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.