Goods morning GH. At just after 4:00 am, it is currently 55 degrees as we head for a sunny high of 73. No showers expected until Saturday. Looks good for both Sugar the Weather Dog and me.

On Wednesday, our entire little family traveled to the farmer's market for some produce. I needed some apples and tomatoes and Sugar needed a walk. Once we returned, I just kept on walking over to the barber shop and then to the local grocery story to get all of the things that I needed for my afternoon's activities.

Once we get back, Mary made fried green tomatoes and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Then she went off to her office for work and Sugar and I repaired to the kitchen for some plain and fancy cooking. I had to sandwich in some laundry and dish washing since we had exhausted the supply of napkins and tableware.

Sugar in her customary role of Sous Dog, as usual, was a great help. First we made my world famous banana nut bread and got that in the oven. Sugar helped with the clean-up phase of the activities. Next, we began work on my soon to be famous potato, celery, and onion soup. The recipe was in a cookbook that Mary had on her shelf and I followed it exactly. Once the potatoes were washed and made ready, the rest of the preparation went smoothly. I have to say that the peeling of garden fresh potatoes, some the size of olives, took extra time.

Sugar and I finished and I sampled the results and I pronounce them good. However, I am not necessarily a good judge, because if it is soup, I am probably going to like it. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't like my mother's split pea soup. It is probably because my mother was often kitchen challenged, unlike Mary. Mary's creative side seems to emerge more all the time. I am impressed. Everything went smoothly, the soup was placed in jars for storage, and I even used the new knife with no wounds.

I was feeling good until it came time to put things away after I cleaned up. One of the chopping knives in the utensil drawer, the one with the twin blades, attacked me. Not as bad as the chef's knife that attacked Mary, but enough to make me a worse typist this morning with a band-aid on my finger. Fortunately, all of the first-aid supplies I procured for Mary the other day came in handy.

I got the laundry put away, and by then it was time for Mary to try out that recipe that I was going to do for eggplant Parmesan. Mary is right, I am learning, but this recipe was/is past my current skill level. After a little dual prep, and some baking time, we sampled our efforts and I pronounce them nothing short of fantastic. This one is a keeper, and another demonstration of Mary's skills in the kitchen. I do know that without my hands for assistance, she would have been unable to accomplish this outcome.

Today is mostly taken up with doctor's visits. Podiatrist, internist, and an MRI all in the same day. That means that while I will get some reading done in waiting rooms, but that will be the extent of my day's activities.

A quick sports report. Joe Girardi will be staying with the Yankees, so the boys in blue will be looking elsewhere for a new manger. The Pirates defied my prediction. They lost to the Cardinals so they won't be going to the World Series. The Tigers and the As face off tonight for the decisive game five in their series. If the Tigers win, they will face off with my beloved Red Sox, and get a chance to face either the Cardinals or the Dodgers in the World Series. If not, they go home and wait for next year. There is a certain familiarity in that phrase. More sports happened, but I'll wait on those.

A train went by just before 12:00 AM and that was early for a train on these tracks. Tea time awaits as does a morning walk with Sugar and all those doctor's appointments. Ciao.