Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 6:45 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 62° under partly-cloudy skies. The sun will rise today @ 7:10 a.m. and set later @ 8:18 p.m.

Starting @ 8:00 a.m. Tuesday through 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, the NWS has issued three advisories and/or statements. One of them, is new to this Amateur Weather Forecaster, a Gale Watch. A Gale Watch is issued when there is an expectation of wind-speeds from 34 to 47 knots! The current Gale Watch forecast from the NWS is for the areas mostly north of Holland up to GH. Wind-speeds of 35 - 45 knots are expected that may produce wave-heights of from 6' to 10' north of Holland! Once again, Surfs Up! Photo-Op anyone?

Don't forget, that wind-speeds measured in mph are calculated by multiplying 1.152 times the number of knots. So, that means that we may see wind-speeds from 40 mph to 52 mph! Not hurricane force, but still...

We also have another Beach Hazard Statement in effect, from north of Holland to GH. High/strong-winds and rip currents should preclude swimming in the "Big Lake." So, while the surf may be up, people are strongly encouraged to avoid the water and walking on the piers, as big waves will be washing over them. Also once again, Photo-Op anyone?

Why there is no Small Craft Advisory in effect, I have no idea. However, there is another of those Lakeshore Flood Watches that will be in effect from 8:00 a.m. Tuesday until 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, during which time, the risk to properties along the shores of the "Big Lake" is significant.

All of those watches and statements correspond with the possibility of a 60% chance for T-storms on Tuesday.

As is all too often the case, I focused on the weather to the exclusion of many tings. So, I'll be brief after that. Well, maybe.

The Cubs failed to score any runs in an 0 - 4 loss to the Brewers yesterday. Supposedly, the Cubs are not worried by their lack of offense. Maybe they aren't worried, but we Die-Hard Cubs fans sure are. The Cubs are now four full games behind the NL Central leading Cardinals!

Once again, the Cubs' $126 million dollar man, Yu Darvish, was scratched from the lineup due to forearm tightness. As the immortal Yogi Berra intoned many years ago, "It's Déjà vu all over again." When does the Cubs' brass say, "enough is enough!" There is no upside to paying $126 million to a guy who can't pitch more than Darvish has pitched over the last couple of years. Just saying. The Cubs welcome the Mariners to Wrigley Field for today's game @ 2:20p.m. EDT, when Kyle Hendricks makes another start.

My beloved Red Sox rode the arm of David Price and the bat of the X-Man, Xander Bogaerts, to a 4 - 3 win over the Angels yesterday in Anaheim. The Sox return to Fenway Park for a game against the visiting Twins Tuesday night @ 7:10 p.m., when Rick Porcello gets the call from Alex Cora.

The Tigers, well they are the Tigers, and so they lost to the Twins yesterday 3 - 8, as Spencer Turnbull was once again hit hard. Oh well, there is always another season. That's when the Tigers hope that their draft picks reach the Major-Leagues™ and start winning some games. The Tigers finish up their series against the Twins today @ 1:10 p.m. when Jordan Zimmerman tries to find the plate in Comerica Park.

The West Michigan WhiteCaps took another game, 2 - 0 from the Dayton Dragons last night. The Caps and the Dragons close out their respective seasons of futility today @ 2:00 p.m.

Otherwise, I spent some time in the kitchen yesterday making more vegan Italian meatballs and also a new to us vegan bologna that looks promising. We shall see today. We also traveled to that big-box home center in Norton Shores to purchase a new upstairs refrigerator as the old one finally gave up the ghost after eight years. We won't know if this one works until I can plug it in later today after it has been upright for 24 hours.

Ciao.