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

Here is a one-half trainspotting. I observed the passage of EMD GP 38 locomotives 2019 and 2057 as they rumbled south @ 11:33 a.m.on the RSTL, towing 10 CHCs, one in red primer and another in safety orange. In addition, there was a lone DBTC and a single GTC that was bringing up the rear. We were @ the book discussion club in the mid-afternoon, so I never witnessed the northbound run

We had a good time @ the book club and talked about the books we had read over the summer, the places we had visited, and the upcoming plans we had for the future. In addition, we decided that the organization of the meetings would take a different direction for future meetings. All in all, a good time that stretched to nearly two hours. We stopped at JWs for dinner and then headed home.

The baseball news yesterday was once again mixed. The Cubs never shook the cobwebs from their slumbering lumber and so they lost an NL Central game to their northern nemeses, the Milwaukee Brewers, as the Cubs fell by a final score of 1 - 2. The Cubs remain solidly in 1st place, 15.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Cardinals, who lost to the 3rd place Pirates. The Cubs are off and traveling today before playing the Astros Friday night @ 8:10 p.m.

The Tigers lost an AL Central game to that other team from Chicago, 4 - 7. That leaves the Tigers in 2nd place with a division record of 75 - 64, 5.5 games behind the Indians, who won. The Tigers are off today as they await the arrival of the Orioles for a Friday night game @ 7:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox triumphed over the Padres in San Diego by a score of 7 - 2. That gives the Sox a division leading record of 78 - 61, one full game over the Blue Jays, who lost. The Sox' primary third baseman, Travis Shaw, in a bid to keep his job, went three for six with a home run and three RBIs. His likely successor, recent call-up Yoan Moncada, had the job for four days, before striking out seven times in a row.

Shaw had a rough summer @ the plate and that is one reason Moncada got the call-up from the Sox triple-A affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox. Maybe as Shaw says, he needs to feel the pressure, feel as though his back is against the wall to perform @ his best. The Sox also have a day off before traveling to Toronto to play the Blue Jays Friday night @ 7:07 p.m. A win there moves them up, a loss moves them back to a statistical tie with the Jays.

The Caps opened their MWL East playoff series against the South Bend Cubs with an overtime win, 3 - 2. The Caps travel to South Bend for a 2nd game tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

The current temperature is 71° under cloudy skies. The forecast from the NWS is for a high today of 78° with 86% relative humidity. It was warmer yesterday and that led to a downpour in the evening that negated any need to water the gardens of the PE until at least Saturday morning when the NWS is predicting a 90% chance of T-storms. We are planning to travel to Dearborn that day to see a Tigers game on Sunday and an exhibit @ the Henry Ford Museum regarding the Beatles.

We'll drop STWD @ camp on our way, but I am never happy when our baby is away from me and the threat of T-storms looms. We'll survive, Sugar and I, but it will be trying for both of us.

Today we are off to Holland for a scheduled service appointment @ the car dealer. Mary also  needs a few spices while we are in Holland.  The morning safari should go off without a hitch, but I expect it to be short due to the heat and humidity. Kyle Underwood @ WOOD-TV and radio says that the worst of summer wil be over by Sunday. I'll take a wait and see attitude on that.

The sun will rise @ 7:17 a.m. and set @ 8:06 p.m. today. Ciao.