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

According to the NWS, we have  a current temperature of 63° under partly cloudy skies. I can affirm that part of the forecast, as I was just downstairs and looked out the WW on the lower level of the manse to see another of what has now become a regular feature of life on the RSTL, the passage of a train after midnight. More on that in just a bit. The high today is forecast to reach 80°, also under partly cloudy skies. That high temperature is approximately 10° warmer than the high we experienced yesterday. The sun will rise @ 6:05 a.m. and set later this evening @ 9:28 p.m.

We ran some errands to Holland yesterday and then stopped @ JWs for some adult libations before heading home to feed the fur-children. This weekend is the first week of the annual Electric Forest Festival north of here @ the Double-J Ranch. Last year, we got caught in the traffic backup on Rte. 31, when the festival ended. We won't make that mistake again this year. I should note, that this festival is repeated again next weekend with the similar traffic backups.

Now back to trainspotting. As I noted in my previous blog, I anticipated a northbound run of MMRR EMD GP-38-2 locomotives 2025 and 2019 yesterday morning and I was not disappointed. At 9:15 a.m., I espied those locomotives heading north towing 41 DBTCs and one GTC. Shortly thereafter, I spotted a track inspection truck and several railroad workers checking the rails.

I waited until 10:44 p.m. last night to see those locomotives heading south, as the dead-headed towards the rail yards near Holland. I waited, watched some TV earlier, and then @ 12:40 a.m. this morning, I heard that lonesome whistle blow and sprang to the front window to see the northbound passage of locomotives 2019 and 2025 as they traveled at a high rate of speed towing 48 DBTCs and one RTC, that's a red tank car. I don't know what has caused the shift in the schedule, but there you have it.

I was hoping to see the my beloved 49 - 26, 2nd place in the AL East Red Sox, return to their winning ways, but they dropped the second game in their series against the 33 - 37 Twins, 1 - 4. What can I say, the Sox were on fire early in the season, but now it looks like someone has sprayed them with water. The Sox and the Twins play this afternoon @ 1:10 p.m. EDT.

The 42 - 29 , tied for 1st place with the 43 - 30 Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, defeated the 38 - 35, 2nd place in the NL West Dodgers, 4 - 0 yesterday. Javier Baez was a one-man highlight film as he sprayed hits all over the field, ran  the bases with abandon, and sparkled on defense He actually completed a one-player double-play @ 2nd base by spearing a ball that was ticketed for right-field and then scrambled back to 2nd base to catch a Dodgers' runner who had sprinted too far towards third and couldn't get back before Baez got there. The Cubs don't have any time off, as they head to Cincinnati for a game tonight against the 28 - 45, last in the NL Central Reds @ 7:10 p.m. EDT.

A perfect segue to the 36 - 39, 2nd place in the AL Central Tigers, who lost another to the Reds yesterday afternoon, 3 - 5. Like my beloved Red Sox, the Tigers can't seem to beat weaker teams. The Tigers are off today before taking on the 1st place, 40 - 33 Indians, @ 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday night in Cleveland.

The Caps return to the field tonight against the Ft. Wayne, IN TinCaps in Ft. Wayne @ 7:05 p.m. tonight.

We have a lot to do today in preparation for our weekend trip to the 18th annual Kalamazoo Irish Fest @ the Old Dog Tavern. Being retired takes too much planning/work. We have our regular sitter lined up for the fur-children, so they should be just fine. However, Ginger doesn't like being separated from Mary for any length of time. STWD misses me, but she is also happy to rest on her laurels, so to speak. Otherwise, we have an appointment at the chiropractor this afternoon. Ciao.