We ain't afraid of no goats.

All is right in this baseball fan family.  Cubs are going to the World Series and we are HAPPY about that.  I remember my grandfather rooting the Cubs on from his recliner in Lake Station, Indiana (formerly East Gary) and my dad picking up that flag.  Now, here we are, playing in October and the series starts tonight.

 

We had a big time over the weekend with our annual chili party falling on the same night as the final game of the playoffs.  We yelled, we screamed, we gave high fives and even sprayed the room with champagne…which I then had to explain to my buddy the contractor on Monday morning as he checked his drywall mud.  Um, see, it’s like this…

There’s a big fan base over here on my side of the great lake.  We’ll be gathering nightly for the games and sharing laughs and cheers.  We are looking forward to some big evenings, for sure.  The neat thing about being in a large family is there are always people around if you want them to be.  Your own kids can’t be here? Grab on to a niece or a nephew, or a brother or cousin, even a neighbor from down the street…there’s no need to be alone, to paraphrase Jimi Hendrix.  With our own kids in other towns, we tend to cling to a niece, nephew or other family for shared homeowner work and social escapes.  Nothing like having your own around, though, which we did this weekend.  Although not quite everyone, having the kids in town is a blast.

Five grandkids, which is small in number compared to some, and a lot compared to others, and each as sweet as they could be, my 4-year-old grandsons calling each other “best buddy”.  It’s fun to see the family combine in their smiles and expressions.  One grandson looks like my son, his uncle, at times.  Other times he looks just like his dad, and shares his personality.   Another grandson, who I declare looks like his mom, my daughter, is declared the spitting image of her youngest boy by the other grandmother.   And, we’re both right.  My blonde girl’s youth is displayed on her little girl’s face…right down to the need for braces, and her musicality.

Yes, I love the weaving of families together, I love the small world stories and I love the gathering of family under one roof, and under the stars, around a bonfire or around a television.   Whether across the miles or as close as next door, I love to gather together, in heart or in person.  It was a bit hard to be the observer this weekend as there was much to shout about, but, enjoying the family, and some really good chili, was about as good as it can get..especially with a Cubs win.