Jim Gets a Life.

I was planning to write a cool blog story of my day at Fenway on Monday. Early train in with a long-time buddy from my Boston days. Our wander around the city, through the Common, stops at the old haunts - J.J. Foleys, burgers on the deck at Joe's on Newbury, a quick stop at the Cask before finding our seats somewhere in the sea of Sox jerseys and ballcaps commonly called the 'bleachers'. From there, we would enjoy nearly four hours of baseball in Red Sox Nation paradise on a perfect and warm October afternoon. After which, finally finding our way to the exits, horse from screaming 'Here we go Red Sox' and singing 'Sweet Caroline', but content with an easy Jon Lester win safely tucked into our souvenir programs.

Alas, as we all know now, it was just not meant to be.

Nor was an unexpected stellar performance from Tim Wakefield yesterday.

The ship, it seems, has lost its steam.

As I drove back the next morning from Boston, I savored the cool day in the big city, the short respite from ice cream-covered elbows, content in the knowledge that a bad game at Fenway still beats a good day doing a lot of other things. And with the parking lot that was the Mass Pike during my return trip yesterday morning, I had plenty of time to think of things that aren't as fun as a bad game at Fenway, not the least of which being sitting in traffic on the Mass Pike.

Moving right along, I also got to take in the Ashfield Fair this past weekend. If you've never been, it's actually a cool little event. Been wanting to get there for years, and wasn't really even planning on it this year either, but as luck would have it, Bre and I were doing some leaf peeping and literally stumbled upon it.

Here are a few quick shots from the visit...

Elmer's Store...gotta go back and check this place out someday...looks cool...

In case you thought I was the only one that thinks fairs are all about the food...



Here I am, back in true Big E form, enjoying a loaded baked potato. In case you were wondering what I ate. We were regretting the stop at the Williamsburg General Store for that giant Raspberry Pull-apart on the way...

Another place to go back and check out...


No, I didn't try this...
Hope you're out enjoying this fine day, sounds like things will finally start to cool off around here tomorrow. Hopefully, the Sox will decide to stop being cooled off tomorrow too!