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

We have a current temperature, according to the desktop weather station with its front porch sensor, of 47°. Oddly, that is very close to the temperature that the NWS is reporting for GR. Later today, the expectation is for a high temperature of 57° under partly cloudy skies. Tomorrow's forecast high is for 67°, also under partly skies. Both days should be good for the morning safari with STWD.

Trainspotting yesterday was good. At 10:07 a.m., Mary heard the approach of southbound locomotive #2019, so I leapt from the bed to watch it's passage from the WW. It was towing four CHCs, with two of those bringing up the rear, seven DBTCs, one very old and rusty, and a lone GTC. All of the cars were empty. I base that judgement on years of being an experienced trainspotting journeyman The northbound run occurred while I was working in the man-cave. That meant that I didn't hear the return of locomotive #2019. Fortunately, my apprentice trainspotter was on the job. She still has further training to become a journeyman trainspotter, but her efforts are appreciated. At this point in time, she is a far better cook than trainspotter. This might be a lengthy apprenticeship.

Speaking of her skills as a cook, yesterday she tried another new recipe for pasta sauce. It consisted of chopping of various vegetables, so that made her day.

At any rate, she reported that the same locomotive, once again minus its partner locomotive #2057, was seen passing the PE on its run. In tow were five CHCs, three DBTCs, and one DWTC. By her description, they were not swaying much, so that was an indicator that they were fully laden.

Sports news was excellent yesterday. Cubs Win!, Cubs Win!, Cubs Win! The final score was Cubs 8, the Reds 1. That gives the boys in blue a NL Central division leading record of 13 - 4. For those of us who care, that equals their record from 1969 and is also one of their best starts to a season in 100 years. It was way back in 1908 when they started the season at 14 - 4. I should mention that that 13 - 4 is the best in the Major Leagues. The Tigers did not fare so well, as they lost to the Indians, 1 - 2. They now have an AL Central record of 8 - 7, just good enough for third place. My beloved Red Sox did better, as they moved their AL East division record to 8 - 8, following their defeat of the Astros 6 - 2 last night. That leaves the Sox in second place in the AL East division. The Caps also fared well, handily defeating the Dayton Dragons, 8 - 1. While they are still in fifth place with a record of 8 - 7, in the Midwest League division, they are only 1.5 games behind the league leading Lake County, OH Captains with a record of 10 - 6.

I was getting warm, so I went downstairs and found that my apprentice trainspotter had gotten cold last evening, so she had set the thermostat to 70 degrees and placed it in hold mode. I returned it to the automatic setting. While downstairs, I emptied the dishwasher.

I spent some time playing with the girls yesterday. That always feels good. I also found my way to the man-cave to do that sanding that was necessary for the trip to the paint store. More tinkering to be done after we work in the gardens today, but nothing that can't wait. We did get the various supplies needed for phase two of the deck refinishing and the refinishing of the bathroom cabinetry.

Later today, we'll take an extended walk with STWD, most likely down to the waterfront. Yesterday. we all went downtown to buy the newspaper and get in some steps. Then we can get to the gardening. We have zucchini and kale to plant in the newly placed Dairy Doo™ Pro Vegetable 301 that we picked up Thursday. We learned about Diary Doo™ at a seminar at Flowerland™ a couple of years ago. It works like magic when growing vegetables in gardens or containers. We are still on hold for tomatoes and peppers until the weather gets warmer.

Other than that, we have no plans. Mary still wants to make her beest or ham. She finished her hook rug project, but it will be a wall hanging, not a rug in the kitchen, as originally planned. She feels it would get too dirty on the kitchen floor. She says that this is her final rug, and comes nearly 42 years after her first rug, an ABC rug she made while expecting Adam.

The sun will rise today at 6:50 a.m. and set at 8:37 p.m. Ciao.





























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