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

I have been observing radio silence for a couple of days because my yak has been really baking. I awoke Wednesday morning and had great difficulty even moving. I have no idea why, but that may just be one of the negatives of being of a certain age. I went to the chiropractor and got an adjustment and an admonishment about proper posture, sitting position and myriad other things, along with getting a back brace. Thursday, I still was having difficulty and I asked Mary to accompany me for my appointment, just in case. Yesterday, I was vastly improved after judicious use of that back brace and observation of all the required precautions. I have to be sure to not bend over to pick things up.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in GH and in the Tri-Cities area as a whole. We had temperatures in the lower 50s and sunny skies. That will continue today and for several more days. We'll be dropping back into the 30s in about five days, but we'll enjoy it while it lasts. We have a current temperature of 46° that feels more like 39° due to the wind. We anticipate a high today of 47° to 50° under sunny skies, Our peak temperature is forecast by the NWS to reach 56° on Monday, however, we will have showers in the evening. Then we'll slowly drop back into the mid to upper 30s for about 10 days.

GTTSD and I observed the morning run of locomotives 2057 and 2019 as they rumbled south towing eight CHCs, two DWTCs, one DBTC and one GTC, all empty. Mary and I were sitting in JWs when the northbound run of those same locomotives rolled by @ 4:17 on the RSTL. In tow were 15 CHCs, 12 CHCs, two DWTCs, and one very rusty GTC. Let me say here and now that it was UGLY!

John, our handyman/painter, started work yesterday on the final interior painting of the many rooms of our manse. We needed to have the ceiling repaired in the stairwell along with painting the downstairs bedroom and the foyer. It will take some patching to repair the various cracks caused by the passage of trains and some shoddy repairs done over the years. This house is 114 years old, so through many remodels and owners, that's not surprising. We are staying with the basic color scheme in all of the areas being painted.

Mary has been using up various leftovers from the refrigerator as well as creating some new and tasty meals. In addition, she has been forced into walking the fur-children most of the time along with caring for my whiny self. She has been a trouper. And yes, the use of trouper versus trooper is correct in this case, as a trooper is a member of a scout troop, a police force or army, while a trouper is a reliable and uncomplaining person. I think that's an apropos description.

Today, I will be going to what is likely to be a shortened Irish Jam session @ the library. My tenure may be determined by my yak. Only time will tell. If you had asked me Thursday or even yesterday morning, I would have nixed even going. I like the sessions, so I want to go.

Mary is going to have to wrangle one more time with that index from H E double hockey sticks in an attempt to assuage the author's demand/concerns. I can honestly say that my work is done. I'll be happy to be at my jam session.

I have no other plans for today and that's how I like it. I have a stack of books to read in my bolt upright sitting position and that means more time at the dining room table versus my La-Z-Boy. Sigh.

All of my teams, the World Champion Chicago Cubs, my beloved Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers have all of their players in spring training camp and they have begun or they will begin full-squad workouts today.

That's enough for now. The sun will rise into sunny skies today @ 7:37 a.m. and set @ 6:20 p.m. Ciao.