Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 7:00 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 63°, and there is currently no precipitation of note in the forecast for the foreseeable future. Today the sun will rise @ 6:38 a.m. and set later @ 9:02 p.m. The days are quickly getting shorter as we wind our way through the "Dog Days of Summer."

Some of my more curious readers might like to know that the term "Dog days of summer" has nothing to do with dogs and everything to do with the Dog Star, Sirius. It's the time of year, according to Greek and Roman mythology, an astrological time connected with sudden T-storms, lethargy, mad dogs, and bad luck. I like to believe that the phrase simply refers to the hot/humid days in late summer.

We walked to the corner yesterday to watch part of the annual Coast Guard Festival Parade. This year's parade featured both new and old attractions. I took many pix, but Mary and I decided that a stop at JWs was a better use of our time before the appearance of the World Famous Scottville Clown Band at the end of the parade, so I have no new pix of them. However, I'll include some of the pix I did take below.

Our only "Flyover" this year was by the USCG helicopter.

Yes, the USCG have a global mission, but they provide local service to shores of Lake Michigan's and its environs

The USCG has its own Pipe Band.

As well as a regular marching band.

In the Tri-Cities area, Spring Lake High School also fields a great marching band.

As does Grand Haven High School and their Buccaneer Marching Band.

The parade also featured the marching band from Hesperia High School too. Hesperia is located in both Newaygo and Oceana counties, north and west of GH

The Northern Lights Marching Band is composed of home-schooled students from the Tri-Cities area.

The band is quite large.

As was this "Candy Cannon."

Baseball news yesterday was mostly bad.

The now 59 - 51, alone in 1st place in the NL Central by 1/2 game over the 2nd place Cardinals Cubs, used some great pitching by Cole Hamels who did not get the decision, as he returned from the IL. His relief corps, especially rookie Rowan Wick, held the battlements and the Cubs won the game over the 57 - 55, 3rd place Brewers, 4 - 1. Today's game begins @ 2:20 p.m. EDT, when Yu Darvish, 3 - 5, takes the ball.

I know according to the Cubs brass Darvish is pitching pretty good, but for a man earning $126 million over six years, a 3 - 5 record is not nearly good enough and he is a major league disappointment, pun intended.

My beloved, 59 - 54, 3rd place in the AL East and fading fast Red Sox, lost both ends of yesterday's double-header to the 71 - 39, 1st place Yankees, 2 - 9 and 4 - 6. Red Sox starter, Chris Sale, 5 - 11, still can't get it together and took the first-game loss, while Matt Barnes, 3 - 4, fared no better in the second game. The Sox are now 13.5 games behind the Yankees as they approach tonight's game @ 7:05 p.m., when David Price, 7 - 4, returns from the paternity list to make the start.

The 32 - 74, never had a chance Tigers, are mired in last place in the AL Central, 34 games behind the 1st place Twins. Next year is here! The Tigers take the field against the 56 - 54, 3rd place in the AL West Texas Rangers today @ 3:05 p.m.

To borrow from Tom Hanks in his Oscar winning performance in the movie Forrest Gump, "And that's all I have to say about that." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBIUKPeq4Y0. Of course, Forrest also said, "I'm not a smart man" too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msQdUw3jSjM.  

I think that hose two clips sum things up well.

The 35 - 75, West Michigan WhiteCaps are still looking for a way to win games, as they fell to the 49 - 60, 7th place Ft. Wayne TinCaps last night 4 - 7, to stay firmly anchored as the 8th place team in the MWL East. The Caps and the TinCaps hit the field this afternoon @ 1:05 p.m.

Otherwise, not much happened yesterday. Adam and Steph are enjoying some R & R here in GH and the fur-children are fine with that. We have been going about our business and they theirs, so all is well, to quote from the Town Criers of old.

So, that's all folks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9434BoGkNQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItCdwdlYR1c

Ciao.