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

I believe that this is as good a time as any to tell everyone that the sun will rise today @ 6:08 a.m. and set later tonight @ 9:17 p.m. There is no rain in the forecast from the NWS for the next few days. Our forecast high temperature today of 66° is 20° lower than yesterday's high of 86°. We'll have clouds this morning and sunny skies in the afternoon. I won't have to water today and as I gaze out the WW, the rain has moved out and the street is drying.

We made it to the car dealer yesterday and if I never have to go there again, that will be too soon. The dealer where we bought the car was sold to a larger dealer group and in fact, was moved from the location that we knew to one that we didn't, where it was rolled into a dealership that sells many brands. Of course, no one at the new location knew us and no one told us that they had moved and no one told us that there was lengthy detour leading to the now empty former location. In addition, the original agreement that gave us oil changes for a small amount no longer would be honored. They did offer to honor that agreement, this time and we took advantage of their "largess." All in all, not a good day at the car dealer.

We left that sad event and made it to downtown Holland where Mary was able to purchase a new pair of summer shoes/sandals. They are made by Keen™ and she likes them a lot, so that was a good event. We stopped at Rosy Mound Park, part of the Ottawa County Park system, on the way home with the intent of taking some pictures. However, my yak was aching a bit and it was too hot to enjoy the stop, so we traveled to our favorite watering hole for an early dinner. That went well.

Later, I watched a car show and Mary made popcorn for my snacking pleasure and then I was off to bed for a few hours. Mary coaxed/cajoled the fur-children out for a final out. STWD was not happy, and Ginger, who normally goes out several times in the evening, would have been just as happy to stay in too.

Yesterday in baseball was another of those semi-maddening days. The 29 - 23, 2nd in the NL Central Cubs, dropped a squeaker to the 29 - 26, 4th in the NLC Pirates, 1 - 2. The Cubs are traveling to NYC to play the 27 - 26 4th in the NL East Mets tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

My beloved, 39 - 17, 1st in the AL East by two games over the 2nd place Yankees, finished off their series with the 25 - 31, 4th in the AL East Blue Jays, 6 - 4. The Sox move on to Houston to play the 35 - 22, 1st in the AL West Astros tonight @ 8:10 p.m.

The 25 - 30, 2nd in the AL Central Tigers are on a roll as they defeated the 30 - 26, 3rd place in the AL West Angels, 6 - 1. The Tigers face the Angels again today @ 1:10 p.m.

The 27 - 24, 3rd in the MWL East Caps got back on track, as they were leading the 26 - 24, 4th place in the MWL East Dayton Dragons 7 - 0 when the game was suspended by rain. The Caps and the Dragons will finish that game later today and then play a night game @ 7:00 p.m.

Otherwise, I think we have the day off. A few errands to run, or not, and then nothing. I still have to help Mary with the math for the sink skirt and I still have to finish the front porch railing, but that's all that I have for today, I think. We will have to get the fur-children out for a walk now that the rain is done, but that is not hard. Ciao.

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

Coincidentally, or not, I am listening to Coast to Coast AM, with George Noory, the inspiration for the first portion my opening phrase, "Good morning or good evening wherever you may be", along with the late Jack Webb of Dragnet fame, who gave me the inspiration for the second part, "The City." But once again, I digress, but, I think reasonably so.

We have a current temperature of 75° with 72% humidity, which makes that temperature feel as warm as it looks. The NWS is still forecasting an 80% chance for T-storms this afternoon and evening, with locally heavy rainfall possible. That rainfall is a result/remnant of Sub-Tropical Storm Alberto which has been pounding the US Gulf-Coast this week. Also according to the NWS, the remnant is heading into the Great Lakes region and also into lower Canada.

Of course, the rains in the Great Lakes and Canada are nothing compared to the volcanic eruption in Hawaii, that has swallowed cars, swimming pools, and is threatening to swallow a geothermal power plant there. Or, the mud-slides that have once again devastated the city of Ellicott, MD, this time even worse than in 2016. Lava flows and flash-floods/mud-slides are relentless, so anything is possible. I'll take our unseasonably high temperatures here in West MI, where the sun will rise over our fair city @ 6:09 a.m. and set later tonight @ 9:16 p.m.

Many knowledgeable people are calling the floods/mud-slides a harbinger or warning of the effects of climate change. I've included a link to an article from the on-line magazine, Slate, to illustrate my point. Be sure to scroll down to the video that shows the devastation there. In addition, I've included a link from CBS News, that depicts in graphic pictures, the effects of the lava flows in Hawaii.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/05/ellicott-city-maryland-flooding-climate-change-is-coming-as-rain.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/lava-flows-on-hawaiis-big-island/2/

Elsewhere in the news, the 29 - 22, 2nd in the NL Central Cubs, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as starting pitcher, Jon Lester, recorded the win and two singles in the game. 1st baseman, Anthony Rizzo, got things started with a home-run, as the Cubs defeated the 28 - 26, 4th place Pirates, 8 - 6. In addition, Major League Baseball™ came back yesterday stating that Rizzo's slide in the first game of the series, a slide that umpires and the league office in NY, ruled was OK at the time, should have been ruled interference. Personally, I agree with Cubs' manager, Joe Maddon. I think that slides like Rizzo's are part of the game. The Cubs and the Pirates meet again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

My beloved, 38 - 17, 1st place in the AL East Red Sox, handily defeated the 25 - 30, 4th place Bluejays, 8 -3, to maintain the Sox' lead of two games over the 2nd place Yankees. The Sox and the Bluejays play again today @ 1:05 p.m.

The 24 - 30, 2nd place in the AL Central, Tigers, once again looked like what they are, a rebuilding team, as they fell to the 30 - 25 3rd place in the AL West, LA Angels, 2 - 9. The Tigers will once again take the field against the Angels tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The 27 - 24, 3rd in the MWL East West Michigan White Caps, lost to the 26 - 24, 4th place in the MWL East Dayton, OH Dragons, 1 - 2. Oh well, next time for sure. Hopefully, the Caps have not started another losing streak.

Theoretically, the Grand River Loggers should open their season early next month @ Sluka Field here in GH.

I nearly forgot. At 10:10 a.m. yesterday, MMRR locomotives 2025 and 2019 rumbled past on the RSTL heading south, towing 10 empty CHCs. Later, @ 4:00 p.m., we were sitting in JWs when I heard the locomotives warning that they were approaching heading north. In tow, were 10 CHCs, five DBTCs, and seven DWTCs, with two of those having anti-corrosive green stripes around their mid-sections.

I did some indoor and outdoor chores yesterday after a walk with the fur-children to the Loutit Library to pick up some books. Mary went in while the fur-children and I sat on the front deck of the library.

Mary made a nice brunch of scrambled tofu sandwiches, but by the time that we got back from the chiropractor's office and JWs. However later, she opted for tacos from nearby Arturo's Tacos for dinner. In between, we made a batch of soy curl jerky that tastes great.

I am nearly finished with the refurbishment of the front-porch railing that had succumbed to the ravages of rot caused by the weather the last few years. All that is left is the final coat of paint, which may wait if the rains come. Otherwise, we are scheduled to go to Holland to have the car serviced. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 8:30 p.m. in "The City."

We have a current temperature of 77° per the NWS, or 85° per my DTWS, which had showed a high today of 97°! According to the NWS, the high in GH today reached only 85°, while in neighboring Muskegon, MI, the high was reportedly 92°! Some reports had a higher temperature that set a record for today. Also, according to the NWS, the wind was blowing out of the east today, so that's why the cool waters, 55° of the "Big Lake" didn't cool off West, MI. Either way, it was HOT! The sun will rise tomorrow @ 6:09 a.m. and set later in the evening @ 9:15 p.m.

I did some of my outdoor chores today and then I read my novel. It was just too hot for me to be out much after watering. In addition, the fur-children wanted to go for a walk, so we took them out for a very short walk in the mid-afternoon, which was about all that STWD could handle. Ginger didn't seem to notice, but her humans sure did.

Baseball news was mostly positive for the three MLB™ teams that I follow.

The 28 - 22, 2nd in the NL Central Cubs, overpowered the 28 - 25, 4th in the NL Central Pirates, 7 - 0, behind a spot-start from Mike Montgomery in place of Yu Darvish, who is on the DL. Anthony Rizzo nailed a home-run and executed a great slide at the plate that helped Montgomery's cause. Tomorrow, Jon Lester gets the start against the Pirates @ 7:05 p.m.

My beloved, 37 - 17, 1st in the AL East, with a 2.0 game lead over the 2nd place Yankees, dropped the 25 - 29 Bluejays @ Fenway, 8 - 3. J.D. Martinez got his 17th home-run, and Andrew Benintendi also nailed one. In fact, Benintendi also got a single and a triple in the Sox' win. The Sox and the Bluejays play tomorrow night @ 7:10 p.m.

The 24 - 29, 2nd place in the AL Central Tigers, lost big to the 29 - 25, 2rd place in the AL West, LA Angels, 3 - 9. Not much to add here, except that the Tigers and the Angels play tomorrow night @ 7:10 p.m.

The 27 - 23, 3rd in the MWL East, West Michigan White Caps, AKA the Caps, finally broke their losing streak with a 6 - 2 win over the 22 - 27, South Bend, IN Cubs, 6 - 2. The Caps move on to Dayton, OH, to face Mary's sentimental favorites, the 25 - 24, 4th place in the MWL East Dayton Dragons @ 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night.

Mary was looking out her office window and though that the picture I've included her looked great. I have to agree.

In the center of the picture, over the treetops, you can spot the top of the GH City Hall in this mostly cloud-free sky.

Tomorrow, we'll take a walk with the fur-children to pick up the Tuesday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune so that we can read about what has and is happening in "The City." I'll also get another crossword to work. I have started another novel and will try to finish up those outdoor chores too. I am going to try to water the veggies and flowers every other day, so that should give me a bit more time in my busy retired schedule. Mary needs my help with the math for the sink skirt, so that will also use up some of my limited time. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:30 a.m. in "The City."

Let's keep this one verbally short following my rather verbose blog of yesterday. We have a current temperature of 64° as we drop to the overnight low of 61° Later today, the NWS has forecast a high temperature of 74° with 74% humidity. That's why I broke down and turned on the A/C. I don't mind the heat, but we went from needing the heater last week to hot and humid. What happened to spring?

Tuesday and Wednesday promise more of the same with T-storms late Tuesday and into Wednesday. At any rate, that means that the outdoor chores I have planed will need to get done today, directly after I water the vast gardens of the PE. All of this will occur after the sun rises @ 6:10 a.m. and long before it sets @ 9:14 p.m.

Yesterday Mary and I sat in the Media Room and watched the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500. I took a lot of pictures off of the TV an so I'll include some here, starting with the winner, Will Power, drinking from the traditional bottle of milk, to Simon Pagenaud kissing the bricks that gave the track its nickname, "The Brickyard"

Will Power, the milk and the Borg-Warner trophy.

The famous home stretch and the huge crowds that are part and parcel to the 500.

A fast pit stop is a must at Indy.

Danica Patrick's racing career ended on lap 68, with a crash.

Oops, one race spectator looking out the window of the Media Room during the race.

Just one of many crashes in the same spot on the oval.

A beautiful day in the town of Speedway, IN.

The bane of Mary's life and the lives of most environmentalists, loose balloons that pollute and kill wildlife .

The traditional flyover, this time a Stealth Bomber.

Pagenaud, hits the bricks before the race.

Baseball news yesterday was 50/50. Cubs win over the Giants, 8 - 3 and move on to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates @1:35 p.m.

The Tigers eked out a win, 3 - 2,  over that other team from Chicago and moved up to 2nd place. They face the Angels today @ 1:10 p.m.

My beloved Red Sox fell hard to the Braves, 1 - 7. Today's opponent in Fenway Park, the Bluejays.

The Caps dropped their 4th straight as they fell to the South Bend Cubs, 3 - 5. The Caps and the Cubs meet again today @ 2:05 p.m.

I made more of my soon o be famous vegan faux meat balls yesterday before the race. As usual, they turned out great.

We ran a quick errand to Spring Lake yesterday and Mary in her now famous improvisational style, used some Texas Toast cut bread to make garlic bread to go with the leftover pasta from the day before. Of course, we had to stop at Stan's on the way home. Worthy of note, we overcame our fear of the dreaded drawbridge, and went to Spring Lake.

Today, those outdoor chores, watering, reading, and whatever comes our way. Oops, I was channeling Steppenwolf and their monster hit from 1968/69, Born to be Wild. What the heck here is that song from the soundtrack of the movie, Easy Rider, as seen on YouTube™.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UWRypqz5-o

What can I say, the sky and the sun just before sun rise in GH is a spectacular view out the WW

Ciao.

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

What can I say? I was asleep in my Media Room La-Z-Boy, when Mary came up to tell me that Ginger had had her final out and that Mary was off to bed. Since I was awake, I went downstairs and did my regular overnight kitchen duties, emptying the dishwasher, washing the leftover supper dishes and also replenishing the supply of taco seasoning. I followed Mary's tried and true recipe which she has memorialized in her personal cookbook. When she takes the time to memorialize a recipe, it is in its final form and as long as I stay true to the recipe, all goes well.

Speaking of improvisation, our dinner last night was one of Adam's favorites, Spaghetti Role Casserole. That's where following a recipe usually comes in. Mary keeps the basic recipe in her head and when she discovered that she didn't have any tomato soup, she used some another form of tomatoes. She improvised and I think the outcome tasted great.

I can cook most anything as long as I follow the recipe, the only exception is my Coleslaw, which is an ever changing formula. I stay close to a recipe that I have in my memory, but the changes come in the amount of vegan mayo, and rice vinegar that I use to top the shredded or chopped cabbage and the shredded Granny Smith apple that has become part and parcel to my slaw. The taste is always good, but it is rarely the same.

As any fan of automobile racing knows, today is the scheduled day for the 102nd running of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Former British driver, Jimmy Stewart, always called it the "Greatest Spectacle in Motorcar Racing", but that was his personal contribution. At any rate, the drivers are scheduled to "Start their Engines" @ 12:12 p.m. EDT following the introduction of the drivers that includes the last race for Danica Patrick in any venue.

Just before the race, there will be a military march, the singing of America the Beautiful, an address by General Joseph Lengyel, the Presentation of Colors, and an Invocation delivered by Archbishop Charles Thompson, a bugler playing Taps, Jon McLaughlin singing God Bless America, Kelly Clarkson, singing The Star-Spangled Banner, a flyover by military jets and finally, Jim Cornelison, will perform Back Home Again in Indiana, which was sung for years by the late Jim Nabors.
Here is Nabors singing Back Home Again in Indiana at his first Indy 500 in 1972. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWk2sH9PduQ

Finally, about two and one-half hours of what a former colleague called real racing, because it has cars with open wheels, versus NASCAR racing, which he called taxi cab racing, because of the type of cars.

Speaking of sports, as the late sportscaster, Howard Cosell, used to say, as he opened all of his sports broadcasts. YouTube™ is such a rich source of material for my blogs, so I'll include a sample of that opening here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPJR7Eo2u0w

Baseball news yesterday was not very good to me, with one exception. My beloved, 36 - 16, 1st place in the AL East, with a 2.0 game lead over the NY Yankees, Boston Red Sox, defeated the 2nd place in the NL East, Atlanta Braves, 8 - 6 on the strength of a home-run and a triple off the bat of Andrew Benintendi, and a a triple off the bat of Mitch Moreland. In addition, Dustin Pedroia played his first 2018 game yesterday after being activated off the disabled list on Friday. The Sox and the Braves play today @ 1:05 p.m.

Speaking of the disabled list, Yu Darvish, he of the $126,000,000 six-year contract, has once again been placed on the the disabled list due to some form of tendonitis in his forearm. He was scheduled to start for the 26 - 22, 4th in the NL Central, Chicago Cubs tonight @ 8:08 p.m. against the 25 - 27, 3rd in the NL West Giants, who beat the Cubs 5 - 4 yesterday. If you do the math, Darvish is being paid $21,000,000 dollars per year. So far, he is not earning that lofty contract.

The 22 - 29, 3rd in the AL Central, Detroit Tigers, lost to that 16 - 33, now 4th in the AL Central, other team from Chicago, 4 - 8. When the Tigers can't beat a team that low in the standings, all you can do is shake your head. The Tigers and that other team take the field today @ 1:10 p.m.

Finally in baseball news, the 26 - 22, 3rd in the MWL East, West MI White Caps, fell hard last night to the 21 - 26, 5th in the MWL East, South Bend Cubs, 0 - 11. Ouch. The Caps have lost three straight and they have a losing road record. The Caps and the S.B. Cubs play again tonight in South Bend @ 7:05 p.m.

Yesterday, we set out to visit an antique sale in Muskegon after picking up some things at the grocery store and refilling the depleted fuel tank on our Kia Soul. We were about to head over the drawbridge when we spotted the traffic backing up, similar to Friday's traffic disaster. Fortunately, Mary was able to get over and we instead went to Chow Hound™ and Home Depot™ instead of going to Muskegon. Once bitten, twice shy as they say. Or as Jim Nabors said in his Gomer Pyle persona, my grandma used to say, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." I think former president George W. Bush used to say that too. We ended up at our favorite watering hole, the World Famous Tip-a -Few Tavern.

Time to mention that the current temperature is 62° as we head down to an overnight low of 58°. We are supposed to rebound to a high today of 66° after sunrise @ 6:11 a.m. The NWS has also issued an Air Quality Alert for Ottawa, County, MI, where we live. That means that activities that can increase the amount of ozone producing gases released into the air, such as pumping gasoline or open burning, should be avoided. In fact, people with respiratory issues should avoid outdoor activities. So, I may put off until Monday those outdoor chores that I failed to get to yesterday. No rush when you are retired.

Today, I may do some cooking and then settle in to watch the 500. Mary will probably join me for part of the race, but for sure, she will be putting together a nice snack spread. The sun will set late tonight @ 9:13 p.m. Ciao.

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

I was downstairs to clean up the kitchen after Mary's adventures in enchilada making, and of course, I found her asleep in the La-Z-Boy, with the X-files blasting in the background. In case you can't, or don't want to remember, "The Truth is out there", so I'll insert this link that I found on YouTube™ .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpqffgak7To. 

I had originally gone down with Ginger to turn off the yard lights and to see if she needed to go out once again, but she was quite adamant in her refusal. Instead, I emptied the dishwasher and did the remaining dishes in the sink. I also made a larger batch of Jerk Seasoning, a vital ingredient in my vegan Italian meatballs. Plus, I refilled the dehydrated onions, another vital ingredient that works much better than the chopped onions that the recipe originally called for. Perhaps a personal choice, but I like the final product when I use them.

On to the rest of yesterday. We made a few stops before we traveled to Muskegon for my yak doctor's appointment. Those stops went well and then we were on our way to the doctor. Naturally, this being the start of the Memorial Day weekend, traffic was heavy on Beacon/state route 31, with people getting a head-start.

My appointment went well, I got reassured regarding my recent aches and pains, along with a prescription for some heavy-duty pain pills to be used as needed. Mostly I can control the pain with ibuprofen and get relief, so along with that prescription for the generic version of Tramadol™, I should be getting better in a couple of weeks. In addition, the doctor performed some simple tests, ordered some X-rays, and believes that the problem should resolve itself soon. Here's hoping.

Mary was waiting in the exam room while I was in X-ray and learned that the drawbridge that spans the Grand River between Spring Lake, Fruitport, and Grand Haven, was having difficulties closing. A MDOT specialist had been dispatched from Lansing to resolve the issue, and the Grand Gaven Tribune was reporting that the issue was resolved by 4:30 p.m. We were listening to our local radio station, WGHN and their reporting didn't gibe with the reports on Twitter™. At any rate, we were stuck in traffic for three hours and made it with just minutes to spare to pick up Ginger from daycare. Next time, we wait it out in Muskegon.

But I am rambling. Yesterday was another three out of four day, .750, for my baseball teams.

The 35 - 16, 1st place in the AL East by one-game over the Yankees, Red Sox, defeated the 29 - 20, 1st place in the NL East Braves, 6 - 2, on the strength of four home-runs, that included one off the bat of J.D. Martinez, and another off the bat of Mookie Betts, who is leading the Major Leagues with 17. In addition, the Sox made a major roster move, as they activated 2nd baseman Dustin Pedroia off the DL, and designated 1st baseman/designated hitter, Hanley Ramirez, for assignment.

Speculation had back-up catcher, Blake Swihart, who was out of options, being assigned, but, that didn't happen. Now, 1st baseman Mitch Moreland will get more playing time and Swihart will get more appearances at the plate and more games behind the dish. The Sox and the Braves play again today @ 1:05 p.m.

The 22 - 28, 3rd in the AL Central Tigers, defeated that 15 - 33, 5th place in the AL Central, other team from Chicago, 5 - 4. While the Tigers are rebuilding and I guess so is that other team, the game was a "W" for the Tigers. They play that other team today @ 4:10 p.m.

The 26 - 21, 3rd in the NL East Cubs, defeated the 3rd in the NL West Giants, 6 - 2. Cubs' starter Kyle Hendricks pitched a masterpiece and no pitch he threw made it into the 90 mph range. He doesn't throw hard, but like Hall of Fame pitcher and former Cubs and Braves pitcher, Greg Maddox, Hendricks pitches rather than throws. The Cubs and the Giants play tonight @ 7:15 p.m. EDT.

The only team that didn't fare well yesterday was the 26 - 21, 3rd in the MWL East, West Michigan White Caps. They fell to the the 20 - 26, 7th in the MWL East, South Bend, IN Cubs, 2 - 4. The Caps and the South Bend Cubs play again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

We ave a current temperature of anywhere from 67° to 73°, depending on the source consulted. The skies are mostly clear and the day today will have a forecast high of only 64° with a 20% chance for isolated T-storms in the morning, The sun will rise today @ 6:11 a.m. and set later @ 9:12 p.m. in our "Tourist Town" on the shores of the "Big Lake." The Grand Haven State Park, the beaches, and the restaurants and streets of GH will be crowded until Labor Day and the one-way streets will see numerous wrong-way drivers on many occasions.

I have some outdoor chores to do today and then I plan to settle in and read and watch baseball. I should be able to avoid watering for one day too. Our potatoes are coming up, the irises are blooming and the roses, with the exception of our John F. Kennedy rose near the deck, are looking great too. Ciao.

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

I got up because Ginger asked to go out and she did her full duty @ 3:00 a.m. Then it was time to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear, albeit without the Lone Ranger and his "Cloud of Dust, his fiery horse with the speed of light, his silver bullets, and his famous call, Hi-Yo-Silver, Away." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td4RHvyAFsM, 

But I digress once again.

The weather yesterday was fabulous. We topped out in the upper 70s and the skies were not cloudy all day. Oops, I was channeling again. If I had that all the time, I'd be in San Diego, CA, not West, MI. We have a current temperature of 61°, according the the NWS and 69° according to my DTWS. I was outside with Ginger and in our little corner of the world and I could sit out there and enjoy the quiet all night.

Later today, the high is forecast to reach 77° under sunny skies with a 0% chance of rain. Saturday's high is forecast to only reach 69° under partly cloudy skies with a chance for rain increased to 20%. The sun will rise this morning @ 6:12 a.m. and set later tonight @ 9:11 p.m.

The 4th place in the NL Central, 25 - 21 Cubs, were off yesterday before they open a weekend series against the 24 - 26, 3rd place in the NL West Giants today @ 2:20 p.m. EDT. While some say the season is still young, time is a wasting and the Cubs need to get going or make room for some trades.

The 21 - 28, 3rd place in the AL Central Tigers, were off yesterday too. They also open a weekend series today, in the case of the Tigers @ Comerica Park against that other team from Chicago and their 5th place/last place in the AL Central, 15 - 32 record. Even the Tigers should be able to sweep them, starting tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

My beloved, 34 - 16, best record in baseball, 1st place in the AL East by one game over the Yankees, Red Sox, played yesterday and fell to the 23 - 25, 3rd place in the AL East Rays, 3 - 6. The Sox open a series in Fenway against the 1st place in the NL East, 29 - 19 Braves tonight @ 7:10 p.m. The Sox usually solid starting pitcher, Rick Porcello was off his game last night and the Sox committed some costly errors in the game that didn't allow the Sox to pick up Porcello. Good news, 2nd baseman Dustin Pedroia comes off the DL today and may play tonight or tomorrow against the Braves.

The 26 - 29 White Caps were off their game too as they lost a MWL East match-up against he 5th place TinCaps, 0 - 3. The Caps take the field tonight in South Bend, IN against the South Bend Cubs @ 7:35 p.m.

Otherwise, not much is happening. I have my appointment @ the yak doctor this afternoon, and Ginger will be going to daycare too. She doesn't know it yet, but she may get groomed too. 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 54° that feels like 54°, is being reported by the NWS at this hour. Later today, after the sun rises @ 6:13 a.m. and before it sets later @ 9:10 p.m., the NWS is also forecasting a high of 77° under mostly clear skies. We are going to go from a high temperature yesterday of 57° to 20° higher today. Go figure.

I heard the southbound run of the train on the RSTL @ 9:17 a.m. yesterday. I can only surmise from the sound and the feel that it was a rather lengthy train. Later, @ 1:58 p.m., I espied locomotives 2025 and 2019 traversing the rails towing nine CHCs, four DBTCs, seven DWTCs, and one tank car that was so rusty that its original color was indeterminate.

Sports news yesterday was mostly good, but the 25 - 21, 4th in the NL Central Cubs, fell to the 24 - 23, 1st in the AL Central Indians, 0 - 1. Boneheaded base-running didn't help, but over the last two games, the Cubs' bats are back in the deep-freeze once again. Dare I say it, the last World Series appearance by the Cubs in 2016 took 108 years and I likely won't see another in my lifetime. Sigh. Mercifully, the Cubs are off today before they welcome the 24 - 26, 3rd in the NL West Giants to Wrigley Field Friday @ 2:20 p.m.

My beloved, 34 - 15, 1st in the AL East by 1.5 games over the Yankees, Red Sox, took a game that they should have won from the 22 - 25, 4th place in the AL East Rays, 4 - 1. The Rays and the Sox play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The 21 - 28 3rd in the AL Central Tigers, ended their five game losing streak as they defeated the 21 - 24 Twins in Minnesota, 4 - 1. The Tigers are really no better or worse than the 2nd place, 21 - 24 Twins, but that's not really saying much. The Tigers are off today before they play that other team from Chicago whose current record finds them in 4th place in that weak AL Central Friday night @ 7:10 p.m.

The 26 - 19, 3rd in the MWL East, West Michigan White Caps eked out a win over the 5th place in the MWL East, 20 - 25 Ft. Wayne, IN TinCaps, 2 - 1. The Caps and the TinCaps play tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Otherwise, not much is happening. I finished my biography of Preston Tucker for our History Book Club yesterday and started a new large-print novel in addition to reading the Grand Haven Tribune and finishing the crossword. I also did some indoor chores. Today, we have to take STWD to her doctor's appointment and visit the chiropractor. I am still not as ambulatory as I would like due to my aching yak, so that's why I am visiting the yak doctor on Friday. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just after 6:00 a.m. in "The City."

Let's close this one out quickly so that I can get back to doing what I do best, sitting in my La-
Z-Boy and watching TV and reading. Well, I suppose there are other things I do well, but let me start there.

We have a current temperature of 47°, and the view out, or the lack of the view, out of the WW is of the dense fog that caused the NWS to issue Dense Fog Advisory for today until 11:00 a.m. Naturally, that advisory comes with admonitions for hazardous driving conditions. In addition, while I have not seen any delayed school openings yet, here in West Michigan that is a strong possibility as the school buses cannot pick up the children until it is considered safe to do so. However, the fog does not seem as dense as it did before the sun rise.

The NWS is forecasting a high for today of 58° once that fog clears and well after sunrise @ 6:13 a.m. Activities in "The City" will have to be taken slowly until then. One thing I have noticed here in West Michigan is that the fog doesn't roll in quickly, but it does generally lift very quickly, That is unless you are near the channel of the Grand River that leads to the mouth of that river where it enters the "Big Lake", Lake Michigan. The sun will set tonight @ 9:09 p.m.

Baseball news yesterday was about 70% good. The 25 - 20, 3rd in the NL Central Cubs, looked awful as they fell to the 23 - 23, 1st in the AL Central Indians, 1 - 10. The lone Cubs' run came off the bat of Ian Happ as he dropped one over the wall. The Cubs get a chance to redeem themselves tonight @ 8:05 p.m. EDT.

My beloved, 33 - 15, 1st in the AL East Red Sox, took one from the the 22 - 24, 4th place Rays, 4 - 2. The Sox are expected to win games against lesser opponents. The Sox now lead the Yankees by 1/2 game and they play the Rays again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The 20 - 28, 3rd in the AL Central Tigers, looked awful too, as they fell to the 21 - 23, 2nd in the AL Central Twins, 0 - 6. There is nothing good to report from that game. The Tigers try again today @ 1:10 p.m. to win one over the Twins.

The 25 - 14, 3rd in the MWL East Caps, took two from the 20 - 24 Ft. Wayne TinCaps, 1 - 0 and 8 - 1. The Caps and the TinCaps play today @ 11:00 a.m.

We had a great time at our introductory camera session last evening. We learned about the camera controls, changed some settings, and now feel at least a bit more confident that we can take some decent pictures. In fact, Mary was so inspired that she took some pictures with her close-up lens of a rose that look spectacular. I can't wait to  try my telephoto lens now.

Otherwise yesterday, Mary soloed at the grocery store as my yak was bothering me, although it is feeling better now. I made an appointment to see the yak doctor on Friday afternoon, just in case.

Mary made an excellent, down and dirty, dinner of spaghetti with vegan meat sauce for dinner late yesterday afternoon. We then traveled to the aforementioned camera class and then home to watch the season ending episode of NCIS. By then, I was ready for some R & R time in the media room and so I went upstairs while Mary watched more TV news and then more of the X-Files along with taking those pictures. The Truth is out there. Ciao.

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

I was asleep until 11:15 last night until Mary called for the sleeping Ginger to come down for her final outdoor activity. I'm not sure if Ginger ever went down, but by then, I was up, so to speak. At any rate, I went downstairs, did the remaining dishes in the sink, and emptied the dishwasher. Once again, the kitchen is ready for battle.

We have a current temperature of 52° that feels like 50° as we drop toward the morning low of 51°. According to the NWS forecast, the high temperature later today will be 55° under cloudy skies in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon. It looks like the rain is over for a few days. The NWS has also indicated that there is a Dense Fog Advisory in effect until 10:00 a.m. today. A furtive look out the WW confirms the foggy conditions. The sun will rise @ 6:14 a.m. before it sets @ 9:09 p.m.

At 9:07 a.m. yesterday, Ginger and I spotted the southbound run of MMRR locomotives 2019 and 2025, towing three CHCs., three GTCs, and 16 DBTCs, all loaded. Later, everyone present in the house was poised to see the northbound run of those same locomotives, and in fact, we did see them @ 1:01 p.m., but that's all we saw, the two locomotives dead-heading back towards Muskegon. I have to believe that running those two diesels both directions with few or no cars is not cost effective
Speaking of all those present, Dennis and Joyce found the PE around 11:30 a.m. yesterday. Naturally, the fur-children had to bark them in, but as time passed, the fur-children became comfortable with the presence of the "Strangers."

We ate a vegan lunch, all of which I had prepared in advance. I think that Dennis and Joyce liked their first known exposure to, and taste of vegan foods, which included my vegan sausages, my vegan meatballs, and my vegan Coleslaw. I had prepared the Coleslaw with the same dressing, but with a rough-chopped texture unlike what I regularly make. Mary liked it this way, I'm ambivalent. The flavor was excellent, but I'm undecided on the texture.

Over lunch and as the afternoon wore on, we talked about the old days some, but more about current events in the world at large and in the Tri-Cities too. Since it was rainy and cold yesterday, we took a driving tour of the area and saw how high the waters are in Spring Lake, nearly up to the road surface. There weren't many people on the streets due to the weather and also due to the fact that The Season officially begins next weekend with the Memorial Day holiday. After that, it is off to the races. We said our goodbyes in the rain and sent our guests on their way.

Dennis and I have been friends since we were 14 years old and freshmen in high school. We'd lost touch for a while after we moved to GH, but we hope to have more contact in the future.

Speaking of the future, there isn't one this year for the 20 - 27, 3rd in the AL Central Tigers, as they lost to the 2nd place in the AL Central, 20 - 23 Twins, 2 - 4. The Tigers are, and I'm being kind here, a Triple A level baseball team charging Major League Baseball prices for the product that they are putting on the field. Hopefully, like the Cubs, the Tigers' rebuilding efforts will produce long term. more Major League Baseball like results/benefits. The Tigers and the Twins play again tonight @ 8:10 p.m.

The 25 - 19, 3rd place in the NL Central Cubs, were off yesterday as they await the arrival of the 22 - 23 in the AL Central 1st place Indians to the Friendly Confines for tonight's game @ 7:05 p.m. The Cubs are the better team and they should be able to beat the Indians.

My beloved, 32 - 15, 2nd place by 1/2 game in the AL East Red Sox, were also off yesterday as they travel to Tampa Bay to meet the 22 - 23, 3rd place in AL East Rays, tonight @ 7:10 p.m. The Sox should also come away with victories.

The 23 - 19, 3rd place in the MWL East Caps, were rained out in their game against the 20 - 22, 5th place Ft. Wayne TinCaps. Those two teams will instead play a double-header today beginning @ 11:00 a.m. in the Fifth/Third Ballpark, with the second game to follow shortly after the end of the first game.

Otherwise, I have a barber's appointment today and then later this afternoon/early evening, we will travel to Muskegon to get some expert advice on the use of our new camera. I am gong to relax in between. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just pas 6:00 a.m. in "The City"

Let's keep this blog short and sweet. I got up late/early, watched some old TV, went downstairs and now I'm here.

The sun will rise this morning @ 6:15 into a dreary sky. The NWS is forecasting a 90% chance of rain this morning and a high temperature that will reach only 56°! The forecast now calls for the temperatures to improve into the 70s by Thursday. I guess the one saving grace is that I won't have to water. However, the other outdoor chores that I had planned will have to wait.

Baseball news was three out of four yesterday, or .750.

The 25 - 19, 2nd place in the NL Central Cubs, defeated the last in the NL Central 16 - 32 Reds, 6 - 1 behind a strong pitching performance by 1 -3 Yu Darvish. The Cubs welcome the 22 - 23, 1st in the AL Central Indians to the Friendly Confines tonight @ 7:05 p.m. EDT.

The 20 - 26, 3rd in the AL Central Tigers, fell to the 27 - 19, 2nd in the AL West Mariners, 2 - 3, despite a strong beginning to the game for the Tigers. The Tigers move on tonight to face the 2nd place in the AL Central, 19 - 23 Twins @ 8:10 p.m.

My beloved, 32 - 15, tied for 1st in the AL East, Red Sox, dumped the last in the division, 14 - 32 Orioles, 5 - 0. The Sox should always be able to defeat a lesser team. The Sox move on to Tampa Bay tonight to play the 22 - 23, 3rd in the Al East Rays @ 7:10 p.m.

The 23 - 19, 3rd place in the MWL East Caps had a nice win over the 6th place, 19 - 24, Lake County, OH Captains last night, 7 - 4.  The Caps are home tonight in what should be a chilly Fifth/Third Ballpark, to face the 5th place Lansing, MI Log Nuts @ 7:05 p.m.

We did some gardening yesterday and then I finished the crossword from the weekend edition of the Grand Haven Tribune. I also made another batch of vegan sausages. We tried to see if anything was happening at the last Great Lakes Kite Fest, but the inclement weather had grounded most of the kites. Sadly, this is the last of the fests after 30 years.

We anticipate a nice day today as we will be having visitors from out of town around lunchtime today. We've not seen Dennis or Joyce for several years., so it should be fun catching up. It is a shame that the weather here in the Tri-Cities area won't be more cooperative. The sun will set later today @ 9:07 p.m. Ciao..

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "The City."
My original plan was to sleep through the night, but the fur-children had their own Plan-B and so, here I am.

We have a current temperature of 51° as we drop towards the overnight low of 49° under cloudy skies. We had quite a bit of rain yesterday, necessitating a drop off at my Irish Jam at the library by Mary. Our session went very well. We had several fiddle players. a few whistlers, and a couple of mandolins. In addition, the fiddle-player and vocalist for Larry's band Uneven Ground, Courtney Hutson, came to this session. A side note, the name, Uneven Ground, is taken figuratively from an Irish slip-jig, On the Rocky Road to Dublin, as the trip was over some uneven ground on the path that led to Dublin, Ireland.

But once again, I digress. Later today, the high temperature forecast from the NWS calls for 64° under cloudy/rain skies in the morning hours. We'll have to wait until Wednesday for the highs to once again reach the 70s. That forecast also calls for the shower activity today to peak around 11:00 a.m. and then taper off after that. The sun will rise @ 6:16 a.m. and set later @ 9:06 p.m.

Baseball news yesterday was once again about 50/50.

The 24 - 19, 3rd in the NL Central Cubs, to borrow a favorite phrase from the late and immortal, Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, played two yesterday. The first game took 11 innings and ended with the Cubs on the losing end of a 4 - 5 score when the Reds scored on a walk-off. Game two went much better as the Cubs swamped the Reds, 10 - 0 with Jose Quintana hurling a real gem, while left-fielder, Ian Happ, got his second home-run of the day, the 14,000th in Cubs' history.  Happ has been patient at the plate of late and getting on base more and the results are showing on the score card. The Cubs take the field again today with Yu Darvish on the mound, @ 1:10 p.m.

The 20 - 25, 2nd place in the AL Central, Tigers, lost another one to the 26 - 19 2nd in the AL West Seattle Mariners, 2 - 7. The Mariners were taking care of business, like winning teams must do. The Tigers and the Mariners take the field again today @ 4:10 p.m. EDT.

My beloved, 31 - 15, statistically tied for 1st place in the AL East Red Sox, dropped the last place in the AL East, 14 - 31 Orioles, 6 - 3. As I noted with the Mariners, the 1st place Sox should always be able to defeat the team at the bottom of their division. The Sox and the Orioles wrap up their series today @ 1:00 p.m.

The now 22 - 19, 3rd in the MWL East Caps, topped the 19 - 23, 6th in the MWL East Lake, County, OH Captains, 7 - 1. The Caps wrap up their series against the Captains today @ 2:00 p.m., before welcoming the Ft. Wayne Tin Caps to the Fifth/Third Ballpark Monday night @ 7:05 p.m.

Otherwise, yesterday was a quiet day. Mary put together some healthy meals that featured vegan hot dogs, salad, and pasta. Sometimes, I like simple too. However, it should be noted that Mary made the French dressing that was atop the salad, so simple is a relative term as the preparation for the dressing and the pasta took some effort. 

Today, we had planned for some gardening, but the weather may preclude that activity. I also have some outdoor chores to accomplish, but those too may have to wait. The only outdoor activity that won't wait is the need to get the fur-children out for their morning activities. Ciao.

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

A current temperature of 54° is chilly when compared to the terrific temperatures we enjoyed Thursday and and Friday. But, this is Michigan, so anything weather-wise is possible. In fact, it is raining right now and that wasn't in the original forecast from the NWS. In addition, the high temperature forecast for today is only 63°, about 13° lower than yesterday. We are also expecting the rain to continue sporadically throughout the day after the sun rises @ 6:17 a.m. and well before it sets @ 9:05 p.m.

When we were out for the second walk with the fur-children yesterday, we thought that anyone who scheduled a wedding for Central Park today would have perfect weather. So much for those plans. Plus, I am still planning to walk to the library for the Irish Jam session today, so I'll have to juggle my guitar, and an umbrella along with assorted other paraphernalia. I love being able to use that word, paraphernalia, as it hearkens back to the time when we were young and didn't have a care in the world, except for the welfare of Adam, which required us to carry what we dubbed "wahphernalia", the assorted things that we might need to provide for his care.

Once again, I wasn't around for the afternoon run of the train, Ginger was, but she is only able to provide an alert, not a count. However, I can confirm, with additional input from my apprentice trainspotter, Mary, that the morning run, that happened @ 11:11 a.m. was fully loaded, as MMRR EMD 38-2 locomotives, 2025 and 2019, were working hard to pull 21 CHCs. 25 DBTCs, two DWTCs, and two GTCs. Both my apprentice and yours truly felt the house shaking with the their passage.

I was recently able to confirm that the HESR on the side of the cab of #2025 is indeed part of the nomenclature for the Huron and Eastern Railroad, which is a short-line operator in West Michigan, operating under the umbrella of the Mid-Michigan Railroad, MMRR, due to various acquisitions and mergers over the years. The MMRR operates under the bigger umbrella that belongs to the Genesee & Wyoming Railroad a conglomerate of multiple short-lines here in Michigan. If freight is moving over a short-line in Michigan, it is moving on tracks that are owned.operated by one of the various companies in the system conglomeration. Interestingly, the headquarters for the Huron and Eastern Railroad is in Vassar, MI, about 10 miles from Frankenmuth, MI.

But as usual, I digress.

Baseball news yesterday was once again 50/50 or .500. The 23 - 18, 4th in the NL Central Cubs did what they should do, they dispatched the 15 - 30, 5th in the NL Central Reds last night, by a score of 8 - 1. The game was well pitched by Jon Lester, with the exception of one home run by the Reds. The Cubs and the Reds play two today to make up for a rain out earlier in the season. Game one is @ 1:10 p.m.

My beloved, 30 - 15, statistically tied for 1st place in the AL East with the Yankees, Red Sox, fell to the 14 -30 5th/last place in that same division, Orioles, 4 - 7. The Sox should be able to defeat the Orioles any game, any day. Those two teams face each other again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The 20 - 24, 2nd in the AL Central Tigers, lost to the 25 - 19, 2nd in the AL West, Mariners, last night, 4 - 5. The Mariners did what they should be able to do, beat an inferior team. The Tigers and the Mariners once again play tonight @ 9:10 p.m. EDT.

The 21 - 19, 3rd in the MWL East Caps, defeated the 19 - 22, 5th in the MWL East, Lake, County, OH Captains, 7 - 2. Those two teams play again tonight at the Fifth/Third Ballpark @ 7:05 p.m.

Otherwise, not much is happening. We got some of our errands run yesterday and we hope to continue our gardening on Sunday, weather permitting. I'll be jamming this afternoon and Mary will be sewing, I think. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:30 a.m. in "The City." Yesterday was a great day in so many ways. The weather here and in GR was terrific, the visit to the GR Public Museum was great, and our picnic lunch went swimmingly.

We have a current temperature of 51°, equal to our overnight low, as we head for the sunrise today @ 6:18 a.m. In between, like this early morning, the skies will be partly cloudy and the temperature will rise to a very comfortable high of 74° before sunset @ 9:04 p.m.. What's not to like? Spring has finally sprung.

In spite of the fact that we are still learning, we took another batch of pictures with our new camera. Mary will probably wonder why I didn't include some while including others, but as the editor/writer of this blog, that's my prerogative. So, I'll add many here and exercise that prerogative now.

We began our visit to GR with a stop here for the picnic lunch that Mary prepared.

This Riverside Park was a great place to pause and reflect.

Gnarled trees and perfect temperatures accompanied our delicious repast.

Of course, the river was up here too, due to the recent rains.

We made it to the Public Museum and after our "Adventures in Parking" we paid our Senior Admission fees and began our tour.

The museum greets you with an exhibit of  petroleum related items.

This skeleton of a whale hangs from the ceiling on the main floor.

Looking good, as always at the Dragons, Unicorns, and Mermaids exhibit..

Mary "Needed" to be pictured with the dragon that greets you at the entrance to the Dragons, Unicorns, and Mermaids exhibition, the major reason for our visit.

Unicorns, mythical? Not to Mary!

For Adam, clocks abounded

This mechanical clock was once part of the City Hall in GR.

Built in 1885, the clock was saved when the old city hall was razed in 1969 and ultimately donated to the museum.

Also for Adam, if you look closely, you'll see a Jeep in this doll exhibit.

For me, this is the hardware store in the 3/4 scale Streets of Old Grand Rapids.

I just had to have my picture taken with a "Namesake" guitar.

Although we chose not to go, there is a planetarium at the museum named for NASA astronaut, Roger B. Chaffee.

I've always longed to into outer-space. This space suit outside the planetarium is as close as I'll ever get. Sigh.

A nice view of the Grand River that runs adjacent to the museum ans which ultimately ends in "The Big Lake", Lake Michigan, in Grand haven.

Unfortunately, unlike many museums throughout the US, the GR Public Museum does not have a Mold-a-Rama™. So I opted to get another embossed penny from the machine outside the museum gift shop. Inside the store, Mary also got a small item to include in the ornaments on our Christmas Tree. That's how we closed our visit.

Yesterday in baseball was 50/50, or .500 in baseball parlance. The 4th place, 22 - 18 in the NL Central Cubs, were rained out at The Friendly Confines against the 1st place in the AL East, 26 - 16 Atlanta Braves. The Cubs move on to Cincinnati for a game tonight against the 15 - 29 Reds @ 7:10 p.m.

The 2nd place in the AL Central, 20 - 23 Tigers, eked out a win over the 3rd place in the AL West 24 - 14 Mariners last night, 3 - 2. The Tigers and the Mariners face each other again tonight @ 10:10 p.m.

My beloved, 2nd place in the AL East, 30 - 14 Red Sox, were cruising behind an excellent complete game performance from starting pitcher, David Price, who surrendered a home run in the top of the ninth en route to a 6 - 2 victory over the last place in the AL East, 13 - 30, Baltimore Orioles. The Sox and Price benefited from the continued strong hitting of J. D. Martinez, who hit a big home run. The Sox and the Orioles play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The 20 - 19, 3rd place in the MWL East, Caps, fell to the 17 - 22 Ft. Wayne TinCaps last night, 3 - 7. The Caps return home to the Fifth/Third Ballpark tonight for a game against the Lake County, IL Cougars @ 7:05 p.m.

On our way home yesterday, we picked up the final vegetable and flowering plants for our gardens. We'll get those planted today after a few errands. I will not overdo it in spite of my urge to do so. I have some indoor chores to do, so I'll mix it up and get done what I can get done.

Otherwise, I have some phone calls to make and some reading to do. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City."

We have a beautiful morning dawning here in the Trio-Cities area. The current temperature is 50° under clear skies as we approach the sun rise @ 6:19 a.m. Today's high is forecast by the NWS to be 79° under clear and sunny skies, long before the sun sets @ 9:03 p.m.

Mary and I have plans to travel to GR today to visit the Public Museum, and in-preparation for our trip, Mary has planned and put together a picnic lunch that we'll eat somewhere in GR after our visit. Meanwhile, Ginger will be in daycare and STWD will "Have the Conn" here at the PE. That phrase, is one that is often used in the US Navy,  and it is actually derived from the term used to denote the officer who has control over the speed and course of the vessel. No other officer can give those orders and they are to be ignored unless the officer with the Conn announces that he/she is turning over control to another officer. Since we nor Ginger will be available, STWD will likely exercise her authority.

Today, we plan to see the exhibit at the Public Museum entitled Dragons, Unicorns, and Mermaids, that one is more for Mary, while I am more interested in the exhibits on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, and another on The Streets of Old Grand Rapids, a 3/4 scale recreation of the streets of GR in the 1890s. I suppose Mary will find that one interesting too. At any rate, we've been planning to see the Public Museum for a couple of years, so now that the weather is cooperating, we'll "Git er done!"

Baseball news yesterday was not good. The Cubs, the Tigers, my beloved Red Sox and the Caps, all lost. I won't go into the painful details, but suffice it to say that teams have to win consistently and beat the teams that they are supposed to beat if they want to be champions.

Otherwise, not much is happening around here. I am working my way  through the biography of automotive pioneer Preston Tucker for our History Book Club and I am finding it very interesting. I did some ironing yesterday. I always find that relaxing. I also washed the furniture for the front porch as well as the porch itself, after getting the furniture out of the man-cave with some assistance from Mary and Dawn. Ciao.

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

Well, there's a first, or nearly so, as I woke up in my chair at 2:45 a.m. and found myself watching an old rerun of the TV series, Mannix, in the media room, after a three hour nap. Mary is able to fall asleep like that without a problem, but I never do.

At any rate, tonight/today, there was no T-storm to provide an alarm and the temperature has finally started to reach more spring-like levels. We have a current temperature of 54° under partly cloudy skies and those same partly cloudy skies will continue today and Thursday as we see high temperatures of 73° and 79° respectively. We are planning a trip to GR on Thursday for an exhibit at the Public Museum there that Mary has been wanting to see, but which we have been postponing due to the chilly weather.

Baseball news yesterday was once again a 50/50 proposition. The 22 - 17, now 3rd in the NL Central Cubs, were looking lackluster until they added two runs in the bottom of the 9th to take one from the 25 - 16 Braves, 3 - 2. The Cubs now trail the Brewers and the Pirates by one game in the NL Central.

My beloved 28 - 14 Red Sox, now in 2nd place in the AL East, one scant game behind the 1st place Yankees, who had their game suspended against the Washington Nationals due to that big storm that slammed into parts of the Northeastt last night, bringing heavy rain, T-storms, flash-flooding, hail and isolated tornadoes with it. The 28 - 18 in the AL East Yankees were in D.C. to play the 24 - 18 in the NL East to play the 3rd place Nationals. They will resume their game tonight.

But I digress. The Sox could not handle the 21 - 21 Oakland As last night as Eduardo Rodriguez was once again inconsistent on the mound and so they lost the game, 3 - 5. I know the season may seem young, but the season has already seen 25% of the games played. Time to get moving Sox. The Sox and the As play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

The 19 - 22, 3rd in the AL Central Tigers, pulled out a win over the 1st place, 20 - 21 Indians last night, 9 - 8, in another battle in that weak AL Central division. The Tigers and the Indians play this afternoon in Detroit @ 1:10 p.m.

The 20 - 17 in the MWL East Caps dropped the 15 - 21 Ft. Wayne, IN TinCaps last night, 4 - 1. to move up to 3rd place in their shared division. Those two teams play again today @ 11:05 a.m.

We spent much of our day yesterday either getting ready for or actually enjoying our trip up and down the Grand River aboard the Grand Lady riverboat under the auspices of the Ottawa, County Friends of the Parks. The weather turned out perfect and the cruise was filled with people of a certain age, like ourselves. We met many nice folks and also learned a lot about the flora and fauna of the Grand River Watershed, including the current state of the parks and their future plans for acquisitions and building.

Naturalists from the park system were aboard to speak about the over 100 species of fish that can be found in the river and the various species of birds that call the river area home, including bald eagles, one of whom we were lucky to see on our journey. He was one-half of a pair that has called the river area home for at least nine years. We took far too many pictures, but I'll endeavor to add a few here to inadequately show the environs of the Grand River.

The Grand Lady launched from the docks at the Grand River Park for our trip.

She is a stern-wheeler type of craft, modeled after the type that used to ply the Grand River in days of yore.

Although not easy to discern, the river is up several feet this spring.

Same here.

As I said, the weather was perfect, with mostly cloud-free skies.

This is Curt, one of the Ottawas, County Parks staff naturalists, describing the map turtle, one of the species thst inhabits the Grand River.

We sat near the bow as we traversed the river.

Just a few puffy clouds that made the trip perfect.

We watched as the happy trippers left the landing area.

In addition, we boarded Ginger for the afternoon so that her big sister, STWD, could have the house to herself without babysitting Ginger. I think they were both happier.

On the way home, we stopped at the Embassy Bar and Grill for some of their onion straws that are similar to the ones served by the Hackney's restaurants in the Chicago area. Then it was time to pick up Ginger after refueling the Kia Soul™ near home. The sun will rise today @ 6:20 a.m. and set tonight @ 9:02 p.m. Ciao.

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

I was sound asleep until I wasn't, around 11:15 p.m. last night. I decided to get up and watch some late-night TV which morphed into a trip downstairs with Ginger. STWD was accurately confirming the forecast from the NWS that it was about to rain, as the intrepid weather dog had repaired to her bathroom hide-e-hole to ride out the storm. Ginger was okay with going out as that storm had yet to commence.

I have heard a few claps of thunder and the view out the WW confirms that both the NWS and STWD were correct, the grounds of the PE are indeed wet from rain. We have a current temperature of 62° under cloudy skies as the forecast also calls for an overnight low of 54° before we rise to today's high of 68°, also under cloudy skies in the a.m. hours, but with sunny skies in the p.m. hours. If all goes well, we'll take that cruise aboard the Grand Lady on the Grand River with our new camera in tow.

Speaking of that camera, we took some pictures yesterday to familiarize ourselves with it, but we are far from proficient and have a lot to learn. However, I'll include a few samples to give the flavor of what this camera can do.

Looking south off our deck. Note that some plants are in full bloom, while many are still emerging.

We walked through Central Park where I took this photo. We found that the temperatures had cooled enough to cause foggy conditions to the west over the waterfront. It had been much warmer when we were out with the fur-children earlier.

As you can see, the trees are still trying to locate spring and their leaves.

 

 

I was in what I like to call my summer uniform, when Mary took this picture of me in my "Uke. I am your father" T-shirt.

Mary took this picture of one of the tulip beds in Central Park with all of the flowers in bloom.

While in this shot, the blooms have not yet opened due to the cool spring weather we've been having.

This magnolia on the front-lawn of our city hall is nearly bloomed out.

Baseball was not very good to me yesterday nor last night.

The 18 - 22 Tigers who reside in the weak AL Central, defeated the 20 - 20 1st place in that same weak division Indians, 6 - 3. The Tigers and the Indians play again tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

After that, it was all downhill. The 21 - 17, 4th in the NL Central Cubs, fell to the 25 - 15, 1st in the NL East Braves, by a final score of 5 - 6. While Kris Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. got dingers, starting pitcher Jose Quintana was unable to keep the ball in the yard and the Braves took advantage of his mistakes. The Cubs and the Braves play tonight in The Friendly Confines @ 8:35 EDT.

My beloved, now 2nd in the AL East Red Sox, with an overall record of 28 - 13, fell to the 20 - 21, 4th in the AL West Oakland As, 5 - 6, as the Red Sox' starting pitcher, Rick Porcello, had his 2nd straight bad outing. The beloved have a hard time with teams that they should beat. The Sox now trail the 1st place Yankees by 1/2 game. The Sox and the As play again tonight in Fenway Park @ 7:10 p.m.

The 19 - 17, 4th in the MWL East, Caps dropped one in Ft. Wayne, IN last night to the 15 - 21 7th in the MWL East TinCaps, 3 -5. Once again, a team that should be able to defeat weaker opponents couldn't get the job done. The Caps and the TinCaps play again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Otherwise yesterday, Mary revised that infamous index, hopefully for the last time, and accepted an indexing job that commences in late June. I did some indoor chores and that was the extent of my efforts for the day.

The sun will rise today @ 6:21 a.m. and set tonight @ 9:01 p.m. Ciao.