Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past sunrise @ 6:24 a.m. yet well before sunset @ 9:17 in "The City." We have no expectation for precipitation until Saturday and Sunday. However, last night's storm means I don't have to water today, with the exception of the hanging baskets and the large planter on the front porch of the manse. 

I have no pictures to share today, so let me get on to what's really important.

I had a good pool session at P/T yesterday. My therapist was, and I am not joking, Quinn, who has a Ph.D. in physical therapy. So, that makes her wait for it, Dr. Quinn!

At any rate, by the time I got home and we had a late brunch, the afternoon was getting away from us as always seems to happen when you are retired. We took about 1 1/2 hours to finish our ear-read of one of the Maggie Hope series of books, and then I stayed upstairs to do some maintenance in my studio. By then, it was time for Mary to feed the fur-children their dinner and for me to finally return to the netherworld of the downstairs for some newspaper perusals, crossword solving, and TV viewing. 

Of course, Mary was hard at work on yet another cross-stitch project, actually the continuation of one she had put aside for a bit.

Today promises to be a bit more sedate as I do some indoor chores, Mary cross-stitches, and we read more newspaper. 

Baseball's second season begins today/tonight, with the always rebuilding 35 - 57 Cubs facing the 49 - 43 and also disappointing Phillies, @ 7:05 p.m. with LHP Justin Steel on the mound for the Cubs. The Cubs, like most Major-League™ teams, stocked up on pitching during the 2022 MLB™ draft. Many prospects/projects, but "Wait until two or three years from now."

My beloved 48 - 45 Red Sox are home tonight @ 7:10 p.m. to face the 50 - 43 Blue Jays, who recently changed their manager in hopes of sparking the team to a Wild Card berth in the postseason. To say the least, the Blue jays should have been better this year. No pitcher has been announced for the Sox. 

But in what is just one more in a series of negatives for the Sox, LHP Chris Sale was making only his second start since his return from the IL. Unfortunately, in the first inning, he was hit in his pinkie finger by a batted ball, fracturing that digit and probably ending his season. Sigh. 

The also disappointing 37 - 55 Tigers stumble into the second half, beginning with the first game of a doubleheader in Oakland, CA versus the very bad 32 - 61 A's for a  3:37 p.m. start time. Game two will be sometime this evening, The Tigers also loaded up on pitching in the recent draft, but once again, there is always a future, not a present for the Tigers. Miggy Cabrera grounded out in what is likely to be his last All-Star plate appearance. But, who knows. 

The Tigers have lost a lot of pitchers to injuries this year, but they have seen the development of some future stars too, such as Beau Brieske. The recent call-up OF Riley Greene has been a pleasant surprise for the Tigers. His emergence bodes well for the team's future. Sadly, the Tigers had to send rookie 1st baseman Spencer Torkelson to the Triple A Toledo Mudhens due to his less than stellar offfensice output in his inaugural MLB™ 2022 campaign. He'll be back! 

Also, unfortunately, the Tiger's corps of offensive stars from last season is not doing well this season and that has been a huge disappointment for Tigers' manager A. J. Hinch and for Tigers' fans.

The 47 - 40 Caps are playing the 53 - 24 Great Lakes Loons tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Well, that wraps up another day here in the Tri-Cities. I'm sad to report the impending closure of Seven Steps Up, in Spring Lake. Too much pandemic and lackluster attendance doomed this intimate entertainment venue. Ciao.