Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m  in "The City."

Yesterday was a fascinating day. We started out with a light breakfast/lunch of vegan sausages and my world famous Coleslaw after we fed the fur-children. Since the noon hour was approaching, we decided that we should head over to Central Park to see our local version of the activities designed to encourage the Congress of the United States to enact more stringent controls over firearms.

It doesn't matter what your personal feelings are regarding that subject, what matters is that people all over this country and much of the world gathered yesterday to show solidarity with the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. What happened there was a tragedy that should and could have been avoided. As a retired teacher, I was saddened by the loss of so many lives, both young and old, lives that held the potential for many things, both great and small.

Due to my recent yak surgery, Mary and I couldn't join the march that moved through downtown GH and back, but we did listen and share with the young people and many adults in our community. While in Central Park, I took a few pictures to memorialize our early afternoon activities. For a small city, we had a solid turnout of young and old, including an exchange student from Germany carrying a sign of support.

We can also attest to the chilly temperatures that are holding tightly onto the West Michigan area this spring. We have a current temperature of 27° under clear skies. Later today, after the sun rises @ 7:39 a.m. and well before it sets @ 8:03 p.m., the high temperature is forecast by the NWS to reach 43° under sunny skies. Tomorrow, the high is forecast to reach a more springlike 51°.

I did take time to make a batch of my vegan chocolate-chip cookies after we returned from the rally. This time I used a cookie scoop to more precisely measure the size of the cookies prior to baking and they turned out terrific.

We went out last night to attend that Ruth and Max Blomquist concert at Seven Steps Up in Spring Lake that I mentioned in my last blog. We were gone long enough that Ginger just had to do a bit of damage to a box of tissues that I'd left on the small table next to my La-Z-Boy. So, rather than risk a repeat episode, the dog sitter will be coming in. That's because later this morning, we have to travel to GR for my MRI appointment. I don't anticipate any issues, but the trip to and from GR takes about two hours round-trip and with the actual appointment and a chance for lunch thrown in, we decided that Ginger and Sugar can't be left alone for another extended stay.

By way of information here are two versions of that husband/wife duo performing one of Mary's favorite songs, Michigan Girl, written by Ruth. Choose one or both and enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMVG4TJL0lEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY3EaBxYRE0

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY3EaBxYRE0
 
Speaking of yesterday evening, for NCAA basketball fans, it was another surprising night. Mary's Alma Mater, the Ramblers of Loyola University of Chicago, stunned the Wildcats of Kansas State University in an Elite Eight game, 78 - 62. Later in the evening, the Wolverines of Michigan also eked out an Elite Eight win over the Florida State Seminoles, 58 - 54. The Ramblers and the Wolverines, two very similar animal mascots, will face each other in one of two Final Four games on March 31. This has been the year of upsets and stunners.

We had homemade pizza for dinner last night before going to our concert. That pizza required Mary to make her own sauce, as we had failed to buy ready made sauce during one of our visits to the grocery store. I liked the final product, but like much of our kitchen output, I think it needed more spice to satisfy my fading palate.

So today, we'll be off to GR for that appointment and then do lunch out, secure in the knowledge that the fur-children will be in good hands. Ciao.