Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. We've just passed 12:00 a.m. in "The City." The view out TWW is a lot different than it was last night. No lightning, no rain, and the night is calm.

Yesterday was a nice day by my standards. While it was a bit on the windy side, it was pleasant enough for walking with STWD. We didn't get very far, but we did enjoy our time together, something that I thought we might not get to do.

Mary and I got over to the big-box home center and got the garden mulch that was on sale. It seemed like many other people in town had that same idea. I still find it fascinating that I surprised the cashier when I offered the correct amount of money to pay for my purchase. She asked. "Had I been there before?" I said, "No, but I can do math."

With the general reliance on calculators today, the art of determining percentages is being lost. If you add in the inability to count back change from a dollar, I begin to worry about the future. In fact, if you offer pennies to round off a purchase amount when there is an odd amount required and the cashier looks at  you like you have two heads, I think the world is in serious trouble. Don't get Mary started on the inability to pack a grocery bag, or to count back the change and hand back the money separate from the receipt. I seem to recall her saying that the world is going to the nether region in a hand basket.

But back to where I began. I spent  part of the afternoon in the man-cave prepping the school desk that Steph bequeathed to us during our last visit. Lots of elbow grease and in a few days, it should be ready for a nice oil finish. Mary plans to use it as an end table. Thanks Steph.

Before that, I had to reglue Mary's latest decorator item, an old storm door from the palatial manor that Mary has placed on the deck. The strong winds Thursday night/Friday morning, had blown it over and cracked it. Some glue, a couple of clamps, and it was once again fit to serve.

I also worked part of a crossword and did some reading. When you add all of those things together, I had a great day.

In sports, the Tigers won their fourth in a row, 8 - 4, over the Indians to go to 4 - 0. The boys in blue are looking very mediocre at this point in the young season, losing to the Rockies, 1 - 5. The boys are 1 - 2, while the Rockies are 4 - 0, like the Tigers. My beloved Red Sox were tied with the Yankees 4 - 4 in the bottom of the 16th inning, when this blog went to press. If they win, they will run their record to 3 - 1. The Caps defeated the Dragons of Dayton, 5 - 4, in their rescheduled home opener.

Later today, the weather should cooperate and allow us to work in the gardens of the palatial estate. Mary had already planted her deck planters, but the rain may have washed out some of her seeds. The planters have drains, but one of them still filled with water. Only time will tell.

The sun will rise later this morning at 7:10 a.m., and set at 8:22 p.m. Ciao.