As we turn the calendar to this year's sixth month, there is a little more "Joy in Mudville," unlike as the poem, "Casey at the Bat" reads. People are on the move – did you witness the traffic this past weekend? – and more and more people are getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Let's hope the trend continues and we don't have to shut the state down again because of the virus.

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Remembering the anniversary of my Dad's death (June 14, 2020) also this month. Louis Edward Burnham Jr. lived a full 87 years and was well-respected in the region. Having reached the ripe age of 64, I am a bit melancholy seeing the generation of people before me appearing on our obituary pages. Thankfully, many of them lived a longer life than others who died too young.

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I have received positive comments about last week's column of perhaps having a fenced dog park at Clifford Playground (or somewhere in the region). Hopefully someone brighter than I am can get this project off the ground. I am thinking that a lot of dog owners would enjoy it.

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It appears that the Celtics season is all but over (as of Tuesday morning) with a 3-1 deficit facing them. Stranger things have happened but the Nets start three perennial all-stars and Boston only has one on the court this series. The Bruins have been exciting to follow and hopefully they can advance against the Islanders. The Red Sox are still battling for a top spot in the tough American League East (Yankees and Tampa Bay) and hopefully can string us along until September. And I can't wait to see what unfolds in the NFL this season. New faces (coaches and players) and Tom Brady is coming back to Foxboro!