Good evening GH. I am a bit premature with this posting, but that's the way the ball rolls sometimes. I just finished watching some inane TV show, so I thought I'd sit down and write this blog. Just think of this as the early morning blog I would normally offer.

We have a current temperature of 33° as we head down to the overnight low of 21°, before we rebound to a post sunrise temperature of 23°, albeit with a 0% chance of precipitation for the next several days. Incidentally, the sunrise tomorrow will occur at 7:56 a.m,. and the sunset will happen at 5:11 p.m. Sugar the Weather Dog and I will take the morning constitutional in less than ideal conditions. I must say although the temperature today was warmer, the wind out of the west was a harbinger of things to come. The mist was being blown right in our faces as we walked westward. Still, we had a good time.

Mary wasn't able to accompany us, as she was busy printing out her latest project. When Sugar and I returned, it was time for the morning juices, flax seed capsules. Breakfast consisted of leftover deviled eggs that had morphed into egg salad sandwiches, with homemade applesauce on the side. Later we had more of the greens that Stephany had made for Thanksgiving, along with stuffing muffins, turkey for me, and everything smothered in Mary's delicious gravy. I had the lion's share of the greens, but that is fine with me.

That means that so far, we have had three meals from the Thanksgiving dinner that Stephany prepared. We are likely to get one more meal, and if you count the original meal, that makes five. Plus, there are still some mashed potatoes in the refrigerator and greens in the freezer. I am in heaven.

I just watched the southbound run of the twin locomotives. They were "deadheading" to borrow a phrase. and that means that they will likely be returning north with cars in tow. It is likely that I won't be awake to see that trip.

I got the laundry done today, all of it. Now I have to get busy highlighting Mary's nest indexing project. I started it and I like the subject matter. That means that it will be a labor of love. I still expect to be paid for my efforts. Once you work for free, you will be expected to always work for free, so I won't make an exception now or ever. My boss is too much of a slave driver.

Otherwise, I got in some time with the girls and that's a good thing anytime. In the next few days, I'll be setting up the Christmas tree, which means that I have to fit in painting the new ornaments. I'll be heading off to bed in a few minutes, and then I hope to sleep the sleep that I deserve. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:30 in the early morning on this dark night. Right outside the Weather Window, there is nothing to see. There is also a current temperature of 48° as we drop to the overnight low of 44°. When the sun rises at 7:54 a.m. the new dawn will bring a high temperature that will be about one degree lower than the overnight low that is currently predicted by the National Weather Service. By Monday, the high is expected to get to a not so balmy 23° under partly partly cloudy skies. Go figure.

We had a great holiday. We joined Stephany and Adam for Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. As is always the case, Adam laid out the various appetizers and Stephany outdid herself in the kitchen. Her dressing muffins, greens, my personal favorite, green bean casserole, and the mashed potatoes to which Adam gave  his blood, sweat, but no tears, were all excellent. Leftovers abounded. Stephany made extra greens just for me to have leftovers, and for that I thank her. We were fortunate enough to carry some leftovers home and I will enjoy all of them. In fact yesterday, we did, in fact, start the enjoyment. Mary made her gravy to add to the feast.

On the way home, we stopped off to pick up Sugar the Weather Dog and she was glad to see us, as we were glad to see her too. Once home, she immediately went to couch and was gone to the world. I was tired after our holiday activities, and so I retired to the La-Z-Boy for a nap. Two hours later, Mary woke me and we journeyed to the Post to have an afternoon cocktail and enjoy the conversation.

In between, the Wolverines of Michigan lost to the 28 - 42. We watched the start of the Spartans of Michigan State defeat of the Nittany Lions of Penn State, 34 - 10. On Friday, the Huskies of Northern Illinois University, handled the Western Michigan Broncos, 31 - 21, in a battle of MAC 10 rivals. Today, the Lions and the Bears have the day off. That's good for both teams.

Today is laundry day after Sugar, Mary and me take the morning constitutional. The predicted temperature will make for a great time, I'm sure. Then I'll settle in for the crossword and watch the laundry go round and round. Afterwards, I should find time to play with the girls. That should be enough for the day as Mary continues her work. I'll wait until Monday, December 1, to start the annual Christmas tree set up. Mary feels strongly that I shouldn't get started before the month of December. I like her thinking, but the major retailers got started a bit earlier than I.

The sun will set at 5:11 p.m., and then I will be ready for the day's labors to end.

That looks like it's time to say Ciao before the sun rises, so Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:00 a.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature of 21° as we await the rising of the sun at 7:53 a.m. Naturally, as the Earth rotates, the sun will set at 5:12 p.m. A 60% chance of precipitation is expected today, but that shouldn't cause any travel concerns for Mary and me. Especially me, since I don't have to drive. Saturday, the chance of precipitation falls to 40% as the temperature rises to 43°. Sunday we are supposed to get to 46° as people begin their long treks home from their family gatherings.

I had a great Thanksgiving. Mary worked, I walked with Sugar the Weather Dog, and then I went to work in the kitchen paring apples. Sugar the Sous Dog was there to assist, as always. As I prepared the applesauce, she was able to partake to of the apples I was paring. I also pared enough apples to make an apple pie. My pie was a scratch effort. I used no store bought items that weren't in their most basic state before I began. I have included a picture directly below to highlight my efforts.

For my first effort, I like to think it looks great and will also taste great. Photo courtesy of Mary.

Once I had cleaned up after myself, Mary came down and continued using the oven, as she baked a loaf of rye bread she has been working on for two days. Then she got to work on some deviled eggs. All in all, the kitchen was a busy place yesterday. Sugar the Sous Dog was ever vigilant to make sure that nothing went awry.

I found time to complete the crossword from yesterday's newspaper too, along with finding time to play the girls. In short, what a great day. I watched a small amount of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from NYC. Three hours was more than I could give to that activity. Then it was time for football. The Detroit Lions were victorious over the Chicago Bears, 34 - 17. As a transplanted Michigander I was torn, but I'm glad that a team that I follow won the game.

Today we'll be traveling south for Thanksgiving dinner with family. I have it on good authority that the greens are taking over the kitchen where we are heading. That's okay with me, because I love greens. I didn't know that until a few years ago, because greens were not something that my mother nor my maternal grandmother ever prepared. Of course, it wasn't that long ago that I discovered that I liked deviled eggs too. I used to eat just the egg whites from hard boiled eggs, But one day I reasoned out that if I liked eggs scrambled, I could eat egg salad and deviled eggs too. Even fried eggs are now in my repertoire. I still don't care for mushrooms nor bananas. Sugar the Sous Dog can always have my share.

That looks like enough for two or three days. Ciao.

This being Thanksgiving, I'll just be thankful and start out by saying, thanks to Mary, Stephany, and Adam, just for the sheer joy of having family. Thanks to everyone who helps out the homeless, the needy, the hungry, and any lost souls, whether animal or human.

That being said, I wasn't going to get up and blog, but sometimes the best laid plans, etc., etc.

Just outside the Weather Window, it is still cold and there is snow. More on the way, but I don't have to travel today, so that's fine with me. Sugar the Weather Dog and I will take our regular morning constitutional, if that counts as traveling. The sun will rise at 7:52 a.m., and set at 5:11 p.m., and nothing I do will change that. That in itself feels good and reassuring.

I got all of the housework done yesterday, so today I think I'll peel the remaining apples and make apple sauce. I may also take time to bake an apple pie, and since Mary will be upstairs and out of her kitchen, I should be able to accomplish that without interference from the "owner" of the kitchen. Sugar will be at the ready in her role as Sous Dog extraordinaire to lend a paw whatever I do. I will also find more time to play with the girls. Of course, I may also find time to watch the Lions and the Bears at noon after the annual Thanksgiving parades.

Yesterday, we had plans to go see those Christmas trees in Muskegon, but the pre-holiday traffic on the highway made us change our minds. Instead, we decided to visit Sally and the folks at the Post. Then it was off to the favorite watering hole for dinner. For the people who have tired of their families by then, the watering hole will open at 4:00 p.m. today.

So that looks like enough for me. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:30 a.m. in "The City." Our current temperature outside the Weather Window is 31 cloudy degrees. According to the National Weather Service, the temperature will not drop further under partly cloudy skies, however with a 10 mph wind, it feels like 21°. That's all before the sun rises at 7:50 a.m. We should be light on precipitation today, but on Thanksgiving that changes to an 80% chance of one to three inches of snow, and don't tell Mary, but that may be the same on Friday. Temperatures are expected to stay the same. at 31°. We have plans to travel on Friday, but neither of us is thrilled about driving in those conditions. Once again, a game-day decision.

I got bad news earlier on Tuesday. I got my few hairs cut, but my Barber, Joe, told me that December 18, will be his last day in his shop. He'll be moving his expertise across town for one to two months, and then he's off to Florida for a well earned retirement. That means I'll have to break in a new barber, close to home, and probably pay higher prices for my limited needs. Best wishes Joe.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, the floors got swept and washed in all the tiled rooms. Today, I have plans to finally get to that dusting and vacuuming that I have been putting off. Then I'll be done with my housework and I can get back to playing with the girls. Well, I generally find time for that activity everyday. I also have to get to work on some ornaments for our Christmas tree. That and work on my latest puzzle. Mary pointed out that for a retired guy and a work at home person we are certainly busy. I am beginning to understand why my late mother-in-law was always so busy. Work and other activities expand to fill your time in retirement.

On her part, Mary will be working on business activity while I am dusting and vacuuming around her. She spent about three hours the other night cleaning "her" kitchen Sunday or was that Mondays night. She professed that it was physically taxing. No doubt. But once I had changed the overhead light bulbs to some that are significantly brighter, the need for cleaning became all too apparent. As she says, she uses her kitchen, it is not a "Set" for a commercial or magazine. I am "allowed" to use it too. Naturally, it is also Sugar the Weather Dog's "mess hall" also. In addition, in Sugar's role as household Sous Dog, she spends nearly as much time there as Mary, certainly more than me.

Speaking of her kitchen, Mary made leftovers for lunch yesterday, and then using things that she had in her freezer and cabinets, she made a delicious spinach lasagna for dinner. This recipe is a definite keeper. Spices, tomato paste, and tomato juice were in there somewhere, along with the lasagna noodles, I believe. I just watched TV.

I'll be dong that vacuuming and dusting before the sun sets at 5:11 p. m. As I said, I'll get in some play time with the girls and then probably finish my novel. I am liking both the author's style and the subject matter. All of that will come after the morning constitutional with the intrepid weather dog. She didn't get a walk yesterday, and she wasn't happy about that. Both she and I will miss waving at Joe when we pass in the morning, and in the better weather, the afternoon. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 3:30 a.m. in "The City." That's the newly snow covered city Mary and I call home. Not really a lot of snow, but there is a chance for a bit less than two inches of snow total by the time this snow event ends. That's a lot different than the earlier alert which has since been revised downward from four to seven to that maximum of two inches. We have a current temperature outside the Weather Window of 30°, which will rebound to 32° as Tuesday comes into focus. Of course, that forecast is courtesy of the National Weather Service, who was also predicting one to three inches of new snow before the sun sets at 5:11 p.m. this evening. In short, like all the forecasts that they and I offer, it is subject to change.

Elsewhere on Monday, I awoke to the sound of a power shovel digging up the yard of the house two doors down. Apparently their sewer line needed repair. Sugar the Weather Dog was Sugar on the spot, and let us know that that was happening. Mary and I did a few errands after lunch, going to the shoe store and the big-box home store in Muskegon. Mary got new household slippers, I got light bulbs. That quick departure gave us the chance to avoid the latest storm front that moved in about 3:00 p. m. yesterday. The wind it blew, the snow it flew, and the temperature fell as the evening wore on. We had dinner and then, I went upstairs to watch TV, while Mary was cleaning the kitchen. In this case, I got the better part of the day's/evening's activities.

I also spent some time reading my latest fiction novel too, and I like the style of this author, Patrick F. McManus. This book was one I picked from the N.Y. Times Review of Books, titled Circles in the Snow. There are many earlier works in this series, so I should have another author to read.

Today, Mary and I will be walking to our hair stylists. Both of us will walk in the street to avoid the ice patches on the sidewalks. She will have to go about one-half block less than me. Her long hair will get styled, while my shorter hair will get cut. She'll pay more, I'll pay less, but my hair is a work in progress, while hers continues to grow.

I'll pick up today's Grand Haven Tribune, on my way home. Sugar the Weather Dog will have to go out on her tether, as I don't want to be pulled down icy sidewalks. I need the walk as does she, but I am too afraid of falling on the ice and snow that is now clinging to every horizontal surface in our fair city.

That looks like enough for yesterday and today. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 11:30 p.m. on Sunday night in "The City." The view outside the Weather Window is dark with a side of rain. That is a harbinger of things to come tomorrow. Our current temperature is 51°. When the sun rises tomorrow at 7:49 a.m., the temperature will rise to 46° from the low of 46°, with a 100% combination of rain/snow/wind. That's a far cry from the weather that we experienced today which was, mostly mild, some rain, and a good day to take a walk with Sugar the Weather Dog.

Tomorrow, the sun will set at 5:14 p.m., with little chance for a repeat performance in the weather department. Oh well, at least the snow was gone for a day. We can expect to see less than one inch of accumulation on Monday.

Mary and I have plans to go out and about again tomorrow, but that is dependent upon her work schedule ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. There is an exhibit at the Muskegon Museum of Art that I have wanted to see for three years, called the Festival of Trees which is only displayed for 10 days each year. It started on the 20th, so it will only run through the end of the week.

Today's errands included picking up the additional embroidery hoops Mary needed to complete our tree skirt, and I got the puzzle saver for my winter puzzles. Then we stopped off at the big-box hardware store to get some LED light bulbs and a clamp to repair my desk, which I will do tomorrow in the daylight. We decided that we like the LED bulbs and their brighter light so much, that we now need to get several more.

Mary worked hard on today's dinner, and it was excellent. It featured a Celebration Roast from the fine folks at Field Roast Products™, and some potatoes and carrots that Mary had on hand. I like the Field Roast™ products a lot. The taste is great, the texture is perfect, and their offerings are all natural combinations of fruits and vegetables.

After we get the bulbs tomorrow, we'll go to the museum and view the exhibits and perhaps visit a yarn store that we visited once before, but which may not be there any longer. That seems to be our luck with yarn stores lately. However, we won't know until we get there. Then it's home to the palatial estate for some rest and relaxation.

That looks like enough for tomorrow and a good description of today's activities. Ciao.

Good evening GH. It actually is evening, or late night if  you prefer. Since I took a nap in my chair in the media room earlier this evening, I am now awake to blog at an earlier hour. Not all bad I guess, but this has to stop. At any rate, it is just past 11:30 p.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature of 45°, and we'll be dropping to a low of 39° before the sun rises at 7:45 a.m. Sunday promises a 90% chance of more rain and a high of 51°. Sugar the Weather Dog likes the warmer temperatures, but she doesn't like not getting her morning constitutional. However, she also doesn't like the rain either. We'll have to see if we can get that walk done before the sun sets at 5:13 p.m. tomorrow evening.

Sugar might have gotten a walk this morning, but Mary was experiencing some eye issues, so we had to go to the eye doctor for a quick checkup. Everything turned out normal, apparently a consequence of her nearsightedness and her recently acquired 61 years of age. She probably won't like my mentioning that, but I like to report the facts, just like my police hero, Sgt. Joe Friday, badge #713, Dragnet, you know, the show that gave me my catch phrase. "The City", when he and his partner intoned each week, "Just the facts ma'am, just the facts."

The got the day off to a rousing start, from which we never quite recovered. We came home, had lunch and then Sugar went out on her tether. I retired to the Weather Office/Music Studio, and played the girls and read the end of my latest novel. I tried watching the MSU football game on TV, but with four possible channels from which to choose, none had the game. They were all showing Ohio State vs. Indiana. I bet there were more than a few upset fans throughout West Michigan.

So that;s how the day progressed. I spent the evening in the media room after Mary and I played a Scrabble™ type dice game. It was fun, but it soon wore itself out. As I noted earlier, I retired to the media room, and Mary stayed downstairs and read what she has called a great book.

Tomorrow the day will open more quietly, I hope. I know what it's like to experience odd symptoms that you have never experienced before. Sugar and I may get out for the newspaper we didn't get today and I may have time to read it. I'll probably start a new non-fiction book and then play more with the girls. The Lions are on at 1:00 p.m., so I may devote some of my time to that non-energy expending activity after the intrepid weather dog and I return from our morning safari. That looks like a good activity roundup. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 6:30 a.m. in "The City." Sunrise today will be at 7:45 a.m., just a short time from now. Our current temperature of 38° is as low as it will get. As the day progresses, we will see a high of 43° with a 90% chance of rain. Apparently we will miss the freezing rain due to our nearness to the shore of the "Big Lake." Tomorrow, the chance of rain will be 80% with a high temperature of 47°.

I'm not sure what the forecast portends for the morning constitutional with Sugar the Weather Dog. She likes the snow, but isn't a big fan of rain. I can't say as I blame her. Maybe I can convince Mary to take the constitutional as I have been under the weather myself the last few days. Mary convinced me to go out yesterday afternoon, and last night I was less than 100%. Oh well, that's the luck of the draw.

I made it to the dentist yesterday, and my appointment lasted all of 15 minutes. There are benefits to regular brushing.

Today, I plan to read more, play with the girls more, and maybe do that dusting I have not gotten around to, yet. Or maybe not.

Otherwise, I'll be going back to bed shortly and listening to the Saturday morning lineup on WOOD radio; Autotalk, The Pet Files, and The Flowerland Show. That will take care of the morning. Then it will be time for breakfast/lunch. I guess you could say that I plan to laze away the day.

The sun will set at 5:13 p.m. this evening. That's okay with me too. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:30 a.m. in "The City." The current temperature of 19° is not as low as we will get this morning. That's 11°. In addition, the temperature will rise after the sun comes up to a high of 32° with a 10% chance of additional precipitation. Saturday, the temperature rises to 41° with a 60% chance of showers. Sunday, we are expecting a 100% chance of rain and a high temperature of 45°. That snow shovel Mary and I went out to get earlier on Thursday isn't going to be needed for a few days. However this is only November. The fine folks at Ace Hardware, the helpful hardware place™ still had shovels in stock, so we bought one there along with some salt while they had that too. Last year, you couldn't buy a bag of salt as the winter wore on, and on, and on.

Mary and I traveled to the hospital for a lab appointment and doctor's visit. We also had lunch at the hospital cafeteria's salad bar. They have a great salad bar that is labeled as to fat content, nutrition, etc. Two salads were less than $9.00.

I was so cold early last evening, that I tucked myself into bed with my fleece on, and promptly fell asleep around 7:30 p.m. Later, I was so warm that I had to uncover myself. I've been down that road before.

Today I have a dental appointment, but I have to decide if it is a good idea to go. I may call the dentist and see if they think it is a good idea. It is hard to get an appointment, so I don't want to skip it if I don't have to do so.

I wasn't going to include a trainspotting report, but I'm up and the southbound train is going by, so here it is.
Two locomotives towing one box car and seven covered hopper cars. As Porky the Pig would say, "That's all Folks."

Otherwise, I don't have any plans for today. Maybe some laundry, but Mary may not let me touch that due to my feverish state. We'll have to see. The sun will set this evening at 5:15 p.m. At the rate I'm going, I may set with it. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:30 a.m. in "The City." A current temperature outside the Weather Window of 26° punctuates the windy conditions and blowing snow. There is a weather watch in effect until 7:00 a.m. Friday. Right now, we await the sunrise at 7:41 a.m. and the latest forecast, which seems to change hourly. That makes the morning constitutional an unpredictable experience for me. I don't know about the intrepid weather dog. 

I am supposed to go to the doctor this afternoon, but that is going to be a game time decision. I was out yesterday afternoon moving the snow around in the wind and so I have no particular desire to be outdoors. Sugar the Weather dog was with me earlier for the morning constitutional, and she liked the snow. I don't mind, but when you can't see the sidewalks and curbs, walking is difficult. I always come back spent from the activity. 

Once I was done with the snow moving, I walked over to the book store to get the newspaper. I thought I was done, but Mary had an insatiable desire to go out to a restaurant. I decided that if I was going out once again, it would be to the favorite watering hole. We had to stop for fuel, and that wasn't a pleasant experience, as I felt like a refugee from the Wizard of Oz. While there wasn't a "Twister", there was plenty of blowing snow to make the time spent outside less than comfortable. We watched the snow blowing past the actual window and on the virtual  electronic window while we were at the favorite watering hole, and it was good to be inside, away from a door, and out of the wind. 

I did get in some time with the girls and reading the newspaper, but the dusting was replaced by snow removal. Maybe today. 

I watched the northbound run of the nightly train go by a few minutes ago. The regular cast of locomotives was towing 18 covered hopper cars, apparently unladen. As they passed, they picked up speed easily, further proof that they were not loaded. 

I am certain that the sun will set at 5:15 p.m. tonight. About the only thing that is certain is the rotation of the Earth. All in all, unlike W. C. Fields, I'm glad I'm not in Buffalo. Ciao. 

Good morning GH. It is just past 12:00 a.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature outside the Weather Window of 21° as we drop to the overnight low of 14°. Not bad, considering we could be in Buffalo. Later today, after the sun rises at 7:39 a.m., we are expecting a high of 31° with an 80% chance of one to three inches of additional snow. Thursday doesn't look a lot better, as the temperature is not expected to rise above 23°, while the winds will continue to blow as they did today. In addition, there is another 80% chance of snow, this time in the three to five inch range. Some of that is subject to lake effects and other factors, so we'll have to wait and see. I have nowhere to go today, and that suits me just fine.

I started the snow removal process yesterday afternoon, but I decided to stop and let all of the snow come down. Unfortunately, that may be like carrying coals to Newcastle, given the forecast. I took time to wash Sugar the Weather Dog's couch cover after we returned from the morning constitutional. Between the snow shoveling and the walk, that was my entire outdoor activity yesterday. I don't anticipate today being a lot different.

I will get to the dusting, some additional laundry, more snow shoveling, and a short walk with the intrepid weather dog, if possible. More reading, newspaper and book, the crossword, and time with the girls. I found a song I like called Scotland the Brave, that was an offshoot from a song that one of the players at the jam session introduced last Saturday, titled Calling Doon the Line. Not strictly Irish, but enjoyable none the less. In fact, here are some links for both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ckK8wiFHA, the link to Calling Doon the Line, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GowMI4wvmU4, the link to Scotland the Brave, both performed by a band called Scocha. I have some work to do on both, but I like them.

When the sun sets today at 5:17 p.m., I'll be ready for more relaxation. I should have my latest novel completed by then, and that will be enough for one day. Mary has a conference call that I'll work around as I dust. Sugar will have to be OK with a short walk, as I don't want to use up too much energy. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "The City." Our current temperature is 19° as we head down to a wind blown overnight low of 13°. That wind is blowing at a steady speed of 20 MPH and gusting to 30+ MPH or more. That makes for some serious white-out conditions. The street just outside the Weather Window of the Palatial Estate, and coincidentally the location of the analog weather instruments that I use to forecast and report the weather from the Weather Office, is snow covered and deserted.

In the words of that old song, Baby It's Cold Outside, originally popularized by the late Dean Martin and the vivacious Doris Day, and since covered by many artists over the ensuing decades, "Baby It's Cold Outside." The digital instruments in the Weather Office show that the temperature inside is a climate controlled 64°. Later today, after the sun rises at 7:39 a.m., the outdoor temperature is forecast to rise all the way to 23°, as the snow continues to fall to a level of four to seven additional inches. The winds will continue to blow. Wednesday, the forecast calls for 31° and more snow, with a 70% chance of one to three additional inches. Yes, the wind will continue to blow. Much the same for Thursday. with a high of 25°. Do I sound weather obsessed? Probably, but that's what happens when it is snowing and blowing and cold.

I just watched the southbound train roll by. The usual twin EMD GP 38 locomotives, #s 2057 and 2019, towing a single box car, followed by 14 covered hopper cars, two of those dreaded black tank cars, and then seven more of the covered hopper cars brought up the rear. The train was shaking the ground as it made its way through our snow covered city, so I know that it was heavily laden.

On Monday, Sugar the Weather Dog and I took the morning constitutional as Mary went to the bank to complete her work transaction. As Sugar and I walked east, the winds were in our faces and we got cold, at least I did. Sugar seemed not to mind. We turned back at the newspaper office and headed home. We detoured through snow-covered Central Park, and then came home. Sugar thought that the weather was just fine as she sniffed her way along. There will be no walk this morning, in spite of Sugar's desires, and she will have to bear with using her tether.

I finished part of the laundry, and in the afternoon Mary and I went to get her new glasses adjusted after she finished her conference call. In addition, we went to the favorite watering hole on our side of the bridge, but we didn't stay long, as the view out the door and on the "Electronic Window" was a picture of, you guessed it, blowing snow. Home James, er Mary.

We watched some reruns of NCIS and then it was time for me to go to the Media Room and fall asleep. I woke up long enough to go to bed and climb under the newly added blanket that I had placed there earlier. I'll be back there soon.

Tonight after the sun sets at 5:17 p.m., we'll watch more of NCIS, first run this time, and then stay out of the cold. Sometime during the day, I'll play with the girls, and read. I won't be going outside. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It is just past 1:00 a.m. in "The City." I show a current temperature outside the Weather Window on my analog weather instrument of 32°, as we drop to an overnight low of 22°. That's according to the National Weather Service, whose forecast calls for a high today of 26°. In addition, they are forecasting a 70% chance of one inch of additional snow. By Tuesday, an 80% chance of snow may bring us three to five inches more, with a high temperature of 25°. Wednesday, another 80% chance of snow, no amount predicted. Oh well, the sun will still rise today at 7:37 a.m. and set at 5:19 p.m.

We had a good day. We got up late, I walked with Sugar the Weather Dog, and then I settled in and finished the crossword. I also finished my latest non-fiction book and pulled a fiction book off the shelf. It's by Jack Higgins, The Death Trade, and it features Higgins' character, former IRA member Sean Dillon. I haven't started it yet, but should like it, as I usually do.

Later in the day, Mary did some work related things and then we walked to the Post to share some of my chocolate chip cookies and have a Bloody Mary. Naturally, my cookies were a hit. Going to the Post was a slow slog in the ice and snow. However, the return trip was somewhat easier as we took advantage of the ice-free sidewalks that are a part of Washington Avenue downtown.

Later this morning, Mary has a conference call related to her work and I have to take the morning constitutional. Before her conference call, Mary has to go to the bank for some additional information for her latest work project. Then I'll be settling in to read the newspaper, do the crossword, and then read my novel. What's not to like?

I watched the Bears defeat the Vikings, and then watched the Lions fall to the Arizona Cardinals. Sometimes football viewing uses all the energy you can muster. It did for me, and so I decided it was time for bed, until an hour ago. I typed some music and now this blog.

That looks like enough for one day's activities. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City", where we have a current temperature of 33°, as we drop down to the overnight low of 25°. As of now, the forecast from the National Weather Service calls for a high today, after sunrise at 7:37 a.m., of 34° with a 30% chance of snow. Monday a high of 28° is anticipated with a 70% chance of one to three inches of new snow, along with windy conditions. Tuesday, the chance of new snow drops to 60%, albeit with an additional accumulation of four to eight inches. Given the season, this is a perfect opportunity to say, "Take that with a grain of salt."

Saturday was a busy day. We listened to the morning radio programs, cars, pets, and flowers, and then got up to have breakfast. Sugar the Weather Dog had already come up for her morning treats. We finally made it downstairs, and it was almost time to go for my Irish Jam session and to take the intrepid weather dog for her morning constitutional. Mary and Sugar walked with me to the library and then peeled off to the bank and points west.

As I understand it, while I was having a great time playing music, Mary decided to drop Sugar off at home, go to the community center for her wreath, and then go to the medium-box grocery store for some things. By the time I got home, she and Sugar were spent, as was I, so we never made it to the Post for karaoke. We may make it there today for Bloody Mary Sunday, or not.

One reason to go to the Post is that I did get ambitious enough yesterday afternoon to bake chocolate chip cookies with Mary. I should have made half the requisite amount specified in the recipe, but since I didn't, I must share. There are so many cookies, that I must offer some to the people at the Post or eat them myself. While I love chocolate chip cookies, I don't need to eat them all. So like many foodstuffs, I'll share.

The MSU Spartans defeated the Maryland Terrapins yesterday afternoon by a score of 37 - 15. The Wolverines of Michigan had the day off. The Northern Illinois Huskies don't play until Tuesday night. I must mention that I thought that the defeat of the Northwestern Wildcats by the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame was a done deal. However, miraculously, the Wildcats pulled out a victory over the Irish, 43 - 40.

 I thought it was just me, but the topic of baseball came up at our jam session yesterday. I guess that comes when it is cold and snowy. As we all know, "Baseball is life!" As an aside, the boys in blue open against their rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, in a nationally televised game on Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. Some pundits think that this is a sign that the boys are ready for a prominent position in next year's playoffs. We'll see. As a long suffering fan, I've been disappointed for nearly 60 years.

Last night Mary and I got sucked down the wormhole that is the Hallmark Channel™. A twin spin of holiday romances and it was time for bed. I slept great up until about an hour ago. I could have gone back to bed, but my blog called out to me.

As I said, a short trip to the Post and then a return trip home for more Hallmark Channel or the NFL, as the Detroit Lions play in the late game today. Detroit is on the upswing while the Bears are treading water or losing ground.

The sun will set at 5:19 p.m. and then it will be time to repair to the media room for more TV viewing. Ciao.

Good evening GH. It is just past 10:30 p.m. on this wintry night. We had a bit of snow today, and more is likely due on Sunday. In fact, there is a chance that the snow will start on Saturday night and continue into Sunday. We have a current temperature of 29° which will drop to a low of 24° just before the sun rises at 7:35 a.m. tomorrow. Before the sun sets again at 5:21 in the evening, we should rise up to 32° with a fair amount of wind. That will be just warm enough to walk with Mary and Sugar the Weather Dog and get to my Irish Jam session in the afternoon. Today, I had to shovel the snow off the deck and the front porch of the palatial estate, again.

There is a Christmas Craft Fair at the community center tomorrow. Mary plans to walk there after she returns with the intrepid weather dog and purchase a wreath for the front door. That has become Mary's holiday tradition here in GH. Mine has become listening to holiday music. She'll be doing her thing while I am playing Irish music. All good by me, because I can take or leave craft fairs.

Earlier this evening Mary experimented with a new recipe for lentil/walnut loaf. I was told to evaluate her efforts. I proclaim them great. I would suggest that a bit of additional Worcestershire sauce would add some additional spice, but as it was served, it was fine. I'd also put horseradish on my serving, but then I'd put horseradish on just about anything. So Mary, the answer is, it's a keeper. Mary got to chop with Sugar the Sous Dog in attendance. Since the recipe has a large amount of chopped onions and garlic in it, Sugar only got to have some chopped carrots.

No trains are anticipated tonight.

I am listening to Christmas music in spite of Mary's belief that it is too early for that. I'd listen to this music all year long if I could. I might get tired of it, but I would like to try it. Chances are, that I would switch out to Irish music and big band music once in a while. Who knows?

Once I return from the Irish Jam, I plan to stay in  unless I decide that we should go to the Post for Karaoke. If the weather is ideal, in other words, no wind and no precipitation, I may decide to go. If not, I played with the girls a lot today, so I am musically sated. In any event I am ready for the jam session.

That's enough for today. Ciao

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. We've just passed 3:30 a.m. in "The City" where in the artificially heated weather office, it is 65 artificially heated degrees. Outside the Weather Window, it is 28° as we drop to a just before sunrise low (7:35 a.m.) of 26°. In addition, there is an alert that expires about one-half hour from now for additional snow. I don't see a thing, so I am guessing that the National Weather Service is wrong once again. Surprise! However, there is a 60% chance of additional snow this morning. Same National Weather Service, same results? Who knows? Saturday, the chance for snow showers drops to 10% with a high of 33°.

Earlier today, I took the morning constitutional with Sugar the Weather Dog while Mary waited for a phone call regarding her software download. It wasn't too bad, but in some areas, the sidewalks were snow covered and I reverted to my slowed winter gait to avoid falling in my winter shoes. Like the snow shovel I brought up from the man-cave, I had taken those winter shoes downstairs the day before. Prescient, kismet, or karma? You be the judge. I was able to use the snow shovel to clear a path on the deck for Sugar and me.

Mary got the request for her latest job assignment yesterday. It looks like an interesting book, for both of us. For me highlighting will be a two color effort of joy, while for Mary it will be an exercise in work, mostly.

I never got to the girls nor the book reading, as we didn't get up until 1:00 p.m. Such are the hazards of retirement. I did finish the laundry, well mostly, as it still needs to be put away. The crossword was an exceptionally tough one for a Thursday puzzle. We also got the call for Mary's glasses, so we journeyed across the bridge to retrieve them. While there, I borrowed a soup cookbook to try some recipes. I'll return it on our next trip to the store. Like I often say, if it's soup, I'm there.

Mary will need an additional adjustment on her glasses, not unlike the one I needed today to get mine fitting just right. Like me, she seems to be seeing better, but it takes a few days to get used to new glasses. In addition, we picked up the requisite rebate receipts to receive a $10.00 rebate for each pair of glasses. As always, if it's free, I'm there. Free being a relative term, given the cost of the glasses. I just put those rebate requests in the mail box.

I just watched the 3:30 a.m. train pass by heading north. Twin locomotives #s 2109 and 2057 in the new livery, were heading north towing 14 covered hopper cars. Judging by the lack of rumble, the cars were empty.

Today, I'll take another constitutional with the intrepid weather dog, pick up the newspaper and then settle in for some play time and reading. That's after I do today's crossword. That may not happen until the early afternoon, since I have no need to get up early. Once again, the hazards of retirement. That leisure time will vanish once the new project comes in, but I have a short respite.

Otherwise, not much is happening. The snow will fall, the walks will freeze, and I'll go to the Irish Jam session tomorrow. Tonight, the sun will set at 5:21 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City." I got up to look out the Weather Window, only to see the first significant snowfall of the season. Unfortunately, it is November 13. We have a little over 6/10 of an inch on the ground in anticipation of one to three inches of accumulation today. The snow is falling heavily now, and the first snow is always beautiful and refreshing. Especially if you don't have to drive to work or school. Not really enough to shovel or otherwise remove, but enough to make things slippery. As is all too often the case, people will have forgotten how to drive in the snow, and crash reports will become part of the news. We'll likely see the obligatory videos of salt trucks, cars in the ditch, wreckers, and people telling us it's cold out, drive carefully, etc. We plan to stay in today. The sun will rise at 7:33 this morning.

After walking with Sugar the Weather Dog, and doing some things at home, we ran several of our errands yesterday. My new glasses came in and so we picked those up after going to the inexpensive everything store. They had a sign up at the register that they will be open on Thanksgiving. That incensed both Mary and me. If you don't know two weeks before the holiday that you need an aluminum foil roasting pan, a can of green beans, or heaven forbid, a box of stuffing, a can of gravy, or whatever else people manage to forget, then you shouldn't be preparing a dinner that involves a hot stove and hot grease. Mary sent a missive to the corporation that operates those stores. It won't help, but at least they know how we feel. Just saying.

We followed that stop with a visit to the optometrist. My new glasses fit great, I can see better than I have in a long time, and while not in keeping with my usual status of the "World's Cheapest Man", they are worth it. Mary's glasses are not in yet, but should be soon. We won't get them today if they come in, because we won't drive in the snow. We also made it to the small grocery store on the other side of the bridge, where I got to return cans, some of which the machine wouldn't accept due to their lack of a Michigan return label. We got the beverage there, so that seems odd. I guess I'll have to avoid that particular brand of ale from now on.

We reversed the above procedure and went back across the bridge to visit with Sally. We decided that with the weather forecast, that it was the best day to do a visit. Sally had prepared a nice pasta salad which she shared with us. We then departed for home, where we had the salad for dinner as a side, and it was great. Then it was time for the evening news and also time for bed. Sugar had her final out and I went off to the media room and a bit of TV. Then I was ready for bed.

Today, the sun will set at 5:21 p.m. with the snow tapering off. Of course, there is always that chance of a rogue snow shower, but nothing I see on the radar indicates that that will be the case. A long way of saying that if Mary's glasses come in, we should be able to get them on Friday. I'll do some reading, playing with the girls, and walking with the intrepid weather dog. Plus, I'll finish the laundry. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City." We have a current outdoor temperature of 34°, before we hit our predawn low of 30° just before the sun rises at 7:33 a.m. Right now, we have a waning gibbous moon showing outside the Weather Window. Here in the indoor
Weather Office, not to be confused with the local television station that has an outdoor Weather Deck, it is 66 digitally reported degrees. Later today, we are anticipating a high temperature of 34° with a 70% chance of snow. Thursday, the chance of snow decreases to 60%, albeit with a possible accumulation of one to three inches.

Mary got her lettuce covered last night. She also wouldn't let me bring the snow shovel up from the man-cave. I guess that it is her belief in karma or kismet when it comes to keeping the snow at bay. I still have to get it out of storage, no karma or kismet for me. The snow will probably be short lived, but I'm not ready on November 12.

Elsewhere in our fair city, Mary, Sugar the Weather Dog, and I took the morning constitutional yesterday in the face of a hurricane west wind. Thanks to Gordon Lightfoot for that line. Sugar, in true dog fashion, needed to stop at every tree, bush, and pole to check her messages. She replied to the important ones.

I heard the southbound train earlier, about 12:15 a.m. The northbound train just passed at 2:57 a.m. Two locomotives sporting the new livery, #s 2057 and 2019 respectively, were towing nine covered hopper cars, one white tank car, then two additional covered hopper cars, as a white tank car brought up the rear. I could tell from the speed and the lack of the ground shaking that comes with many trains, that it was unladen.

Mary made pumpkin lasagna for dinner last night. She must have thought it could be better, judging by her comments, but I liked it. Plus, more pumpkin was being used up. I also had a piece of the pumpkin pie for dessert. I'll have to ask in the morning if she stored some of the apple sauce in the freezer. While I like homemade apple sauce, I asked to skip it as the side with yesterday's lunch sandwiches. I know it will be back. Sugar will continue to get pumpkin as part of her breakfast. She likes it and it's good for her delicate Corgi system.

I got in some time with the girls yesterday, and I plan more today. Saturday is the monthly Irish Jam session, and that means I need to be ready, thus the playtime.

I was listening to the national news at the top of the hour. One item caught my ear. Two GM plants here in Michigan will be laying off about 500 workers, due to the slowing demand for small cars. That slowing is due to falling gasoline prices. People are way too fickle. If you own a large car already, fine. But to buy one based on current gasoline prices seems like a bad idea.

Today, I'd like to get out with the intrepid weather dog. Mary will probably accompany us for that shortened sojourn. I'd also like to get out for a trip to a local store for some things that we'd like to get from the local inexpensive supply store. But that can wait. I do have to do the laundry.

The sun will set  at 5:24 p.m. and then we'll have a cold evening. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:30 a.m. in "The City", where the current temperature is 56°. We'll be dropping to the overnight low of 49°, which will also be today's high temperature after the sun rises at 7:30 a.m. A 90% chance of showers is forecast for today. By Wednesday, the forecast drops the chance of precipitation to 10%. Thursday, the temperature will not leave the mid 30s accompanied by snow showers. All three days will also have winds in the upper 20 mph range. Fall is definitely over. I did get the lawn mower exchanged for the snow blower too.

Mary and I continued our shared book yesterday, and it is interesting. I also began my own non-fiction book, The Bill of the Century, by Clay Risen. The shared book is about the founding fathers and their politics, their science, and their scientific approach to life in the colonies. My book is about the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the events and people who helped make it a reality. Both books are fascinating.

First thing in the morning yesterday, 11:00 a.m., I sat down with the girls, while Mary stayed in bed. One hour later, it was noon and it was finally time to get on with our day. Mary finished up her index editing and I read after we went walkabout with Sugar the Weather Dog. Later in the afternoon, we went walkabout again, this time sans the intrepid weather dog. We ended up at the favorite watering hole. We both decided that the weather wasn't going to get any better as the week wore on.

Home for some television watching and then it was my bedtime. That's when I had this weird dream about a stand-up comedian who was doing a bit about indexers. I was in the act, but I don't remember in what way, except that I know I assisted in getting everybody to hold up their index fingers and that's about it. What I do know is that the audience was composed of people who didn't have a clue what an indexer is or does. Very strange. Not that people didn't know what an indexer is or does, but that a comedian was doing a bit about about indexers.

Today, more play with the girls and more reading after trying to coax Sugar the Weather Dog out into the rain that is supposed to last all day. If she won't go, I won't force the issue. Who needs a wet and grumpy dog? I'll probably do some laundry before the sun sets at 5:24 p.m. Then more television viewing before the day ends. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City."

I'm going to start out with the Trainspotting Report, because the train that rolled through at 5:00 a.m., was the catalyst for my being up now. I had planned to stay snug in my bed, but the train whistle sang out and I couldn't resist it's siren song. Twin EMD GP 38 locomotives, #s 2057 and 2019, went by at a moderate rate of speed, towing a total of 35 mixed cars. One box car, then two covered hopper cars, followed by another box car, followed by 31 additional covered hopper cars. Not a long train. I was up late enough to have heard the southbound train and yet, I didn't. The covered hopper cars were showing their age. One still had New York Central livery and many were so rusty, that they should have been retired years ago.

On to the weather report. The sun will be rising at 7:30 a.m. today, to reveal the cloudy skies that are forecast to bring a 50% chance of showers this morning and a high temperature of 54°. Tomorrow, the precipitation forecast rises to 70%, with a high of 47°. Wednesday, the forecast for the descent of the Polar Vortex seems to be in our future, as the precipitation prediction changes to a mere 10%, but the temperature will not rise above 33°. Brrrr!

All that is my long winded way of saying that starting Wednesday, it may be time to limit the outdoor activities. Even though the wind will be blowing, Mary and I will  walk with Sugar the Weather Dog to get the morning newspaper. Mary suggested that our rain pants would make excellent wind-breakers for the walks on the windy days.

Speaking of Mary, I told her yesterday morning that it was time to use some of that pumpkin I baked on Saturday to make a pie. I said I could make the filling while she made the flaky crust. Our collective pie became mostly Mary's pie, while I became a spectator, as she took over most of the kitchen activities. Sugar filled her usual role as Sous Dog, but I became the second string Sous Chef, while Sugar fell to third string. I think Sugar did better than me. The resultant pie is not quite ready for prime time consumption. The crust is flaky and the filling has a nice taste, but I think that the pumpkin that I baked would be better suited to  being a side dish than a pie filling. The consistency is not quite up to expectations. Here is a picture of that pie as it cooled on the shelf in the mud room window.

As I said, good taste, but not yet ready for prime time consumption. I am not discouraged. Mary has surmised that we need to reduce the amount of additional liquid due to the higher water content of this particular variety of pumpkin. We can try it and see what happens. I also feel as though we should increase the amount of brown sugar to compensate for the lack of natural sugar. 

Today, we'll get that walk in with Sugar and then settle in to read more of our collective book as well as the non-fiction book that I am now starting, since I finished my latest pulp fiction novel yesterday. I have more fiction to read, but I am reading in the order in which I picked up the books. Mary has some editing to do on a previous index. I also hope to find time to play with the girls. That should be a full day. The sun will set at 5:26 p.m. and then it will be time to relax. Ciao. 

To borrow a line from the Wizard of OZ, come back tomorrow. My thought processes are out of whack. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City." Just outside the Weather Window, it's cold. Well not cold by the standards of next week, but cold. However, when the wind isn't blowing here in GH, the temperatures that have predominated for the last few days have been wonderful. Thursday night, when the winds were blowing at 20 mph, it felt cold to me. Today, we are expecting a high of 43° with an 80% chance of rain, and windy conditions. A good day to stay in and read. Tomorrow will be about the same. However on Monday, the National Weather Service has forecast that temperatures will stay the same, but the 60% chance of rain and snow does not sound inviting.

Friday I got all of the outdoor work done on the Palatial Estate. The patio furniture is covered and the deck is bereft of life, except for the lettuce that Mary is growing. She feels that it must be covered soon if it is to survive. I'd say that's not my problem, but somehow, her plans become my work. However, I made an executive decision to move the patio furniture and cover it myself, because it is sometimes easier to do that kind of thing solo.

Sugar the Weather Dog and I took the morning constitutional to pick up the newspaper, while Mary went to the library to pick up books. Mary then chopped vegetables to make broth from the vegetables that were in the drawer of the refrigerator, before they were too old to eat. That's one good thing about a slow cooker, you can make broth for the future and not have to waste vegetables.

Later in the afternoon, I got in a little playing with the girls and then we went to the Post to chat with Sally and enjoy some libations. Home to fee Sugar and then time for me to relax in the media room. I didn't last long, and I was off to bed.

Today, not much is planned and that's fine with me. Mary may go to the big-box grocery and all things store to replenish the vegetables, but that is something that I don't have to participate in today. I did my duty when we returned all the cans the other day, which is the only real function that I have in a grocery store. Fine with me. More time with the girls and more time to read.

So before the sun rises at 7:26 a.m. and well before it sets at 5:26 p.m., I'll be off to bed again. Ciao.

Good evening GH. It is just after 10:30 p.m. in "The City." This is an early start for me, but I just finished a book that I started a few hours ago, so I thought it was a good time to blog. Our current temperature is 39° under partly cloudy skies. We're heading for a low temperature of 29° by the time the sun rises at 7:24 a.m. By the time the sun sets at 5:28 p.m., we should have seen a high temperature of 41° under partly cloudy skies. Saturday and Sunday have a forecast that is not unlike today. Windy, rainy, and a high in the low forties. In short, great weather for Huskies.

Today, Mary and I went to the eye doctor for an exam and new glasses. This is the first time that Mary's glasses and mine were the same price. We made a few stops after that for groceries and some hardware items, since we were on the other side of the bridge. Naturally, we also stopped at the favorite watering hole on that side of the bridge too.

Then it was home for some reading, playing with the girls, and watching the TV. We went out for dinner, but once we were home, I retired to the media room and watched up here. That's where I was when I finished that book. I have another in that series to read. I also have three books to pick up tomorrow. Now that I have some free time, I can enjoy my pulp fiction.

I also got some good news today. My MRI scan came back clean, so I don't have to have another for two years. I have to time it right, because by then I'll be on Medicare and not on private insurance. So just before my birthday month, I'll call and schedule that scan. Like Adam says, I am as likely to suffer a setback as someone who never had a problem. That means that I may not schedule a return visit. I'll have to make a game time decision. What's not to like?.

We have no specific plans for tomorrow, and I like it that way. If the winds aren't too strong, we may journey to the Post in the afternoon. I also have to walk with the intrepid weather dog in the morning and pick up those books after that. All three activities are pleasure trips. Sugar and I will pick up the newspaper, Mary and I will read it, and I'll do the crossword. We may also find time to read more of our shared book.

So that's enough for today and into the near future. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." A long lasting look out the Weather Window shows that the forecast as provided by the National Weather Service is accurate, for once. We have rain falling on our roof and other places, in GH. In addition, we have light winds blowing. That doesn't always happen, the accurate forecast, not the weather itself. We also have a current temperature of 46° before we drop down to 43°. Friday we'll see mostly cloudy skies, but dry conditions. Saturday, the chance of rain zips back to 70% with windy conditions and light rain, just like today.

On Wednesday, Mary and I walked with Sugar the Weather Dog to that grocery store/butcher shop in East Town. Like Tuesday, the weather was perfect. Sugar hadn't been that way in a while, so she had many messages to answer. We came home to find a group of young people from the local school raking the leaves from the front lawn. They did a superb job. The lawn looks as though a vacuum cleaner was used. They are welcome back anytime. I finished up in the back forty and then it was time to read.

Later in the day, Mary and I walked downtown to a local merchant, Michigan Rag™, who had sent out a coupon for 33% off any one item that displayed the Lake Michigan Unsalted caption. Mary needed a replacement fleece with a zipper front and she found one, in pink. I had originally begged off, but she prevailed and so I went along for the walk. All together, I put in more than four miles of walking yesterday. I want to mention that Mary finished my afghan. It looks beautiful, is nice and warm while I sit and read, and it is done before Thanksgiving. What's not to like?

I understand that it is not unusual for a knitter to hate the finishing of knitted items. I can empathize, as in a similar vein, I liked to build things when I worked with wood, but I never liked finishing. Maybe it is because finishing an item means that it is finished and you have to start something new. However, Mary always has two, three, or more things going when she is doing crafty things, so perhaps it is just that she doesn't like to finish. According to the lady at the yarn store where she got the yarn for her personal afghan, and Mary herself, many stores offer services to finish pieces like sweaters or other articles that need assembly. Apparently, the joy is in the journey.

Today, we are traveling across the bridge to go to the eye doctor for exams and replacement glasses. Mine don't fit as well as I would like and I sometimes get eye strain headaches. Mary can't see to read with her glasses on. That may be due to the fact that she hasn't had new glasses in several years. That's probably because with her prescription, her glasses can be very expensive. We're going to a place recommended by Sally. While we are on that side of the bridge, we'll return that laundry basket that we don't really need.

When we return home, I get to play with the girls and read another book. I finished that last one and I liked it.

I heard the train earlier, but I didn't see it. At 4:22 a.m., the northbound run passed by, It consisted of, wait for it, two EMD GP 38 locomotives in the newest livery, #s 2057 and 2019. They were "Dead Heading." Adam knows that that means they were traveling without other cars or duties, as they returned to the yard where they originated.

The sun will rise at 7:24 a.m. and set at 5:28 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City." A current temperature under dark skies of 46°, predominates the forecast. Later today, after  the sun rises at 7:22 a.m., the temperature will rise to 50° with a 0% chance of rain. All of that changes on Thursday to a 90% chance of rain and wind in the morning, with a high of 47°. Friday we dry out again and the temperature will reach 42°.

Yesterday was good day for walking, and Mary and I did just that. We walked with Sugar the Weather Dog. We walked to the polling place. We walked to the Post for some scintillating conversation. We walked home again. With temperatures in the upper 40° and lower 50° range, it was perfect fall weather.

Today we plan to walk to the local grocery/butcher shop in East-Town. Sugar always likes to go that way, as long as she doesn't end up at her doctor. That won't be happening, so all should be good with her.

Once we are back, we'll finish the clean-up on the grounds of the palatial estate and then place the trash and remaining yard waste bags at the curb. Finally, I should have a chance to finish more of the book I am reading and also sit down with the girls. Sugar will spend some time on her couch. What's not to like?

The northbound run of the train roared past at about 4:15 a.m., and it consisted of the regular coterie of locomotives, numbers 2019 and 3885, towing 27 covered hopper cars, two box cars, and two tank cars.

Otherwise, not much on the agenda. The sun will set at 5:30 p.m., and then the day will settle into the regular evening routine. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." A current temperature of 55° will lead to an overnight low of 41°. We are supposed to be having light showers right now, but a quick look out the Weather Window tells me that the part of the forecast that included that prognostication is incorrect. Maybe later this morning the 60° prediction for showers will come to pass, but right now, zip, zero, nothing.

I heard the train pass by about two hours ago. It sounded long, and like the horn-happy engineer was at the throttle, but that is pure supposition on my part. I have not heard another train since, so I don't know what direction the last train was heading.

In other news, Mary and I made it to GR for my annual MRI. I don't have any results yet, and they may not be available for several weeks. However, no news is generally good news. If the radiologist in the MRI lab or one of the technicians had seen anything untoward, I am certain that I would have been on their "talk to" list right away. As usual, the nurses in the MRI lab had difficulty finding a vein into which to inject the dye for the contrasting view. I have been poked and prodded so many times over the last few years, that I took it in stride. Once the dye was in, I was done in another eight minutes. Since I got in early, I got out early.

I should mention that Mary and I stopped in the GR Downtown Market before going to the hospital. We had visited once before, about two years ago, while it was under construction, and it is now complete. A magnificent facility. Indoor gardens, test kitchens for food preparation and many different types of specialty food markets were in evidence. Since the market is situated in the midst of many different college and hospital campuses, the restaurants in the market were busy selling some very tasty looking foods. Cheeses, vegetables, meats, fish and pastries were all available. On Saturdays and during the summer months, there is also an outdoor farmer's market. GR is doing a great job of reinventing itself.

Not much is happening today. We plan to stay in bed and listen to the radio for few hours after the sun rises at 7:22 a.m. Then I will read more, play with the girls more, and Mary says that she will finish weaving in the ends of my afghan. It should be ready by Thanksgiving. We are still reading that book that we started about the founding fathers and their enlightened scientific approach to the governance of the fledgling country. It is entitled Gentlemen, Scientists, and Revolutionaries: The Founding Fathers in the Age of Enlightenment, by Tom Shachtman. We are liking it and learning.

We will get out to vote today, no hurry, and then it will be time to get back home, have dinner, and watch our favorite show on TV. That will be followed by the election coverage. No matter what your personal views, it is important to get out and vote. Shortly after the sun sets here at 5:32 p.m., the polls will close and we'll see what happened, both here in MI and around the country. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City" where the current temperature is a comfortable 50°. As dawn approaches at 7:20 a.m., it will drop to 48° before we see the sunshine. Once the day dawns, we'll see a high of 54° under mostly sunny skies. We're still on track for cloudy skies on Tuesday with an 80% chance of showers in the morning. So our trip to GR should be pleasant today.

As I mentioned previously, we'll be travelling to GR for my annual MRI. The tests require an injection of dye to get a contrast for diagnostic purposes. Otherwise, except for the banging that comes with an MRI, the test is generally uneventful. They always ask what music you'd like to hear, but when the machine is in operation, the music gets drowned out, so it doesn't much matter. Mary has her afghan project started, so that when she is in the waiting room, she has something to do.

We did get out in the back forty yesterday. Leaves raked and bagged and a new garden bed cut in. Mary wisely insisted that I stop after I had harvested the horseradish to preserve my baking yak, which isn't, by the by. Once inside, I washed the roots and fed them to the blender for chopping and mixing with about 1/2 cup of vinegar and a dash of salt. I got about 1/2 jar of Jax Prepared Horseradish in the end. I may get more next year, as Mary is going to give up some pots to the process. I was going to give some roots to Adam, but the last time I did, they didn't take, so I'll keep them for myself. You have to keep horseradish in a container or contained area, or it spreads like a weed. Mary likes how the leaves look, so that is a win-win for me. Still more to be done out there, but that can wait for a few days.

I have to call the doctor today to get the results from my tests. I got the abbreviated version late Friday afternoon, but apparently I need a retest on something, so I have to find out about further fasting etc. More blood, more tests.

The morning constitutional with Sugar the Weather Dog will take place as usual, and then we'll be off to GR. That will pretty much use up the day before we get back to the palatial estate. Sunset will occur shortly thereafter at 5:32 p.m., but that should be early enough to allow us old people to make it home before dark. We don't' turn into a pumpkins or werewolves, but neither of us likes driving after dark.

That's enough for today. Once home, we'll sit back, relax, and get ready to face that stormy weather on Tuesday morning. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City", where I have finally succeeded in resetting my watch for standard time. I'm glad I don't have to do that more than twice per year. But I digress. Our current temperature is 24°, which is as low as it will get this early morning. Today the sun will rise at 7:20 a.m. and set at 5:34 p.m., due to the changing of the clocks. Tomorrow, Monday, the temperature will rise to a high of 53° and Mary and I will be on our way to GR for that MRI scan. Since I have a 1:30 p.m. appointment, we have to leave no later than 12:00 p.m. to be there by 1:00 p.m., to allow for processing time.

Sometimes Mary is way ahead of schedule. and sometimes she is rather lackadaisical about getting out the door. Yesterday was an example. She wanted to go to the cook's store in Muskegon, so she waited until 2:30 p.m. to get out the door. We arrived at the store with five minutes to spare before their closing time of 3:00 p.m. Somehow she thought that they closed at 4:00 p.m. While I am not a real stickler for time in general, my years of following a schedule in a school setting made me punctual when it comes to being someplace on time. I also had to follow a schedule when I had a business to run. So for me, there are times when I press the throttle of life to get somewhere. Monday will be one of those occasions. I like that phrase, "Press the throttle of life."

At the kitchen store, we got the spatula that Mary wanted, but they didn't have the glass covered cook pot that she desired. All they had were expensive sets. On the way back, we attempted to get the salt for the driveway, but the store didn't have it in yet. I bet that they didn't have it in in North Carolina yesterday either, but wished they had. We did get a laundry basket that is probably going back. We also got two small grocery items that were less than the dollar amount of the cans we returned, so we got money back there.

Lunch had been a delicious stir-fry that Mary assembled from vegetables, tofu, and spices she had on hand. It was wonderful. I may even start to like mushrooms as long as they are prepared the way the ones in that stir-fry were done. Kudos to Mary for that. It was the overflowing rice pot that prompted her desire for that glass-covered pot when it boiled over. Electric stoves can be very tough to tame. Stephany seems to have them mastered, but we still struggle. Too many years of gas stoves I guess.

Today is yard work in the back forty of the palatial estate. Mary reminded me that with my MRI appointment on Monday, we won't be able to use the sunny skies and warmer temperatures then. Oh well, the weather today looks like it should be fine. So many leaves, so many bags, so little time, now that the days are shorter. But the skies will be mostly sunny, or is it partly cloudy?  We also have plans to cut in that new vegetable garden and cover the outdoor furniture. Other than that, we have no plans, except to continue to share an interesting book that Mary picked up at the library yesterday, and of course, to play the girls. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature of 31° as we drop to the overnight low of 27°, before we rebound to today's high of 44° under sunny skies. Tomorrow, will be a tad warmer at 49°. Monday promises to be warmer still, at 56° under partly cloudy skies. Those partly cloudy skies will lead to full cloud cover on Tuesday as the temperature falls to 51° with an 80% chance of rain. Mary and I had planned to rake and bag more leaves on the palatial estate tomorrow, but Monday looks even better weather wise. Plus, more leaves will accumulate by then.

Speaking of the weather, Sugar the Weather Dog and I went for our regular constitutional yesterday morning. Mary had some work to finish, so Sugar and I set out on our own. We were fine for about the first block, even with a steady head wind, when a gust strong enough to move the usually sure footed Weather Dog, blew her sideways. With her ears laid back and a determined stride on both our parts, we pressed on to the newspaper box. Once there we reversed our course, and with the wind at our back, we made it home in record time. After that, Sugar and I stayed in, while Mary went out for her influenza inoculation. At that time, the snow was blowing sideways in the strong winds.

When Mary came home, she suggested that we take a jar of potato leek soup to Sally at the Post. I said the if she planned to walk, I wasn't going. One walk in that wind for the day was enough for me. She said no, we could drive, so I agreed. Since it was getting late, we encountered the trick or treating children downtown. Then we needed to get home for the total of two visits by neighborhood children. I guess that the snowy, windy, wet, and cold weather deterred more visitors. More leftover candy for me. I feel like a kid myself with all of this Halloween candy that I can stash, dole out to myself over a period of weeks, and which I know that Mary won't bother, because she doesn't really like candy. Whats not to like?

Today, we are going to brave a trip across the bridge to take advantage of some 20% off coupons from the hardware store in Spring Lake. We'll also stop at the grocery store on that side of bridge to return the cans that Mary has "avoided" taking in two previous trips to the store. If I don't go, she doesn't take the cans. I'll get the newspaper while we are there and then we can head home for more down time. Mary has promised to weave in the ends of my afghan and then I'll be warm all winter in the media room. I'll read the paper, do the crossword, and then continue my next book. I think I like this author too.

The sun will be rising in a bit over three and one-half hours at 8:18 a.m. We have plans to listen to the Saturday morning radio show that we like until 10:00 a.m. before we rise. The sun will be setting at 6:36 p.m. and so will I. Don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed. Ciao.