Yes, that's right, the first game of the season. Well, okay so it was the first spring season game. Either way I'll take it.

I watched the first couple of innings as Curt Schilling threw the stitched orb to his battery mate. There he was larger - much larger - than life.

Schilling looked to be a tad bit overweight, eportedly in camp at a hefty 248. Whoa, that's pushing David Wells area. I was surprised.

Especially after all the hype about wanting to stay in a Boston uniform, I thought he'd show up game-ready. I was mistaken.

I don't think that I'd sign a 248 lb. 41-year-old for a cool $13 mil, but maybe at the end of the year when he's a, err, stealth 236, I may be inclined.

It should be noted that Schilling threw like 15 strikes out of 19 pitches.

Regardless, it was live baseball on the flat screen; beer in-hand; lounging on the couch. What more could I ask for?

I no longer thought about the pending snow storm. The children were asleep. And for the first time in a weeks I could simply relax.

Even the roll of my wife's eyes couldn't tear me away. She even joined me for a couple of the late innings. No easy task when no recognizable players were then on the field. In fact, we used the time to purchase tickets to a couple of August games.

I didn't care that the game ended in a 4-4 tie. I didn't worry about the lack of a closer. It didn't bother me when I watched a Julian Tavarez fastball almost decapitate a opposing batter. Two errors by third baseman Joe McEwing? Whatever.

There will be plenty of time for that.

My friends had returned. I caught glimpses of Julio Lugo, Youk, Ortiz, and Varitek. I witnessed Sea Dogs players trying to break camp. I spied some organizational competition.

It was baseball. It was the Sox.

Oh, and Matsuzaka on Friday night at 6 p.m.

Yes, life once again is good.

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