Last night our much loved San Diego Padres won the National League Western Division Championship vs the heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers. This week they now move on to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship series. The National League Champions will then move on to the World Series starting October 28.
This is particularly bittersweet for me a long time Padres fan. The reason I say this is because one of our most beloved bloggers and a much loved friend of mine, Anne Marie in Philly, and I both shared our love of baseball. We would support each other when one of our teams was facing a particular rival and we would poke sarcastic fun at each other when our teams faced each other. Never once in our friendship did our teams end up playing each other for a championship spot.
I dreamed of one day flying into Philly and surprising her with tickets to a Padres vs Phillies game and had hoped to actually plan a trip to do so when Covid happened. Unfortunately we lost our beloved Anne Marie in Philly the next spring after that Covid summer and I never got to make the trip.
I dedicate this post to her. This is a moment in time that we both only dreamed of, I sure wish we could share it together. I will attend every game that I can of the series here in San Diego in her honor. I will be rooting for my team, not hers, but I know she will be looking down on us and rooting for her team from the other side.
To her I say “ Congrats Anne Marie, our teams made it! May the best team win!”
… oh and Anne Marie, I sure do miss you.
Fearsome Beard 
I know you will enjoy every game as a tribute to her!
As I started to read your post today I knew what I would read next. I remember the friendly rivalry between you and Anne Marie over your favored teams. Though I am not a follower of sports, I always enjoyed the digs and remembered your idea to surprise her, before her passing, if both your teams played together. The tribute to her is great, thank you for holding her memory up on your blog. May the best team win, but remember, she is the Warrior Queen and now she is on the other side. We can only smile.
Warrior Queen is going to make sure my Padres have to work hard I’m sure. I just have to make sure I have enough fun for she and I both!
Though different from the plan, and it is epic, have fun for she and you because you remember.
I miss her too.