Sunday Potpourri No. 13

Today's post comes with the Standard Sunday Disclaimer: "The post title is using the term 'potpourri' in the second of the two senses listed here. The post may also be rather short, although not necessarily so."

So, Yeah...

There had been rain in the forecast for both Thursday and Friday this week, but we dodged the bullet both days. Then came Saturday, 6:20 PM CDT:

The view from my patio at that hour.

In that wonderfully screwy way that midwest weather does things sometimes, not long after I took this photo the sun peeked through a gap in the clouds while it was still raining. Having sunshine AND rain simultaneously is kind of amusing, in a "Hope I get my ark built in time" sort of way. The National Weather Service called it "a line of strong thunderstorms," and warned that "nickel size hail and winds in excess of 40 MPH will be possible with these storms." And yet I still had to close my drapes for awhile to block the setting sun from frying my retinas. Awesome.

"Don't forget to mention the Tornado Watch."

Ah, yes. One of my favorite aspects of midwest living is the Tornado Watch that won't expire until hours after I plan to go to bed. Nothing makes for a restful night quite like worrying that your abode may be wrecked by a tornado while you sleep...

"Hey, man, I just do what I do. You want to go to bed, that's on you."

Things That Make Me Happy: Green Monster Edition

Last night my beloved Kansas City Royals snapped a two-game losing streak, beating the Red Sox 6-3 at historic Fenway Park in Boston. Although the Red Sox have been one of the worst teams in baseball the past two seasons, the Royals have struggled against them over that span. Last night's win was only their third in the last 13 games between the two clubs.

The Royals got six strong innings (6 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts) out of starter Yordano Ventura, who improved his record to 8-7, 4.64 ERA. The bullpen struggled, giving up two runs over the final three innings on three hits, three walks, and a hit batsman, but in the end closer Greg Holland recorded his 28th save, and the Royals assured themselves of no worse than a .500 road trip.

The decisive blow on offense was a three-run home run by All-Star catcher Salvador Perez (his 18th of the season) in the top of the 6th inning.

"Boom!"

The four-game series and the road trip conclude this afternoon, with Edinson Volquez (11-7, 3.20 ERA) taking on the Red Sox Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 4.48).

Mac and Cheese Update

You know you want me.

So it turns out that the Rapid Mac Cooker I wrote about here is definitely a keeper. It not only did a box of the classic Original just fine, it was also successful with a box of Thick 'n Creamy, and a box of Three Cheese. Highly recommended.

Doing a box of White Cheddar (the best variety other than Original) is what sealed the deal. Now the trick is just finding the White Cheddar variety in the stores. It is a little easier to find than it used to be when I lived in Atlantic, but only a little...

Until Next Time...

On August 23, 1912 Eugene Curran Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Those of us who enjoy musical theater, of course, think of him simply as Gene Kelly.

As it happens, my first encounter with Kelly was in a non-singing/dancing role. He played the wise-ass newspaper man E.K. Hornbeck (a thinly-disguised portrayal of famed Baltimore Evening Sun reporter H.L. Mencken) in the 1960 film Inherit the Wind, alongside acting heavyweights Spencer Tracy and Frederic March. It wasn't until much later, during my college years, that I discovered Kelly's career in movie musicals.

Today's send-off is Gene's solo performance in the title number from the 1952 film Singin' In the Rain, perhaps the most celebrated individual dance routine in the history of motion pictures. It is certainly appropriate considering the weather we've been having here lately! Enjoy...