Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "This City." A current temperature of 49° will give way to today's high of 59°. While that's a bit cooler than we have been enjoying these last few days, it is much better than the current temperature in GH of 28° and their high later today of 36°. What is more worthy of note, is the forecast for tomorrow. Here, we'll be having rain in the afternoon, with a high of 66°, while in GH, they will be experiencing 18° temperatures and three to five inches of snow. As a singer that I like often says, "Oh what the heck, I think I'll just stay right here."

Speaking of right here, when we took the morning walk with Sugar the Weather Dog, the wind was blowing quite hard. That meant that Sugar got an abbreviated walk and we headed back indoors. Mary did take Sugar for an afternoon walk as I played with Abaigeal. Then, since the winds had died down, Mary and I took a walk that allowed us to check the various souvenir shops nearby off of our to do lists.

Then it was time to get some libations and head "home." We had a nice dinner that Mary put together from ingredients she had on hand. Sloppy Joes and potato chips were the result. What's not to like about comfort foods? Then it was time for me to head for bed. Too much walking? Too much libations? I don't know, but the result was that I was able to lie in bed and watch the transplanted TV in the bedroom. Therein lies a tale.

On Thursday, the internet was being unreliable, so Mary called the company and arranged for the technician to come out yesterday morning, as I noted in the previous edition of this blog. He came, and when asked, noted that the TV in the bedroom didn't have the capability to receive all of the channels available. So, with a little effort on my part, I moved the unused TV from my local music room to the bedroom and I was set. While the technician did clean up some of the connections, this computer had to be restarted earlier this morning, so not really a complete success.

Today, we may go to the big city of Pensacola to shop at the farmer's market and have lunch. We have plans for our own Super Bowl party on Sunday evening. On paper, our plans look great. We do have to pick up some things at the health food store in Pensacola to bring the plans to fruition,

The sun will rise today at 6:39 a,m, and set at 5:24 p.m. I'm hoping that once we have returned from Pensacola today, that other than walking with the intrepid weather dog, we can stay in on Sunday. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "This City", where the current temperature is 55°, as we motor towards today's high of 59°. There is no precipitation in the forecast until Sunday afternoon, when the temperature will be 66°. In GH, the current temperature is 23° with light snow. On Sunday, the high temperature there will be 17°, with a 70% chance of one to three inches of snow.

Yesterday, we mostly stayed in until it was time to go to the grocery store across the causeway. That was the extent of our travels after we walked with Sugar the Weather Dog. Mary attempted to work, but the internet connection has been spotty the last few days. We have a technician coming out today between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., to check the equipment. Right now, the connection is working, but it is not reliable.

Today I have no plans to do anything but play with Abaigeal and watch TV. I may get outside on the deck with the intrepid weather dog after our morning walk. She will have to be confined while the technician is here. That's the life of a guard dog.

The sun will rise at 6:39 a,m, and set at 5:24 p.m. Mary will work after the cable technician is done. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is nearly 4:00 a.m. in "This City." A current temperature of 43° will lead to today's high of 66°. In GH, the expectation is for icy/snowy conditions with a high temperature of 35°. What else needs to be said?

Yesterday, Mary and I took a ride to the small beach town of Navarre Beach, FL. Well, we tried to, but what we found was a small number of restaurants and a large number of condos. Back on the mainland side of things, we saw a huge number of fast food restaurants and a lot of traffic.

Along the way, we stopped in to a few trading posts and antique stores. Mary got a wall hanging for our garden, and a small cast iron griddle for her kitchen. She plans to try it when she cooks her omelette creation. Mostly we just enjoyed the ride before she has to get back to work today. I never did get to the laundry nor to playing with Abaigeal. Both will happen today.

Otherwise, we discovered that much of this area is a lot like towns in the North, many fast food restaurants, regular restaurants, and scattered grocery and big box stores. Still, I understand why people are here for a few months each year What I don't understand is why they live here when Michigan is a more hospitable climate. Of course, I'm not telling them.

Today, we'll walk with Sugar the Weather Dog, and then I'll collect up the laundry, stay out of Mary's way while she is working, and do as little as possible otherwise.

The sun will rise at 6:41 a.m. and set at 5:21 p.m. In between, I'll laze abut.  Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "This City." A current temperature of 40° will lead to a post sunrise high of 54°, or higher, as it did yesterday. In any case, the skies will be sunny here, In GH, the current temperature is 13° that will lead to a post sunrise high of 34° under partly cloudy skies. You do the math on that temperature difference. In addition, there is a prediction of a winter weather alert for Thursday in GH. Not so here, so I think I'll stay here for a while longer.

Yesterday, we were going to go to a movie, but by the time I was done doing some highlighting, and Mary and I had sat on the sunny deck watching Sugar the Weather Dog chew on her bone in "This Bone Zone", it was past time to go. So we went to the alternate favorite watering hole instead.

I did get in some time with Abaigeal, and that is always a good thing. I'm slowly finding the errors I introduced into the music I had transcribed previously. I"ll repair the errors when I get back to my office/music room. Otherwise, the interaction between myself and Abaigeal is going well.

During our morning walk with the intrepid weather dog, we picked up a local newspaper so that I could do the crossword. This paper uses the same puzzles as the Grand Haven Tribune, the ones from the N.Y. Times, so they are increasing in difficulty as the days progress.

Mary made a good stir fry for lunch, that was great.

Today I have no specific plans other than the laundry. I need to start another book, but when I tried yesterday on the deck, Mary had the radio on a political talk show. I can usually read around that kind of background noise, but something didn't let that happen.

So once the sun rises at 6:41 a.m., I'll get on with my day. Then when it sets at 5:21 p.m., I'll get on with my evening. In between, I'll get in some time with Abaigeal, watch some TV, and walk with Sugar, and do that laundry.  Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is shortly after 4:00 a.m. in "This City." A current temperature of 49° about three hours before sunrise at 6:41 a.m., will give way to today's high of 55°. In addition, instead of snow, there are weather alerts for dangerous swimming conditions due to riptides. We get some similar conditions in the "Big Lake" in GH. Speaking of GH, the high temperature today will be 26° as they come off of a current temperature of 11°.

Mary went for a solo walk yesterday afternoon, because Sugar the Weather Dog was being overly needy when I was trying to get in some time with Abaigeal. She would not take no for an answer, so I took her for a very short walk. That left Mary to leave both of us behind and take a walk to the beach. However, the winds were so strong, that they literally took her breath away. The flag on the house across the street was standing straight out and the waters of Mother Ocean were being whipped into a froth.

I did get my garbanzo bean omelette for breakfast yesterday. Where I can cook if I follow a recipe to the letter, Mary, who is much more at home in the kitchen than I, can modify and adapt a recipe to ingredients on hand. She feels that the person who wrote the recipe for this version of the omelet wasn't a cook, but a mathematician. All the ingredients are present, but the order of mixing and the amounts seem suspect to her trained eye. She plans to look for another recipe. I've helped with that part of the plan.

I had no plans to go out yesterday, but I had forgotten that we found an advertisement in the newspaper last week for a concert at the Gadsden Street Methodist Church in Pensacola. The band Sweet Prospect, consisting of two women and two men, played music from Ireland, England, Scotland, and the U.S. They featured instruments such as: hammered dulcimers, mountain zithers, rhythm instruments like the Irish Bodhran, and my personal favorite, an Ovation six string guitar, similar to my own.

I recognized some of the tunes, while others were new to me. The setting was great, the people friendly, and the band excellent. Only one vocal was performed by this primarily acoustic/instrumental ensemble.

Otherwise, we came home after exploring a bit of Pensacola and watched some TV. I made popcorn as an accompaniment, and had an adult beverage to go with it.


We plan to walk with the intrepid weather dog, on our schedule, not hers, and I'll accompany Mary when she goes to get her latest project printed out nearby. Then she'll go to the grocery store while I get my beard trimmed to a more tamed condition nearby.

Today, the sun will set at 5:19 p,m. and then we'll settle in for some games, guitar, and TV. What's not to like?  Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. Here in "This City", at just after 4:00 a.m., the current temperature is a very chilly 36°. Fortunately, the temperature is expected to rebound to a high later today, after the sun rises at 6:41 a.m., to 62 sunny degrees. We'll have a few days of temperatures in the upper 50s and lower 60s under sunny skies, before we see 67° under partly cloudy skies on Thursday. In GH, the temperature right now is 32°, which will be as high as it gets today. In GH, Thursday's temperature will not be 67°, but the same 32°.

Yesterday, Mary and I walked with Sugar the Weather Dog in the morning, before we settled in to watch some TV. Then it was time to set out for Pensacola to go to the farmer's market that is held there every Saturday. A loaf of bread, some local tomatoes, and a cookie for me. The weather at midday was very pleasant, we wore our sweatshirts, and they were enough to keep us comfortable.

Prior to that stop, we just had to go into the hardware store there that also sells cooking utensils. Way cool. After we were done at the farmer's market, we stopped in for a veggie pizza at one of the local eateries. We tried a variation that used olive oil and garlic on the crust, instead of a tomato base. We decided that we prefer the tomato base.

Then a walk down Palafox St. to see the sights. One of those sights was a faux truck style eatery, that consisted of four Airstream™ trailers and the usual assortment of fried foods. A few years ago when we were in Portland, OR, they had a real multi-truck food area. The assortment of foods available was greater and the vendors more varied.

On the way home, we stopped at the health food co-op to pick up a few things. The store was crowded with what I termed "Free Range Shoppers" without a clue. I'd say it was like the stores at home that get crowded when the bus from the senior center disgorges people at the big-box everything store, but many of these people were much younger than Mary and I.

Today we'll be walking with the intrepid weather dog after it warms a bit. Fortunately, Sugar is never in a hurry in the morning, so that should work out fine. Mary has promised to create her omelettes based on chickpea flour before we go out for our walk. Since the recipe takes a little time to do what it does, that should be fine, That's about it for our day. I have no desire to go out any more than is necessary today. Some time with Abaigeal, a couple of crosswords, and a little reading for me is fine. It's likely Mary will use the abundant sunlight today to work more on her needle crafts and surf the internet.

The sun will set today at 5:17 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "This City", where the view out the Southern Weather Window is dark with a side of rain. Sugar the Weather Dog is sleeping fitfully next to the bed, because we have had some thunder and lightning tonight/this morning. The current temperature is 51° under those rainy skies and that is the expectation for most of today. The temperature is expected to rise to 63° with a 100% chance of continued thunderstorms. Sugar will not be happy. In GH, the current temperature is 29° with no precipitation in the forecast. However, today the high there is expected to rise to 33° under partly cloudy skies. The intrepid weather dog and I won't be taking the morning stroll today. I doubt that she'll mind.

Yesterday, I got the laundry done while Mary went to the grocery store. I think I got the better part of the deal. Sugar and I lazed about between loads of laundry after she and I took the morning walk. Later, Mary and I took a walk to one of the local restaurants and had some appetizers with our libations. The place is a local's place like our favorite watering hole in GH, though a bit newer.

Today, we will all be staying in to escape the rain. I'll play with Abaigeal and do some reading, while Mary knits. Naturally, we'll stop for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mary has a few more recipes she wants to try, Somewhere in all of that activity, I plan to have the popcorn that I asked Mary to pick up some while she was at the grocery store. I'll be popping my own to be sure it is fresh, just like at the movies.

Otherwise, not much is on tap for the day. Mary has some work coming in, so she may get to that if she chooses, I think she has a long enough time frame that there is no rush.

So before the sun rises at 6:44 a.m., and long before it sets at 5:17 p.m., I'll be returning to my slumber. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:30 a.m. in "This City." Yesterday, the high temperature reached 71° here. In GH, the temperature peaked at around 30°, with that snow that fell making driving hazardous. Today, it will be 33° and mostly cloudy. Here, the high will be 66°, also under cloudy skies. Hey, that's twice as high as it will be in GH. I suspect that Sugar the Weather Dog will be quite happy with that forecast.

Yesterday, we took our regular morning walk with Sugar, this time along the beach. She stayed away from the water. I almost went swimming, but I was tired from the activities of the previous couple of days, so I opted not to go in. I may regret that later, but it was a righteous decision at the time. Other than that, we spent time on the deck reading, knitting, and barking at the local letter carrier. Well, Mary and I spent our spent time reading, and knitting respectively, Sugar alternated her time between barking and sleeping.

Mary made an interesting recipe that was a mixture of potatoes and veggie sausage, coupled with her pasta sauce. I pronounce it delicious. Later in the day, I got my second wind after a nap, and we walked to the local sports bar for a snack of tortilla chips, jalapeno peppers, lettuce, black olives and salsa. Also good.

Today is another day of doing the mundane things of life. Laundry, grocery shopping, and walking with Sugar. Mary and I will walk with Sugar, and then I'll do the laundry while Mary does the grocery shopping. Sugar will alternate her time once again between sleeping, barking, and eating.

I'd like to get in some time with Abaigael too, if that fits into the schedule. The sun will rise in a few hours, at 6:44 a.m. and set at 5:15 p.m. Mary wants to try another new recipe that she has had her eyes on. It looks interesting on paper. I'm betting she makes time for more knitting too,

I think I'll add a few more of the pictures I took on Tuesday. Why you ask? Because I can.

This airplane is located just outside Hangar Bay #1. All of the Navy's planes have the capability to fold their wings for use on an aircraft carrier.

We do live in Coast Guard City USA after all.

I believe that this plane was being removed later that day for maintenance because it still had fuel in it. It is a Harrier VTOL aircraft, sometimes called a "Jump Jet."

As I said yesterday, there were also exhibits that related to WW I and WW II

So that's all for today, Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:30 a.m. in "This City." A current temperature of 56° as we head towards today's high of 67° is wonderful. In GH, the snow is falling, the roads are icy, and the cars are sliding. In addition, the current temperature is 26°. The only positive in those numbers is that the weather advisory is scheduled to expire at 10:00 a.m. EST this morning.

Yesterday, we took a nice walk with Sugar the Weather Dog in the morning, and then Mary joined her business chat until her internet connection was severed. Then we had a terrific lunch of pasta with Mary's latest sauce creation. Naturally, I had oat cereal for breakfast with an apple to get my fruit for the day.

Then it was time to go to the Museum of Naval History in Pensacola and the fort nearby. The day was absolutely beautiful, T-shirt weather in fact, and we had a great time. While the museum is a tribute to naval aviation, there are also exhibits that tell the story of the years that included WWII, the depression years and the sacrifices necessary to win the war were well represented. There were so many planes, that I can't decide which to include. I'll add more in the future. I did include a picture from nearby Fort Barrancas directly below. I think that Old Glory flying over the ramparts looks magnificent in the late afternoon sun.

The Coast Guard is well represented at the museum.

The museum is bigger than it looks. 

If everyone recycled or reduced now, as people did during WWII, this would be a better world.

We finished up our trip to Pensacola with a stop at the health food store there and then returned to our local watering hole for happy hour. Home, and TV viewing ensued and then it was time for bed. The sun will be rising at 6:44 a.m. and set at 5:15 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening,wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "This City." The current temperature is 42°, the lowest it is supposed to get this morning, before we rebound to today's high of 66 sunny degrees. In GH, it is 29° as they drop towards the overnight low of 23°, before they rebound to their high of 32° with a 60% chance of snow showers. That's enough said about the weather from this reporter.

Yesterday, we took Sugar the Weather Dog to a local groomer to be washed, brushed, have her ears cleaned, and her nails clipped. It took only about one hour, and she looks marvelous. Her Shed No More™ tablets appear to be working. Since Mary and I had plans for later in the day, Mary took the intrepid weather dog for her morning walk. They weren't gone long, and I barely had enough time to look up some addresses that we needed to place into our GPS unit.

We returned from Sugar's grooming appointment and ate lunch on on the upstairs deck, in our shirtsleeves. Sugar was exhausted, so she just laid around, except for the time she had to growl at the three dachshunds next door. Since the plans that Mary and I made included a trip to Pensacola to see the Museum of Naval Aviation at the Naval Air Station there, and Fort Barrancas, which is nearby, were interrupted by Sugar's appointment, we opted to go to a closer fort nearer to where we are staying.

Like the fort we'll be visiting later today, Fort Barrancas, nearby Fort Pickens was built to protect the naval base and the shipyards from attack during the War of Northern Aggression, aka, the American Civil War. I took many pictures, as did Mary, but I am going to include my pictures in a future blog. Mary will probably include her pictures in her blog at: http://marygoeswalking.blogspot.com/. Mary also got a stamp for her National Parks Passport along with a sticker that commemorates our visit.

We had a great time and since it was the MLK holiday, there were lots of people at the fort and admission was free. On the way "home", we stopped at what has become our favorite local watering hole, and then we came "home" to watch some TV. Naturally, I got sleepy and retired early. I am going to pace myself more today and attempt to stay awake longer. At least that's my plan as of now.

Otherwise, not much is on tap for today. Probably some music making, some Scrabble™ playing, along with some TV viewing. The sun will be rising today at 6:44 a.m., and setting at 5 :15 p.m. That's all I have to say about that. Ciao.

Good morning PB. It is just past 7:30 a.m. in "This City." The day dawned at 6:44 a.m. as sunny skies took over from the darkness of the night. Today's high is expected to be 64°, but after the beautiful day yesterday exceeded expectations, we may do better. In fact, tomorrow is expected to be near 70°. Contrast that with GH where today's high will be 31° under cloudy skies.

Yesterday we didn't do much. We took the morning walk with Sugar the Weather Dog and then returned to our "home." Before we left, Mary tried out the beginnings of a new recipe for an omelette replacement that uses chick pea flour. The recipe calls for the batter to rest for about one hour and then you add the balance of the ingredients and cook them up. I liked it. While not an egg omelette, the result was very tasty and the consistency was just fine. I added a bit more spice to the final presentation, but I'd do that with almost anything.

Then we settled in to watch the NFL playoffs. No need for a spoiler alert, The Packers didn't get jobbed by the zebras, they jobbed themselves with stupid penalties, botched efforts in the "Red Zone" and an inability to take advantage of mistakes by the Seahawks, finally losing in overtime, 22 - 28 .

We also watched a short part of the Patriots demolition of the Colts. The Colts were never in the game and the Patriots will likely defeat the Seahawks on February 1. The Patriots convincingly defeated the Colts yesterday, 45 - 7.

With a little help from Mary, we had sliced veggies and chips and salsa with our viewing. As lazy as I can be sometimes, I'd have just had chips and salsa and pretzels, with the salsa probably never leaving the jar except when it was on a chip. Instead, we had sliced bell peppers, olives, pickles, and cheese and crackers.

Today, the requisite morning walk with the intrepid weather dog will occur and then some time with Abaigael will be on my agenda. Since the weather here will be so inviting this week, we may visit some national parks/forts that are nearby, along with the aviation museum that is at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. When we were here a few years ago, I wasn't able to walk for any distance and so my solo visit to the museum was less than memorable. Now that I am more ambulatory, it should be much more interesting.

Other than that, we have no plans for a few days. Mary has some work coming in, but that is not until later this month. Ciao.

Good morning PB, It is just past 7:30 a.m. in "This City." A current post sunrise, 6: 46 a.m., temperature of 49° will lead to a high today of 62 sunny degrees. In GH, the high today will be 35° with snow showers. So, our choice is 35° with snow, or 62° and sunny. Let's see, what should we choose?

Yesterday, we traveled to the big city of Pensacola. We visited a farmer's market, where we got a great looking loaf of bread and a chocolate chip cookie for me. Prior to that, we visited an antique store, where we got directions to a music store, and then stopped at that music store. I'll have a bit more to say in a few lines on that subject. We reversed the above procedure and stopped at a community thrift store, where Mary got a drying rack for her adopted kitchen, finally parking and walking La Fox Street. Mary took some photos that will appear on future blog at: http://marygoeswalking.blogspot.com/. We stopped for lunch at a place called Hopjacks and had a terrific all vegetable pizza. Then it was time to get home. We played a few games of Yahtzee™ and Scrabble™ and then it was time for bed.

Now, about that stop at the aforementioned music store. My goal when we came to Pensacola was to get a harmonica. While I have very little experience playing one, I want to try. We were able to get a harmonica tuned in the key of C. It comes with a set of internet based lessons, so I'll see how that goes. One of the things about being semi-retired, is that I have time to partake of those lessons and practice.

Today is a walk with Sugar the Weather Dog and a little else kind of day. Mary may get to writing her long silent blog, but that's about it. I'll watch the early NFL™ playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. I'll probably munch on some pretzels and chips too. Or, I may cut some veggies and dip them in some blue cheese dressing we got the other day. A lot depends on how ambitious I am feeling,

That looks like enough for now. The sun will set here at 5:13 p.m., Ciao,

Good morning PB. It is just after 10:00 a.m. local time, and the current temperature in this city is 51°, as we climb towards today's high of 59 sunny degrees. There is a slight wind blowing out of the southeast at between 5 and 10 mph. No rain and especially no snow is in the forecast. What's not to like?

Yesterday, we finished the latest indexing project. I have found that I am learning a lot about many things as I highlight and edit. Unfortunately, I can't mention any titles. Suffice it to say, that I am less than enamored with the country into which I was born. Sigh.

I didn't get in any time with Abaigael yesterday. Maybe today, with a bit of luck. Right now I am doing some laundry as I write this blog. Is that the definition of multitasking?

I was lying in bed last night and thinking about many things as I tried to fall asleep. One of the things that I was pondering was the idea that most women of my generation, and indeed of most generations before and after mine, took the surname of their husbands. No real need to, it was, and still is, the custom in this country.

Mary was adopted, so her birth surname was lost to history. There may be a record in some dusty tome in Cook, County, IL, but once she was adopted, she took her surname from that of her father's family. Then when we got married, she took mine, and it has been thus ever since. I know that Stephany took the same course as Mary when she married Adam. As I thought about it, I never had a desire for Mary to either keep the surname which she was given at the time of her adoption, or to take my surname when we got married. I guess the only benefit is/was to Adam so that his surname and hers were the same for conferences at school, and for other emergency needs.

When we were both young and idealistic, Mary and I considered just living together. But, that would have been something that Mary's adoptive mother would not have taken very well. Thus our little family came to be, and then expanded with Adam's birth.

In any event, what sent me down that road, was the email that Mary sent to her contact at the packager of the book and index that she had just finished. She labels everything with her company name, Wendt Indexing. Am I proud of her abilities? Yes, as she has an ability that I don't. Am I proud of  her using her adopted surname as part of her company name? Not any more or less than if she had chosen to call her company General Indexing or some other name.

But I digress. Today before the sun sets at 5:11 p.m., we may travel to the "Big City" of Pensacola. Mostly just to see if they have a harmonica that I may buy at the antique musical instrument store that is located there. Plus, it is such a beautiful day, that a ride across the bridges will be enjoyable.

Ciao.

I guess that it's time to change the title of my blog to Good Morning P.B. I'll keep that for a while, no telling how long, but good morning wherever you may be, We have a current temperature of 37° at the closest reporting station to our current location, Gulf Breeze, FL. In GH, the current temperature is 30°, which has already exceeded the forecast high of 24°. In any event, the forecast for the next several days in P.B., calls for sunny or partly sunny skies and a high in the lower 60 degree range. What's not to like?

Yesterday as Mary worked, Sugar the Weather Dog and I went for an abbreviated morning walk. The rain was falling and Sugar can do without that particular weather phenomenon. Today, I'll be editing as Mary and Sugar take the morning walk. Sugar won't like leaving me behind, that is very upsetting to her, but the sun and the walk will overcome her reticence.

I got in some time with my traveling girl yesterday, but mostly I watched old reruns on TV. I also went out to go to the USPS office in Gulf Breeze to mail something before stopping at Supercuts™ to get my hair and beard trimmed. The USPS experience was like most places, long lines and humdrum. The experience at Supercuts™ was much better. No lines and I got exactly what I wanted. Plus, I got the Senior Discount due to my advanced age.

I didn't much like going out by myself and having to drive, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Later, Mary and I went back across the bridge to get something printed and then to pick up a few things for the larder. That was in the dark and rain, which was not all that pleasant, but Mary drove.

Today, I"ll finish my editing duties and then go back to being a chair potato. Time with Abaigael will also be in the mix. The sun has already risen, but it will set at 5:11 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, It is just past 5:30 a.m. in "The City of Pensacola." Our current temperature is a windy 46° as we aim to arrive at the day's high of 55°. The National Weather Service has forecast rain for today in Pensacola, but in Grand Haven, the forecast calls for cloudy skies and a high of 21°. A quick look out the local Weather Window, shows me that it is dark with a side of dark.

A little side trip seems in order. I learned something that I didn't know while I was looking up the weather in GH. There is an additional city/town elsewhere in this hemisphere named GH. The other is GH, British Columbia, in Canada, where the high today is forecast to be 23° and cloudy. Sound like a familiar forecast? I'll take the forecast for Pensacola.

When the sun rises here at 6:46 a.m., Sugar the Weather Dog and I can go for a walk while Mary continues to work. I have a tough decision to make, but I think that I'll choose 55° and rainy over 21° and cloudy. To borrow from the play Annie, "The sun will come up tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, etc,"

We have to cross the bridge from this island to the mainland today so that we can get something printed at at the local office supply big box store in Gulf Breeze, and we'll have to look down at the bay on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. While I"m in a borrowing mood, what's that other line/title from Annie? Oh yeah, "It's a hard knock life, for us."

Otherwise, I have to put on my editor's hat and work on Mary's project once we get Back to the Island.". That is coincidentally the title of a song that I'm working on with Abaigael while we are here. Then I can get back to what's important, playing with Abaigael, reading another novel, and watching some inane television. What's not to like?

I finished a short novel on Mary's Kindle™ yesterday, that I had downloaded last summer, titled Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!: The Beatles and America, Then and Now, by Michael Tomasky. He is a political journalist. His short, but interesting journey through the America that existed shortly before and during the time of the British Invasion, is a must read for anyone of a certain age or anyone who is interested in music and history. I'm certain that many libraries have a print version of this book, and I recommend it without reservation.

Well that looks like enough for today and yesterday. The sun will set here today at 5:09 p.m. Pensacola is in the Central time zone, while GH, MI is in the westernmost part of the Eastern time zone. Naturally, Sugar the Weather Dog is still on that time. Ciao.

Good morning GH, from Pensacola Beach, FL. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "This City", where the current temperature is a chilly 44°. Of course, in GH, it is 4°, which is the daily low. Let's see, that's 44° versus 4°, Hmmmmm. On the plus side, the high in GH today is expected to be 25° and tomorrow, Thursday, 31°. On the other hand, here in Pensacola Beach, the current temperature of 44° will give way to 58° today and then a more chilly 51° with rain non Thursday. Not to worry, we'll rebound into the lower sixties after that,

In local news, the surf is still pounding on the shores and the beer is cold, due to refrigeration. Sugar the Weather Dog had a harrowing time getting here, two days in a crate will do that to anyone. However, the reward for Sugar is the ability to take a minimum of two walks per day, sometimes three, unless the rain forces us to take only one.

In this case, we have managed to outrun the ice and snow, but I heard the other day that there have been times when the people were trapped on the island due to the bridge being iced over. I guess the difference here is that if you wait a few days, the ice melts. In GH, you have to wait a few months. Still, I wouldn't trade life in GH for this life. I've lived in the Midwest for too long.

Today, Mary will continue her work, and I'll continue reading and playing the girls. Yes, I brought Abaigael  along to enjoy the sun with us. Something about looking at sun, sand, surf, and palm trees inspires me to sing and play island songs.

The sun will rise here at 6:46 a.m., and set at 5:09 p.m., since we are in the central time zone. That takes getting used to on one hand, but I spent the vast majority of my life in the central time zone, so I can quickly adapt.

No trains, no planes, just relaxation for me and Sugar, and work for Mary. What's not to like? Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:30 a.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature of 11° which is coincidentally the same as the low temperature predicted for tonight. Today's high of 20° will be accompanied by a significant;y lower chance of a snow event, 30%, and the balance of the weekend should be similar. That's a good thing, because yesterday, I spent about an hour or more moving the snow on the deck and in the yard so that Sugar the Weather Dog had a way to reach the back forty and then a place to do her business once she got there. I didn't take any pictures, but if you wonder what it looked here, refer to the pictures from last year. Not quite as much snow, but lots of blowing and drifting.

If you watched the evening news last night, you may have seen pictures from Kalamazoo, MI, which showed a multi-vehicle accident that took many hours to clear up. Over 50 tractor-trailers and 80 cars were wrecked due to the blowing snow causing white out conditions. One of the trucks was carrying fireworks. When it caught fire, the resulting explosions and rockets red glare were a challenge for the police and other personnel who responded.

Today, I hope to do very little. The laundry is done, the house is vacuumed and I am done working. Mary isn't, but I am.

Not much is happening here in GH. Mary and I went to the favorite watering hole last evening where we thanked our neighbor for clearing the approach to our shared driveway. That saved me a lot of work. Our next door neighbor used her snow blower until it ran out of gas. I shoveled a lot of snow prior to using my electric snow blower to finish the clearing. All over GH, the streets are clogged with cars that weren't moved prior to the city's efforts at snow plowing. Many of the two lane streets are down to one lane due to the parked cars that were plowed in. When the owners of the snowbound cars shovel them out. the snow will still be clogging the streets.

So, that looks like enough for the day. The sun will rise at 8:15 a.m. and set at 5:29 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. We have just passed 11:30 in "The City", AKA snow central. We are experiencing lake effect snow to the max. We have gotten about 10 inches of snow between late this afternoon and the present. Out current temperature is 18° as we head down to the overnight low of 9°. However, with the wind blowing, it feels like 1°. In addition, the snow accumulation is expected to exceed 10 inches or more by tomorrow afternoon.

I just watched the southbound train pass by. It was the first run today, and the twin locomotives had to push a lot of snow out of the way. It was neat to watch, but it wasn't a good thing to see the covered hopper cars rocking and trolling on the rails that were checked a few short days ago.

Sugar the Weather Dog, Mary and I took a short walk this morning. I moved just enough snow to get us out. Sugar didn't last long before she was picking up her paws and wanting to get home. She didn't ask to go out again. I had to massage her paws to get the feeling back for her. While we were out, I had the laundry running. In order to ensure the machine drained, I placed a heater in the mud room. Last winter, we had a repair man out to tell us what we should have known. Without a heat vent in the room. the machine drain froze and couldn't drain. That was an expensive lesson to learn.

I have been sitting here just thinking how much I want to stay in tomorrow. Somehow, I think that the intrepid weather dog will have learned her lesson. We'll feed her breakfast, let her out, and then she'll be in for the day. She has boots, but they are such a pain to struggle her into, that we didn't bother this morning. We should have.

Earlier this evening, Mary let Sugar out after I cleared enough snow to get the door open. Sugar didn't know what to do, because the steps leading from the deck to the back forty of the palatial estate were obscured. Once again, I am running out of places to pile the snow.

Mary did some work today while I did the laundry. By tomorrow morning, the snow will have re-accumulated, so I can do the minimum once again, since the snow alert lasts until tomorrow afternoon.

Our neighbor used her snow blower today, but I think the snow won. Right now, our front porch and sidewalk are drifted over. The end of the driveway, which our neighbor, Mike, was kind enough to plow out this morning, is drifting over. When the city plows come by, it will be impassable. Additionally, when the sidewalk plow goes through, the driveway will be further clogged.

Frankly, I don't want to deal with the snow, but that means that we and our next door neighbor, who shares the driveway, will be unable to get out. She has a four wheel drive vehicle, but I don't know if that will be able to make it through, It will be interesting to see.

Tomorrow, I plan to play with the girls, watch TV and do little else. I got the newspaper today, but I won't be getting one tomorrow. Like Sugar, I get cold. Not my paws, but my face.

Once the sun rises at 8:15 a.m., it is likely that it will look like a scene from Mary's favorite movie, The Day After Tomorrow. The sun will set, at 5:26 p.m.

That looks like enough for the day. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:00 a.m. in "The City." Outside the weather window, the snow continues to fall, though currently, it is only flurries. The temperature is 10° as we drop to the overnight low of 6°, however with the 10 - 20 MPH winds, it feels like -6°.

Now for what's really important here in GH and it's surrounding communities. The National Weather Service is predicting a 100% chance of additional snow today, with an additional accumulation of 3 - 5 inches. There is a snow advisory in effect from 11:00 a.m, today through 4:00 p.m. Friday, when the prediction calls for an 80% chance of 1 - 3 additional inches of the white stuff. Even here in MI, they are calling that hazardous weather. The schools in Minneapolis, MN will be closed today, something they never do. Chicago schools were also closed on Wednesday and will be again today, something that is rare there too. I heard on the news,that over 1,000,000 school children will b out of school today, and many more will be starting late due to the cold and windy conditions. Winter has only begin in earnest here over the last eight days, in GH, and I'm already so over it. Snow, windy conditions, below zero wind chills. Enough already.

I also heard on the news, that a family in MI driving a mini-van skidded into the back of a semi trailer, and then they were pulled for 16 miles before the police pulled the semi driver over.

On to other news. The trains have begun to move through GH again. I haven't seen them, preferring to hear them pass rather than view them. Since the trains have no set schedule, I am not going to wait on them.

I finished my part of  Mary's project yesterday, and them moved into Mary's office to help finish the project for delivery. We were both so over that too. Mary probably more than me, but that's debatable.

I did get in a small amount of time with the girls, but that was late in the afternoon/evening, shortly after I went out to move the snow. Mary came out to help with the trash, and I was thankful for that. Mary wanted to go out to the phone store to get her new phone screen checked, and so I was drafted to go along. I could just as easily have stayed in, something I plan to do today. Sugar is not happy about missing her walks, but that's life in "The City." We both need the exercise, but it's too cold and snowy for that.

Mary and I ended up at the favorite watering hole for dinner. Our larders are rather empty right now, as we are purging some of the older things from the refrigerator and cabinets. We'll replenish them soon, but right now, some of our cupboards are like those of Mother Hubbard, bare.

Today, I'll get to some laundry, some time with the girls and that will round out my day. I may also have to move some of that snow that is expected too. However, the prognostication for a continuation through Friday afternoon may mitigate against an early start on that activity.

One final sports note. The boys in blue announced their Spring Training dates yesterday. The pitchers and catchers report on February 19, followed by position players the next day. Full squad workouts begin on February 25. In spite of the fact that I like the Tigers, and my beloved Red Sox will always have a place in my heart, I bleed Cubbie blue, just like the old third baseman, Ron Santo. You can take the boy out of Chicago, but you can't take the Cubs out of the boy, or something like that.

So, the end of the day will come at 5:26 p.m., after opening at 8:16 a.m. I hope to still be in bed when that happens.

Did I miss any news? Not that can't wait for another day. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." I have to admit to a mistake. I raised the blind that covers the Weather Window. What did my wondering eyes behold? not Santa Claus, but a landscape that is covered in both newly fallen snow, that fell in the last few hours, and the snow that seemingly started with the New Year and has continued daily.

Our current temperature is 10° as we drop to the overnight low of 5°, although it feels like -5° due to the winds that are blowing between 15 and 25 MPH,and causing additional drifts. According to the forecast, we are supposed to receive an additional one inch of snow later today. However, Thursday, there is a prediction for three to five inches of additional snow with a 100% certainty. Friday, that drops to 80%, with another one to three inches in the forecast. I went out to move the snow on the palatial estate yesterday afternoon, but with the blowing of the wind, and the city plows, it doesn't look like I made a dent. Oh well, that's life in MI.

I am almost done with my work for Mary. A few more pages and then the final edit. We should be collectively done by later this afternoon. Sugar the Weather Dog has not had her daily recommended dose of walks, but that can't be helped. It is just too cold and snowy for walking and exercise. However, she was able to put on her Sous Dog hat and partake of some of the biscuits I made yesterday afternoon. I hope that helped assuage her needs.

Mary let Sugar out while I was on snow patrol because Sugar was crying. However, it was too cold for her, so she wanted to come back in, in short order. I'm sure she'll cry again today, as she likes her walks, but I have to overrule her and protect her from herself.

Otherwise, not much is happening. Mary got a new phone at Adam's suggestion. More features, lower cost. I like that lower cost part. However, the weather played a part in our going out at 5:30 p.m. last evening. Mary was rightfully concerned that the snow would inhibit our travels today, so out we went. I had to stop working, not get to play with the girls, and we barely made it home to watch the only TV shows that I like to watch.

However, we did discover that a pizza made without cheese and with extra vegetables was excellent. We picked the pizza up from the local Papa Murphy's™. A nice young lady who worked there suggested what we wanted and how to have it made. All good.

So that's enough of the weather, the daily life of our little family, and the events that made up or will make up our day. The sun will rise at 8:13 a.m., and set at 5:26 p.m. The days are getting longer. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just after 3:00 a.m. in "The City." Not much has changed since I wrote my last blog yesterday afternoon. However, life would be less complete if I didn't have a few things to say each day or night.

Not much has changed outside the Weather Window either. It is still cold, it is still snow covered, and it is still quiet at this hour of the morning. It is 8° as we head for the low of 2°, although it feels like -5° due to the wind. Later today, it will get up to a more comfortable temperature of 20° with a 100% chance of one inch of new snow. The balance of the week, through Thursday, looks about the same.

Later today, I have to finish my work for Mary and then get to things that I want to do. My days just seem to be getting away from me.

I mentioned in my last blog that the trains would likely be passing through this morning. Turns out that I was right. I heard one pass by about 1:30 a.m. It was short, but fast moving as it headed south. That means that at some point, the northbound run should be going past. I hope to be back in bed by then.

Otherwise, not much is happening. Yesterday, we left the house to pick up a new supply of food for the intrepid one, and then we went off to the favorite watering hole for dinner. Today, I hope to stay in and avoid going out for any reason. Sugar may not agree, and we both could use the exercise, but we need to be exposed to dangerous wind chills even less.

So there you have it. My blog is done, the sun will rise at 8:15 a.m. and set at 5:21 p.m. Ciao.

Good afternoon GH. It is just past 3:30 p.m. in "The City." As I stare out the Weather Window, all I see is snow. Not all that deep, four or five inches, but the wind is causing drifts all over town. In fact, slightly north and east of GH, I 96 is closed do to numerous accidents, likely caused by the drifting snow. Our current temperature is 9°, but it feels like -5° due to the wind. The forecast for the week calls for temperatures in the teens and snow additional accumulations of snow of about three inches. Windy conditions seem to be the expectation too, so drifting snow will be the daily/nightly norm.

We had such a mild December, that everyone probably forgot how to drive in the snow. That, and too many people rely on their all wheel drive vehicles to get them through, forgetting that their brakes, while often anti-lock, are only marginally better when you don't stomp them and let them do what they were designed to do. I wonder how much of the new technology is covered in driver's education courses these days?

This week promises to be the coldest this year. Yeah, I know, this year is only five days old. But if you count the days that have been part of what we whimsically call winter, November through February, then these will be the coldest days this winter. At least so far.

Sugar the Weather Dog and I eschewed going for our morning sojourn earlier. Too cold for both of us. I know that she would give it the old college try, but if you get her out for a walk and her paws can't handle it, you have to carry her home. There is a reason that I call her our little big dog. While she is short in stature, she is actually about 34 pounds give or take, so carrying her becomes a real task. I've done it in the past, but I was younger and stronger then. Now, I'd have to take refuge and call Mary to come to the rescue of her family. When you are carrying a dog, taking refuge becomes problematical. So discretion being the better part of valor, we just didn't go.

I have been hard at work editing something for Mary. I took a short break to move the snow off the deck and the front porch, but that 15 or 20 minutes outdoors was long enough to convince me that not going out for that morning walk was a good decision.

I watched the railroad workers go by in their truck earlier, checking the rails for parallelism I think. There haven't been any trains for a few days, so checking the rails seems like a good idea. I assume that I'll be seeing or hearing trains later this evening or early tomorrow morning.

Otherwise, that's about all that has been happening. I got in a short playtime with the girls, but that had to be short of necessity, due to my "work schedule."

The sun will set at 5:24 this evening, and I expect, so will I. Ciao.

I've come to the conclusion, that sometimes in life you have to break with tradition and do things differently. That being said, I can say for certain that the sun will come up tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun. Oops, I was channeling again. No weather report, because nothing has changed. It is still roughly the same as it was yesterday and only somewhat warmer than it will be tomorrow or the next day, or the next. That's life in the middle western part of the country.

Saturday found Sugar the Weather Dog and I trudging our way through the newly fallen snow as we safaried to the newspaper box. Sugar absolutely loved the snow, and I have to admit that the temperature didn't deter us on our self appointed rounds. As the day unfolded after that, I worked the crossword and then I read more of my latest book, and watched TV. In short, I was non productive, unless you count the highlighting that I finished. I enjoyed the book immensely, but unfortunately, it tended to reinforce my beliefs.

Today, I have to assist Mary with the editing of her latest effort. That is one of the things that I feel qualified to do. I don't want to be an indexer. Editing things for spelling, grammar, and continuity is enough for me.

This afternoon, the Lions play the Cowboys to either advance to the next round of the playoffs, or go home. Since it is a road game, the Lions will have a tougher time trying to win, but like all of my sports teams, hope springs eternal.

I have to get a few things done other than that editing, but there is nothing that can't wait. Breakfast will be followed by lunch and then dinner. I have no plans to go out other than the morning walk with the intrepid weather dog. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:30 a.m. in "The City." Just outside the the Weather Window, the temperature is a chilly 26°. Coincidentally, that's the overnight low. Later today, after the sun rises at 5:21 a.m., we may see a high of 33°. Much the same for Sunday. Monday, we drop into the winter deep freeze and the temperature is not expected to rise above the single digits for several days. That appears to be true for much of the country.

Yesterday, I opened the day by walking with Sugar the Weather Dog to her doctor's appointment. She is now licensed for three years, her vaccinations are up to date, and her general health was pronounced excellent. Rather than have Mary pick us up, Sugar and I opted to walk home again. She is now resting comfortably on her couch. For the intrepid weather dog, what's not to like?

As the afternoon came to pass, I stopped highlighting, and soloed to Holland for the car service. Mary rightfully noted that there was no need for both of us to go. I waited at the car dealer for about 45 minutes reading my book, and then I was on my way. The car was pronounced ready for another three months of service.

During the course of the day, Mary made pasta instead of using bread, as the bed for her now famous sandwich smash. Last night, I got hungry, so she made what to date, is her best gravy ever. Smooth, tasty, and just what the doctor ordered. In this case, since it had very little fat, it really was what the doctor would have ordered.

I got in just a touch of time with the girls. I spent more time driving than I have in months. I also spent more time highlighting, As I noted earlier, I am finding this project fascinating, so it is actually a labor of love.

Mary determined that we should avoid places where large numbers of people are gathered due to the flu epidemic that is impact much of the country. Michigan has not escaped the flu and the local hospitals are making emergency plans. While no guarantee, I am glad that I got my flu vaccination early last fall. Reports are that the vaccinations are only about 50% effective, but that's better than none at all.

Today, I'll finish the highlighting that I have available to me. As more becomes available, I'll work on that too. I'll also watch some football and play with the girls in between the morning walk with Sugar to pick up the Grand Haven Tribune at the box near their office, and the sunset at 5:21 p.m. Ciao now.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." A current temperature of 30° will give way to an overnight low of 25° before we rebound to today's high of 29°. Meanwhile, it feels like 21° out there due to the wind. Saturday, we anticipate less than another one inch of snowfall. The forecast puts precipitation possibility at 90%. We had a light dusting of snow on Thursday afternoon, just enough to make it look worse than it was.

I got some time in with the girls yesterday, but I also found time to watch the MSU Spartans defeat Baylor, 42 - 41. Later, the Ohio State Buckeyes took it to the Crimson Tide of Alabama, 42 - 35. All in all, a good day in football.

This morning after the sun rises at 8:15 a.m., Sugar the Weather Dog and I will journey to her doctor's office for her final vaccination. It will be cold, but I think that the intrepid one and I will walk over and then we'll have Mary pick us up to ensure that there are no post vaccination problems.

Later, Mary and I will journey to Holland to get the required service for the car. Although "Silver" only has about nine thousand miles on the clock, she is approaching two years of life in our garage. Since winter is now here, in fact and forecast, it is time to be sure that all is well.

After the car service appointment, we'll return home, so that Mary can continue her indexing work and so can I. The new book is already interesting, and that makes for an easier job of highlighting.

Speaking of Mary, she made a dinner last evening that was new to her recipe repertoire. Two types of beans, mixed with onions, garlic, tomato sauce, and spices, all served on toast. I liked it.

Otherwise, not much on tap for today. Reading, guitar, car service, and of course, that appointment at Sugar's doctor.

The sun will set at 5:21 p.m. this evening. Ciao

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is nearly midnight as we approach the first day of 2015. The current temperature is 25° as we drop to the overnight low of 21°. The winds outside the weather window are blowing at a steady 25 mph with gusts up to 35 or 40 mph. That makes it feel like it is seven degrees outside. Later today, the winds will continue and the temperature is expected to peak at 29°. Sugar the Weather Dog and I will go for our morning walk, but since there isn't a newspaper published on New Year's Day, she and I can go east to avoid the windy conditions we encountered on Wednesday.

After the intrepid weather dog and I got back yesterday morning, I took the Christmas tree down. It's put away in the man cave for another year. I always feel a sense of loss when the tree is down. But, I also get to anticipate its return again next year.

I did get in some time with the girls and I finished my pulp reading. It was a bit over 300 pages that took me a little longer than I expected, more like five hours. But that's okay. Now I can get back to the other book I have been reading. Somewhere in there, I downloaded a couple of books onto Mary's Kindle™. Both were free, my favorite price.

Today, I don't have any specific plans. Mary got her next project sent to her earlier Wednesday. She also finished another project she has been working on. Plus, she has one that she needs to get done before too long, so that's her plan for today. It has been a busy couple of months.

Sugar and I spent some lap time in the La-Z-Boy earlier. She likes to just sit with me sometimes and I don't mind at all. She rests, I read, and the rest is all good. Sometime she stays for a long time, but sometimes only about one-half hour or less. I always leave it up to her discretion, like the direction of our morning walks on most days.

The sun will rise at 8:16 a.m. and set at 5:19 p.m. In between, there is football to watch, cereal and sandwiches to eat, along with a cold walk with Sugar. Yesterday, she and I walked on the sidewalk by the public safety building. The city had spread some salt to melt the snow that fell, but the salt has a negative effect on Sugar's pads. She started to limp, so I had to wipe her front pads off and then walk with her on the other side of the street.

So that looks like enough for today. It is now officially 2015 here in "The City." Ciao.