I’m up in Vermont this week, hanging at Em’s folks’ place. It is gorgeous up here, even though it’s been hot during the day. Em’s old man is some kind of gardener, and there is nothing like walking barefoot through the grass, onto the dirt of his garden, and picking fresh tomatoes and basil for a salad.

I don’t know that I could live up here–it’s just too country for me. But the air is clear and crisp, and the open spaces are beautiful. Clean-living, friend, clean living.

So yesterday, I had to stop in at a local supermarket to pick up a few things. I’m wearing a navy-blue t-shirt with a Yankee logo (and Hernandez, 26 on the back). I didn’t walk two feet into the place when a woman in the produce section looks at me and goes, “Ewww, boo-booo.” She drops her melon and makes the sign of a cross with her two fingers and then goes on to mumble something about the Yankees beating the Red Sox on Tuesday night.

“Try and keep it together,” I said cheerfully. “You can get through this, be strong.” It wasn’t so much being booed by a Red Sox fan that got me–heck that’s okay by me. It’s the fact that this lady was dumb enough not to know the standings. Sox got a seven-game lead (now six), lady, stifle, will ya, hah?

Anyhow, the Yanks and Sox finish their three-game series at the Stadium this afternoon. Should be plenty hot as Curt Schilling goes up against Chien-Ming Wang. With the Mariners coming into town for a critical three-game set starting Labor Day, the Yanks can’t fall asleep in this final game, and especially this weekend against the Devil Rays.

But first things first.

Let’s Go Yan-Kees!