Good early morning GH. Here in the Weather Center, it is a very comfortable 72 air-conditioned degrees, while outdoors, it is a comfortable 74 degrees. I hope to be able to turn off the air conditioning by the end of the week, because I really don't like sleeping in that dry "Desert Like" air. Just a personal preference.

I got very little accomplished on Saturday. I listened to my favorite local radio program, Sugar the Weather Dog took me for a short walk, and I spent some time in the man-cave just puttering around. That's where I discovered a new use for Duct Tape. Other than that, not much was happening.

It looks like I will have to water today. No precipitation on the horizon, and the gardens are looking more like a desert than an oasis. But, that's the price you pay for living in the Midwest. : - ) Fortunately for me, Mary mowed the lawn before I vacuumed and did the laundry yesterday, so that leaves me nothing else to do. I like it.

Today, is the annual car show, and that is always a treat for me. Well actually, it is the first of two annual car shows that we have each year, the other being for Coast Guard Festival. I like having the chance to view custom/classic and/or vintage/collectible cars and then not have the cost of owning one. As much as I like them, they are somewhat like a boat, a hole in the street into which you pour your money. If houses are a money pit, and antiques a choice, then so are classic/race cars. No real point except the pleasure that comes from owning/driving one. Wow, did I use the forward slash (/) enough in those last two sentences?

In sports, the boys in blue defeated the Cardinals 6 - 3 to pull within 14 games of the division leading Pirates and Cardinals. Hope springs eternal. As always, the left fielder is putting on a July hitting show in an otherwise dismal season. The Tigers fell hard to the Rangers, 1 - 7 thus ending Max Scherzer's bid for a 14th consecutive win. My beloved Red Sox fell to the Athletics, 0 - 3 and yet, they are still four games ahead in their division. It's always better to be looking down. Once again, thanks to those guys from north of the border in Wisconsin. The Caps hammered the Kane County Cougars, thus succumbing to the malaise that afflicts their mostly hapless parent club, the boys in blue.

So, without further ado, I think it is time to return to bed and await...Tea time and the other activities that are in store today. Ciao.

By the by, is there anything better than listening to the Glenn Miller Orchestra playing Moonlight Serenade?

Therein lies a tale

Hey, it is just past 1:30 in the AM here in "The City" and the temperature is nothing short of fabulous. It is 77 degrees in the Weather Center, while outdoors it is a mere 66 degrees. But, and here is the important part, the humidity is only 60%. I know that the people who live in the basically humidity free areas of Las Vegas and points west are thinking that that number is incredibly high, but as compared to the 80% numbers that we will experience later this summer, I"ll take it.

I did water the gardens on the palatial estate on Friday. It does seem that the veggies are needing a lot of water this year, same for the flowers. But, that's the price you pay for living in this state and on the palatial estate we call home.

I never did get to the lawn moving. By the time I began to consider it, the outdoor temperature was just to warm for me. But, there is always today for that. However, I did get the returns done and that in itself is a tale best left unspoken. I also got the license plates renewed for the year.

For Mary, I also learned how to change the thermometer in the car back to the familiar Fahrenheit readout and I got her rug hooking machine reassembled. It took some work, but I did it. My thanks to the cabinet maker for making a replica of that missing part.

Today, I may get to that lawn, or not. It just depends on what time I get up and what I get accomplished before it gets too hot.  Sugar the Weather Dog always wants to take me for a walk, so that can use up part of the morning.

In sports, here is the down and dirty. The boys in blue fell to the Cardinals, 2 - 3, to remain within 15 games of the division lead. But, they signed their top draft pick, a third baseman, to a six million plus dollar deal. Not bad for a guy who has yet to take a swing in the major leagues. The Tigers flattened the Rangers 7 - 2 and maintained a slim 2.5 game lead over the Tribe. My beloved Red Sox took out the Athletics, 4 -2 and kept a solid lead over the Rays, of 4.5 games in their division. The Caps eked out a win over the Clinton Lumberjacks 3 - 2. That's about it for sports.

So, rather than waste anymore time, Ill get ready to return to bed and await...Tea time and my favorite local program, Auto Talk. Ciao.

In an aside, the train that woke me at about 1:00 AM was a long one. It was the train I expected last night being pulled by those three locomotives. I did hear one last night after I returned to bed that probably was those three locomotives pulling a long line of cars in the opposite direction.

I hope that Barb is doing well. I haven't heard, so I hope that she is on the mend. Now, ciao.

Good morning GH. We have just passed 1:00 AM here in "The City" and that means that it is time for an early blog session. Our current temperature here in the Weather Center is a comfortable 76 degrees. Outside it is a cooler 66. But, I may have to water again, because there is no precipitation on the horizon until next Thursday. That makes Sugar the Weather Dog happy, but means that I will have to water, again.

Speaking of Sugar, we spent some time outdoors on Thursday and that was all good. I played the guitar, and that in itself was satisfying. However, both things came in the wake of washing the rug from the mud room and washing all of the tile floors in the manse. I also visited the doctor. All went well and I don't have to see the doctor for another three months. Actually in this case, doctor means podiatrist.

Today, I have to get to that lawn mowing and then a bit of work in the man-cave. I got all of the pieces for Mary's rug hooking machine, so all I have to do  now is assemble it. Otherwise, I don't have any significant plans.

In sports, the boys in blue got hammered by the Angels on Wednesday, but beat the Cardinals 3 - 0 on Thursday. The boys in blue are 14 games in back of the division leading Cardinals. Go figure. The Tigers lost to that other team from Chicago, 3 - 6 on the strength of a grand slam home run by that other team. That leaves them just 2.5 games ahead of the Tribe. My beloved Red Sox eked out a win over the Mariners 8 - 7, but even with a 20 over 500 record, they have only a 3.5 game lead over the Rays and 5.5 over the Orioles. The Caps pounded the Clinton Lumberkings 13 - 1.

Wait, I hear a train a comin' its rollin round the bend. It will be here in a few minutes judging by the plaintive sound of that far away whistle. Wow, this is a biggie, three locomotives. I can't recall seeing that before. And yet, not so many cars. Once again, go figure.

So, not much else to say. Tea time comes soon enough and then those outdoor chores. Ciao.

Good morning GH. Wow, it is after 8:00 AM and I just got to the blog. Not bad! It is currently 72 perfect degrees here in the Weather Center while outdoors it is 57.. I hope that this is a harbinger of things to come, Yep, looks like a high of 75 today with sunny skies.

I have a doctor's appointment today at 9:30 AM, so I have to make this short. Mary has plans to go shopping today and drop me off, so I may  have to wake her. Sugar of course will be here when I get back waiting to take me for a walk. I get great joy from her just being. I know she can be a bit possessive when it comes to me, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Yesterday I ended up watering the gardens here on our palatial estate since the rain we had the day before really didn't help very much. I will have to mow the lawns today, but that is always a task I can accomplish in my own time and way. Mary says she may help.

I played some guitar yesterday as I sat on the deck. In between doing nothing and reading my book, I think I did well. I just finished a book called The Intercept, by Dick Wolf, the creator of Law and Order and I liked it. Maybe that's because I like that show. I remember that Steph likes it too. Apparently it is the first in this series. It strikes close to home for reasons that are obvious to the people who read the book.

In sports, boys in blue, lose. Tigers, win. Red Sox, win. Caps lose, big time.

Now it is time to get on with my day. Ciao.

Good morning GH. Now this is more like it. It has just passed 8:00 AM here in "The City" and the temperature in the Weather Center is 77 degrees while outside. it is 73. The humidity isn't too bad either. Sugar the Weather Dog is sleeping soundly, so that means that our walking barometer is predicting calm and comfortable weather for the day.

Yesterday, Mary and I had a nice breakfast of that banana nut bread I made and it was as I'd hoped, delicious. Even though the weather appeared threatening yesterday, it turned out to be just some rain and a bit of thunder. In other words, much ado about nothing.

We worked some and read some and then played some. I think that that about sums up how the days should go when you are retired. I got Mary's drawer pulls installed, fixed the hook in the bathroom and changed out her chair pad. Now all I have to do is figure out how to reduce the size of the old one, since it is by necessity, hard to cut.

Today, some watering of the hanging baskets and some additional reading to go along with the playing of my guitar, "Blue." I played her some yesterday and I think I did well. Of course, I have a biased opinion of my skills, although I can also be my own worst critic.

In sports, the boys in blue won their fourth in a row over the Angels 8 -2. The Tigers were manhandled by that other team from Chicago, 4 - 11, much to my surprise. My beloved Red Sox handily handled the Mariners, 11 - 8. The Caps had the day off following their rain out on Monday.

So, that's about it for the the blog today. It will soon be...Tea time and then not much else other than that watering, after Sugar takes me for a walk. Ciao.

Good morning from GH where it has just passed 1:00 AM. Speaking of passing, a train went by just a few moments ago. Two locomotives, several box cars, and a few assorted covered hopper cars and tank cars. This is just like living on a train board for me. Our current temperature here in the editorial office is 78 degrees while outdoors it is 69 and purportedly foggy. I am not certain where the Weather Channel gets their information, but I don't see any fog.

Yesterday, Mary and I visited those previously mentioned big-box stores, well two out of three actually. By the time we got to the decision about the third, we opted not to go, just as I'd predicted. We did get my cereal, Mary's knobs, and her new chair mat. On the way, we went to the animal shelter to drop off some cans we had saved as a donation and the balance of the kitty litter I had used to dry some old paint. I avoided the animals, because I would have wanted to take them all home. We did see a family in the process of "Road Testing" a new member of their family, and it brought back memories of the day that Mary and I adopted Sugar. We also stopped in at Mary's favorite spice purveyor and that always makes Mary feel better about the day.

I should mention that I took time to make a loaf of banana/nut bread in Mary's kitchen. I think she buys the bananas with that in mind. Sugar was once again an able Sous Chef and assisted in the clean up process. I always think that a specific loaf is my best. Once again I think that this one is it.

Today, I plan to do some more highlighting for Mary and install those aforementioned knobs in her craft room. I also plan to do as yesterday and work more on the jigsaw puzzle. I used the wait time yesterday to work it and fold some laundry. I also didn't take time to play my guitar as I'd said.

In sports, the boys in blue took it to that other team from Chicago, 8 - 2. The Tigers defeated the Tribe. 4 - 2 to take three out of four in this series. Now that other Chicago team comes to town for some more Tiger's batting practice. My beloved Red Sox fell 4 - 11 to the Mariners and now have only a four game lead in their division. The Caps were rained out in their game against Lake County. While we got some rain, they got a whole lot more. That's that 65% thing for you.

So, without further ado, I'll get more highlighting done, get ready for...Tea time, and then off to bed where I belong. Ciao.

Good morning GH. Here I am again, but this time it is nearer to 6:00 AM than to midnight. I may stay up for awhile, but then again, I might not. One thing is for sure, the indoor temperature is 79 degrees while the outdoor temperature is 73. Not a great difference. We have a 60% chance of T-storms today and since Mary and I have a post-holiday road trip planned, that is highly possible.

I doubt that I will have to water today and for that I am thankful. As I checked the Weather Channel app, the next two days may be wet, but then the chance of precipitation drops way down and that means lots of water on the gardens.

Speaking of the gardens I saw my first blossom on the cucumber plants. I think it finally got warm enough to make that happen. However, that had best be one terrific cucumber, because a salad with one will be kind of limited.

We are seeing blossoms on the bell pepper plant and the potatoes are seemingly doing well, as are the tomatoes and other vegetable and flowering plants.

Today, we have that planned road trip and that includes a stop at the big-box stationery store, the big-box hardware store, and maybe the big-box general merchandise store. That last one is iffy, because both Mary and I get our fill of those bog-box stores very easily.

Otherwise, in sports, here are the facts as I know them. The boys in blue tried hard to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, but they pulled it out 4 - 3. The Tigers, alas, fell to the Tribe from Cleveland, 6 - 9, but they still have a slim lead of 2.5 games over those guys. My beloved Red Sox, fell too, 0 - 3 to the Angels and now have only a 4.5 game lead over the Orioles and the Yankees. The Caps didn't fare so well either, falling to Great Lakes 4 - 8.

Otherwise, just...Tea time and a walk in the park with Sugar and then that road trip. So, until I have more to say, ciao.