Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 70° under partly-cloudy skies. Our overnight low will be 69°. The sun will rise today @ 7:32 a.m. and set later @ 7:42 p.m. The NWS is forecasting a 35% chance for T-storms beginning this morning @ 8:00 a.m. that will morph into a 90% for showers in the afternoon and then back to T-storms returning around 5:00 p.m. The NWS had forecast showers/T-storms yesterday into early this morning, however, STWD proved to be more accurate as she hid out for a while and then returned to her regular spot on the floor. With the forecast for today, I'll watch STWD for a more accurate forecast than the NWS.

There are several NWS advisories and watches in effect until 8:00 p.m. tonight. They are a Small Craft  Advisory, a Beach Hazard Statement, and a Lakeshore Flood Advisory, in effect for that time period.

What a great day at the Irish Jam Session yesterday, with a large number of players on fiddle, whistle, mandolin, upright bass, and guitar. That was in spite of the football games between the Wolverines of Michigan, who lost to the Badgers of Wisconsin, 14 - 35, and the Spartans of MSU, who defeated the Wildcats of Northwestern, 31 - 10. Both games began @ 12:00 p.m. EDT yesterday.

In baseball, the Cubs dropped another one to the Cardinals, 8 - 9, to fall to six full games in back of the Cardinals and into 3rd place. Craig Kimbrel, he of the strange approach to seeing the catcher's signs, once again gave up the winning home-runs to the Cardinals. Two pitches, two home runs, the tying run and the go ahead and winning run. Is that why they gave him a three year contract for $45 million? Said Kimbrel after yesterday's game, “I was pumped out there. I was excited. I felt like I had good stuff. And then right there off the bat, two home runs. Frustrating.”  Kimbrel said Saturday. He also said,  “I feel great right now. My last two outings, I felt great. I just didn’t get the results I wanted, the results I need to have to do my job. Ya think? He further said, "Moving forward, I have a good feeling I will.” Yes, and I have tickets to the next Cubs' World-Series appearance in my pocket too.

Kimbrel is looking all too human and may be the next in a long line of failed acquisitions for the Cubs' brass. The Cubs are in a must-win every remaining game position in order to make the Wild Card race. It is not looking good, as the Cubs have four more games against the Cardinals at home and in St. Louis. Another disappointing big contract player, Yu Darvish, pitches for the Cubs at 2:10 p.m. today.

My prediction for the Cubs' off-season, wholesale trades of front-line/core players and several outright releases of players who under-performed, including several pitchers. Once a century is not enough. Stay tuned.

Speaking of the playoffs, the Red Sox are officially eliminated from any post-season play following yesterday's loss to the Rays, 4 - 5. The Sox gave Chris Sale a huge contract extension and he is now on the injury list. Only one Sox pitcher was effective this year,Eduardo Rodriguez. I should mention that one other player, third-baseman Rafael Devers, had a great year. Yesterday, he set a team record for Sox  third-baseman, hitting his 31st home-run. The Sox will probably see some serious off-season trades and signings, especially following the sacking of Dave Dombrowski, The Sox continue to play out the string today @ 1:10 p.m.

The Tigers were out of it long ago, and yes, the agony continues with today's game @ 1:10 p.m. against that other team from Chicago.

Today, if the rain stays away, Mary plans to go to Hemlock Crossing for an Equinox Expedition, while I go to the 1st Presbyterian Church here in GH @ 4:00 p.m. for a concert featuring a band called Schliltz Creek. They play bluegrass, country and western, and pop tunes, all with their unique Schlitz Creek bluegrass twist. like this version of I want You to Want Me, originally recorded by Cheap Trick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5o4GFfGAck

Otherwise, I  have some painting to finish/begin and some reading to continue. Mary will be hard at work in her kitchen whether she goes on that expedition or not. Ciao.