Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "The City."

Yesterday was a mixed bag of happenings. I returned and replaced a defective item from the bathroom and replaced another piece that had gotten rusty after many years. I road tested the front door that I had repaired and found it to be much improved. Mostly, I just sat back and did as little as possible while Mary worked on her latest index and chatted with her colleagues around the country.

No trains yesterday.

In sports news, the men in blue won another game, this one over the Reds, 4 - 1. The Tigers once again proved inept as they lost to the Rangers, 6 - 7. Brad Ausmus gets to keep his job managing the Tigers next year. Was this lousy season his fault? Not entirely, but the manager usually gets blamed for losing in spite of injuries, losses to free agency, bone headed plays by his players, and seemingly nonsensical trades by a GM who was let go by the owner. My beloved Red Sox once again had their way with the Yankees. By the end of the first inning, the Sox were up 6 - 0, on their way to a 10 - 4 whooping of the Bronx Bombers.

STWD and I got out for our morning walk under threatening skies. Mary journeyed to the library to return some books and pick up some new ones for her post-index world. Sugar and I raced home as the rains began to fall. Mary was blissfully unaware as she wandered the stacks at the library. She found out about the rain as she left the building. Even though she had the foresight to take an umbrella, she still got a wet umbrella arm and and wet pants legs in her short journey home. The rain passed about 2:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

I don't know what Mary picked up for herself, but for me she picked up a couple of books. One I just started is the latest in a series by Richard Baldwin, a Michigan based author, entitled Made a Killing in Copper. It is the last in this series. This one is in response to reader requests that he set one in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I like to read books by MI based authors. My last series was written by David Walks as Bear. I liked those books, but unfortunately he passed away about two years ago. He was a Native American Coast Guard retiree who wrote about what he knew, the Coast Guard and Native American lore and legends.

I did try playing with the girls again, and I had a better time of it. Mary suggested that I have to be sure to not overdo, and take time off between sessions. I also realized that I hold a book in my affected left hand when reading, which puts additional strain on that already overtaxed thumb joint. I'll have to teach myself not to do that. Like teaching myself to eat left handed when I was rehabbing from my shoulder surgery. However, I am severely right handed.

I have no specific plans for today, except that I have been strongly cautioned to not bother Mary as she finishes the index that is due today if I don't want to be editing at 10:00 p.m. tonight. I can work with that.

On the weather front, pun intended, the rain has passed until Sunday, but the temperatures will remain in the sixties for the foreseeable future. Thursday will be windy and most days will be at least partly cloudy. The sun will rise at 7:41 a.m. and set at 7:28 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past  2: 00 a.m. in "The City.' Yesterday was a beautiful day. The temperature was very comfortable, but the skies were cloudy all day. Later today we are expecting those previously mentioned showers. However, here in GH, I'll wait for the official forecast from STWD before making a real prediction.

Trainspotting yesterday was a little different. I had to rely on my assistant trainspotter, Mary, for the facts surrounding the southbound run at 9:24 a.m. Locomotives 2057 and 2019 were reportedly at the head of a series of cars that included: multiple BCs, several DBTCs, some CHCs, and one DWTC (dreaded white tank car), filled with hydrochloric acid. When you have to rely on a rookie trainspotter, you don't always get accurate numbers.

The northbound run was headed by the sane locomotives in what I can only assume was the reverse of the southbound run. No BCs, seven DBTCs, 12 CHCs, and one DWTC. some seemed loaded, while others rocked and swayed like empty cars generally do.

Once STWD and I took the morning walk, I stayed in for the balance of the day. I tried playing with the girls, but that pain I was having in my thumb has returned. Apparently, the cortisone has lost its beneficial effects. Now I have to contemplate surgery, since an additional cortisone shot will provide only temporary relief. The overuse of cortisone can actually cause its own set of problems, making the surgery less effective. I am so tired of being repaired and rehabbing.

I do have an appointment at the orthopedic surgeon for my knee treatments next week, so I'll ask then what the physical therapy entails. I've done some internet research, but understanding what I've learned would require me to be a therapist. We are planning a trip to Florida in the new year, but I don't want to have to stay behind to do physical therapy unless absolutely necessary. If that's the case, we do have insurance that should cover the loss of money that would accompany that necessity.

Sports news was interesting too. The men in blue took the Royals deep into the game last night, as they made up a game from May; with a walk off home run by Chris De norfia in the bottom of the 11th, the Cubs won 1 - 0. The Tigers continued their hold last place with a 7 - 4 win over the Rangers. My beloved Red Sox dispatched the Yankees, 5 - 1.

In further weather news, we are still expecting those showers this morning after the sun rises at 7:39 a.m. and set at 7:30 p.m. After the showers abate, we are supposed to have cloudy skies all day. Our current temperature of 62° will drop down to 44°, before we rebound to the high today of 68°. It looks like I'll be donning by long jeans when I walk with STWD in the morning. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 1:00 a.m. in "The City." The weather yesterday was nothing short of perfect. Sadly, it was mostly cloudy, so the view I got of the total lunar eclipse, the blood moon total eclipse, the rare not another one of this type due for another 18 years lunar eclipse, came from the internet, as the local view was hidden behind the clouds.

On the subject of weather, the current temperature is 62° as we head towards our overnight low of 58°. Later today, I'll walk with STWD under partly cloudy skies and an eventual high temperature of 74°.

Mary was hard at work on the index that is due in three days. I finished my highlighting chores late last night/early this morning.

I watered yesterday, which led me to noticing that the front porch and its furniture were once again covered with that mysterious sticky substance, which had also attracted the dust and dirt that has been floating through the air from the construction at the public safety building. Not being one to let things be, I had to take on the challenge of washing things. That included the railings, the furniture, and the porch deck itself. I did all of those things after we got back from the grocery store.

We got a surprise there, the store is now carrying several vegan type cheeses, and spreads that are dairy free. Mary thinks that's because there are more people who are becoming lactose intolerant as they age. I have to agree.

I started one of the books that I have been putting off due to the crush of indexing business. It is the latest one by Stephen King, entitled Finders Keepers, which is the sequel to his other recent book, Mr. Mercedes. I'm liking it, especially in the large print version that I am reading. I read 232 pages yesterday.

In sports, the men in blue defeated the Pirates, 4 - 0. Jake Arrieta nearly got another no hitter. The Tigers fell to the Twins once again, 1 - 7 . My beloved Red Sox shutout the Orioles, 2 - 0. The Bears were also shutout, 0 - 26, by the Sea Hawks. Sadly, the Lions were lost too, in their case to the Broncos, 12 - 24.

Today, more walking with the intrepid weather dog, more reading, and waiting for the rain that is due on Tuesday. Naturally, I'll stop for meals, which will likely include some of the pasta sauce that Mary made in her kitchen futzing last night.

Yesterday's breakfast was scrambled tofu and peppers, with a side of hot dogs and an English muffin half with blueberry butter. It was all good. Dinner was more hot dogs, this time with a side of sweet potatoes. That too was good. I'm a man of simple tastes.

The sun will rise this morning at 7:38 a.m. and set at 7:32 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or geed evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "The City." The current temperature of 65°, will lead to an overnight low of 61° under mostly clear skies. Later today, the temperature will rise to 74 lovely degrees. Mary and I will be working today, after goofing off on Saturday afternoon. No rain is in the forecast until Tuesday.

Tonight, a total lunar eclipse will begin at 9:07 p.m., and become full at 10:11 p.m. During this super eclipse, the moon will appear up to 14% larger and due to the Earth's atmosphere, the moon will also appear to be red in color.This is an event that will not recur until 2033. If all goes according to the forecast from the NWS, the skies here in GH should be clear enough to see this rare occurrence.

Speaking of sports, which I wasn't until now, the results were mostly positive. The MSU Spartans defeated the Chippewas of Central Michigan, 30 - 10. The Wolverines of Michigan dropped the Cougars of BYU, 31- 0. Unfortunately, the NIU Huskies lost to the Boston College Eagles, 14 - 17.

Baseball was a mixed bag too, as the boys in blue lost to the Pirates, 0 - 4. Good news though, they are in the playoffs. The Tigers lost to the Twins, again, this time by a score of 2 - 6. My beloved Red Sox hammered the Orioles, 8 - 0. Later today, the 0 - 2 Bears face the Seattle Seahawks, while the 0 - 2 Lions face the Denver Broncos.

Since it was such a beautiful day yesterday, we decided to take in the Harvest Fest in Rockford, MI. We didn't buy anything nor stop in any restaurants, but the ride was worth the time. While in Rockford, I took a few pictures at the car show that was concurrent with the Harvest Fest, along with a picture of the craft fair. Here they are in no special order.

I just liked this car.

A Jeep P/U.

A relatively rare Di Tomaso.

A hot rod truck?

A vintage hearse.

Also rare, an AMC AMX.

Crowds at the craft fare.

Nearby, there is a bar called the Bow Tie Tavern, founded in 1929. Not a fancy place, but it is the kind of place we like. We have passed the Bow Tie many times over the last few years, and finally stopped just to see what it was like. Cold beer, friendly people, and terrific bar grub. What's not to like?

On the way home, we stopped in at our favorite watering hole on the other side of the bridge, Stan's, in Spring Lake . Stan's Tavern is another one of those places we like.

STWD and I took the morning walk solo yesterday while Mary slept in. She didn't know we were gone. Since I can't go to the farmer's market with Sugar, she and I dropped off a book at the library, picked up the newspaper, and dropped off a package to be returned at the UPS store before we headed home. Once here, Mary and I returned to the farmer's market for a few items. It has been a long time since I have actually been to the farmer's market, since Sugar and I have to stand across the street to avoid a dog scrum while Mary shops.

Today more highlighting, more walking with the intrepid weather dog, and not much else. I should water today, since I put it off yesterday. The sun will rise at 7:57 a.m., and then set at 7:33 p.m., which is well before that lunar eclipse. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:45 a.m. in "The City."

No trains to spot yesterday, just the track crews cutting out bad sections of the rails south of town and replacing them with less bad sections. The DBTCs, and the WTCs filled with acid, will have to wait until next week to ply the rails once again.

In sports, the boys in blue surrendered to the Pirates, 2 - 3. Jon Lester did not bring his A game, not even his B game, maybe not even his C game. Oh well, there is always another day to make the playoffs. The Tigers are playing out the string, but they defeated the Twins, 6 - 4. My beloved Red Sox. also playing out the string, romped all over the Orioles 7 - 0. Good thing there is college football today.

We did get out and leave some things at the local thrift store yesterday. Mary bought me some pre-employment beans to get me in the mood for highlighting. There is good news for me on that front. The number of pages is a shade over 200 and the pages themselves are small in size, so highlighting should go quickly, depending on my ability to resist a need to comment. We'll see.

I have to thank Adam for the man-cave he helped set up. I was working there yesterday afternoon and it just felt comfortable. Not at all like my old basement, different, but comfortable. I like it.

In weather news, the current temperature outside the WW (weather window) is 62° as we near our overnight low of 57°. Later today, we'll get to a high of 79°. The lack of humidity makes the days ever more comfortable.

Speaking of the days, when the sun rises later this morning at 7:36 a.m., that will be 11 hours and 59 minutes before it sets at 7:35 p.m. The days are getting shorter, but the comfortable temperatures make that an okay trade off.

Today, the morning walk with STWD will happen, I'll water the recent transplants, and then I'll settle into highlight and listen to some jazz music as I work. Mary will be tackling the book that includes her least favorite thing, end notes. My gain, her loss. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 6:30 a.m, in "The City." I was sleeping soundly until Mary just had to tell me a about a job she had accepted and another she had just turned down. In any event, things will be topsy-turvy for another few days.

I did get my gardening done yesterday, so at least that's out of the way. I moved some plants, separated others, and raked up the first of the falling fall leaves. Wow, that's a nifty turn of a phrase.

The trains passed through yesterday, beginning at 9:57 a.m. A fully loaded series of cars were being towed by locomotives 2019 and 2057. The cars included 31 CHCs, three BCs, three DBTCs, one GTC, and four WTCs, filled with hydrochloric acid. I used to worry about a spill and fire from the DBTCs, now I have to worry about a spill from one of those WTCs fill with acid. I hope that our public safety people here in GH have had training in dealing with a spill of that type of hazardous material. The northbound run happened at 3:30 p.m., with the same locomotives in reverse order towing 25 CHCs, nine DBTCs, and one of those WTCs.

In sports, the boys in blue had the day off. They face their division rivals, the Pirates, this afternoon at 2:20 EDT. The Cubs need one win to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Jon Lester needs to bring his A game today to beat the Pirates. The Cubs now have a 20 game winner in Jake Arrieta. I am betting that Arrieta's salary next year's  will be a lot higher. The Tigers defeated that other team from Chicago, 7 - 4. The Red Sox fell to the Rays once again, 2 - 4.

Tomorrow, the number two team in the Big 10, the Wolverines of Michigan, take on the BYU Cougars, as the other number two team in the Big 10, the Spartans of MSU, face off against the Chippewas of Central Michigan. The second ranked team in the Mac 10, the Huskies of NIU,  need to beat the Boston College Eagles. A busy day in college football.

So today is another day of highlighting, as the sun rises in about one hour, at 7:35 a.m. Nearly 12 hours later, the sun will set at 7:37 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:30 a.m. in "The City." Outside the WW, the air is a crisp 60°, as we meander towards the overnight low of 55°. Later today we'll, see a beautiful sunny day with a high of 77°. What's not to like?

In spite of my previous prognostication, no trains rumbled through our fair city yesterday. I guess that they didn't have enough call for the service they provide. Maybe today?

In sports news, the boys in blue are back, losing to the Brewers, 1 - 4. The Tigers beat that other team from Chicago, 7 - 4, so that's a pretty good day in the windy city. My beloved Red Sox gave away a game to the Rays, 2 - 6.

Mary and I were busy in the kitchen yesterday after I got back from the morning safari with STWD. I watered the gardens of the PE first, and then I came in to do some pie making, assisted by STSD. As promised, I took some pictures of my efforts, as well as those of Mary's creation of some Salsa Verde and our luncheon salad. Mary had to stop in at the farmer's market to get some peppers for her salsa, and some additional apples for my pie while the intrepid weather dog and I made our trip. Since Sugar was interested in the passage of other dogs on her route, Mary made better time.

I started out with the basics, and then I pared the apples. Both Mary and I used our shared apron.

You can't make a pie without the flaky crust that good pies demand.

My crust was hand rolled

This is the final self tested pie and the finished Salsa Verde. Mary shared some pie too after the salad. 

Mary began her Salsa Verde with some tomatillas she bought on our Tuesday shopping trip along with the peppers she got at the farmer;s market..

As you can see, onions, garlic, peppers, and the tomatillas were all hand chopped, Mary's favorite activity

After all of the effort, Mary took time to use some Boston Bib Lettuce to make a salad.

Looks good, tasted even better.

The Salsa Verde was used for the cheese nachos with lentils we had for dinner.

On the morning safari, I took some pictures of some additional Art Walk exhibits. These are owls outside the Community Center.

This one is on the wall outside the library.

This woodland nymph is outside the Bank of Holland here in GH.

We walked down to the Post in the late afternoon. We took along a slice of my pie for Sally. She liked it.

Today, it is time to do that little as possible activity I had planned for yesterday. Of course, that is after we do some moving of plants in the gardens of the PE and along the shared driveway. I also have to blow and rake a few leaves out of the gardens so that I can find the planting sites. Is that really a "As little as possible list of activities?"

I am once again tired just thinking about the activities of yesterday and the anticipation of today's endeavors. The sun will rise at 7:34 a.m., and set at 7:39 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City."

Currently the temperature is the overnight low of 55°. Later this afternoon, we'll rise to a high of 77° under sunny skies. No precipitation in the forecast.

In sports, the men in blue dropped the Brewers, 4 - 0. The Tigers defeated that other team from Chicago, 2 - 1. My beloved Red Sox lost to the Rays, 2 - 5. Sadly, the Pirates also won, so they hold onto their slim Wild Card lead over the men in blue. The Cubs will get to the one game play-off and have to beat those Pirates in order to move on towards their destiny, the World Series. There, I said it. I don't believe in that old jinx that was visited on the Cubs so many years ago.

No trains to spot yesterday. To paraphrase Jimmy Buffett, maybe me one come today.

Mary and I got to all of our chores yesterday. I walked STWD over to her groomer for a full spa treatment. She came back smelling strongly of baby powder, so Mary wants her to be less so the next time, due to Mary's allergies. Sugar and I can do that.

Elsewhere, we made it to the resale stores in search of canisters for Mary's kitchen. We found a couple, one that will work fine, the other is not a sure thing.

We made it home in time for a quick stop at JWs for an afternoon appetizer during their Happy Hour. Then it was home, in time to finish some music I was working on.

Just before 8:00 p.m., we stopped everything to watch NCIS. It was terrific. Of course, that's a biased review. In honor of the season opening episode, Mary made nachos with melted veggie cheese. I liked them.

Today I am considering making an apple pie, from scratch. If I do, I'll take pictures to show the various steps that a master pie chef takes in the process and include those on my next blog.

Other than that, a walk with the intrepid weather dog and working the crossword are my only plans. I will try to read more of the non-fiction book I am reading, but I may have to return it and check it out a later date, because it will be overdue. I have had the book for several weeks and there is a waiting list, so I couldn't renew it.

Adam sent some pictures of his latest R/C project, a Jeep 4 X 4. It looks fantastic and very realistic. From what I can gather, it is what people in the modeling business call kit-bashing, taking a kit and modifying it to meet your personal tastes and desires. He has always had a flair for that activity. Like his mother he is a perfectionist, whereas I am the type who gets the basic result and comes away happy.

Today, the sun will rise at 7:33 a.m. and set at 7:41 p.m. before the rise of the waxing gibbous moon. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:30 a.m. in "The City."

Our current temperature of 52° is the overnight low, before we rise to today's perfect high of 74°. That is the promise for this fall day in western MI. Comfortable temperatures, no precipitation, and partly cloudy skies. Mary and I once said we would like to retire to a place like this, where the weather is pretty much a constant, for example Portland, OR. But with the odd weather patterns and wildfires out there, along with the chance of drought, to paraphrase Micheal McCloud, a singer/songwriter in Key West, FL, "Oh what the heck, I think we'll just stay right here."

But I digress. We didn't get out of bed until noon yesterday. We listened to the progressive radio shows and hosts that we like and then finally got up and had lunch around 1:00 p.,m. STWD had been let out late the night before, so she was fine with that. After lunch, Sugar and I went for the morning, well actually early afternoon safari, and then we settled in to do as little as possible. What's not to like?

Later in the afternoon, Mary took me out to our favorite watering hole to pay me for my labors over the last few weeks, so that was all good.

In trainspotting, the morning run of EMD GP 38 locomotive #2019 rolled through at 9:52 a.m., accompanied by nine CHCs and four DBTCs, At 2:00 p.m., as the intrepid weather dog and I were returning from our early afternoon walk, we stopped in front of our house to watch the same locomotive head north. This time, there were many more cars in tow. 23 CHCs, five WTs, three DBTCs, and two BCs. I don't know about Sugar, but it was great for me to watch from the sidewalk in front of our house. We didn't get too close.

Sports news yesterday was a mixed bag, as is often the case. I'll start by announcing that the West Michigan White Caps are the Midwest League Champions, after a 3 - 2 win over the Cedar Rapids, IA Kernels. Maybe the Caps parent club, the Tigers, can look forward to some help from the "A" level Caps one day. The Tigers lost twice yesterday to that other team from Chicago, 0 - 2 in the first game of their day/night double header, and 2 - 3 in the night cap. My beloved Red Sox slipped past the Tampa Bay Rays, 8 - 7. Finally, the men in blue bounced back from their Sunday loss to the Cardinals, to beat the Brewers convincingly, 9 - 5.

Today is the day for the mundane things of life that have been delayed by the crush of business. Sugar goes in for her spa treatment at noon, Mary finds time to chat with her work group, I'll find time to read and play with the girls and then later this evening, we'll watch the only must see program on our viewing schedule, NCIS.

The sun will rise at 7:32 a.m. under beautiful skies and set later in front of a waxing gibbous moon at 7:42 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:30 a.m. in "The City." I thought it was time to remind all of my loyal readers about why I call GH "The City." That phrase is based on the old radio and TV series, Dragnet, wherein the show's star, Jack Webb, intoned in his famous cadence and style, "This is The City, Los Angeles, CA." That's how he started every show. So I thought that if it was good enough for Jack Webb, that I could appropriate and modify that phrase for my blog's opening line. Oh, the first part is a paraphrase of George Noory's opening for his radio program, Coast to Coast A.M.

Yesterday's weather in "The City" was a bit on the chilly side. Very typical weather for Michigan in the fall of the year. We didn't break out of the 60s yesterday, and right now, our temperature is 52°, the low for our overnight hours. Tomorrow we are supposed to rise to 73 sunny degrees with no precipitation, Most of the week will be similar. I'll take it. It is likely that I can now curtail the watering of the gardens on the PE, since evaporation will be minimal.

In sports yesterday, things did not go well for most of my teams. The boys in blue surrendered three runs to the Cardinals in the top of the first. Jon Lester went back to being a mortal for this game. The boys did manage to score three runs of their own, but the Cardinals pushed across another run to win, with the boys losing 3 - 4. The Tigers were thoroughly out hit by the Royals, losing by a final score of 3 - 10. My beloved Red Sox once again beat the Blue Jays, this one by a score of 4 - 3. The Caps tied up their series in Cedar Rapids at 2 - 2, with a 2 - 1 win over the Kernels. I think their team name, the Kernels, is a nice play on words based on the major crop of Iowa, corn.

Football was not a good replacement for baseball. The Lions lost to the Vikings, 16 - 24. The Bears now have a record of 1 - 2, following a 23 - 48 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. I guess you could say that Chicago lost two games to the Cardinal yesterday.

Mary and I finished up that index from Hades around 9:00 p.m. last night. STWD was very patient with us.

Today, we plan to do as little as possible, as we both feel like the proverbial horse that has been rode hard and put away wet. I will walk with the intrepid weather dog and get the newspaper, but that is about the extent of my energy expenditures for today. Then I will sit and read a book that I have due at the library by Wednesday. It has a hold on it, so I have to return it instead of renewing.

That looks like enough for one day. The sun will rise at 7:31 a.m. and set at 7:43 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, It is just past 6:30 a.m. in "The City." Amazingly, I was so tired last night and earlier this morning, that I didn't stir for any reason. Now that I have slept for nearly eight hours, I am going to blog a bit and go back to the rack.

Yesterday was an interesting day in sports, The MSU Spartans defeated Air Force, 35 - 21. I watched part of the game, and I think that Air Force gave the Spartans a good game. The Michigan Wolverines, under new coach Jim Harbaugh, handily defeated the UNLV Rebels, 28 - 7. The NIU Huskies fought valiantly and went into the locker room at half-time, tied 10 - 10. The final score doesn't really tell the tale, as the Huskies gave the Buckeyes all they could handle. A dropped snap on a punt attempt by the Huskies set up the Buckeyes for a score That punt attempt might have gone better, and the Huskies might have won. OSU did not look like a number one team to me. If I were the people who rank the teams nationally, I'd drop the Buckeyes in the rankings slightly.

In baseball news, the men in blue seem to not be satisfied with playing for the Wildcard. It looks as though they believe they can win their division. They nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the ninth inning yesterday, but they hung on and defeated the first place Cardinals, 5 - 4, before a sell-out crowd. The Tigers took 11 innings, but they beat the Royals 5 - 4, as the Tigers wind down their lackluster season, Worthy of note, is that two players the Tigers traded away, David Price, a pitcher, to the the Blue Jays, and Yoenis Cespedes, an outfielder, traded to the Mets, are having great years. It is possible that Cespedes mght win the National League MVP while playing for the Mets. Nice job on that trade Dave Dombrowski.

Speaking of Dave Dombrowski, the newly named GM in Boston and by extension, my beloved Red Sox, they also got a win, defeating the previously mentioned Blue Jays, 7 - 6. Some pundits are speculating that the Sox should tank the rest of the season and preserve their losing record for a strong draft pick. I certainly hope that Dombrowski isn't that devious. We'll see.

The Caps went out to Cedar Rapids, where they lost to the Kernels, 2 - 3. The next game is this afternoon at 3:05 p.m. EDT.

Elsewhere in the news, the index from Hades is nearing completion, I hope. At 90 pages and counting, it has been a long ride through the nether region. We will get that infernal document out today. Sadly, that activity has usurped nearly everything else in our lives. We did get out late last evening for a walkabout, and while out, I took some pictures of things in GH. That will allow me to close on a positive note.

The sun will rise at 7:29 a.m. and set at 7:46 p.m. But as I said, before I go, here are some pictures of GH.

It was still light out as we headed downtown.

Central Park, looking northeast from the west.

Art Walk is this week, and this is one artist's vision. 

These cars are located on the sidewalk in front of one of the banks. 

The sunset at night over the channel leading to the "Big Lake."

Sadly, to appreciate GH's Musical Fountain, you have to be there.

Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 10:00 a.m. in "The City. I am going to make this blog extremely short, as I have to get back to work. Besides, there wasn't any time for real activities yesterday.

In trainspotting news, the southbound run for locomotive 2019 occurred at 8:50 a.m. yesterday. 2019 was moving slow as it pulled through town, towing three CHCs, two WTs, and one lone DBTC. The same locomotive passed through again, this time heading north at 1:13 p.m. Three CHCs, and only one DBTC were in tow.

In sports, the men in blue handily defeated the Cardinals, 8 - 3, to run their record to 86 - 61. However, the two teams ahead of them, the division leading Cardinals, and the second place Pirates are playing great baseball too, The Tigers eked out a win over the Royals, 5 - 4. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Blue Jays, 1 - 8. The Caps play tonight in Cedar Rapids, with their series knotted at 1 - 1. The Spartans, and the Wolverines kick off today at noon. The NIU Huskies play the Ohio State Buckeyes @ 3:30 p.m. this afternoon.

The sun rose at 7:28 a.m. and it will set this evening at 7:48 p.m.

We were supposed to go to the Irish Music Festival today, but work got in the way. I am having to work on the latest index in order to get it done. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City."

I'm going to keep it short and sweet this morning, because I need to save my strength for additional keyboard activities later this a.m.

In sports, the men in blue took it to the Pirates yesterday afternoon, 9 - 6. The Tigers and my beloved Red Sox had the day off. The Caps got a win over the Kernels, 4 - 1. Their next game is in Cedar Rapids on Saturday afternoon at 4:35 p.m.

With the luck of the Irish, Mary and I will be at the Michigan Irish Festival in Muskegon at that time. Good music is always the best way to warm the soul.

The weather in GH is actually the same as the forecast from the NWS. It is raining and STWD is in her hide-e-hole to escape the occasional thunder clap. If the forecast is accurate, there will be T-storms most of the day today. Saturday, the forecast calls for a drop to a 40% chance of storms by the late a.m., However, the wind will be blowing rather briskly at 17 mph.

As previously mentioned, my day today will be consumed by indexing related activities. Mary has the heavy lifting, I'm just a pair of hands at the keyboard. We'll stop for meals, but that's about it.

The sun will rise today at 7:32 a.m., but it won't be visible. Later this evening, it will set at 7:53 p.m. The high temperature is expected to be 72° after an overnight low of 59°, We have a current temperature of 69°, so the temperature will have to fall 10° before we get there. Ciao

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It has just passed 12:00 a.m. in "The City." I stayed up late to watch the GOP debate and to watch the end of the Cubs game. I'll report more on that game's results in the sports report section of this blog.

But first in trainspotting news, the southbound run of the Mid-Michigan Railroad short line that passes through our fair city came by at 9:33 a.m. Thursday morning. Both locomotives, #s 2019 and 2057, were needed to to pull a heavily laden set of cars. Five BCs, 17 CHCs. 13 DBTCs, and one WTC were witnessed by this trainspotter from the window of the trainspotting headquarters. At 1:30 p.m., the same locomotives reversed positions and towed another series of loaded cars. 12 CHCs, four DBTCs, along with two WTCs. Once again, the weight of the fully loaded cars was evident to a veteran train spotter like yours truly.

STWD and I took the morning walk to the newspaper office around 8:30 a.m. yesterday morning. Mary and I had to get to work, so it was only natural for Sugar and I to get out bright and early on that beautiful morning. The sun was shining and we made our journey in record time. As we were leaving the newspaper office, Sugar spotted her favorite newspaper delivery person. The lady who drives the car usually has treats for Sugar, but today, her cupboard was bare. She promised Sugar an IOU for a biscuit. I'm not sure that Sugar understood the IOU thing. We passed the same lady a few blocks away on our return journey, and Sugar was certain that she should have remedied her lack of treats in the few minutes that had elapsed.

In sports, the men in blue defeated the Pirates in 12 innings, 3 - 2. Jake Arrieta didn't get the win, but he kept the Cubs in the game until his relief could mop up after the Cubs scored in the top of the 12th. Those two teams play again today at 12:35 EST. Last night the Tigers were tied with the Twins, @ 4 - 4 @ the end of the 10th inning when I went to bed. Update, it took 12 innings for the Tigers too, but they defeated the Twins, 7 - 4 while I was asleep. My beloved Red Sox pounded the Orioles 10 - 1. Big Papi hammered his 500th home run. The Caps did not have a good night, losing the first game of the Midwest League Championship Series, 0 - 5 to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Game two is tomorrow night against those same Kernels.

We finished the index that was due and Mary sent it on its way. I was hoping to have a day or two to play with the girls and read, but Mary is behind, so I have to actually do some data entry work. Since I am not a fast typist, Mary has installed some macros to assist in my efforts. Oh well, that beats actually having to work for a living.

I also had to go to the grocery store and pick up a few things yesterday. I had hoped to pick up an AC adapter for my effects pedal at the thrift store next to the grocers, but they had none that would work. My next stop is at the guitar store around the corner, probably on Friday. I did learn that the pedal I purchased 25 years ago for about $25.00, now costs $155.00. That my friends, is inflation!

The weather yesterday was terrific. Today, we are expecting windy conditions and  high of 81° under partly cloudy skies. Rain is still in the forecast for tomorrow, but the rain is expected to abate early on Saturday. Temperatures will drop a bit on Saturday, but they should still be comfortable. The sun will rise at 7:26  a.m. and set at 7:51  p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 4:00 a.m. in "The City." This morning I wasn't so tired, so I got up to write this blog for my many fans.

We have a current temperature of 61°, the overnight low. Today, we'll see a high of 79° under partly cloudy skies. Tomorrow, it will be 80° with windy conditions prevailing. Friday and Saturday are showing a forecast for rainy conditions. Only time and STWD will tell.

In sports, the boys in blue lost the first game of their doubleheader, 4 - 5. Once again, the pitching let them down. The second game was a rare masterpiece from Jon Lester, which the boys won 2 - 1. Speaking of pitching, the Cubs Jake Arrieta has an agent who knows that Arrieta is the real ace of the staff, and free agency should be a big payday for him. Once again, only time will tell, but Arrieta's agent is known to be a tough negotiator. The boys have a record of 83 - 61, good for third place behind those Pirates and the division leading Cardinals.

The Tigers took it to the Twins by a score of 5 - 4. A win is a win when you are going nowhere. They are currently in fifth place, with a record of 65 - 78. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Orioles in 13 innings, 5 - 6. They too are in fifth place with an overall record of 68 - 76. The caps open their Midwest League Championship Series tonight against the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Yesterday, I got my bulletin board finished. Here's a picture of the end product, sans bulletins.  I took several pictures, but I like this one the best.

It hangs adjacent to my Nickey Chevrolet picture, which is on the adjoining wall above my desk. 

Elsewhere on the PE, I made some repairs to the outer door area of the man-cave. The concrete in the area had deteriorated over the past few winters, so it needed doing. Now I just have to add some paint. 

Did I mention that I was going to purchase a wood plane to make the closure of our cold frame more winter tight? Turns out that a little ingenuity allowed me to use a straight edge made from an extra piece of lumber that I had in the man-cave to guide my circular saw as I cut the excess lumber at the appropriate angle. I added some weather stripping that we got free when we first came to the wilds of GH, and voila, the job is done. I didn't have to purchase anything. That is the ultimate in frugal, or re-purposing, or as Adam calls it, cheap.

Today, I have to do a final edit on the index that Mary has been working on. While I do that. she will be working on the next index. Then collectively, we'll make the final edits to the index that is going out today and slap it on it's bottom and give it a name, done. 

That's all I have in the hopper for today. My gimpy knees are acting up a bit, but that's because I am due for my twice yearly treatments. The insurance won't pay until six months have elapsed since the last series of five, so I have to wait until October. I sure hope that the the government doesn't get between me and my doctor. Knee replacement is much less expensive, much less intrusive, and requires hardly any physical therapy and recovery time. Much better than the treatments I am getting 

The sun will rise at 7:25 a.m., and set at 7:53 p.m. Ciao.

Good afternoon GH. It is just past 3:00 p.m. in "The City." What's that old saying? I think it is something like, "Good things come to he/she who waits."

At any rate, I was tired last night, so rather than get up and blog, I stayed in bed until Mary woke me to find out that, yes, I was asleep, and no, I didn't know what radio station was playing. Then she decided it was time to go for her morning walk, so she left the phone next to the bed. Naturally, it rang and woke me a second time. Another old saying is that there is no rest for the wicked. However, I can vouch for the reality that there is no rest for everyone either.

In trainspotting yesterday, the southbound run passed through at 11:37 a.m. Locomotive #2019 was on a solo run, towing a single BC, seven CHCs, and six DBTCs, one of them very rusty. Judging by the way the cars were rocking on the rails, they were MT. At 4:52 p.m, the same locomotive made its journey north, towing 11 CHCs, two BCs, nine DBTCs, and one WTC. No trains today.

In sports, the boys in blue had the day off to get ready for the Pirates this afternoon. Right now they are ahead, 3 - 1. The Pirates are four games ahead of the boys for the first Wild Card slot. The Tigers lost to the Twins, 1 - 7. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Orioles, 0 - 2. The Caps finished off their series against the Lug Nuts, with a 14 - 5 drubbing. Tomorrow, they take on the Cedar Rapid Kernels in the Midwest League Championship Series at 6:35 p.m.

Today was a great day for bike riding, so I did after I walked with STWD. I stopped in at the Habitat for Humanity Restore and got a $14.99 frame for $5.00 to make my bulletin board. With the cork I had ordered and some spray adhesive, the picture frame became a very attractive bulletin board.

I did a bit of grocery shopping at Health Hutt, but the bananas that I got for Mary didn't survive the trip home intact, so that caused an impromptu baking session with STSD backing me up.

That's about enough for one day. The weather report shows the current temperature is 75° under partly cloudy skies. The sun rose at 7:24 a.m. and it will set at 7:55 p.m. No rain is in the forecast until Friday and Saturday, the days Mary and I have plans to attend the Irish Music Festival in Muskegon. There are tents for the entertainment, but it is still not as much fun in the rain, Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 2:00 a.m. in "The City", where the current temperature of 53° is as low as it will get this morning. Once the sun has had the chance to warm the air, we'll see a high of 75 very fall like degrees, which is very comfortable with the lower humidity.

Speaking of weather related things, the day will be partly cloudy and that is what we will see for Tuesday also. Then it is sunny skies until Friday when the chance of storms rears its head once again. But as you know, here in GH, all weather related forecasts are squishy until the moment the events actually happen, or until STWD heads for her hide-e-hole, whichever comes first.

Steph and Adam concluded their visit yesterday morning, and we had a great time. Even the intrepid weather dog seems to have accepted that they are part of her family, and didn't even bark or growl. That's progress my friends.

Yesterday afternoon, Mary and I journeyed to the Megaplex in GR, to check out the first annual VegFest. We came away with a new cheese that has a great taste, but which won't be available in stores until sometime in December. What was most fascinating were the long lines of people at the food truck to get what we assume had to be veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs, and their associated companion condiments. At every other food related booth in the VegFest, there were long lines for foods of all types, whether free or for a price. Mary got a great T-shirt that she will have to share on her blog. Let's just say that once I saw it, I had to convince her that the theme was one that appealed to her personal ethos.

In sports news, the day went badly for a lot of the teams I follow. The boys in blue fell to the Phillies, 4 - 7, while the Tigers fell to the Indians, 2 - 7 in the opening game of their double header. They won game two by a score of 9 - 2. My beloved Red Sox triumphed over the Rays, 2 - 0, and the Caps defeated the Lug Nuts, 8 - 3. Back in the loss column, the Bears lost to the Packers, 23 - 31, I guess they forgot to get off the bus running. No, Matt Forte had good stats, so it must have been that they left their passing game on the bus. The Lions lost to the Chargers, 28 - 33.

Today, Mary has to get back to work as do I. More highlighting for me, and more indexing for her. With the exception of the morning walk with STWD, that's about what my day looks like. Not all bad, as I need to have a little down time. The sun will rise this morning at 7:23 a.m. and set a little more than 12 hours later at 7:57 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 4:30 a. m. in "The City." A current temperature of 43° is the low point for tonight/this morning, before we climb back up to 69° under partly cloudy skies. No precipitation is in the forecast. However, I reprise my previous comment, Brrrrrr!

The sun will rise this morning at 7:22 a.m., and set when the new moon rises at 7:58 p.m. That new moon means the it is dark outside the WW. The only traffic out there is carrying the people who work in the bars and restaurants here in GH. Or, they are the late customers of those establishments. Either way, there aren't many vehicles in sight.

Sports yesterday was a mostly good day, that is unless you count the news in baseball. The men in blue lost to the Phillies, 5 - 7. The Tigers were postponed for the second straight day in their scheduled game against the Indians. Past experience tells me that the missed game will not be made up if those two teams are not headed for the playoffs. Their collective records tell me that that isn't going to happen. My beloved Red Sox fell once again to the the Rays, 4 - 8. The Caps also lost against their opponent, the Lansing Lug Nuts, 4 - 5.

Football was a better story. The UM Wolverines pounded the Oregon State Beavers in the Wolverines home opener, 35 - 7. The MSU Spartans kept me up until late as they took the entire game to overcome the Oregon Ducks, 31 - 28. Any win is a good one, but that was a close call. The NIU Huskies easily dispatched the Murray State Racers, 57 - 26.

Pro football begins anew today. The Lions take on the San Diego Chargers at 4:05 p.m. local time, and the Bears take on their perennial rivals, the Green Bay Packers in a 1:00 p.m. game.

I did get the cold frame painted yesterday. That one coat paint took two coats to fully cover the surfaces. That's more likely due to my painting skills than the quality of the paint. It looks great. I also got started highlighting the latest book. This one is going much faster, but that's because I made a personal vow to restrict my comments as I read. Mary likes my comments, but that activity slows me down as I read for effect.

Steph and Adam stayed over last night. Adam and I went for a ride in Stephany's new Jeep™. Later Mary and Stephany walked downtown to look at hats. Adam and I caught up with the ladies at the hat shoppe. We collectively journeyed to the new brew house in town and then to the second or third favorite favorite watering hole in GH. Their placement in the pantheon is determined by where Mary and I are in town, or how lazy we are, or whether it is Sunday when one of the places is closed.

We came home to finish watching the Spartans, when both Stephany and I got tired. Mary and Adam continued to talk, while Steph retired to the warmth of the covers of their bed. I was off to the media room before succumbing to my fatigue, whereupon I headed for bed. I have to admit that I was hoping against hope that the Spartans would hang on for the win, and as you will recall, they did.

Today, the kids will head south while the sun shines and I will get back to highlighting while Mary goes back to indexing. That should be enough  for me. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:00 a.m. in "The City."

Right now I have only one thing to say, "Brrrrrrrr! That's because here in GH, the current temperature is 54° as we head toward the overnight low of 47°. While those aren't  winter temperatures, we have had such warm and humid days of late, that we had acclimated ourselves to those conditions. We had the A/C on. We had the windows closed. We limited our outdoor activities to those that were necessary. Even STWD was content to stay inside and do as little as possible, and now this. Oh well, we'll be back into the upper 70° range in the next few days under sunny skies. Today, we will only have a high of 67°.

Yesterday Mary worked while I played. STWD and I took our walk and with the cool temperatures we had a nice time. After our walk, I stopped in at Guitar Haven, our local guitar store around the corner, literally, and picked up a new cord for my new to me amplifier. With that cord, I was able to plug in my chorus effects pedal and create some new sounds with Blue and Ivy. I'm not sure, but I think that the pedal is almost an antique by now, like yours truly. At any rate, all is well here in the music room/weather center/office.

Later in the afternoon, Mary and I set out to see what was to be seen in Coopersville. Not much, but we did get some things at the local coop grocery store there, that Mary wanted for her kitchen activities. She tells me that she will have to work today. Alas, I won't have to work.

Trainspotting minus one. I use that term, because the southbound run happened at 11:07 a.m., as locomotive #2019 went through pulling one BC, two, CHCs, eight DBTCs, three WTCs, and one GTC (Gray Tank Car). We didn't leave home until after 3:00 p.m., and the northbound run had yet to occur. I assume that it did, but I have nothing to offer as proof.

In sporting news, the men in blue are back. They won the first game of their double header 5 - 1 behind Jake Arrieta as he won his league leading 19th game. Game two, was also a success, as the men in blue once again defeated the Phillies, this time by a score of 7 - 3. Kyle Schwarber had two home runs and Kris Bryant hit his 87th RBI, a rookie record for the Cubs. The Cubs are now 24 games over .500. The Tigers were rained out in their game against the Indians. They will play a double header on Sunday. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Rays, 4 - 8. The Caps have their next game against the Lansing Lug Nuts later today.

The Michigan Wolverines have their home opener against Oregon State @ 12:00 p.m. today. The MSU Spartans play Oregon, tonight @ 8:00 p.m. The NIU Huskies play Murray State @ 3;30 this afternoon.

That about sums things up for yesterday and today. The sun will rise @ 7:21 a.m. and set @ 8:00 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 3:00 a.m. in "The City."

Outside the WW, the current temperature is a brisk 59° as drop all the way down to 48° for our overnight low. Those temperature were enough for us to turn off the A/C and open the windows for a few days. The high today, under partly cloudy skies, will be 68°. The humidity will remain high, but with those low temperatures, it won't matter.

I may have to break out the long pants for the morning walk with STWD. That's okay, because I like longer walks with her, but she and I don't do all that well on hot humid days. Neither of us is getting any younger. In dog years, the intrepid weather dog is 56. She still has the same feisty nature, she just takes longer to rev it up. Me, you know my story.

In sports, the boys in blue were rained out in Philadelphia, where not coincidentally, they team fired its GM after another losing season. The Tigers fell to the Indians, 5 - 7. My beloved Red Sox had the day off before beginning a series with the Rays today. The Caps slipped past the TinCaps, 2 - 1, to take a 2 - 0 lead in their playoff series.

No trains to spot yesterday.

We did get out and run a few errands yesterday. Small stores, big stores, and some in-between stores. Some easy and some a chore, and one I left because of such  poor service that I'll never return. By the time we were done, we were done, so to speak.

I got my chores done yesterday, so today I am going to do nothing but the morning walk and reading. Mary has work to do along with a chat, so I'll stay out of the way. Sugar will be there for me.

The sun will rise today at 7:20 a.m., and set today at 8:02 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:30 a.m. in "The City."

Yesterday was a great day for trainspotting. Things are back to normal in GH. EMD GP 38 locomotives 2019 and 2057, were back together again at the head of the train as it traversed in both directions. As an inveterate trainspotter, I was as excited as a honeybee in a sunflower field.

During the southbound passage at 9:52 a.m., those two locomotives were only pulling one BC, 15 CHCs, four DBTCs, and one WTC. At 2:10 p.m., the same locomotives had reversed positions for the northbound run. This time their entourage was much longer. Two BCs, 21 DBTCs, 20 CHCs, and five WTs. One of the CHCs was very rusty, and another had blue ends. I suspect the former can be attributed to lack of maintenance, while the latter reflects the livery of some long-forgotten railroad company. During both runs, the cars felt heavily loaded. Whatever, it was a great day for trainspotting.

I got my new to me small guitar amplifier plugged in yesterday. It sounds great. I paid $19.95 at the resale store, but a little research told me that it has a value of about $60.00. The age is indeterminate, but that isn't relevant in amplifier land. In fact, some of the older models work better than the new ones. This one has an actual cord instead of a wall transformer to power it. So my suspicion is that it is an older model. I like it.

In sports, the boys in blue fell to the Cardinals 3 - 4. Given the licking they laid on the Cardinals in the two previous games, this was a close game. However, Jon Lester was on the mound again, so he suffered the loss. The Tigers got walloped by the Rays, 0 - 8. Like I said, they're going nowhere. My beloved Red Sox hammered the Blue Jays, 10 - 4. David Ortiz, Big Papi, drove his 498th round tripper over the wall before he rounded the bases on his way to the Hall of Fame. (My observation, not a fact). One of the announcers noted that Big Papi was wearing his Mr. T starter set of gold chains as he trotted around the bases. As the announcer also observed, with those home run numbers, Ortiz can wear anything he wants. My beloved Red Sox are now only seven games under .500 and just 13 games behind the division leading Blue Jays.

In weather news, it was humid yesterday and will continue to be so today. Temperatures are dropping, but the humidity makes it feel uncomfortable. Right now outside the WW, the temperature is 58° under mostly clear skies. We should see an overnight low of 55°, before we reach today's high of 75°. However as previously noted, the humidity will still make it uncomfortable outdoors. There is a chance of scattered T-storms later today, peaking at a high of 30% at 3:00 p.m. according to the NWS.

Today I'll walk with STWD if her personal forecast doesn't preclude that activity.  I'll take time to read the Grand Haven Tribune  that the intrepid one and I will pick up on our walk. Then I'll get started on the chores that I didn't have the energy for yesterday. I guess you can tell from that comment that I am feeling better this morning. Then I'll do the crossword before I actually do some work. Mary will continue her indexing work. She is continuing to refine her kitchen storage areas, nearly four years after we moved in. As she said, "You don't want to rush these things."

The sun will rise later this morning at 7:18 a.m. and set at 8:04 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It has just passed 4:00 a.m. in "The City." I had hoped to stay in bed and get better, but I just had to get up to feel better, because lying down has its own set of problems. Oh well, it has only been four or five days, so as with any cold, it takes seven to ten days to get over it. Sigh.

Last night I did stay awake long enough to watch the men/boys in blue defeat the Cardinals in nine innings. Like the day before, the men took an 8 - 0 lead. Unlike the day before, the boys gave back five of those runs in the bottom of the seventh. They finished the game 8 - 5. The Tigers took 13 innings, but they defeated the Rays 8 - 7, on a sacrifice fly by Rajai Davis. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Blue Jays, as they gave up four runs in the top of the 10th to lose to the Jays, 5 - 4. That snapped their four game winning streak. The Caps open their post-season tonight against the Fort Wayne TinCaps, That team of Caps is ahead of the my team of Caps in the standings. The TinCaps have the home field advantage.

No trains to spot yesterday, which seems odd, since there haven't been any trains since late last week.

It did rain a lot yesterday, accompanied by thunder, so you know where STWD spent part of her day. I finished my highlighting chores, so I have a couple of days off. I can start on my indoor chores after I get back from the morning walk with the intrepid weather dog, since I won't have to water the gardens of the PE.

We did get out to the grocery store yesterday. On the way, we stopped at the optometrist to have new nose pieces put on my glasses. Afterwards, we stopped at the hardware store, and the resale store, where I got a new to me small guitar amplifier. Hopefully it works, but if it doesn't, I have a seven day return guarantee. Mary got some canisters for her kitchen.

Returning to the weather, the current temperature is 67°, going down to a low of 55° overnight, before rising to 77° under partly cloudy skies. Today will be the harbinger of several more cool and comfortable days with lower temperatures and humidity.

So, I am going to try to relax today, not strain myself, and allow time to get better. I'll read, work the crossword, and listen to the boys/men in blue try to take another game from the Cardinals this afternoon. A few non-strenuous chores, but not too many.

The sun will rise in a few hours at 7:17 a.m., before giving way to a waning crescent moon, when it sets at 8:25 p.m. this evening. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 3:00 a.m. in "The City." I am still under the weather more than I would like, but I think I am on the getting better side of things.

Here in GH, the high temperature, currently 74°, and the high humidity, 86%, make me less than comfortable in spite of the A/C. The forecast from the NWS calls for T-storms later this afternoon/evening, but here in GH, I'll have to wait and see. STWD will let us know. I didn't water yesterday, so I'll have to do that today whether it rains or not. The forecast is suggesting that scattered showers will begin around 10:00 a.m., and by 3:00 p.m., T-storms will begin in earnest and we should batten down the hatches. Right now, it is all quiet on the northern front, that's the view out the Weather Window (WW).

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the latest sports news. The men in blue are back. They defeated the Cardinals, at their home park, Busch Stadium, 9 - 0. The men are two games behind the Pirates and seven and one-half games behind the Cardinals in their division. The Tigers also won over the Rays, 5 - 4, but they are now officially in last place in their division and going nowhere. My beloved Red Sox hammered the Blue Jays, 11 - 4. Unfortunately, they are 13 games back of those same Jays, and also going nowhere. The Caps won over the Great Lakes Loons, 3 - 1. I just love that other team's name, The Great Lakes Loons. I would also be remiss if I didn't note that the NIU Huskies defeated the Rebels of UNLV, 38 - 30, to open their season last Saturday night.

Today, I have 55 pages to finish highlighting. That's about three hours of work after I walk STWD, pick up the newspaper, and water the gardens of the PE. Then I can convalesce in my chair. That is unless I go to the grocery store with Mary to get a few things. I go, because I'll return the cans which Mary doesn't like to do. I don't like it either, but I can do it without thinking about it. Then I can begin my convalescence when we get back. Plus, it is senior discount Tuesday at the grocery store. Five percent off is five percent off, I say.

That looks like enough for one day. The sun will rise at 7:16 a.m., and set before the rise of the waning crescent moon, at 8:07 p.m. Ciao.

Good evening GH. It is just passing 11:30 p.m. in "The City." As you may have noticed, I didn't write a blog last night. I was feeling a bit under the weather, so I decided to just stay in bed until about 9:00 a.m. this morning. I'm feeling better now, so I will give it a go.

I made some soup this afternoon. It was/is a variation on my world famous squash/kale recipe. I used fresh kale from the gardens of the PE, along with zucchini from those same gardens. Mary picked up some garlic from Health Hutt, and along with some carrots, onion, and spices from Mary's larder, I was ready to go.

I chopped, I sauteed, I boiled, I simmered, and voila, the soup was done. I ended with a bit more than four quarts. I tried some for dinner, and I pronounce it delicious. But then, just about any soup is delicious to me.

Mary is in her kitchen now, futzing, and she seems as happy as a clam. Hmmm, is that a food reference?

In sports, the boys in blue took another from the D'backs, this one with a score of 6 - 4. They are now 21 games over .500, but behind the Cardinals and the Pirates who played tonight, The Pirates won, 7 - 1. Along the way this afternoon, Kris Bryant hit the longest home run of the Cubs season. The Tigers were not so fortunate, losing to the Indians, 0 - 4. My beloved Red Sox, also took another game from the Phillies, 6 - 2. They are now only eight games under .500. The Caps in what is their next to last game of the regular season, edged the Great Lakes Loons, 5 - 4. They open their playoff series on September, 9.

Earlier this afternoon, I did more highlighting for Mary. I am now down to 134 pages to go. I have it on good authority, that the next book won't be as hard to work on. Time will tell, as I know that somewhere in there, I'll be editing the index for the book I am highlighting now.

Tomorrow is Adam's birthday. He'll be 41. It seems like only yesterday that he was 40. Actually, I was reminiscing about the day he was born. Naturally, like with most babies, the time of birth was in the early morning hours. Since this was 41 years ago, and they didn't let fathers in the delivery room when they were doing a C-section, I had to wait in the father's waiting room. I vividly remember that a Lutheran minister came into the room and asked if I was Adam's father. My heart sank. The minister was dressed with a clerical collar, and looked like a priest. Fortunately, he told me that both Mary and Adam were doing fine. I remember being in a fog after that visit.

We named him Adam Joshua after the first born son on the TV series Bonanza> Adam was the first born son of Ben Cartwright. The Joshua was because the initial "J" would look good on the back of a pro football or baseball jersey when coupled with the initial "A". I had visions of A. J. Wendt on the back of one of those jerseys. I guess that those names look good on a business card too.

Otherwise, not much is happening. I watered the gardens yesterday and I will have to water them again in the morning. Mary tells me that the forecast is calling for T-storms tomorrow evening and continuing into Tuesday, but this being GH, I am not holding my breath. Right now, the temperature outside the WW is 75 very muggy degrees. The sun will rise tomorrow morning at 7:15 a.m. and set at 8:10 p.m. The tourist traps will be empty, and vacancies will once again abound on Tuesday. My Thanks to Jimmy Buffett for that sentiment. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City." Here in GH, the current temperature is 65°, which makes for good sleeping for those who are, in fact, sleeping. However, similar temperatures late yesterday made the walkabout that Mary and I took to the downtown, a pleasant journey. It was better than the walk I took with STWD in the a.m.

Today, we'll see temperatures peaking at 81° with a forecast for high humidity and possible fog, after the sun rises at 7:13 a.m. That's only slightly less than 13 hours before the sun sets at 8:12 p.m. No rain until late Monday/early Tuesday, just before things settle down here in GH, post tourist season.

In sports, Mary and I got to watch as the boys in blue demolished the D'backs, 14 - 5. Staying with the winning theme, my beloved Red Sox toppled the Phillies 7 - 5. Moving to the dark side of the force, the Tigers fell to the Indians, 1 - 8. The Caps too had a bad day, losing to the TinCaps, 1 - 4. Returning to winning, the MSU Spartans defeated the Broncos of Western Michigan University, 37 - 24. Tonight, the Huskies of NIU take on the Rebels of UNLV.

Trainspotting yesterday was much better. The southbound run at 9:39 a.m., consisted of locomotive #2019, soloing once again, as it towed seven CHCs, two DBTCs, one BC, and one WTC (white tank car). It felt as though it was fully loaded. In the early afternoon, 1:35 p.m., the same locomotive passed by at the head of a seemingly empty line of cars. 13 total CHCs, four DBTCs, and one WT. To borrow from that famous pig, "That's all folks!"

I got more highlighting done yesterday, with more on tap for today after the morning walk with the intrepid weather dog. Mary got the next book in yesterday too, but I have it on good authority that I'll only have to peruse about 350 pages for that one. By compassion, that's a bit of light reading.

Mary made what I consider to be her best ever veggie BLT sandwiches. Her side dish was a new recipe for potato salad, that had an entirely different style of sauce/topping/dressing, made of ketchup, vinegar, mustard and I can't remember, but I liked it a lot, and so it's a keeper as are the sandwiches.

I did the yard work yesterday on the PE and at our neighbor's house. I took time from my busy schedule to make bread too. We still can't seem to make a loaf on which the top isn't concave. We'll get it right yet. I should mention to Mary that I didn't sift the flour for this most recent loaf, unlike the last time. Hmmmm., So, more highlighting, more walking, and more music today. That should round things out nicely. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:30 a.m. in "The City."

I stayed up late to watch the Wolverines get defeated by the Utes of Utah, 17 - 24. I expected more than the same old same old, but I was disappointed. The Wolverines seemed out of sync and their defense seemed unable to stop the Utes from moving the ball. Most importantly, the Wolverines seemed unable to stop the Utes from scoring. Oh well, there is always another day and this isn't a conference game. But if Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines want to beat the number one ranked OSU Buckeyes, they will have to get a lot better, and soon. It could be a long season.

Since I am on the subject of sports, the boys in blue are ready to face the Diamondbacks later today. I hope that their day off gave them the rest that they needed. They have a good team this year. Unfortunately, the Cardinals and the Pirates are in their division, so the boys are mired in third place.The Tigers fell to the Royals, 7 - 15. Ouch. My beloved Red Sox, like the boys, also had the day off on Thursday. The Caps easily handled the Ft. Wayne TinCaps, 7 - 1, as the Caps wind down their 2015 season. Here's hoping that the Spartans can do better against Western Michigan tonight.

Elsewhere in GH, I awoke yesterday morning and did my "Happy Dance." The rain was falling and that made a watering session unnecessary. All good by me. I should be good until Saturday. That allowed me time to make a stir fry for lunch after I walked with STWD between the rain drops. More rain/T-storms were expected, but they never materialized. No rain is in the forecast until Sunday, so if all goes according to plan, I may not have to water for several more days.

Later in the afternoon, Mary and I ventured forth to get a prescription for the intrepid weather dog's medications from her doctor. Then it was off to the local big box office supply store to fax those prescriptions to the pet medication provider and make a few copies of some music I wanted to add to my traveling music book. Afterwards, we stopped in at the Post and had a couple of adult beverages and then home to watch the Wolverines lose.

I am up to page 102 in my highlighting task, so that leaves me another 372 pages to go. It is still an interesting read, and that makes the task palatable. Plus, since I only have to use one color highlighter, I don't have hands covered in additional colors as I try to juggle three pens.

I'll return to highlighting today and place that copied music in my book after the morning walk.

Not much else was happening yesterday, nor is anticipated today. The sun set at the scheduled time last night, and it will rise this morning at 7:12 a.m. That same sun will set tonight, as expected, at 8:14 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 2:00 a.m. in "The City."

Whatever you may have heard about taxes, I can unequivocally state that here in MI, the real estate taxes we paid yesterday are about one-fourth of what Mary and I used to pay in Illinois. Do we get what we pay for? Yes, but we have very low expectations. In Illinois, we wanted everything and what we got was broken promises and excuses. Here in MI, we get potholes and limited service, the difference is that we pay a lot less for the disappointment.

But I digress. Yesterday was an interesting day of trainspotting. The southbound run happened at about 10:00 a.m. Locomotive #2019 was towing seven CHCs, six DBTCs, one WTC (white tank car), and one GTC (gray tank car), What made the day interesting happened later, when I was ready to watch the northbound run at 2:03 p.m. What I saw approaching on the tracks nearby, was good old locomotive #2019. However, that's all I saw, good old #2019 without any cars in tow. Go figure.

I got up a short time ago to find a severe weather alert in my email for Ottawa, County, MI. But like nearly always in GH, the storm was not slated to visit GH. Just about everywhere else south of here, but not here. I saw one flash of lightning, but it wasn't even enough to send STWD scurrying to her hide-e-hole. Alas, that means I'll be watering again later this morning. Plus, later today we'll feel a temperature of 81° with 82% humidity after the sun rises at 7:11 a.m. and before that same orb sets at 8:16 p.m. Every day through Saturday has a picture of  T-storm on the weather page, but like always, I'm not holding my breath.

In sports news, the boys in blue are back once again, losing to the Reds, 4 - 7. The Tigers were pummeled by the chicken pox afflicted/infected Kansas City Royals, 1 - 12. Ouch! My beloved Red Sox also got beaten once again by the Yankees, 8 - 13. Sigh. The Caps slipped by the Ft. Wayne Tin Caps, 1 - 0. The Caps season will end next Monday with a game against the Great Lakes Loons.

Tonight, the Wolverines of Michigan, under new coach Jim Harbaugh, travel to Utah to meet the Utah Utes and their long time coach, Kyle Whittington. Here's hoping that the Wolverines and Harbaugh can live up to the hype of the last eight months. The MSU Spartans, under their great coach Mark Dantonio, open Friday against the Western Michigan Broncos and their also great coach, P.J. Fleck. The Northern Illinois Huskies with first year coach Rod Carey at the helm, open Saturday against the Rebels of UNLV and their new coach, Tony Sanchez, The Huskies are expected to repeat as MAC champions. Right now, all the teams have identical records of 0 - 0.

Well it happened, the new book has hit my highlighting desk, all 473 pages plus the introduction. I'll be busy highlighting and commenting for a few days. I like the book so far, but it is a lot of work for this humble highlighter. As I said, so much for my personal reading time.

So there you have it gentle readers. My day will be walking with STWD, buying and reading the newspaper, highlighting, and watching the Wolverines defeat UNLV, I hope. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. We've just passed 3:00 a.m. in "The City." Whoa, now I'm talking in the third person. I guess that's better than Yoda Speak.

We had a great anniversary yesterday. For breakfast, Mary made her world famous sauerkraut and Swiss cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread. I always like those, and these I think were even better, because she had purchased what she and I consider the best sauerkraut made by the hands of man, Bubbies™. However without Mary, it would just be another sauerkraut, in my humble opinion.

But I digress. The weather yesterday was hot and humid here in West Michigan. By the time I got back from the morning walk with STWD, watered the gardens on the PE, and harvested some beans from the garden and tomatoes from our not so cold frame, I was ready to stay indoors, so I did.

Mary did go out in the early afternoon and learned what I had learned earlier, she didn't want to go out again. Actually we did venture forth in the late afternoon for our anniversary dinner at JWs. We split a terrific vegetable burrito. Like nearly every restaurant in GH, they have a unique version of a burrito. I guess that unless you are a specialty restaurant, you must sell a burrito of some type. JWs' is excellent.

Speaking of the weather, today the temperature will once again be hot and the humidity high, 84° and 84% respectively. There is a possibility of precipitation tomorrow. Also once again, I'll be staying indoors. I have to get a book from the library before it goes back, so I'll have to drop off the intrepid weather dog and go back out.

In sports, the boys in blue edged out the Dodgers, 5 - 4. The Tigers also edged out their opponent, the Royals, 6 - 5. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Yankees, 1 - 3. The Caps pounded the Great Lakes Loons, 10 - 0.

Otherwise, things were quiet as I worked on some music, read the newspaper, and worked the crossword. Mary chatted with her indexing group and worked on my valances.

Today, after that morning safari with STWD and the book pick up at the library, I have to put on my highlighting hat and go to work for Mary once again. This next book is nearly 500 pages as I understand it. I hear there is another similar length book due in a few days. Sigh. My personal reading will have to be delayed, and I have so many books yet to be read.

Speaking of Mary, here is a link to her personal, once every few months or so, blog.

marygoeswalking.blogspot.com

If you go there, you can see some pictures she took on her sojourn to the Great White North. I think the place and the nearby towns look great, but I was happy staying home.

The sun will rise in a few hours at 7:10 a.m. and set this evening at 8:18 p.m.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Ciao.