Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 7:00 a.m. in "The City." The sun rose today @ 6:08 a.m. and will set later tonight @ 9:28 p.m. We have a current temperature of 64° under clear skies. In between, we'll see a high temperature of 73° under mostly sunny skies. However, the NWS has issued an Excessive Heat Watch  for West, MI with temperatures on Saturday forecast to reach 88° under sunny skies. Whew, a stay indoors and don't garden or ride my bike kind of forecast.

Speaking of forecasts, I forecast that Mary won't need to purchase any flowers for her flower room for several more weeks/months. Yesterday, I had to consign her latest flower to that great greenhouse in the sky when I was doing some indoor chores. It was a beautiful red rose that came from the vast gardens of the PE, but like all good things, it had to come to an end. So, as I am won't to do, I just had to go to YouTube™ and get a rendition of the hit recording by Dennis Yost and the Classic's IV, Everyday With You Girl, so here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzs6GhmYzT0. This version was supplied to YouTube™ by the Universal Music Group.

Like her red rose, I think that each day, Mary gets sweeter than the day before. In fact, as long as I was at the YouTube™ site, I had to find and include this version of a traditional Irish folk tune that I really like and often play, entitled Red is the Rose. This version features the Irish band The High Kings. Mary was adopted as a baby by a family with German and Polish roots, but we suspect that she may have some Irish roots in her background. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl3Ce3XJSD8. 

But as is often the case, I digress. Since the previous occupant of the vase in her flower room had expired, Mary went to the vast gardens once again and came back with this arrangement.

Simple, understated, but perfect. Mary took this picture with her trusty Smart Phone.

I heard the southbound run of the train on the RSTL yesterday morning, but I didn't feel like getting up @ 8:40 a.m., so to paraphrase Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that." What would a visit to YouTube™ be without one more cut from there of Tom Hanks in his Oscar™ winning role as Forrest Gump uttering those words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otm4RusESNU.

 Later, @ 12:25 p.m., Ginger and I spotted MMRR locomotive #2019 soloing as it headed north towing one, CHC, one DBTC, and two DWTCs.

Otherwise, we didn't do much yesterday except use up time we will never get back, as our off-site computer guru assisted us with backing up our computers and checking our anti-virus software. She is changing our backup service to one that is more reliable than that which we have been relying on. She'll be rejoining our regularly scheduled day already in progress today to once again attempt to complete more of that task.

Sports news yesterday was interesting, to say the least. The 41 - 36, 2nd in the NL Central Cubs, fell to the 43 - 36, 2nd in the NL West Dodgers, 5 - 7, to stay 2.5 games behind the losing Brewers. The Cubs starting pitcher, Kyle Hendricks, didn't make it out of the 2nd inning, surrendering six runs that were more than the Cubs offense could overcome. The Cubs and the Dodgers play today @ 3:10 p.m. EDT.

My beloved, 54 - 27, 1st in the AL East by .5 games Red Sox, brought the lumber to Fenway yesterday as they pounded the visiting 41 - 40, 4th place in the AL West Angels, 9 - 6. J.D. Martinez hit his 25th home run en route to the win. The Sox and the Angels play again tonight in Fenway @ 7:10 p.m. EDT.

The 38 - 45, 3rd in the AL Central Tigers, dropped another game as they fell to the 43 - 38, 3rd in the AL West Oakland As, 0 - 3. What can I say? The Tigers and the As play this afternoon @ 1:10 p.m. EDT.

The 41 - 36, 3rd in the MWL East Caps completed their sweep of the South Bend Cubs with a 5 - 2 victory. The Caps welcome the Blwling Green Hot Rods to the Fifth/Third Ballpark tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Mary made a great-tasting dinner of spaghetti last night. I told her the truth, that between tomato soup and pasta, I don't need anything else. Somewhat of a fib, but near the truth. I believe that this was one of her best efforts to date, which after nearly 45 years, is a saying a lot. Of course, she is the one who taught me to like macaroni and cheese and mushrooms too.

Otherwise, not much is on tap for today. John should be by to finish staining the deck now that the rain is over for a few days and that means that I'll be taking the fur-children out through the front door of the manse to avoid the wet stain. Ciao.