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

My thanks to all of the friends and family who offered their special wishes on my 65th birthday yesterday. I had a wonderful time, and although I didn't mention it before, Mary and Sugar left a terrific card for me early yesterday morning. Here are some pictures of that card and the sentiments they expressed. Sugar isn't verbal, after all, she is a dog, but Mary translated Sugar's thoughts just fine. I love them and all of you who shared my special day with me. Now it is time to get on with my 66th year and the enjoyment that comes with the chance to learn new things each day.

In keeping with my wishes, Mary did make the requested spaghetti roll casserole for my dinner, and it was as awesome as I remembered. However, we decided that we'd had such a busy day, that we could and would spread out the festivities over a few days. So, the devil's food cake with buttercream icing will be made today or tomorrow.

My birthday meal started in this over 40-year-old shower gift that Mary received before our wedding day. Our 43rd anniversary comes up on Thursday, September 1. 

A picture really can't do the spaghetti roll casserole justice, but I loved it and the cook.

Unfortunately, the process of creating my special dinner did leave a mess in Mary's kitchen. She did most of the cleanup, and I finished the balance earlier this morning. 

That being said, I also had wished to go to JWs for some adult beverages and O-rings for a pre-dinner appetizer. While there, I learned that JWs also gives a free dessert to people having a birthday. So, I selected a slice of Key-lime pie for carry out. I ate it while watching the Cubs game and it was as savory and delicious as I'd hoped. JWs makes all of their desserts on site. Let me just say, WOW!

What a great way to segue into the sports report from my birthday.

The Cubs downed the Pirates by a final score of 3 - 0 in an NL Central game last night. That gives the Cubs an overall division leading record of 84 - 47, 37 games over .500 and a full 14 games ahead of the 2nd place Cardinals and 16.5 games ahead of the 3rd place and losing Pirates. Anthony Rizzo hit a home run with a man on in support of a superb pitching effort by Kyle Hendricks. His ERA is down to 2.09 and he is receiving Cy Young mention. As the lowest paid member of the Cubs' starting rotation, if he wins the Cy Young, the sky may be the limit. The Cubs and the Pirates face each other again tonight @ 8:05 p.m.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that a Cubs win and the season they are having is perhaps the best birthday gift I could have received, outside of all the love I got yesterday. No June Swoon, a full 37 games over .500, and a likely World Series™ appearance. To borrow from that Old Milwauke™ beer commercial from the early 1990s:
"It doesn't get any better than this!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtnMtrEB1-I

Perhaps the next best thing is knowing that the Tigers upended that other team from Chicago by a final score of 8 - 4 in an AL Central game yesterday. That victory still finds the Tigers in 2nd place with a record of 71 - 61, 4.5 games behind the Indians who also won. The Tigers and that other team play today @ 1:10 p.m.

Sadly, my beloved Red Sox fell to the Rays 3 - 4 in an AL East game yesterday. The Sox were winning until the 8th when they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. That loss gives the Sox an overall record of 73 - 59, 2.0 games behind the Blue Jays, who also lost. Good news, though, that other team from Chicago has an AL East 4th place record of 63 - 68, 7.5 games in back of the Sox. The Red sox and the Rays pay again today @ 1:35 p.m.

The Caps were off yesterday, but they play the South Bend Cubs tonight @ 7:00 p.m. The South Bend Cubs are the Caps playoff opponent starting on September 7, coincident with Adam's birthday.

What else happened yesterday? Our new bed was partially delivered. We learned that the new mattress would have to be superseded by one that hinges to make the bend up the stairs, through the less than tall enough doors, and around the corners. That replacement mattress will be delivered on Thursday. We did get to keep the box springs until then.

As I noted earlier, the day got away from both of us yesterday. Mary finished the revisions on an index and chatted while I finished most of the crosswords from the Grand Haven Tribune that I have been trying to complete. During the morning safari, we picked up the latest edition that I will hopefully complete today after today's morning safari with the intrepid one and after another session of watering the gardens of the PE. We may or may not go to Holland today. That will be a game-time decision. If not, I plan to play with the girls, start another novel, and finish some work in the man-cave.

Mary has plenty to keep her busy too. She needs some additional knitting needles to complete my new winter hat in MSU colors. Plus, she is in the process of organizing her stash of craft/sewing/knitting projects. My valances and pillow cover are on this week's agenda for her too.

The current temperature is 71° and today's high is forecast to be 80° with 63% relative humidity. Tomorrow through Saturday, the high temperatures are forecast to be in the mid 70°s accompanied by lower humidity.

If we feel ambitious, tonight is the final "Dancing on the Grand" for the season, so that may or may not also be part of today's activities.

The sun will rise today @ 7:08 a.m. and set @ 8:20 p.m. Ciao.

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

Dare I say it? Cubs Win!  Cubs Win!  Cubs Win! There, I've said it, Is there a better way to say it? Yes, and here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9XtDyDUjIU

Perhaps, I can allow the late Steve Goodman, who penned the previous song, to add this little missive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xBxZGQ1dJk  No Steve, they're not playing the blues in Chicago again this year! The Cubs are not the "Doormats of the National League. I've waited about 57 years for the Cubs to win it all, and so I am also going to say that the Cubs are only 19 more games away from clinching the NL Central. I had to wait until about 1:20 a.m. EDT to hear Ron Coomer and Mark Grote announce the final score of  8 - 7 in a 13 inning win over the Pirates. It was worth the wait. "How sweet it is!", to borrow from the late John Herbert, "Jackie" Gleason.

What can I say, a man can't get a better 65th birthday gift than another win by the Cubs! That gives them a 14 game lead over the 2nd place Cardinals, and 15.5 games over the 3rd place Pirates, last night's nemesis. The Cubs and the Pirates play again tonight @ 8:05 p.m. EDT.

In addition, the Tigers took one from that other team from Chicago in an AL Central games, 4 - 3. That keeps the Tigers in 2nd place with a 4.5 game deficit behind the Indians, who won 1 - 0. The Tigers and that other team play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox defeated the Rays by a solid 9 - 4 score in an AL East matchup last night. That win keeps the Sox in 2nd place 2.0 games in back of the winning  Blue Jays. Former Tiger Rick Porcello notched his 18th win and Mookie Betts hit his 30th home run. The Sox and the Rays play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

For the Coup de Grace, the Caps routed the MWL East last place Ft. Wayne TinCaps by a final score of 10 - 2. That moves the Caps up to 5th place with a record of 29 - 33. They Caps are off today. In short, my teams went 4 - 0.

In honor of my 65th birthday,  I had Mary take some pictures of yours truly in both my Tigers regalia and in my incognito garb. For your approval, I hope. I think that I look good for a man of a certain age who has survived all those seasons of Cubs futility. Both pictures were taken in front of the map that adorns the wall in Mary's office. We place pins in the map to mark all of the places we have stayed in nearly 43 years.

Mary and I took the morning safari with STWD before I got around to the watering and some other outdoor chore> That was after I returned from the barber and the Restore Store™ yesterday. I finished the last three editions of the Grand Haven Tribune, but I have yet to work the crosswords. However, I also finished reading Burn What Will Burn, by CB McKenzie. So many books, so little time.

I only observed the southbound run of locomotives 2019 and 2057 on the RSTL yesterday. In tow were one BC, two DBTCs, and eight CHCs.

Today, as I promised Adam, I'll be doing some things that I want to do, once the new bed is in place. Mary has promised to make my birthday devil's food cake with white icing, and also to make spaghetti roll casserole for by birthday dinner in between her regularly scheduled chat session @ 12:00 p.m. EDT. I believe that the best icing on my sports cake would be another set of wins by all of my MLB™ teams.

I also helped Mary get the vegan ham roast into the oven which became out dinner with a side of sweet potatoes. Since the oven was on, we also made more of my favorite snack food, spicy chickpeas. Lunch was tacos made with black beans and garden fresh tomatoes. Naturally, I had to have jalapeno peppers on my tacos too.

Some people have asked why I decided to go vegan, but I can best answer that with this picture. I think this little piggy looks a lot like STWD, so if you wouldn't eat her, why this little piggy?

Once we have taken the morning safari, I'll settle in and complete those aforementioned crossword puzzles.

We have a current temperature of 69° under clear skies. Today's birthday high is forecast by the NWS to be 80° with 82% humidity. There is only a 20% or less chance of rain for the next several days. The sun will rise today @ 7:07 a.m. and set @ 8:21 p.m. Ciao.

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

We had an interesting day here @ the PE yesterday. Collectively, we learned that the latest attempt to increase the range of our WiFi did not go as planned, so the latest range expander is already on its way back to the big-box on-line e-tailer.

However, in the process, we learned that a hard-wired connection between the existing range extender and Mary's computer boosted the download speed from a little over 20 Mbps to a shade over 50 Mbps. Mary likes to call the Mbps "Mega Bips." Good enough for me.

By comparison, my computer which is hard-wired directly to the WiFi router itself has download speeds of nearly 65 Mbps. Sadly, the internet provider promises speeds of only 60 Mbps or better. Oh well, what can you do except grin and bear it here in the U.S.A with our "exceptional" internet capabilities. In much of Europe and Asia, the speeds are generally faster.

Sports news yesterday was a 50/50 split. The Cubs and starting pitcher  Jon Lester were locked in a pitcher's duel through the first seven innings. Lester was lifted for a pinch hitter and then the relief corps loaded the bases and the winning run was pushed in on a miscue by the combo of 3rd baseman Javier Baez and 2nd baseman Ben Zobrist. Both men took the blame, but the truth is that Zobrist should have been playing closer to second base with the bases loaded. The winning run was scored by an infield single.

The final score was 0 - 1. The Cubs still have a solid, 1st place 14 game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central with a record of 82 - 47. The Cubs are home tonight @ 8:05 EDT against the 3rd place Pirates.

The Tigers were never in their game against the Angels @ Comerica Park. They fell hard to the Angels of Anaheim by a final score of 0 - 5. That loss still leaves the Tigers in 2nd place in the AL Central, with a record of 69 -61. That other team from Chicago comes to town tonight for an 8:05 EDT game. That other team has an AL Central record of 63 - 66 and like many teams, they will be going home for the post-season.

My beloved Red Sox were looking good until the bottom of the 6th inning with a 4 - 2 lead, when the red-hot Royals scored 8 runs to take a 10 - 4 lead that proved to be the final score in this battle of AL East teams. The bright spot was the 534th home run by David "Big Papi" Ortiz, which tied him with Sox great Jimmie Foxx. Sadly, the Sox are now in 2nd place, 2.0 games behind the division-leading Blue Jays. The Sox welcome the Rays to Fenway tonight  @ 7:05 EDT.

The Caps won yesterday over the Ft. Wayne TinCaps by a final MWL League score of 7 - 3. That win still leaves the Caps in 6th place with a 13 game deficit to the division-leading Bowling Green Hot Rods. The Caps are @ the TinCaps tonight @ 7:05 EDT.

I didn't really get to the things on my to-do list yesterday. We took the morning safari with STWD and to the Baker's Wife for some bread. Then Mary and I attempted that aforementioned improvement in the WiFi speed here at the PE. Once we determined that the latest extender should go back, I went to the man-cave to repackage it for return. That was supposed to be a two-minute activity that somehow morphed into nearly two hours of activity. So I never got to the girls, I never got to the planned reading of my novel and the Grand Haven Tribune, nor the hoped for R & R.

However, I loved my time in the man-cave while Mary made progress on the planning for our upcoming trips to Detroit and the East Coast. She crafted lunch and dinner while I was in my own nether-domain. I returned for lunch and to assist in the final planning, which we'll complete later today.

We did walk downtown to drop off the return and then stopped @ the Post for a few adult beverages.

Also later today, Mary has plans to go the Four Pointes Center for Successful Aging for a class while I go for my haircut and a bike excursion. She also plans to go the grocery store for some needed supplies. I'm hoping to get to those postponed activities after I return.

The current temperature is 65° under fair skies. We have a less than 10% chance of showers for the balance of this week, so I also have to get to the watering too. Today the high temperature is forecast to be 85° under sunny skies. That sun will rise @ 7:06 EDT and set @ 8:23 EDT. Ciao.

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

We have a current temperature of 73° under mostly cloudy skies. A quick and furtive look out the WW also shows that it is mostly dark with a strong indication of a local streetlight. Today's high is forecast to be 80° with 80% relative humidity. Here in late August, it has been hot and humid most of the summer. The sun will rise today @  7:05 a.m. and set @ 8:25 p.m.

My plans yesterday were upended by our need for a new mattress. My baking yak demanded one and so we set out to find one that like Goldilock's proverbial porridge, was "Just Right." We made three stops and finally found one in Muskegon at a store fortuitously next door to the big-box tool store there. We made the purchase and then I had a good reason to go next door. For a mere $2.53 I was out the door with my purchase and my "free" gift. We also stopped at the big-box pet store one more door to the east and got a bag of treats for STWD. Mary had to bail on that stop, as they were having a cat adoption day. She is very allergic to cat dander.

We followed our wanderlust and traveled to the beach in Muskegon, which is beautiful That beach is also fortuitously just down the road from one of Mary's favorite yarn and weaving emporiums, Apple Knits, and Purls™. Somewhere in all of the hustle and bustle, Adam had sent me an email regarding a NASCAR™ race @ Road America™ in Elkhart Lake, WI. We love the place and watching NASCAR™ drivers crashing and sliding off of the narrow road course there was worth the time.

Since we were now running late, it was essential that we stop on the way home to see that NASCAR™ race and enjoy dinner @ our favorite watering hole, the legendary and "World Famous", Tip a Few Tavern™.

Sports news yesterday was mostly not good, with one exception. The Cubs lost 2 - 3 to the Dodgers to move to a 1st place record of 82 - 46 in the NL Central. That leaves them precariously clinging to a 14 game lead over the Cardinals, who lost. The Cubs and the Dodgers play again today @ 4:10 p.m.

The Tigers fell by an identical score 2 - 3, to the Angels. That loss also leaves the Tigers still clinging tightly to their 2nd place position in the AL Central with a record of 69 - 60. Sadly, the Indians loss to the Rangers did not allow the Tigers to move up any higher and they are still 4.5 games behind the Indians. The Tigers and the Angels play again today @ 1:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox fared much better behind the solid pitching of David Price and their resurgent bats, especially the bat of Dustin Pedroia who went 4 - 5. His last at-bat resulted in an out, snapping an impressive streak of 11 plate appearances during which he got hits every time. Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts hit back-to-back homers in the win. Even with this 8 - 3 win over the Royals, the Sox are still in 2nd place, one game in back of the Blue Jays, who won.  The losing Orioles are two games behind the Sox. The Sox and the Royals play again tonight @ 8:08 p.m.

The Caps were crushed last night by a final score of 4 - 15. Successive middle innings in which Caps pitching gave up six and five runs, sealed the Caps fate. The Caps have fallen to 6th place in the MWL East with a record of 27 - 33 and appear to be limping into the playoffs against the South Bend Cubs. The division leading Bowling Green Hot Rods have a 13 games lead over the Caps. They and the Ft. Wayne TinCaps play again today @ 3:05 p.m. in Ft. Wayne.

Mary and I did watch two successive romance movies on the Hallmark Channel™ after we returned home.

Today Mary plans to do some of that trip planning that we didn't get to yesterday. I plan to get to that reading, playing with the girls and the R & R that I crave. STWD will be joining us on the morning safari too. Ciao.

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

I was sitting here listening to the Cubs playing the Dodgers in LA. The view out the WW is clear with a current temperature of 62°. Later today, we are expecting scattered T-storms according to the forecast from the NWS. That same forecast is being offered by the NWS for Tuesday, my birthday. Later today, the NWS has also forecast a high temperature of 79 humid degrees. I think I'll be staying in today.

No trains to spot yesterday.

We took the morning safari with STWD before getting her home. We then walked across busy Beacon Blvd., AKA Rte. 31, to visit stores there. We got all of the things that we planned to pick up.

Before we left, Mary put some tofu in to marinate, based on a recipe that I found on the internet. Mary cut the tofu slices a bit thick for the sandwiches that we ate for lunch, but the taste was excellent. As is often the case, Mary also cooked some cubed tofu using another recipe that I had found on the internet. Those cubes became part of a dinner salad that also tasted great.

Since she had to get to her chat session, I was left with the task of clearing/cleaning the kitchen from all of her activities. It was hard to believe that we had that many dishes and utensils available. Pots, pans, knives, measuring spoons, and dishes were soon overflowing the dish drainer. I left the task of putting those away for Mary.

Later we walked to the chiropractor for our weekly appointment and then stopped off @ JWs for adult beverages.

In sports news, the Cubs came from behind to defeat the Dodgers, 6 - 4. Kris Bryant tied the game in the 8th with a home run and then put the Cubs ahead in the top of the 10th with another homer, this time with a man on base. Cubs starting pitcher Mike Montgomery was erratic early in the game, so the Cubs fell behind early.

Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman came on in the bottom of the 10th and was throwing fastballs @ 103 mph to put the Dodgers away, ending the inning and the game with a strikeout. The Cubs have an NL Central record of 82 - 45. They play the Dodgers again today @ 4:05 p.m. The Cubs lead the victorious Cardinals by 14 games

The Tigers were victorious over the Angels, 4 - 2. That's five wins in a row for the Tigers. The Tigers still reside in 2nd place in the AL Central with a record of 69 - 59. They remain 4.5 games in back of the Indians, who won. The Tigers are home against the Angels again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox fell into 2nd place in the AL East with their loss to the Royals by a score of 3 - 6. That finds the Sox one game behind the victorious Blue Jays. The Sox have a division record of 71 - 57. They play the Royals again tonight in Fenway, also @ 7:10 p.m.

The Caps fell to the TinCaps last night in an MWL East matchup, 1 - 2. That gives the Caps a solid hold on 5th place with an overall record of 27 - 32 following their loss to the last place TinCaps. The Caps play the TinCaps again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

I plan to take today off. That may sound odd coming from someone who is retired, but I was so busy yesterday, that I need some R & R time. I want to read, play with the girls, and watch car shows on TV. I am so tired of  the non-stop coverage of the political scene.

Mary has no specific plans of which I am aware. Maybe she can get to the valances for my music room/office.

That looks like enough for now. I finished listening to the Cubs game a few minutes ago.

The sun will rise @ 7:04 a.m. and set @ 8:27 p.m. Ciao.

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

Yesterday was a failure to communicate on the part of both the NWS and STWD. Although there was only a slight chance of showers/T-storms yesterday, I can attest that @ 6:00 a.m., STWD dashed into her hide-e-hole when the thunder and lightning began at that time. It continued for about two hours and contributed to two additional outcomes. First, I didn't have to water. Second, the humidity was high during the noon safari.

We have a current temperature of 64° - 69° under partly cloudy skies. Today, the humidity is supposed to be lower and the high temperature will be 77° under partly cloudy skies. There is a 50% chance of scattered T-storms on Saturday, and on Tuesday, my birthday.

Yesterday was another mixed day in sports news. The Cubs were off, but their lead in the NL Central increased to 14 games over the Cardinals, who lost. The Cubs will be in LA to play the Dodgers tonight @10:10 p.m.

The Tigers were cruising in their game against the Twins in the AL Central. The Tigers had a huge lead before relief pitcher Justin Wilson surrendered several runs in the bottom of the 8th. Tigers' catcher James McCann, had a great day at the plate, going 4 - 5, including a 3 run homer. Daniel Norris was great giving up two earned runs on six hits until he was removed for a relief pitcher after 6 1/3 innings. The win was a sweep of the feckless Twins.

Tigers' manager Brad Ausmus says that the bats are heating up on a team that is "Built to slug." The Tigers now have a record of 68 - 59, 4. 5 games ahead of the Indians who were crushed by the Rangers 0 - 9. Good timing, as the LA Angels are in town tonight @ 7:10 p.m. The also feckless Angels have an anemic 54 - 73 record in the AL West and they are going nowhere but home in the post-season.

My beloved Red Sox fell to 71 - 56 in the AL East with a 1 - 2 loss to the 54 - 72 Rays. Like the Cubs, the Sox often have difficulty against much weaker teams. Still, the Sox are tied with the Blue Jays with identical 1st place records of 71 -56,  one game ahead of the losing Orioles. The Sox play the Royals @ home tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The Caps eked out a win over the South Bend Cubs 2 - 1 in an MWL East matchup. The SB Cubs are the Caps opponent in the playoffs starting in September. The Caps play @ Ft. Wayne against the TinCaps, game time 7:00 p.m.

We made it to the eye doctor yesterday afternoon to get my eyes checked. As I noted, I have been having trouble reading and seeing at a distance. I have only a slight change to my prescription, but the doctor noted that I am showing signs of age-related macular degeneration. So, we ordered some vitamins that are supposed to slow the progression of that degeneration. There is nothing that can be done at this time. In addition, my left eye has a slight cataract forming. I am getting some new glasses too.

Lunch yesterday was a sandwich of mashed chickpeas with a side of sweet potatoes. Dinner was what Mary says is the final form of her vegan beest. She made this one in the Crockpot™ but believes that the oven baked version is better. I don't know, I like the beest either way. She didn't make her superb mushroom gravy, but with Worchester sauce and horseradish, it was fine with me.

Today, the usual Friday chat for Mary, the usual visit to the chiropractor for both of us, and the usual morning safari with the intrepid STWD. I expect a train run today too.

The sun will rise @ 7:03 a.mm. and set @ 8:28 p.m. Ciao.

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

It is probably time for a reminder that that opening line owes its derivation to two sources. The first part is borrowed from Coast to Coast AM and its host, George Noory. The second part, "The City" is borrowed from the old TV series, Dragnet, which opened with star Jack Webb intoning, "This is The City, Los Angeles, CA. The other acronyms I use have been developed over time.

Oops, I was hoping to be brief this morning. Oh well, I'll endeavor to do that in the following lines.

I have 3/5 of a trainspotting. I heard the morning run as the train headed south, passing through GH on the RSTL @ about 10:25 a.m. However, I was otherwise occupied, so I can only report what I know. The northbound run occurred @ 2:17 p.m., with the regular cast of locomotives, #s 2057 & 2019 in the lead of a relatively short line of cars. Those were: one BC with a lot of graffiti and five DBTCs with one of those at the end. To borrow once again, "That's All Folks!" Lovingly borrowed from the folks @ Looney Tunes™ and the famous Porky Pig.

Mostly I didn't do much yesterday. We took the morning safari with STWD. She was still predicting that the storms would soon be coming, and she was right, as the skies opened up around 1:30 p.m. The rain lasted 20 - 30 minutes and then it was over. A light sprinkle happened later in the afternoon, but that wasn't enough to do anything but get noticed as Mary and I returned from an afternoon trip to the bank.

I got up and played with Susanna, my ganjo, for about 45 minutes yesterday morning, A ganjo is a banjo with six strings that is tuned like a guitar, hence, the name ganjo. It felt good to be able to play without the pain I used to feel in my thumb.

I also spent some time in the man-cave, but that was mostly because I could. I'm still waiting for the glazing to skin over on the lid to the cold frame before I can apply paint, but that's about 10 days in the future. I guess I can say that this actually is watching paint dry. Mary had gone off to the grocery store, so I was left to my own devices.

I hate to say it, but I don't really remember lunch. Dinner was open-faced tacos made with vegan tuna substitute, lettuce, garden fresh tomatoes and more of the Mary made pico de gallo. That was both memorable and delicious.

Today I have an appointment @ the eye doctor. I have been experiencing vision problems that are giving me headaches, so I expect that my prescription needs to be updated. Plus, my old frames are getting tired.

Sports news yesterday was mixed. The Cubs continued their winning ways on their West Coast road trip as they swept the Padres with a 6 - 3 victory. Ben Zobrist and Wilson Contreras hit home runs in support of Kyle Hendricks. It looks as though Contreras has arrived as the Cubs catcher. That gives the Cubs an NL Central record of 81 - 45. The team is off  today before beginning a series with the Dodgers tomorrow night @ 10:10 p.m.

The Tigers were also victorious over the Twins with a solid 9 - 4 win. Miggy, Miguel Cabrera, and J-Up, Justin Upton, both hit home runs in this AL Central matchup. Pitcher Anibal Sanchez looked like he had found his old form once again. The Tigers play the Twins today @ 1:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox fell to the Rays in Tampa Bay 3 - 4. They are still tied with the Blue Jays for 1st place in the AL East with identical records of 71 - 55. However, with the Orioles win over the Washington Nationals, the Sox' division lead is down to one game. The Sox play the Rays again today @ 1:10 p.m.

We have a current temperature of 74° under mostly clear skies. Today's high is forecast by the NWS to be 78 humid degrees under partly cloudy skies. No rain is anticipated.

Otherwise, not much to do today. Mary has some work to do for a recent insurance claim and we still have to get our upcoming trips planned.

The sun will rise today @ 7:02 a.m. and set @ 8:30 a.m. Ciao.

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

Since it was a great day in sports news yesterday, I'll start there.

All four of my teams won. The Cubs are now @ 80 - 45 in the NL Central, following their 5 -3 win over the Padres on the West  Coast late last night. The Cubs are the 1st team to 80 wins in the Major Leagues™ with this latest road win. That finds them @ 13.5 games ahead of the Cardinals, who lost. Kris Bryant looks more and more like an MVP candidate and Addison Russell is a possible Gold Glove shortstop. These two young men are only in their 2nd full season in the "Bigs."

Bryant and Russell both hit home runs and Jake Arrieta notched his 16th win en route to 20 wins or more again this year. Another Cy Young? The Cubs face the Padres again today @ 3:40 p.m.

The Tigers were also victorious over the Twins, 8 -3. The Tigers are still in 2nd place in the AL Central, trailing the Indians who lost, by 6.5 games. The Tigers and the Twins play again today @ 8:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox eked out a win over the Rays, 2 -1 in a game between and AL Central and AL East teams. The Red Sox are tied with the Blue Jays for 1st place in the AL East with identical records of 71 - 54, two games ahead of the Orioles. The Sox and the Rays play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The Caps defeated the South Bend Cubs 6 - 5, knocking the SB Cubs out of first place in the MWL East. Sadly, while the victory moved the Caps up to 5th place, their sub-.500 record of 26 - 30 is not what I'd like to see. Those two teams play again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Yesterday's weather was terrific. It was so nice that I did some outdoor chores on the PE. I harvested and I pulled some fading vegetable plants from their life-giving soil. I mowed the lawns and also watered the balance of the gardens on the vast PE. In addition, Mary and I collaborated on remaking the bed and doing the laundry and linens. I also learned more about cooking black beans than I ever wanted to know while Mary revised and resubmitted an index. Mary used those black beans to make a delicious taco salad for lunch.

I was happily sitting in the La-Z-Boy when Mary said she was ready for a walk to the beach/state park to see the heavy waves as they were breaking across the pier under the soon to be temporarily removed catwalk that sits atop the breakwater leading to the twin lighthouses. While en route and while there, we took numerous pictures, many of people violating some basic rules for personal safety.

The catwalk needs maintenance while the Army Corps of Engineers performs repairs to the breakwater.

The Red Flag warning of dangerous swimming conditions did not deter some foolhardy people.  

People have been swept off the breakwater during "High Seas" on the "Big Lake.' 50 people have lost their lives since 1891. Last weekend, two people and their bicycles were swept into the heavy surf. They were saved, but their bicycles are now on the bottom. 

This monument is to those people who lost their lives on the pier. 

Rip currents are always a danger when the winds blow and the lake churns.  

Did I say foolhardy?

This woman got it right. She was taking pictures and avoiding risk.

Altogether yesterday, we logged over six miles of walking. We stopped at the Post for some adult beverages on the way home. Mary made some ears of corn and Sloppy Joes for dinner. Both were great. I forgot to mention that during dinner, Mary took a call from Pew Research regarding the elections. That has never happened before, so she was patient and answered all of the questions posed by the surveyor. 

We have a current temperature of 65° under clear skies. Later today, @ 11:00 a.m., there is a forecast for anywhere between 60% to 80% for T-storms. That should allow us time to take the morning safari with STWD. We couldn't figure out what was up yesterday because the safari was at high-speed with Sugar @ full pull on her leash. She couldn't wait to get out and back. I know she is sensitive to disturbances in the force, but there isn't supposed to be any until later today. Go figure. 

We have plans to do some mundane activities of living today, whether Mary goes to knitting in Holand or not. Trips to plan and reserve, cooking to do, safaris to be accomplished, and maintenance around the manse. Otherwise, not much is on tap. 

The sun will rise @ 7"01 a.m. and set @ 8:31 p.m. Ciao.

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

In the interest of brevity, I am going to start with trainspotting. We were on our way back yesterday from our most excellent adventure to GR, that started Sunday and concluded yesterday. I spotted the southbound train as it plied the rails south of GH heading towards the southern terminus of the MMRR, just north of Holland. That was @ 3:30 p.m. I did espy locomotives 2057 and 2019 and several BCs, DBTCs, and CHCs, but I was unable to get an exact count. Still, I do know that that was a late passage, even by Mid-Michigan RR standards.

I was sitting in my La-Z-Boy last evening after we returned from our pick-up of Sugar from camp. At 7:13 p.m., the northbound run passed through GH. The same cast of locomotives was towing a long line of railcars that included: 10 DBTCs, with one of those @ the end. Also in tow were two BCs, mixed in with a lone GTC, and 14 CHCs, with one painted in that orange safety livery. It is worthy of note to yours truly, that a few of those CHCs were extra long and exceptionally low slung. In all cases, the cars were fully laden. I don't know for sure, but I believe that the late hour of passage had something to do with that MOW (maintenance of way) activity from the previous days.

Sports news will require a bit longer. As I mentioned two days ago, Mary and I went to Comstock Park, a suburb of GR, on Sunday to see our first ever Caps game, which the Caps won in a terrific comeback in the bottom of the 8th inning. The Caps closer nailed down the win 8 - 7 in the top of the 9th. That gave the Caps a record of 25 - 29 as they sealed the doom of the Dayton Dragons. Unfortunately, Mary was unable to get any Dragon swag at the Caps home field.

For those in the know, the Fith-Third Ballpark is very similar to the park in which the Kane County, IL Cougars play. Similar sightlines, concourse amenities, and concessions made the experience a blast for Mary and me. The entire experience started off well beginning at the ticket window, as the agent steered us to two terrific seats at the top of the grandstand lower seating area that turned out to be just under the grandstand canopy. That turned out to be a fortuitous selection as there were two very brief rain showers during the game. The sightline from our seats just up from home plate and on the first base side could not have been better. In fact, the entire experience was super.

Sadly, the Caps lost yesterday in their return to play against the South Bend Cubs in another MWL East game by a final score of 2 - 8. The Caps are now in 6th place with a record of 25 - 30. The South Bend Cubs are the Caps playoff opponent beginning Sept. 7. The Caps are still in 6th place with that record of 25 - 30. It was the Caps 2nd place record of 39 - 28, in the season's first half, just behind the 41 - 28 SB Cubs, that determined the Caps playoff opponent. The SB Cubs have a current second-half record of 37 - 20. I am hopeful, but not optimistic at this time.

Here are some pictures we took @ the game on Sunday.

That's "Crash" the Whitecaps mascot dancing on the top of the dugout.

As with many minor league games, the focus is on fun, especially on Sundays at a Caps game, which is "Kid's Day."

The MLB Cubs won late last night on the West Coast over the San Diego Padres by a score of 5 - 1. Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Jason Heyward all nailed homers. Jon Lester was once again the pitcher that the Cubs hoped he would be when they signed him last year. The Cubs have an NL. Central 1st place record of 79 - 45, 12.5 games ahead of the Cardinals. The Cubs lost their previous game on Sunday to the Rockies. The Cubs face the Padres again tonight @ 10:10 p.m. with Jake Arrieta on the bump.

The Tigers pounded my beloved Red Sox on Sunday while we were @ the Caps game, by a final score of 10 - 5. The Tigers were off yesterday before opening a series tonight against the Twins @ 8:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox, as previously mentioned, lost to the Tigers on Sunday by that 5 - 10 score. They moved on to face the Tampa Bay Rays last night and came away with a victory, 6 - 2. That victory finds the Sox tied for 1st place with the Blue Jays in the AL East with identical records of 70 - 54. That's two games ahead of the 2nd place Orioles. The Sox play against the Rays again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

We stayed overnight in GR to allow ourselves time to visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Library and Museum. That facility was just across the street from our hotel.

To say the least, the museum and its grounds are magnificent. We took many pictures, but they can't begin to do justice to the grounds and the museum and its exhibits. But I'll add some for your edification.

A beautiful River Walk runs along the Grand River where the Ford Library is sited.

The final resting place of President and Mrs. Ford on the grounds of the library.

This is a recreation of the White House Cabinet Room as it existed when Presidnet Ford served. 

This Oval Office recreation looks as it did when President Ford was in office.

Do I look presidential standing in a similar pose next to this statue of President Ford?

Just outside the library.

There were many other exhibits both inside and outside the library. I wish that pictures could really give the true feel of the museum and the grounds. These are just a sample of the experience.

A memorial to the Native American tribes that came to Michigan in the early years, and from which some of Michigan's counties. such as Ottawa, derived their names. 

These quilts were on display in an exhibit entitled "Seasonal Palette" and "Food for Thought." 

The vibrant colors and the accompanying descriptions from the quilt's creators were superb.

I guess that I should close now with the weather conditions. We have a current temperature of 62° under clear skies. Today's high is forecast by the NWS to be 79° under mostly clear skies. Wednesday, the forecast calls for T-storms with an 80% probability. I have nowhere to be and lots of time to get there either today or tomorrow, so I am not concerned. We will have to take STWD for her safari today and tomorrow, so that is the only concern and activity I have to worry about. I'll have to check on the need for watering and I believe that the lawns need mowing too.

Speaking of the intrepid one, I found her downstairs a few minutes ago, resting on the couch in the living room. I guess that it was a grueling weekend @ camp for her.

The sun will rise @ 7:00 a.m. and set @ 8:33 p.m. Ciao.

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

The weather yesterday was both interesting and forgiving. The promised storms moved through Ottawa County, and we got a good steady rain which precluded any watering by yours truly. In fact, the Whitecaps and Tigers games last night were delayed by rain. In fact, the Tigers' game was delayed twice.

We have a current temperature of 67° under mostly cloudy skies. Today's high per the NWS will reach only 70° under cloudy skies. There is a 55% chance of showers that begins @ 11:00 a.m. and then hovers around 50% for most of the afternoon.

We have plans to go to the Whitecaps game today, but that literally will be a near game-time decision, STWD is safe @ camp, so I don't have to worry about her. The storms were less forgiving to other parts of Ottawas and Allegan Counties, as there was considerable damage to trees, buildings, and automobiles. In Bangor, MI, there was a tornado touchdown that uprooted trees, some quite large. Here in GH, all we received was a good rain soaking. As I've often written, we seem to be in a weather sweet-spot  much of the time when it comes to severe weather.

It was an odd day in trainspotting yesterday. While there has not been a train on Saturday while we have lived on the PE and there was none yesterday, there was a  track maintenance team checking out the rails across the street. There had been a crew there late Friday evening too. I have long suspected that there was a problem with the required width of the rails at one rail joint. In addition, I believe that the rails were at differing heights at that point too. Perhaps the problems are related. In any event, I believe that we will see a MOW (Maintenance of Way) crew before the next train passes through on the RSTL towing those DBTCs.

I had a productive day yesterday after the morning safari and the subsequent dropping of STWD @ camp. I sprang from my slumber to take the morning safari because of the storms that were in the forecast from the NWS. They didn't materialize until just after 12:00 p.m. Before that, Mary and I walked downtown after dropping the intrepid one to see the annual sidewalk sales and the fine art market on the waterfront. We didn't buy anything, but it was good to get out and walk.

When we returned, I headed for the man-cave to do some additional work on the lid for the cold-frame. I scraped off the remainder of the old paint and glazing and then replaced all of that glazing with new. I had a steep learning curve on the glazing, one that will probably not require a repeat performance just as I am getting good @ the task. Oh well.

I nearly forgot to mention the most exciting part of my activities in the man-cave. We took on a little water following the rain which I easily mopped up. Mary had asked me to check for something that she wanted/needed in the storage room. While there, I discovered that those neighborhood cats are not doing their jobs, as another mouse trap had been tripped and another mouse had been trapped. I placed a new trap and then had to dispose of the old "used" trap. I tossed that one into the trash, but when Mary found out, I had to take that bag out to the outdoor container. I told her it was no longer a problem, but she wasn't buying. Hard to believe, I know.

Somewhere in there, Mary mad another of her famous vegan spicy tomato roasts. Part of that will be made into sandwiches for today's activities. Lunch was grilled cheese sandwiches with salad.

Mary spent the time I was in the man-cave, responding to a query regarding a recently completed index. That took her time that she will never get back. I had just settled into the La-Z-Boy for my afternoon nap when she told me we were going out now that that rain had stopped. We traveled to Double-Deuce for dinner and then home again. Altogether, I walked 10,700 steps yesterday, which is the equivalent of 5.1 miles. My knees are reacting surprisingly well to that distance.

Once home, I was able to fall asleep in the La-Z-Boy while Mary was surfing the internet for some information about the vegan offerings @ Fifth-Third Ballpark, the home of the Whitecaps, AKA the Caps, in addition to vegan restaurants in GR.

What another great segue into the sports report again today. The Cubs took it to the Rockies in Denver by a final score of 9 - 2. for another win in the NL Central. That gives the Cubs a record of 78 - 44, very solidly in 1st place and a full 13 games ahead of the 2nd place Cardinals, who lost. Kris Bryant crushed a pitch to straight-away center that traveled 469 feet. He totaled four RBIs on the day and took the league lead with that home run, his 31st. Ben Zobrist also got a dinger. The Cubs and the Rockies play again today @ 4:10 p.m.

The Tigers and my beloved Red Sox had a much tighter game last night after a start delayed by rain. Rains also delayed the game again after a few innings. Red Sox DH, David "Big Papi" Ortiz, got an infield single and a two-run home run as the Red Sox won and the Tigers lost. Big Papi stopped to take a selfie with some Red Sox fans who were in attendance. The final score was 3 - 2, Red Sox. The Sox are now alone in 2nd place, .5 games behind the Blue Jays who defeated the Indians. The 3rd place Orioles were crushed by the Astros in Houston 12 - 2.

The Caps have a solid hold on 6th place in the MWL East with a record of 24 - 29, following a win over the last-place Dayton Dragons, 5 - 1. The Dragons and the Caps play again today at 1:00 p.m. We hope to be there to see all of the action. A win could move the Caps back into 5th place.

So most of our day will be spent in transit and watching baseball, my favorite sport. As I've noted many times, "Baseball is Life!"

The sun will rise @ 6:57 a.m. and set at 8:36 p.m. Ciao.

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

I am going to start with a photo taken by Mary on our way out to the chiropractor yesterday afternoon. If you look at the photo and then at the chair on the right of that patio, you'll see one of the many cats that wander the neighborhood. This one has made itself at home here on the PE. STWD is not happy. This cat seems to be a bit easier to frighten than Phoebe, but not by much.

The trainspotting yesterday was easy because there weren't any to spot.

Let's get the sports report out of the way. The Cubs and the Rockies endured a two-hour 10-minute rain delay before their game could get started. @ game-time, the temperature @ Coors Field was 55° and it continued to fall throughout the game.

In spite of a lead-off home run by Dexter Fowler and also in spite of his RBI single in the top of the 11th, the Cubs lost the game in the bottom of the frame on what became a huge throwing relay error by Javier Baez. A double off the right-field wall scored the tying run for the Rockies in a rollicking 6 - 7 loss for the boys in blue. Baez attempted a throw to the plate and the ball instead found its way into the Cubs' dugout and the batter kept on going and crossed the plate with the winning run. Sigh. The Cubs are still solidly atop the NL Central @ 77 - 44 with a 12 game lead over the 2nd place Cardinals. The Cubs and the Rockies play again tonight @ 8:10 p.m.

The Tigers and the Red Sox played each other again yesterday. The Tigers were on the losing end of the lopsided 2 - 10 final score  That means that the Tigers stayed mired in 2nd place, 7 games behind the Indians who defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3 - 2. The Tigers now have an AL Central record of 64 - 58.

My beloved Red Sox were on the winning end of that lopsided score with a 10 - 2 blowout of the Tigers. Former Tigers' pitcher Rick Porcello continued his winning ways, notching his 17th win and allowing only a two-run homer by J. D. Martinez to mar his effort. On the Red Sox side of the score, David "Big Papi" Ortiz, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Hanley Ramirez roughed up  the Tigers' rookie pitching phenom, Michael Fulmer, with each getting a two-run homer of their own. The Sox now are 1.5 games ahead of the Orioles, who lost to Houston, and one-half game behind the Blue Jays in the AL East, following the Blue Jays loss to the Indians. The Tigers and the Red Sox play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m., weather permitting.

The Caps finally won last night, as they defeated the Dayton Dragons, 2 - 1. The Caps are still languishing in 6th place with an MWL East record of 23 - 29. The Dragons are tied for last with a record of 20 - 34. Those two teams play again tonight @ 7:00 p.m., also with the weather permitting.

What a perfect segue to the weather report. We have clear skies and a temperature of 71° outside the WW. I am still waiting for the T-storms predicted by the NWS yesterday. Not a drop of rain fell in GH. The NWS is once again predicting Strong! T-storms later today beginning @ 10:00 a.m. with a 90% probability and continuing throughout the day. That goes with today's high temperature of 78° I'll check with the intrepid weather dog later this morning for confirmation on those T-storms. However, whether the NWS is right or wrong, Sugar will be @ camp as Mary and I get ready for our outing to the Caps game tomorrow.

Today we have nothing to do other than to drop Sugar @ camp after the morning safari. Sugar sensed a disturbance in the force yesterday morning and was reluctant to go out But as previously noted, nothing came of her usually infallible weather sense. If she is hiding this morning, I'll trust her more than the NWS. Right now she is asleep in the bedroom.

The sun will rise @ 6:56 a.m. and set @ 8:38 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:00 a.m. in "The City."

I'd like to start by saying that Mary crafted two great things yesterday. The first was a variation on an old theme, a modified recipe for tuna salad. The differences were that instead of tuna, Mary's recipe used non-tuna tuna substitute, onions in lieu of celery, and Hellman's™ Carefully Crafted Dressing and Sandwich Spread instead of their real mayonnaise. All of the above was served on English muffins with vegan cheese and garden-fresh tomatoes grilled under the broiler.

Later, she soloed to the library for a class entitled Low-Sew Home Decor. While there, she learned how to apply fabric paint to nearly any fabric. I think it turned out great and that Mary has discovered another hidden talent.

If you look closely at the left-hand side of the above picture, you'll see STWD in a rare photo. If you sneak up on her or catch her unaware, she can be photographed.

Prior to Mary's excursion to the library, we signed up at Four-Pointes Center for Successful Aging. That's the local center run by Ottawa County on behalf of the residents of the Tri-Cities area. There are many activities for people of a certain age, that include: knitting, wood carving, ping-pong, yoga, various card games etc. It should be both fun and keep us active. Plus, it is nearby.

We also made a stop at the Grand Haven State Park to see what Mary refers to as "Mother Lake" which is her name for "The Big Lake", Lake Michigan. The water temperature was the warmest that is has been in more than five years. I know this from a story in the Grand Haven Tribune, not from personal experience.

As you can see, the skies were azure blue as was the water and the beachgoers were out in full force.

We stopped off  at our favorite watering hole for dinner and then journeyed home in time for me to fall asleep in the La-Z-Boy. That's where I was when Mary left for the library.

Sports news yesterday had Jekyll and Hyde type results for me, at least with regard to the game between the Tigers and my beloved Red Sox. The Red Sox were up 3 - 1 when the top of the 8th ended. That's when the Tigers went to work and scored three runs to take the lead and secure the win, 4 - 3. That moved the Red Sox into a tie with the Orioles @ 67 - 53 in the AL East to find both teams in 2nd place, 1.5 games behind the Blue Jays, who won, as did the Orioles. The Tigers win kept then in 2nd place in the AL Central with a record of 64 - 57. The Tigers and the beloved square off again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

We caught part of the Cubs victory over the Brewers @ our favorite watering hole as the Cubs completed the four-game sweep. The Cubs' Kris Bryant had a great game as he belted two home runs and garnered five RBIs in support of Jake Arrieta who notched his 15th win. Arrieta was paired with rookie catcher Wilson Contreras for the first time as he yielded a career-high seven walks in the 9 - 6 win. The Cubs now have an NL Central record of 77 - 43, good enough for a 13 game lead over the 2nd place Cardinals who defeated the Astros. The Cubs play the Rockies tonight @ 8:40 p.m. in Colorado.

The Caps lost again to the Lake County, OH Captains, this time by a score of 1 - 3. The Caps have a record in the MWL East of 22 - 29, leaving them floundering in sixth place, just ahead of the Dayton Dragons, their opponent tonight @ 7:00 p.m.

Today I have no specific plans other than the morning safari, the regular watering of the gardens of the PE and a visit to the chiropractor. Mary hopes to get to her stash reorganization along with her regular Friday chat session,

We have a current temperature of 71° under cloudy skies. The NWS is forecasting T-storms early this morning @ 60% and into the afternoon. They have also forecast more storms on Saturday and Sunday too. This being GH, I'll wait for the forecast from the intrepid weather dog.

The sun will rise today @ 6:56 a.m. and set @ 8:40 p.m. Ciao.

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

I have a trainspotting from yesterday, at least one-half of one. @ 11:43 a.m., Locomotives 2057 and 2019 passed thru on their way south. In tow were two BCs, very "decorated" with graffiti, 15 CHCs, all dull gray, and two DBTCs, with one bringing up the rear. I was out and about with Mary when it is likely, but not certain, that the northbound run took place.

We had traveled to the big-box most everything store after arising late, which was the plan. We had previously taken the morning safari with STWD and stopped in @ the Bookman to pick up the Grand Haven Tribune, and a book that had caught Mary's interest entitled The View from the Cheap Seats:Selected Non-Fiction, by Neil Gaiman. This book contains nonfiction essays written by Gaiman about topics such as, but not limited to, authors, past and present, music, comics, bookshops, story-telling, ghosts and many other topics of interest to Gaiman. I think that the book shows promise. However, I'll have to read a few to give an educated critique.

Sports news yesterday was one-half good. The Cubs notched another win over the Brewers by a score of 6 - 1 to go to a 1st place record in the NL Central of 76 - 43, That keeps the Cubs 12.5 games ahead of the Cardinals who won. I hear that John P. and his entourage were @ that game. They were there to witness a bit of history in the making.

They witnessed a five-run 1st inning for the Cubs, as Jorge Soler launched a three-run home run into the left-field bleachers. David Ross added a solo shot later. Jon Lester said he didn't have his best stuff, but he was solid enough to handle the "Brew Crew." The Cubs finish up their series with the Brewers today @ 2:20 p.m., as they go for the sweep with Jake Arrieta on the mound going for his 15th win.

The Tigers squandered a great pitching effort by Anibal Sanchez as they lost to the Royals 1 - 4. The game had been a 1- 1 tie until the relief corps took over late in the game and then the Royals surged to the lead and the win. The Tigers now have an AL Central record of 63 - 57. They finished up their series with the Royals who swept the Tigers. Today @ 1:10 p.m., the Tigers host the red-hot Red Sox.

A perfect segue to a description of another win by the Sox, again over the Orioles in Camden Yards. This short two-games series allowed the Sox to move up in the standings to 2nd place in the AL East with a record of 67 - 52. The Sox are now a mere 1 game behind the division-leading Blue Jays. David Price tossed another gem in the rain and the Sox' bats were still on fire as Jackie Bradley Jr. and Sandy Leon both got round-trippers. The Sox and the Tigers are now two teams going in opposite directions. Not a good time for the Tigers to meet the beloved. As noted, those two teams play this afternoon @ 1:10 p.m.

The Caps really are in freefall. They lost again to the Lake County, OH Captains by a final score of 5 - 6. This latest loss dropped the Caps down to 6th in the MWL East with a record of 22 - 28. The division-leading South Bend Cubs are emulating their parent club. The Caps finish up their series with the Captains @7:00 pm. tonight. Tomorrow the MWL East last place Dayton Dragons come to town. The Dragons have a record of 19 - 33, so the Caps should be able to handle them, I hope.

Yesterday's weather was muggy with the temperatures reaching into the mid 80° range. The prediction from the NWS for T-storms never came to fruition, so I watered. The NWS is forecasting T-storms for Friday morning @ 50%. The NWS is also forecasting T-storms @ 90% on Saturday and possible showers in Sunday @ 20%. I'll once again await the forecast from STWD. We have a current temperature of 65 ° under clear skies. Today's high is expected to reach 83° with 73% relative humidity. By Sunday, temperatures are forecast to drop into the 70s with lower humidity.

No plans for today for me. I plan to take the morning safari and then read. I have to stay away from the girls to give my thumb/wrist a chance to heal further. Mary plans to get into her craft room stash and get it organized. That looks like the tougher assignment. I'm hoping she can find the MSU colors winter hat that she started for me last year. I'll assist in that endeavor for my own benefit. Ciao.

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

I'd like to start with a couple of songs from the performers, Ruth and Max Bloomquist, whom Mary and I saw last evening in Central Park. They performed during the last of the Tuesdays in the Park concert series sponsored and simulcast by our local radio station, WGHN. Ruth and Max are lifelong Michiganders who have traveled the world singing and playing their brand of folk/rock music.

The first song is a one that both Mary and I like/liked and which I have adapted so that I can play and sing a version utilizing one of the girls. It's called Michigan Girl and it was written by Ruth many years ago. I like to think that Michigan Girl sums up the feelings of both Mary and I about our adopted state nicely. I also included I Don't Remember a Waltz. I hope you enjoy both songs as much as we did. There were several more, but there is only so much room in a given blog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMVG4TJL0lE

 I Don't Remember a Waltz begins @ 3:59 on the following YouTube™ link, which also has Daddy Was an Old Man: a poignant ballad also written by Ruth @ the beginning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgt1u3L93mM

Otherwise, discretion being the better part of valor, we made a decision yesterday that we'll be going to the Caps game against the Dayton Dragons Sunday afternoon, rather than the Tigers game on Thursday. The drive to Detroit and the difficulty in finding a nearby hotel caused me to make an executive decision. I'll watch the games on TV in the media room and it is more likely that I'll enjoy myself more in the air-conditioned media room than in humid Comerica Park.

Since I am on the topic of baseball, it is a great time to say, Cubs Win!, Cubs Win!, Cubs Win! In fact, although I got the location wrong, it's a good thing that the Cubs didn't and they won two games yesterday by similar scores. The first game of the rare NL Central day/night twin bill against the Brewers @ "The Friendly Confines was won by the Cubs 4 - 0. I'd be remiss as a Diehard Cubs Fan if I didn't include the following clip of a spectacular catch of a foul ball by Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs' first baseman.

http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/195923584/anthony-rizzo-climbs-wall-to-catch-foul-ball/

I think Rizzo made it look easy! In the night game, the Cubs won by a final score of 4 - 1.

That leaves the Cubs very solidly atop the Central division of the NL with a record of 75 - 43, 12.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Cardinals, who won only one game yesterday. Theoretically, the Cubs and the Brewers play again tonight @ 8:05 p.m., but I'm not sure because I got it so very wrong yesterday. At least the Cubs knew when and where to show up. That makes it five in a row for the Cubs.

The Tigers didn't do so well, as they lost to the Royals 1 - 6. After the game, the announcers said that Justin Verlander pitched a great game. Say what? Verlander yielded three solo home runs to the Royals en route to that loss. Miguel "Miggy" Cabrara has a left biceps strain which limited his ability to provide any real offensive firepower. The other Tigers' hitters didn't contribute much either in this AL Central game. The Tigers now have a 2nd place record of 63 - 56, now a full six games behind the Indians, who won. The Tigers play the Royals again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox defeated the Orioles by a final score of 5 - 3 last night. That moves the Sox into a tie for 2nd pace with the Orioles, whom they defeated. Mookie Betts hit another two home runs yesterday to make it seven home runs against the Orioles over the first five road games of the season which the Sox have played against the Orioles. The Sox still have five games to play in Baltimore's Camden Yards this season. Mookie is everything that you could ask for in an outfielder and more.

 http://m.redsox.mlb.com/news/article/195911500/mookie-betts-has-seven-homers-at-camden-yards//

Not to be outdone, Dustin Pedroia contributed this outstanding defensive play from his second base position.

http://m.redsox.mlb.com/news/article/195913146/dustin-pedroia-makes-amazing-diving-grab/

The Sox are on a hot streak and they look to sweep the Orioles tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

The Caps are on a serious slide, as they fell to the Lake County Captains by a score of 4 - 3. That drops the Caps into 5th place in the MWL East with a record of 22 - 27. Since the playoffs are based on a combination of the first and second half win/loss records, I am officially worried now. As I noted earlier, Mary and I will be @ Fifth-Third Ballpark on Sunday when the Caps face the Dayton Dragons @ 1:00 p.m.

Otherwise, I spent part of the day walking with STWD and then doing some yard work along with some indoor chores after we returned from my orthopedic appointment. Between that walk to the hospital, the morning safari, the yard work, and the trip downtown, I walked the equivalent of nearly six miles yesterday. Mary kept busy in the kitchen trying to find the bottom after her cooking activities the night before. I contributed to that kitchen activity by emptying the dishwasher. We did have a great dinner of roast beest sandwiches. Mary plans to add her beest recipe to her personal cookbook now that she feels as though she has the recipe just the way she wants it.

As noted, we walked downtown to send a book back to the online e-tailer that wasn't what Mary had hoped it would be. I have an allergy to sesame.seeds/sesame oil, the main ingredient in tahini, which the majority of the recipes required.

We stopped at the Post before continuing on to Central Park for that aforementioned concert. Good news, Sally is home to continue her recovery from her recent health issues.

Last evening, Mary discovered that the basic knitting of her afghan is now complete. She now has to put all of the pieces together into the finished afghan. Like me, she doesn't like finishing projects, instead enjoying the joy of the journey versus the finished product.

We have no plans for today, so we may stay in bed until noon and enjoy our first day with nothing to do this week. Retirement can be so busy.

After that, we will be taking the morning safari with the intrepid one. Sugar can be very accommodating when necessary. The sun will rise @ 6:53 a.m. and set @ 8:43 p.m.

We have a current temperature of 70° under clear skies that may see scattered T-storms with a 60% chance and a high temperature of 80° later this morning. Saturday has an 80% chance of more T-storms per the NWS. So it will be a game-time decision about watering the gardens of the PE. Ciao.

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

I've been sitting here trying to confirm the forecast from the NWS regarding the impending showers and T-storms by looking out the WW. The forecast I consulted before bedtime showed the showers beginning around 3:00 a.m. Unfortunately as is all too often the case, that forecast is now obsolete. The showers are now forecast to begin @ 6:00 a.m. Plus, the NWS seems to be consulting their crystal ball for the balance of the week through Saturday Their forecast calls for showers and T-storms every day with between a 50% and 80% probability. There is a Twitter™ site that I follow that seems to always show T-storms every day. An odd forecast for a tourist town like GH.

As of now, the only thing I can confirm is that it is dark outside with a current temperature of 70°. I have noted that the storms that are plaguing the Gulf Coast, especially Louisana, are supposed to  be moving northward. The sun will rise @ 6:52 a.m. and set @ 8:44 p.m. Those are facts. The balance is based on computer models that seem to be subject to the vagaries of climate change and other factors.

I can also confirm that there were two trains that passed through on the RSTL yesterday. At 11:05 a.m., EMD GP 38 locomotive #2057 rumbled through without its regular companion, locomotive # 2019. In tow were 12 CHCs and one DBTC that was bringing up the rear.

Later @ 2:47 p.m., that same locomotive passed through on the RSTL towing one BC, 18 CHCs, with one of those painted bright orange. I did not have a clue as to what if anything that color signified until I went to the internet and learned that this is the new paint scheme that is intended by CSX to increase visibility and therefore safety. In addition, there were three DBTCs, with one of those at the end in lieu of the cabooses that are no longer towed behind trains. Those cabooses are no longer needed with the automatic braking equipment used on today's railroads that have eliminated the need for a crew of brakemen. Sigh.

I also learned through that research a new to me acronym, MOW, which stands for Maintenance of Way. I guess that as I try my hand at being a trainspotter and rail fan, I still have a lot to learn. That means that I'll have to be ready to espy all types of locomotives and train cars for years to come.

Speaking of acronyms in a tangential fashion, Mary and I got the latest index out of here around 6:45 p.m. last evening. We had paused for dinner for ourselves and STWD around 5:00 p.m. and that delayed the process. This latest index was chock-full of acronyms and specialized words that required tighter editing. I still missed a few words that we caught during our combined final collective edit. I have a tendency to find one error in an entry and then miss the next. I guess that I am a more competent stringed instrument player and singer than I am an editor. Oh well, given the low salary that I receive, I am worth every penny.

I nearly forgot to mention that Mary was happily in her kitchen last night while I was in the media room. She was creating another roast beest.

The sports news yesterday was mostly bad, with one notable exception. The Cubs were off following their loss to the Cardinals Sunday night. The Cubs are still solidly in 1st place in the NL Central, with a full 12 game lead over the Cardinals who were also off. The Cubs play in Milwaukee this afternoon @ 1:20 p.m. As I've noted previously, the Brewers always seem to give the Cubs a challenge in spite of their often less than stellar division record.

The Tigers fell to earth @ Comerica Park last night with a 1 - 3 loss to the visiting Royals. The Tigers are still mired in 2nd place with a record of 63 - 55 in the AL Central, 5.0 games behind the Indians who lost to my beloved Red Sox. The Tigers and the Royals play again tonight @ 7:00p.m.

Yes, the Red Sox defeated the Indians 3 - 1, but they are still in 3rd place in the AL East, one scant game behind the victorious Orioles and their statistically tied for 1st place rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays. The Sox have a record of 65 - 52. They hit the road tonight for a game in Baltimore against the Orioles @ 7:05 p.m. They will be @ Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon for a game against the Tigers commencing @ 1:10 p.m. Mary and I have plans to make it to that contest. This is the final appearance by Boston DH David "Big Papi" Ortiz as he calls it a career.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/food-drink/ill-bite-blog/article95713597.html#storylink=cp"Big Papi in Comerica Park, forever, as he calls it a career, With the rise of Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia and other young players, the future for the Red Sox looks bright.

The Caps also fell to earth as they lost to the Lake Couty, OH Captains 1 - 2. That still finds the Caps in 4th place in the MW League East with a record of 22 - 26, 10 games behind the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The Caps and the Captains play again tonight @ 7:00 p.m. Later this week, Mary's sentimental favorite Dayton Dragons come to town. This may be our best chance to see the Caps play  on a Sunday afternoon @ 1:00 p.m. Mary would like to get some Dragons swag if possible.

Otherwise, we have some indoor chores to do today and a visit to the orthopedist for a final check on my thumb. In addition, there are other things on our agenda that have been on hold due to work. Now we can get back to being retired for a few weeks.

Mary has plans to sort out her knitting and sewing stashes. I have plans to get to some chores that I have been meaning to get to along with some pleasure reading. I am following the advice of my former employer Bob Apa @ Triangle Mobil, who had a favorite saying, "Put off until tomorrow what you can put off until tomorrow." Good advice. Hopefully, the intrepid one will be willing to go out if the weather takes a turn for the worst,  Ciao.