Reporting today [Sat.] from The District, a great hotel “find” of mine near Dupont Circle in Our Nation’s Capitol. Clean, comfortable, quiet, and incredibly cheap. Parking not a problem on weekends; would be tricky Mon-Fri. We’re in town to catch a rare Nats-Yankees game. I think they only play each other one series a year, alternating sites. Today’s game has become a must win for the boys as the Bombers embarrassed us with come-from-behinds in both of the first two games. Ouch.

Last night’s dinner plans went up in smoke. We were drooling over the thought of Chicago-style dogs and cheap beer (for me, burp!) at Ivy and Coney, a highly rated dive bar in the Shaw District, about a mile walk from our hotel. But when we got there, there was literally a line down the block. Instead we ended up at the Shaw Tavern, a very lively spot where we shared a generous and tasty Jambalaya. I was itching to try the Shaw Tavern Lager, at only $6.50 a pint, but they were out! Godammit! So I blew $8 on a decent IPA, but get this! — about halfway through our meal, a lovely young women came by with two glasses of beer and asked if we wanted free beer. AYKM? Of course! They were Stellas and all we had to do for them is let her take a photo of us for some promo they were doing. Little did she know, I’d strip and do a jig for it, if she asked. That more than made up for the lager they were out of. I staggered out drunk, but since we walked, we’re still alive and no police had to be involved.

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Here is the wordplay I came up from the NYTXW. The words in all CAPS are the answers from the puzzle I played with. Except the last one was a play on IN JEST.

Where a buttinsky trains: MEDDLE school

Asimov’s failed precursor to “I, Robot:” EYEDOC.

Henri, Hans, are you both on board? OUI, JA.

Your dog’s or cat’s DAD: PETSPA.

On Japanese beef, KOBE or not KOBE. That is the question.

Sigourney Weaver horror film about a woman unable to pay her mortgage: ALIEN.

The feeling you get after reading these jokes: Indijestion.

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One of our more repulsive public figures, Lindsey Graham, died this week at the age of 71. I don’t wish for anyone’s death, but he will not be missed. The only passing marks I’d give him are for Ukraine and a sense of humor. I saw him interviewed after he flipped and became a Trump sycophant after savaging him during the primaries. He said something complimentary, then paused, smiled, and said: “I’m working on it. I’ll get better.” He sure did. Utterly unprincipled. He never married or had children. He consistently denied rumors that he was gay and was certainly no LGBTQ ally, as far as his dreadful voting record goes.

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Wrapping up the material above, the Nats suffered a crushing defeat in the game we attended and were swept by the Bombers, blowing a late lead and squandering oppterous numertunities. Highlights were a leadoff HR by James Wood and a later clutch pinch-hit HR by Aussie Curtis Mead. We also saw the first MLB hit, a well-driven double, by prospect Abimelec Ortiz. (He has a bro named Elimelec.) He was returned to Rochester after the game. Hope we see him again. Looks like a nice kid. And we must mention a great give-away that surprised us: T-shirts honoring Wood and Abrams for All-Starring this year. Top quality shirts in sizes that fit!

After the game, we chilled in our room for a bit, and then shot across town for an excellent pie at the brilliantly named We The Pizza. Monday it was back to our miserable lives after a stop at the Holy Hound Taproom in York PA for some excellent Hound Burgers and a pint of pale ale (Tap #29 out of 30: South County Fakie, from Fawn Grove PA). Woof Woof.

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This poem from Poets.org is called “The Bricklayer” and is by Luis Chaves, translated from Spanish by Julia Guez.

One brick at a time
one beside the next
then a row of them on
this mortar, a fine mix.

This is how you rebuild a house
with bricks from the one before it.

Out of order but
the same bricks
cement sand water.

Every house is built around
a brick that’s indispensable:
the bricklayer in search of the philosopher’s stone.

Like someone whose house
begins with smoke,
let’s put a brick
in the shape of our girls
on each pillow,
one the cat’s weight on the quilt,
on top of that goes one made of windblown
rosemary and one from summer for the shower
on the patio.

Each wall holds up a ruin
or receives shade from the tree.

Every house needs that capital
brick, if it’s not there
light from the nightstands left on at night
can be seen
from outside.

One brick at a time
if it’s worth the effort little by little
every house is built
around that brick
no house has.

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Tumbling out of the sports pages today is Chase Bellinger, All-Star MVP Cody’s bride. She’s a model and they have two daughters, both gorgeous, to no surprise. Belli’s trying to hold down the fort in Judge’s absence. Good luck with that, CB.

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The theme for Monday’s puzzle was PLAYTHINGS and the theme answers all ended with things related to plays, you know, the theater. So there was ORALSTAGE, TURBOPROP, IRONCURTAIN, and ERECTORSET. Egs gave us this in his comment: (He just spent a week at a cabin in Montana.) “. . . less pleasing was the list of things to do when leaving. Take out garbage, strip beds and clean fridge seemed fine, but IRONCURTAIN? I mean c’mon.”

And I chipped in with:

{Viagra, Cialis, Levitra}: ERECTOR SET.

Rex shared this great oldie, justified with “plaything” in the lyrics.

How can you tell me how much you miss me
When the last time I saw you, you wouldn’t even kiss me?
That rich guy you’ve been seein’ must have put you down
So, welcome back, baby, to the poor side of town

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And, speaking of the poor side of town — thanks for stopping by. See you next time!