Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:30 a.m.in "The City."

I can attest that @ 2:15 a.m., things in "The City" are quiet and peaceful, at least on the day following New Year's Day. GTWD and STWD and I were outside for the way too early morning sojourn, and with the temperature @ 27° per the NWS or 29° per my DTWS, and light winds in the backyard, it was very comfortable.

Yesterday was a tough day for me. Mary had taken the fur-children for individual safaris and I was home taking down our Christmas tree for another year. I confess that I always feel some pangs of melancholia when I have to undertake that activity. I'm always sad for the passing of the holidays no matter your personal religion(s). The Urban Dictionary does offer a word that attempts to combine the major world religions, Christmahanakwanzika, that attempts to avoid the phrase "Happy Holidays. So, I'll just say that to all of my faithful readers. In order to alleviate my feelings of melancholia, I will include some before and after pictures of our Christmahanakwanzika decorations, before, during, and after the holidays.

Not yet a "White Christmas"

Our tree in all its splendor during the holidays

Post Holiday 

Our Christmas dinner

Oh well, the holiday season is only 11 months away, so I think I can make it through the ensuing months. Mary always says that I can't listen to holiday music where she can hear it until after Thanksgiving Day. Of course, I can sit in my office and listen to my heart's content before then.

We had a great holiday season, with visits to Muskegon's Hackley and Hume Houses and Museum along with enjoying the sights and sounds of the season in and around the Tri-Cities area.

Speaking of the season, Mary and I walked through the downtown area last evening and stopped @ the Double Deuce for a quick libation. We had left GTWD @ home and when we walked past on our way, she was @ her usual post on the back of the couch. When we returned, she was still there and greeted us as though we had been gone for days. Perhaps in dog time, we were, The winds were relatively calm and the temperatures were in the mid-thirties so that walking was very pleasant.

As previously noted, we have a current temperature of 27°/29° outside the WW and there is no precipitation. None is expected until Tuesday's 30% chance of showers in the evening when temperatures are near 40°. In fact, Tuesdays high should reach 41° with fog in the morning per the NWS.

Dinner yesterday was Mary's six-hour baked beans. It takes six hours in the oven with the beans in a Dutch Oven to produce beans that are a keeper. Mary made waffles for breakfast and salad for lunch. She wasn't satisfied with her waffles, but I found them totally tasty and satisfactory.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that tickets for the annual Cubs Convention™ go on sale Friday for the convention which takes place January 13 - 15. In case you are interested, here is a link to the website that describes the convention.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/fan_forum/cubs-convention/

Plus, to remind you that spring is not very far off, here is a picture of Wrigley Field in the days before Jumbotrons™ and the major remodeling that took place en route to the 2016 World's Championship. This picture is from 2014. And yes, 2016 allowed us to party like it was 1914. Like John Fogerty describes in his hit song, Centerfield, I'm born again when there is new grass on the field. If you liked the bullpens on the field, they are gone now as the park is being remodeled to accommodate additional seating. The bullpens are being relocated to the area underneath the bleachers. Sigh.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/wrigleyfield100/

And Hey, Hey, why not some Steve Goodman singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Lcy0058MY

Today I have no specific plans. I want to spend some time with the girls and also do some additional highlighting. I'll probably do that highlighting after I finish this blog as I like to work without disturbances. I am currently listening to Coast to Coast AM and its host, George Noory. George is hosting his anniversary program that celebrates 14 years of his hosting the program. He has invited various renowned psychics, astrologers, and scholars to prognosticate 2017. Like most psychic predictions/readings, we'll soon forget the misses and celebrate the hits.

The sun will rise @ 8:16 a.m. and set @ 5:21 p.m. That extra one second has made all the difference in my world. : - ). Ciao.