But enough about The Ashes. The USA very kindly served up the light appetizer of baseball's World Series while we await the events Down Under to begin (Thursday Nov 23rd, Brisbane Cricket Ground). And this time the games were actually interesting as our home team, the Houston Astros, were taking part.
Now, I'm not claiming cause-and-effect, but wherever we live, that team wins. I went to two San Francisco Giants victory parades so I was quietly (or less-than-quietly) confident that we'd get to witness another. And, indeed, the Astros won, in the seventh game out in Los Angeles, so we did.
They shut downtown Houston - and extended the parade route - as one million of us Texans turned out to cheer on the team that has delivered victory to H-town after a definitely less-than-good year of much waterlogging. We spotted fans in their folding chairs six hours before the parade began as we dropped Hannah at work, and by the time the floats rolled by there were people lining every parking garage, bridge, and signpost.
It was great, a sea of blue and orange, the sort of outpouring of victorious happiness that only sport can induce. Now imagine the party they're going to put on when England wins the cricket!
Excuse me! Coming through! Can I just get to the front...?
Boom! Confetti. Someone must be approaching.
If that's the size of the ball they used, no wonder they hit so many home runs.
Cheerleaders!
And tubas.
The World Series trophy. I've seen it before, thanks.
The fire department kindly transported all the players. In a less-than-safe manner, I have to say.
Houston Strong, that's us!
And after it all finished, Coca Cola was there to hand out free cans. Because it wasn't chaotic enough already.
