Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 9:00 a.m. in "The City."

Here on the shores of the "Big Lake" everything is quiet. Sunday morning traffic has not picked up, yet, and there are no tourists due until just before Memorial Day, the official start of "Tourist Season" here in GH. Until then, "The City" is ours. Well mostly, if the ice melts off the sidewalks and we can get back to walking with the fur-children on a regular basis.

However, while we did have a warmer day yesterday to aid in that melting, the current temperature of 19° today will only give way to today's high temperature of 21°. Monday and Tuesday will see even lower highs, hmmm, is that an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp? At any rate, the high on each of those days will be 12° and 17° respectively. Alas, it won't be until Friday when we start to see/feel high temperatures consistently in the 30s.



In Meas,. AZ, the current temperature is 53° as the high today moves towards a sunny 74°! The Cubs have goals for this season, with the most important being the World Series! While the team made no free-agent signings this winter, they are hoping for players like Ian Happ, Alberto Almora Jr., Yu Darvish, and Willson Contreras to bounce back and have more consistent years. Plus, they hope to see Kris Bryant have an injury-free year and another MVP caliber season.



In Lakeland, FL, the current temperature of 65° will give way to 86° under sunny skies. Sunny matches the hopes for Tigers' owner, Chris Ilitch's hopes for the next few seasons. He thinks that GM Al Avila has the plan in place to bring about playoff appearances and ultimately a World Series appearance in the next few years. Miguel "Miggy" Cabrera is 35 years old and coming off an injury riddled season, but he should be healthy this year and add to the offense directed by 2nd year manager Ron Gardenhire. 

In Ft. Myers. FL, the current temperature of 67° will be much improved as the day wears on and the temperature rises to 84° under cloudy skies early in the day, but sunny skies in the afternoon. The Sox are expected to be the Sox, by all of us in Red Sox Nation, and get back to the World Series. If the Cubs make it too, my head will explode.

Yesterday, I slept in the bed for quite a spell and then arose to blog and go back to sleep in the chair in the media room. I didn't get downstairs until after 12:30 p.m. and then Mary and I had a productive day in the kitchen.

Mary made toona casserole for lunch and then followed that up with baking her latest loaf of rye bread, which became part of dinner.

Not really made with toona, but another fish-less variety. Great nonetheless.

Another successful bread baking session.

I baked sugar cookies following an old family recipe. I don't know whose family, but they came out great. I frosted then with the remaining vegan butter-cream frosting from my cupcakes and they are now ready for our book club meeting on Wednesday.

Hand frosted by yours truly.

We both pronounced them excellent!

I also used the oven to revise or update my roasted chickpeas that weren't spicy enough for my tastes, nor that of the fur-children. A bit more hot sauce and more baking, and voila, too hot for Mary, but like the Baby Bear's porridge was to Goldilocks, "Just Right!"

Yep, just right!

All photos, including the slightly blurry one of the frosting process, courtesy of our Senior Staff Photographer, Mary.

We also accomplished some additional indoor chores, talked to Mary's brother on the phone, and made a stop at the grocery store for some vegetables I need for my next attempt at vegan pot roast. That will likely be Tuesday as we have to pare down the leftovers in the refrigerator. Cooking for two is hard to do without leftovers. All in all, for a late rising kind of day, we accomplished a lot.

Today, the sun already rose @ 7:17 a.m. and it will set later @ 6:36 p.m. I plan to read, go to the man-cave, do some crossword solving and just take it easy. Mary has some planting and other sundry activities planned. John will be here tomorrow to begin that painting of the living room. We'll be @ P/T in the early afternoon, so we are hoping that the fur-children will be no bother to John. Maybe Ginger will be going to Doggy Daycare while STWD will simply avoid John by staying upstairs. Ciao.