Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is nearing 4:00 a.m. in "This City."

Today's weather promises to be a delight. A current temperature of 43° that feels like 40°, will yield a sunny day with a high of 65°. We'll bounce around in the upper 60° range for the next several days, until a high of 71° is reached on Tuesday. Since that is a long range forecast, it is still iffy. I am hoping that the T-storms also predicted for that day are also iffy. I suspect that STWD would agree.

Speaking of the intrepid one, she had her doctor's visit yesterday. It seems that she is doing much better, but she still has to take a milder form of antihistamine while we are here. I also asked about what appears to be her seeming neediness lately. As the doctor said, "Pets do have feelings and when they don't feel right, they try to stay close to their humans for comfort, because they can't tell you how they feel." I can easily identify with that sentiment.

Mary and I made it to Pensacola yesterday. It was sunny, but the winds made the day feel on the cool side. But that's just an aside. Our first stop was at a place called Blues Angel Music, a store founded in 1997 by a former Navy fighter pilot and his wife, also a Navy veteran. My plan was just to touch some stings on one of their "Girls", but when Mary saw the joy on my face, she felt I should add another member to my little family. I thank her for her understanding and indulgence of my habit.

So, I hereby introduce you to "Winnie" and her "How To" book.

If she has strings, I can learn.

I am not sure what suggested her name, but Winnie she became and will be forevermore. The music store has a class on Saturday mornings for beginner Uke players, so I may have to go. What can I say, a lesson is a lesson.

Speaking of lessons, I tried to get copies made of the PDF lessons for my harmonicas, but I relearned something about copyright laws. The local store that I wanted to have print out the lessons couldn't, due to a healthy fear of the "Copyright Police." I understood.

We also made a stop at the French bakery and the cooperative grocery store before we headed home.

So, now I have a load of things to accomplish here on "The Beach." Editing and adding to my novel, trying to play the harmonica, learning to play the ukulele, and reading in general. I just thought I was busy at home.

Sad news in the music world, Paul Kantner, a co-founder of the San Francisco based band Jefferson Airplane, died at the age of 74. The late Dennis Hopper, the late Robin Williams, perhaps Grace Slick, another founding member of the Airplane, nobody knows for sure, famously said, "If you remember the 60s, you weren't there." I was there, and I do remember songs like White Rabbit, Somebody to Love, Wooden Ships, and Volunteer. Another blast from my youth has passed. Sigh.

The sun will rise at 6:41 a.m. and set at 5:22 p.m. Ciao.