar and think about all the good times me and the old man had. I'll hold the collar up to our other dog Pixie, who will sniff and lick the collar as if it were his ears, per her usual daily tradition of cleaning them.

Also coming up next month is another tragic anniversary: the passing of my Grandma Bolek last April 27th. Again, like Buddy, doesn't feel like it's been that long since it happened...but such is the story of life, especially as we get older. I haven't visited the cemetary since the day of the funeral, so I think a trip up there will be in order soon. Also, I need to round up the Bolek troops again to try hanging out a little more - need to honor the memory of Grandma a little more.

With the bad dates in life, there's a balance of good to look forward to. June 30th will be my brother's bachelor party (with the concept of whirlyball, casino and a party bus the working idea so far - need to get this set pronto), followed by his wedding to his beautiful fiance Amber on July 7th, a date that may have Amber wondering if she should keep her last name instead of inheriting ours. I am honored to be the Best Man for the wedding and hope that I can create a good speech and a good time at the party the week before.

Also, for those who don't know, in between that time is July 1st, a date that will mark a milestone for this 29 year old. I will have officially moved out of my parent's house for the first time since I was in school at U of I in Champaign! Time to take off the diapers and put on some boxers (and have the girlfriend clean them....kidding Jen- kinda). I'm looking forward to seeing what the city has to offer while moving in with a g/f for the first time ever. Right now, looking to move to the South Loop area. It will be a good lesson in money management and other aspects of life as I learn to adjust to a different setting. Great thing about my current job is that all I need is Internet and a phone and I can work anywhere. Point - me.

There's some other dates coming up to look forward to, but the ones above are the ones clearest in mind. It's a fitting time to mention dates and numbers as the baseball season approaches, for it was baseball where I learned a lot about how to compute numbers in my head with ease. Consider it a blessing and a curse for being a Mathlete.

I'm sure I'll have more dates pop up on my radar as significant dates as the year passes on. For now, I am looking forward to most of these (everything aside from the death anniversaries) to see what the future will hold as 2012 progresses.

Stairway out of '11: The Year That Was

The year that was - it was 2011.
Some great things entered my life, some went to heaven.

Goodbye to my wonderful Grandma, a great woman to all.
Always around for us whenever we'd rise and fall.

So long to my Buddy of 15 years, man's best friend.
The old man was loyal until the very end.

For the loss I had, there was plenty of good in my life.
I had a great pair of friends who took the dive

Into a marriage that was as unique as themselves.
Definitely something to keep in my memory shelf.


My Niners are surprising, no Christmas coal.
I'm crossing my fingers for a Super Bowl.

There was the usual Vegas trip (ok, two).
At least I won (wait, I did lose).

What was unusual was activity in dating.
In the past I was left alone and debating

An online route to meet a great girl
After a two-month relationship, I entered the online dating world.

Met a pretty ginger who has been amazing.
Feeling like a kid who is star gazing.

It's nice to have another half to make things whole
Someone to compliment the heart and soul.

With these things in my life, I have much to love.
My family and friends continue to fit me like a glove.

It's fun to grow old around all these fools I know.
The theatre of life, there's always a great show.

The Mayans say that the world will end soon.
I'll take my chances that day and sleep till noon.

For 2011 exits, 2012 will begin.
And hopefully I'll be singing this happy tune all over again.

Some Buddy to Love: A Eulogy to This Man's Best Friend

It started with a kid and his puppy.

Rest in peace to my best friend, Buddy (1996-2011).

August 1996. The day after our annual family trip to Watersmeet, MI, our family decided to go to Archer Puppies, the place where my mom and dad bought our Golden Retriever which they named Crimson. She was in her waning years at this time - over 15 years old, so we decided to get a second dog that would eventually be her replacement.

The word "replacement" seemed laughable at the time. How could any dog replace Crimmy? She was there by my side when I was born in the UP of Michigan and was a loyal, loving dog throughout my life.

The dog we selected was the last of his litter. We wanted to get a similar dog to Crimson - a mutt with some retriever/lab qualities to it, and this dog stood out with his piercing green eyes.

Now, what to name him? A few names were tossed out - Chipper and Buddy were the finalists. We settled on Buddy - original, I know.

Any worries we had about Crimson and Buddy getting along were unwarranted, as the puppy kept out of the way of the queen for the most part. For the few months they co-existed, Buddy was still in his cage days as a pup. These days included a cliche coming to life. I left CCD homework on top of his cage, which he actually chewed - giving me the chance to legitimately use the excuse "My dog ate my homework."

When Crimson was put down in October of that year, we were all devastated. The dog that all of us grew up with was suddenly gone. I just knew that the connection I had with her would be impossible to match with the new pup.

Bud - Wiser: My High School Years

About as mean as he could look.

As he aged, so my love of the dog grew. I loved taking him for walks around the neighbor. My favorite spot was going to El Morro Park, where I'd go to talk to some girls from my class that worked there. Bringing the dog surely didn't help my chances with the girls, unfortunately. Nevertheless, our outdoor activities together as well as teaching him tricks (one of my favorites was catching the treat that was balanced on his big nose) made me happy to know that Buddy was a suitable replacement for Crimson.

Me and Spencer chillin' with a younger Buddy

College Days & the Introduction of Another Dog

Going to the University of Illinois in August of 2001 was the first time that I would go without having a dog around my living area. I knew that college would be tough enough dealing with the adjustments of a new living situation and tougher classes, among other thing. Living without a dog was definitely difficult to do.

Visits back home ensured me that my Buddy never forgot who I was. His cries could be heard and curly tail could be seen wagging furiously as I stepped out of the mini van after my parents picked me up from school. Those weekends spent at home were often spent hanging out with friends, but while at home, my best friend never left my side. It was always bittersweet saying good bye to him and the rest of the family as I left the house.

During my summer break of 2004, the time preceding what would be my senior year at UI, my sister wanted to get another puppy - a beagle mix that we named Pixie. If she did, my dad swore that she would have to take care of it - (editor's note: the next day, he was feeding her and picking up her crap. Dad Fail). I was skeptical of getting a new dog and remembered that one of the main reasons we got a second dog last time was because the older one was on its way out. I was not on board with the second dog idea, and neither was Buddy at first.

It didn't take long for Buddy and Pixie to become friends.

But after a little bit of time together, the dogs became compadres, with Pixie asserting herself as the clear Alpha dog. Soon after, the dogs got in the habit of cleaning each other's ears - a habit that continued into 2011. Buddy would lick her ears after a play fight that they'd have in the living room, while Pixie waited for her brother to be passed out on the floor to gnaw on his ears for 15-30 minutes at a time.

A common sight through their years together.

From the time before we got dog 2 to the time Pixie became an active presence in his life, Buddy's quality of life definitely improved. Each of them became dependent on the other, so much so that neither dog feels comfortable going outside to the bathroom without the other. Despite her occasional bitchiness to the old man, Pixie was a great addition to our household.

The Later Years

In the past couple years, there were a few instances where we wondered how much longer the Bolek's Best Friend was gonna make it. I'd be going on facebook and sharing my worries about his demise, only for him to tell me, "Buzz off, I'm great" with his eventual recovery from whatever the ailment at the time may have been. Hell, there were a lot of times where he'd be the one to initiate a fight with Pixie - putting a big smile on my face anytime he would try attacking her. He was a gentle giant with her though, so never were there any injuries from this ever.

Buddy at the end of one of our many poker games in the garage. He always wanted to be by people.
Don't worry - we drank those beers. He may have had a sip or two though.

The closest I thought we were to his demise was in June of 2010, when he had an inner ear problem (diagnosed as vestibular disease) that severely affected his balance. Luckily, the medication that we gave to him was able to curb his balance problem, and he was back to his old dog self.

With each walk I took him on, I always wondered if each walk that I would take with him around the block would be my last one with him. Luckily, this year, I was able to get his old legs to hobble around the block a few times in August as I was rehabbing from my back injury suffered in July.

In the past couple of months, his quality of life has been low. Many times, you could see him struggle with walking up and down stairs, collapsing occasionally while doing this in addition to some falls while just walking around the house.

The process of discussing putting him to sleep has often left me weeping. How could we put ourselves in this position of ending our dog's life?

It's never an easy decision for a family to make - and it's no different for us. Tears are coming out as I write this. I know it's for the best - as his quality of life was nil. He could barely walk and was starting to make waste in the house - something a functioning Buddy would not do.

Reflecting

I know it was the right choice. We were all waiting for a major sign like we did when Crimson was on her last legs. In her last week, she couldn't walk and had a huge tumor on her leg. I believe she was crapping in the house too. That choice was a lot easier for the family.

Always looked so happy.

Buddy could still walk, but do we want to keep watching him struggle mightily and collapse frequently as he navigated steps and could barely walk on flat ground without the chance of falling into a sitting or laying position? We couldn't keep doing that, so putting him down was the only logical option.

I never thought that Buddy could leave a legacy that could match (and in some ways, exceed) the dog before. But he did. He was always a happy dog, always loyal and always following me around. In the last couple years, he made a habit of sleeping next to my bed. He wouldn't even wake up for my dad anymore - just for when I'd roll out of bed to start my day.

Great picture taken by Lauren here.

In his last night with me, it was much of the same. Making it all the harder to do.

As I had imagined it in my head for years, I was able to share some Miller Lite with him (his favorite beer) the night before we put him down. He didn't finish the bowl, but he drank a decent portion of it.

I made sure to give him as loving of a last hug as I could - much like my sis's hug here.

I'll remember all of the walks we took, the treats I'd toss for him to catch, the tennis balls I would have him fetch (and oftentimes, the tennis balls that I ended up fetching after he got bored with it).

About thirty minutes before we brought him in, I decided that I needed one last walk around the block with him. I'm really, really, really glad I did.

He was always by my side, and he will be missed. It will be a tough thing to get through, but with the love and support of my family and friends, I know I'll be ok.

So it goes, it ended with a man and his dog.

The sun will always shine bright on this old guy.

The 5,529 days in-between, full of memories and great bonding experiences between man and dog, is an era of my life that I'll never forget.

Rest in peace, my stinky boy. You will be missed.

Four Seasons, One Summer Shandy

Awesome signs of the summer ahead in the past 6 hours:

-Walking dog around the block: This may not sound like much, especially to those of you who walk your dog for a mile or more. But getting to walk the old dog for at least one more season, one more time, made my day worthwhile. It took about 6 minutes to walk around the block, since Buddy wanted to sniff every tree and urinate on about half of them.

-Summer Shandy commercial: arguably my favorite seasonal beer. I'll need to remember to store up on this when they phase it out in September. I think I'm gonna buy a couple of 12-ers and watch some sports and movies tonight. I hope to find a good bar for the summer that serves this on tap and calling that place my home.

-Donning the shorts: This is always a landmark day of any year- the first day of wearing shorts. This wouldn't mean much to my brother and Tim Wolf, who wear shorts all year round. While the shorts phase is by no means a staple throughout the year, its introduction into the wardrobe makes the pants prepare for their nearing hibernation.

-Softball/baseball/betting: While my mom was misinformed about my pre-teen cousin's softball game being today (it is tomorrow), the sign of games being played is a true sign of summer. Also watching the annually hyped Red Sox/Yanks game on the annually over-rated Joe Buck and Tim McCarver broadcasting network and betting on it (I bet the over, it came in with 4 1/2 innings to spare- first baseball bet won of 3 bets placed this year). And currently, watching the Sox winning with the slimmest of margins through 5.5 innings. Maybe this is the year I get back into baseball, because it's been slowly waning in my consciousness ever since I started watching/betting on NFL. I think going to 10-15 games (my goal) will help with that. If you are reading this, you are encouraged to get me off my ass to go to a game.

Feel free to share your own personal signs of summer.

I can't wait till the above scenarios are all in alignment with each other like an eclipse: a Summer Shandy on an 80 degree day, getting the 15 year old dog to sip the Fountain of Youth for a 5 minute walk, and ending the day at the ball park with a White Sox winner.

Time to buy the beer and get the Summer (Shandy) unofficially started.