Just a month until my first show. Today is the day Maine has essentially dropped their mask mandate with a few exceptions. My grocery store did not initially go along but did announce this morning that they were no longer requiring masks. My trip there an hour ago showed about 50% masks v. no mask in both customers and employees. All good as far as I'm concerned.

 We're a week+ out from the final leg of the Triple Crown and there will be no tri-corner trophy awarded this year. The afore-mentioned Baffert won the Derby and a week later announced that the horse (Medina Spirit) had tested positive for betamethasone, which is not allowed in any amount in Kentucky. At first he completely denied knowing how this came to be, then the next day allowed that the vet had prescribed a cream that contained the substance for a skin rash on MS. Still playing the victim, he called it "Cancel Culture", said people hated him because he was successful, etc. Churchill Downs immediately suspended his privileges to enter races and NYRA (in charge of Belmont) has done the same, the ban extending to all NYRA tracks, including Saratoga. This is all while we await the results of the split sample test, which could take months apparently. Pimlico, on the other hand, came to some legal agreement with Baffert that allowed him to run in the Preakness, where MS ran 3rd behind Rombauer and Midnight Bourbon. Baffert's other horse, Concert Tour, ran 9th out of 10. So it will be an interesting but not compelling Belmont Stakes. I'm hoping Brooklyn Strong who had a horrible trip in the Derby and passed on the Preakness will relish "Big Sandy"!

 And this past weekend it was Old Guys Rule as Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship at 50. He's just a kid! Seriously, congratulations and it was just the story that golf needed as it returns to full out galleries. 

 In the meantime, my gardens are in need of rain and a good grooming. Perhaps later today for the grooming. 

 And, a bit of political ranting....I'm deeply offended that the les-than-sane members of the GOP in Congress seem to have taken a page from the orange man's playbook and are spouting all kinds of lies, thinking we'll believe them. As Joe says..."Come on, man!"