Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." Strangely enough, I'm listening to the inspiration for that opening, George Noory, on Coast to Coast AM. What a strange show it has been, but that's what you mostly get at 4:00 a.m.

The current temperature outside the WW is 35°, the bottom of the slide for this early morning. We'll go up the down escalator later today to reach the high of 51°, perfect for my outdoor chores. Mary suggested that I could wait, but the weather will not be getting any better. Rain, as much as one-half inch according to our other favorite weatherman, Bill Steffen at WOOD TV. Rain and possible T-storms and a high of 43° on Friday, with similar temperatures for the foreseeable future too. So the pie I will be making for T-Giving will have to wait until later in the day.

I had enough of shopping yesterday. A trip to the big-box home center was so filled with those people that Mary doesn't suffer well, fools. Like she has been known to say, "Make a decision, it doesn't matter what, just make it", or words to that effect. People who resemble the cast of Night of the Living Dead. Lines at the checkout that never move. Cashiers that seem to find nothing wrong with calling out for change as the line grinds to an even slower pace if that's possible. Lines that open up after you have been standing there and you have to watch as new arrivals jump into those new lines. Managers who seemingly don't care that you are there. But, you don't want to give up and leave your potential purchases, because you have waited so long already. Arrrgh!

Ah, but then you get to leave, and you do so as expeditiously as possible. You end your trip with a stop in the downtown business district of GH and make purchases that seem to be appreciated, from merchants who seem to care that you are alive. Better, much better.

No trains yesterday, but that means that we should see two today.

In sports news, the NIU Huskies fell to the Ohio Bobcats, 21 - 26, missing a chance to clinch their sixth straight MAC West division title. By the time the game was over, both teams were using their third string QBs due to injuries to the starters and their backups.

After the morning safari with STWD, I'll be doing those outdoor chores, more reading, and baking that apple pie with the able assistance of STSD. I need to enlist Mary's aid for about 15 minutes to help me get the furniture from the front porch to the outer doors of the man-cave. After that I can handle things. I could do it all myself, but the time would extend greatly.

Otherwise, not much on tap. The sun will rise at 7:49 a.m. and set at 5:13 p.m. Ciao.