Good morning, good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." The passage of a rather lengthy northbound train woke me up around 3:00 a.m., with that horn happy engineer art the throttle. I think he may have set a record for how long he could pull on the cord that activates the train whistle. I know the train was lengthy because I felt the rumble almost as long as I heard the whistle. I never heard the southbound train.

But I digress. The current temperature is 71° as we head down to an overnight low of 60°. By the time dawn rolls around at 6:12 a.m., there is a 40% chance of T-storms. I'll know for sure when I can't get Sugar the Weather Dog to go out later. I'll also get a better handle on the T-storms when I can look out the Weather Window and view the Weather Roof later. If all goes according to plan, no watering will be required on the gardens of the palatial estate. Which reminds me, there are green beans forming on our numerous pole bean plants, and cucumbers growing on their plants too. Tom is sporting multiple tomatoes, the kale is growing well and the three Pepes are all doing great. What a bountiful harvest we will have as the summer wears on.

Yesterday, I went to see the doctor regarding my baking yak. He had read the x-rays, then examined me in person finally, and conducted a few simple tests. Turns out that I have no structural damage, my pains are due to arthritis and the loss of muscular connections that followed my surgical spine repair four years ago. He prescribed an anti-inflammatory that is not as heavy duty as regular types of Ibuprofen, plus twice a week physical therapy for four weeks. I have a revisit scheduled in five weeks. Basically, I was told that if I can handle the aches and pains, I can't do any additional damage and therefore I can go golfing and bike riding. Like I've said before, retirement is hard work.

However, buoyed by the news from the doctor, I came home and vacuumed, did the laundry, made the bed, and then sat down to edit for Mary over the course of about four hours after playing the girls. All things considered, my baking yak isn't baking all that much. Of course, that is subject to change. I have my first P/T appointment later today.

Speaking of that extended editing stint, we got ready for dinner at about 9:00 p.m. last night. Since I didn't feel like going far, and Mary didn't feel like cooking, we walked less than two blocks to a watering hole near the palatial estate. Late on a post-Fourth of July Monday night, the streets and the restaurant/bar were very quiet. The next big influx of tourists begins to arrive next weekend, and then in earnest for Coast Guard Fest™., on the 26th.

In sports, the boys in blue went quietly into that good night, falling to the Reds 3 - 9. My beloved Red Sox went down too to that other team from Chicago, 0 - 4. They too will be waiting til next year. Sigh. The Tigers were off on Monday as they await the L.A. Dodgers. The Caps likewise had the day off.

Today, radio listening in bed, a walk with Sugar the Weather Dog, and a visit to the bakery. I have the newspaper to read from yesterday and then that P/T appointment at 1:30 p.m. While I was editing at my desk yesterday, Mary made Coleslaw and found the bottom of her kitchen. I vacuum, I dust, I wash dishes and mow the lawns of the palatial estate. I occasionally cook too, but that's if Mary will let me.

We are going to visit the Post later, as Sally has some bean soup for me. She says it is a new recipe and if I don't like it, I can consign it to the trash. It would have to be just awful for me to do that. When soup is involved, I'm your man. I think that that stems from my childhood. My mother served soup often. That's when I learned not to drink with my meals, and I still don't.

So, that's an old man's story, I'm glad you came tonight, you see a busted down old... Oops, I was channeling the late Harry Chapin there. His song, Corey's Coming, was on my lips yesterday as I played the girls before editing. Harry's song tells the story of an old man, Old John Joseph, a man with two first names, who works in a mostly empty train yard all his life He's waiting for the coming of Corey, a mythical/mystical woman who ultimately appears for the young man who takes over for old John Joseph when John passes.
Tonight the sun sets at 9:26 p.m. I'll be fast asleep by then. Ciao.