JUST A GAL FROM GLIDDEN: Hot flashes, home runs and Halloween hijinks
By Kate Winquist
Well, as it turns out, my optimism really did pay off — the Blue Jays are still going strong. Suddenly, even people who normally think baseball is boring are joining the bandwagon, including my sister Carrie. Boring? Really? George Springer’s three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh against Seattle on Monday night had the whole country buzzing. It felt like one of those classic Canadian moments you’ll be talking about for years — Joe Carter’s 1993 World Series homer, anyone?
Springer had been hit in the knee the night before, so there was some doubt he’d even play. My sister shared a post on the Blue Jays Facebook page: “Congrats guys! Now take it the rest of the way! My mom was a huge fan and she passed last December at 88. She’s smiling down on you, and the fact that George hit the winning home run was an extra bonus for her ….George was my dad’s name.” And then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. LIKED HER COMMENT. I repeat: Vlad Jr. liked HER comment, not mine — the one actually writing about baseball. Where is the justice?
I refuse to predict anything about the World Series. The Jays are up against the billionaire Dodgers, so let’s just say: stay tuned to see if the fat lady starts warming up her vocal chords. Because she has not sung quite yet — and this fat lady isn’t even humming.
October has been gentle on us so far — Old Man Winter has mostly stayed away. One brief snowfall was the extent of it, giving us time to put away the patio furniture, rake leaves, and start thinking about Halloween goodies for the little ghosts and goblins. My husband especially enjoys handing out the treats, and I must admit, I don’t mind the excuse to make sure the candy is “good.” We had a full case of Coffee Crisps left over last year, and yes, I did wonder why I can’t seem to lose weight. Some mysteries may never be solved.
I do hope the weather holds, though. It’s such a shame when cute costumes are hidden under parkas and snowsuits.
Evenings are cooling, but I’ve become a one-woman climate crisis. Menopause has been showing its ugly face, and the nights are full of hot flashes and night sweats with me apologizing to my husband for creating a sauna in the bedroom. He has been curling up under layers, only his head peeking out from the blanket — I think he’s convinced he’s sleeping in a morgue. I used to think night sweats were overblown. I was a fool.
The past few weeks have been busy. We’ve finally found a small office space in the Mini-Mall for our Rosetown Eagle staff, giving David and Ian a place to write and me a spot to handle ad sales. It’s also perfect for storing our archives, which will one day belong in the museum, I’m sure. I’m looking forward to digging through back issues, especially with Remembrance Day coming up.
And with all this busyness, we’ve been laughing at the old sayings we’ve dusted off: busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest, busier than a three-legged cat burying a turd on cement, busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger… and a few others best left unprinted.
Despite it all, I will find the time to relax and watch some ballgames and perhaps help pick out the Halloween candy, all while trying to stay cool through it all.
That’s it for another week of musings from the gal from Glidden. Week’s not over yet — and just a reminder, don’t cue the fat lady. She hasn’t even cleared her throat.