Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "The City." A current temperature outside the Weather Window of 34° will drop gradually to the overnight low of 26° before once again climbing to today's post sunrise (8:07 a.m.) high of 35°. The gradual warm-up has begun, peaking at Monday's high of 45°. Some days will be windier than others, but overall, both Sugar the Weather Dog and I will find it better than running from the ice and snow.

Thursday found me still waiting for those lenses. Maybe today. Sigh. Sugar and I took our morning walk and that consisted of a trip to the newspaper box and back. I found time to get the laundry done and also to read more in my latest novel. The girls and I spent some time together. In fact, Abaigael and I worked together to polish up a tune that wasn't quite right. We found a nice chord combination that substitutes nicely for one that is much harder to play and is only a fleeting requirement. A good effort on the part of Abby and myself.

Trainspotting consisted of my hearing the southbound run of a heavily laden train. The northbound run should be along soon, but I won't be around to view it. Or, I might.

Today, I have plans to install the new shop light Mary and I picked up at the local big-box home center. I found that while working in the man-cave that the lighting over the workbench was insufficient for my old eyes. I may find time to bring the tree up and get it in place too.

In other news, the boys in blue are now being criticized for doing too much to actually get to the World Series™. A front line free agent pitcher, a top-notch manger, although they have had one or two of those before, and a farm system that is producing quality players, has left some long suffering fans longing for the good old days of low expectations and open seats in the park. Personally, I've waited long enough. Theo Epstein and his management team were brought in to create a winner. It was a former manager, Leo Durocher, who once said "Nice guys finish last." I think he also said something about the boys that they were better than their dismal finish the season before he took over as manager. His new team then proceeded to go out and lose even more. In seven seasons, the closest the boys got was in 1969, when they had another collapse, and were overtaken by the "Miracle Mets." Is this the year? As a veteran fan for 56 years, a veteran of the futility that has been north side baseball, I hope so. I started the journey at age seven, and I'll be 64 this year.

That looks like enough activity and speculation for one blog. The sun will set at 5:09 p.m., and I'll be done with my day too. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature of 25°, as we drop to the overnight low of 20°. We'll rebound to 35° later today and by Friday we'll see 36° under partly cloudy skies. Saturday will be warmer still, albeit more cloudy, with an expected high of 37°. We are in a warming cycle until Monday.

We finished the index about 4:00 p.m. yesterday and then we went out to get my pay. I opted for cheese and onion enchiladas at the favorite watering hole. I like to think that that was premium pay. We also stopped off at the Post to see Sally to get some soup she had prepared. I haven't eaten it yet, but the day is young. We made it home about 7:00 p.m. and Sugar the Weather Dog was here to greet us, as always. She was in full needy mode as we finished the index, but I find that endearing. Later, we sat and watched a Hallmark Channel™ movie and then it was time for bed, at least for me.

I didn't see or hear a trains last night. This morning at 3:12 a.m., the northbound train rumbled through. Twin locomotives towing 56 covered hopper cars, one box car, 10 of those dreaded black tank cars, a lone white tanker, and a gray with white stripe tanker. In short, it was a long train.

I'm hoping to get a call from the eye doctor that my new lenses are in and ready to pick up. They would make reading that next highlighting project a bit easier. I have the day off to do what I wish today. That means that I have time to read, play with the girls, set up the tree, and do some laundry, after walking with the intrepid weather dog. She and I went out yesterday as Mary finished some work, and when we stopped by the library to drop some books, the city was taking down a tree with chain saws, a wood chipper and lots of extraneous noise. Sugar could not get away from there fast enough.

My baking yak visited yesterday. It was a sharp twinge that passed quickly, but it was not welcome.

The sun will rise at 8:05 a.m. and set at 5:09 p.m. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening,wherever you may be. It is just passing 3:30 a.m. in "The City." With a pre-sunrise temperature of 31°, that drops to an overnight low of 25° before the sun rises at 7:58 a.m. In addition, the daily forecast for today calls for a high of 33° under partly cloudy skies this morning, which give way to partly sunny skies in the afternoon. Thursday, the National Weather Service is calling for a high of 35° under mostly sunny skies.

If the reports from the winter meetings are true, the boys in blue snatched the prize player from this year's free agent class. Jon Lester, a left handed pitcher with appearances in the World Series™, has inked a deal for $155 million for six years, with an option for seven years. That comes on the heels of signing Jason Hammels, a right handed pitcher, for $20 million for two years, and acquiring catcher Miguel Montero from the Arizona Diamondbacks. As the Yankees have proven, big spending can win a pennant and a World Series™, or not. As the boys have proven, spending money on an outfielder who can hit, or a pitcher who turned out to be more promise than reality can easily backfire. As for my beloved Red Sox, Lester was a dream, but the money talked and that other stuff walked. That other team from Chicago traded for Jeff Samardzija, former boys pitcher, and once the ace of their staff. He never had good luck on the north side.

In trainspotting, it turned into train-hearing. The southbound run went through at around 10:30 p.m. last night, and the northbound train went through around 2:00 a.m. The noise was not that of long trains.

Today, I am doing that editing for Mary. Surprisingly, she is slightly ahead of schedule on this index. It does mean that I'll have to get up earlier to get started. I was supposed to get that index yesterday, but like many things in the indexing world, schedules are subject to slippage. However, we are still on time, schedule wise.

In addition, Mary received word that another book is in the pipeline. It is purported to be about 400 pages. That's in addition to the one I just finished highlighting a few days ago. That one is due Monday. I just got the highlighter ink off of my hands.

I got in some time with the girls yesterday, and that always makes me feel good. Before that, I had noticed while I was downstairs for lunch, that the kitchen needed sweeping. That led me to seeing that Sugar's couch needed the cover washed, the sink in the downstairs bathroom needed its drain cleaned, and the carpets downstairs, and up, needed vacuuming. When Sugar the Weather Dog and I were out for our morning constitutional yesterday, I noticed a piece of her fur coat falling off. This time of year, with temperatures fluctuating, and as the ins and outs of daily life in Sugar's world come into play, and in spite of brushing, Sugar sheds. I love her anyway. She is the "Cutest dog on the planet."

So before the sun sets on me at 5:11 p.m. I'll being saying Ciao.

Good morning GH. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City", where we have a current temperature of 35° that feels like 28°, as we drop to the overnight low of 22°. That's a lot to happen between now and sunrise at 8:04 a.m. Today, the skies will be partly cloudy and the temperature will rise to a high of 37° with a 10% chance of precipitation. Wednesday, with have a lower temperature, but there will be sunny skies.

Yesterday when Sugar the Weather Dog and I went for our morning constitutional, we got out just a tad late. Sugar rushed tot he mud room eagerly. However once there, she sensed a disturbance in the force which she had not noticed in her mad rush. She wanted to get back in to avoid the coming sleet and snow event. I forced her out, we picked up the newspaper and headed home. She was right, there was just a hint of ice on the sidewalks to contend with, but that morphed into a full-on storm as the day wore on. Sugar wasted no time in beating a hasty retreat to the protection of Mary's office when we got home, before I made her go out again.

In other news, those ornaments are done. Mary came up with the solution that I needed regarding how to apply the matte finish without making the entire palatial estate smell. I opened one-half of the outer doors to the man-cave, and held each ornament in the fresh air to allow for spraying. It took all of two minutes. I used to have a small, well ventilated, spray area in our old house for that purpose.

Today I may get that Christmas tree set up. Or not. I will get more time in with the girls if editing doesn't supersede. I'll also get in a walk with the intrepid one if the sidewalks don't look too ice covered. Plus I'll read more of my new book. The Ghosts of Belfast, by Stuart Neville. Different, much like the type of novels that I like, but different.

Trainspotting yielded only the southbound run late last evening at 1:20 p.m. Locomotives # 2057 and 2019 were towing eight covered hopper cars. I never heard the northbound run, which should have happened about three hours later.

Well that's enough before the early morning hours get away. The sun will set at 5:10 p.m., and that means that I can too. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 11:30 p.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature of 32° as we drop to our overnight low of 30°. Monday we'll have a high temperature of 37° with an 80% chance of showers after the sun rises at 8:03 a.m. If that's the case, then Sugar the Weather Dog will not be going out with me in the morning. Like always, the morning constitutional will be a game time decision. The intrepid weather dog and I got in two walks today, so she should be fine with her walking quota.

I finished painting those ornaments earlier today. Now all I have to do is apply the matte finish and they'll be complete. I am not as steady in the hands as I used to be, but I think they look fine. Once I get that matte finish on them, I'll include a picture.

I found time to play with the girls this afternoon. I like to think that I sounded great. In addition, I finished the crossword puzzle from the weekend Grand Haven Tribune.

I started reading my latest novel. This book is by an author who is new to me. I saw him on the web site for new books posted by the library. I've started with the earliest book, so that I don't get out of sequence which I have done before with other authors. The setting is Ireland, a place that Mary and I have visited and which is responsible for some of the music that I love. I think that there may be an Irishman in my wood pile somewhere along the line. I also have another author from that same library source.

Tonight at 9:52 p.m., the southbound train rolled by, a rare three locomotive combination towing two box cars and 17 covered hopper cars. Somehow I doubt that I'll be up to see the northbound run. Turns out I was wrong. At about 2:30 a.m., the northbound train rolled past. Two locomotives, followed by one box car, then seven covered hopper cars, and then nine, count them, nine, of those dreaded black tank cars. Finally, a lone covered hopper was car bringing up the rear. Now I know that there won't be any more trains tonight.

Monday, I'll be putting that matte finish on the ornaments, listening to the radio, and reading more of that novel. If Sugar and I get out, I'll get the newspaper. All of that will happen before the sun sets at 5:10 p.m. Mary will be working, so I"ll be on my own. That's okay, I think I can survive. If I am feeling ambitious, I'll bring the Christmas tree up from the man cave and get it set up. Then it will feel like Christmas to me. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:00 a.m. in "The City."  Today's sunrise will happen at 8:02 a.m. and sunset will happen at 5:10 p.m. In between we'll have a high temperature of 38° under partly sunny skies. Monday, the National Weather Service is predicting a 70% chance of a snow/rain mix with a high temperature of 37°. I like today's forecast much better.

In news that is only relevant to me, Sugar the Weather Dog and I took our morning walk, without incident. Afterwards, I finished highlighting that 200 plus page book. It took me about five hours total, including commentary. In addition, I am nearing completion of the painting of those ornaments. It looks like I have another two to three sessions of painting in store. Now that I have discovered that my radio works in the man-cave, I am in hog heaven.

Later in the day, when Mary had finished her work, she and I walked downtown to watch the Jingle Bell Parade. Lot's of kids, lots of dogs, girl and boy scouts, and a few musical acts. We also saw our neighbor towing a trailer load of young people. We didn't stay for the entire parade, because we got cold standing in one place. One of the hazards of getting older, I guess.

Once home, I adjourned to the media room to watch Independence Day, and then I stayed up long enough to write this blog.

Later today, after I walk with the intrepid weather dog, I'll adjourn to the man-cave and try to finish those ornaments while Mary works. I think I look spiffy in my new multipurpose apron. I can wear it in the man-cave and in the kitchen. As the day progresses, I'll get in more time with the girls too. I'd also like to start a new novel that I had Mary pick up at the library a few days ago. In short, a busy day of retirement. Ciao.

It's late or early enough now for me to say Good Morning GH, as it is just passing 4:00 a.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature outside the Weather Window of 36°as we fall to the overnight low of 25°, before we head back towards today's high of 36° with 15 mph winds. It should be fine for viewing the Jingle Bell Parade later this evening. Sunday's weather looks about the same with lighter winds.

Yesterday I got more of those ornaments painted. More to go. I also finished highlighting that 500 plus page book. However, there is another one of 200 plus pages on my desk to do. See what I mean about my slave driver boss?  In betwixt and between, I got some laundry done and changed the light bulbs in the dining room chandelier. Sugar and I had a nice morning walk, and that was about it for the day.

Later, we journeyed across the bridge to get my new apron at the Ace™ Hardware Store, and then stopped off at the favorite watering hole on that side of the bridge. Dinner was served.

Since it was now time to get home, we did. I sat for a while and then I went upstairs to get ready for bed. I did and I did, get into bed that is. Except for a short visit with Mary for a snack around 11:00 p.m., I have been sleeping soundly ever since early last evening.

Today will be more painting, more highlighting, a chance to play with the girls, and a possible visit to the downtown to see the parade. Naturally, the morning constitutional withe intrepid weather dog is the first event of the day. That's after I listen to some Saturday morning radio while Mary works. I like that.

The sun will rise at 8:01 a.m. and set at 5:10 p.m. Ciao.