Good morning GH. It is fast closing on 3:30 AM here in our fair city, and the temperature showing on my sophisticated indoor digital weather instruments is 81 degrees. Unfortunately, the air coming in the window feels a tad bit different at 68 degrees. That 68 is according the the Weather Channel which also says that we should be expecting some T-storms, but Sugar the Weather Dog hasn't headed for her hide-e-hole, so I'm not sure that I can count on that forecast.

I was just checking my email, and I found a nice note from some former teaching colleagues. I was reminded of some activities we used to do with the children and it brought back fond memories of times gone by. But then, we and our own children were younger. As I remarked, time passes much too quickly, when we're together laughing. Oops, I was channeling the band Chicago there, which reminds me of times before adult responsibilities and sensibilities caught up with us all.

I heard a train go by earlier and now I am anticipating another soon; I can hear its whistle in the distance. Two in one night is a lot around here. Like I have said before, a good sign of an improving economy. The train is crossing now, traversing from south to north. Two locomotives and a short series of covered hopper cars.

Today Mary and I visited Spring Lake and Fruitport on the north side of the Grand River. A fruitful trip until we were on our way back and got caught up in a traffic jam on the bridge. Three lanes of traffic were funneled into one due to an accident. The resulting backup was a big one. But we did get something for Steph and Adam. I'll let Mary handle that on her blog.

Sugar and I got some time in the "Bone Zone" and I did some reading as I'd hoped. Alas, Sugar is now out of bones, so I'll have to get more on the weekend. A short walk to East Town will get that handled. Mary and I spent some time on the GH channel in the evening, and it was great.

In sports, the boys in blue swept the team from the other side of town as Cubs pitcher Travis Wood clobbered a grand slam en route to an 8 - 3 victory. Unfortunately, they are still a sub 599 team. The Tigers fell in 11 innings 0 - 1 to the Pirates. My beloved Red Sox triumphed over the Phillies by a lop sided score of 9 - 3. They are firmly in first place as they split the series with the Phillies and moved to 11 games over 500. Jacoby Ellsbury stole five bases in the game. The Caps were also victorious over the Great Lakes Loons, 4 - 3. After a heartbreaking loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Red Wings are on their way home as the Blackhawks get ready to meet the Kings of LA, last year's Stanley Cup champions, on Saturday @ 5:00 EDT.

Today, not much on tap. Mary says we will be having macaroni and cheese today for one of our meals. That is after...Tea time, of course. She made a quick but tasty stir-fry for my dinner last night. So until I have more to say, ciao.

Good morning GH. As you may have noticed, I missed a blog on Wednesday. Too many things to do and too little that really was worth blogging about. But today, I'll make up for that. The current temperature here in the Weather Center is 74 comfortable degrees. Outdoors the temperature is 68 as we head for a high of 79. More scattered T-storms are expected today, but the chance is only 30% until later in the day. Much the same for Friday.

On Tuesday, Mary and I took time out to see Star Trek, Into Darkness. We both liked it. Mary might have preferred Gatsby, but she was a good sport about it. I enjoyed the popcorn as I always do. Since we went to a 3:10 showing, we didn't get out until 5:30 PM.

On Wednesday, Mary had a dentist appointment and we walked there and back. All went well and she was out in about 15 minutes. Later in the day, we walked to the local health food store and then to the local grocery store/butcher. One didn't have what we sought and the other was closed by the time we got there. At least Sugar the Weather Dog got in two good walks. We even met another Corgi at the local gas station. It doesn't get any better than that.

In sports, the boys in blue were rained out on Tuesday and then handily beat the other team from Chicago, 9 - 3 on Wednesday. The Tigers fell to the Pirates twice, 0 - 1 and 3 - 5. My beloved Red Sox also fell twice, 1 - 3 and 3 - 4. Ouch. Fortunately, they are still ahead of the Yankees in the American League East standings. The Caps lost on Tuesday 1 - 6 to the Great Lakes Loons. On Wednesday, the Caps returned the favor with a score of 5 - 0.

In NHL playoff action, the Red Wings and the Blackhawks squared off for a final playoff series game. The Blackhawks scored early, but the Red Wings tied it up in the second period. The game remained tied in the third, in spite of a furious attack by the Red Wings, forcing an overtime period. In the early part of the overtime, the Blackhawks scored the decisive goal and moved on in the playoffs. Both teams played hard, but the Blackhawks had come back from a 1 - 3 game deficit in this series to win out.

Otherwise, I got in some guitar playing and puzzle solving on Wednesday. Today, I hope to get in some reading if all goes well. I must mention that the train came through early on Wednesday night, somewhere around 11:30 PM.

So, until...Tea time this morning, Ciao.

Good morning GH. Well I've done it once again. I managed to wipe out my blog with one slip of the finger. The current view out the Weather Window is rainy, which is expected to continue throughout the day as we near a high of 70 degrees with showers/T-storms most of today and tomorrow. Seems like the Weather Channel forecast got it right this time. Indoors in the Weather Center, it is 65 degrees. It got so cold in the house yesterday afternoon, that Mary and I chose to put on our fleeces as we worked, directly after I closed all of the windows. Having experienced weather anomalies last year, we didn't know what to expect and this might be the norm. However, speaking of those anomalies, we have pictures from last year's Ribfest in which we and the kids had on shorts and T-shirts. Go figure.

I may not have to water today, but I may have to drain the lettuce garden again. Once again, go figure. This will be a good day for reading and puzzle working. Guitar is very likely, but the "Bone Zone" is out of the question. In fact, with the T-storms that we are expecting, getting Sugar the Weather Dog to go out at all may be problematical at best.

In sports, the boys in blue were triumphant over the other Chicago team, 7 - 0 behind some great pitching by Jeff Samardzija. The Tigers were likewise victorious, albeit by a slimmer margin of 6 - 5 over the Pirates. My beloved Red Sox beat the Phillies 9 -3 and are now 12 games over 500 and once again in their rightful place, on top of the American League East. The Caps once again beat the Captains of Lake County, by a score of 5 - 3. In hockey, the the Red Wings failed to capitalize on their commanding lead in their Western Conference semi-finals losing the game and the advantage as the Blackhawks took the lead and never looked back. That forces the final and decisive game 7, which they had hoped to avoid, back in Chicago on Wednesday evening. Last night was a great game, with just the right amount of hitting and action.

In other news, the weekend was great, the tourists are back in town, and things are once again back to the summer normal. I hope that Barb is feeling better. She has been fighting the good fight in Vegas. I am certain that she has the will to overcome, now it just will take time.  With the rainy weather, I plan to go back to bed and listen to more of the radio shows that both Mary and I like. Then, we'll get up for...Tea time and breakfast and maybe a quick walk with Sugar, if she will go. I won't try to force her. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. I got up early to blog because I could. It is the special day that honors our veterans and that is reason enough. Here in the Weather Center it is 69 degrees, while outside it is 53 with the expectation of some showers by the time the sun rises. I hope the rain holds off long enough to let the parade pass. The greatest chance for showers comes on Tuesday, so if the weather is as predicted, which it seldom is, then we should be okay. We anticipate a high in the 60s.

Spoiler alert for those of you who recorded auto racing on Sunday, there were three. The Grand Prix of Monaco, the "Greatest Spectacle in Motor Racing," and the Coca Cola 600. Someone won each race, and to borrow from Forest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

Had a great day on Sunday. Sadly, the kids left early, but then I watched the auto races, and the day was sunny and bright outside. In short, the greatest spectacle in weather. I worked on the puzzle some after the early races and then we walked downtown to see what was up. We ended up at our favorite watering hole, so that was a nice close to the day.

Today, I have to let Sugar walk me downtown, watch the parade, and then put on my editor's hat for Mary. After that, a possible trip the "Bone Zone" seems in order. Maybe a little reading too.

In sports, as I noted earlier, there were three auto races. The boys in blue actually managed to snatch a rare victory from the jaws of defeat, 5 - 4 over the Reds. The Tigers beat the Twins 6 - 1 and they play again today, tis time against the Pirates, to honor our veterans. My beloved Red Sox eked out a win over the tribe from Cleveland, 6 - 1. The Caps beat those pesky Captains from Lake County, 4 - 2. The Red Wings and Blackhawks play later tonight in what is once again,  a decisive game.

So that's about it for Sunday's activities and Monday's plans. Sounds like a good long weekend to me. Tea time will be soon enough and then I can get on with my plans. Ciao

Good early morning GH. What a glorious day has dawned. The sun is shining, it is nearly 8:00 AM on this Sunday before Memorial Day and the Grand Prix of Monaco is about to start. Our current outdoor temperature is 47 brisk degrees, while indoors here in the Media Room it is showing 67. The chance of rain is nil until tomorrow. Then we are expecting the chance to increase to 40%.

This is of course race day for those of us who are into auto racing. We start with the Grand Prix of Monaco, segue to the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indianapolis 500 followed by the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600. If you can't get your racing addiction sated today, it can't be done.

So, my activities for the day are obvious, I hope. Sugar the Weather Dog will have to wait for an hour and 3/4 until the Grand Prix is ended to get me to walk.

We have had a nice weekend so far, Ribfest, gardening, the kids visiting, and except for the cool temperatures, no complaints from me.

In sports, the boys in blue found yet another way to lose. The Tigers found a way to lose to the Twins. My beloved Red Sox beat the Tribe from Cleveland and have moved back to 10 games over 500, but still they remain in second place, just behind those hated Yankees from NYC. The Caps were victorious over the Captains of Lake County, 6 - 1. In a surprise to me, the Red Wings dropped a pivotal game to the Blackhawks, 1- 4. Right now, the Grand Prix is being dominated by Mercedes. The Renault car just burst into flames, but the driver got out safely. Speculation is a hydraulic or oil line failure.

Otherwise, Tea time will wait for about 9:45. Ciao.

Good morning GH. Wow, it actually is morning by the standards of your average person. But once again, I digress. The current temperature here in the weather center is a very comfortable 67 degrees. Outdoors, the Weather Channel is reporting that the it is 42 and sunny as we head for a high in the lower 60s. I must concur with that low temperature report. Last night it was rather brisk at the Ribfest. The band was hot, but the air was cool. We even turned on the heat in the house to make up the difference. Today should be better.

Mary and I finished planting the flowers on the back forty and putting in the mulch in both the front, back, and side gardens yesterday. It was very pleasant, because I didn't have to use any "Sweat Equity" to do the job. Plus, I got to use my new wheelbarrow, and it was great. Mary did the bulk of the mowing and I got to order a new long handled grass shears. For me that is a necessity, not a nice to have. Still, I hope that we stop this yo-yo cycle of temperature fluctuations ends soon. I had to get out my long jeans and sweatshirt last night for Ribfest. Mary was chilled and Stephany was "chilled to the bone" as she phrased it. I was cold, but not that seriously. You would think that at my advanced age that I wouldn't be able to handle the cold, but it seems that I can handle the cold better than the heat. I guess I never was normal.

Heard a short train just before midnight last night. I didn't see it, but only once have I seen anything but a twin set of locomotives, so I am betting that it was the same last night.

In sports, the boys in blue, as usual, fell to the Reds, 4 - 7. But according to the pundits, the boys are looking to some future additions from the minors to once again make them real contenders. How many times have I heard that? The Tigers were triumphant over the Twins, 6 - 0. My beloved Red Sox remain in second place in their division with a convincing victory over the tribe from Cleveland, 8 - 1. The Caps too were triumphant over the Dragons of Dayton, 5 - 2. Today, the Red Wings will likely finish off the Blackhawks and move on in the playoffs. I don't know what happened, but I think it is a case of destiny.

Otherwise, Mary has some work to do to meet a Monday deadline after we walk with Sugar the Weather Dog to the farmer's market. That will happen right after...Tea time and that makes it all good once again.

Other than a possible return to the Ribfest and some lounging about, not much on tap. Ciao.

Good morning GH. I am up long enough to write my blog and check my email. The current temperature here in the Weather Center, is 65 degrees, while outside the Weather Channel says it is 39 chilly degrees. But we are expecting a high today of 57 sunny albeit cool degrees.

Tonight we will be journeying to the post to enjoy the Rib-fest activities. A band, some cocktails and good people. What's not to like?

Mary and I let Sugar the Weather Dog take us for a walk on Thursday morning while it wasn't raining. Well actually, by the time we got up it was afternoon before that walk took place. We picked up the afternoon paper and then watched the presidential speech. After the speech, Mary went to work, while Sugar and I made banana bread and tofu jerky. That was the day.

Today, just work and lawn mowing  for Mary, planting and other assorted yard work for me, and then of course the Rib-fest activities. The kids are dropping in for a couple of days too.

Mary opted to not make that road trip. With the holiday traffic, the amount of time spent driving, and the odds that being able to spend any quality time with her friend being very limited, they agreed to get together in a few weeks. I didn't have an opinion, as I was supportive of whatever decision Mary made.

Thursday in sports: The boys in blue once again fell to the Pirates, this time by a score of 7 - 9. The Tigers triumphed over the Twins 7 - 6 after a rain delay. My beloved Red Sox were hammered by the tribe of Cleveland, 3 - 12. Ouch. The Red Wings slam dunked the Blackhawks 2 - 0, to take a commanding 3 - 1 series lead. Looks like all that is left is for the rotund lady to sing on Saturday. The Blackhawks were dominant throughout the regular season, but the Red Wings goalie is having the hot hand now. The Caps were edged by the Dayton Dragons, 6 - 7.

The train was heard early last night at about 11:30 PM. Adam had a great idea about taking some pictures,  but that is very impractical late at night or early in the morning. About the only creature stirring this morning was the city street sweeper.

That's about it for now. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. Well it is certainly comfortable here in the Weather Center, 77 degrees if the scientific instruments are to be believed. Outside, the temperature is a cloudy 50 degrees. I can't see those clouds, so I'll have to take the information that the Weather Channel is providing. We are supposed to be having a rainy day until this evening, at which time the sun is supposed to make its reappearance and show us the blue sky through Friday.

Wednesday, I dusted and drained. By drained I mean that I once again had to drain a bucketful of water from the lettuce garden, not unlike the amount I drained the day before. I may have to find a way to cover the garden in the heavier rain. Of course if I can keep it drained, that may be unnecessary.  I also had to drain the dehumidifier in the man-cave. That can be left because the dehumidifier shuts itself off if it gets too full. But, then it doesn't do its primary job.

Today, I need to get the car ready for Mary's road trip to Illinois. That entails taking out the things that are inside which we didn't remove after our trip to the garden center. I'll have to make a pile on the driveway, but that's no problem, I just don't want to move it twice.

Mary is making that road trip to join her best friend. She has known this friend for over 40 years, since before we were married, and in fact, before I even met Mary. Mary got the call early on Wednesday morning that her friend's husband had passed away suddenly. I knew him, but only peripherally through Mary. My condolences and prayers go out to Mary's friend and her family in this trying time.

In sports, I wasted an evening watching the boys in blue squander another fine pitching effort by Jeff Samardzija as they lost 0 - 1 to the Pirates. Otherwise, this would have been the longest 0 - 0 game this year. No matter how well a pitcher pitches, the team behind him has to score a run or two. I also watched part of the Tiger's game. They had a large lead over the tribe from Cleveland, when I tuned early, but by the time the game ended, it had become 11- 8. My beloved Red Sox are still in second place after beating those other Sox, 6 - 2. The Caps lost in Dayton to the Dragons, 4 - 6. Tonight, the Red Wings get another chance to finish off the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks are back on their heels and need a win to stave off eventual defeat in their series.

Otherwise today, I will finish my vacuuming, clear out the car and play more guitar. Sugar may get to take me for a walk if the rain isn't heavy. She and I both need it. She took both Mary and I for a walk on Wednesday before we had to urge her home as the rain was beginning. I also got to be walked midday when the rain let up. We didn't go far, but for Sugar, a walk is a walk.

A train is just now going by. The usual twin locomotives and a short string of cars.

Morning brings...Tea time and more. Ciao.

Good soggy morning GH. The current temperature here in the Weather Center is 76 degrees. Outside, the temperature is 61 cloudy degrees, and we are expecting T-storms for most of the day. Sugar the Weather Dog will not be happy. Speaking of Sugar,she spent some time in the sun yesterday working on an old bone, while Mary and I planted some perennials in the flower gardens of our palatial estate. Mary thinks that she may have misread the label for the Goats beard, and thus had me place it in the wrong locale in the garden, it should be more in the back based on its projected growth height. She may need to reread the label.

We did the drop off of the ceiling fan at the resale store and then went to the big box store to get some tomato juice that is no longer offered for sale at Mary's favorite grocery store. The price differential was a whopping 50 cents less than at her favorite store. She says she may have to rethink her point of view, but the annoyance factor is in there somewhere. After that we went to the big garden center for some additional plants and some mulch. Both will probably have to wait until the rain subsides on Friday.

Not much on tap for the day, just some dusting and vacuuming and caressing of Bridget. She is so lonesome on the other side of the music room, that I feel guilty. Mary has work to do and the rain should keep her at her desk instead of joining me in the gardens.

I heard a train last night that invaded my dreams. Didn't see it, just imagined it. A weird out of body experience that accompanied my dream about one of our local restaurants. Now that I think about it, Mary had brought that place up as we were returning home, so it must have been in my memory banks and didn't get deleted. Weird.

In sports, the boys in blue took another step backwards in their quest to become relevant. They lost to the usually inept Pirates. The Tigers beat the Tribe of Cleveland, 5 - 1. My beloved Red Sox fell to the other Sox team and that's never a good thing. The Caps didn't play. Had an interesting conversation at the barber shop yesterday. It is the considered opinion of the barber that the Red Wings will triumph over the Blackhawks in seven games. He may be right, especially if the Red Wings win the next game on Thursday night.

So all that being said, it is time for some additional radio and then...Tea Time. Ciao.

Good morning GH. Well, we've finally received that rain we've been expecting. It came up suddenly, and the clap of thunder was a signal to Sugar the Weather Dog that it was time for the hide-e-hole. The current temperature here in the Weather Center shows 80 degrees, but sitting here as I am in the open window, it feels more like the 68 we have outdoors. I checked the various open windows and closed those that had a wet sill. Rain is expected to continue until later today and into tomorrow. We'll take it.

Speaking of Sugar the Weather Dog, we had a short T-storm earlier in the afternoon on Monday, and that sent her to her downstairs hide-e-hole for several hours. She came out long enough to have her dinner, but then was gone again until later. We had been out walking earlier in the AM, and met some of the nice folks from the post outside the coffee shop near there. Sugar was not thrilled with meeting new people, but since she didn't bark at them, it was a beginning. Somewhere on our morning trip she decided that her ears were itchy. Fortunately, a little peroxide on a cotton ball was able to soothe her.

Heard a train go by just before midnight, but I wasn't getting up, so I can only report that it went by.

In sports, the Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks, 3 - 1. The boys in blue had the day off, so they couldn't lose. They play in Pittsburgh tonight. My beloved Red Sox fell to that team I will not mention,4 - 6. Ouch! The Caps pulled one out in the bottom of the 11th, 1 - 0, over the visiting Bowling Green Hot Rods.

Not much else is happening here. I did some laundry and some housework on Monday and I may get to finish it today. I was going to do some work out on the palatial estate today, but it appears that the rain will delay that activity.

Morning will bring...Tea time and more news of that horrible tornado in Oklahoma. It destroyed so much property, but more importantly, it took the lives of so many innocents. As a retired teacher who conducted tornado drills, it is a precaution that you take and hope to never need. In this case the tornado used the school as a bulls eye.  My prayers go out to the families who lost their children and their homes. You can replace homes, they are just buildings, but children leave a void in your soul that can never be filled.

Good morning GH. Unlike usual, I am going to endeavor to keep it short.Current temperature in the Weather Center, 80 degrees. Outdoors, 68. No severe weather expected until about 1:00 PM. Sugar the Weather Dog still sound asleep.

Sunday activities: assembled new wheelbarrow, did some light concrete repairs at the entrance to the man-cave, watered the gardens, walked downtown after a brief...Tea time with a piece of toast with peanut butter, came home, sat on deck while the Weather Dog was in the "Bone Zone," had a light dinner, went upstairs, fell asleep. Not necessarily in that order.

Sports, boys in blue waste a good pitching performance, lose 3 - 4. Tigers lose 8 - 11, Red Sox win 5 - 1, now 10 games over 500, but still in second place. Caps beat Bowling Green Hot Rods, 5 - 1. Blackhawks play Red Wings tonight.

Today: breakfast, walk with Sugar to independent bookstore, read local newspaper, possible house cleaning, laundry, guitar, depending on precipitation; water gardens. All these in likely order. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 5:00 AM here in our fair city and we are entering the final day of the kite fest. Here in the Weather Center, it is s very comfortable 74 degrees, while outdoors, it is a cooler 61. We are heading for a high of 79 sultry degrees, as the day wears on, but still no noticeable precipitation on the radar until Monday. Sugar the Weather Dog is still sleeping soundly, so I think she concurs.

We had a nice morning,...Tea time and a light snack in preparation for our journey to "Kite Fest 2013" and beyond. While Mary wanted to watch more of UP with Steve Kornacki, I wanted to use my time more efficiently and went out to water the gardens here on our estate. Once that was done, and once Mary was able to pull herself away from Steve, we were off to the local farmer's market with Sugar in the lead. Mary got some eggs and lettuce, while Sugar and I caught up on our tans. Of course, there were plenty of other dogs along the way, as well as new and enticing smells, so Sugar had to catch up on old and new friends.

When we returned, Mary and I, sans Sugar, set off for the "Kite Fest." It is a long walk to the state park where the fest was being held, and having done it the previous day, I wasn't so sure I wanted to do it again. Mary said we could take the trolley back if we got too tired, so I agreed. However, the trolley isn't running yet, just a figment of our imagination I guess. But that's another story.

We stopped at the beach burrito place along the route and had vegetarian burritos and tacos. Both were excellent. Once at the fest, the wind wasn't blowing like it had been the day before, so there weren't all that many kites to be seen. Lots of people, not so many kites.

Since I wanted to get back for my Irish jam session at the library and Mary said that she wanted to stay longer, I started for home, alone again, naturally. My apologies to Gilbert O'Sullivan for borrowing his lyric. As I noted earlier, no trolley, so the walk back was just as long. In this case, it seemed longer instead of shorter which is usually the case. Still, I made it and I got to my jam session with time to spare.

We played old tunes, new tunes and some people from one of the local high school Celtic fiddle clubs came. All was good.

By the time we were done and I had returned home, I had covered nearly 9 miles. Fortunately for me, Mary and Sugar were waiting out front on the GH channel with some cold ones in the cooler. With my feet up, I downed a couple and read the local paper. As it was getting cooler, we ventured in for a dinner of sandwiches, cheese and tomato with cottage cheese on the side.

By then, I was ready to let Sugar out for her final visit and then she and I came upstairs for a little R & R. Mary joined us and took over the television for some chick flick. I didn't much care and went to bed to listen to the Caps game. That didn't last long as I soon drifted off to sleep. I'll tell you more about my new internet radio in my next blog.

In sports, the boys in blue had another win, taking the Mets 8 - 2. The Tigers were not so lucky, as they lost to Texas 2 - 7. The Red Wings took it to the Blackhawks on the Hawks home ice, so now with the series tied at 1 - 1, they return to the Red Wings home ice for game 3 on Monday. My beloved Red Sox beat the Twins 12 - 5 to pull to nine games over 500, but they are still in 2nd place in their division. Here's hoping that game three has a similar outcome. About that Caps game I was listening to, they Caps took it to the Bowling Green Hot Rods, who obviously weren't so hot last night, 8 - 1.

So, this being a no train kind of night, it is time to say adieu, return to bed, and wait for..Tea time to happen anew. No walking today, other than letting Sugar take me out for a morning constitutional. Then it is time for the "Bone Zone" and reading on the deck. Oh, I know I have to water, but that is just part of the overall plan. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It has just passed 12:00 AM here in GH and a train going by awakened me. Seems as though this train was a bit early. Maybe they are getting a head start. The current temperature here in the Weather Center is a very comfortable 67 degrees. Outside the temperature is 59 and we are expecting a high of 76 partly cloudy degrees for the second day of kite fest. While we will have a 20% chance of precipitation, it should be a great day to"Go fly a kite." More about that precipitation later.

My dentist appointment was so routine, that I was done in under 1/2 hour. Mary then met me and we walked over to the state park for the kite fest. Unfortunately, we got there too soon, and that meant that the kites were few and far between. Oh well, there is later today for Mary to get her pictures and that means another walk.

We walked about 6 1/2 miles on Friday and that means that my dogs are barking. Maybe I can convince Mary to ride our bikes as far as the Y in order to save some mileage on my knees. I have an Irish Jam session this afternoon between 1 and 3, and I want to be able to walk there.

Otherwise, we have to put in some time in the back forty doing some planting and watering. We put in a few acres worth of seed on Friday. When we were walking, we felt a few drops of rain, which made us believe that seeding was a good idea.. Unfortunately, those few drops were all we got. Here's hoping that the rain predicted for Monday at 40% really happens.

We put the deck furniture back in place on the newly refinished deck. Sugar the Weather Dog got into the "Bone Zone" and for her that was like getting an inheritance from a long lost relative. She did have a problem earlier in the day, as she needed extra walk time when I peeled off to go to the dentist. It seems as though when either Mary or I have something to do, she knows it and won't "Get down to business."

In sports, the boys in blue are back to their usual ways as they lost 2 - 3 to the Mets. My beloved Red Sox reversed that score as they beat the Twins 3 - 2.While not yet in first place, it seems as though they might have righted the ship. The Tigers also won, by the slimmest of margins, 2 - 1 over the Rangers. The Caps, lost by a score of 0 - 4 to the team from Bowling Green. A nice bit of rhyme I think. The Red Wing await the Blackhawks later today.

So overall, we should have a quiet day. Kites, guitars, and more walking. As I've noted before, this is a great town for walking. I must listen to people calling Autotalk this morning and then I can get on with the balance of my day. I never fail to get amused by the people with their third engine and transmission in their 200,000 plus mile ancient cars. I think it is great that they keep them running. Then it's...Tea time and the day begins. Ciao.

Good morning GH. What an opportunity. I hear a train a comin, it's rolling round the bend. A little homage to Johnny Cash there, but with the windows open and the time at nearly 2:30 in the AM, it seemed appropriate.   Not a long train, but it was definitely a sign that we are still a prosperous nation on the move. There's something about a train, that's magic. Another homage, this one to the fine folks at AMTRAK from a bygone ad campaign. I just like the sound that a train emits as it makes its way down the tracks. Trains have been the inspiration for many songs over the years, from Woodie Guthrie, to Roger Miller, to the man in black himself, Johnny Cash.

I normally start with the weather, but I just had to digress for a minute to talk about trains.

The current temperature here in the Weather Center is a very comfortable 70 degrees. Outdoors it is still a very nice 61 degrees, like the desert at night I hear. The weather forecast shows no sign of precipitation until late today, and then only in the 20% area. Significant precipitation has been pushed back until Monday and Tuesday when we are expected to see T-storms and more rain. Sugar the Weather Dog agrees, as she hasn't seen fit to go into her hide-e-hole.

Today, I have a dentist appointment first thing this morning, and then Mary plans to meet up with me and walk down to the state park/city beach for "Kite Fest 2013." Last year was a sight to behold, and I know that Mary will be taking lots of pictures for inclusion in a future blog. For me, the walk and the sight of hundreds of colorful kites in all their glory is reward enough. Mary likes to fly her kite, but I am satisfied to just watch others. Early on Thursday, I rode down to that beach, but there was only one lonely kite and the tent that was set up for "Kite Fest" today.

Early in the day I went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription and then in spite of Mary's admonitions, I rode another six or seven miles just enjoying the ride and the sunny weather. Yes, my body hurt a bit later, but it was worth it.

Mary and I stopped to see Sally and the other folks at the post on Thursday evening before going downtown to have a pizza at one of the local places. It was good, but it won't replace the "Deep Dish" variety available in Chicago and its suburbs.

In sports, the boys in blue had the day off before battling the Mets. The Tigers lost badly to the Rangers, but they remain in first place in their relatively weak division. My beloved Red Sox moved up to second place in their division with a victory over the Rays of Tampa Bay. The Caps pulled out a win over the Dayton Dragons on Thursday. The Blackhawks are awaiting their game on Saturday against the Red Wings. In spite of the odds, I expect the Blackhawks will take this series from the Red Wings.

Otherwise, not much on tap for today. The aforementioned dentist appointment, the "Kite Fest" and then some time in the "Bone Zone," with Sugar the Weather Dog. Oh, maybe a little watering of the gardens here on our palatial estate and some time with Bridget in my arms, and then to borrow from Sir Paul, "It's just another day, do do do do do do, it's just another day." Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It is a very comfortable 73 degrees in the Weather Center and 54 outdoors as we head for a high of 71 with no precipitation expected until Friday evening. In short, a beautiful day is expected for the next two.

I worked in the yard of the palatial estate and got Mary's garden ready for planting as she mowed the lawn. Both things took awhile given the size of the area we had to work. Mary then placed her plants to see how she is going to like where she has chosen to plant them before she makes it permanent. We are making progress, but like all things of this scale, it takes time.

Just heard a train go through about midnight. I didn't see it, but it didn't sound like it was very long. I want them to go through during the daylight hours so that I can do some photography. But you can't have everything.

We are awaiting the arrival of the painters in the AM for the refinishing of the deck. Once they are done, we can return the items that they had to remove in order to facilitate their efforts.

I got in some guitar practice today and I think I was doing well, that is until Mary said it was time to go for a walk downtown. But never one to refuse the chance to walk on a beautiful spring day, I was more than willing. Sugar didn't get to go, but she had already had two walks, so it wasn't a concern. The lawn in the park had just been mowed, so it smelled great.  Also picked up some books at the library, although one seems as though I would need two retirements to find time to read it all. I may have to do the truncated version of reading.

In sports, the boys in blue won behind Jeff Samardzija as he also hit a homer. That's two of three over the Rockies, and leaves them just percentage points ahead of the Brewers. The Bulls played hard, but fell to the Heat to end their series. The Blackhawks surged in the third period to beat the Red Wings 4 - 1. The next game is Saturday. My beloved Red Sox finally settled down and triumphed over the Tampa Bay Rays, 9 - 2. I was getting worried there. The Caps handily beat the Dayton Dragons, 11 - 3 as their major league counterparts, the Tigers lost in the ninth on a long fly-out by Miguel Cabrera. It was going, going, then caught to end the game. But, they are still in first place in their division. A quick mention that the 97th running of the "Greatest spectacle in motor-car racing," the Indianapolis 500, is scheduled for Sunday, May 26, at 12:12 PM EST. Practice times for today exceeded 224 MPH for James Hinchcliffe driving for Andretti Autosports. What will be the pole qualifying time? As yet unknown.

Otherwise, not much on tap for the day. A trip to the pharmacy on my bike perhaps, and another chance to let Sugar take me for a walk, but that is about it. Tea time will begin the day and then not much else. I'll be  seeing the dentist on Friday and then join Mary at "Kite Fest." She will share pictures on her blog of the offerings this year. Ciao.

Good morning GH. We are fast closing on 6:00 AM here in our fair city. The current temperature here in the  weather center is 71 degrees, while outside the temperature is a very comfortable 60. The day looks like it will be in the upper 60s to lower 70s.  I like it! Sugar the Weather Dog will likely agree. We are expecting a little extra wind today, but we had that yesterday and it wasn't anything to worry about. Sugar took me for a walk and both of us did just fine.

Mary finally decided that she really wanted to plant some perennials in her newly plowed fields, so we were off to the big box garden center where the selection and prices were, to say the least, incredible. So, we gathered many plants that are shade tolerant and they will be planted soon.

On the way back, we stopped in one of the road houses along the way, and the server asked if we were golfing or gardening. I guess since we hadn't been in before, she knew it had to be one or the other. The bar itself was occupied by the usual cast of characters that you can probably find there each and every day. The beer was cold, the appetizer we tried was good, so we likely will go back when we are in that area.

When we returned, Mary planted two of the new plants in the fields out front and then Sugar and I relaxed on the brick patio behind the deck, since the deck was washed in the AM in preparation for sealing. Sugar was in the "Bone Zone" and I was listening to music and working a crossword. In other words, it was all good.

Today, a bit more laundry is in order, Bridget is calling out for some togetherness, and of course, Sugar will want to take us for a walk. Once again, all good. Oh, we will likely have to do a little yard work too.

In sports, the boys in blue fell to the Rockies, so the deity is in his rightful place. The Tigers won their game, while my beloved Red Sox lost yet again. Ouch! If this keeps up, they will be below 500 before long. The Caps got skunked by the Dayton Dragons, while the Red Wings await their first game with the Black Hawks as the Bulls await their fate tonight at the hands of the Heat. I am not holding out much hope, but one never knows.

So, time to return to bed and time for...Tea time before long. Oh, we had a lengthy train about 3:00 AM but by then I was just listening. Too lazy to get up. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It is currently 68 degrees here in the Weather Center/Office/Music Room. Very comfortable. Outdoors, 48 degrees rising to a high of 71. We anticipate 70s for the balance of the week. A 30% chance of precipitation today starting around 4:00 AM, until 7:00 AM, then tapering off to 10% for the balance of the day. "Bone Zone" here we come!

Monday was full of surprises. Mary and I journeyed to the cell phone store where we finally switched our service to one main phone and one emergency phone, both with local numbers. Total cost per month, less than 2/3 of what we were paying. Now I have to be sure to change to the new phone number at my various service providers, ie, doctors, the veterinarian, various pension plans, etc. There are a lot more than I thought.

As I mentioned previously, Mary wanted to plant lilies in the back forty of the palatial estate. But when she figured out what the plants would cost, she decided she had to think it over. We may just do some transplanting from other locations on the estate.

We picked up some replacement seed for the lawn at one of the local garden centers. I am just waiting for rain to be solidly in the forecast so that I can spread the seeds. If I have extra, I can plant some for my neighbors lawn too. That lawn took the same kind of beating in last year's drought as ours. Mary is going to plant her potatoes today while I mow what is left of the lawn and perhaps rake the newly plowed fields.

In sports, the boys in blue were victorious over Colorado, 9 - 1. My beloved Red Sox had the day off, but they are still in third place in their division. The Tigers once again hammered the Astros, 7 - 2. The Caps lost to the team from South Bend, 2 - 6. The Bulls are one game short of playoff elimination, and they have decided to not play D. Rose this year, a wise decision I think. The Red Wings next playoff game is against the Blackhawks Wednesday evening. As a transplanted Chicagoan, I have to root for the Hawks over the Red Wings. Unfortunately in this case, I have to choose sides.

Barb had her knee surgery today, and her report directly after was positive and told of a rather lengthy brace and rehab in two days, doctor again in two weeks. I think she will find her knee/leg a bit more painful today than yesterday, based on personal experience.

Today, Tea time, guitar, phone number changes, gardening, and landscaping, not necessarily in that order, before the "Bone Zone." I may ride my bike to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription that couldn't be filled until today due to restrictions from the insurance company. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is nearly 2:00 AM and I am up long enough to blog about things that matter to me. The current temperature her in the weather center is a very comfortable 68 degrees. Outdoors, the wind has died down, but we are still expecting freezing conditions until today around 10:00 AM. By Tuesday, we expect things to get back to the 70s. I can't wait, as I really was ready for spring. Sugar was and is even more so now. She liked her time in the "Bone Zone."

We have a few errands to run today. Pharmacy, garden center, and small things of that nature. Nothing that can't wait, really, but when you have some extra time, why not use it?

Our neighbor stopped by on Sunday with his rotary cultivator. He plowed up part of the back forty and then went off to do more to his own fields. Mary wants to plant some lilies where he plowed, so I am certain that she will once the weather warms on Tuesday. We opted to bring in the hanging baskets and cover the vegetable plants last night in light of the anticipated freeze. Not unlike how I hear the desert can be.

In sports, the boys in blue eked out a win 2 - 1, and signed Anthony Rizzo to a seven year contract extension, but they are still in 5th place in their division. Now if Rizzo could just pitch, hit, and play all the the other fielding positions at the same time, we might see the boys get out of the cellar. The Tigers lost too. My beloved Red Sox have fallen to third in their division following yet another loss. As I noted yesterday, they are in a seeming free fall. The Caps fell too. The Red Wings ousted the Ducks to take their best of seven series. They now await the Blackhawks as their next opponent in round two. The Bulls play tonight on what is likely another futile attempt to win their series over the Heat.

So, all that being said, it is time for bed again. Then we will arise when we feel like it and have our...Tea time and let Sugar the Weather Dog take us for a walk, followed by those previously mentioned errands. Ciao.

Good morning GH. I never seem to be able to not get up and blog at these early hours. The current temperature in the weather center is a very comfortable 68 degrees. Earlier on Saturday  we all walked to the farmer's market, and Mary picked up pa loaf of artisan bread from a  bakery that specializes in brick-oven baking and which is basically local. She also got a hanging basket for the deck area, and that's when she determined that it was cold outside. Anyway, that's why I finally broke down Saturday and turned the furnace back on. I had hopes that spring had finally sprung, but the outdoor temperature and rainy conditions had deteriorated so badly that I was left with two alternatives. 1. shiver and shake, or 2. turn the heat on. I erred on the side of caution. In fact, before Mary and I went out in the afternoon, Mary had to go upstairs and get the warmer coats, hats and things out of storage. Here's hoping that the forecast for Tuesday is reality and we'll be back in the upper 60s again. Right now, we are at 43 degrees and Mary took to heart that frost was a possibility and so she covered her veggies that were at risk.

We didn't get much accomplished on Saturday other than the trip to the farmer's market. In the PM, we explored one of the new shops that is going to be fully open by Memorial Day. They specialize in yard art and it looks promising. We have another couple of shops set to open, but I can only remember that one is a bakery satellite operation. We had a light lunch, then stopped in to see Sally. We came home, and I fell asleep. Maybe that's why I keep getting up at these early hours.

I still have to find a way to stop my computer from dropping the internet. It wouldn't be a big thing, but when the internet gets dropped, the on-line backup and the online security are no longer connected. A pain if for no other reason.

In sports, the boys in blue took it to to the Nationals rather handily on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers  lost yet again, as did the Red Sox, who now seem to be in free fall. The Blackhawks won their series over the Wild, and the Red Wings are tied in theirs. The Caps played last night and handily beat the team from West Bend, IN. So, a mixed bag in sports. Now I just have to wait for the Heat to finish embarrassing the Bulls as the Heat moves on to the finals and another championship of the NBA.

Today, we plan to enjoy Mother's Day and then...Tea time, after which we'll spend some time with the New York Times in the afternoon following a morning walk with Sugar the Weather Dog. Sugar couldn't wait to get into her hide-e-hole yesterday afternoon as she felt the front moving through. She is nothing if not a great predictor of inclement weather. Oh, Mary will likely get a restart on making yogurt if she goes out to get fresh milk for the process. The last time she got the milk she didn't have the starter and when we checked the freshness date yesterday, it was April 14. Even I couldn't make Mary think that the milk was still okay, and you know how I am about milk. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It is closing on 2:00 AM in the morning, and the current temperature in the Weather Center is 63 degrees. Outdoors, the temperature is 47 degrees and the chance of precipitation is very low. Sugar the Weather Dog concurs with the forecast.

We just had a train go by about 12:00 and it was a fairly long one based on the noise duration.

Had a good day today. Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time. Oops a little Carly Simon channeling there. We had a nice lunch of black beans and rice with lettuce plus...Tea time. Then, since it was raining, Sugar and I took a short walk over to the local book seller and picked up the paper which got soggy very quickly on the way home. Mary was on her way to the grocery, but when Sugar and I got here, Mary was still in the house. She got to the grocery and had to call because she forgot her list. I thought that that was my failing. Actually it was a good thing, because it allowed me to change my desires for the type of soup cracker that I wanted. I hope that Mary doesn't catch a death, because she didn't wear a rain coat.

Otherwise, not much happened. We picked up our ceiling fans at the big box home center along with a large pot for Mary to garden potatoes. They aren't hard, but how many too plant is still in question due to the size of the pot.

As usual, the internet has dropped out again. I hope that it comes back so that I don't lose everything that I am currently writing. I think there is a problem with the local cable people, because anytime I have the internet radio station on, this happens.

In sports, the boys in blue lost, the Bulls lost and the Tigers won. The Red Sox fell 2 - 0. Ouch, something is rotten in Boston. The Caps were rained out.

Today, we plan to walk to the local farmer's market and then drive to the garden center near home for a 1/2 price rose bush and also pick up some bread on the way. I need to go to the pharmacy if Mary is amenable. Then, home in time to watch some news and sports.

Of course, what would a Saturday be without a dose of the local auto talk radio program first thing inthe morning before anything else. Ciao.

Good morning GH. We just passed 3:00 AM and I am glad that my computer is currently on line. It has been having fits lately. More about that later. The current temperature here in the Weather Center is 71 degrees. Outdoors it is 55 chilly degrees and raining. Sugar the Weather Dog is sleeping next to the bed currently, but earlier she was off to her hide-e-hole as the front that is producing the rain was moving in. She is an uncanny weather prediction psychic, and hence the name, Sugar the Weather Dog. We are expecting the showers to continue today and cooler temperatures through Monday until spring returns to our fair city on Tuesday. Unfortunately, two days past Mother's Day.

We had a good day on Thursday.We spent the morning listening to the radio and just doing nothing. Sugar was okay with that, or it seems. By the time we got up and got going, it was nearly 12:00 PM. We had lunch, Sugar took me for a walk, and all was good. One thing is certain, this is a great place to live. So is the desert I hear, lot's of dry heat.

Mary got a call from the young lady that tends the bar at the Post on Thursday morning as we were just lying about. She was worried that we were okay because we hadn't been in for a couple of weeks. So of course, we had to go in to say hi and demonstrate our existence. It is nice to have someone notice that you are or are not okay. That's the milk of human kindness that you so often hear about. It was good to hear that the young lady was okay too, because the last time we were there, she wasn't in, so in some ways it was a mutually shared concern.

Our order is in at the big box hardware store, so we may go there to pick it up today. No rush, but it needs doing. Mary also wants to go to the grocery store today. Well not really, but another of those things that she realizes that needs to be done. Otherwise, we have no yogurt, no bananas and some of the essentials of life. Plus, there is a food drive by the USPS on Saturday to help the hungry in our community. Unfortunately, the local food pantry is spending $1,200.00 per week to keep their shelves stocked. Their list of needs worries Mary since it is mostly boxed and canned goods. But I digress.  At the store, Mary plans to get some things to help out the USPS drive and the local pantry. Once again, the milk of human kindness is in view. I admire that in her makeup. In some ways she can be a dichotomy, but her simple concern for all of mankind is always evident and unwavering and always on display.

As for my computer it has been having trouble making/keeping a connection to the internet. Mary gave a call to one of her colleagues who is also a computer guru, and it was up and running, but it is still mostly unreliable, or so it seems, because when I arrived here at my desk earlier, it had to be rebooted. A bit more diagnosis is required I guess. I think it may need more memory resources, but that is the extent of my computer knowledge. Now that I am running all of these new programs, it is working too hard at running. It is currently unreliable.

Otherwise, not much on tap for the day. Sleep,...Tea time, relax, watch a little T.V., let Sugar talk us for a walk, read the daily paper, snack, repeat. Ciao

Good morning GH. It has just passed 5:00 AM here in our fair city and the temperature in the Weather Office is a very comfortable 71 degrees. Outdoors, the temperature is a tad cooler @ 59 degrees. We are expecting a high in the lower 70s again today, but we expect showers in the later afternoon. Starting Friday and then for the next several days, we will have a strong chance of precipitation, until it tapers off to 0% by late Saturday. We'll also be having temperatures topping out in the upper fifties until Sunday, when we won't get out of the forties. By Tuesday, seasonal temperatures will return along with sunshine and very limited prospects for precipitation. So except for today, we will have to endure temperatures like those in the desert, at night.

A quick train report. At 1:00 AM, a train traversed the tracks heading south, being pulled by a single locomotive. Approximately four box cars, 11 covered hopper cars, and 5 tank cars, all of unknown content. The train was just loud enough to waken me with our open windows. At 5:00 AM, the same locomotive passed by heading north, this time trailed by only three cars, once again, contents unknown. At least Dick Fox at the local paper knows what is on/in the ships that traverse the channel and unload.

I finished my work for Mary yesterday. All of that after a great morning walk to the waterfront in the AM with Sugar the Weather Dog and Mary. In the early afternoon, came a bike ride to the fancy beachfront restaurant here in town, just as a destination. In between, I did some laundry with Mary's help and made some soup too. Upon my return, I even spent some time in the "Bone Zone" with a disappointed Weather Dog, because she didn't get a bone. Then I did my work with Mary before we got down to dinner. Since it is expected to be nice in the "Bone Zone" today, I'll remedy that  no bone deficiency. Otherwise, Mary and I plan to spend a goodly portion of the morning in bed listening to the radio. Ah, isn't retirement grand.

Today I will be ready for...Tea time after we decide it's time to stop our reclusive "Bed In." Since the Weather Dog was out at nearly 9:00 PM last night, she should be good through most of the morning..

In sports, the boys in blue once again managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The Bulls were thoroughly dominated by the Heat, as the Bulls suffered their worst playoff defeat in franchise history. The Tigers were defeated by the Nationals as the Tiger bats went to sleep. The Red Sox suffered a drubbing my Minnesota, losing by a lopsided score of 8 - 15. Ouch! The Blackhawks look to finish off the Wild as the Hawks lead the series 3 - 1. The Redwings are knotted up in their series, 2 - 2. The Caps defeated the Hot Rods of Bowling Green, 2 - 0. The Tigers will be making up a rain out on this normally off day.

So, after I get up and convince Mary that there is rain in the forecast, and watering won't be required, time for Bridget, "Bone Zone", and brunch. A busy day I think. Ciao.

Good early morning GH, or is it good late night GH. I guess that it doesn't mater much, since by the time this hits the blogosphere it will be after midnight. Currently the temperature here in my office/music room is a very very comfortable 75 degrees. The outdoor temperature is 63 degrees, with a high expected tomorrow/today of 74 absolutely beautiful degrees. We aren't expecting any significant precipitation until Thursday, so I feel the need for some time on the GH channel tomorrow/today. Whoever said that "It doesn't get any better than this," was right. Sugar the Weather Dog, more about her day's activities later, is sleeping soundly next to the bed. I will be joining her and Mary soon, but the night has been so great that I thought I would stay up for awhile.

We did spend some time in the "Bone Zone" on Tuesday afternoon and of course, Sugar was in heaven. I gave her this huge bone and she was content for several hours as Mary and I worked in the garden of our palatial estate. We watered, planted a rose, did some transplanting, and I gave the weeds a thorough mauling. I am sure that there will be more weeds tomorrow, but that's to be expected.

I went to the doctor this AM, and my test results were all in the normal range. So, I really don't have to see the doctor for another year, but I made an appointment for six months out, just because. When seeing the doctor only costs a small amount, I figure that I will take advantage.

Mary and I worked in the kitchen today once I got back from the doctor. With the able assistance of our loyal Sous Dog, Sugar, Mary made a killer cole slaw, following an old family recipe which she ably augmented. I was supposed to pick up some bread downtown, but they only get it in on Fridays. So, when I got here, Mary was forced to make biscuits to go with our lunch. She wanted to make sandwiches, but as they say, when in Rome. Her biscuits were tasty, but they didn't seem to rise at all. When she made them the first time several months ago, they were perfect. She says she has to work on the process more.

Later she took a crack at some bread in the slow-cooker. It turned out as the recipe said it would, but the real test will come tomorrow. For dinner she made bean tacos. Let's just say that she usually makes killer tacos, but this time, something went wrong and they were not up to her usual standards.

I hear a train a'comin, it's rolling round the bend, oops, I was channeling Johnny Cash there. This one was headed south, with a few box cars and a few covered hopper cars, pulled by the same two locomotives that are assigned to ride forever on this railroad... oops, I was channeling again, this time that old cowboy ballad, "Ghost Riders in the Sky." Anyway, it was a short train on a short line.

In sports, the boys in blue hung on for a win over the Cardinals. The Tigers were rained out and will play a makeup game on Thursday afternoon. My beloved Red Sox lost 1 - 6 to Minnesota, but they are still in first place as are the Tigers. The Caps, mercifully had the day off. The Blackhawks beat Minnesota, 3 - 0. That's more like it. The Bulls play again tonight, with the hope they can once again outplay the Heat.

So, until I have more to say, I'll be seeing you down the trail. Thanks for riding with me. Adios pardners.

Good early morning GH. It is fast closing on 4:00 AM here in our fair city and the current temperature in my spacious office/music room is a world-class 72 degrees. Outdoors, the current temperature is 54 more chilly degrees. We are heading for a high of 72 today, and the chance of precipitation remains low until Thursday, when it increases to 60%. The view out the Weather Window is of necessity, dark, as befits this early hour. Sugar the Weather Dog is sleeping soundly and that means that the forecast must be correct, as Sugar is never wrong when it comes to the chance of precipitation.

Mary and I spent some time in the back forty today. Mary finished her farming activities, at least for today, and I did some cement work on the outdoor entrance to the man-cave. Nothing fancy, but something that I felt I wanted to do as a way of forestalling the ravages of inclement weather.

Mary and I once again journeyed to the big box hardware/home store for some pillows and a new rose bush that Mary feels she needs to complete her flower garden. I tried to convince her that the placement she has planned is a place that a lot of snow gets piled in the winter, but she is adamant. So, she is on her own, because I don't want to take responsibility for plantings in that area.

Our sports report for the day is going to begin with the Bulls, because they surprised me by beating the Miami Heat, 93 - 86. Their next game is Wednesday night.  The boys in blue won a make-up game 9 - 2 over the Rangers. Their next opponent is the St. Louis Cardinals, a team that often has their number. The Red Wings stayed even in their series, with a win over Anaheim. The Tigers had the day off, and they are in first place in their division  as are my beloved Red Sox, who pulled out a win over Minnesota, 6 - 5. The Caps, lost big time to the team from the quad-cities, the River Bandits. Oh well, they are an "A" level team and still learning. I should mention that the Blackhawks lost a game on Sunday to a far more hungry team, from Minnesota. Their next game is tonight.

Otherwise, not much on tap for me today. I have a routine doctor's appointment this morning. Just following up on the results of some recent tests, renewing some prescriptions and that sort of thing. My knees are feeling great and that is as much a function of the treatments that I have been receiving as the warming of the outdoor temperatures. Whatever the cause, I'll take it.

I wish Barb luck in her upcoming bout with knee repair surgery. She has more rehab to face and I can tell you from personal experience, that rehab is hard work. It can take months to get back to where you want to be. There are good days and bad, but I'm sure that Barb knows that.

I was going to mention the trains here in GH, but I forgot. But since the sound of the train horn recently heard in the distance reminded me, I'll mention that the train is now passing by and it consists of two locomotives and several covered hopper and box cars along with some tank cars of unknown content. Not too long, but worthy of note.

One thing about GH in the early AM, is that it gets quiet here in the off-season before the tourists arrive. Plus at this hour, the staffs and denizens of the local saloons are all at home by now, and the early morning wait staffs at the local breakfast places are not yet about.

So, since it will soon be...Tea time and time to get ready for that doctor's appointment, I'll say Ciao for now.

Good evening GH. It is nearly 9:30 PM and I am listening to oldies radio on one of the internet services. The current temperature here in my office/music room is 76 degrees. whereas outdoors, it is a very comfortable 71 degrees. No precipitation in sight.

Mary and I journeyed to the big box hardware/home store this morning/afternoon. Anything that could go wrong on our trip happened. Well not anything, the car ran fine. But, we got caught in the back-up on the drawbridge as a large boat was traversing to the "Big Lake" via the channel from the smaller lake to the east. Since we got stuck in the lane that only lets you go to the next town over, we decided to go through that town and then the next as we traveled to the big box store. Unfortunately, there was a huge motorcycle rally in that town, so we got stuck in traffic there too. We finally made it, and Mary almost turned back because the parking lot at the store was very crowded.

Once inside, Mary picked the fans that she liked, but wouldn't you know it, they only had one in stock so we had to order two for delivery to the store later this week. Of course, Mary and I got separated in the big box store. Finally, we made it to the garden center, together, and found all the things that we wanted. But once again, we got stuck in traffic within the store, as the cashier couldn't do anything without a manager's approval for something. So, as the checkout lines backed up, we had to wait. So instead of the trip taking less than an hour, it stretched to nearly two.

Back on the road again, things went well. We decided to stop for lunch and ended up staying longer than planned. So much for gardening today. But, there's always tomorrow.

In the world of knitting, I am having difficulty as I noted in my last blog. I put my name into the forum for my knitting machine. I hope someone there has a suggestion. Otherwise I'll be starting over once again.

In sports, the boys in blue were swept by the the Reds and are still firmly mired in 5th place in their division. Now that the Astros are in the American League, there isn't even a team that is worse. The Tigers hammered those same Astros, 9 - 0. The Red Sox fell to the Rangers in a close game 3 - 4. The Caps fell in a heart breaker to the Quad Cities River Bandits, 4 - 5. On the bright side, the Chicago Bulls advanced in the playoffs as they beat the Nets last night, 99 - 93. Unfortunately, their next opponent is the reigning NBA champions, the Miami Heat. I am afraid it is time to say "Wait until next year." Oh, the Blackhawks lost in OT to the Wild. Ouch! In NASCAR, David Ragan avoided a last lap wreck and won. As usual, too many crashes in these races. Oh, in spite of our predictions, Steph, Adam, Mary, and I missed picking Orb as the winner of the Kentucky Derby. Better luck next year. As I recall, Steph correctly picked last year's winner, I'll Have Another, so she is 1 out of 2. In baseball, that would make her a 500 hitter!

Well, too much to do tomorrow, so I'd best be on my way. Ciao

Good early morning GH. The current temperature here in my office is a very comfortable 70 degrees. Outdoors,the temperature is a bit lower at 59 degrees. According to the forecast from the National Weather Service, we are heading for a high of 72 with a minimal chance of precipitation. Sugar the Weather Dog spent some time in her hide-e-hole, as we did have some rain yesterday afternoon.

Mary and I went to the grocery store yesterday. I think that she likes to take me along because I am willing to run the cans through the redemption machine. She says she likes company, but if I were like Sugar, and had no thumbs, I doubt that I'd be as good in the company department.

We picked up a few things, and came home to drop them off. I was concerned that the concrete work I did on the outdoor entrance to the man-cave earlier in the day would be ruined by rain, but it survived nicely.

I had to start over on my knitting machine. I dropped a stitch somehow, and although Mary is an experienced knitter with needles, two, four, and circular, she has very limited experience with a knitting machine. The instructor on our knitting cruise last year showed me how to fix dropped stitches with needles, but nothing I could remember would have helped. Oh well, at this rate I should become an expert with the machine very soon.

Otherwise, Mary and I plan to go to the farmer's market today, the first of the year. No real needs, but Mary would like to get a tomato and a pepper plant for her container garden. That is the only thing about growing your own vegetables. You have to wait from 65 - 80 days for tomatoes. That is one good thing about lettuce, it matures more quickly and you can plant it sooner.

In sports, today is the Kentucky Derby. I'm waiting for Steph and Adam to get back to me on their picks. Black Onyx was a scratch, but the chance of winning for a 50 - 1 shot weren't very good anyway. The boys in blue dropped another one. The Red Sox got smoked by the Rangers, 7 - 0, but they are still solidlyn first place in their division. The Tigers squeaked past the Astros 4 - 3. The Caps had already played and lost earlier on Friday as I reported.

So, time for bed again and then...Tea time accompanied by what Mary has proclaimed her best effort on banana bread to date. I'll be the judge of that! Ciao.

Good afternoon GH. Yes, I said afternoon, because I didn't get around to blogging until now. We have a current temperature of 75 degrees, surpassing the predicted high of 70. Mary and I walked Sugar the Weather Dog over to her doctor's appointment this AM, wearing what was supposed to be the appropriate weight clothing. Sugar was happy until the vet tech squirted the bordatella booster up her nose. But now she is good to go for boarding and the like. When we do more traveling, we'll get the appropriate dosage of tranquilizers for Sugar, with the guidance of the vet.

We had the electrician over yesterday to fix the sagging ceiling fan. Unfortunately, he had bad news. It wasn't like the last one in the kitchen, this one had a problem with the hanging mechanism and must be replaced  Oh well, now Mary feels as though we need two, because they are effectively in the same room and should match.  She is likely right, as she so often is.  Looks like a trip to the big box hardware store is in order.

We had a short train last night, but I didn't feel like getting up, that's why this blog is late in coming.

Had a nice reply from Steph late yesterday. I was thinking of her because I had found some candy in my drawer that is from the company that she works for. Plus, the Kentucky Derby is tomorrow. Coverage begins at 11:00 EDT/10:00 AM CDT, but the actual race is at 4:00/3:00. I just had to know if they were celebrating. When combined, the two made for a powerful reminder. And, Steph is always on my mind, because whenever I am downstairs, I go by the bedroom that she and Adam share. I can email with Adam anytime, Steph, not so much.

In sports, the Tigers beat Houston, again.  The boys in blue, not so lucky, again. My beloved Red Sox, behind Ryan Dempster, beat the Blue Jays 3 - 1 to remain in first place in their division. One side of me wants to thank the GM for trading Dempster to the Red Sox, the other side wants to hate him for that trade. Is this a love/hate relationship? The Caps, dropped a heart-breaker to the Kernels earlier today. Oh well, wait til next game, Saturday at 6:35 PM.

Otherwise, not much is happening. I finished my latest book yesterday, and if you are into eating out, then there is much to be said for how to spot good and bad places. While some place are in the fine dining category, they are not into fine treatment of their staffs. But not to worry, there are a lot of good ones too, you just have to keep your eyes open.

Oh well, enough said for now. I have to finish the laundry and then spend some time with Sugar and Bridget on the deck. No "Bone Zone" for Sugar today, as she doesn't tolerate the effects on her delicate Corgi digestive system. Good for her teeth, but not so much for her internals. Another love/hate relationship I guess. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It is 80 degrees in my office/music room and 61 outdoors. I made an executive decision to open the windows and turn off the heating system for now. I once had a colleague whose husband turned off the heating system by April 1st and didn't turn it on again until November or December. I think, and thus I am late. Our forecast shows 70s and 60s over the next few days, but showers may appear by late this afternoon, and T-storms by Friday. Sugar the Weather Dog will let us know.

Mary tells me that I missed a really long train earlier. I think I remember hearing it, but I was tired from all the work I did outdoors today, so I didn't bother getting up.

Speaking, of outdoors, I made an attempt at creating those natural trellises I mentioned the other day. Since I am not generally the artistic type and since I had only branches to work with, they are what they are. With Mary busy, I didn't have any help with the knot tying, so she may have to assist after the fact.

In my never ending quest for all things free, I scored another new one on Wednesday after receiving one earlier last week. That's the one shown below. I have included a couple of pictures. Adam might say I was cheap, I would say I am being frugal. That's what allows me to have an electrician when I need one instead of having to go the DIY route.

This is one of the things I received from the fine folks at AARP. Big enough for a sandwich and a can of soda during a trip to our state park of world renown.

As you can see, the word "Free" is prominently part of the description for this collection of CFL bulbs. I picked them up yesterday at the local power company. They were previously out of them due to high demand, and in fact, they had already used up many this time too. I think this proves that I am not alone in my pursuit of all things free.

The item above, "necessitated" my getting the bicycles out of the man-cave for the season and filling the tires with air. Of course, in order to store the bicycles later, I had to pull the branches that I mentioned earlier. That's one of the reasons I had to build those trellises. However, in the process, I discovered that the Clematis plants are still growing, they just got stunted a bit during last year's drought. Mary and I are excited by the progress that our collective gardens are making.

We have the electrician scheduled for today. Since his last visit, the ceiling fan in Mary's office has taken on a look of "looseness." He'll know what to do. This time I promise to walk the dog while he works. I don't want to become an "electricians's groupie." Still, I have always enjoyed watching people with skills work. I have been on that side of the equation, so I have an understanding.

In sports, the boys in blue won, 6 - 2, but they are still a sub-500 team. The Tigers win streak ended at the hands of the Twins. The Red Sox blew out the Blue Jays 10 - 1, behind a solid eight strikeout pitching performance by Clay Bucholz and two monster home-runs by Mike Napoli. In addition, Big Papi is still on his hitting streak, which has been extended to 22 games. Today, the Red Sox send former Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster to the mound to keep their streak alive. Dempster is enjoying the best strike outs per nine innings pitched, at 12.5 /9, since 2005 when he was with the Cubs. The Caps were victorious over the Kernels of Cedar Rapids. While not having a stellar season they are still doing well and only two games under 500. That's better than the boys in blue.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Wednesday was May Day.  Not that that fact is unique to this year, but it is the anniversary many tings in the world. 

So, that 's all for now. It will soon be time to get up and await the electrician's arrival as well as...Tea time. 

Good morning GH. It is currently 77 degrees here in my office/music room and it is 68 outdoors. In short, it is great. We are expecting a sunny high of 79 today. Not bad.

Mary's lettuce is beginning to sprout in her deck planter, also not bad. I was surprised that my baking yak wasn't baking too much on Tuesday. I guess that although I am older, I can occasionally do some things like I did on Monday without long lasting aches and pains. I even took time to fill her smaller planters on Tuesday, and she promptly planted some seeds in those. She still has a couple of plants to go, but she is mostly there. Her tulips are beginning to show the start of blooms, and her plant that looks like parsley is blooming.

Sugar the Weather Dog is sleeping soundly in the other room. With the early morning t-storms we had on Tuesday, she spent some time in her hide-e-hole as expected.

I started reading a new book that I picked up at the local library, called Behind the Kitchen Door, by Saru Jayaraman, with a forward by Eric Schlosser, the author of  Fast Food Nation. This book is about the inequities to be found in the food service industry, from the foods themselves, to the treatment of many workers. An interesting read.

A short train report. We had a train at 5:30 AM on Tuesday, and another at 2:30 AM today. Clearly, no rhyme nor reason.

In sports, the boys in blue lost again, and the Red Sox, unfortunately, lost to the Blue Jays. The Tigers shellacked the team from Minnesota 6 - 1. The Caps, lost to Beloit. Oh well, there is always today, for our Michigan teams.

Otherwise, I have nothing special planned for today. Reading and sitting on the deck, and not much else, I hope. Sugar did get outside to the "Bone Zone," but I didn't give her a bone to chew. Too many bones spoils the Weather Dog I say.

Mary and I journeyed to Holland on Tuesday, but what Mary wanted wasn't available in the stores there. However  it was a good day for an outing. It was interesting how much the temperature changed as we journeyed. Warmer in Holland, cooler here near the lake.

So, that's about it. Tea time in a few hours and then nothing much else. Ciao.