Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "The City." A current temperature of 34° belies the fact that we have unexpected precipitation on the ground in the form of snow. Not much, but not in keeping with the forecast of 0% either. In fact, the current forecast calls for a high of 32° after the sun rises at 7:56 a.m., and long before the sun sets at 5:09 p.m. However, if the forecast is right, at least we'll have sunny skies later today. Sugar the Weather Dog and I are, or will be, happy about that. When we were out yesterday, the wind was blowing strongly out of the east into our faces as we walked home. However, the westerly winds today may also be less than pleasant.

We made it to my appointment at the eye doctor yesterday after running several errands along the way. While my prescription is accurate according to the doctor, she suggested that the prescription for the reading portion of my bifocals could be increased, so that is what I am having done. The new lenses should be ready in a few days.

Speaking of those errands, we had to stop in the big-box everything store to get some things that are not available locally. While they do have nearly everything, the dearth of assistance beyond the front door is a challenge. Needless to say, it was also too hot in the store for people dressed for the weather. They ask if you enjoyed your experience at the exit, but in between, you can't find anyone to help you.

Prior to that, we stopped at the big-box hardware and home center to return a defective item and to have a key made. The self-service key machine didn't have the blank we needed, so we still had to stop at the "Helpful Hardware Place", Ace™, in Spring Lake. If possible, I'll do all my hardware shopping there in the future.

At least when we were done, we got to stop at the favorite watering hole and then off to the Post for another libation or two. All good once we were done with our errands.

I almost forgot. At 9:13 p.m., locomotives #2019 and 2057 rolled by heading south at a good rate of speed. They were towing one box car, nine covered hopper cars, three white tank cars, a lone dreaded black tank car, followed by an additional white tank car bringing up the rear. The northbound train went by at about 12:02 a.m., but I can only speculate that it was of a similar composition.

Today, I get the day off from highlighting. I am enough ahead to get on to other things on my agenda. Other than a pleasure walk with the intrepid weather dog, I have nowhere to go and all day to get there. Ciao.