With all the tough family stuff we've been dealing with, I'm surprised at how happy I am to hear that the Cubbies finally did it!

I've been a Cubs fan my whole life. It's something you inherit, I guess. My paternal grandfather passed it on to us. He was a dyed-in-the-wool Cubs fan so vocal, for years he corresponded with Dallas Green and tried to influence how he ran the club. After my grandmother died, we found a shoebox full of letters Grandpa had received from Dallas Green, most of which told him he was an old coot who didn't understand baseball management. Seems like they both enjoyed the correspondence, though.

Too bad Grandpa didn't live to see this day -- he very likely remembered the last one, though. I never asked. As children, we were too used to the Cubs never winning the play-offs to think that it ever happened.

Hmmm...maybe we'll celebrate with Chicago-style hot dogs for supper tonight, complete with yellow mustard, bright green pickilli, and celery salt, of course. I'll have to hide the ketchup, though, since both my husband and son tend to practice that brand of heresy.

--Sparki