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

Once again, we enjoyed beautiful weather. Not according to the NWS, but from my own anecdotal experience. The sun was shining in an azure sky, so the mornig walk with STWD was a delight when we she and I picked up the Grand Haven Tribune and brought it home. Mary and I started the safari together, but she peeled of at the library to return and pick up some books as the intrepid one and I continued on our way. As luck would have it, we met Mary on our return leg and so we finished as we began.

But I digress. Along with those sunny skies, the temperature was in the mid 70s and the timing was right for staining the deck, so I did. As I was doing that, Mary went off to the big-box everything store and did some shopping. I'm thinking that I got the better end of the deal. It took me about 2 1/2 hours, and I went through nearly two gallons of stain, but I'm done for another five years. Afterwards, we had a lunch of veggie burgers and broccoli. Then we walked downtown, as Cheech and Chong said in their tale of their summer vacation activities in Sister Mary Elephant back in 1972. They were describing their summer vacation, but it seemed apropos. We went to pick up a card for Sally.

Later, we journeyed to the chiropractor, which for both of us seemed an appropriate stop given the way our day had begun with deck staining and a trip to the big-box everything store.

But I digress once more. During my activities on the deck, I heard that lonesome whistle blow, my thanks to the late Hank Williams Sr, for the use of the lyrics from his song of the same name. l had Mary record the train's passage before she left. That was at 10:50 a.m. and locomotives 2019 and 2057 didn't take long to pass heading south, as they were towing a lone BC and two CHCs, all apparently empty. I never witnessed the northbound run, but I was here or in town and yet, I never heard the lonesome afternoon whistle. So I have to assume that I either missed it, or they never returned, and their fate is still unlearned. A short homage and my thanks to the Kingston Trio for that lyric from their classic song, M.T.A., a story/song about an infamous ride on the "T" in Boston.

But I am digressing once again. Before we went to the chiropractor, we spent some time on the front porch of the Palatial Estate just reading and doing the crossword. Then we went to the chiropractor followed by a stop at JWs for happy hour and dinner. Once home, we watched an old episode of our favorite TV series, NCIS, and then I travelled to the media room where I watched the start of the Cubs game which I finished listening to the game on Sirius.

Speaking of the Cubs, they were triumphant over their division rivals, the Cardinals, 5 - 0. That leaves the boys in blue atop the standings in the NL Central division, with a record of 10 - 3. They face the Cardinals in St; Louis again tonight. The Tigers had the day off, before starting a series in Kansas City tonight. They are now in second place in the AL Central division with a record of 7 - 4. My beloved Red Sox gave it a good try, but they fell to the Blue Jays 3 - 4. They have maintained their second place standing in the AL East, with a record of 6 - 6. They look forward to a visit from the Rays tonight. The Caps handily defeated the Lake County, OH Captains, 9 - 3, leaving the Caps with a record of 6 - 5 in the Midwest League Eastern Division. Next game tonight, against those same Captains.

However, I'd be remiss if I didn't note that today, I get to plant some seeds in the vegetable garden of the Palatial Estate before we set out on an abbreviated West Michigan Yarn Quest 2016. Stops will include a new shop in Holland called the Flying Pig Yarn Shop, along with stops in Wyoming, MI, at Threadbenders Yarn Shop, and Henny's Yarn Shop in Caledonia, MI. Mary assures me that the quest will be shorter this year. Oddly or fortuitously, the return leg of our trip will allow us to pass the Embassy Bar and Grill, where we must stop for some of the Hackney's style onion straws that the Embassy serves. All of that follows the morning safari with STWD.

Tonight, we'll be back in front of the TV for new episodes of NCIS and NCIS NOLA,

The sun will rise at 6:56 a.m.on a cloudy day with a high of 66° the expectation, As of now, we have a temperature of 62° according to the desktop weather station, while the NWS, which reports conditions for GR of 57°. We always have different weather along the shores of the "Big Lake", being either warmer or cooler by an often significant number. Snow accumulation is often significantly different too. The sun will set this evening at 8:33 p.m. Ciao.