Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City."

Some things never change, at least it seems that way. The current temperature in GH is 54° per the NWS, while the DTWS shows 59°. Apparently, the outdoor relative humidity conditions are such, 87%, to cause the DTWS to show raindrops on its display. In that vein, the NWS is still forecasting T-storms tomorrow afternoon. Mary is hoping that that will be the case so that she can avoid watering.

She did use the lawnmower on the vast lawns of the PE yesterday afternoon, along with planting some seeds and harvesting. A little help from our neighbor was required to push the manual reel mower through the heavier grass. Mary has vowed to never let it get that long again, at least as long as I am incapacitated.

Sports news yesterday was another .750 day. The Cubs defeated the Dodgers 2 - 0 after starting pitcher Jason Hammel had to leave the game at the top of the 3rd with leg cramps. He had given up the only hit the Cubs would yield to the Dodgers en-route to their victory. That gives the boys a N.L. Central leading record of 35 - 14, still 6.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Pirates.

If I were the kind of guy who notices what that other team from Chicago is doing, I'd notice that they are now in 3rd place in the A.L. Central, with a record of 27 - 25, following their 0 - 1 loss to the N.Y. Mets. I'd mention that if I were that kind of guy. Snicker.

The Tigers fell to the Angels by a score of 1 - 5 late last night, with Justin Verlander on the mound. That gives the Tigers an A.L. Central record of 24 - 26. Brad, are you hearing any singing from the obese lady in the bullpen yet? It may not be your fault, but you know who gets the ax when a team is losing.

My beloved Red Sox continued their winning ways, as they defeated the 2nd place Orioles 7 - 2. That gives the Sox an A.L. East record of 31 - 20, 2.0 games ahead of those same Orioles.

Sorry Mary, the Caps beat your sentimental favorite Dayton Dragons 7 - 3 yesterday afternoon, to go to 28 - 19 in the M.W.L. Eastern division. The Caps are now just 2.0 games in back of the division leading South Bend, IN Cubs.

Speaking of Mary, I had asked her several weeks ago to try making vegan salami. Following a breakfast/lunch from our gardens of both lettuce and spinach topped with Mary Made™ dressings and a side dish, of cottage tofu, we took a great morning safari with STWD. When we returned, Mary used a sample recipe that she found on the internet for salami. Like all recipes for Mary, it was just a starting point. With some modifications, the recipe morphed into Mary's soon to be famous Spicy Tomato Loaf ©2016 MFW. We had some of the loaf for dinner sandwiches and I pronounce it a keeper. I wouldn't change a thing.

I am going to use the term car spotting for yesterday, as it seemed as though all the summer cars came out. There were roadsters, Jeeps™, antique cars, muscle cars, Karl style VW convertibles, even a Westy VW Westphalia van. You name them, I spotted them. "The Season" has begun.

Today, Mary has a chat with her colleagues and a possible chat session with the people who manufactured her vegetable steamer, to see about a free replacement per the guarantee. I have nothing to do but recuperate and walk with Mary and the intrepid one. We may travel to Holland, but that is flexible.

The sun will rise at 6:08 a.m. and set at 9:17 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City."

A current NWS reported temperature of 59° that feels like 59°, prevails over the Tri-Cities area. Here on the front porch, with the sensor located just below the WW, the DTWS is reporting 63° Today's forecast high from the NWS and Bill Steffens of WOOD TV/Radio in GR, is 77°. The DTWS is showing rain drops, but a quick look out the WW shows dry conditions. Go figure. We'll be watering today, as no precipitation is in the forecast until T-storms are forecast for late Wednesday.

I did see several Jeeps™ pass by as I sat on the porch reading yesterday afternoon. One was yellow. That's the current state of my Jeep™ observation skills. As Adam noted, you have to learn the nuances. I guess that I'm an apprentice Jeep™ spotter right now. However, I did learn from "The Master" Jeep™ guru, that the Jeep™ I spotted the other day, was a pre-1997 model based on the suspension configuration. I also learned about a previous spot, that the Willys™ Jeep™ that we thought we spotted recently was a "Faux Jeep™ CJ" in disguise with after-market parts.

In a tangential note, I also saw a motorcycle that was part dune buggy and part three wheel cycle pass by.

The "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" (I prefer "The Greatest Spectacle in Motor Car Racing, per Jackie Stewart  (Sir John Young Stewart), former Scottish BRM (British Racing Motors) race driver AKA "The Flying Scot"), who covered the Indy 500 for ABC TV in the 1970s.

Stewart had been a champion Formula 1 driver for Team Lotus and Lola, and he nearly won the 1966 Indy 500 as a "Rookie." He lost to fellow "Rookie" Graham Hill when Stewart's car suffered a mechanical failure. I remember Stewart saying something after a big crash at Indy along the lines of, "Put him out, he's on fire. It's an alcohol fire and ya can't see the flames, OMG." Hear that with a Scottish accent, and you can get the idea. Stewart was a big safety advocate. The car that Stewart raced at Indy was a very new Lola T-90 Ford™ design when Indy cars weren't all clones.

Fellow Scot Jimmy Clark won the 1965 Indy 500 in a rear engine Lotus powered by Ford™. That year, there were more rear engine cars in the race, the end of an era. That was well before Indy took safety seriously and as Hemingway would have said the Indy 500 was a "Real Sport" because men could die.

But I digress. This year's Indy 500 was won by Alexander Rossi, an American "Rookie" at Indy, who had moved to and raced in Europe when he was younger.

Prior to the race, Mary prepared vegan hot dogs with all the trimmings which we ate at the formal dining room table, and a a "Snackaganza" which we ate while watching the 500 in the "Media Room." Here are pictures Mary took as proof.

This was Ryan Hunter-Reay leading before a pit mishap with fellow driver Townsend Bell took him out of contention.

All good, including the "Mary Made" French onion dip in the foreground.

Afterwards, Mary went (No pun intended) to futz in her kitchen and I retired to the porch for Jeep™ spotting and reading.

In sports, my teams won with a .750 average. The Cubs handily swept the Phillies with John Lackey on the mound and Ben Zobrist continuing his 15 game hitting streak with a three run homer to complement teammate Miguel Monteros' solo homer. Final score 7 - 2, to move the boys in blue to 20 games over .500 with a N.L. Central record of 34 - 14 and a 6.5 game lead over the 2nd place Pirates.

The Tigers fell to the As in Oakland, 2 - 4, to fall to 24 - 25, still in 4th place in the A.L. Central. Look out Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, as the overweight lady is warming up in the bullpen.

My beloved Red Sox topped the Blue Jays 5 - 3 in 11 innings to end their two game slide, and maintain a one game lead over the Orioles with a 1st place record of 30 - 20 in the A.L. East. Newly demoted to the bullpen starter Clay Buchholz, won the game with a one inning relief effort.

The Caps also won, defeating the Dayton Dragons 3 - 2, to remain in 2nd place in the M.W.L. East with a record of 27 - 19, 3.0 games behind the division leading South Bend, IN Cubs.

Today, not much is on tap after the morning safari with STWD. We had an abbreviated sojourn yesterday, so I think we'll go further and farther today, sometime after the sun rises at 6:08 a.m. and well before it sets at 9:16 p.m.

The Memorial Day Parade takes place in downtown GH today beginning at 9:30 a.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:00 a.m. in "The City."

We have a current temperature outside the WW of 73° according to the DTWS. However, according to the NWS, the outdoor temperature is 67° and it feels like 67°. In my little office/music room/blogosphere corner of the world, the indoor temperature, also according to the DTWS is 79° Later today, the NWS has forecast a high of 75° under partly cloudy skies. Go figure.

I'm going to try a new feature in my blogging that I call Jeep™ Spotting. As an inaugural attempt, I have included some pictures that Mary took for me as we walked to and from the Post for Rib Fest, along with a picture of yours truly with the Post's own "Miss Piggy" in her Rib Fest regalia.

Basic and good.

Nice.

Sideways, but still good.

Yes

Me and Miss P.

Worthy of note, is that while I was resting on the front porch of the PE and reading, I watched four additional Jeeps™ exit "The City" en route to parts unknown. Will there be any more Jeep™ Spotting? Stay tuned.

In sports, we watched a large part of the Red Sox game on TV at the Post, only to see them ultimately lose to the Blue Jays 9 - 10. They are still in 1st place in the A.L. Central with a record of 29 - 20. An aside, the umpiring in that game was not "Professional Grade."

The Tigers traveled to Oakland to lose badly to the As, 3 - 12. The Tigers are back to 24 - 24 in the A.L. Central, still good for 4th place.

The Cubs, behind Kyle Hendricks, defeated the Phillies once again, this time by a score of 4 - 1. The boys in blue now have a N.L. Central leading record of 33 - 14. 

Not to be forgotten, the Caps defeated the Dayton Dragons 3 - 1, to move into 2nd place in the M.W.L.East with a record of 26 - 19. 

I'm hoping against hope, that the "Greatest Spectacle in Motor Racing", the 100th running of the famed Indianapolis 500 from Speedway, IN, can be run later today, The current weather report from the NWS for Indianapolis/Speedway, shows a 40% chance of T-storms from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. today. That percentage drops to 20% after that. Monday's weather looks more favorable if today's race has to be postponed.

We did make it to the GHFM yesterday with STWD. We had to avoid a few dogs along the way, but we all had a nice walk. When we returned, or was it before, I dug the holes with one hand and Mary buried the new additions to the gardens of the PE. I watered them and then used the weed whacker one-handed to cut down some weeds and tall grass. It was after that that we walked to the Post having returned from the medium-box grocery store. 

Mary made cheese sandwiches for lunch and baked Tofu with her now famous spicy barbecue sauce for dinner. I need to mention, that lunch included the first harvest of lettuce from our gardens. Later in the season, we will be getting zucchini, spinach, green beans, and tomatoes too, along with the kale and potatoes that are doing nicely too. STWD was out with us as we gardened, eating grass salad.

My apologies to my apprentice trainspotter. I found her trainspotting report from Friday morning on my somewhat disorganized desk. I'll have to plead to an inability to be better organized due to my one usable hand status. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. At any rate, her report from 11:02 a.m. was accurate, right down to her description of the cars as empty. The southbound train consisted of : Locomotives 2057 and 2019, followed by 20 CHCs, seven DBTCs, one GTC, and two DWTCs. 

Other than the Indy 500, not much is planned for today. The Cubs may be on TV, but that comes after the 500.

The sun will rise at 6:09 and set at 9:15 p.m. Ciao. 

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

A current temperature of 69/70° that feels like 69/70° prevails. We did get some precipitation yesterday, so Mary is off watering duty in the gardens and lawns of the vast PE for today.

Speaking of my apprentice trainspotter, she dutifully recorded the southbound passage of the train with its cars on the RSTL yesterday morning, but neglected to tell her mentor where. So I can only note the northbound passage of locomotives 2019 and 2057 at 3:55 p.m. yesterday afternoon as they deadheaded sans cars, before the holiday weekend.

Sports news brings sadness from Bean-town, as my beloved Red Sox fell to the Blue Jays in Toronto, 5 - 6, to go to 29 - 19 in the A.L. East, to maintain a hold on 1st place.

The Cubs after two rain delays, defeated the Phillies, 6 - 2 to move to 18 games over .500 @ 32 - 14, as they maintain a firm hold on 1st place in the N.L. Central. Kris Bryant not only went yard, he hit the ball out of the yard, launching a monster drive that cleared the stands and landed on the street. He was joined by David Ross and Jorge Soler for a total of three homers. Jon Lester pitched well into the 7th to go to 5 - 3. as the Cubs won.

The Tigers played the As in Oakland late last night as the Tigers won, 4 - 1. They still reside in 4th place in the A.L. Central, with a record of 24 - 23. The Tigers' A level farm squad, The Whitecaps AKA The Caps, finally got their game in, as they beat Mary's sentimental favorite team, the Dayton Dragons, 3 - 2. The Caps are now @ 25 - 19, good enough to move up to 2nd place in the M.W.L. East.

As the day unfolded, we walked a lot, some with STWD, shopped a little, and had dinner at the Double Deuce, 22 Below, before walking home. I got tired quickly as my recovery continues, so I watched some TV in the La-Z-Boy, before moving to the Media Room and then bed, thereby relinquishing the La-Z-Boy to Mary and her various crafts. She watched Airforce One from there.

Today a walk to the GHFM with STWD and then little else after we pickup the newspaper. I can use the rest. Too much walking yesterday. We may go to Rib-Fest at the Post, but as vegans, we won't be eating any ribs, just sides.

The sun will rise at 6:10 a.m. and set at 9:14 p.m. Ciao.

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

Sad news came in my email early this morning. Ellen's mother, Sylvia Greenfield, passed yesterday. Ellen has long been a friend and a mentor to me, so in some ways, her loss is also a loss to me. I know how important family was and is to Ellen, so please take a moment to remember both women in your thoughts and prayers.

Here in GH, life continues as we enter the start of "The Season." For the next three months, the lifeblood of our little city will be the tourists who support the merchants, restaurants, and cultural activities that make "The City" what it is throughout the year.

Our weather went from late winter to full blown summer without stopping at spring. Our temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s and the precipitation will be isolated and sometimes severe, more like spring. As we discussed at our favorite watering hole during a stopover yesterday, this is Michigan.

The current temperature outdoor temperature is 62° per the NWS, but 70° per the DTWS. It is warmer inside than out right now, but the relative humidity is much lower. Today, isolated T-storms are expected later with a 30% chance. I think we'll be watering again.

Speaking of watering, we traveled to the big-box garden center yesterday to pick up some additional shade tolerant plants for the gardens of the PE. I get to help water them one-handed, while Mary employs the hose for the vast plantings in on the PE. In a strange role reversal, I also get to kibitz about the digging for the new plantings as Mary does the actual work.

As an aside to the gardening tale, we also stopped at our local garden center and actually redeemed some points that we accumulated to buy some additional plants and other items for the gardens. We came away with no cost. In that same vein, we also stopped at the medium-box hardware/home center to return some items that we didn't need. While there, we traded in our defective watering nozzle and got a new one, for free. So, we came away from there with money too. I like free.

Last night, I walked to the library for another in their series of informational presentations about GH and the Tri-Cities area. Last night, Paul Trap utilized a Power-Point™ presentation and personal anecdotes to present on Grand Haven's Railroad Heritage. I learned about our coal tipple, the ferries that plied the waters of the "Big Lake" between here and Wisconsin in the early part of the 20th century, and the demise of passenger rail service here in GH by the mid 1950s. As a regular chronicler of the current rail traffic here on the RSTL, I found it a fascinating experience.

Sports won't take long. All my teams either had the day off or were postponed due to rain.

I am feeling the stares of "The Girls" as I sit at my desk. They are crying out to be attended to, so I have assured them that I'll be back as soon as I am able, so hang in there.

This being the holiday weekend, we have no plans to go out in the car until at least Tuesday. We can walk with caution, but we have to be wary of the tourists. Other than the previously mentioned items, not mush is in the plans. I will be watching "The Greatest Spectacle in Motor Racing" on Sunday. Mary has promised some race day treats to enhance my viewing pleasure. I'm betting she will have to go to Health Hutt for some of those, like vegan cheese.

I must mention that I returned from the library last evening to find that Mary had made her special, and also one of Adam's favorite dishes, "Spaghetti Roll Casserole." I loved it down to the last bite. As Adam used to say, "Do More!"

The sun will rise in a few hours at 6:10 a.m. and set at 9:14 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It has just passed 8:30 a.m. in "The City." Since the sun already rose, I'll note that it will set at 9:13 p.m. this evening.

It looks like the T-storms/precipitation are over until the weekend. STWD repaired to her hide-e-hole last night when she heard the first clap of thunder. We don't expect to hear more until the 40/50% forecast for this weekend. According to the NWS, we have a current temperature of 68°, whereas, the DTWS is displaying 73.8° with raindrops on the display. The view out the WW is sunny.

We did spot trains yesterday @ 9:34 a.m. and @ 2:07 p.m. respectively. The regular cast of locomotives passed by in reverse order as they headed north in the afternoon. The a.m. southbound run consisted of empty CHCs, 14, DBTCs, nine, DWTCs, three. The northbound run had fully laden cars. They were: BC, one, CHCs, 24, DBTCs, six, GTCs, one, DWTCs, three.

Sports was a split. The Cubs made me nervous right up until the final out in the bottom of the 9th. The boys went to 31 - 14 in the N.L. Central, 1st, with  a 9 - 8 win over the Cardinals. The Tigers didn't fare so well, as they lost to the Phillies 5 - 8. The Tigers are once again a .500 team in the A.L. Central at 23 - 23, still good for 4th place. following their loss. My beloved Red Sox once again romped over the Rockies, this time with a score of 10 - 3. The Sox are now sporting an A.L. East best record of 29 - 17, good for a 2.0 game lead over the Orioles. That other team from Chicago is slumping, losing to the 2nd place Indians 3 - 4. That other team has only a .5 game lead over those same Indians, The Caps were rained out.

Today, knees at the orthopedist and salad lunch at the hospital. That's enough for me. Mary gets to skip watering for one day. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." Typing one-handed is more difficult than I thought, especially for someone without traditional typing skills, but here goes.

Sports is a pleasure to report today, all my teams won. The Cubs, in a 12 - 3 rout over the Cardinals behind the great pitching and hitting of Jason Hammels (6 - 1). The boys opened the first inning with six runs and never looked back, They now have a N.L. Central record of 30 - 14 and are in 1st place.

The Tigers had to work harder, but Justin Verlander (4 - 4) bested the Phillies 3 - 1, Unfortunately, the Tigers while improving to one game over .500, still languish in 4th place.

My beloved Red Sox are now 11 games over .500 and in 1st place, with a one game lead over the Orioles in the A.L. East, with a record of 28 - 17. Pitcher David Price (7 - 1) is still the best, as is Big Papi, with 41 RBIs at 41 years of age. He's still planning to retire after the season.

The Caps defeated the Bowling Green Hot Rods 5 - 2, to move into 3rd place in the M.W. L. East with a record of 23 - 19.

Otherwise, not much is happening. The current temperature per the DTWS is 67°. The NWS in GR is reporting 63° and hedging their bets about precipitation on a day with partly cloudy conditions and a 40% chance for T-storms in the evening forecast, increasing to 50% by Thursday, and 80% by Friday. In short, it might or might not rain. Stay tuned

Today not much for me. I am doing well on my 2nd day post op, but it will take time. So, more TV, more rest, more??? Trainspotting? Maybe.

Mary will continue to water the gardens and the lawns of the PE, along with walking STWD. Yesterday, that same cat that was locked in the man-cave was free riding ion the hose as Mary watered.

The sun will rise at 6:12 a.m. and set at 9:12 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It has just passed 7:30 a.m. in "The City." The sun rose @6:12 a.m. and will set at 9:11 p.m.

Surgery yesterday went a bit longer than planned, but the outcome was good according to the orthopedist. Last night was a bit rough. but with the assistance and TLC of Mary, I made it through. STWD was also there to give aid and comfort. It will hopefully be smooth sledding from now on.

Speaking of the weather and precipitation, the current temperature, according to the DTWS, is 65° as we head for today's NWS forecast high of 77° under partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of showers. By tomorrow, the NWS is forecasting scattered T-storms starting in the evening and then thru Saturday. All high temperatures will be in the 70s.

I was indisposed at the hospital yesterday for the morning run on the RSTL, but my apprentice trainspotter witnessed the northbound run of locomotives 2019 and 2057 At 3:00 p.m. as they plied the rails with fully laden cars, which consisted of nine CHCs, six DBTCs and two DWTCs,

Sports news was not good last night, as the Cubs had the lead 3 - 1, got tied on a home run, then lost it in the bottom of the 9th on a walk off two run homer to the Cardinals. The Tigers eked out a victory over the Phillies, 5 - 4 on the strength of four home runs, two by Miggy. Although the Tigers are now even in the A.L. Central at 22 - 22, they are still in 4th place. My beloved Red Sox had the day off, but host the Rockies tonight. The Sox are still statistically tied with the Orioles, with a 2nd place record of 27 - 17, versus the Orioles 26 - 16 record in the A.L. East. The Caps fell to Ft. Wayne, 0 - 3, and also fell to 4th place in the MW.L.East with a record of 22 - 19.

Mary found a great recipe for German red lentil soup, which was our dinner last night. Accompanied by the snacks she had prepared for my hospital visit, the meals were good. The German red lentil soup is definitely a keeper,

Today is going to be mostly R & R for both of us. Mary will be taking the morning safari with the intrepid one, and then most likely cooking and knitting. I'll be lying about with ice packs. I'm too old for this many hospital activities. Plus, this one handed hunt and peck typing takes too long. Ciao.

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

I am going to once again attempt to keep this brief.

Sports: Cubs, 0 - 1, Giants. Cubs 1st N.L.Central. 29 - 13.
            Tigers, 9 - 4, Rays. 4th A.L. Central. 21 - 22
            Beloved Red Sox, 5 - 2, Indians, 2nd A.L. East, 27 - 17. Big Papi, single, two doubles
            H.R.
            Caps, 2 - 1, Ft. Wayne TinCaps, 3rd M.W. L. East. 22 - 18

Weather: Current temperature 52°. Today's high, 74° under sunny skies. T-storms possible
              Tuesday into Wednesday, high temperatures mid 70s all week.

Yesterday's meals: Lunch, Mary's  macaroni and cheese redux with salsa and red beans. Superb.                              Dinner, vegan ham with smashed garlic potatoes and gravy. Also superb.
                             Snack, baked tofu. Superb.

Yesterday's activities: Morning safari with STWD, beautiful day, abbreviated walk.
                                 Gardening, all flowering and veggie plants planted and watered.
                                 Laundry done, bed made.
                                 Latest novel, Rise of the Rocket Girls, by Nathalia Holt, mostly finished.          

Today's activities: Thumb repairs, 8:00 a.m. followed by recovery.
                           Mary walks with the intrepid one.
                           Rest, listen to Cubs' game against Cardinals.
                           Meals as prepared by Mary and desired by me.  
                             

Sunrise: 6:13 a.m.

Sunset:  9:10 p.m.

Ciao.
                                     
   

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

Let's dispense with the weather and its associated forecasts right away. The current temperature is 53/55° according the NWS and the DTWS. Neither source is forecasting any precipitation until Wednesday. Until then, sunny skies are the forecast conditions. Temperatures are expected to be in the lower 70° range inland and cooler near the "Big Lake."

I got to my Irish Jam session yesterday and I confirmed what I already knew. My thumb repairs are a necessity. We had a good time, but I left early due in part to the pain of playing and also because Mary and I had made plans to walk to Grand Haven State Park and its beach, to see the Great Lakes Kite Fest™, which is the unofficial start of "The Season" here in "The City" and its environs. We took some pictures of the boats in the channel along the way, the kites when we were there, and the relatively short lines at Pronto Pup™ as we were returning home. Pronto Pup™ is a must do activity for both tourists and the locals here in GH during "The Season."

Boats large and small plied the calm waters of the channel.

Looking down the channel across the Coast Guard station, you can see our two lighthouses. 

While you can't really get a size perspective in this picture, I hope you can get an idea of the variety.

Some of these kites were huge.

An example of some synchronized kite flying by one of the competition teams at the fest. 

The line at Pronto Pup™ was only about 1/2 block long, short by any measurement at this local landmark.

The news in sports yesterday was definitely mixed. The Cubs and Jon Lester fell to the Giants in San Francisco, 3 - 5. Lester lasted less than three innings. There was good news on RF Jason Heyward. His injuries from that collision with the wall in the 1st inning on Friday night were not as serious as first thought. He should be able to avoid a trip to the DL and be out of the lineup for about one week. The boys maintain the best record in the Major Leagues™ atop the NL Central with a record of 29 - 12. Oh, that other team from Chicago fell to the Royals 1 - 2.

The Tigers eked out a win over the Rays, 5 - 4, behind rookie starting pitcher, Micheal Fulmer. Sadly for the Rays, CF Kevin Kiermaier broke his hand trying to make a catch. His time on the DL will be decided later today, but it looked like it could be a while. The Tigers are still in 4th place in the AL Central with a record of 20 - 22.

My beloved Red Sox topped the Indians, 8 - 1, to stay in 2nd place in the AL East with a record of 26 - 17, one game back of the Orioles.

The Caps fell to the Ft. Wayne TinCaps, 3 - 7, but their record of 21 - 18 has them in 3rd place in the MWL East.

Both Mary and I confirmed one other thing from yesterday's activities. Once you are past 62, roughly seven miles of walking can leave your old bones aching. We'll take it easier today after an abbreviated morning safari with STWD and some gardening. We do have to do some laundry and things to get done before I am unable to assist for a couple of weeks. That's why the gardens and other outdoor activities need to be or were completed.

All of that is my way of saying that our plans for today include reading the Grand Haven Tribune, and some reading of our novels after the morning safari and the gardening. I'm betting that Mary will find time for knitting too. In fact when we got home yesterday, she was sure that I needed to go upstairs to the media room so that she could use the La-Z-Boy for her knitting. I was quick to agree, as I was tired.

The sun will rise into the azure blue sunny skies of "The City" at 6:14 a.m. and set at 9:09 p.m. when the stars come out to play. Ciao.

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

Yesterday was delightful in nearly all ways. I stayed behind to do some housework as Mary and STWD took the morning safari. Oh, I also found the gifts left by the neighbor's cat in the man-cave and cleaned those up without a problem. While I was down there, I repaired Mary's spatula, again. Both she and I have now broken it once. Further repairs are not likely nor advisable. Mary likes the length, but any further attempts at repair would leave her with a far too stubby utensil.

Our lunch yesterday was the all-night vegan hams that Mary had placed in the Crockpot™ the evening before. While they came out smaller due to an extended cooking time, the taste was great when we had some for lunch. Afterwards, we hopped into the car to drop some things off at the Restore Store™ and to pick up a few things at the grocery store. In addition, part of my housework is now on hold until the vacuum is ready after its annual tune-up. Our final stop was at the local garden center to pick up the veggie plants and flowers along with some grass seed for the bare spots left after the recent sidewalk repairs.

We made it home and then repaired to our respective areas of responsibility to do that voodoo that each of us does so well. I was in the gardens and lawns of the PE, while Mary was on chat. I seeded, weeded, planted, and watered. More planting today after the morning safari with the intrepid one to the GHFM. We don't need much, but it will be a nice day and a destination.

Later this afternoon, I will be jamming as much as I can with my ailing thumb.

No trains to spot yesterday.

In sports, the results were half and half. The Cubs won in San Francisco, 8 - 1, to go to 29 - 11, staying in 1st place in the NL Central. Jake Arrieta was shaky at first, but by the time the game got into the 4th inning, he was on his game, striking out eight. Kris Bryant helped  the cause as he hit a three run homer and the boys never looked back. In addition, back to back home runs made the final score a seeming rout. A word of caution/worry. Right fielder Jason Heyward  was injured in a spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the 1st inning. He'll have an MRI this morning to fully assess the extent of his injuries. He is an outstanding outfielder that the Cubs need in their lineup.

The Tigers got back to their version of normal, as they lost to the Rays, 5 - 7. That moves them down to 19 - 22 in the AL Central. Starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez got tired again in the sixth inning and had to be replaced. That led to the Rays taking the lead off of a relief pitcher and the ultimate loss.

My beloved Red Sox fell to the Indians 2 - 4. Clay Bucholz walked too many and gave up a home run that sealed the deal. The Sox are still in 2nd place in the AL East with a record of 25 - 17, but starting pitching weakness and the resultant need for relief pitchers will be a concern as the season unfolds.

The Caps defeated the Ft. Wayne TinCaps 3 - 1 to move into 3rd place in the MWL East with a record of 21 - 17.

Getting back to the weather, the current temperature is 55/58° per the NWS and the DTWS. The forecast from the NWS and Bill Steffens of WOOD radio/TV, is for temperatures in the 70° range with 80° possible early next week. Naturally the temperatures near the shores of the "Big Lake" will be cooler. That's fine with me. T-storms are possible on Wednesday.

Today will be walking, gardening, reading, and jamming. Mary will probably be knitting while I am jamming and then we can do as little as possible. Her placement expertise will lead me to the correct placement of the various plantings in the gardens before I go to the Irish Jam session. I'll also be watering again too. The sun will rise at 6:15 a.m. and set at 9:07 p.m. Ciao.

Good mornig or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:45 a.m. in "The City."

A good time to discuss the current weather conditions and the forecast from the NWS. and perhaps STWD for later today. A current temperature of 44° that feels like 42° prevails in the greater Tri-Cities area. According to the DTWS, the current temperature is 49°. In all cases, no precipitation is in the forecast. Later today, we anticipate a high of 71° under cloudy skies.

Last evening, I got called downstairs from the media room by Mary to resolve a problem in the indoor pantry. That's the inside of the door from the kitchen to the man-cave stairs. As I was coming down, the intrepid one took the lead, but Mary shooed her into the bathroom off the kitchen. When I arrived, I was surprised to see the neighbor's six toed cat, Phoebe, peeking around the corner on the stairs. After a bit of thinking, I realized that she must have gone down there on Wednesday afternoon when I had the outer doors to the man-cave open while I was working in the gardens of the PE.

Since Mary is allergic to cat dander, I tried to lure Phoebe out and take her home. Mary went next door to get Phoebe's owners to come to the kitty's rescue. Fortunately, my efforts were ultimately successful and I managed to lure Phoebe out, and then I picked her up and carried her outside. Mary learned later that the neighbors had been calling for Phoebe and got worried when she didn't come home. Phoebe is mostly an outdoor cat, but she always comes when called. Now I have the less than desirable task of checking the man-cave for any "gifts" that Phoebe likely left behind.

Speaking of STWD, she and I took another nice walk yesterday morning before Mary and I went to the hospital where everything went well. I'm all set for my thumb surgery next Monday. Lunch was at the hospital cafeteria's salad bar.

Then we were off to Jenison, MI and Grand River Park for our "Greenway Cruise" aboard the Grand Lady paddle wheeler. This trip was sponsored by the Friends of the Ottawas County Parks. I'll add some random pictures to give the flavor, but you had to be there to get the "real picture." To our surprise and delight, the Friends had arranged to have naturalists, wildlife experts, and representatives from the Ottawa County Parks aboard to add some detail and information. The weather was sunny and the skies clear as we cruised for nearly two hours up and down the Grand River. We learned about birds, fish, and the greater Grand River ecosystem, and its watershed.

This is the lake near the parking area at Grand River Park.

One of our first "sights" were these kayaks sharing the river. 

You'll have to take my word, but in these trees, was a large nest for one pair of Bald Eagles that call the Grand River Valley home.  One parent and one chick were in the nest. There are six known nests and nesting pairs of these magnificent national symbols on the river.

This covered bridge was at the Grand Ravines Park.

No need to comment.

Same here.

All in all, it was a great experience. We plan to return in the fall for some of the colors to be found along this vital inland waterway. 

Sports news was rather slim and in one case, not so good yesterday. The Cubs lost to the Brewers, 3 - 5. That leaves the them with a NL Central division leading record of 28 - 11. Once again, their bats were asleep. Hopefully when they get to San Francisco tonight they can reawaken their offense. The Giants have won eight in a row as the Cubs have been sleepwalking through their latest games. As manager Joe Maddon, opined, the boys were simply outplayed. 

The Tigers had the day off, so their record of 19 - 21 didn't change and neither did their 4th place ranking in the AL Central. They host the Rays tonight. My beloved Red Sox also had the day off before they host the Indians tonight. That also leaves the Sox' 25 - 16 record and their 2nd place standing in the AL East unchanged. The Caps thumped the Bowling Green Hot Rods 7 - 1 to once again move into 4th place in the MWL League East with a record of 20 - 17. 

While I was upstairs in the media room, Mary was busy in the kitchen crafting two vegan hams using the correct ingredients. They are wafting their aromas all over the interior of the PE right now.

Later today, I'll be going down to the man-cave for that aforementioned clean up. Plus, I will once again try to resurrect the spatula that I broke once before and that Mary broke again last evening while preparing her vegan hams. Once more into the breech to repair a handle that is becoming shorter with each repair. Mary actually likes the shorter handle length, but I believe that very soon it will be too short to use. 

Other than that we are open. A few phone calls to make and a short trip to the local garden center for some veggie and decorative plants after the morning safari with STWD. There was something else that I can't remember, but it might be a stop at the Restore Store to see if a new top for our cold frame is available. Then the chiropractor later in the day. Trainspotting is a possibility, but not a certainty. 

The sun will rise today at 6:15 and set at 9:07 p.m. 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 46° according to the DTWS, will lead to today's forecast high from the NWS of 66 sunny degrees. No precipitation is in the five day forecast and by Monday, we are forecast to see 73° under sunny skies. Wowser!

I have one-half of a train spot, since I personally witnessed only the southbound passage of locomotives 2057 and 2019 on the RSTL (Reality Scale Train Layout). Those two locomotives were at the head of a lone BC, 16 CHCs, six DBTCs, and two DWTCs. All of the tank cars were of varying vintage and therefore of varying safety standards per FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) regulations, which at their best, are inadequate. All of the cars were empty judging by their rocking and rolling motion on the rails and the sounds that only unladen cars make.

Baseball news was a mixed bag. The boys in blue took 13 innings to defeat the Brewers in Milwaukee as they continued to experience slumber in their lumber. The "Big Boppers" couldn't solve Brewers' pitcher, Jimmy Rollins, as he pitched shutout baseball into the ninth inning before Brewer's closer Jeremy Jeffress surrendered a ground ball hit to Addison Russell allowing the first Cubs base-runner to cross the plate, that allowed the Cubs managed to tie the game at 1 - 1.

It took another four innings before Cubs' relief pitcher Travis Wood was walked with the bases loaded in the top of the 13th to force in the winning run. Wood got the Brewers out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th and then won the game by drawing a bases loaded walk in the top of the 13th. The Cubs close out their series in Milwaukee this afternoon and then move on to San Francisco to face the Giants. The Cubs are at 28 -10 atop the NL Central.

The Tigers swept the Twins with a 6 - 3 win over the Twins. Tigers' pitcher Justin Verlander, recorded his 2,000th strikeout in that win. That means the Tigers are still in 4th place in the AL Central with a record of 19 - 21. So far, Brad Ausmus has his job.

My beloved Red Sox split a double header with the Royals, losing the first game 2 - 3, but winning the second, 5 - 2. Their record of 25 - 16 coupled with the Orioles win yesterday, leaves the Sox .5 games back of the Orioles in the AL East.

The Caps lost to the Bowling Green Hot Rods 2 - 6 in a rare day game. That places the Caps in 5th place in the MWL East.

In spite of my original plans, I finished the balance of my outdoor work on the PE yesterday afternoon while Mary enjoyed the second of her weaving lessons. She turned out a very nice effort that she says could have been better. She liked the activity so much, that she purchased a loom of her own. I also finished my latest novel while listening to the Cubs' game on the radio last evening. Frankly the reading got tedious by the end. Before that, STWD and I took a nice tour of "The City" to "smell the sights" so to speak. Sugar also got to see her favorite newspaper delivery person who always has a biscuit or tow for the intrepid one in her Jeep™ delivery vehicle. Her Jeep™ is right hand drive to accommodate her deliveries.

Today we are off to the hospital and then to that aforementioned cruise aboard the Grand Lady Riverboat, as part of the series offered by the Friends of the Ottawa County parks. It should be a nice day for cruising the Grand River. After that, we have no plans, which is fine by me. The sun will rise at 6:16 a.m. and set at 9:06 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just passing 6:20 a.m. in "The City." That means that the sun has already risen at 5:52 a.m., and it will set more than 14 hours from now at 8:16 p.m. The view out the WW confirms those times. The beauty of sunrise and sunset times is that they are not predictions that the NWS makes, but actual facts based upon the rotation of the earth.

Trains are expected today.

Sports news was mostly good, with the exception of the loss by the Cubs 2 - 4, to the 17 - 22 Milwaukee brewers by the 27 - 10 Cubs. That means that the boys are still in 1st place in the NL Central by a scant 6.5 games over the Pirates. The Tigers won their second in a row over the Twins, this time by a more robust score of 7 - 2. The Tigers are still languishing in 4th place in the AL Central with a record of 18 - 21, just ahead of the Twins who are the division cellar dwellers. My beloved Red Sox fell to the lowly Astros, 5 - 6 to remain in 2nd place in the AL East, still statistically tied with the Orioles. The Caps soundly defeated the Bowling Green Hot Rods 6 - 0, to move to 19 - 16 in the MWL East, good enough for 4th place and breathing down the neck of the Hot Rods who are in 3rd. That other team from Chicago lost 5 - 6 to the cellar dwelling Astros.

I finished staining the deck yesterday, which probably explains my inability to get up before the sun rose this morning, However that means that today, the only requirement on my schedule is the morning safari with STWD. The NWS has forecast a high of 63° under partly cloudy skies and no precipitation due for the foreseeable future. Tomorrow promises to be sunny with a high of 65° for our cruise on the Grand River after my morning visit at the hospital for my knees and some pre-surgical testing, before next Mondays thumb repairs.

Yesterday after I finished the deck, I made my personal favorite, vegan Beefaroni™. Mary tried some when she got home from her successful weaving, nee looming class, which I have on good authority went very well. She pronounced my culinary efforts very tasty. Mary finishes her class today and says she is hooked, although no crocheting is involved.

Today, with the deck finished, I have only reading planned. I need the rest. As I've said before, retirement can be very taxing. STWD will gladly take a leisurely stroll with me this morning whether she knows it or not. I'll be strolling while she will be straining at the end of her leash.

Ciao.

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

There were trains to spot, but since I was unable to spot them, I have nothing to report, other than I do know that there was a southbound passage at 11:45 a.m., that I heard.

There is a "Significant Weather Advisory" in effect for Ottawa County, MI that looks impressive on the radar. However this being GH, the path appears to be tracking mostly below "The City." The view out the WW is dark and clear with a current temperature of 51° according to the DTWS, but 49° that feels like 49° according to the NWS and my personal favorite meteorologist, Bill Steffen at WOOD Radio/TV. Additionally, the display on the DTWS shows no indication of any precipitation. Today's high is forecast to be 61° under partly cloudy skies per Bill. It should be a good day for the morning safari with STWD.

Yesterday at the PE, our dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait, but the good ship and crew were never in peril. A slight paraphrase of one of my favorite Gordon Lightfoot songs, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Actually, the day got away from us once again, so by the time we arose, talked to the accountant and then spoke with the insurance representative about Medicare part D, G, and F options, it was getting into the early afternoon.

Mary was unsure abut what to make for our belated breakfast, well actually lunch, so I suggested her famous Swiss cheese and sauerkraut sandwiches. Unfortunately, the vegan Swiss cheese had gone over the edge, so they became mozzarella and sauerkraut sandwiches with Mary's still famous homemade thousand island dressing. The sandwiches tasted great, but her concerns about not having a side dish were unfounded.

Following yesterday's afternoon safari, I finished the remaking of my sawhorses in the man-cave. I won't get to use them for a few weeks, but at least they are now done.

Later after a stop at the GH Board of Light and Power office to drop off a form regarding power outage notification and a stop at Sporty's in East Town, we came home. Dinner was the last two veggie dogs with a side of some sweet potatoes that Mary had prepared the night before. All good.

Sports news from yesterday was rather limited. The boys in blue with a NL Central leading record of 27 - 9 had the day off. They face the Brewers in Milwaukee tonight. The Tigers nearly blew an 8 run lead to the Twins, eventually winning the game 10 - 8. Frustrated Tigers' manager Brad Ausmus erupted after he was ejected for arguing the umpire's calling balls and strikes. The rumors are flying about the chances of Ausmus' losing his job. Remember where you read it first. The Tigers maintained their firm hold on 4th place in the AL Central with a record of 17 - 21.

My beloved Red Sox were postponed due to the weather, so they are still statistically tied with the Orioles but in 2nd place in the AL East, with a record of 24 - 14. The Caps too had the day off, but they are still in 5th place in the MW League East with their record of 18 - 16. They host the Bowling Green Hot Rods tonight.

After today's safari with STWD, Mary will be off to Muskegon for day one of a looming class that she is taking. The loom is small, but the output that I saw at the store, Apple Knits & Purls, looked great. I'm certain that in spite of her concerns about being a slow learner, Mary will do fine in her endeavors.

I'll be staying home with the intrepid one and finishing the staining of the deck on the PE. Sugar will want to be outside with me, but the chance of her getting into the stain and becoming a four legged paint brush are too great, so she'll have to stay inside.

Since Sugar and I will be fending for ourselves, I wanted to have the kitchen ready for our lunch preparations. So I washed the dishes that were in the sink, emptied the dishwasher, and let STWD out. While there were drops of water on the deck, Sugar came back without any water on her back, so the precipitation did indeed pass below "The City." I know that Mary likes to do the dishes herself, while graciously allowing me to empty the dishwasher, I did them anyway while I was downstairs in search of my latest novel, Find Her, by Lisa Gardner.

I also found a note from Mary to remind me to eat lunch and drink plenty of water today. I have a tendency to not drink when I should, and all too often, never enough when I do, so I will endeavor to follow her prescription, She needn't have worried about lunch, because I'll be preparing vegan Beefaroni™ with the able assistance of STSD. That I'd never forget.

The sun will rise today at 6:18 a.m. and set at 9:04 p.m. Ciao.

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

A current temperature of 43° that feels like 37° is forecast to move up to today's high of 63°, albeit with showers in the evening a 45% possibility. The balance of the week looks like it will return to the 60° range. That bodes well for the outdoor activities that I/we have on my agenda for the balance of the week. That includes finishing the staining of the deck and a riverboat cruise that Mary and I have scheduled for Thursday afternoon on the Grand River. I need to be sure to remind Mary that she is going to the hospital with me that morning, since we have to travel directly from the hospital to the cruise launch site in Jenison, MI.

Speaking of getting things finished, I reassembled the cabinets in the upstairs bathroom because for the next several weeks, I'll be incapacitated due to my thumb surgery and rehab. The original plan was to be able to open the windows and get air upstairs while I was staining and finishing the cabinets, but the cooler than average temperatures have precluded that in the recent past.

Yesterday we got the basics decided for our Amtrak™ trip. We have to finalize the details, but at least we have a destination and a basic itinerary now. For the morning safari, we walked to the big-box home center to get some LED light bulbs for the downstairs bathroom. STWD got to go along and actually go into the store. I'm not sure what she thought about the experience, but it was a lot easier to be able to take her in.

By afternoon, we were ready for some culture, so we made our way to the library where classical guitarist Kyle Thompson was performing as part of the Sunday afternoon concert series provided by the library. He was great and I came away inspired to be a better player just as soon as my thumb heals.

With all of our walking yesterday, including a stop at our favorite watering hole, I amassed 7,280 steps. For the week, that was a total of 46,431 steps, good enough for 23.21 miles. Not bad.

Mary experimented with a different type of ingredients for her vegan beest. She always asks me to give a rating as to whether a recipe/outcome is a keeper. In this case, I have to say that this one is not. Too much like soggy bread, not enough like beest. She always says that recipes are just suggestions, much like Adam says about speed limits, but in this case the recipe needs a lot of work to move into the keeper category. Sorry Mary. Her breakfast hash was much better.

Sports news yesterday was mostly good, but the boys in blue lost to the Pirates 1 - 2. Said the Pirates' pitcher Gerrit Cole, "I don't really think they're the best team in baseball." This from a player on a team that the boys beat five out of six games this season, even sweeping the Pirates in their own ballpark earlier in the year. Sour grapes? The Cubs have a record of 27 - 9, eight full games ahead of the 19 - 17 second place Pirates on the NL Central division. Just saying,

The Tigers defeated the Orioles by a slim 6 - 5 margin. They are still in 4th place in the AL Central. My beloved Red Sox stopped their slide with a 10 - 9 win over the Astros. That gives the Sox a record of 24 - 14 in the AL East, but once again statistically tied with the division leading Orioles who lost to the Tigers. The Caps slipped by the Ft. Wayne, TinCaps 1 - 0 to move to 18 - 16 and 4th place in the MW League Eastern division. Oh, that other team from Chicago lost to the Yankees 5 - 7.

Today, more walking with the intrepid one, more reading, and some basic housework. In the afternoon we have an appointment at the chiropractor. The sun will rise at 6:19 a.m. and set at 9:03 p.m. amidst those possible showers. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is shortly after 3:30 a.m. in The City", where a current temperature of 39° feels like 30°. Our high temperature later today is forecast by the NWS to be 52°.

When Mary and I took an abbreviated walk with STWD yesterday morning, the rain was trying to come down, the wind was blowing in our faces, and the intrepid one was all too glad to be heading home very shortly after setting out. Both Mary and I had "Layered Up" to ward off the cold, but without my gloves, I was not very comfortable. When Mary washed and stored our cold weather gear a few weeks ago, we thought it would be safe to do so. Oh well, the best laid plans etc.

Yesterday was basically uneventful, unless you factor in two interesting things, First, that Hobbit door that I've been working on mysteriously moved from the man-cave to the gardens of the PE. Second, the high school production of Little Shop of Horrors that we attended last night, reminded me that the young people of "The City" and its environs are very lucky indeed.

Let me start with the Hobbits. With a little help from Mary, here is a photo of the door that the hobbits placed in the gardens that leads to their "Fantasy World.".

If I were a Hobbit, I'd choose to set up home here too.

The door is the entrance to, and exit from, the "Workaday World" that is part and parcel to the "Real World."

The second interesting event, was the production of Little Shop of Horrors staged at the high school. At the risk of repeating myself, the school and its seemingly perfect environment for living life and learning from life, not about it, is second to none. The theater and the balance of the school is why two retired people like us don't mind voting for an increase in the millage for the schools in GH every time one comes up for a vote. 

From the beautiful grounds and Buccaneer Stadium, the Foucault Pendulum in the lobby, to the magnificent theater, this school is outstanding, While most students probably don't appreciate the school until they have moved on in life, as a retired teacher I know how fortunate they are. After we saw the production that the school staged last fall, Jekyll and Hyde, the Musical, I told the school board president, also a member of the Post, that the tax money used to support this school was worth every penny. 

In sports, the boys in blue, AKA, the Cubs handily dispatched the Pirates by a final score of 8 - 2. In the face of a very cold day in Chicago, Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell, launched home runs into the stands in support of Jake Arrieta's outstanding pitching performance. The Cubs are now sporting a record of 27 - 8 in the NL Central. a full nine games ahead of the second place Pirates. 

The Tigers once again found a way to lose to the Orioles. This time, the final score was 3 - 9. That gives the Tigers a record of 15 - 21 in the AL Central, 8.5 games behind that other team from Chicago, who coincidentally lost to the Yankees, 0 - 1. Is that proverbial rotund lady warming up in the Tigers' bullpen?

My beloved Red Sox took 11 innings to do it, but they beat the Astros 6 - 5. The Sox now have a record of 23 - 14 in the AL East, one full game back of the division leading Orioles. 

The Caps righted the ship, at least for one game, with a 7 - 1 victory over the Ft. Wayne TinCaps. The Caps are now at 17 - 16, good for 6th place in the MW League East. 

Before we left for the play last night, I took a nap in the La-Z-Boy while Mary worked her magic in the kitchen on a new recipe for faux tuna casserole. She was ably assisted by STSD in the preparation and clean up activities. This recipe is a definite keeper. Mushrooms, celery, onions no-fish tuna substitute, and spices were combined to make this a lick-your-plate type of dinner. With the addition of some freshly ground pepper from our newly cleaned grinder, it was terrific. I would not change a thing. 

I tried playing with the girls yesterday, but as much as I desired to play, my thumb joint was screaming in protest. While I don't look forward to the surgery and its aftermath of casts and rehab, I do look forward to the pain-free playing that will ultimately result. 

Today, we'll take the morning walk with STWD to the big-box home center for some glue that I need and then I can settle in to work with Mary on planning our Amtrak™ trip. We first have to decide on our destination, but once that is done, the balance should come easy. I have to put some things back together in the main house of the PE before I am PUP. In sports parlance, that's physically unable to perform. If the weather cooperates, I hope to get the staining finished on the deck this week too. 

Mary has already planned this morning's repast for enjoyment while we watch CBS  Sunday Morning, Given her efforts from yesterday, I know it will be great. 

The sun will rise at 6:20 a.m. and set at 9:02 p.m. Ciao. 

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

Weather: A current temperature of 44° will lead to a cloudy high of 49°. We are planning to attend a performance of Little Shop of Horrors tonight at the high school, so we had best dress accordingly. Since the sunset is at 9:01 p.m. tonight, we should be fine driving. That sunset follows the sunrise at 6:21 a.m. this morning, Gosh, do we sound like retired people or what?

Once again, we plan to walk to the GHFM (Grand Haven Farmer;s Market) with STWD. That is if the rain has stopped by then. If not, I have no desire to go out and walk any farther than necessary, which I am fairly certain with which the intrepid one will readily agree.

Trainspotting: No trains to spot yesterday on the RSTL (Reality Scale Train Layout).

Sports: The Cubs righted the ship against the Pirates with a 9 - 4 win. That leaves the Cubs a full 8 games ahead of those same 2nd place Pirates in the N L East. The Tigers dropped another one to the Orioles, 0 - 1.

The Tigers are now a dismal 15 - 20 in the A L Central, 8.5 games behind that other team from Chicago. I don't have any facts to back up the following statement/questions, but will Brad Ausmus be keeping his job as the Tigers manager much longer? Yes, the previous Tigers GM traded away or allowed to leave through free agency many of the Tigers best pitchers and position players, but the field manager always gets the ax when things go wrong. Will the owner still support Ausmus if the team continues to slide?

Why is that former Tigers' GM is now the Team President of my beloved Red Sox? What did he know when he chose not to sign a new contract in Detroit? Speaking of the beloved, they lost yesterday to the 15 - 22 Houston Astros by a score of 6 - 7. The Sox have the same number of wins as the Orioles in the A L East, with 22, but the Sox have two more losses at 14. That means that they are firmly in 2nd place with a record of 22 - 14.

The Caps lost once again to the Ft. Wayne, IN TinCaps, 0 - 4. The Caps are now even with the league at 16 - 16 in the M W East,

Not much else is happening. Maybe a morning safari, pick up the Grand Haven Tribune, some reading and crossword solving and that musical at the high school tonight. I like being able to watch and enjoy instead of building the sets and directing the technical side of the production. It feels good to be retired. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:30 a.m. in "The City."

I'm going to keep this blog short, not of necessity, but just because I want to. We shall see.

Yesterday, we walked to the hospital/doctor's appointment for my knee treatments and surgical consult. Mary got a gratis consult to confirm my diagnosis of the ganglion cyst on her wrist from the doctor while we were there. Basically, don't worry, be happy unless it causes pain, which it isn't at this time. I am scheduled for repair to my thumb joint on May 23. That is followed by several weeks of casts, both fixed and removable, and still more weeks of physical therapy. Given the pain that now comes with playing the girls and other hand related activities, it will be worth the time and effort. While the surgery and its associated recovery time will initially cut into my guitar playing, long-term it will allow me to play pain free.

It is now officially Friday the 13th for those of you who believe in that sort of thing.

Today, I plan to finish my latest novel which is overdue at the library. I should be able to knock it out later this morning, as it is in large type format. Then I can return the book and pay the fine.

I worked more on Mary's hobbit door yesterday. I have more to go, but I am making steady progress with my limited tools. I also learned that leaving the outer doors to the man-cave open allows bumble bees to enter and scare me. Fortunately, Mary doesn't go down there very often, so the bee will probably end his limited life there before she has to deal with him/her.

Mary took the morning safari with STWD yesterday since we got up later than planned and wanted to walk to the hospital. That gave her more steps than me yesterday. Still, with a little work in the gardens, I wound up with nearly 8,000 steps, which is four miles.

The day's meals were the salad bar at the hospital and a veggie hot dog with all the trimmings and a side of Tater Tots™. Previously, we had been to the big-box bed, bath, and kitchen store for two things, including the sea salt that we needed.

We have a current temperature of 51/53° with no precipitation, The view out the WW is dark with a side of street lighting. The next several days will be cooler than average here in "The City" and across much of the country.

In sports, the Cubs had the day off before opening a series against the Pirates today. The boys have a record of 25 - 8, good enough for lead over those Pirates of 7.0 games in the N L Central. The Tigers dropped another one, this time to the Orioles, 5 - 7. The Tigers continue to languish in 4th place in the A L Central. My beloved Red Sox made it four games in a row in which they scored more than 10 runs, This time they pounded the hapless and seemingly helpless Astros, 11 - 1. The Sox have a record of 22 - 13 in the A L East. The Caps finally found a team they could beat, the Ft, Wayne, IN TinCaps. Final score, 5 - 2. The Caps now have a record of 16 - 15 in the M W League East, just behind those TinCaps.

Today, just the regular Friday chat for Mary and the chiropractor for both of us. Naturally some time in the kitchen for Mary. More reading and crosswords for me after the morning walk with the intrepid one. There may or may not be some trainspotting. Yesterday, we heard a large ship moving up the channel as we walked to and from the hospital. It was blowing its fog horn to warn small craft of its approach in the foggy channel. The sun will rise at 6:22 a.m. and set at 9:00 p.m. Ciao. .

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

Did you know that you have Martians in your garden? Bet you didn't know, you have aliens on your roof. You probably didn't know you've got Shadow People, and their living in your basement. I've got a funny feeling Bigfoot's Gonna be here soon! I was so blind before, I was so unaware, but now I swear, I'm seeing Sasquatch over there! I turned on my radio, in the middle of the night, and I heard things I need to know, now I can see the light, hope I also don't see a ghost, 'cause I'm listening Coast to Coast, with host George Noory, heard on iHeart™ and Sirius/XM™, in the middle of the night. My thanks to UFO Phil for helping to enlighten me in his musical homage to Coast to Coast AM.

But I digress, tongue firmly planted in cheek! The current temperature is 57/59°, depending on whether you trust the NWS or my DTWS more. Both are predicting rain/T-storms this morning and early afternoon. However, my view out the WW shows no precipitation, zero, zip, zilch, nothing at this time. The DTWS has raindrops on it's screen, and the NWS is predicting showers beginning in earnest about 6:00 a.m. The T-storms may, or may not, begin in earnest about 11:00 a.m. This being "The City", we'll take a wait and see attitude.

I have an appointment for my semi-annual knee treatments this morning. Those take five consecutive weeks. At the same time, I'll be discussing the surgery that I need on my ailing thumb. Mary is going along to hear about the pre-surgery scheduling and regimen, as well as the post-surgical rehab and restrictions. Then we can stop in the hospital cafeteria for lunch at their salad bar.

Trainspotting yesterday required the able assistance of my apprentice trainspotter. She did a great job in my stead, as I was on my bicycle on the way to see Captain America: Civil War. I enjoyed this slam bang blow em up far more than Mary ever could have, as I am still a fan of superheroes and Marvel Comic™ in particular. How could anyone not like seeing Iron Man, Ant Man, Hawkeye, Vision, Black Panther, the Fantastic Spider Man, Falcon, Bucky Barnes, AKA Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and The Scarlet Witch, along with all of the Avengers. There I sat with my 44 oz Cherry Pepsi™, and a ginormous bucket of popcorn. What's not to like?

Mary would have been asking questions about characters and events that are second nature to me, as they were in my childhood. In addition, I saw previews of upcoming movies that featured Matt Damon as he reprises his Jason Bourne character, Matthew McConaughey in a movie titled The Free State of Jones, and Doctor Strange, another Marvel Comics Studios™ movie due for release in the fall of this year.

But I digress once again. I was talking about trains. At 11:25 a.m. as I was riding, my apprentice trainspotter reported seeing engines 2057 and 2019 at the head off a long, long line of cars as they passed through "The City" heading south. The cars were: two BCs directly behind the locomotives, 18 CHCs, seven DBTCs, five DWTCs, and two GTCs. She was unable to determine their load status. At 4:27 p.m., I personally witnessed the northbound passage of the same cast of locomotives, with many less cars that included: one DBTC, and 12 CHCs, with two of those bringing up the rear. My expertise in all things trainspotting, told me that they were fully loaded. At the time, I was on the deck playing with Abigael and STWD. So I rushed to the front porch to see two of the neighbor girls sitting and watching the passage, while Mary set a good example by waiting until the trains passed, rather than crossing in front of the slow moving train.

In sports, it had to happen, the boys in blue dropped two games to the Padres, by scores of 4 - 7 and 0 - 1. The Cubs still have a strong hold on 1st place in the NL Central with a record of 25 - 8. The Tigers lost a squeaker to the Nationals, 2 - 3, as former Tigers' hurler Max Scherzer threw a record tying 20 Ks at the Tigers, who now have a record of 15 - 18 in the AL Central. That's only good enough for 4th place. Scherzer's opponent was Tigers' pitcher Jordan Zimmerman. My beloved Red Sox stayed on the winning trail, with a 13 - 3 drubbing of the Oakland As. That means that the Red Sox are still in 2nd place in the AL East with a record of 21 - 13, just behind the Orioles, who have a record of 20 - 12. Who knew? I did! The Caps lost once again to the Midwest League East leading Lake County, OH Captains, 2 - 7.

I must return to my activities from yesterday. I returned from the movie to mow the vast back lawns of the PE and to do some weeding, before I sat down to play with Abigael. I also found time to get started on Mary's hobbit door and rehung our Wrigley Field replica scoreboard in center field. A note of optimism, the cucumbers are beginning to sprout, the spinach and kale are looking good, my potatoes are all sprouting and the herbs and onions in the deck planters are looking great. In spite of Mary's misgivings, my daily counseling of her tomato plants is producing positive results. I have faith.

While I was out, Mary organized her various projects that were scattered around the house. Now she knows what she has to do. But just like my regular day of retirement, she now has to find time to do them. Since she took herself out to lunch yesterday at our favorite watering hole, she made me a baked potato with broccoli and vegan cheese covered with her homemade salsa for dinner. Making the salsa was a labor of love for her, as she got to chop veggies and use spices in her kitchen. I just enjoyed the potato.

Our day today is pretty much set. Doctor's appointments and other activities will fill our time. On a trip downstairs, I discovered that we have a second large container of peppercorns for our pepper mill, but no sea salt for the other grinder. We have enough peppercorns for another millennium, but no salt. Go figure. That's what happens when you can't see on the top shelf of the storage cabinet in the kitchen.

The sun will rise at 6:23 a.m. and set at 8:58 p.m. Ciao.

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

Sports seem to be on my mind, so I'll start there. The boys in blue won their eighth in a row, the latest win over the Padres was a squeaker, 8 - 7. As the immortal Jack Brickhouse used to say, "A win's a win." That's a lot better than what he had to say when the Cubs were trailing in all too many games, "Any old kind of a run ties it up." At any rate, that gives the Cubs a record of 25 - 6, still good for first place in the NL Central as they head into a rare double-header today/tonight with those same Padres.

The Tigers finally stopped falling, perhaps only temporarily, as they defeated the Nats 5 - 4. That gives the Tigers a record of 15 - 17, good for third place in the AL Central.

My beloved Red Sox once again crushed the Oakland As, 13 - 6, as three players "Went yard." That gives the Sox a strong hold on 2nd place in the AL East at 20 - 13, still statistically tied with the Orioles who sport a record of 19 - 12. Wow!

The Caps dropped another to the division leading Lake Cty., OH Captains, 2 - 4. The Caps still languish in 6th place.

Trains today? Could be.

The view out the WW is clear with no precipitation. unlike yesterday. No additional precipitation is in the forecast from the NWS until Thursday. A current temperature of 51° that feels like 46° is forecast to lead to today's high of 68 cloudy degrees. Since I didn't get to the theater to see that movie yesterday, I may make it today. Popcorn and Cherry Coke™ await.

We shopped at the big-box grocery and most things store yesterday afternoon. Mary has decided that 3:00 o'clockish in the afternoon is a good time to shop, since the children are just getting out of school and their parent's are home to greet them.

Not much else on tap for today, as we have no scheduled plans, I won't play with the girls to give my thumb joint a chance to rest from yesterday's session. As Clint Eastwood said in his immortal role as Dirty Harry in Magnum Force, "A man's got to know his limitations."

Maybe not as famous as the iconic lines in the original Dirty Harry, about feeling lucky, but that was still a great set of fictional lines. Fortunately that was fiction, as I'm no fan of handguns nor gun violence,

I still have many books to read and Mary has some new recipes to try out. She did great yesterday with the balance of her vegan ham on a sandwich with giardiniera. Dinner was bean based nachos with lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and faux sour cream. When we were at the store, we didn't know that we had used all the salsa, so Mary had the last of that while I had jalapeno peppers with hot sauce.

The sun will rise today at 6:25 a.m. and set at 8:57 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City." I am amazed, or not, with the type of programming available on the radio in the wee hours of the morning. George Noory on Coast to Coast AM, was discussing enlightenment with his guests. Now, he is speaking with a Kelly Maroon about Akashic records, which according to her, are a record of your life and she is describing how best to navigate through life to improve your health, wealth, and happiness. They only come out at night comes to mind, which coincidentally was also the title of the Edgar Winter Group's third album. That's the album that gave us the group's monster hits, Frankenstein and Free Ride. If you have some free time, use some of it to watch the official music video of the group playing those two songs on YouTube™. They are a blast from the past.

In weather news, the current temperature is 51° though it feels like 48°. The rains are forecast to begin falling in earnest at 3:45 a.m. according to the NWS. The NWS also forecasts that the rains will ebb at 10:00 a.m. too, but this being GH, well you never know. Since I am be awake at 4:00 a.m., I can take a look out the WW and see what is going on. Right now, the DTWS is showing no precipitation and some clouds, and there is no precipitation outside the WW, so we'll see.

I should note that the Google site was down for over one hour, so I am rewriting part this blog.

Since I had an appointment at the barber yesterday morning, I had a rather pedestrian breakfast of yogurt and blueberries and a bowl of  Kellogg's Rice Krispies™ with raisins. Yes, they did snap. crackle and pop when I poured on the almond milk. I still remember the little song that Kellogg's used in their advertisements when I was a kid. Do you? See if you can get that out of your head if you do.

Then it was time for the morning safari with STWD. While not a long walk, it was a great day for walking in "The City." Sugar always appreciates the opportunity to sniff new things when we take a varied route.

Once I was done with my haircut. I took the inaugural bike ride to the big-box home center to exchange some things. There is a story in that too, but what should have been a short trip took over 30 minutes to go a tad over one mile. Mary was sure I had gotten lost. Once home, I found that Mary had been chopping away in her kitchen and had prepared a great lunch. A multiple vegetable stir-fry over rice that tasted great. She included cabbage in this version and I think it enhanced her efforts.

Trainspotting yesterday was only a half spot, not a full spotting. I only witnessed the southbound run of locomotives 2019 and 2057 at 10:45 a.m. as they towed two BCs, one CHC, one DBTC, and one GTC that was bringing up the rear as they plied the rails through "The City." Somehow I missed their return north.

In sports news, the Cubs were rained out last night. The Tigers are still falling, having lost to the Nats 4 - 5. The Nats lost to the Cubs yesterday. The Tigers record of 14 - 17 leaves them still languishing in 4th place in the AL Central. My beloved Red Sox took it to the As 14 - 7. That gives the Sox a record of 19 - 13, good for 2nd in the AL East, statistically tied with the Orioles with a record of 18 - 12. David Ortiz got two doubles in one inning, and Jackie Bradley jr. hit a grand slam. The Sox are defying the early season pundits. The Caps fell to the Lake County, OH Captains, 0 -2. That leaves them in 6th place in the MW League East.

I had planned to ride to the local movie theater later this morning to see Captain America: Civil War. I like to sit and devour a large bucket of popcorn washed down with an oversized Cherry Coke™ when I watch a movie. However, if the rains come as predicted and last throughout the day as also predicted, I won't be going. But as I said earlier, that's an iffy forecast from the NWS for GH.

We walked over to Washington Square before going to the chiropractor. The chiropractor used some special tape to give me some extra arch support to see if that improves my ability to walk. I'm going to try it out in earnest later on the morning safari with the intrepid one. That too may be an abbreviated walk if the rain falls as predicted.

Otherwise, not much is happening. More reading, more walking, more time with the girls, and more time with the Grand Haven Tribune, and its crossword puzzle, which we'll pick up while on safari.

The sun will rise at 6:26 a.m. and set at 8:56 p.m. One thing that is certain in GH is the rising and setting of the sun. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:30 a.m. in The City", where the current temperature is 43° according to the NWS, but 48° according to the DTWS. Naturally, the FPMS is feeding that information to the DTWS from just outside the PE, located on the shores of the "Big Lake." Today's high temperature is expected to be 61° under mostly cloudy skies. Tuesday, there is a 70% chance of showers and  forecast high temperature of 61°. By Wednesday, we are supposed to see 71°. At this time, the chance of rain on Thursday increases to 90% with a high temperature of 64°.  However, the view out the WW is calm and clear.

Yesterday in sports was great by my standards, well mostly. The Cubs took 13 innings to Win!, and Jake Arrieta was not on top of his game. But with the help of the bullpen, and a walk-off home run by Javier Baez in the bottom of the 13th, they kept their place atop the NL Central with a record of 24 - 6. The boys open a series against the Padres tonight when Jon Lester takes the mound,

The Tigers are no longer in freefall, they have now jumped out of the plane without a parachute. They had the Rangers by a 2 - 0 score going into the top of the 8th when starter Justin Verlander was relieved. Justin had been pitching well, but his supporting cast gave up a grand slam and then a sol homer to take the lead. While the Tigers added another run in the bottom of the inning, the Rangers added one more to win the game by a final score of 3 - 8. That leaves the Tigers with a 14 - 16 record in the AL Central.

My beloved Red Sox took it to the Yankees by a final score of 5 - 1. The Yankees threatened when Starlin Castro doubled. However he was picked off of third base, the second such pick-off in this series. As one of the commentators noted, "That's one of the reasons Castro wore out his welcome in Chicago. The win by the Red Sox leaves them in 2nd place, .5 games behind the Orioles who clobbered the As by a lopsided score of 11 - 3, with six home runs, including a grand slam.

The Caps were less fortunate, as they lost to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 0 - 4. The means that the Caps are in 6th place in the MW League East.

I spent some time in the gardens of the PE yesterday afternoon before we walked downtown. I placed some of the mulch and did a some digging, weeding, and watering. There is more mulch to go, but it can wait until today. In addition, I played plumber too. I disassembled a drain for cleaning, thus saving us a service call for about $60.00 to $80.00. Not a bad day's work that earned me a dinner out with Mary, during which we watched the Cubs take a tie into the 10th inning. We walked home and finished watching the game. Mary made a nice snack and by then I was tired enough to go upstairs and join STWD in sleep mode.

Today, I have a few chores to perform, some errands to run, and collectively we have an appointment at the chiropractor this afternoon. I should be able to get in some time with the girls and do some reading after we take the morning safari with the intrepid one. We enjoyed a nice walk to the waterfront in the morning yesterday, that allowed me to accumulate 8,846 steps yesterday. That gives me an accumulated total of 49,040 steps which is 24.52 miles! Mary probably has more, but she did more walking than me last week.

Otherwise, that looks like enough for today. I may get to placing more mulch after our morning safari and reading the Grand Haven Tribune from yesterday and today. The sun will rise at 6:27 a.m. and set at 8:55 p.m. Ciao.