Watched the RED SOX and Rockies play a more matched game tonight – while last night's huge lopsided win was good for morale it was a bit boring to watch a FIFTH consecutive hit-heavy game.  NOT that I want BO to lose but a fan wants to see a good fight.

''I'm actually ecstatic with the way we're playing,'' Boston third baseman Mike Lowell said. ''We're on the verge of winning a World Series.''  And yes, we are too – ecstatic that is.   

Lowell's play at Third Base was the "biggest play of the game" according to Francona.  "That made my night,'' Francona said of Lowell's play. "Well, a lot of other things did, too, but that was special. A lot of guys just pull up there into second base. Mikey saw the opening and took it. That's the ballgame right there."

Thanks too to Schilling and Okajima and Papelbon  – ''This was the Pap-ajima show tonight,'' Schilling said. ''That was just phenomenal to watch.''

"I'm definitely more nervous now at this stage in my career," Schilling said. "I think it's because I know things are winding down and now I look around and enjoy so many things around me, like watching Josh [Beckett] and [Hideki] Okajima. It's fun. When I was young, it was just getting myself ready 24/7. Now I'm enjoying what I'm getting to see."

Tom Verducci (CNN Sports) writes "Nearing 41, pitching against a flamethrower nearly half his age, Schilling won a pitcher's duel at Fenway in the World Series. It was a game to remember, including when his name appears on a Hall of Fame ballot."

The home team advantage looms as the game shifts to Coors Field – as Papelbon said in a postgame interview – "There will be 50,000 fans there and we just have to go in and get our business done."   It would be great to hope that BO will win the next two but IF they don't it would be 2-2 and back to Boston for the final two which would augur well for a good final match for the New England Fans.

And the Rockies are ready too – ''We're going to make a series out of this,'' Rockies rookie Troy Tulowitzki said.

Again from CNN's Verducci – "the Red Sox are not suited for Coors Field or NL rules. They will lose at least one big bat out of their lineup, with a pitcher having to take the at-bats that would go to Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz or Mike Lowell. And if Francona plays Ortiz at first and Youkilis at third, he will have two infielders playing out of position and a left fielder, Manny Ramirez, whose defense could be exposed in the vast Coors outfield.

It's hard to imagine anybody beating Josh Beckett, the Boston Game 5 pitcher if we get that far, but Colorado has a decent chance of turning this into a real series over the next two games."

* * *

Thank goodness for the cool weather returning, at last, here in the Hudson River Valley – it may finally be time to retire the window fans and haul out the portable heaters.  With gas prices up, thank goodness for the new programmable thermostat – last winter it helped bring the heating bill down substantially from the previous year.  One good thing about living in this tiny railroad apt where the four main rooms are about 12×12 is that a portable heater warms up the small spaces very quickly and efficiently.  And with a combination of louvred doors and heavy curtains (there were NO connecting doors when I moved in), a small closed room becomes toasty very quickly.  And of course layered wool clothing is helpful too.  This past winter after the installation of the programmable thermostat (55 nite/58 day), I became very familiar with the skiing and cold country clothing company websites stocking up on wool underwear as my basic home garment layered with big wool sweaters (worn tunic like).  Being a knitter,fingerless gloves work up fast, and my multicolored collection attests.

I am a little ahead of the weather – but probably not much. Who knows what it will be in the next few weeks?  We can hope for a gradual descent to cold temps but given the varied and unprecedented temps of the last month, who knows? (I won't start on the Global Warming topic – you can read Al Gore).  So where it was 75 on Tuesday and 70 on Wednesday and is 48 right now – it could be 30 by next weekend.  

A comparison of electric consumption between the last three years disclosed an increase – the only changeable factor being the temperature – and thus the increased use of fans.  Usually October is the lowest month of electricity use.  Sigh.

* * *

Tonight at our weekly knitting group at a village coffeehouse, a bantering conversation with the barista about the music selection.  This is a smallish venue located on the main commercial street of one of the Hudson River villages.  It is quiet and lightly trafficked now mainly due to its location both at the end of the street and across from the vast (95 acres) GM former plant now a fenced vast empty lot.  There is great controversy around the proposed development of this site – where are the Rouse's of former years? I digress.

So, we knitters asked our regular barista whether he was allowed to choose the music that played (as always in commercial places TOO loudly – we are constantly asking to have it turned down)  As it happens, they use Sirius and he said he could choose between a few channels.  So I asked if he would take a request for a channel – 85 perhaps?  (If you are not a Sirius fan that is the MET Opera channel)  However, although obliging at first, when he found out it was Opera – a shaking head.  Oh well, it was worth a shot (I guess) and would have been nice to hear the opening of tonight's LUCIA played thru the big speakers.  

I did catch the "Mad scene" of the Live webcast tonight – with Annick Massis in the second cast role of Lucia – and was quite taken with her portrayal.  Interestingly, the flute soloed with her but only in the cabeletta , the glass harmonica opened the scene.   I thought she was quite good  – clear ringing bell tones in her coloratura and the entire scene dramatically and sensitively sung.

* * *
While looking up the Met schedule, the website has this intriguing annoucement:

The turnout for our open call for War and Peace extras just over a week ago was terrific. But we still need additional male supernumeraries to populate the ranks of the Russian and French armies in the company’s monumental production, which returns to the Met in December.

A second audition will be held this Saturday, October 27, 2007, at 10AM at Good Shepherd-Faith Church. The church is located at 152 W. 66th Street, between Broadway & Amsterdam Aves. We are looking for men to portray soldiers, so come prepared to march! Bring a picture and resume if available.

The production, which had its spectacular company premiere in 2002, is the largest in the Met’s vast repertoire, with nearly 75 solo roles. Based on Tolstoy’s
epic novel, War and Peace depicts Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia and subsequent defeat. The Met’s principal guest conductor Valery Gergiev will be on the podium, with leading roles sung by Irina Mataeva, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Larisa Shevchekno, Kim Begley, Samuel Ramey, and Vassily Gerello. Join them on the Met stage!

Know any aspiring spear carriers?

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