Good morning of good evening, wherever you may be. It is just passing 4:00 a.m. in "The City."

As Mary said early yesterday morning, "We have fire!" Our new gas range was delivered, hooked up, and road tested by both the installer and the chief cook and bottle washer of the PE. Mary continued her testing later last night. However, since her glass tea kettle won't work on a gas range, we now have to go to the big box everything store to get a new metal kettle. It looks like my pancakes are getting more expensive by the day.

Elsewhere in GH, the trains passed through on an alternate schedule. At 10:30 a.m., engines 2019 and 2057 rolled through at a slow pace. In tow were one graffiti covered BC, followed by eight CHCs bringing up the rear. At 3:55 p.m., the same tandem of locomotives rumbled through at a much more vigorous speed, towing 25 CHCs, three DWTCs, two GTCs, with 10 DBTCs bringing up the rear. In the mix was a lone BC.

I have my fourth appointment at the orthopedist at 10:00 a.m. this morning. I plan to walk or ride my bike, but since wearing my summer shorts makes the visit easier, I may have to drive. Another game time decision.

As noted earlier, the trip to the big box everything store will consume part of our afternoon. Mary has her regular chart session at 1:00 p.m, and then we'll have lunch courtesy of her new range, pictured here.

Naturally Mary loves the simplicity of this range, but as noted, it gets more expensive by the day to own. So far, I've had hot dogs made in a pot on the top. She tells me that the next meal will be far more complicated in its execution and planning. 

The leaves are once again in the bags on the front porch of the PE. More to follow. Thanks to the bequeathing of the various yard tools from Adam, I got the bushes trimmed and the leaves blown and bagged. That's all good. Mary worked in the back forty planting tulip bulbs, while I was in front raking and bagging the leaves after blowing. I think I am up to nine or ten bags as of now. That's just from this session. 

Mary went inside and left the planting of the newest additions to our shade garden area to me. As is often the case, roots are prevalent in the gardens, courtesy of the many trees that line the back forty, She was able to remove a root that was an impediment to the planting of the tulips bulbs, but the plants in the garden require a larger and deeper hole. I had to remove a few larger roots, but this time it wasn't too bad.

Since I have that 10:00 a. m. doctor's appointment, Mary and STWD will be soloing on the morning walk. My being missing upsets Sugar's equilibrium, but she seems to be feeling better. We learned that her interest in going out numerous times was actually due to an old bone from the zone that she discovered in the "No Man's Land" that is next to our deck. We decided to take it from her, because it was more of a fossil than a bone fit for a dog. 

So that's enough for one day and a half. The sun will rise at 8:12 a.m. and set at 6:43 p.m. Ciao.