Good afternoon GH. It is fast closing on 2:00 PM in "The City" and the current temperature is 62 degrees. The skies are cloudy all day. Oops, there's that lyric slip again. Actually, the skies are cloudy and the chance of showers is at 60%. Sugar the Weather Dog is away at camp and we have to pick her up between 4:00 and 6:00 PM today. Our next chance of precipitation is Wednesday and Thursday. No T-storms today, so Sugar will be fine.

Speaking of Sugar, we saw a picture of two beautiful Corgi boys at a restaurant/bar in Muskegon while we were there to see the Michigan Irish Music Festival. More on that in a bit. The bartender is a Corgi enthusiast and she had such great stories about her boys. Sugar is still the cutest dog on the planet, but these guys are a close second.

Before we got to the restaurant, we stopped in the Muskegon Heritage Museum. What a great place! They had two bicycles that were made in Grand Haven in the early part of the 20th century and a working Brunswick bowling pin setter to go with an exhibit about the paper mill in Muskegon that ended its run in 2009.

Perhaps the most interesting exhibit for me was the Corliss Stationary Steam Engine and the accompanying machinery that was being powered by it. The young man who was mostly responsible for its care and operation was named Adam. Both he and John, a former employee of the paper mill and one of the museum docents, spoke lovingly of the machines and industries that were part and parcel to Muskegon in its industrial hey day. I never knew that so many things were made in Muskegon. Today, Muskegon is attempting a come-back, but it is tough when so much of what made the city what it was has been lost to "progress" and off-shore competition. I'll let Mary tell you more in her blog to accompany the pictures that she took. I am sure that she will also include some pictures of the music fest too.

Speaking of the music fest, we saw multiple bands and performers. We heard Nolan Ladewski of Kennedy's Kitchen sing, play the tin whistle and the flute with Kennedy's Kitchen and sit in with other artists. What a talent. We were also thrilled by a young Irish performer, Damian Dempsey whose music was a treat. I was especially impressed by Scythian, a group of young performers who have been making a living playing Celtic, world, Gypsy, and Klezmer music infused with a touch of punk-rock for over 10 years. They are as energetic a group as I have seen in a long time. Burning Bridget Cleary was great too. It was great to have hotel room to return to after a long day of festing. In short, we had a great time in Muskegon.

In sports, the boys in blue lost a close one to the Pirates 1 - 2. The Tigers offense was asleep yesterday as they fell to the Royals, 0 - 1. My beloved Red Sox moved to 32 games over 500 with a 5 - 1 win over the Yankees, whom they now lead by 11.5 games.

In college football, the Wolverines of Michigan were nearly upended by the Akron Zips, pulling out a 28 - 24 win with a last second stop. In contrast, the Spartans of MSU sailed past the Youngstown State Penguins 55 - 17. Today, I'll once again save time by not watching much if any pro football. Ciao.

Good morning GH. At just past 3:00 AM, we are currently experiencing a low temperature of 49 degrees as we anticipate an eventual low of 43 later this morning. Our high today is expected to be in the upper 60s. It should be a good day for Irish Fest.  Sunday's forecast shows a 40% chance of occasional showers and a high only in the lower 60s. Sugar the Weather Dog will be okay with that as she was in the "Bone Zone" yesterday.

Also yesterday, I took the time to mow the lawns on the palatial estate and to replant the lettuce garden. Apparently while Mary was waiting for the lettuce to get taller it did, as it bolted to produce seeds. I guess that it was fully mature from what I know of plants. Oh well, since it is supposed to be a cold weather crop, we may get an additional harvest. If not, it will at least be a nice patch of green.

As I mentioned earlier, Mary and I will be going to Muskegon to the Irish Fest today. Some new bands, some old, and some that are local. All in all it should be good time. That's part of why I got my outside work done yesterday, no distractions. That means that the watering I did on Friday will carry the crops through.

The 10th annual Salmon Fest began Friday in GH. While the weather was clear, it was windy on the waterfront. Not to worry, but I opted to change out of my summer uniform of shorts and a T-shirt and to wear long jeans. In spite of that change, I opted for a more enclosed venue for dinner rather than an open tent. People were pouring in as we traveled on. They are more hardy than Mary or I. Fortunately, the Irish Fest uses enclosed areas with heaters where appropriate.

In sports, the boys in blue eked out a win over the Pirates 5 - 4, behind a late Anthony Rizzo home run. The Tigers likewise produced a win over the Royals by a score of 6 - 3. My beloved Red Sox dumped the Yankees 8 - 4 to give them a full 8.5 game lead over the Rays and 10.5 games over those same Yankees. The other team from Chicago lost to the Tribe 1 - 3, so while the Tigers couldn't increase their divisional lead over the Tribe, they lost no ground.

So that's about it for yesterday and today. Time for me to get ready for...Tea time and Irish Fest. Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is fast closing on 5:00 AM here in "The City." The current temperature is 54 dark degrees as we head down to a predicted low of 51, and a sunny but cool high of 63 later this afternoon. Fall has finally arrived here in the lower peninsula. That means leaves changing colors and falling, less lawn mowing, and also the demise of my need to water and harvest. Given the paltry harvest of tomatoes this year and the very late cucumbers, no real loss.

Speaking of tomatoes, the ones that I received from my barber the other day became stewed tomatoes and tomato bisque soup with more than a little help from Mary yesterday. While I am getting better in the kitchen, I don't anticipate my soloing in the tomato department any time soon. Unlike my world famous squash/kale soup or my interpretation of that old family recipe for banana nut bread, or even my potato and onion soup, tomatoes and I are not yet on speaking terms. We'll get there, much like my whistle, I hope.

As you can imagine, I spent more than a little time in the kitchen yesterday. Between walks, Sugar the Weather Dog was there too, wearing her Sous Dog hat. Since I had to blanch the tomatoes, she didn't get any of them that weren't cool or cooled. That's part of where Mary came in. I used to be able to blanch tomatoes, but somehow along the way I lost that skill. Maybe I never had it. Fortunately, she rescued me before a total disaster. I think I'll get the hang of it again, in fact, by the second blanching I pretty much did.

Suffice it to say that although I haven't yet tried the stewed tomatoes, the tomato bisque soup was and will again be excellent. I anticipate that the squash/kale soup will again be hitting the table as the squash harvest will be in soon. We have a nearby place to get various varieties of squash, potatoes, and onions by the bushel, and that leaves me free to work my magic. I must mention that the one crop that has done well is the kale. I guess that the combination of sun, water, and temperature have been perfect for that crop. So too for the Swiss chard and the horseradish. Aah, horseradish. I'll be harvesting that soon and transplanting some south of here to another local grower.

Today, I will get to more reading and music. Not much else while Mary is chained to her desk working, but Sugar and I will think of her while we are out. I will also get to reheat that soup for my lunch. Perhaps a little time in the "Bone Zone" too.

Speaking of the "Bone Zone," I got bad news the other day. My "Bone Zone" radio has been drifting off station for about two years now, practically since I got it. Since I was not feeling so well at the time, I never dealt with it. I recently inquired about repairs, but since it is out of warranty, it would cost more to repair than replace. Talk about planned obsolescence. More fodder for the landfill.

In sports, the boys in blue fell to the Pirates 1 - 3. The Tigers had the day off as they await the arrival of the Royals today. My beloved Red Sox dropped a close one to the Rays, 3 - 4 while still maintaining an 8.5 game lead over them. I was worried a few weeks back, but they have righted the ship. I'll be busy on Saturday at the Irish Fest in Muskegon, so I won't get my usual dose of college football.

So that's about it for yesterday and today, Ciao.

It is just past 3:00 AM in "The City" and it is currently 70 degrees as we head for a clear high of 73. No rain, in the forecast which means that I have to water. Sugar the Weather Dog is sound asleep and that means that the forecast is on target.

On Wednesday, I started the day early to try to get everything done. My first stop with Sugar on our morning walk, was at the bank where she is always welcome. She absolutely loves it there because she gets to make her own withdrawal in the form of biscuits. Then I dropped her off and went to the barber where my wait was only about five minutes. I got a pleasant surprise when the barber offered me some extra tomatoes that he had been given. Given our own meager harvest, that was a great thing.

I followed the barber with a stop at the local grocery store and the newsstand and then on to home. I stayed long enough to talk to Mary and then off to the library where the class I wanted to take was already full for tonight. Oh well, maybe they'll offer it again. I also got five books by various authors, although I didn't vary from my usual mystery/suspense genre. I tend to stay with that unless I am reading a personal memoir or other non-fiction subject.

Finally I was home just in time for Mary to be off to the dentist. She thought we might meet for lunch, but when she tried to call me on the emergency cell phone I had waiting for her call, it didn't go through. So she sent me an email. I found out that the phone's minutes had expired and I had to work my way through that maze. What a mess. I finally talked to her and we met up at our favorite watering hole. She did point out that I could have emailed her in return, but that required free thought on my part.

We walked home afterwards and Mary sprang to her computer to see what was up. I stayed downstairs for a while until we had our dinner and then it was time for me to go to bed.

Today like yesterday, more music, some reading, some watering, and more kitchen duties as I try my hand at stewed tomatoes or tomato soup this time. I think I may be able to pull this off.

I hear a train a comin' the second time this morning. This time heading north with probably the same two locomotives and a few more cars. Sorry Johnny.

A quick sports report. Boys in blue, 0 - 6, Tigers, 1 - 0. Beloved Red Sox, 7 - 3.

At the risk of sounding like a famous pig, That's all folks!. Ciao

Good morning GH, We are currently at 75 degrees as we head for a high of 81. We are expecting a 30% chance of T-storms most of the day. That may present a problem for those of us, like Sugar the Weather Dog and I, who have to  go out today. It will all work out.

Mary has a dentist appointment later, but she can take the car if it is raining. Not that she minds walking in the rain, but if she gets behind schedule and has to rush, that may be the ticket. Me, if I can avoid watering, the rain is welcome. I have to go out to the local grocers and get a few things. If I can time it right, I may go to the library, then the grocery. I'll also spend more time on my whistle and guitar.

Sugar and I ended up walking to get her pawdicure yesterday. We also stopped in and got the newspaper on our way back. Laundry was in there someplace too. I finished the highlighting for Mary and played some on my whistle. Sometimes I sounded like a bag of feral cats, and other times I was almost acceptable. I can only get better. Each time I pick up that whistle and play, I am reminded how far I have come on the guitar.

Last evening, while Mary was still working, Sugar and I worked in the kitchen and made our now famous banana nut bread from an old family recipe. I don't know whose family, but the recipe was in an old cookbook. I finished two crosswords and then Mary came down to join us in some TV viewing. I guess I grew tired, so I came upstairs and fell asleep.

In sports, the boys in blue are up to their old September tricks. This season, as with all too many, they had their June swoon, which was preceded by an April - May swoon and followed by a July and August one too. As has often been the case, when September rolls around, the boys in blue find a way to win meaningless games. Yesterday, they beat the Reds 9 - 1, but they are so deeply mired in the cellar that daylight is nowhere to be seen.

The Tigers romped all over that other team from Chicago 9 - 1. That maintains their 5.5 game lead over the Tribe. My beloved Red Sox triumphed over the Rays 2 - 0 to give them an 8.5 game lead over those same Rays and 10.5 over the Yankees. So with the exception of the boys in blue, for whom next year always seems to await, all is well in sports.

A special message for Adam. Think of our old neighbor Marshall for whom nothing was ever on an expedited schedule. If it didn't get done today, there was always tomorrow. I think age confers some wisdom.

Be patient and follow the advice of the author Robert Fulghum who said in part, "Live a balanced life - learn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some ." "You may never have proof of your importance but you are more important than you think. There are those who couldn't do without you. The rub is that you don't always know who."

I know at least three people for whom you are important. Kiss one in the morning and I'll kiss another for you. With luck she'll return the favor.

That goes for just about everybody in the world. Ciao

Good morning GH. It is already 71 humid degrees and it is just past 7:00 AM. Sugar the Weather Dog and I were going to walk over to the veterinarian and get her a pawdicure and renew her various medications, but that may wait until Thursday. I'll know more when I stick my head out the door later this morning.

Speaking of morning, the days are opening darker now that September is here and the days are getting shorter. I suppose that it is better than my getting up in the middle of the night to blog, but this kind of early morning darkness keeps Mary in bed longer. Even Sugar the Weather Dog sleeps in. Unfortunately, Mary has work to do and Sugar doesn't. I have work to do to, but that's just highlighting.

Yesterday, lots of new things combined with the old. We picked up the chairs and tables from the big box home center. I spent several hours on the hot and humid front porch doing the assembly. I got it done after the early problems that go with any assembly. Once you have done one, the process becomes mechanical. Then I came inside to my office to assemble my new chair. In spite of the directions that state, "These are the easy directions to keep it simple for you." Mostly it was, until I had to put the back on the chair. Getting the bolts to line up and then tighten was a challenge. But I did it, and here I sit.

I also did two things that I never thought I would do. I had an egg salad sandwich for lunch and for dinner, a Portabella mushroom sandwich for dinner. I was originally going to grill the mushrooms, but I had to tell Mary that my batteries were out of charge and I didn't have the strength. Thankfully, she still had some energy, and she cooked the mushrooms in the kitchen. I think she likes the kitchen activities as a diversion from the mind numbing work she is currently doing. Both sandwiches were excellent. Mary also improved on the coleslaw that I made the previous day. I tend to keep it simple, she adds the spices that I don't.

In sports, while I was able to report the scores of Sunday's NFL foot ball games, I found that like I once discovered, that you get an extra three hours on a Sunday afternoon by turning off the TV. Shhh, don't tell the NFL or the networks. I guess that it is like daylight savings time.

I have very limited plans for today as I noted earlier. More music, a trip to the library and maybe the veterinarian, and that's about it. Oh, I have to to that highlighting too.

Speaking of sports, my apologies to the late Howard Cosell, the boys in blue shutout the Reds, 2 - 0. The Tigers went down to defeat to that other Chicago team, 1 - 5. My beloved Red Sox had the day off. As for the NFL, I know that they played last night, but I didn't really care.

So that looks like it for today and yesterday. Time to get to work. Ciao.

Good early morning GH. It is fast closing on 5:30 AM in "The City" and raindrops are falling in buckets this morning. I thought I heard thunder before I got up, but Sugar the Weather Dog was still sleeping next to the bed, so I didn't believe my ears. After the most  recent crack of thunder, I thought she woud be off to her hide-e-hole, but I checked and she is still there.

The Weather Channel app is showing this as "light rain." Yeah right, just like the 30% likelihood for rain today. Is there a positive? Yes, Jack doesn't have to water today and probably not for several days. Plus, the lawns on the palatial estate were thirsty.

I covered most of what I had planned for today in last night's blog, as well as covering the sports outcomes. So that means that I can talk about whatever moves me at the moment.

The other day I was describing the life and times of Bob and I at Triangle Mobil, my high school employer. Well actually, my third high school employer. Before Bob, there was a place that inventoried grocery stores and a very short stint landscaping at an apartment complex. The grocery store gig was tough, because I had to get up before dawn cracked and work long hours in closed grocery stores. The work wasn't hard, just tedious.

We all got fatigued towards the end of a store, and began to manufacture the totals with estimates. We were pretty good. I think it suited my older brother, because his mind works like that. My mind is a bit more scattered. My mother worked in the office of that inventory firm, and that's how we both got the job.

But back to Bob and Triangle Mobil. The station was directly across the street from Mel's Pure Oil. Pure Oil was a big brand in the 50s and 60s. Mel himself was kind of a pill. He was somehow connected to the Village of Arlington Heights, IL through people who worked in their public works department. Working for Mel were two very good mechanics, Dave and John. When I needed advice about something auto repair related they, not Bob, were my go to guys. Bob's mechanical skills were good, but limited to the brakes, mufflers, and tune-ups he had learned during his job at Flash Cab. If you needed something other that, you needed to consult with John or Dave.

I can remember this car that Bob had sitting on the side of the station for weeks. The car needed a distributor, but Bob was certain that that was beyond him and it probably was. I was just young enough and cocky enough and probably dumb enough to try. I looked at the used distributor that the owner of the car brought in. I took out the old and replaced it with the new used one. The car fired up and he was happy.

Bob was nearly apoplectic when he saw that the car was gone when he got back from the race track. He was certain that something could  have gone wrong. Amazing what you can do with a little skill and a lot of nerve. If there was something or someone funny in this world, it probably happened at or came into the little world at the corner of Kensington and Dryden Avenues in Arlington Heights, IL.

Oh well, so many stories at that corner. I'll share more as the days go by and the muse moves me. They are probably more interesting to me, but that's the beauty of writing a blog.

Sounds like the T-storms are almost over. Sugar will be happy. The thunder was loud enough to wake Mary and that takes some doing. Soon it will be...Tea time. Ciao.