Good early morning GH. It is just past 1:00 a.m. in "The City." Our current temperature is 54° as we drop to our overnight low of 49°. Fortunately, we'll rebound all the way up to 58° as the day wears on. No rain in the forecast. Father's Day, Sunday, promises to yield a high of 75°, albeit with a 20% chance of rain.

I think I know why I missed hearing the trains. I happened to be awake at 11:15 last night, and I heard the northbound train go by. So it is likely that the schedule has changed and the usual gap between trains has changed too. It may have to do with the track maintenance that has been happening lately.

I got to thinking earlier about Father's Day, and what it means to be a father. For that matter, much of what I thought about probably applies to being a mother too.

When Adam was born nearly 40 years ago, I remember most of the details of that day, although not all. Time progressed and I will always fondly recall how he and I would travel about when Mary was sleeping, after having worked her overnight shift at the nursing home. Because I had a job that gave me Wednesdays off, I would say hello to Mary as she headed to bed and Adam and I would head out for some adventures. We visited surplus stores, bought new jeans at K-Mart™, and in general had a great time.

When I was working at the gas station, Mary and Adam would journey over and we would go out to a long since closed place called Pit and Pub. Adam would hang off the pinball machines and work the flippers ferociously before the pizza came. When I went to work at the automotive school, I would take he, and sometimes a friend along so that Mary could have some peace. I suggested that one Saturday he and a friend walk over about three blocks to the fire station. They did, and the firemen on duty let them try on coats and climb on the fire engines.

Later, after Adam had started school, I tried hard to be there for his extracurricular activities, both athletic and academic. My schedule didn't always conform to his, but I tried hard to be there. Once he got into his adolescent years, he and I would play basketball in the driveway and talk about stuff.

Of course, cars were and still are a big part of his life. He was two or three when one of our cars ran out of gas and I had to have him steer so that I could push the car to the gas station at the corner. It was only about half a block, but we didn't tell Mary until later, much later. We spent more than a few hours working on cars, talking about cars, and driving them. Car shows became a big part of our lives on Father's Day and even later in life, we still went.

Once, when he needed advice on a car and I was out of town with Mary, I remember talking him through the repair procedure for the brakes on his Mustang™. I've done that recently too. I miss the chance to be there when he has those questions, but with his job and my busy retirement, we have to do it more by email. Oh well, life progresses.

I like to think that Mary did a good job of raising Adam. I wasn't always there when he was a toddler, but I like to think that the man he is today, I had a part in creating. He is a good man, a good husband, and a great son. I believe that your children reflect you in many ways, both easily recognized and subtle. If you like who your children are, and I do, then be sure to thank their mother on Father's Day.

But I digress. In sports, the boys in blue lost once again while Jeff Samardzija was on the mound, 0 - 4, to the Pirates. The Tigers beat that other team from Chicago, 4 - 0. My beloved Red Sox are still in it, having beaten the Indians 5 - 2. But, they are still six games under .500. The Caps lost again, 2 - 6 to the Loons. Not to worry, they are still just one-half game back in their division.

Today, I have more highlighting to do. Mary needs to get her work done, so I have to do mine. We goofed off on Thursday, so today she needs to redouble her efforts. Sugar the Weather Dog and I spent time in the "Bone Zone" and on the deck respectively yesterday afternoon. I read, Sugar chewed, and all was good. I still need to read and play the girls more today more today. So, I think I'll stay up now and do some highlighting. We did the laundry yesterday, so all I have to do is fold the remaining things in the dryer.

When the sun rises at 6:05 a.m., I'll be in bed. When the sun sets at 9:23 p.m., I'll be in bed. You know what the proverbial "They" say about early to be and early to rise. Ciao.