Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 4:40 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 23° under partly-cloudy skies, with winds of 12 mph that make it feel more like 15°! Today's high
is
forecast to reach 26°. By tomorrow, we expect to see 46°, still under those pertly-cloudy skies. Those 30° temperatures won't be permanently in our rear-view mirror until Wednesday, when we'll once again see temperatures in the 40s, hopefully for the foreseeable future.
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 11:00 a.m. today. Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots with gusts up to 30
knots and waves 4 to 7 feet.are expected from St Joseph to Manistee. Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions.
The sun will rise
today @ 7:21 a.m.
and
set later @ 6:33 p.m.
All of my teams were in action yesterday.
The now 3 - 4 Cubs dropped another game, this time to the 5 - 1 Padres yesterday, 1 - 5. Is there a palindrome in there? New Cubs' manager, David Ross, stated that it is all in the
details. Ross now plays a key role in deciding who will make the team out of Spring
Training and he also needs to evaluate every player in all facets of the
game, as the 26-man active roster will have moving pieces throughout the
season. Players will go up and down between the Majors and Minors. That's a wholly different perspective than he got from his former job in the Cubs' front-office. The Cubs host the 4 - 2 Brewers today @ 2:05 p.m. EST.
.
My beloved 3 - 4 Red Sox, also fell yesterday, in their case to the 4 - 1 Twins, 1 - 4. Sox' third-baseman, Rafael Devers, returned to the field yesterday. The 23 year-old Devers hopes to build on a successful 2019 season when he hit 32 home runs and drove in 115 RBIs. Will he make us forget that Mookie Betts was traded? I'm not certain but, he has all of the tools to make that possible according to Red Sox slugger J. D. Martinez. Martinez says that Devers' joy for the game and seeemingly perpetual smile make anything possible. The
Sox host the 4 - 2 Yankees today in a split-squad game @ 1:05 p.m. EST
The 3 - 3 Tigers lost to the 4 - 1 Rays yesterday, 4 - 5. Tigers owner and CEO, Chris Ilitch, said that rebuilding will not be an overnight process, but the team is in it for the long-run and that when success comes in the nest couple of years, which he assures fans it will, the Tigers will repeat that success over and over. I'll take a wait and see position on that prediction from Ilitch. Today's opponents for the
Tigers are the other split-squad from the Yankees when the Yankees host the Tigers @ 1:05 p.m. EST.
Remember, the Cubs brass promised more World Series™ appearances when the Cubs won in 2016, but so far...
I spent a lot of time in the kitchen yesterday afternoon, chopping, sauteing, cooking, and cleaning up, as I prepared multiple jars of vegan Hungarian goulash. A lot of work that my able assistants, the fur-children in their roles as sous-chefs, helped with. They sampled the peppers and carrots that were part of my efforts to be sure that the taste was just right. I think that they approved. Mary came down from her office and employed her skills to assist me with putting the goulash into Mason Jars™ for storage in the refrigerator, nee Ice-Box, as my dad used to call it.
We ended up going out to dinner last evening so that the goulash had time to fully blend the various ingredients into a tasty dinner treat. Plus, I was too pooped to pop to do any more kitchen work last evening.
Today, I hope to work another crossword puzzle and read the weekend-edition of the Grand Haven Tribune. I am out of novels to read right now, so I'll see if I can spend some time with the girls in my studio. Whenever you don't play regularly, your skills diminish rapidly.
Mary will likely continue reading her Stephen King novel, 11-22-63, a fictionalized account about the assignation of President John F. Kennedy. Mary has continued her email correspondence with our friend, Ellen, about that fateful day that changed both of their lives as well as the future of America.
Otherwise, I have no plans. Ciao.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 2:30 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 23° under cloudy-skies, with winds of 14 mph that make it feel like it is only 10°! Today's high is forecast to reach 26°. By tomorrow, we'll only see 26°m but by Sunday, we are anticipating a more balmy 46°!
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night. Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots tonight, will cause waves from 6 to 8 feet.can be expected from St Joseph to Manistee. The sun will rise today @ 7:23 a.m. and set later @ 6:32 p.m.
Ah, the vagaries of baseball. All of my teams are still in spring training mode, so that means that they are evaluating players for the Major League™ team, as well as for assignment to the minor leagues when camp breaks later this spring.
The 3 - 3 Cubs fell to the 3 - 3 Rangers yesterday, 1 - 13, as new manager, David Ross, managed his first game following a bout of flu. The Cubs face the 4 - 1 Padres tonight @ 7:40 p.m. EST.
The Cubs are still trying to decide who will be their fifth-starter this season. However, it likely won't be 28 year-old LHP Brad Wieck, as he has just returned to camp in AZ following a successful cardiac ablation in Chicago.
My beloved 3 - 3 Red Sox, also fell yesterday, in their case to the 5 - 1 Phillies, 5 - 12. LHP Chris Sale, who was shut down last August due to elbow soreness, won't be on the opening-day roster, as he is battling pneumonia, and flu, which means he isn't getting in any practice. The Sox face the 3 - 2 Rays today @ 1:05 p.m. EST
The 3 - 3 Tigers are looking good this spring, as Miguel Cabrera's opposite-field hitting stroke is returning to form, He was a dead-pull hitter last year as he attempted to compensate for injuries. However, the Tigers still fell to the Rays, 3 - 6. Today's opponents for the Tigers are the 3 - 1 Blue Jays @ 1:05 p.m. EST.
Yesterday was uneventful by local standards. I had another visit with the Nurse Practitioner from the orthopedist's office. More pain-relieving injections are in the offing, although right now, my yak is feeling okay. We finished up there and made a short run to the grocery store and scored another 10 cents off discount coupon that we used to refill our Renegade at a price per gallon less than $2.00! All things considered, that's not bad. We opted to fuel up yesterday as the price is likely to jump this weekend. We were killing time before a visit to Dr. Roscoe, our family chiropractor, whom we saw later in the afternoon. Worthy of note, the winds were howling at the gas station and made standing outside very uncomfortable.
While we were killing time, we also made a quick drive by at the "Big Lake", where Mary said that "she" wasn't as angry as the last time we visited. Still, the waves were plentiful and the city was using a front-end loader and dump trucks to clear away the excess sand and snow that had accumulated along the lakeside roadway.
Today, I have more to accomplish in the kitchen and more music to play. I am working on a couple of new tunes for my Irish Jam Session in three weeks.
That looks like enough for now. Ciao.
The current temperature is 23° under cloudy-skies, with winds of 14 mph that make it feel like it is only 10°! Today's high is forecast to reach 26°. By tomorrow, we'll only see 26°m but by Sunday, we are anticipating a more balmy 46°!
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night. Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots tonight, will cause waves from 6 to 8 feet.can be expected from St Joseph to Manistee. The sun will rise today @ 7:23 a.m. and set later @ 6:32 p.m.
Ah, the vagaries of baseball. All of my teams are still in spring training mode, so that means that they are evaluating players for the Major League™ team, as well as for assignment to the minor leagues when camp breaks later this spring.
The 3 - 3 Cubs fell to the 3 - 3 Rangers yesterday, 1 - 13, as new manager, David Ross, managed his first game following a bout of flu. The Cubs face the 4 - 1 Padres tonight @ 7:40 p.m. EST.
The Cubs are still trying to decide who will be their fifth-starter this season. However, it likely won't be 28 year-old LHP Brad Wieck, as he has just returned to camp in AZ following a successful cardiac ablation in Chicago.
My beloved 3 - 3 Red Sox, also fell yesterday, in their case to the 5 - 1 Phillies, 5 - 12. LHP Chris Sale, who was shut down last August due to elbow soreness, won't be on the opening-day roster, as he is battling pneumonia, and flu, which means he isn't getting in any practice. The Sox face the 3 - 2 Rays today @ 1:05 p.m. EST
The 3 - 3 Tigers are looking good this spring, as Miguel Cabrera's opposite-field hitting stroke is returning to form, He was a dead-pull hitter last year as he attempted to compensate for injuries. However, the Tigers still fell to the Rays, 3 - 6. Today's opponents for the Tigers are the 3 - 1 Blue Jays @ 1:05 p.m. EST.
Yesterday was uneventful by local standards. I had another visit with the Nurse Practitioner from the orthopedist's office. More pain-relieving injections are in the offing, although right now, my yak is feeling okay. We finished up there and made a short run to the grocery store and scored another 10 cents off discount coupon that we used to refill our Renegade at a price per gallon less than $2.00! All things considered, that's not bad. We opted to fuel up yesterday as the price is likely to jump this weekend. We were killing time before a visit to Dr. Roscoe, our family chiropractor, whom we saw later in the afternoon. Worthy of note, the winds were howling at the gas station and made standing outside very uncomfortable.
While we were killing time, we also made a quick drive by at the "Big Lake", where Mary said that "she" wasn't as angry as the last time we visited. Still, the waves were plentiful and the city was using a front-end loader and dump trucks to clear away the excess sand and snow that had accumulated along the lakeside roadway.
Today, I have more to accomplish in the kitchen and more music to play. I am working on a couple of new tunes for my Irish Jam Session in three weeks.
That looks like enough for now. Ciao.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 30° under cloudy skies. With the wind-chill factor caused by the prevailing16 mph winds, it feels like 21°. Today's high is forecast to reach 33° under cloudy skies.
There is a Gale Warning in effect from 11:00 a.m. this until 4:00 p.m. Thursday. North winds 15 to 25 knots with gusts up to 35 knots and waves 6 to 9 feet are expected from St Joseph to Manistee. Hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility are highly likely. Winds will shift from offshore, northeast, this morning to northwest by this evening. The strongest winds are expected during the evening hours today. Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions and that doesn't count the regular cast of foolhardy people willingly braving those conditions on the South Pier.
Beginning tomorrow, the NWS is forecasting three more days of temperatures in the 20s, and then a few days in the 40s and then some in the 30s, and so on. Winter in Michigan.
The sun will rise today @ 7:26 a.m. and set later @ 6:30 p.m.
What a whirlwind day we had yesterday, well at least as whirlwind as a day can be when you are retired. I made my third of five visits to the orthopedist and then had lunch at the hospital cafeteria salad bar. They had all of my favorites, including chickpeas, beets, broccoli and iceberg lettuce. Sadly, they hadn't put out any mushrooms.
Who would have thought that until a few years ago, I'd avoided mushrooms like President George H.W. Bush avoided broccoli. Maybe it was because my mother favored those slimy mushrooms that came in cans and jars. President Bush said that he'd been forced to eat broccoli as a kid and now that he was president, he didn't have to eat broccoli. Me, I just couldn't be forced nor cajoled into eating those slimy things that my mother served. Come to think of it, I can't recall eating a salad until I got married 46 years ago either.
When I got home, I found that Mary had been in contact with our friend, Ellen, through email to discuss and reminisce about Ellen's recollections of the day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, November 3, 1963. Ellen was living in Dallas at the time and her recollections were both similar to and different from those of both Mary and myself. Mary is currently reading a book by Stephen King that is a historical time-travel novelized version of that infamous day. People who lived through those tumultuous times have their recollections indelibly etched into their memories.
I know my memories of that event are not as vivid as those of others, like both Ellen and Mary, but I still remember where I was when our principal at Miner Junior-High School, nee middle-school, Chester Raasch, came on the PA system to announce the death of the president. What followed was four days of wall to wall TV about the events of that fateful day. In those day, there were only three or four TV channels on a black and white TV in the living room of my parents house.
For Mary, she just knew that the nuns at her Catholic grammar school, St. Alphonsus Liquori in Prospect Heights, IL, were crying. These women were supposed to be super-human and for them to be openly weeping was very disconcerting to the young children in their charge. President Kennedy was the first Roman-Catholic to be elected POTUS.
But, as is often the case, I digress. I had made plans work in the kitchen to use the cauliflower that had to be used before it want over the edge, so to speak. I was going to try a new recipe and make a cauliflower and macaroni casserole. Unfortunately, we didn't have all of the ingredients called for in the recipe, so instead, Mary and I combined to make mashed cauliflower and potatoes along with vegan Italian sausages. When in Rome as they say.
Today, Mary has another "Tad" session at the library while the fur-children and I keep the home fires burning. If there is sufficient light, I may do some painting. If not, there are several stringed instruments awaiting my attention in my studio and books and newspapers to read. Ciao..
The current temperature is 30° under cloudy skies. With the wind-chill factor caused by the prevailing16 mph winds, it feels like 21°. Today's high is forecast to reach 33° under cloudy skies.
There is a Gale Warning in effect from 11:00 a.m. this until 4:00 p.m. Thursday. North winds 15 to 25 knots with gusts up to 35 knots and waves 6 to 9 feet are expected from St Joseph to Manistee. Hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility are highly likely. Winds will shift from offshore, northeast, this morning to northwest by this evening. The strongest winds are expected during the evening hours today. Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions and that doesn't count the regular cast of foolhardy people willingly braving those conditions on the South Pier.
Beginning tomorrow, the NWS is forecasting three more days of temperatures in the 20s, and then a few days in the 40s and then some in the 30s, and so on. Winter in Michigan.
The sun will rise today @ 7:26 a.m. and set later @ 6:30 p.m.
What a whirlwind day we had yesterday, well at least as whirlwind as a day can be when you are retired. I made my third of five visits to the orthopedist and then had lunch at the hospital cafeteria salad bar. They had all of my favorites, including chickpeas, beets, broccoli and iceberg lettuce. Sadly, they hadn't put out any mushrooms.
Who would have thought that until a few years ago, I'd avoided mushrooms like President George H.W. Bush avoided broccoli. Maybe it was because my mother favored those slimy mushrooms that came in cans and jars. President Bush said that he'd been forced to eat broccoli as a kid and now that he was president, he didn't have to eat broccoli. Me, I just couldn't be forced nor cajoled into eating those slimy things that my mother served. Come to think of it, I can't recall eating a salad until I got married 46 years ago either.
When I got home, I found that Mary had been in contact with our friend, Ellen, through email to discuss and reminisce about Ellen's recollections of the day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, November 3, 1963. Ellen was living in Dallas at the time and her recollections were both similar to and different from those of both Mary and myself. Mary is currently reading a book by Stephen King that is a historical time-travel novelized version of that infamous day. People who lived through those tumultuous times have their recollections indelibly etched into their memories.
I know my memories of that event are not as vivid as those of others, like both Ellen and Mary, but I still remember where I was when our principal at Miner Junior-High School, nee middle-school, Chester Raasch, came on the PA system to announce the death of the president. What followed was four days of wall to wall TV about the events of that fateful day. In those day, there were only three or four TV channels on a black and white TV in the living room of my parents house.
For Mary, she just knew that the nuns at her Catholic grammar school, St. Alphonsus Liquori in Prospect Heights, IL, were crying. These women were supposed to be super-human and for them to be openly weeping was very disconcerting to the young children in their charge. President Kennedy was the first Roman-Catholic to be elected POTUS.
But, as is often the case, I digress. I had made plans work in the kitchen to use the cauliflower that had to be used before it want over the edge, so to speak. I was going to try a new recipe and make a cauliflower and macaroni casserole. Unfortunately, we didn't have all of the ingredients called for in the recipe, so instead, Mary and I combined to make mashed cauliflower and potatoes along with vegan Italian sausages. When in Rome as they say.
Today, Mary has another "Tad" session at the library while the fur-children and I keep the home fires burning. If there is sufficient light, I may do some painting. If not, there are several stringed instruments awaiting my attention in my studio and books and newspapers to read. Ciao..
Monday, February 24, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 4:30 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 34° under clear-skies with negligible wind, so it feels like 32°. Today's high is forecast to reach a balmy 43° under cloudy-skies! Tomorrow will be cooler with a 60% chance for snow-showers in the late-afternoon and still colder temperatures on Wednesday.
The Cubs came off Saturday's 12 - 2 drubbing of the Oakland As with a 2 - 4 loss to the Dodgers yesterday. The Cubs' rookie manager, David Ross, was not there as he is battling flu-like symptoms. What is it about spring training that seems to produce those flu-like symptoms? To be fair, the Cubs have been well organized under the plans implemented by Ross for these first two weeks of.camp in Mesa, AZ.
Rookies sensation, Nico Hoerner, is getting playing time @ second-base, but to get enough playing time, the 22 year-old may end up in the minors to start the season. The Cubs and the Mariners play today @ 3:10 p.m. EST.
My beloved Red Sox have several players to watch this spring. Jarren Duran may be the center-fielder in waiting if Jackie Bradley Jr. opts to become a free-agent after this season. LHP Chris Sale reported to camp late with an unspecified illness, but pitched a bullpen session in front of the Sox pitching coach, Dave Bush, yesterday.
Once and maybe former second-baseman Dustin Pedroia was placed on the 60-day injured list. That move was not a surprise. Pedroia is still in shutdown mode after having a significant setback with his problematic left knee in late January. Remember, you read it here first in one of last year's blogs. The Sox are in split-squad mode today with games against the Twins and the Rays @ 1:05 p.m. EST.
The Tigers and Miggy looked healthy, as they defeated the Braves,yesterday 5 - 1 and the Pirates, 8 - 4 in split-squad games. Rookie phenom, RHP Casey Mize, got of to a rocky start against the Pirates, but settled down and used his split-finger fastball to get out of the inning and avoid getting the early hook from acting manage, Lloyd McClendon, who was managing for regular manager Ron Gardenhire. The Tigers play the Astros today @ 1:05 p.m..
We walked to the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Haven yesterday for that presentation on water resources by award-winning author and former print-journalist, Jeff Alexander. He presented a mixed-bag of news, the Great Lakes are not dead, but they are also trying to overcome the invasion of several non-native species that have decimated the native fish population. However, those native species are trying to fight back, so maybe many years in the future, things will be much improved. Worthy of note is that the level of all the Great Lakes continues to rise at an alarming rate.
We came home and Mary had to improvise a sauce for her world-famous vegan thin-crust pizza. Plus, we had read earlier in the day that pepperoni topping for pizza is better when it is sauteed in a pan with some olive oil before using it to top a pizza. It turns out that that applied to my vegan pepperoni that I had made earlier in the day too. At any rate, the pizza was terrific and I liked it a lot. Here are some pix of the process and the finished product taken by our Senior Staff Photographer with her Smart-Phone camera.
Today, not much is happening, to paraphrase that old shop-worn beginning to a bad novel. I finished my latest novel yesterday and continued a non-fiction book about writing that I had started a few days ago. I also began another foray into my non-genre list, entitled The Amish Wedding Promise, by Laura V. Hinton. I blame Mary for thart.
That looks like enough for one day. Ciao.
The current temperature is 34° under clear-skies with negligible wind, so it feels like 32°. Today's high is forecast to reach a balmy 43° under cloudy-skies! Tomorrow will be cooler with a 60% chance for snow-showers in the late-afternoon and still colder temperatures on Wednesday.
The Cubs came off Saturday's 12 - 2 drubbing of the Oakland As with a 2 - 4 loss to the Dodgers yesterday. The Cubs' rookie manager, David Ross, was not there as he is battling flu-like symptoms. What is it about spring training that seems to produce those flu-like symptoms? To be fair, the Cubs have been well organized under the plans implemented by Ross for these first two weeks of.camp in Mesa, AZ.
Rookies sensation, Nico Hoerner, is getting playing time @ second-base, but to get enough playing time, the 22 year-old may end up in the minors to start the season. The Cubs and the Mariners play today @ 3:10 p.m. EST.
My beloved Red Sox have several players to watch this spring. Jarren Duran may be the center-fielder in waiting if Jackie Bradley Jr. opts to become a free-agent after this season. LHP Chris Sale reported to camp late with an unspecified illness, but pitched a bullpen session in front of the Sox pitching coach, Dave Bush, yesterday.
Once and maybe former second-baseman Dustin Pedroia was placed on the 60-day injured list. That move was not a surprise. Pedroia is still in shutdown mode after having a significant setback with his problematic left knee in late January. Remember, you read it here first in one of last year's blogs. The Sox are in split-squad mode today with games against the Twins and the Rays @ 1:05 p.m. EST.
The Tigers and Miggy looked healthy, as they defeated the Braves,yesterday 5 - 1 and the Pirates, 8 - 4 in split-squad games. Rookie phenom, RHP Casey Mize, got of to a rocky start against the Pirates, but settled down and used his split-finger fastball to get out of the inning and avoid getting the early hook from acting manage, Lloyd McClendon, who was managing for regular manager Ron Gardenhire. The Tigers play the Astros today @ 1:05 p.m..
We walked to the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Haven yesterday for that presentation on water resources by award-winning author and former print-journalist, Jeff Alexander. He presented a mixed-bag of news, the Great Lakes are not dead, but they are also trying to overcome the invasion of several non-native species that have decimated the native fish population. However, those native species are trying to fight back, so maybe many years in the future, things will be much improved. Worthy of note is that the level of all the Great Lakes continues to rise at an alarming rate.
We came home and Mary had to improvise a sauce for her world-famous vegan thin-crust pizza. Plus, we had read earlier in the day that pepperoni topping for pizza is better when it is sauteed in a pan with some olive oil before using it to top a pizza. It turns out that that applied to my vegan pepperoni that I had made earlier in the day too. At any rate, the pizza was terrific and I liked it a lot. Here are some pix of the process and the finished product taken by our Senior Staff Photographer with her Smart-Phone camera.
 |
| The sauce, simmering in the pot. |
 |
| The vegan pepperoni sauteing inthe cast-iron skillet. |
 |
| The mega-delicious finished product. |
That looks like enough for one day. Ciao.
Sunday, February 23, 2020
The current temperature is 36° under clear skies with winds of 15 mph. With that wind, it feels like 27°. Today's high is forecast to reach a balmy 40° under clear skies!
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 4:00 p.m. tomorrow. Southwest winds of 15 to 25 knots and waves from 3 to 5 are forecast from St Joseph to Manistee. Conditions will be hazardous to small craft. Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions. The sun will rise today @ 7:31 a.m. and set later @ 6:26 p.m.
If you need proof that spring has sprung, you need look no further than the Cubs 12 - 2 win over the Oakland As last night. Cubs' catcher, Wilson Contreras,jacked a home-run and non-roster invitees, Trent Giambrone nailed a three run dinger en route to the win. Of course, this is spring training and the likelihood that Giambrone will make the Cubs' opening day roster are slim, but as a Die Hard Cubs Fan you have to take highlights where you can get them. Today, the Cubs take on the the team that got the best end of the trade with my beloved Red Sox, the LA Dodgers @ 3:05 p.m.
Speaking of my beloved Red Sox, minus Mookie Betts and David Price, they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday, 4 - 3. Not a lopsided win, but a win nonetheless. The beloved face the Orioles today @ 1:05 p.m.
And then, there are the Tigers. Miggy looked healthy, so far, but the Tigers and the Phillies enede with an 8 - 8 tie yesterday. The Tigers play split-squad games today against the Braves and the Pirates.
We had a light lunch and then walked over to 7th and Washington to start our afternoon of viewing and photographing the Frozen in Time mannequins.
 |
| This pic was taken later when we were downtown on Washington. |
 |
| This group was portraying 10 Green Bottles. |
 |
| Both the baby and her "mom", looked happy. "Mom" had a glass of wine, so.... |
 |
| Yes, the cow was in the corn and Little Boy Blue was there too. |
So many things to see and photograph before we jumped back on the trolley and headed towrds home and our last stop, The Bookman.
We walked home, interrupted the fur-children, and then headed to Stan's for an afternoon libation. Along the way, we picked up two sandwiches @ Subway™ in Spring Lake that became part of our dinner.
Today, more reading to do, more crossword solving, a walk with the fur-children, followed by a lecture @ the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Haven regarding water resources.
This presentation will be by award-winning author and church member, Jeff Alexander. He is an award-winning author and former environmental journalist. He spent two decades covering the Great Lakes and other environmental issues for several Michigan newspapers, including the Muskegon Chronicle. His 2009 book about invasive species, Pandora’s Locks: The Opening of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway, has been called the “definitive history of a Great Lakes tragedy.” It should be very interesting. That looks like enough for one day. Ciao.
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 3:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 34° under clear skies with winds of 16 mph. With that wind, it feels like 23°. Today's high is forecast to reach 37°. By tomorrow, we'll reach a balmy 40°!
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 7:00 p.m. tonight. Southwest winds of 15 to 30 knots and waves from 6 to 9 feet early this morning, will subside to 3 to 5 feet by this afternoon from St Joseph to Manistee. Southwest winds of 15 to 30 knots will continue this morning. Winds and waves will gradually subside this afternoon. The sun will rise today @ 7:32 a.m. and set later @ 6:25 p.m.
All of that bodes well for our anticipated outdoor activity this afternoon. From 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., many Main Street businesses throughout Grand Haven's downtown shopping district and in the center town shopping district near the manse, will be participating in the Frozen in Time activity and each one will feature live, “frozen” mannequins depicting a scene from a favorite nursery rhyme. The public is invited to wander throughout the districts to view the nursery rhymes, take pix, and vote for their favorite. I hope to use my Olympus DSLR camera to capture the "mannequins" in action. LOL
We took the fur-children to the groomer yesterday so that they could both get pawdicures and baths. In addition, Ginger got a trim. She looks better. STWD looks like STWD, but also better.
We made a trip to the grocery store after we dropped the fur-children yesterday. After we picked them up, we stopped @ our favorite watering hole for a snack. Since I had made vegan Italian meatballs earlier yesterday, they became part of the pasta dinner that Mary prepared. She allowed the sauce to simmer and that made it all the more savory.
I am making progress on my latest novel, by Greg Hurwitz Into the Fire an Orphan X novel, but this one is not in large-print format, so I am having to take frequent breaks.
Mary is continuing to read her novel too, a fiction book based on the facts of the JFK assassination. This book weighs nearly two pounds and is 849 pages long, so she anticipates reading this book for a long time.
Otherwise, we finished the crossword from the Friday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune. These puzzles are from the LA Times and like all newspaper crosswords, they get more difficult as the week progresses.
Not much else is happening. Ciao.
The current temperature is 34° under clear skies with winds of 16 mph. With that wind, it feels like 23°. Today's high is forecast to reach 37°. By tomorrow, we'll reach a balmy 40°!
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 7:00 p.m. tonight. Southwest winds of 15 to 30 knots and waves from 6 to 9 feet early this morning, will subside to 3 to 5 feet by this afternoon from St Joseph to Manistee. Southwest winds of 15 to 30 knots will continue this morning. Winds and waves will gradually subside this afternoon. The sun will rise today @ 7:32 a.m. and set later @ 6:25 p.m.
All of that bodes well for our anticipated outdoor activity this afternoon. From 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., many Main Street businesses throughout Grand Haven's downtown shopping district and in the center town shopping district near the manse, will be participating in the Frozen in Time activity and each one will feature live, “frozen” mannequins depicting a scene from a favorite nursery rhyme. The public is invited to wander throughout the districts to view the nursery rhymes, take pix, and vote for their favorite. I hope to use my Olympus DSLR camera to capture the "mannequins" in action. LOL
We took the fur-children to the groomer yesterday so that they could both get pawdicures and baths. In addition, Ginger got a trim. She looks better. STWD looks like STWD, but also better.
We made a trip to the grocery store after we dropped the fur-children yesterday. After we picked them up, we stopped @ our favorite watering hole for a snack. Since I had made vegan Italian meatballs earlier yesterday, they became part of the pasta dinner that Mary prepared. She allowed the sauce to simmer and that made it all the more savory.
I am making progress on my latest novel, by Greg Hurwitz Into the Fire an Orphan X novel, but this one is not in large-print format, so I am having to take frequent breaks.
Mary is continuing to read her novel too, a fiction book based on the facts of the JFK assassination. This book weighs nearly two pounds and is 849 pages long, so she anticipates reading this book for a long time.
Otherwise, we finished the crossword from the Friday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune. These puzzles are from the LA Times and like all newspaper crosswords, they get more difficult as the week progresses.
Not much else is happening. Ciao.
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 6:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 18° under mostly-cloudy skies with winds of 11 mph. With that wind, it feels like 9°. Today's high is forecast to reach 21°, however by tomorrow, we'll rebound to 34° and maybe get all the way up to a balmy 40° by Sunday!
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. Southwest winds 10 to 20 knots and waves 3 to 5 feet will precede a Gale Watch, from 1:00 p.m. Friday until 1:00 a.m. Saturday from St Joseph to Manistee. Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots Friday morning may increase to 40 knot gales Friday afternoon. Waves may build to 6 to 9 feet by Friday afternoon.
Strong winds can cause hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. Mariners should consider altering plans to avoid possible hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe wind and waves.
The sun will rise today @ 7:35 a.m. and set later @ 6:22 p.m.
There was another interesting story in yesterday's Grand Haven Tribune, this one regarding Mill Point Park in Spring Lake. The rising waters of Lake Michigan and the expectation by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers that the waters will continue to rise throughout 2020, may mean that Mill Point Park will be closed until further notice.
The Village of Spring Lake has placed barricades across the entrance to the park, but last summer, inconsiderate people got out of their cars, moved the barricades, and drove onto the soggy grass. In addition, since this is also a boat launch, one guy decided that he needed to launch his boat too and caused additional damage to the grassy areas.
We dropped Ginger at daycare yesterday before trekking to GR. It was a sunny and mostly-cloudless day, (Gee, that sounds like the beginning of a bad novel, you know the ones that start out, "It was a dark and stormy night!") However, our trip went smoothly.
Along the way, both there and back, I snapped some pix with my trusty Olympus DSLR camera of the clouds, the skyline of GR, some of the businesses in GR, some of the swollen rivers, and of course, some barns. With no particular order, here are some of those pix, including some of a delay we encountered after dropping Ginger
Once past the scene of the accident, traffic moved well. The downtown area of GR is only slightly to the south, but way to the east of GH, so it took about 40 minutes to get there. I took various pix en-route.
A short stop in GR and it was time to reverse the route and head towards home. I couldn't stop taking pix, so here are more.
Getting home meant a stop at Don Luis before we picked up Ginger and then home to collectively watch some TV and allow me to fall asleep in the media room. I awoke long enough to watch part of the Democratic Debate from las Vegas and then I went off to bed.
Oops, I nearly forgot. At about 8:30 a.m. yesterday, I watched as MMRR EMD GP38-2 locomotive #2019 passed by the manse deadheading southward. Later, @ 12:25 p.m., I watched that same locomotive pass by heading north towing six DBTCs, seven CHCs, and sis DWTCs.
Today should be tame. A collective stop at the chiropractor this afternoon and a program on Creative Calligraphy at the Loutit Library for me this evening. In between, some indoor chores. Ciao.
The current temperature is 18° under mostly-cloudy skies with winds of 11 mph. With that wind, it feels like 9°. Today's high is forecast to reach 21°, however by tomorrow, we'll rebound to 34° and maybe get all the way up to a balmy 40° by Sunday!
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. Southwest winds 10 to 20 knots and waves 3 to 5 feet will precede a Gale Watch, from 1:00 p.m. Friday until 1:00 a.m. Saturday from St Joseph to Manistee. Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots Friday morning may increase to 40 knot gales Friday afternoon. Waves may build to 6 to 9 feet by Friday afternoon.
Strong winds can cause hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. Mariners should consider altering plans to avoid possible hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe wind and waves.
The sun will rise today @ 7:35 a.m. and set later @ 6:22 p.m.
There was another interesting story in yesterday's Grand Haven Tribune, this one regarding Mill Point Park in Spring Lake. The rising waters of Lake Michigan and the expectation by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers that the waters will continue to rise throughout 2020, may mean that Mill Point Park will be closed until further notice.
The Village of Spring Lake has placed barricades across the entrance to the park, but last summer, inconsiderate people got out of their cars, moved the barricades, and drove onto the soggy grass. In addition, since this is also a boat launch, one guy decided that he needed to launch his boat too and caused additional damage to the grassy areas.
We dropped Ginger at daycare yesterday before trekking to GR. It was a sunny and mostly-cloudless day, (Gee, that sounds like the beginning of a bad novel, you know the ones that start out, "It was a dark and stormy night!") However, our trip went smoothly.
Along the way, both there and back, I snapped some pix with my trusty Olympus DSLR camera of the clouds, the skyline of GR, some of the businesses in GR, some of the swollen rivers, and of course, some barns. With no particular order, here are some of those pix, including some of a delay we encountered after dropping Ginger
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| Right in front of the local Chevrolet dealer, there was an accident that tied up southbound traffic on Beacon Blvd. |
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| The Law of Physics states that two objects cannot occupy the same space and so... |
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| Wispy cirrus clouds were all that we saw. |
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| Late February is a time when farms and irrigation systems are quiet. |
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| Not much was happening, Oops, another bad novel line. |
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| Same here. |
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| What has generally been a dry watershed of the Grand River, is now submerged. |
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| As the spring approaches, the river will only get wider and deeper. |
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| Gr is building and rebuilding its downtown area. |
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| Lots of restaurants and bars are part of the scene now. |
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| Mary and I often wonder why a business would choose to highlight the bad side of coffee drinking. |
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| Closed streets, cranes, and lots of activity. |
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| Along the main streets of GR, the city has erected these new bus stops that will become active in the late summer. |
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| GR was once a rail hub, but these tracks have been severed to make way for automotive traffic. |
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| Yes, another quiet farm. |
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| Or two. |
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| Or three. |
Oops, I nearly forgot. At about 8:30 a.m. yesterday, I watched as MMRR EMD GP38-2 locomotive #2019 passed by the manse deadheading southward. Later, @ 12:25 p.m., I watched that same locomotive pass by heading north towing six DBTCs, seven CHCs, and sis DWTCs.
Today should be tame. A collective stop at the chiropractor this afternoon and a program on Creative Calligraphy at the Loutit Library for me this evening. In between, some indoor chores. Ciao.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 6:30 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 20° under partly-cloudy skies with winds between 10 and 15 mph. Due to that wind, it feels like 10°. Today's high is forecast to reach 23°, that's 13° colder than yesterday, under mostly-sunny skies..
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 7:00 p.m. tonight. Northwest winds to of 10 to 20 knots and waves of 3 to 6 feet in ice free areas are expected from St Joseph to Manistee.
The sun will rise today @ 7:37 a.m. and set later @ 6:21 p.m.
There was an interesting story in yesterday's Grand Haven Tribune, regarding a juvenile bald eagle. Apparently, a lady saw something on the ice near her Spring Lake home and saw two bald eagles swooping low overhead. Upon closer investigation, she determined that a young eagle was stuck in the ice. She called authorities, but they just had to wait until the sun came up and the melting ice freed the eagle.
It was surmised that the eagle had been looking for prey, swooped down, but found that its wings had become stuck in the ice. It seems that the only need for human intervention was to keep the curious away and let nature take its course.
Many years ago in Chicago, a pair of WLS Radio disk jockeys, the late Larry Lujack and the now retired Tommy Edwards, did a regular bit that they called Animal Stories, with Lujack as Old Uncle Lar, and Edwards as Little Snot Nosed Tommy. At the end of each segment, Edwards always asked Lujack, "Is the (fill in the appropriate animal) going to be okay?" Lujack generally said yes. So in this case, he would have told Edwards, "Yes Little Tommy, the eagle is going to be okay."
There's a genuine "No Prize" for the answer to this question, "What did the call letters WLS stand for?"
I made it to all of my appointments yesterday and everything went well. I had a great salad bar at the hospital and no problems at either doctor. I'm officially 2/5 of the way to the end of my knee injection cycle, or as my orthopedist noted, "Next week will be hump week."
While I was out, Mary completed parts two of our dinner, vegan gyros. She had purchased part one, the pitas, the day before. Part two consisted of making the vegan meat filler, while part three required a visit to the grocery story for cucumbers so that she could complete part three, the tzatziki sauce. Collectively, the entire meal was great and a definite keeper. In this case, Mary did it all herself, and my only contribution was going on a ride-a-long to the grocery store. Well, that and the consumption of her dinner.
While we were out, we made a stop at a local bicycle store, Loose Spokes Bicycle Sales & Service in GH to check on a possible E-bike purchase. The very knowledgeable owner, Jack, said that they did indeed sell them, but that their 2020 shipment would not be there until mid-March.
However, he was able to answer our questions, provide details and pricing information for the 2020 models, and we left feeling as though we know where we will be buying my new E-bike. Plus, what's not to like about a man named Jack?
At any rate, the E-bike that they sell, the Del Sol™ Lxi i/O Throttle would look similar to the one shown in this pic from the manufacturer. My color choices would be brushed aluminum, black, or sky blue, as in the pic below. Given my love of riding and an acquiescence to my advancing years, an E-bike will be a wise purchase. The color choice is still up in the air. This E-bike comes with fenders, a step-thru frame, a rear luggage/cargo rack, disk brakes, and more. It also has a range between 20 and 40 miles on a single battery charge with a top speed over 20 mph! More than I'll ever need.
I finished my latest large-print novel, Criss Cross by James Patterson late last night. This novel is the latest in the Alex Cross series.
This afternoon we are off to GR after dropping Ginger at daycare. That will consume most of our busy day. LOL. Ciao.
The current temperature is 20° under partly-cloudy skies with winds between 10 and 15 mph. Due to that wind, it feels like 10°. Today's high is forecast to reach 23°, that's 13° colder than yesterday, under mostly-sunny skies..
The Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 7:00 p.m. tonight. Northwest winds to of 10 to 20 knots and waves of 3 to 6 feet in ice free areas are expected from St Joseph to Manistee.
The sun will rise today @ 7:37 a.m. and set later @ 6:21 p.m.
There was an interesting story in yesterday's Grand Haven Tribune, regarding a juvenile bald eagle. Apparently, a lady saw something on the ice near her Spring Lake home and saw two bald eagles swooping low overhead. Upon closer investigation, she determined that a young eagle was stuck in the ice. She called authorities, but they just had to wait until the sun came up and the melting ice freed the eagle.
It was surmised that the eagle had been looking for prey, swooped down, but found that its wings had become stuck in the ice. It seems that the only need for human intervention was to keep the curious away and let nature take its course.
Many years ago in Chicago, a pair of WLS Radio disk jockeys, the late Larry Lujack and the now retired Tommy Edwards, did a regular bit that they called Animal Stories, with Lujack as Old Uncle Lar, and Edwards as Little Snot Nosed Tommy. At the end of each segment, Edwards always asked Lujack, "Is the (fill in the appropriate animal) going to be okay?" Lujack generally said yes. So in this case, he would have told Edwards, "Yes Little Tommy, the eagle is going to be okay."
There's a genuine "No Prize" for the answer to this question, "What did the call letters WLS stand for?"
I made it to all of my appointments yesterday and everything went well. I had a great salad bar at the hospital and no problems at either doctor. I'm officially 2/5 of the way to the end of my knee injection cycle, or as my orthopedist noted, "Next week will be hump week."
While I was out, Mary completed parts two of our dinner, vegan gyros. She had purchased part one, the pitas, the day before. Part two consisted of making the vegan meat filler, while part three required a visit to the grocery story for cucumbers so that she could complete part three, the tzatziki sauce. Collectively, the entire meal was great and a definite keeper. In this case, Mary did it all herself, and my only contribution was going on a ride-a-long to the grocery store. Well, that and the consumption of her dinner.
While we were out, we made a stop at a local bicycle store, Loose Spokes Bicycle Sales & Service in GH to check on a possible E-bike purchase. The very knowledgeable owner, Jack, said that they did indeed sell them, but that their 2020 shipment would not be there until mid-March.
However, he was able to answer our questions, provide details and pricing information for the 2020 models, and we left feeling as though we know where we will be buying my new E-bike. Plus, what's not to like about a man named Jack?
At any rate, the E-bike that they sell, the Del Sol™ Lxi i/O Throttle would look similar to the one shown in this pic from the manufacturer. My color choices would be brushed aluminum, black, or sky blue, as in the pic below. Given my love of riding and an acquiescence to my advancing years, an E-bike will be a wise purchase. The color choice is still up in the air. This E-bike comes with fenders, a step-thru frame, a rear luggage/cargo rack, disk brakes, and more. It also has a range between 20 and 40 miles on a single battery charge with a top speed over 20 mph! More than I'll ever need.
I finished my latest large-print novel, Criss Cross by James Patterson late last night. This novel is the latest in the Alex Cross series.
This afternoon we are off to GR after dropping Ginger at daycare. That will consume most of our busy day. LOL. Ciao.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 7:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 36° under partly-cloudy skies with winds of 15 mph. Due to that wind, it feels like 26°. I've not been outside, but the way that wind is blowing arouind the manse, I doubt that 26° number. Today's high is forecast to reach 37°.
That Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 11:00 a.m. this morning. Northwest winds to 30 knots and waves of 4 to 7 feet in ice free areas are expected from St Joseph to Manistee.
The sun will rise today @ 7:38 a.m. and set later @ 6:19 p.m.
The waves of Sunday had subsided when we traveled to the beach yesterday. Still, the residual effects were clearly visible from the ice-covered catwalk on the north pier to the snow-covered beaches and playground equipment. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the lone gull or tern that was perched on an electrical box near the beach.
I took all of these pix with my large telephoto lens. However, when I tried to use that same lens to photograph the lone Bald Eagle in Spring Lake, all I got was blurred shots. I need to figure out what went wrong. It might have been too cold or I might have been unsteady, which seems more likely.
Before we headed out yesterday, I made some vegan bratwursts and we had two for dinner. Tasty as always.
Today, I have the second orthopedic appointment for my knee injections. That will be two down and three to go. I will likely eat a salad bar lunch at the hospital before that appointment. Afterwards, I have to rush to an appointment at the podiatrist about four blocks away from the hospital. Asuing that the ortho is on time and not stuck in surgery. I should have no problem. Ciao.
The current temperature is 36° under partly-cloudy skies with winds of 15 mph. Due to that wind, it feels like 26°. I've not been outside, but the way that wind is blowing arouind the manse, I doubt that 26° number. Today's high is forecast to reach 37°.
That Small Craft Advisory continues in effect until 11:00 a.m. this morning. Northwest winds to 30 knots and waves of 4 to 7 feet in ice free areas are expected from St Joseph to Manistee.
The sun will rise today @ 7:38 a.m. and set later @ 6:19 p.m.
The waves of Sunday had subsided when we traveled to the beach yesterday. Still, the residual effects were clearly visible from the ice-covered catwalk on the north pier to the snow-covered beaches and playground equipment. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the lone gull or tern that was perched on an electrical box near the beach.
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| I didn't notice until I looked more closely, that there were foolhardy people on the pier. |
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| Yes, the pier is totally ice-covered. |
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| Any child who wanted to could have used this empty playground equipment. |
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| I like how the lighthouses appear over the top of the dune. |
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| This unused playground equipment was surrounded by snow. |
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| A lone gull or tern on an electric box at the State Park. |
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| Most of the beach is underwater. |
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| This ice formation caught my eye and my lens. |
Before we headed out yesterday, I made some vegan bratwursts and we had two for dinner. Tasty as always.
Today, I have the second orthopedic appointment for my knee injections. That will be two down and three to go. I will likely eat a salad bar lunch at the hospital before that appointment. Afterwards, I have to rush to an appointment at the podiatrist about four blocks away from the hospital. Asuing that the ortho is on time and not stuck in surgery. I should have no problem. Ciao.
Monday, February 17, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 7:00 a.m. in "The City." Yes, you read that right. I stayed in bed this morning until after 6:00 a.m. Why? Because I could.
The current temperature is 22° under partly-cloudy skies with winds of 15 mph. Due to that wind, it feels like 11°. Today's high is forecast to reach 37°, albeit with the following caveats for today through tomorrow.
A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 5:00 p.m. today until 1:00 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday. Mixed precipitation is expected. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze are expected for portions of central, south central, southwest and west central Michigan. Drivers should plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute today and perhaps the morning commute on Tuesday. Slow down and use caution while traveling. Duh!
Another Small Craft Advisory will be in effect from 4:00 a.m. Tuesday until 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. Northwest winds of 15 to 25 knots with gusts up to 30 knots and waves 3 to 6 feet are possible from St Joseph to Manistee. Conditions will be hazardous to small craft. Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions. Ya think?
The sun will rise today @ 7:40 a.m. and set later @ 6:18 p.m.
Yesterday was good day to clean out the refrigerator and save ourselves both money and space. Mary put together a non-traditional brunch of various leftovers that had accumulated in small bowls over the past several days. A small side-salad completed our brunch. All good, but I'm glad all the leftovers are gone. Dinner was vegan burgers with another side-salad.
We tried to go see the Michigan Mandolin Orchestra yesterday, but they apparently brought their groupies out, so parking was at a premium at the Spring Lake library. Instead, we opted to avoid what were sure to be standing room only crowds and went to Stan's, where we encountered more crowds. A live band was playing in one end of the room, while at the other end of the room, someone was running a silent auction to raise money for someone's liver transplant. Only in America, land of opportunity and the world's best healthcare system.
Since Mary wanted to use the Lazy Boy in the living room to read last evening, I went upstairs and spent some time in the media room watching part of one movie, the whole of another, and reading copious pages in my latest large-print novel. In between, Mary had prepared dinner, so I went down for that and then returned upstairs.
Somewhere in there, we found time to do more indoor chores and I also found time to replace the knobs on our nightstands with some black knobs that blended better with the other furniture in the room. That didn't take long.
Today, Dawn will be by and we'll be staying inside as much as possible. I have to read the weekend edition of the Grand Haven Tribune and work the crossword puzzle. Retirement is such a busy time. Mary will be doing something as yet to be determined. Ciao.
The current temperature is 22° under partly-cloudy skies with winds of 15 mph. Due to that wind, it feels like 11°. Today's high is forecast to reach 37°, albeit with the following caveats for today through tomorrow.
A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 5:00 p.m. today until 1:00 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday. Mixed precipitation is expected. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze are expected for portions of central, south central, southwest and west central Michigan. Drivers should plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute today and perhaps the morning commute on Tuesday. Slow down and use caution while traveling. Duh!
Another Small Craft Advisory will be in effect from 4:00 a.m. Tuesday until 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. Northwest winds of 15 to 25 knots with gusts up to 30 knots and waves 3 to 6 feet are possible from St Joseph to Manistee. Conditions will be hazardous to small craft. Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions. Ya think?
The sun will rise today @ 7:40 a.m. and set later @ 6:18 p.m.
Yesterday was good day to clean out the refrigerator and save ourselves both money and space. Mary put together a non-traditional brunch of various leftovers that had accumulated in small bowls over the past several days. A small side-salad completed our brunch. All good, but I'm glad all the leftovers are gone. Dinner was vegan burgers with another side-salad.
We tried to go see the Michigan Mandolin Orchestra yesterday, but they apparently brought their groupies out, so parking was at a premium at the Spring Lake library. Instead, we opted to avoid what were sure to be standing room only crowds and went to Stan's, where we encountered more crowds. A live band was playing in one end of the room, while at the other end of the room, someone was running a silent auction to raise money for someone's liver transplant. Only in America, land of opportunity and the world's best healthcare system.
Since Mary wanted to use the Lazy Boy in the living room to read last evening, I went upstairs and spent some time in the media room watching part of one movie, the whole of another, and reading copious pages in my latest large-print novel. In between, Mary had prepared dinner, so I went down for that and then returned upstairs.
Somewhere in there, we found time to do more indoor chores and I also found time to replace the knobs on our nightstands with some black knobs that blended better with the other furniture in the room. That didn't take long.
Today, Dawn will be by and we'll be staying inside as much as possible. I have to read the weekend edition of the Grand Haven Tribune and work the crossword puzzle. Retirement is such a busy time. Mary will be doing something as yet to be determined. Ciao.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 6:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 32° under mostly-cloudy skies with winds blowing @ 8 mph. The steady winds are making it feel like it is 25°. The current temperature is about 22° warmer than it was yesterday at this time. Not FL, but for Michiganders, a heat wave. Today's high is forecast to be that same 32°. The sun will rise today @ 7:41 a.m. and set later @ 6:17 p.m.
After my Irish Jam Session yesterday, more on that in a bit, Mary picked me up and we decided to go down and see the effects of that Gale Warning that was in effect until 7:00 p.m. last night. What we observed was that dozens of other Grand Haveners had that same idea. However, we all got to view the effects of those Gale Force Winds while we were there, Mary and I both think that there will be more than moderate beach and dune erosion all along the shores of the "Big Lake."
If you recall, I was betting that I could go to the south pier and the beach area and see idiots walking along the pier and doing their best to get swept into the water. Fortunately, we didn't see anyone foolhardy enough to be on the pier, but we did see some people willing to brave the wind and the blowing snow that was pelting the Grand Haven State Park during our visit for their own dune-top photo-op. Nice bit of alliteration, don't you think?
Those Gale Force Winds of 35 to 40 knots over Lake Michigan generated waves from 8 to 12 feet that were breaking over the beach area in a way that we'd never seen before. I didn't have my non-water-proof Olympus DSLR camera with me, so our Senior Staff Photographer handed me her Smart Phone and I snapped happily away with that. With some serious , or was it furious clicking, I recorded the picture below. Mary said that she has never seen "Her" that angry before. I have to agree.
Areas north of here are reporting that their beach areas are eroding so heavily, that they are nearly gone. I fear that our own beaches, the one's that belong to the State Park and the one that belongs to the City of Grand Haven, will soon suffer the same fate.
On to more pleasant and less dangerous activities. As I mentioned yesterday, Mary schlepped me to my Irish Jam Session and then went about her business. She returned in time to check out a new to us vegan cookbook, one that she plans to purchase as she liked/likes it so much. She came down to peruse that book in the lobby outside Program Room A where are jam session was being held. Our session was well attended by both players of all ages and spectators alike. In her role as our Senior Staff Photographer, Mary snapped the picture below with her Smart Phone camera.
I played and sang my newest song offering, Absent Friends, by the Furey Brothers finger-picking style and I believe that I sang the lyrics and played perfectly. I asked that several players join me to aid in keeping my tendency to go too fast in check. They did and added some nice accompaniments. I thanked them then and I thank them now. After our efforts, everyone applauded and congratulated me on my song choice and commented on how beautiful it sounded. Any musician/performer lives for those accolades.
As I mentioned, we made that beach run and then stopped at our favorite watering hole for a quick nosh. Due to one of our annual pub-crawls here in GH, the place was crowded, but we found a table in the corner. The crowds lasted for quite a while, causing people to stand and wait, but the throngs had thinned out by the time we left.
Today, we hope to go to the Spring Lake District Library to see another in their 3 - 4 p.m. Music by the Fireplace concerts, featuring the Michigan Mandolin Orchestra. The group is based in GR and plays at venues throughout Western MI. We've not heard them before, but we have never been disappointed by the library's musical choices.
I finished the novel that Mary had recommended, The Library of the Unwritten, by A.J. Hackwith late last night. In spite of the fact that it was outside my usual genre choices, and in spite of the fact that it was published in tiny typeface, well at least to my old eyes, I enjoyed the book. Lots of plot twists and turns and a satisfying ending. What's not to like?
I also watched two old movies starring Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca, and Key Largo. They are among my non-baseball and non-musical favorites. I know that most anyone of a certain age can do some of the lines from Casablanca. But any rate, "Here's looking at you kid."
Otherwise, not much is on tap for today. I'll start another novel, this one in large-print format, and read the weekend edition of the Grand Haven Tribune and do the crossword. With a little help from Mary, I finished the Friday puzzle yesterday. Ciao.
The current temperature is 32° under mostly-cloudy skies with winds blowing @ 8 mph. The steady winds are making it feel like it is 25°. The current temperature is about 22° warmer than it was yesterday at this time. Not FL, but for Michiganders, a heat wave. Today's high is forecast to be that same 32°. The sun will rise today @ 7:41 a.m. and set later @ 6:17 p.m.
After my Irish Jam Session yesterday, more on that in a bit, Mary picked me up and we decided to go down and see the effects of that Gale Warning that was in effect until 7:00 p.m. last night. What we observed was that dozens of other Grand Haveners had that same idea. However, we all got to view the effects of those Gale Force Winds while we were there, Mary and I both think that there will be more than moderate beach and dune erosion all along the shores of the "Big Lake."
If you recall, I was betting that I could go to the south pier and the beach area and see idiots walking along the pier and doing their best to get swept into the water. Fortunately, we didn't see anyone foolhardy enough to be on the pier, but we did see some people willing to brave the wind and the blowing snow that was pelting the Grand Haven State Park during our visit for their own dune-top photo-op. Nice bit of alliteration, don't you think?
Those Gale Force Winds of 35 to 40 knots over Lake Michigan generated waves from 8 to 12 feet that were breaking over the beach area in a way that we'd never seen before. I didn't have my non-water-proof Olympus DSLR camera with me, so our Senior Staff Photographer handed me her Smart Phone and I snapped happily away with that. With some serious , or was it furious clicking, I recorded the picture below. Mary said that she has never seen "Her" that angry before. I have to agree.
 |
| That fence you see is at the edge of the parking area and those waves are both offshore and breaking onto the beach. |
On to more pleasant and less dangerous activities. As I mentioned yesterday, Mary schlepped me to my Irish Jam Session and then went about her business. She returned in time to check out a new to us vegan cookbook, one that she plans to purchase as she liked/likes it so much. She came down to peruse that book in the lobby outside Program Room A where are jam session was being held. Our session was well attended by both players of all ages and spectators alike. In her role as our Senior Staff Photographer, Mary snapped the picture below with her Smart Phone camera.
 |
| Many players, some professionals from local Irish bands were present and we sounded great. |
As I mentioned, we made that beach run and then stopped at our favorite watering hole for a quick nosh. Due to one of our annual pub-crawls here in GH, the place was crowded, but we found a table in the corner. The crowds lasted for quite a while, causing people to stand and wait, but the throngs had thinned out by the time we left.
Today, we hope to go to the Spring Lake District Library to see another in their 3 - 4 p.m. Music by the Fireplace concerts, featuring the Michigan Mandolin Orchestra. The group is based in GR and plays at venues throughout Western MI. We've not heard them before, but we have never been disappointed by the library's musical choices.
 |
| This is a pic of the Michigan Mandolin Orchestra from their Facebook™ page. |
I also watched two old movies starring Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca, and Key Largo. They are among my non-baseball and non-musical favorites. I know that most anyone of a certain age can do some of the lines from Casablanca. But any rate, "Here's looking at you kid."
Otherwise, not much is on tap for today. I'll start another novel, this one in large-print format, and read the weekend edition of the Grand Haven Tribune and do the crossword. With a little help from Mary, I finished the Friday puzzle yesterday. Ciao.
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just after 4:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 10° under clear-skies with windy conditions. In fact, steady winds of 24 mph are making it feel as though the temperature feels like -6°. Today's high is forecast to reach 33°. That sharp change in temperature is about 16° warmer than yesterday's high. The sun will rise today @ 7:42 a.m. and set later @ 6:15 p.m.
That Gale Warning, which is still in effect until 7:00 p.m. tonight, is accompanied by yet another Lakeshore Flood Warning, also until 7:00 p.m. this evening. Moderate beach and dune erosion and lakeshore flooding are expected for Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren counties, all along the shores of the "Big Lake." Inundation of low-lying areas along the lakeshore, in river mouths and road closures are possible. People should avoid piers, breakwaters and areas prone to flooding in high waves until the winds and waves subside.
I'm betting that if I were so inclined, I could go to the south pier and the beach area this afternoon and see idiots walking along the pier and doing their best to get swept into the water. Those Gale Force Winds of 35 to 40 knots over Lake Michigan will generate waves from 8 to 12 feet north of Muskegon and 6 to 10 feet south of Muskegon from St Joseph to Manistee. There's an oddity in that forecast from the NWS. If you know the map of Michigan and the lakeshore, you know that Manistee is north of Muskegon. I guess it is all in how you view it.
Yesterday, as we were sitting down to a terrific lunch of vegan Mushroom Stroganoff ala Mary, we heard a train passing by. I sprang from my chair to see if I could catch some quick pix of Ginger watching the train go by from her perch on the back of the couch. Instead, I ended up with some pix of the locomotives and some of the cars they had in tow.
The next pix will be of the razing of the plant. Starting yesterday, workers began preparing the Sims plant for
demolition, which is slated to begin in earnest June 1 and continue for
approximately one year. The demolition will include two implosions to take down the smoke stack and the boiler facility. My Olympus DSLR and my telephoto lens will be set up on my tripod to catch all of the action, if the implosions are announced beforehand.
We did not go out yesterday, opting instead to read and watch TV. Mary made that aforementioned vegan mushroom stroganoff for lunch and dinner was one of my favorites, tacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches on toasted bread. Sadly, while there was a tomato on the sandwiches, these winter tomatoes are not up to the task, as they are bland and tasteless.
Today, is my monthly Irish Jam Session. Mary will be schlepping me to and from the library. While she is out, she will be stopping by the local big-box home center and the grocery store.
Otherwise, not much is planned. Ciao.
The current temperature is 10° under clear-skies with windy conditions. In fact, steady winds of 24 mph are making it feel as though the temperature feels like -6°. Today's high is forecast to reach 33°. That sharp change in temperature is about 16° warmer than yesterday's high. The sun will rise today @ 7:42 a.m. and set later @ 6:15 p.m.
That Gale Warning, which is still in effect until 7:00 p.m. tonight, is accompanied by yet another Lakeshore Flood Warning, also until 7:00 p.m. this evening. Moderate beach and dune erosion and lakeshore flooding are expected for Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren counties, all along the shores of the "Big Lake." Inundation of low-lying areas along the lakeshore, in river mouths and road closures are possible. People should avoid piers, breakwaters and areas prone to flooding in high waves until the winds and waves subside.
I'm betting that if I were so inclined, I could go to the south pier and the beach area this afternoon and see idiots walking along the pier and doing their best to get swept into the water. Those Gale Force Winds of 35 to 40 knots over Lake Michigan will generate waves from 8 to 12 feet north of Muskegon and 6 to 10 feet south of Muskegon from St Joseph to Manistee. There's an oddity in that forecast from the NWS. If you know the map of Michigan and the lakeshore, you know that Manistee is north of Muskegon. I guess it is all in how you view it.
Yesterday, as we were sitting down to a terrific lunch of vegan Mushroom Stroganoff ala Mary, we heard a train passing by. I sprang from my chair to see if I could catch some quick pix of Ginger watching the train go by from her perch on the back of the couch. Instead, I ended up with some pix of the locomotives and some of the cars they had in tow.
 |
| The leading locomotive is MMRR's EMD GP 38-2 #2019, followed by #2025, the newer locomotive I often refer to. |
 |
| I'm always fascinated by the graffiti that our local taggers manage to decorate the various cars with great skill???? |
 |
| Alas, there will be no more sunset pix of the stack @ the now shuttered BLP Sim power plant on Harbor Island. |
 |
| 37 years of generation ended on Thursday afternoon. The plant’s official time of closure was 2:27 p.m. |
 |
| No more pix of an active power plant. |
We did not go out yesterday, opting instead to read and watch TV. Mary made that aforementioned vegan mushroom stroganoff for lunch and dinner was one of my favorites, tacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches on toasted bread. Sadly, while there was a tomato on the sandwiches, these winter tomatoes are not up to the task, as they are bland and tasteless.
Today, is my monthly Irish Jam Session. Mary will be schlepping me to and from the library. While she is out, she will be stopping by the local big-box home center and the grocery store.
Otherwise, not much is planned. Ciao.
Friday, February 14, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just before 4:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 13° under snowy skies with windy conditions, Due to that wind, it feels like 6°. Today's high is forecast to reach 19°. The sun will rise today @ 7:44 a.m. and set later @ 6:14 p.m.
There is a Gale Warning in effect right now until 7:00 p.m. Saturday. That Gale Warning extends from St Joseph to Grand Haven. South gales to 35 knots and waves of 5 to 8 feet are expected.
That Gale Warning is accompanied by another Small Craft Advisory, until 10 a.m. this morning. The strong Gale Force Winds will cause hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions.
The advisories, watches, and warnings also include a Winter Weather Advisory with an additional one to two inches of snowfall possible between now and 10:00 a.m. this morning. Just a light dusting.
Yesterday was a great day to watch John do the work that I don't want to do in order to preserve my yak. He came by, changed the light-bulbs in the kitchen ceiling fixture, caulked the sink area, and assembled our new bedroom nightstands. All told, he was here about four hours and my yak thanks him for his efforts.
I mostly watched him work between reading additional pages in my novel about the librarian from the unfinished book wing of the library in Hell, or as another fictional character, Radar O'Reilly, used to say in the TV show, Mash, HE double hockey sticks.
Otherwise, we accomplished very little yesterday, much to our liking, We hope that today will be another that follows that pattern.
I am still working on that song for the Irish Jame Session tomorrow, and I think it is sounding fine.
Ciao.
The current temperature is 13° under snowy skies with windy conditions, Due to that wind, it feels like 6°. Today's high is forecast to reach 19°. The sun will rise today @ 7:44 a.m. and set later @ 6:14 p.m.
There is a Gale Warning in effect right now until 7:00 p.m. Saturday. That Gale Warning extends from St Joseph to Grand Haven. South gales to 35 knots and waves of 5 to 8 feet are expected.
That Gale Warning is accompanied by another Small Craft Advisory, until 10 a.m. this morning. The strong Gale Force Winds will cause hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions.
The advisories, watches, and warnings also include a Winter Weather Advisory with an additional one to two inches of snowfall possible between now and 10:00 a.m. this morning. Just a light dusting.
Yesterday was a great day to watch John do the work that I don't want to do in order to preserve my yak. He came by, changed the light-bulbs in the kitchen ceiling fixture, caulked the sink area, and assembled our new bedroom nightstands. All told, he was here about four hours and my yak thanks him for his efforts.
I mostly watched him work between reading additional pages in my novel about the librarian from the unfinished book wing of the library in Hell, or as another fictional character, Radar O'Reilly, used to say in the TV show, Mash, HE double hockey sticks.
Otherwise, we accomplished very little yesterday, much to our liking, We hope that today will be another that follows that pattern.
I am still working on that song for the Irish Jame Session tomorrow, and I think it is sounding fine.
Ciao.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 30° under cloudy skies. Today's high is forecast to drop down to 24°, a full six degrees cooler than yesterday, also under cloudy skies with snow-showers. There is very little snow in the forecast from the NWS.
There is a Gale Warning in effect until 1:00 p.m. today. South winds up to 35 knots can be expected and waves will be building to 4 to 8 feet. For the "Big Lake, those are just heavy swells from St Joseph to Manistee.
The cold temperatures combined with the winds blowing @ 14 mph will cause a wind-chill of near zero by midday and with the blowing snow, commuters will be challenged.
Oddly, the entire Muskegon school district will be closed today, not due to the cold temperatures, but due to a heavy influx of illness. I was trying to remember if that ever happened when I was an active teacher, but the old memory needs some Prevagen™ I guess.
Yesterday marked the closing of the Sims BLP power plant on Harbor Island. For 37 years, this plant has produced the majority of the electricity for Grand Haven. The City Council agreed to the shut-down two years ago, with an expected closure date sometime in June of this year. However, with the dwindling coal supplies on hand, the plant has now closed. It will take until June of 2021 to complete the demolition of the old facilities and the needed construction of a new control room for the distribution sub-station still located on the property.
The end of the coal-fired generation of electricity in GH is now a reality. Grand Haven has purchased additional electricity for several years during maintenance shutdowns at the Sims plant. In the past, the city has purchased and will continue to purchase electricity through the Michigan Public Power Agency, comprised of 22 municipalities that have had their own power plants.
In addition, plans call for the construction of a new building to house new gas-fired boilers to generate a small amount of electricity for the city's downtown snow-melt system. The current boilers at the plant will keep the snow-melt system operational this year.
In the past, the BLP used a diesel power plant to provide extra power for many years, but of late, that power has been sold to the grid for purchase by other municipalities.
Mary had her "Tad" session yesterday and then went to the grocery store while I finished the indoor chores, made more vegan Italian meatballs, and did some reading. I also worked on a piece of music that I'd like to debut at this Saturday's Irish Jam Session. I have more practice to do, but I like how my cover of a tune called Absent Friends, written by the Furey Brothers, is sounding. If you are curious, here are the Furey Brothers performing that song on YouTube™. I am but one man and a guitar, so my version may not be exactly like theirs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaOxch_bius
Today, we plan to stay inside and read. John was supposed to come by yesterday, but he had some additional work to do on another job, so he will instead be here today to do those small things that my yak says no to doing.
Today, I won't even be as ambitious as yesterday. Mary may finish my new hat too, as she is nearing the end of her efforts. Ciao.
The current temperature is 30° under cloudy skies. Today's high is forecast to drop down to 24°, a full six degrees cooler than yesterday, also under cloudy skies with snow-showers. There is very little snow in the forecast from the NWS.
There is a Gale Warning in effect until 1:00 p.m. today. South winds up to 35 knots can be expected and waves will be building to 4 to 8 feet. For the "Big Lake, those are just heavy swells from St Joseph to Manistee.
The cold temperatures combined with the winds blowing @ 14 mph will cause a wind-chill of near zero by midday and with the blowing snow, commuters will be challenged.
Oddly, the entire Muskegon school district will be closed today, not due to the cold temperatures, but due to a heavy influx of illness. I was trying to remember if that ever happened when I was an active teacher, but the old memory needs some Prevagen™ I guess.
Yesterday marked the closing of the Sims BLP power plant on Harbor Island. For 37 years, this plant has produced the majority of the electricity for Grand Haven. The City Council agreed to the shut-down two years ago, with an expected closure date sometime in June of this year. However, with the dwindling coal supplies on hand, the plant has now closed. It will take until June of 2021 to complete the demolition of the old facilities and the needed construction of a new control room for the distribution sub-station still located on the property.
The end of the coal-fired generation of electricity in GH is now a reality. Grand Haven has purchased additional electricity for several years during maintenance shutdowns at the Sims plant. In the past, the city has purchased and will continue to purchase electricity through the Michigan Public Power Agency, comprised of 22 municipalities that have had their own power plants.
In addition, plans call for the construction of a new building to house new gas-fired boilers to generate a small amount of electricity for the city's downtown snow-melt system. The current boilers at the plant will keep the snow-melt system operational this year.
In the past, the BLP used a diesel power plant to provide extra power for many years, but of late, that power has been sold to the grid for purchase by other municipalities.
Mary had her "Tad" session yesterday and then went to the grocery store while I finished the indoor chores, made more vegan Italian meatballs, and did some reading. I also worked on a piece of music that I'd like to debut at this Saturday's Irish Jam Session. I have more practice to do, but I like how my cover of a tune called Absent Friends, written by the Furey Brothers, is sounding. If you are curious, here are the Furey Brothers performing that song on YouTube™. I am but one man and a guitar, so my version may not be exactly like theirs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaOxch_bius
Today, we plan to stay inside and read. John was supposed to come by yesterday, but he had some additional work to do on another job, so he will instead be here today to do those small things that my yak says no to doing.
Today, I won't even be as ambitious as yesterday. Mary may finish my new hat too, as she is nearing the end of her efforts. Ciao.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 30° under cloudy skies. Today's high is forecast to reach 35° under skies that will be mostly cloudy. The sun will rise today @ 7:47 a.m. and set later @ 6:11 p.m.
A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until 10:00 p.m. tonight. West winds of 15 to 25 knots tonight becoming southwest later today with gusts up to 30 knots and waves 3 to 6 feet.
Of course, that means that a Gale Watch is also in effect from now until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, with north gales to 35 knots and waves from 4 to 8 feet possible from Holland to Manistee through Thursday evening. Strong winds can cause hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. The strongest winds and largest waves will occur Thursday morning into the afternoon. Mariners should consider altering plans to avoid possible hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe wind and waves. Whoa!
Yesterday was busy, but productive. We both made it to our hair appointments and I made it to the orthopedist with no problem. One treatment down, four more to go. I discovered that the salad bar at the hospital is open until 5:00 p.m. everyday, except weekends, so I had a late lunch.
I also stopped by the hospital gift shop and picked up a Valentine's Day present for Mary, a new set of the slippers that she likes to wear around the manse. As luck would have it, they were having a sale for Valentine's Day and so the slippers were discounted. To use that old saw, a Win-Win for me and Mary.
Today is another "Tad" day for Mary at the library. She enjoys the "Tad" sessions immensely as she gets to take a stroll through 1975 each week and learn more about what was happening in our little corner of the world 45 years ago. Wow, I just realized that 1975 was two years after we got married and one-year after Adam was born. Time flies.
The fur-children and I will be here reading, doing some indoor chores, cooking, and other sundry things that may crop up.
John will be by tomorrow to handle the sundry things that I don't want to do. Ciao.
The current temperature is 30° under cloudy skies. Today's high is forecast to reach 35° under skies that will be mostly cloudy. The sun will rise today @ 7:47 a.m. and set later @ 6:11 p.m.
A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until 10:00 p.m. tonight. West winds of 15 to 25 knots tonight becoming southwest later today with gusts up to 30 knots and waves 3 to 6 feet.
Of course, that means that a Gale Watch is also in effect from now until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, with north gales to 35 knots and waves from 4 to 8 feet possible from Holland to Manistee through Thursday evening. Strong winds can cause hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. The strongest winds and largest waves will occur Thursday morning into the afternoon. Mariners should consider altering plans to avoid possible hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe wind and waves. Whoa!
Yesterday was busy, but productive. We both made it to our hair appointments and I made it to the orthopedist with no problem. One treatment down, four more to go. I discovered that the salad bar at the hospital is open until 5:00 p.m. everyday, except weekends, so I had a late lunch.
I also stopped by the hospital gift shop and picked up a Valentine's Day present for Mary, a new set of the slippers that she likes to wear around the manse. As luck would have it, they were having a sale for Valentine's Day and so the slippers were discounted. To use that old saw, a Win-Win for me and Mary.
Baseball's spring training is now in session. TV sports channels are broadcasting baseball news nearly non-stop. I learned yesterday that my beloved Red Sox, on the eve of spring training, officially announced Ron Roenicke as the club's manager for the
upcoming season. Technically, he's their
"interim" manager in order to cover the club's behind in case Roenicke
somehow is implicated in Major League Baseball's
sign-stealing investigation.
Roenicke, 63, has been the Sox' the bench coach the last two seasons, so he should help navigate
what promises to be one of the most tumultuous seasons in Red Sox
history. As one baseball pundit observed, "Were they really going to throw an outsider, much less a rookie manager, out there to feed the angry masses in New England?"
Prior to being the bench-coach for the Sox, Roenicke was a successful player and minor-league coach and manager before becoming the manager for the Major-League Milwaukee Brewers on November 2, 2010, In Roenicke's first season as the Brewers manager, he was a resounding success as the Brewers finished the season 96–66, recording the most wins in team history, and leading the Brewers to the playoff. Roenicke finished 2nd in the manager of the year voting that year. Sadly, the next year was one of high expectations, but low outcomes.
Inconsistent play from several players caused the Brewers to limp into a winning season @ 83 - 79, albeit the first back to back winning seasons in team history. Sadly, his first year as Brewers manager was his best and he was fired on May 13, 2015 after the Brewers got off to a weak, 7 - 18 start. As a Sox fan, I have to think optimistically and hope for the best.
The fur-children and I will be here reading, doing some indoor chores, cooking, and other sundry things that may crop up.
John will be by tomorrow to handle the sundry things that I don't want to do. Ciao.
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and
across the world. It is just past 7:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 31° but it feels like 22° under partly-cloudy skies with winds blowing @ 11 mph. There is currently only a 20% chance for additional precipitation. Today's high is forecast to reach 32°, also under cloudy skies. The sun will rise today @ 7:48 a.m. and set later @ 6:10 p.m.
There is one slight advisory that will be in effect beginning @ 10:00 a.m. this morning and continuing until midnight tonight. That's another Small Craft Advisory. West winds from15 to 25 knots will result in waves of 3 to 5 feet from St Joseph to Manistee. Conditions will be hazardous to small craft. The strongest winds and largest waves will occur this afternoon and evening between 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m..
It's official! I'm born again! There is new grass on the field, at least in AZ and FL. MLB™ spring-training begins later today when the pitchers and catchers report to either the Cactus League in AZ, or the Grapefruit League in FL. Position players are expected to report by February 16. In honor of that event, I have included my official spring training YouTube™ song cut once again, John Fogerty's Centerfield..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq3hEMUeBGQ
However, this year I am adding a new wrinkle to my YouTube™ finds. This one is from country music artist, Lyle Cartwright entitled I Watched It All On My Radio. The radio was my first means of following the games and it is still the best way to "Watch" baseball. I hope you like both.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE5HaQlwRUI
But enough about the most important day of spring. It is time to talk about yesterday's events.
We began our day with a trip to Muskegon and the box-office @ the Frauenthal Theater.
We picked up our free tickets for the March 26 concert @ the Frauenthal Theater featuring Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. However, since the box-office opened @ 11:00 a.m. and since we arrived @ the "late" hour of 1:00 p.m., the ticket pickings were slim. We scored two tickets on the main floor and on an aisle, so it is all good. Who knew that that many tickets would go "Like Hotcakes" as the man at the box-office told us?
Since we were out and since Mary reminded me that a photo-op requires a camera, I had taken along my trusty Olympus DSLR for the above pix as well as some additional pix in Muskegon's downtown area.
But, Muskegon reminds us that we should all "Watch Muskegon Grow" too. So, here is a pic of the new construction in the downtown that is helping to revitalize what was a dying town.
But, since I like to take pix, and since Mary was driving, we set out along the highways and byways to see what else we might find. We found one great spot in the nearby Village of Fruitport, MI at a park called Pamona Park, located just behind the city's library.
Like always, I find a certain attraction in an unused playground and
its equipment. But, the kids had a better way to spend their time in the
snow on this day.
But, when you are in a picture taking mood, there are so many things to photograph. Before we parked near Pomona Park we found another lakeside park with a great view of the lake and so I took some pix there too.
Time to move along. We stopped along the shores of Spring Lake itself, and I finally got some pix of the Bald Eagles that nest along the shores.
Finally, it was time to head home, but not without a stop at our favorite watering hole.
Some beer, some steak fries with malt vinegar, and some bean dip deluxe, sans cheese, and we were good to go.
The fur-children were glad to see us, as usual, but they really wanted their dinner which they actually received early.
Today is a busy day. Two haircuts, one for me and one for Mary and a visit to the orthopedist for the first of my every six-months knee shots. I can always tell when I am at the end of the cycle as my knees are creaking and aching a bit more everyday. But, five weeks from today and I'll be ready to go. No replacements necessary, yet. Ciao.
The current temperature is 31° but it feels like 22° under partly-cloudy skies with winds blowing @ 11 mph. There is currently only a 20% chance for additional precipitation. Today's high is forecast to reach 32°, also under cloudy skies. The sun will rise today @ 7:48 a.m. and set later @ 6:10 p.m.
There is one slight advisory that will be in effect beginning @ 10:00 a.m. this morning and continuing until midnight tonight. That's another Small Craft Advisory. West winds from15 to 25 knots will result in waves of 3 to 5 feet from St Joseph to Manistee. Conditions will be hazardous to small craft. The strongest winds and largest waves will occur this afternoon and evening between 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m..
It's official! I'm born again! There is new grass on the field, at least in AZ and FL. MLB™ spring-training begins later today when the pitchers and catchers report to either the Cactus League in AZ, or the Grapefruit League in FL. Position players are expected to report by February 16. In honor of that event, I have included my official spring training YouTube™ song cut once again, John Fogerty's Centerfield..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq3hEMUeBGQ
However, this year I am adding a new wrinkle to my YouTube™ finds. This one is from country music artist, Lyle Cartwright entitled I Watched It All On My Radio. The radio was my first means of following the games and it is still the best way to "Watch" baseball. I hope you like both.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE5HaQlwRUI
But enough about the most important day of spring. It is time to talk about yesterday's events.
We began our day with a trip to Muskegon and the box-office @ the Frauenthal Theater.
We picked up our free tickets for the March 26 concert @ the Frauenthal Theater featuring Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. However, since the box-office opened @ 11:00 a.m. and since we arrived @ the "late" hour of 1:00 p.m., the ticket pickings were slim. We scored two tickets on the main floor and on an aisle, so it is all good. Who knew that that many tickets would go "Like Hotcakes" as the man at the box-office told us?
 |
| A great venue. |
 |
| A great band. |
 |
| A tribute to Muskegon's industrial heritage. |
 |
| Just outside the Frauenthal Theater. |
 |
| Muskegon's version of Amazon, once a hosiery mill, but now apartments. |
 |
| Snow is just one of the the banes of a construction worker's day. |
 |
| Snow, cold? When you are a kid with a sled, what's not to like? |
 |
| Why slide, when you can sled? |
 | ||
| That is unless your sled leaves without you. |
 |
| Not yesterday, but soon, spring will bring this tree to life once again. |
 |
| A cloudy sky shot between the leafless trees. |
 |
| Only two birds were present yesterday. |
 |
| One flew off, but I got this great shot of the one who stayed behind. |
Some beer, some steak fries with malt vinegar, and some bean dip deluxe, sans cheese, and we were good to go.
The fur-children were glad to see us, as usual, but they really wanted their dinner which they actually received early.
Today is a busy day. Two haircuts, one for me and one for Mary and a visit to the orthopedist for the first of my every six-months knee shots. I can always tell when I am at the end of the cycle as my knees are creaking and aching a bit more everyday. But, five weeks from today and I'll be ready to go. No replacements necessary, yet. Ciao.
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