Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:30 a.m. in "The City." The National Weather Service is showing a temperature of 70° as we fall to the overnight low of 66°. Of course, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. I'll take the forecast provided by Sugar the Weather Dog every time. Yesterday, she predicted rain for around noon, and she was right on. We had what has always been described as a "Gully Washer." Our intrepid Weather Dog and I got out before that happened, but it required an intervention by Mary to get Sugar on her leash. At that, our walk was short lived and we hurried home. Today promises to be sunny as does tomorrow. Both days forecast  is for a 0% chance of precipitation. Given the high winds, the heavy rains, and the tornadoes that visited MI on Monday, that's all good.

Today promises to be a much quieter day. Sugar and I will drop off a package at the shipping store and then get the newspaper. I wish that Sugar could fetch the paper, but that isn't one of her many talents. Maybe if the paper was in the shape of a treat or if it smelled like one, that might happen. On the other hand, she would probably chew up the paper on the way back. So, I guess that we'll continue to go to the newspaper office together and pay our fifty cents each day.  Once we get back, I'll take Abaigeal  to the guitar store for new strings. She seems to have a slight buzz in her "B" string, and the owner at the guitar store is said to be a real "Buzz Killer." I just have to make sure that he can get her done by Thursday.

Once I get home again, I'll finish the book I have been highlighting. Mary has been hard at work on her part, but I think that I have the better part of the deal. It is an interesting book, and one which has prompted me to check out some additional books written about the subject. I have about 50 pages of highlighting to go. Elsewhere on the estate, no watering required today. I should be good until Thursday at the least, and then we are expecting additional showers. I'll check with Sugar to be certain.

Speaking of Mary, I'd be remiss if I failed to mention that yesterday was our 41st anniversary. I am usually on top of important dates, but I have been distracted of late. Instead, Mary remembered this year. Of course, she still thinks that my birthday is on the 31st of August, so I'll take her memory as a flexible thing. Happy Anniversary Mary. 41 years is not as special as 40 and not nearly as celebrated as 50, but each year is better than the last. But I have no excuse. Next year I'll do better.

Sports was a mixed bag on Monday. The boys in blue took one from the Brewers, 4 - 2. The once front running Brewers are now one game back of the Cardinals. Alas, the boys are 12.5 games back, but they are looking better. My beloved Red Sox took it on the chin again, losing 3 - 4 to the Rays. At 60 - 77, their chance of a playoff appearance is very slim. Every other team, except the one behind the Sox in the standings, would have to become incapacitated. However, there isn't such a team.

The Tigers routed the Indians 12 - 1 to move four games ahead of the Tribe and to within .5 games back of the Royals. If the Tigers could just be more consistent, I'd be more comfortable. But I'm used to it, having been a die hard Cubs fan for so long. The Caps, even though they lost the last game of the second half of their season, 1 - 3 to the Great Lakes Loons, are on their way to the playoffs. They handily won the first half of the season, and now they face the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, ironic don't you think? On Wednesday night they play the first of a three game series.

Otherwise, no trains have been observed or heard. That was true until 4:20 a.m. Then the regular cast of characters appeared heading north. The regular twin pair of EMD GP 38 locomotives followed by 20 covered hopper cars, one odd tank car, three of those dreaded black tank cars, and three box cars.  All of them were under the throttle of that horn happy engineer. The view out the Weather Window is dark, with a side of dark. The sun will rise today at 7:07 a.m. and set at 8:19 p.m. Ciao.