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

We still have that Small Craft Advisory in effect until 6:00 a.m. this morning from St. Joseph to Whitehall. Those same 15 to 25 knot winds will still be gusting to 30 knots and they will still be pushing waves from four to seven feet.

Our current temperature is 36° under clear skies, but it feels like 27° with a south wind blowing @ 16 mph. Our overnight low is forecast by the NWS to drop to 34° before we rise to today's high of 41° under mostly sunny skies. The sun will rise this morning @ 7:16 a.m. and set this evening @ 6:37 p.m.

Today was a much belter day for me, at least when it comes to feeling as though I had accomplished something. As you  may recall, I made those vegan Italian meatballs early yesterday morning, which became part of our spaghetti and meatball dinner ala Mary. I also made those aforementioned Funfetti cookies and we collectively finished the indoor chores. 

We read more of The Last Days of John Lennon and I just finished my latest novel a short time ago. It is amazing what you can do when you get up early.

A short time ago, we couldn't get an appointment to get our Covid-19 vaccinations, and now we are being bombarded with emails asking us to schedule an appointment. I think that the change in presidential administrations has had an overall positive effect. 

However, there are too many governors willing to remove part or all of the restrictions on indoor gatherings at restaurants and stores and removing the requirement for mask wearing. So, we are very concerned that a mutated virus might get into the mix and render our vaccinations moot. 

Today, I plan to get into my studio and do some of those artsy and musical things that I've been unable to get to recently. I have a painting on my easel that I'm trying to finish, I've got some music that I'm trying to properly arrange, and of course, there is always something that needs doing around This Old House, AKA "The Manse."

Mary is making steady progress on her latest knitting project too. We may try to get out with our fur-children for a walkabout on a sunny day. Maybe enough snow has melted at the Lake Forest Cemetery so that we can go there and not be disturbed by Covidiots. 

If you stay late enough, you get to see both passages of the trains on the RSTL, At 9:17 p.m. last night, I watched as MMRR locomotives 2170 and 2019 passed by heading south, towing seven CHCs, and 10 CGCs, all loaded.

I just watched as those same locomotives passed by deadheading north, with no cars in tow @ 1:52 a.m.

To quote Porky Pig, "That's All Folks!" Ciao.