Cheers!

A whole month going by without a new post? Unacceptable, I know. Very busy with a young child in the house and a week's vacation. By the time I get home from work, it's just about time to put Sierra to bed, and since the computer is in her room, I don't have access to it most nights. One of these days we will have the ambition to move some furniture.

These are great days for the Sox. Manny is on fire, Lugo has turned around his first half slump, and it seems the team is firing on all cylinders. There is not a slow cog in the machine, we've won 7 of our last 8 (10-6 since the All Star break). Even Wily Mo Pena had a breakout game the other night (4-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI). I really think the Sox don't need another piece to add to the mix right now, except maybe a 4th outfielder and deal away Pena. Schilling was reported to come back next week (August 4 or 5), but what does that do to the rotation? Kason Gabbard has been a rock star for all but 3 bad innings of walking batters/not hitting the strike zone. If he has another good start this week, it would be really hard to send him back to Pawtucket. Could the Sox do with a 6 man rotation? Or trade a pitcher? The Sox are in a good position for the end of July.

I can't stop thinking of plans for a trip to the UK, my motherland. Kept me up most of the night last night. Some initial thoughts: the trip should be at least a fortnight for what I want to do. Of course London we can't miss, and all the action there - that's at least 4 days. Then on to Huntingdon/Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire, where my Ingoldesby & Cromwell ancestors are from. 2 days there should be enough. Then on through Peterborough (Applied Energy, who supplies our electric tankless water heaters, resides there), north towards North Yorkshire, where there's a small town with my namesake, Dalby (variant spelling, of course). Near there is the North York Moors National Park. One of my other missions is to visit all 14 British National Parks, but that will be too much to do in even one month's time. I'm still collecting all my thoughts on a grand holiday in the fair isles, which it will take years to accomplish, but consider it a new hobby.