Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:230 a.m. in "The City."

Well, ladies and gentlemen and other interested partiers, those aforementioned pictures are now hung securely on the walls of the Palatial Estate. When we get the photos of the photos that we plan to send to the artist, I'll post them for all to see.

Yesterday was an exciting day here at the Palatial Estate. At about 7.30 a.m., we were awakened by the sound of chainsawing and the throbbing hum of a chipper as the city crews began the removal of the tree in the parkway. We took some pictures of the work as it unfolded. I

We looked out to see the work truck.

That supported the basket with the chainsaw operator cutting the first branches.

As the work progressed, the tree became smaller and smaller.

More and more, the tree became less and less.

Until all that was left were some logs and sawdust

The crews moved the massive logs to the truck  by hand and machine for removal.

A rare photo of the intrepid one as she investigated the activities. The old maple was rotten at its core.

We returned from the morning safari with STWD  to see that the crews had taken a break for sustenance.

Finally, a decades old tree was reduced to this stump and some sawdust.

All in all, it was quite a day for Sugar due to the noise and the activity. In between the trains came through.

Locomotives # 2019 and 2057 were southbound at 9:41 a.m. towing 15 CHCs, two DBTCs, and three DWTCs. At 1:42 p.m., the same locomotives returned heading north, towing cars that were no longer empty. There were seven CHCs, five DBTCs, one GTC, two BCs, and two DWTCs, filled with HCl acid that were bringing up the rear. 

Elsewhere, I continued my reading of the Grand Haven Tribune along with some crossword solving. I also read more of the Last Open Road, and I'm still laughing as I think about it.

We took advantage of the relatively warm temperatures late yesterday afternoon to walk to the Post and enjoy that activity. A new bartender who is taking the shifts that Sally used to work, greeted us and she seems very pleasant and efficient. 

Today, I have to get to work on highlighting the latest indexing project. I'll mix that with some household chores as Mary does her work. I think I get the book before she does. That's before she does what she calls chunking. That means that the knitting of my hat, or the creation of my window valances should resume apace, or not. 

A current temperature of 54° that feels like 49° on this rainy early morning, will lead to today's high of 56° with an 80% chance of T-storms. What that means to STWD is more time in her hide-e-hole. 

The sun will rise at 7:28 a.m. and set at 8:11 p.m. 

Don't forget that the MLB regular season opens on Sunday to that old call, "Play Ball!". That's just four days away. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." A current temperature of 43° that feels like 37° will ultimately lead to today's expected high of 58 cloudy degrees. The clouds will turn to showers later this evening. Tomorrow the NWS has forecast a similar high temperature, albeit with rainy and windy conditions prevailing. Like I often say, that's springtime in West, MI.

In sports, the Tigers made a big trade yesterday as they attempt to get down to their opening day roster limit of 25 players. I used to wonder why any team had a 25 player limit, but I now realize that teams like the Yankees, with what has often seemed to be unlimited funds, would buy up all the players that were good, and leave nothing for the other teams. Maybe that's what they have done with free agency, although that hasn't produced the results of the days when the Yankees had their "Murderer's Row" in the 1920s. They had a good run during the days of free agency too. It finally gets down to the farm system. However, when a team has a player of a certain age and he is still a "prospect" then you have to question the management of that system too. Witness the Cubs all too often.

The Tigers like all the MLB teams are trying to decide which players to keep. Money and other considerations change thinking, but the comments from the fans indicate that they don't like this trade move very much. If the team followed the advice of their fans, the general manager would trade the field manager and then fire himself.  The Tigers were once again rained out, this time in a game with the Blue Jays. The Cubs defeated the As, 9 - 5 yesterday behind a strong performance by opening day starter, Jake Arrieta. Like the Tigers, they optioned several players to the minor leagues to get their opening day roster down to 25. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Twins 2 - 6 as they too try to decide on which players go north.

After the morning safari with STWD and Mary's chat, we did make it to the big-box hardware and home center yesterday. All in all, we've had worse experiences, That was after stops at the USPS and the UPS offices downtown, along with a stop at the accountant. We finished up our day at Sportys.

We never got those pictures hung and now the latest indexing project has come in, That will mean that more things go on the back burner, including my pleasure reading. Speaking of that reading, I was laughing uproariously while reading The Last Open Road yesterday. Like I'm sure I've said, it is garage humor that many people who aren't car people wouldn't find funny.

So today, it is back to normal, whatever that is. A morning walk with the intrepid one, reading the newspaper, playing with the girls on a limited basis due to my aching thumb, which I will be having repaired in June, and of course, highlighting in my support role to Mary's indexing enterprise. Will we ever get those pictures hung? Check back for further news. It should be a trainspotting day too.

The sun will rise at 7:30 a.m. and set at 8:10 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." The current temperature. according to the NWS, is 30° that feels like 26°. My front porch based sensor for my desktop weather station, reports 34°. The NWS is forecasting a high for today of 49° under sunny skies, with Wednesday's predicted high of 58° being a precursor for  possible showers in the evening.

I confess that I may have sown the seeds of confusion with my sports report in yesterday's blog. I have since updated that blog and repaired my faux pas there. The MLB 2016 season officially opens on Sunday April 3, 2016 as the Cardinals and the Pirates play in the afternoon at Busch Stadium in St, Louis, MO, while the Mets and the Royals open that night in Kansas City, MO. The balance of the teams, 26, including the boys in blue AKA the Cubs, the Tigers and my beloved Red Sox open the next day and evening.

Yesterday in the continuing saga of spring training games, the boys tied the Angels 8 - 8. The Tigers lost to the hated Yankees 2 - 3, while my beloved Red Sox dropped one to the Orioles, 3 - 5. Jake Arrieta is still slated to be the opening day pitcher for the Cubs.

Phew, glad I got that sorted out. "What I meant to say is not what you heard", as one of our presidents once said. There is a genuine No Prize for the first of my loyal readers who can identify that president. Hint, it was man.

Now on to the regular slate of daily happenings. The southbound run on the reality scale train board took place at 11:10 a.m. as locomotives 2057 and 2019 rumbled by towing eight CHCs, seven DBTCs, with four at the end, one DWT, and two BCs directly behind the locomotives.

We were at JWs when the northbound run occurred at 4:47 p.m. The same tandem of locomotives had reversed order, still looking freshly washed, as they towed six CHCs, seven DBTCs, and six DWTCs, filled with HCl acid. By the feel of the shaking ground when I stepped outside to watch, the cars were fully loaded.

Mary had just visited her chiropractor, so meeting at JWs was logical. It was also a much appreciated relief from the big-box everything store where we had been grocery shopping earlier in the day. Something about that store causes people to behave like zombie ballerinas as they push and pull their carts of groceries through the aisles. The final act was provided by the cashier. We never got to the big-box hardware and home center, so that "experience" is on tap for today, probably after Mary's noon chat session.

Speaking of computers in a tangential way, our IT guru was able by remote control to update Mary's computer to the Windows 10 operating system  That necessitated Mary spending some time learning Windows 10. She has more to learn as we all do, but at least she is able to use that system with her indexing software.

Today is probably that trip to the aforementioned big-box hardware and home center. It was probably a good thing we didn't do that yesterday, I'll continue reading The Last Open Road, as I motor towards the author's next book in the series, Montezuma's Ferrari. I also have to finish yesterday's and today's issues of the Grand Haven Tribune, along with their respective crosswords. We'll pick up today's newspaper during the morning safari with STWD. She and I walked west and then back east yesterday mornig, and it was much colder than it had been on Sunday morning. How would Gordon Lightfoot have said it? We were, "in the face of a hurricane west wind." Well not really, but it was brisk. A nice way to segue into the fact that I got in some time with the girls and my music.

The sun will rise today at 7:32 a.m. and set at 8:08 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. Can you believe that it's about 24 hours since my last post from "The City?" It is just after 2:25 a.m. Not really amazing nor extraordinary, but when you have a forum, I say use it. The current temperature is 40° though it feels like 33°. The NWS is predicting a high for today of the mid-forties. That's quite a comedown from yesterday.

Yesterday was nice teaser here in West, MI. The temperatures soared into the sixties and the morning walk with STWD to the waterfront was a terrific way to enjoy "The City", so we all did. As I noted early Sunday morning, we took time to watch Sunday Morning on CBS. We had our breakfast of toasted bagels with tofutti cream cheese, onions, and for me, faux luncheon meat. I use that to substitute for corned beef or pastrami. Mary prefers her bagels to be more pedestrian.

When we got back, I repaired to the gardens of the Palatial Estate and raked and bagged the leaves we had used to cover the roses for the winter. I also clipped back some of the plants that needed to be pruned and then I uncovered the outdoor furniture and repaired the worn spots in the tarps I used for those covers with duct tape, for the new year. I should be able to get several more seasons of use by doing that. I didn't unpile the furniture, but I did take some pictures to remind me next fall of the order in which I had placed it for storage. Of course, that assumes that I can remember where I put the pictures.

By early afternoon, I was tired and it was time for lunch, so Mary made me come in in spite of my protestation to the contrary. I always promise that I won't overdo, but if Mary doesn't stop me, I usually do. But alas, I have to remember that I am getting up in years. Lunch was hot dogs and pasta salad that Mary crafted once she got her kitchen back in shape. She made that along with the ham roast we had for Easter dinner. Accompanied by a salad, it was delicious. I was outside working while she was inside. I think I got the better end of the deal.

We've been waiting for the appearance of the other flowers from the bulbs that I randomly planted last fall. I planted them after Mary scattered them based on the one useful suggestion we got from a magazine. We had already witnessed the blooming of the yellow croci, but we thought that flowers that I think are named Glory of the Snow, would have been the first to come up. Oh well, it is nice to see them now. So far though, only one, but there should be more. I did go back to the gardens to fertilize some of the woody plants and to put down some slug bait around the roses. After last year, we wanted to get ahead of those pests.

I almost forgot to mention the final results from baseball's spring training games as they got ready for opening day. The boys in blue fell to a spring record of 8 - 14 after a loss to the Mariners, 9 - 12. Jason Heyward got chased by a swarm of bees in the outfield. The Tigers who have a winning record of 15 - 10, fell to the Astros, 3 - 8. My beloved Red Sox, with a spring record of 12 - 14 took a game from the PIrates, 5 - 1. The season opens April 3, with the Cardinals and the Pirates in the afternoon at Busch Stadium, while the Mets and the Royals open at night in Kansas City. The balance of the teams begin league play on Monday, April 4.

We never got those pictures hung, but there is always today or more likely Tuesday. We have too much on the agenda for today. Mary's computer is scheduled for an update from our IT guru and I have to read the newspaper and do the crossword. Plus, with our plans for vegan ham sandwiches and grocery shopping at the big-box everything store and a visit to the big-box hardware and home center, we'll be busy.

So as you can tell, it will be a busy day of less strenuous activities. There may be trains today, as there weren't any on Friday. I had forgotten, that the engineers and yard personnel probably had the day off for the Easter holiday weekend. That means that it is likely that the trains may be more lengthy today. Whether we'll be home to see and hear them is open at this time. Probably the morning southbound run, but we may be out when the northbound run happens in the afternoon.

The sun will rise at 7:34 a.m. and set at 8:07 p.m. Ciao.

Good mornig or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City", where a current temperature of 39° feels like 34°, but which will hopefully yield today's NWS forecast high of 57°. Later this evening, the forecast has a prediction of rain with a chance of 50%.  Here in GH, that is subject to change at any time.

Speaking of here in GH, Mary and I travelled to Comstock Park yesterday to see a presentation by a horticulturist who lives here in GH. She provided some invaluable information about the gardens of the Palatial Estate, including our soil acidity. We'll begin to apply some of our learning later today.

Since we took the back roads, as we almost always do, we saw some of MI's farms and fields as they begin to awaken for spring. It is always a pleasure to recognize just how agricultural MI really is. A large amount of the apples, blueberries, cherries, and peaches harvested each year in the U.S., come from this part of the Midwest. So far, knock on wood, we saw no buds that would be damaged by a late spring frost or sleet storm.

Not much else happened yesterday. Before our trip to Comstock Park, we took the morning safari with STWD, which took us to an area across the always busy Beacon St. to Washington and Ferry. Sugar got the chance to smell newly uncovered and fresh smells and for her, that is always a delight. We got a loaf of bread which became part of our lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and another helping of Mary's famous mushroom gravy and nuked potatoes. Then we were fortified for our trip.

It looks like the final roster for the trip north is set for all my teams, especially the boys in blue. No real surprises, but the lineup looks formidable. Still, their spring record is worrisome for a long time fan. They lost again yesterday, 2 - 5 to the Giants. Good news, that blister on Jake Arrieta's hand should not be an issue. The Tigers also seem set for the coming season, but they will have to depend on a strong hitting lineup rather than a pitching staff that will dominate. They won yesterday over the Phillies, 6 - 5. My beloved Red Sox will be improved, but they lost to the Orioles yesterday, 8 - 16.

Today, we will get out to the vast gardens of the Palatial Estate after watching CBS Sunday Morning. We may get those pictures hung too, or not. There is always another day. Monday I was planning to see a movie without Mary, but my choice has not received great reviews from fans nor critics. So the jury is out for me as of now.

I still have to read the Saturday/Sunday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune which we picked up yesterday. I want to play with the girls and do more pleasure reading. Otherwise, not much is in our collective plans.

The sun will rise today at 7:36 a.m. and set at 8:06 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It will probably be just past 1:30 a.m. in "The City" when I finish writing. Hey, a new style of opening. Hope it isn't too disconcerting for my long time readers.

Yesterday, we didn't get up as late as the day before, but almost. STWD stayed in with us and that made the morning more palatable for all concerned. When we finally got out for the morning safari to pick up the Grand Haven Tribune, it was nearly noon. Mary prepared lunch afterwards that included a veggie hot dog and a new taste treat sensation, Tater Tots™ prepared on her waffle iron. I had my tots with my preferred condiment, malt vinegar, while Mary used the more traditional ketchup.

Mary had to admit that this version of comfort food was a surprising treat, Duh? Dinner was prepared after we returned from the Post. A sweet potato and baked barbecue tofu that was slathered in Mary's previously prepared spicy barbecue sauce was delicious.

We had originally gone to the Post to both take a walk on a beautiful later afternoon, and to inquire about Sally. She is up and about, but not working according to the men at the Post. She is still working through her health concerns.

Elsewhere in the news, Mary had her chat session, during which she got more news about the "Ransomware" that is invading computers, large and small, across the country. One of the indexers from OR was called to her mother's house when mom's computer was infested. It appears that the only way to stop the ransomware infestation is to notice when a screen demanding a call to the "Computer Kidnappers" appears on the computer display. This can happen whether you have a few or many windows open, even if you are focused on another project. If you hit any key, you are "Kidnapped."

The advice from our IT guru is to "touch" nothing that requires clicking on an icon with your mouse. You should shut off the computer with the actual power button on the computer, not the way that most of us use, the on-screen power button, Then, you must power down your modem, and run any antivirus programs that you have with the machine disconnected from the internet. A failure to act as I described, will result in permanent damage and/or an inability to access your personal files. A bag of cheese doodles coupled with a computer and a willingness is all that is needed. Welcome to the internet age.

In trainspotting news, there were none to spot yesterday.

In sports news, the boys in blue fell to the Brewers 4 - 5, in spite of good outings by Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist. The Tigers game was cancelled. My beloved Red Sox defeated the Pirates 6 - 3, on the strength of a solid performance by David Price, who said he felt the best he has in several weeks. Given how many times he has been traded over the last few seasons, it is not surprising that it took weeks to feel good.

Today we are off to Comstock Park to attend that presentation on vegetable gardening in small spaces and containers. It should be good. We'll have to get up a bit earlier to allow for breakfast and the morning walk with the intrepid one.

As of now, the temperature is 29° and that's what it feels like according to the NWS. Later today we are supposed to see a high temperature of 51° under sunny skies. Tomorrow a similar temperature is in store, but the skies will be cloudy and a 60% chance of showers is a possibility in the evening.

The sun will rise at 7:37 a.m. and set at 8:05 p.m. Ciao.

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

It seems as though Ellen got it right when she added the Dr. Seuss cartoon  to my timeline. Here in W, MI and specifically in "The City", the weather can often be different than the forecast from the NWS. Yesterday, they were mostly inaccurate, as the the rains that came were part of a forecast that had called for a wintry mix of rain, sleet, snow and .... Well, you get the idea.

Right now, the NWS and my indoor weather station, with its front porch sensor, agree that the outdoor temperature is 28°. That 28° feels like 18°. Later today, we may, or may not get to the high of 40° that has been forecast by the NWS. As an example, yesterday south of here by about 40 - 50 miles and a bit east, the high temperature rose to the mid fifties, well over the forecast high temperature. We had rain and cold winds all day here in GH, and when it was time for STWD to have her final out at about 8:30 p.m., it was snowing. Even our local, that's GR for us, weather forecasters, were flummoxed by the vast difference and the lack of snow here in GH.

Very often, the "Big Lake", Michigan, makes the weather here in GH different than that in GR or the balance of the state. We don't generally get the lake effect snow that is inflicted on IN unless something odd happens and then we get dumped on. 10 or so miles to the north in Muskegon or a little farther north in Whitehall, the snow may fall very heavily, while here in GH, we get little or nothing, or vice versa. Like I've been known to say, "Go figure."

But I digress, which I often do. We did stay in bed until noon yesterday. It was raining and it felt good to just stay snugly in bed. The intrepid one was OK with that. When we finally got up, we had a good lunch of sandwiches and cottage tofu along with broccoli. Sugar finally went out. By then, Mary decided that she wanted to get out to buy the newspaper.

Since the rain had eased a bit at that point, Sugar and I decided, well I decided, that the intrepid one should go for a short walk. She wanted to avoid going out in the rain, but I coaxed her and off we went. We hadn't motored very far when the call of duty made Sugar sure that it was time to go home. We did and that was the extent of our walking for the day.

Otherwise, not much was happening. Mary spent some time in her kitchen making what she felt was not her best mushroom gravy that she served over nuked red potatoes and the balance of her roast beast. I liked it. Like Adam, if you put gravy on something, I think that it tastes great.

We watched some news, and then I traveled to the media room to watch some car shows and the Cubs on TV. Then it was time for bed. Mary stayed downstairs and, I believe, did some knitting,

Speaking of the boys in blue, the much ballyhooed matchup between Jake Arrieta of the Cubs, last season's Cy Young award winner in the NL and Madison Bumgarner of the Giants became a slugfest that ended with a win by the boys in blue over the Giants, 16 - 14. Arrieta left the game with a blister and was not the eventual winner. Bumgarner, the Giants ace, was equally ineffective. With the season openers fast approaching, the players that finished the game for both teams were guys mostly wishing and hoping for a shot in "The Show." The Tigers fell to the Blue Jays 4 - 6, while my beloved Red Sox were victorious over the hated Mets, 4 - 1.

Otherwise, not much was happening. I read the paper, Mary read it before me and did the word search that is in the comics section. Then I read the paper and did an unusually tough crossword. I also spent some time reading further in The Last Open Road, and laughing out loud. I know that Mary doesn't get the garage humor, but Adam does. I have Montezuma's Ferrari by the same author, Burt S. Levy, waiting on my shelf. There may also be some trainspotting too, or not.

We never got to the picture hanging, but there is always today, before or after Mary's regular Friday chat session. Saturday, we will be going to an afternoon presentation regarding Edible Spots and Pots at Flowerland™ in Comstock Park, a suburb of GR and home to the Caps. Last year we received some free vegetable plants at a similar presentation, so maybe this time too.

The sun will rise at 7:39 a.m. and set at 8:04 p.m. Ciao.
.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:50 a.m. in "The City."

I just finished reading a novel I started a few days ago, entitled The Travelers, by Chris Pavone. I'd read a review of the book in the N.Y. Times. It is/was an espionage thriller that had many twists, turns, and misdirections, some of which I picked up on and then lost. In short, a great read for someone like myself who loves these kind of books. I had to put it down for a short while to assist Mary with the indexing. My job as chief highlighter and editor necessitated that I maintain my focus. Mary says that I was obsessed, but that's how I prefer to read. The real world is just too scary.

The current temperature is 34°, but it feels like 23°. The NWS is forecasting hazardous driving conditions along with rain/wind for this morning. In addition, there is a possibility of thunder overnight. I know a certain Weather Dog who will not be happy. Today's high is expected to reach 42° with the rain continuing. However by Saturday, we'll reach 51° under cloudy skies. It will take until April to get any real signs of lasting spring.

Trainspotting was back on track yesterday, pardon the pun. Locomotives 2057 and 2019 were plying the tracks of this reality scale trainboard heading south at 10:28 a.m. It was good to see the familiar tandem back together again. In tow were a series of empty cars that included 17 plain CHCs, with one painted mostly blue. There were also five DBTCs, two DWTCs filled with HCl acid, two GTCs, and one lone BC.

Later in the afternoon, at 2:28 p.m., as I was awaiting my next editing task, the same pair of locomotives had reversed position and they were now heading north towing a more heavily laden set of cars that included: 12 fully loaded CHCs, five DBTCs, one GTC, and two DWTCs with HCl acid as their cargo.

I was reading the Grand Haven Tribune earlier, and I noted that the retired Dick Fox who used to wrote the Ship's Log column, has been replaced by a new writer. I don't recall his name, but he has a nice style.

Here is something worthy of note, Grand Haven, MI was named one of the top ten cities in the in which to retire. In fact, we are number eight out of ten. Also in the USA, are Concord, CA, Santa Fe, NM, and Louisville, KY. I don't know about the first two, but when Mary and I last passed through Louisville, the traffic was a killer. Our boardwalk, our beaches, access to healthcare, the Harbor Transit buses and the miles of bike paths were all factors that combined to make GH a great place to retire according to Conde Nast Traveler. Who knew?

Mary knocked it out of the park with her latest incarnation of roast beast. A combination of cooking time in her new Crockpot™ and the addition of mushroom powder to the recipe, made this one the best yet. She also made her latest batch of cottage tofu even better than the last.

We finished that previously mentioned index yesterday and sent it on its way. While Mary was doing the final touches, I was doing housework. There is something soothing about dusting and cleaning that makes you feel good when you are done, especially when you spread it out over several days.

Today, we have no specific plans. We do plan to get up late and then hang those pictures. If possible, I'll take the morning safari with STWD and pick up the newspaper. If the sidewalks look too foreboding, the intrepid one will be on her tether.

The sun will rise at 7:41 a.m. and set at 8:03 p.m. Ciao.

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

Yesterday was interesting. I set up our new radio and hopefully it works as planned. Only time will tell. I played with the girls, but the fact that I've been focused on Leilani lately has made me get rusty when playing the other girls. A good reason to play more, not less, don't you think?

No trains on Tuesday, maybe one come today.

Had some good meals yesterday. Mary and I walked STWD in the morning. Mary had spent some time in her kitchen on Tuesday evening and crafted a roast beast in the crock pot. Dinner last night was based on my suggestion for spaghetti ala oglio, that's spaghetti with olive oil. However, in the interest of conservation, Mary used whole wheat linguine noodles mixed with garlic, olive oil, and spinach. I liked it, as I always do. As an aside, my famous banana nut bread tastes as great as ever. We had that with "ham" for breakfast.

We also worked collectively on the index that is due today. I did some reading and never got to my chores. Oh well, the beauty of being retired is that most things can and often do wait for another day. I used to work for a man, Bob, at Triangle Mobil, and one of his favorite sayings was, "Put off til tomorrow what you can out off til tomorrow." I like his idea.

Today, I'll take the morning safari with the intrepid one before the weather goes bad in the afternoon as Mary works on the index. When I return, I'll assist Mary with the index so that we can get it out on time.

We should be able to get to hanging those pictures later today or early tomorrow. Mary does have an appointment at the chiropractor this afternoon. It seems to be working for her. If all goes well, she should be able to make the short walk to the office and back without incident.

Speaking of the weather, we have a current temperature of 41° that feels like 36°. Later today, that winter storm watch is still in effect with a forecast for a high temperature of 42°,  with rainy/windy conditions and showers beginning in the afternoon and then becoming steady in the evening. Thursday still has the rain/snow in the forecast. Somewhere in there, we may get 1/4 inch of rain and winds that may gust to 40 mph. This being the NWS, I will take a wait and see attitude.

The sun will rise at 7:43 a.m. and set at 8:01 p.m. Ciao.

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

I was busy yesterday. I did some chores, I walked with STWD, I played with the girls, and I spent time in online chats about rebates. In addition, I went to the grocery store with Mary. I also did some baking as evidenced below. Another fine example of my banana nut bread, I hope. STSD and I are getting good at these loaves.

I'll give a taste test report in the next blog. 

By the time the day was done, so was I. Even the intrepid weather dog was worn out.

My experience with rebates left me less than satisfied. I spent 30 minutes in an online chat trying to resolve a rebate concern. I think I did it, but I am now awaiting proof of my efforts. We shall see in about two to three weeks. 

I mentioned in yesterday's blog that I was thinking maudlin thoughts. Well, Mary came to the rescue when she reminded me that I have made a difference in the lives of many people throughout the years, those of herself, Adam and the countless students whom I taught a myriad number of skills over the years. She went out of her way to get me the card below. I won't share the sentiments, those are between she and I, but I know that she had work to do, so I appreciate it more than I can express here. Let me just say that I love her.

I nearly forgot. There were trains to spot yesterday. At 11:25 yesterday morning, locomotive #2019, an EMD GP 38 in the regular livery of the Mid-Michigan RR, was soloing once again heading south. In tow were eight CHCs, three DBTCs, and a lone DWTC. At 4:00 p.m., that same locomotive returned heading north, pulling a long line of heavily laden cars that included: 14 CHCs, five DBTCs, some with anhydrous ammonia, that's a fertilizer used by farmers, four DWTCs loaded with HCl acid, three BCs, and two GTCs, contents unknown. I don't know what happened to locomotive #2057, the regular partner to 2019.

Today, I have more chores to do, but I can approach them with a newly invigorated zeal. It is easy to get down when you lose sight of what is important in life. Plus, I will spend some extended time with the girls today. There is pleasure in music that can come from both performing and listening. I have more reading to do too.

The weather today shows a current temperature of 35° that feels like 30°. Later today, we will see a springlike temperature of 52°. We still have a winter storm watch in effect for Wednesday into Thursday. That's why Mary and I went to the grocery store yesterday. We can stay in and not have to worry about anything but the index that is due, STWD, and hanging those pictures. I need to get to the library by Friday to pick up a new book that I requested. 

The sun will rise at 7:44 a.m. and set at 8:00 p.m. Oddly enough, Mary forwarded and article about the 24 time zones in the world and why they were created, primarily for railroad schedules. Given the many reasons for variations in those zones all over the world, it would be better if we just used GMT everywhere. I'm afraid that like the metric system, people in this country would be unable to make the change. Ciao.

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

A quick weather report seems in order. I was just perusing my email and I discovered two things worthy of note. One, there is a pollen alert for the next two days in GH. Today and tomorrow, the pollen in the air will be quite high. Not to worry, because there is also a winter storm watch that has been issued by the NWS in GR for Wednesday afternoon into Thursday for the greater Ottawa County area. Rain will change to sleet and then snow as a heavy wet snow will fall and cause hazardous driving conditions. The NWS is urging precaution when driving. Ya think? Where's the good news? The pollen levels will be low for those two days. So if you have allergies, the pollen won't be your problem. I sure am glad I got in that tilling in the gardens of the Palatial Estate.

Elsewhere on the weather front, pun intended, the current temperature is 30° but it feels like 24°. Later today, we are supposed to see a high of 41° under sunny skies. In fact as of right now, the NWS is also predicting a high of 53° on Tuesday. Good thing it is spring and the snow won't last.

Yesterday, STWD and I took the morning safari after we watched CBS Sunday Morning. Mary stayed back and found the bottom of her kitchen so that she could also get on with her day of indexing, I did some reading and played with the girls. Before that, we managed to collaborate on hanging some of those pictures. Four more to go.

Ellen, we too noticed that the commercials are indeed getting louder. Mary and I used to think that it was just us. In fact the most insidious thing may be that the commercials for nearly every station's own promos are louder too. We'd like to think that the networks are adjusting for our declining hearing abilities, but that does not explain the fact that the millennials don't have that problem. Or, are they facing the same hearing loss as the Baby Boomers due to loud music?

Mary made her own interpretation of Beefaroni™ for dinner last night. Even she has to admit that this particular comfort food from my childhood tasted good. Still, as is often the case, she plans some changes to my carefully crafted/recorded recipe. That's fine, as long as she doesn't alter the basic formula too much. The sheer simplicity of the recipe is what makes it such a great comfort food. Now all I have to do is to get her to like Tater Tots™.

Today, a little housework and then more reading. STWD will still be needing her morning walk, but I don't know if Mary can join us. That index due date is looming. Other than the previously mentioned items, not much is in the plans for today.

I had planned to get maudlin, but I've decided that it will wait for another blog. The sun will rise at 7:46 a.m. and set at 7:59 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 pedestrian. By that I mean that all of my plans came to fruition. I walked with STWD, I went to the Irish Jam session, I worked in the garden, and I watched some TV.

At the jam session, I played Leilani and with a bit of effort, I did OK. When you are new to an instrument, you have to think about the various chord forms. When I play the other girls, I'm on auto-pilot. I'll get better.

While I was at the jam, Mary went to Hemlock Crossing County Park to listen to a presentation about our national bird, the bald eagle. She came away qutie impressed and wants to go to next month's presentation about salamanders. Unfortunately, the date for that presentation coincides with my jam session ending time of 3:00 p.m. while her presentation rins from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, I can leave earlier than the unofficial session ending time, so I can make it to the presentation. I'll have to ask how important it is to Mary. She related some interesting facts about the birds and also about one of our Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, regarding his desire to have the wild turkey named as the national bird instead of the bald eagle.

The weather yesterday was cool here in GH. Windy in the morning, but sunny. By the afternoon, I was able to get out to the back forty and do some grading in the vast gardens of the Palatial Estate. I didn't overdo, which is always a risk. I am learning my age induced limitations.

While I was out there, the intrepid one was on her tether. However in her usual style, she was afraid of the shovels and rakes and so she stood on the deck and watched. Another good reason for not overdoing.

Mary came home and we went off to the big-box hardware store for some picture hangers. In spite of the fine collection that Adam left for me, I still need more. I should get to hanging those pictures later today. After the stop at the big-box store, we made a quick visit to Sporty's for some adult libations. Home for a dinner of salad and and freshly made vegan "ham." I think that this "ham" was/is her best to date.

In sports news, the boys in blue, AKA the Cubs, lost to the Indians 5 - 10, leaving them with a 5 - 12 record in the Cactus League, and a league standing of 14th, Ouch! I sure hope that Joe Maddon knows what he is doing. The Tigers game against the Marlins was canceled due to rain. My beloved Red Sox defeated the hated Cardinals, 3 - 1. For those who still care, the Bulls defeated the Jazz 92 - 85, the Red Wings topped the Panthers, 5 - 3, and the Pistons were also triumphant over the Nets, 115 - 103. Once MSU was eliminated from the NCAA tournament, I stopped paying attention.

Today, I will be reading, hanging those aforementioned pictures, and doing as little as possible. I'll be letting my fingers rest after yesterday's activities at the Irish Jam session.

The current temperature is 33°, but it feels like 25°. We are supposed to see a high today of 42°. That's almost a carbon copy of yesterday. Oddly, today is the first day of spring. However, the small flowering bulbs that Mary and I planted in the vast lawns of the Palatial Estate are bringing some much appreciated color to those lawns. We had forgotten that Mary had also planted tulip bulbs around the cold frame, and they too are doing well. No flowers yet though.

It is worthy of note, that the City of Holland is seeing their tulips coming up too. Three years ago, they had a Stem Fest in lieu of their regular Tulip Time™ which is held each year the second week of May. Their Executive Director is cheering cool temperatures that will delay the flowers. However, they have many different varietals, so they should be OK. The fruit farmers here in Western MI are also hoping that the buds on the trees don't get chilled by warmer temperatures, which also spelled doom for many of the apples, peaches, and cherries here.

The sun will rise at 7:48 a.m. and set at 7:57 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City." We Have a current temperature of 33° that feels like 28° as we attempt to reach today's high of 43° under mostly sunny skies.

I think it's a good time to start with sports news. Yesterday we watched the wheels come off of the college basketball season for the MSU Spartans. They were upset by Middle Tennessee State, 81 - 90. While not the first upset of the tournament, the Spartans were expected to go deep into the brackets and make the Final Four. Oh well, what's that famous saying in Chicago, "Wait until next year!" Ouch, the Cubs lost to that other team from Chicago yesterday.

Speaking of next year, it's almost here, as the Major League Baseball™ season opens later this month. The boys in blue are favored to win the World Series™ this year. The Tigers should be improved and my beloved Red Sox should also have a shot. How's that for optimism?

Trainspotting yesterday was interesting. I awoke @ 8:45 a.m. to the sound of a train approaching from the north as it headed south. What to my wondering eyes should appear, but EMD GP38 locomotive #2019 soloing without any cars in tow. We were in Holland when the train may or may not have headed northward. I'll never know.

In Holland, we stopped at the doctor to learn that Mary is getting older. Even that proved difficult, as our GPS "Hal" told us to turn left when we arrived at the doctor's office when we needed to turn right. Oh well, Doctor Who, the fictional Time Lord, once noted that, "The more complex the technology, the more prone it is to being easily fouled up", or words to that effect. For those of you in the know, we named our GPS "Hal" after the computer "HAL 9000" in Stanley Kubrick's 2001, A Space Odyssey, co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke. Perhaps HAL's most famous line in the movie is "I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that." when he was asked to open the airlock doors on the space station. Hal had literally lost his computerized mind and was rebelling against his human masters.

Keir Dullea, in his iconic role as Dr. David Bowman, manually opens the emergency airlock doors after a spacewalk to first replace HAL and then to rescue his fellow astronaut, Dr. Frank Poole, played by Gary Lockwood. Poole had attempted to replace HAL due to his erratic behavior as HAL insists that any problems are due to human error. The plan was to replace HAL if it could be proven that HAL was wrong, HAL read their lips as they were in the EVA pod trying to discuss their plans without being overheard by HAL and that led to his fatal actions.

While Dave and Frank were on their spacewalk, HAL disconnected the life-support system for the other three astronauts who are in suspended animation. HAL had caused the death of Poole due to a very human like paranoid fear that Poole was jeopardizing the mission with his attempt to disconnect HAL. Perhaps that is TMI, but this seemed like a good time to add some details about HAL.

Oh, we had also gone to Holland to pick up the things we'd had framed. That part of the journey went without incident, as we didn't need our Hal for that.. I also got in some reading time in the doctor's office as we waited.
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Today, I have my Irish Jam session with Leilani as my primary instrument, in the afternoon while Mary has to get to work on the latest index. Tomorrow, I will be hanging the pictures that we picked up along with the ones we purchased in Pensacola. I first have to check if I have enough hangers in the box in the man-cave. If not, I'm off to the big-box hardware store.

The sun will rise at 7:50 a.m. and set at 7:57 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever  you may be. It is just past 1:00 a.m. in "The City."
The weather here in West MI is still cool. A current temperature of 33° feels like° before today's expected high of 43°. According to the NWS, it will be March 29, 2016 before we get out of the 40s. I want to get out and garden in the back forty of the Palatial Estate.

Yesterday was a busy day. I test fit my puzzle in the frame, and it is not the right size, so back it goes. We had a lunch of sloppy joes with broccoli, and then we kicked off the balance of our day with a visit to the eye doctor for our new lenses. I can definitely see better and according to Mary, so can she. Then we traveled to the Ace Hardware™ in Spring Lake and on to Coopersville to get some things at the small store there that specializes in bulk style and low cost food sales. We finished up our shopping at the grocery store in Spring Lake.  It really was a busy day as I have outlined below.

Since it was St. Patrick's Day, we visited the pub in Muskegon to catch a set by Uneven Ground and drink some adult libations. We didn't eat, because we couldn't verify all of the ingredients that were in the offerings. Let's just say that the people in the pub were happily celebrating the day.

We decided to come home and Mary made her now famous sauerkraut and faux Swiss cheese sandwiches with her homemade thousand dresing. The side was potato chips. I guess that the two were Irish in nature.

We watched some TV and I worked the crossword from the Grand Haven Tribune that we picked up when we were out with STWD. Naturally, I grew tired and the intrepid weather dog and I retired for the evening while Mary stayed downstairs and futzed with something.

In sports news, all of my teams won yesterday, but only the Tigers have a winning record this spring.

Mary has a doctor's appointment near Holland this morning. We can take the opportunity to pick up our newly framed items and drop off my jigsaw puzzle for framing. Then in the afternoon, Mary has to visit the chiropractor again, She pronounces herself feeling better and that's all a person can ask.

Otherwise, after the morning safari, I have no specific plans. Ciao.

Addendum: They did indeed build a better mousetrap. Mary need not fear another visit from the critter that has been visiting the last few nights. When I went downstairs to place a return shipping label on the frame box, I discovered that he or she was trapped beneath the sink, so I tossed the trap into the trash and took it outside at about 1:30 a.m. I also placed another trap under there. I baited both traps with some butternut squash which I guess proved too irresistible to the critter.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:45 a.m. in "The City", where a current temperature of 44° that feels like 36° will give way to today's high of 45°. Fortunately, there is only a 20% chance of showers, albeit with wind speeds of over 20 mph.

Yesterday was a great day. We took a walk in the morning with STWD to pick up the newspaper, but the winds were blowing what little bit of rain was falling and it felt like winter had returned. Naturally, Sugar had little appreciation for the weather's impact on the duration of our walk. She comes prepared for outdoor activity with four paw drive and a thick fur coat to keep her warm.

At any rate, we made a quick return part of our walk and then Mary prepared our lunch that consisted of vegan meatless patties on a bun with all of the condiments, sweet potatoes, and vegan cottage tofu. The intrepid one was interested in the water from the patties and in the pieces of tomato that she always receives when Mary prepares sandwiches.

I finished two crosswords yesterday, sealed my jigsaw puzzle and watched some TV while Mary went to her appointment at the chiropractor. She seems satisfied with her treatment and that is what is important. I was always satisfied when I used to go, so satisfaction with the treatment protocol and the doctor are of paramount importance. I guess that you could say that perception becomes reality.

Later in the afternoon, we traveled to a local hardware store to get some mousetraps. We are not sure how necessary they are, but forearmed is better than the other options. I should note that the old adage about building a better mousetrap is certainly true. There are more types and varieties at the store than can be imagined.

We stopped at Sporty's for adult libations and then home for a dinner that consisted of the balance of that cottage tofu and some vegan grilled cheese sandwiches. Mary went up to do some work and I fell asleep in the La-Z-Boy. She sent me upstairs when she returned and commandeered the chair and I promptly fell asleep there too.

Today, I plan to test fit the frame that I got for my jigsaw puzzle, and collectively, we'll be going to the optometrist for our new lenses. I also want to get in some time with Leilani.

Later this afternoon/evening, weather permitting, we plan to go to Muskegon to see Uneven Ground, an Irish band that features the coordinator of my Irish Jam group on tin whistle. The restaurant that is providing the venue for their performance has several vegan friendly items on their menu.

The sun will rise at 7:53 a.m. and set at 7:54 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:30 a.m. in "The City." Wow, election day/evening can take a lot out of you. Actually, it took a lot out of Mary. I was happily ensconced in my bed before it was over. I was just tired from the day's activities.

Before we made our way to Hemlock, we stopped to pick up some supplies for the Irish soda bread that we'll be making, well probably Mary will be making for St. Patrick's Day, and also to make a donation of some items at the Goodwill Store.

We traveled to West Olive for that presentation on the Ottawa County Poor Farm at Eastmanville. A great slide show and the information about other programs in the Ottawa County Park System was a nice addition. Post-presentation, Mary and I took a short walk through the paths of the Hemlock Crossing County Park. While we were out there, we took  pictures off the bridge that passews through the meadows.

I wish this was a clearer picture, so that you could see the small frog in the water. 

As we approached, the sound of the frog calls was quite loud. While we were on the bridge over the water, the frogs were quiet, but still very beautiful in the early spring..

We came home and I did some work on the grounds of the Palatial Estate. Some raking and gathering and I was done. With a little help from Mary, here is a picture of the first flower of the spring that is a result of the bulbs that we randomly scattered last fall. Maybe that extra activity explains why I was so tired and ready for bed after the NCIS and NCIS New Orleans episodes that we watched.

I'm not sure of the varietal, but I think it is a crocus.

After the great lasagna dinner that Mary crafted in her kitchen, I had a full and sated tummy. Mary's homemade marinara sauce, spinach, whole wheat noodles, and vegan ricotta style cheese made for a delicious repast. A terrific followup to the now famous sauerkraut and vegan Swiss cheese sandwiches that Mary made for lunch.

Not much else was happening and I don't foresee much today either. Given the forecast from the NWS regarding a 90% chance of showers later this morning accompanied by strong winds of 20 - 30 mph, with gusts to 50 mph, STWD and I will be taking another short walk this morning.

I will be applying puzzle sealer to my jigsaw puzzle in preparation for placing it in the frame that arrives today. Plus, I need to play with the girls more. I am doing well on Leilani. The chords are different than on the other girls, but I find that they come more easily than I expected.

The sun will rise at 7:55 a.m. before the trains roll through. I should note that there is a warning for drivers of high profile vehicles regarding the high winds and gusts. The sun will set at 7:53 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:30 a.m. in "The City."

Yesterday, the train moved slowly through the reality scale trainboard. At 10:47 a.m. locomotive #2019, an EMD GP38, was soloing once again, as it headed south. He was towing seven CHCs, and two DBTCs. At 3:25 p.m., that same locomotive returned, with six CHCs, seven DBTCs, two DWTCs, and two GTCs, that were bringing up the rear.

In additional train spotting news, there was a report yesterday of the derailment of 24 CHCs in Howell, Township, MI. I learned that typically, CHCs carry grain, but these cars were empty at the time of the derailment. The locomotive remained upright on the tracks when the broken three foot section of track near Owosso, MI, caused the derailment according to officials.

This was/is a different railroad, the Great Lakes Central, from the short line railroad that plies the tracks near the palatial estate. Our tracks belong to the Mid-Michigan Railroad, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. The Mid-Michigan operates over a much shorter route than the Great Lakes Central. They operate over 400 miles of track in Central and Northern, MI. Both railroads have excellent safety records.

The weather today calls for a high temperature of 58° under partly cloudy skies. We have a current temperature of 37° that feels like 37°  under dark skies. As of now, the fog has lifted.

In sports news, the Tigers defeated the Mets yesterday, 9 - 3 in a Grapefruit League spring training game to move their record to 8 - 6. My beloved Red Sox, fell to the Pirates 1 - 3 to fall to 5 - 8 in that same league. The boys in blue play in the Cactus League, and their record of  3 - 10 is even worse, as they fell to the Padres 2 - 10. Ouch.

Yesterday, we got up late, I walked with STWD to pick up the newspaper while Mary went to Health Hutt. When we got back, Mary served up some delicious BLT sandwiches which utilized the remaining vegan bacon she had prepared the day before for breakfast. In addition, she made a slaw that consisted of shredded broccoli mixed with her now perfected slaw dressing, also delicious.

I finished my highlighting yesterday as Mary worked with our IT guru across the country. I also found time to change the strings on Leilani. I was trepidatious at first, but I got them properly secured. Now I have to spend a few days re-tuning her as they adjust to being under tension. I hope to take her to the upcoming Irish Jam on Saturday.

Dinner was at the favorite watering hole.

Today, we plan to go to the Hemlock Crossing Park in nearby West Olive, MI,  for a presentation on the Eastmanville Poor Farm, a place that housed those too young, too old, too sick, or too poor to live independently. This presentation will be by local author and historian Marjie Viveen. Given the keen interest in local history that both Mary and I share, I'm certain that we'll have many questions. Hopefully, there will be time.

Otherwise, we'll walk with the intrepid one and then after breakfast, Mary has her regular chat at noon today while I read and relax. The sun will rise at 7:57 a.m. and set at 7:52 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:30 a.m. in "The City."  The NWS is forecasting a high for today of 47° after the current temperature of 45° that feels like 40° gives way to the rise of the sun at 7:59 a.m. As the day unfolds, we are expecting showers in the morning and then the skies may or may not clear again until Wednesday. For the foreseeable future, the temperatures are not expected to rise out of the mid 40° range and showers will be with us for most of that period. In short, this is a typical MI spring.

Yesterday we walked STWD and then we stayed in for a while. Our plans to go to the library to see the group GOTAK were realized. They are a group of orchestra students from Grand Haven HIgh School who meet once per week for rehearsals and then they play their own brand of Celtic/Irish music at school concerts and around the GH area. The group formed in 2005, and currently has many freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors in its composition, Suffice it to say that their singing and playing were terrific. Below is a picture of the group that performed before a full house at the library.

GOTAK in performance.

Prior to that, Mary spent quality time in her kitchen, preparing vegan bacon to go with the cornmeal waffles. It didn't take long, but the results both tasted great. Here are some pictures of her efforts,

The finished product.

The bacon on the griddle.

The bacon as it marinated in the special flavorings that Mary prepared. 

After the concert, we traveled to the big box everything store to replenish our larders. Hopefully, we won't have to do that again anytime soon.

By the time we got home, it was time for the intrepid one to have her dinner. In her role as STSD, she taste tested Mary's efforts throughout the day, but she still wanted her dinner.

Our dinner consisted of celery with vegan blue cheese dressing, the remaining baguette, some vegan ham, and Mary's own interpretation of buffalo cauliflower with more blue cheese dressing. I liked them all.

Today after the morning safari with STWD, I have a haircut scheduled and Mary has an appointment at the Chiropractor. Other than that, we have nothing on the agenda. The sun will set at 7:51 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning from GH. It is just past 7:30 a.m. in "The City." Since I opted not to get up until now, my usual greeting seemed inappropriate. At any rate, it is now daylight savings time, so your clock should be one hour ahead of where it was yesterday. Here, the sun will be rising at 8:00 a.m. and setting at 7:50 p.m.

We have a current temperature of 47° that feels like 43° as we head towards today's rainy high of 49°. Those showers will begin in earnest after the noon hour and get more intense as the day wears on. We had plans to go out to the gardens of the Palatial Estate, but it looks like those are on hold.

We were fortunate yesterday, as our neighbor has a rototiller and used it to effectively blend our winter cover crop into the soil. Since the crop we planted was/is rye grass, it will be a great green fertilizer.

Elsewhere, we traveled to the Post yesterday for the Pub and Grub fundraiser. We only had some adult libations as they had nothing vegan in the food mix. Sally is still under the weather.

STWD and I took the morning walk solo as Mary traveled downtown to run some errands, including a stop at the Baker's Wife, for a loaf of bread and a baguette.. A good division of duties. When I got back, I julienned some carrots for the veggie sandwiches that Mary made on the baguette for lunch. Carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and for me vegan cheese, were coupled with some vegan ham slices and giardiniera. As a side, Mary made Coleslaw that was her best to date, at least in my opinion.  Dinner was a vegetarian burrito from JWs. When coupled with the salsa and the red sauce, it was delicious. Both Mary and I like it the best of all the burritos in "The City."

Before we went out for the afternoon, we had a nice conversation with Mary's brother, Ed.

Today, instead of gardening, we will be staying in, doing some household chores, and watching CBS Sunday Morning downstairs, Mary has promised to use her new waffle iron for the breakfast repast. I am looking forward to that, as I've been wanting waffles for a while. With vegan margarine and pure Michigan maple syrup, they will undoubtedly be delicious.

This afternoon, we hope to go to the library for a concert by GH High School fiddle group, GOTAKS. They play a mix of Irish/Celtic fiddle tunes. It should also be great. Plus, we have a couple of books to pick up.

Otherwise, more highlighting, more reading, and more retirement, all of that after the morning safari with STWD. Ciao.

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

Well my loyal readers, it's done! "Veni, vidi, vici!"  I came, I saw, I conquered! 1,000 pieces later, my  jigsaw puzzle is complete. As proof, I offer the following.

Yes, all 1,000 pieces are in place!

One of these days, I'll remember how to move things around in the pictures file. But until then, I managed to get this photo included in my blog.

Elsewhere in the news, I can attest to seeing the train heading southbound at about 12:15 p.m. Locomotive #2019 was towing some CHCs, (14) plain, (1) very rusty, and (2) red., and (8) DBTCs. There was a later run at about 4:15 p.m. heading back north, but I only heard the sound, I did not witness the fury. 

Mary and I were downtown for a walk to the Double Deuce along with some stops at the shops there. We plan to return today to see the Home and Garden show at the community center, buy a loaf of bread, and also go to one of the local purveyors of antiques and collectibles. Then we can return home for a little R & R.

I have to get started on my contribution to the latest indexing project. It is about 180 pages, so a few days should get it done, 

Otherwise, not much is happening. The current temperature is 36°, but it feels like 31°. The NWS has forecast a partly cloudy day with a high temperature of 53°. The sun will rise at 7:02 a.m. and set at 6:49 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:20 a.m. in "The City."

Yesterday was the first day in a long time when I exceeded 10,000 steps on my pedometer. Between the morning safari with STWD, a walk to and from the hospital with Mary, and some walking at the mall in Muskegon, I did it.

But, here is the real story. My podiatrist appointment went well and my feet were pronounced healthy for another three months. Later in the afternoon, both Mary and I received a clean bill of health from the eye doctor. No cataracts, no glaucoma, and no floater damage to Mary's eyes. In short all good. However, each of us needed a changed prescription to accommodate our status as "Older Americans." So, we'll be receiving new lenses next week.

While I was walking with the intrepid one, Mary stayed behind to work in the kitchen and then we walked to the hospital for my appointment and a salad bar lunch in the hospital cafeteria. Afterwards, we continued our round of errands with a stop at the aforementioned mall. We picked up some lotion for Mary and a waffle iron for both of us. Then we journeyed to Muskegon for a visit to the awning store. We made an appointment for their representative to visit us this morning and give us a quote for a front awning to replace the shade that has been provided for many years by the tree that is coming down soon.

We finished off our day at the eye doctor's office and then a stop at Stan's in Spring Lake was necessary.

All good things that needed doing, so I can't complain. Today, Mary has her regular Friday chat session. Before that, she'll be printing out the copy for the latest indexing project. I'll have about 180 pages to review and highlight.

I should mention that the morning mail brought another batch of missives regarding Medicare and the myriad possibilities that are open to me for additional or supplemental coverage. We used to get applications for credit cards, but now, I am being inundated with Medicare info.

I hope to place more pieces in my jigsaw puzzle today. I only placed a few yesterday due to our busy schedule. I also want to spend some time with the girls and some pleasure reading.

The current temperature is 37°, but it feels like 30°. Later today, the high will be 49° under sunny skies. Saturday, we return to the mid fifties, albeit with cloudy skies. The sun will rise at 7:04 a.m. and set at 6:47 p.m. I also anticipate some trainspotting today. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:45 a.m. in "The City."

This is "The City" that has heavy enough trains plying the rails that I now have to repaint one wall in my music room/office/weather center. Oh well, that's the price I pay for living on a reality scale train board. Fortunately, I have extra paint.

Speaking of which, yesterday, the southbound run of locomotives 2019 and 2057 passed through puffing heavy black sooty smoke as they struggled to move the heavily laden CHCs, DBTCs, DWTCs, and BCs at 9:49 a.m. There were, 17 CHCs, six DBTCs, four DWTCs, and two additional DWTCs with red stripes that were carrying corrosive liquids. Last in the line was a lone BC.

Later in the afternoon, at 1:45 p.m., those same locomotives rolled past heading north. In tow were six CHCs, one DBTC, and three BCs.

Most of the day was consumed by the morning walk with STWD and then jigsaw puzzle solving. I am almost done. There were meals mixed in. I did get in some time with the girls too.

Today, I plan to finish that jigsaw puzzle and do some reading. However, those plans have to revolve around two sets of doctor's visits. The first for me and the second of the set for both Mary and myself at the eye doctor. Like Eleanore always used to say, "We are so busy."

So all of that being said, the day will also be a tad cooler than yesterday. The current temperature is 47°, which is the forecast high for today. Cloudy conditions will prevail. Friday promises to be a sunny day with a high temperature of 51°.

Today the sun will rise at 7:06 a.m. and set at 6:46 p.m. Ciao.

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

I've been sitting here reading the missives that Mary forwarded to me regarding various things. By the time I read them, responded, and sent a few of my own, the time once again got away from me. But, it was time well spent.

Yesterday was a great day. The weather was terrific, I placed a large number of pieces in my jigsaw puzzle, played with the girls, and collectively we walked to the UPS store and the Post. Speaking of the Post, Sally is still not feeling right. Ted was pressed into service at the bar.

I even finished most of the NY Times and took the morning walk with STWD. Afterwards, I raked up some stones in the yard and did some laundry. All of that before I went to the polling place to vote. Whew! After that description, I am exhausted all over again.

All of that before dinner that consisted of the vegan ham that Mary made earlier in the day, coupled with a side of sweet potatoes.

Mary had a rousing chat session and then spent time in her kitchen. For her, that's therapeutic. When it came time to sate her Jones for political news, I went upstairs for some car shows and NCIS. I am interested, but Mary is more than that. I vote, listen to political news, and read the newspaper. I don't need more than that.

Today, I plan to actually take it easy. Some jigsaw puzzle solving, some reading and of course the morning walk with STWD. We'll those are my plans as of now. If it is raining, as is the current forecast, the intrepid one and I won't be going far. With a high temperature in the 60s, I won't mind the walk, but Sugar is not fond of rain. Snow yes, rain no. Mary may or may not go along.

The sun will rise on a day that will be windy with an 80% chance of rain in the morning. That rise will occur at 7:17 a.m. and the same sun will set at 6:45 p.m. Ciao.

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

Yesterday was nothing short of wonderful. STWD and I took the morning walk as Mary got ready for our trip to Holland. MI that is. At any rate, she wondered what was taking us so long to return, but the truth is, the day was so pleasant that the intrepid one and I were just enjoying being alive.

We made it back, finally, and then Mary and I were off. We took the back roads and that was far more pleasant than the truck infested highway that also goes to Holland. We stopped in at the frame store, made our selections and preferences known, and then traveled to the cook's store to check on waffle irons. We didn't buy one. Finally, a stop at the mega sized grocery store in Holland for some supplies before returning home and lunch.

In the late afternoon, we walked downtown for a new sleepshirt for Mary and some recipe cards for her kitchen. A stop at JWs for French-fried dinner and libations and then home again. It was a busy day.

I started the day with some trainspotting, which at 8:55 a.m. turned out to be the southbound run of just the two locomotives #2057 & #2019. They were freshly washed and looking grand as they traversed the tracks through "The City."

Oddly enough, or maybe not, as we were returning home after our trip, we stopped in the street in front of our house to watch the northbound run of those same locomotives as they plied the tracks, with many cars in tow at about 2:00 p.m. 12 CHCs, one BC, 11 DBTCs, one GTC, two DWTCs, and one GTC (Green Tank Car). I can't find any information on the type of liquid this car was carrying, so I don't know whether it deserves a "D" for dreaded at the start of its description.

Today it's time for voting. Here in GH, the regular presidential primary participants are on the ballot, along with proposals for tax millages. These are for mental health and public transportation, There may be one more, but I can't find any information. So much for being informed voters.

I have plans to work on my jigsaw puzzle, read, play with the girls, and then collapse. Mary has some additional batch cooking to do and a chat session. That doesn't count the finishing of my soon to be put away winter hat and the creation of the window curtain valances for my music room/office/weather center.

As much as the weather beckons me outdoors,. I am going to ignore the siren song and let the snow continue to melt and my ribs continue to heal. My ribs are getting better, but they still hurt more than I'd like. As near as I can determine, that process can take anywhere from one to two months. I'm at two weeks now. I'm also impatient.

Speaking of the weather, I started this blog with a description of yesterday's weather. Currently, the temperature is 57° as we near today's purported high of 58° under cloudy skies. Rain showers are in the forecast for this evening and tomorrow morning.

The sun will rise at 7:09 a.m. and set at 6:44 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." The desktop weather station and the NWS finally agree this morning on a temperature of 44°. We are heading for today's high of 50° under cloudy skies with only a 20% chance of precipitation. Tomorrow, the temperature will rise to 56°, but along with that, comes a 50% chance of showers.

Yesterday was a day of relaxation. STWD and I took the morning walk while Mary parted ways and made her way to the Bookman for a copy of the NY Times. I joined her in reading part of the time, in between adding more pieces to my jigsaw puzzle, working in the man-cave, playing with the girls,.and petting the needy weather dog. What a great day. We did travel to our favorite watering hole for dinner.

Sports was a mixed bag. The boys in blue lost 3 - 8 to the D'Backs. My beloved Red Sox eked out a win over the Orioles, 8 - 7. Finally, the Tigers pounded the Marlins 9 - 2 on the strength of four RBIs from Ian Kinsler leading off, coupled with strong pitching.

Today, we'll walk with the intrepid one, travel to Holland, and then return home for some batch cooking. Well, Mary will be batch cooking while I am placing puzzle pieces and reading more of the NY Times and reading more The Last Open Road. Mary has been expecting a new indexing project to come in, but it has not arrived as of this writing.

Otherwise, not much is happening. We don't need more to do. The sun will rise at 7:11 a.m. and set at 6:43 p.m. Ciao.

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

I've just used up some time I'll never get back, searching in vain for an order number that is supposed to be on a receipt. You need to find this number to receive a substantial rebate from the purveyor. I will need a fresh set of eyes in order to locate this number. I tried a few numbers, but they all seemed to work, so I didn't submit the form on line, yet.

In weather news, today is supposed to reach a high of 39° with foggy conditions in the morning. That's no surprise, since there is snow on the ground and the air is warmer. Monday, the temperature will purportedly reach 51°, with a 70% chance of rain in the p.m. hours. Same temperature on Tuesday, but without the rain. We have a current temperature of somewhere around 30°, depending on which source I consult.

I placed a number of pieces in my jigsaw puzzle yesterday. But, I still seem to have a lot of pieces looking for a home.

Once again, the day got away from me. We did make it to the indoor farmer's market in Muskegon and it was worth the trip. As long as the outdoor farmer's market is closed for the season here in GH, we can use Muskegon as our alternative. Mary accomplished more than me. I walked with STWD and picked up the newspaper while Mary worked in the kitchen. She was preparing for a superb dinner of lasagna that she assembled later. I liked it just as she had seasoned it.

Oh, I did get a coat of paint on my new to me picture frame in the man-cave. One more scuffing and a final coat, and I am ready to go.

In sports news, boys in blue, loss. Beloved Red Sox, loss. Tigers, loss. Nuff said.

Today, not much on tap. We'll be using the upstairs pantry to create and consume a breakfast of bagels and cream cheese as we watch CBS Sunday Morning. That's become our new go to on Sunday mornings.

The sun will rise at 7:13 a.m. and set at 6:41 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:30 a.m. in "The City."

Once again, I'll start with trainspotting. STWD and I were out for the morning safari when we heard the approach of the morning train at 11:15 a.m.Turns out that the southbound train was just locomotive #2019 towing a mix of cars that included, three CHCs, six DBTCs, three DWTCs, and one DWTC with a red strip around its midsection. It also turns out that when we were on our way to Holland, that same train was sitting on the tracks along U.S. 31 south of GH awaiting repair, I think. I can't say for certain that there ever was a northbound train, as we were in Holland for a few hours.

We did get some of our errands taken care of, including getting the car serviced. but the main purpose of getting a couple of things framed was thwarted by the fact that the man who does the framing is off on Fridays. One good thing, the car dealer replaced a part on the car that was defective in the interior. We didn't know that a problem with the plating was a defect in need of replacement, but that is the advantage of taking the car into the dealer. All other things on the car were nominal.

While at the dealer, I finished another chapter in The Last Open Road. I am still liking it. I remarked to Mary that while I am finding the book amusing due to my background, she would probably not like it very much.

In addition, on the way home, we stopped at a resale store and I got a frame for a picture that I needed and a large glass container for the shells that I picked up in Pensacola Beach.

Also on the way home, we stopped in at the Post to see if Sally was there. She was, she is feeling better, and looking well. She has cut back her hours to three days a week too. That's good for her.

Breakfast/lunch was a new recipe that Mary made while the intrepid one and I were out. It consisted of shredded carrots mixed with Mary's well honed barbecue sauce recipe, topped with Coleslaw. I liked it, but I suggested that the Coleslaw would make a better side than a topping. Dinner was hot dogs with potatoes for me and the balance of that Coleslaw for Mary as sides. I liked mine.

Otherwise, I did get the new internet radio up and partially running. I still have one function to program and a few stations to add, but the sound is good and the radio works fine.

Did I mention that the boys in blue are now 1 - 1 in the Cactus League, following a game in which Addison Russell belted a two run homer to defeat the Dodgers, 3 - 0.

My beloved Red Sox are 2 - 1 in the Grapefruit League, following a 7 - 2 win over the Rays.

The Tigers are 3 - 2 in that same league. According to reports, Justin Verlander looked good in his stint on the mound, and Miggy, Miguel Cabrera, nailed a three run homer to help beat the Yankees, 3 - 0.

Today, we plan to go to the farmer's market in Muskegon and then we are open. I like it. More time for reading, jigsaw solving, and playing with the girls, and a chance to work in the man-cave..

The current temperature is 29° with light winds. The high later today is forecast to be 38° with a less than one inch of snow showers in the morning hours. So, no real accumulation, The sun will rise at 7:14 a.m. and set at 6:40 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:30 a.m. in "The City."

According to the NWS, the outdoor temperature is 18°, but it feels like 13°. My desktop weather station seems to have lost its mind, or perhaps the battery in the outdoor sensor on the front porch is dead. I'll check it in the a.m.

At any rate, today's high is forecast to be 35 sunny degrees. A good day for our trip to Holland to have the Soul serviced post trip to and from FL. Plus, Mary wants to have a needlepoint unicorn she purchased while we were in FL framed at her favorite place there. In addition, she "needs" to go to the spice store in Holland to pick up some mushroom powder.

This evening, the forecast calls for snow to fall. One to three inches are possible. Of course, that depends on whether we are part of that forecast here in "The City", as we often are not. It's that "lake effect" thing, courtesy of the "Big Lake." Saturday, the high temperature is expected to be 39° under cloudy skies with snow showers in the a.m.

Yesterday, I got many more pieces placed in my jigsaw puzzle, but I have many more to go. I took the morning walk with STWD while Mary went to Health Hutt to get a few things. I feel as though the day got away from me again. Alas, retirement is so busy. After Mary's hair appointment, we did get a few errands run in the afternoon, so that was at least productive. We capped the day with a stop at the favorite watering hole.

Oddly, or not, there were no trains to spot yesterday. I guess that means that there may be some today, or not.

We received our new internet radio yesterday. The directions seem to be straightforward, so I'll set it up later this morning. It needs to be in its place on the nightstand in the bedroom, so this is not the time to do that.

Other than the trip to Holland, a morning walk with the intrepid one, and checking that recalcitrant weather station, I only have some reading to do in The Last Open Road.

The sun will rise at 7:16 a.m. and set at 6:39 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:45 a.m. in "The City."

Wow, I've been reading some interesting things. One, is a book that Adam left for me entitled, The Last Open Road. I think I have mentioned it before, but now that I have read the first two chapters, I can see why he recommended this book. The author does a great job of fleshing out his characters, so much so, that the owner of the Sinclair™ gas station sounds eerily like my long ago boss at Triangle Mobil, Bob. The main character sounds eerily like me. The people at the Jaguar dealership could be many people I met at car dealerships and other locations. I can't wait to continue.

Elsewhere in the news, the trainspotting yesterday was interesting. At 12:09 p.m., the regular locomotive tandem rolled by heading south, towing three BCs, then 17 CHCs, five DBTCs, with a lone GTC bringing up the rear. The northbound run was the same tandem of locomotives and nothing else. Go figure. That's three days in a row for train traffic. I wonder what today will bring?

Congratulations to Mary. Her trip to the big-box everything store and a brave trip through the self-checkout yielded the final quarter for the year 2015 in my "America the Beautiful Quarters™ Collector's folder. Her efforts in Pensacola and other locations have also been invaluable.

After I had shoveled the deck and the front porch, STWD and I went for the morning safari yesterday. While the city sidewalks were snow covered, it was warmer and OK for walking. As for Sugar, she was in Dog Heaven in the snow.

Speaking of the winter weather, my indoor desktop weather station with the outdoor sensor tells me it is 20° F on the front porch, According to the NWS via Weather.com™, the temperature is 12° F that feels like 2° F. That's before we rise to today's high of 33°. Which one do I believe? I think the sensor from my front porch.

Since we got up late, Mary stayed back to make our late lunch. She was in her element in the kitchen. I think semi-retirement agrees with her. We have one more book due in in the next few days, and then nothing on the horizon. Of course, Mary is still tracking down some previously invoiced jobs that seem to be unaccounted for. Apparently, that's not unusual in the indexing business.

I did get in some time with the girls yesterday. Plus, the new stand for Leilani arrived. Mary found the perfect spot for Leilani next to her big sister, Abigael. We're still getting unpacked from Florida.

Let's see, that looks like enough narrative for one day. The sun will rise at 7:18 and set at 6:38 p.m. Ciao.