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

What was it that Agent 86, AKA Maxwell Smart from the 1960 TV series Get Smart used to say? Oh yeah, Sorryy bout that." I'm sorry that I didn't get to blogging yesterday, but I was just too tired from all of the craziness around the PE over the last couple of weeks. Painting, yard chores, and other sundry activities left me drained. I'm relatively certain that the late nights watching the Cubs Win!, Cubs Win!, Cubs Win! had something to do with it too. At least in that one case, I have to plead mea culpa and quote part of the lyrics from an old song by country singer Ronnie Milsap and say, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

It is also official, we have canceled our travel plans. Some of that was fostered by a desire to stay home with our newest fur-child, Ginger, and some of it was just a desire to want some down time from that aforementioned craziness here in and on the PE. At any rate, we'll plan something for early next year.

I have a partial trainspotting report from yesterday. We were out on the morning safari, and I heard that lonesome whistle blow on the RSTL. We were able to watch EMD GP 38-2 locomotive #2019 plying the rails all by itself as it traversed the tracks heading south @ 11:45 a.m. In tow were three CHCs, two DBTCs, and three DWTCs that were bringing up the rear. We were @ JWs for some adult beverages when we heard that lonesome whistle one again @ about 4:45 p.m. I didn't get up to look, so I can't report on the locomotive(s) nor the cars in tow. However, it is likely that the same locomotive was heading north, once again solo.

We are making progress on getting the manse back to normal. Mary has made good progress towards storing things in their previous or new homes and we are both in the process of placing/replacing some hat hooks and wall hangings. I am working on a repaint of a metal hook that used to be in the mudroom, but which will now be in Mary's kitchen to hold our aprons. With a bit of luck, I'll finish that up today and get it mounted.

Mary crafted a new Sloppy Joes recipe for lunch yesterday after we returned from the morning safari. Lots of chopping and some slight variations produced an excellent lunch which we both have dubbed a keeper. Dinner was tacos that utilized more of Mary's roast beest and some black beans that also tasted good.

I learned something yesterday. Like her sister, STWD, Ginger likes spicy chickpeas as a snack. Ginger eschews fruits and other vegetables, but she likes the chickpeas. Go figure.

Today is going to be a great day because it will bring an end to the seemingly endless political commercials here in Michigan. We live in what has been called a "Swing State" or "Battle Ground State" with no early voting. So, we are being bombarded with non-stop ads that either tout one candidate and their record or denigrate their opponent in several statewide and/or national races. We have been looking at cabins in the woods that don't have cable nor any other form of TV. When coupled with what seems to be a daily barrage of noise from machinery, leaf blowers, and other construction equipment, we need some R & R.

Today. we'll take the morning safari with the fur-children and then get back to the activities of daily living here @ the PE. I'll be finishing my painting and placing the remainder of those hat hooks in the mud room, while Mary will do some sort of cooking and craft things. Collectively, we'll finish making a ball out of the yarn tangle that it currently is. The yarn will allow Mary to knit a way-cool shawl but somehow, the skein of yarn became more like a bird's nest than a knitting project. We did more yesterday but stopped because I wanted to ride my bike on a beautiful day. Today will not be as beautiful, so it was a righteous decision. I had a nice ride of about five miles through "The City" and for me, that is always a pleasure.

Speaking of the weather, the current temperature is 50° under cloudy skies. Those cloudy skies may lead to showers later this morning with a 40% chance. The high later today is forecast by the NWS to be 57° with winds @ 15 mph. Not good bike riding weather, but good for indoor activities.

The sun will rise this morning @ 7:28 a.m. and set @ 5:27 this evening. Ciao.