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

The current temperature is 30° under cloudy skies. Today's high is forecast to reach 35° under skies that will be mostly cloudy. The sun will rise today @ 7:47 a.m. and set later @ 6:11 p.m.

A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until 10:00 p.m. tonight. West winds of 15 to 25 knots tonight becoming southwest later today with gusts up to 30 knots and waves 3 to 6 feet.
 

Of course, that means that a Gale Watch is also in effect from now until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, with north gales to 35 knots and waves from 4 to 8 feet possible from Holland to Manistee through Thursday evening. Strong winds can cause hazardous waves which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. The strongest winds and largest waves will occur Thursday morning into the afternoon.  Mariners should consider altering plans to avoid possible hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe wind and waves. Whoa!

Yesterday was busy, but productive. We both made it to our hair appointments and I made it to the orthopedist with no problem. One treatment down, four more to go. I discovered that the salad bar at the hospital is open until 5:00 p.m. everyday, except weekends, so I had a late lunch.

I also stopped by the hospital gift shop and picked up a Valentine's Day present for Mary, a new set of the slippers that she likes to wear around the manse. As luck would have it, they were having a sale for Valentine's Day and so the slippers were discounted. To use that old saw, a Win-Win for me and Mary.

Baseball's spring training is now in session. TV sports channels are broadcasting baseball news nearly non-stop. I learned yesterday that my beloved Red Sox, on the eve of spring training, officially announced Ron Roenicke as the club's manager for the upcoming season. Technically, he's their "interim" manager in order to cover the club's behind in case Roenicke somehow is implicated in Major League Baseball's sign-stealing investigation. 

Roenicke, 63, has been the Sox' the bench coach the last two seasons, so he should help navigate what promises to be one of the most tumultuous seasons in Red Sox history. As one baseball pundit observed, "Were they really going to throw an outsider, much less a rookie manager, out there to feed the angry masses in New England?"

Prior to being the bench-coach for the Sox, Roenicke was a successful player and minor-league coach and manager before becoming the manager for the Major-League Milwaukee Brewers on November 2, 2010, In Roenicke's first season as the Brewers manager, he was a resounding success as the Brewers finished the season 96–66, recording the most wins in team history, and leading the Brewers to the playoff. Roenicke finished 2nd in the manager of the year voting that year. Sadly, the next year was one of high expectations, but low outcomes. 

Inconsistent play from several players caused the Brewers to limp into a winning season @ 83 - 79, albeit the first back to back winning seasons in team history. Sadly, his first year as Brewers manager was his best and he was fired on May 13, 2015 after the Brewers got off to a weak, 7 - 18 start. As a Sox fan, I have to think optimistically and hope for the best.

Today is another "Tad" day for Mary at the library. She enjoys the "Tad" sessions immensely as she gets to take a stroll through 1975 each week and learn more about what was happening in our little corner of the world 45 years ago. Wow, I just realized that 1975 was two years after we got married and one-year after Adam was born. Time flies.

The fur-children and I will be here reading, doing some indoor chores, cooking, and other sundry things that may crop up.

John will be by tomorrow to handle the sundry things that I don't want to do. Ciao.