Author Archives: Sparky
Tillamook Thanksgiving 2022 – Day 2
Thanksgiving Day. One like none other – 16 adults, 7 children (all under 8), 8 dogs and 1 cat. Pandemonium. But it started quietly. Brother-in-law Chris and I did a round of disc golf at the local middle school. The course is not particularly difficult in terms of terrain – very flat, few trees, no … Continue reading
Tillamook Thanksgiving 2022 – Day 1
I was not going to go anywhere for Thanksgiving this year, much less across the continent to Oregon. But my sister convinced me that I needed to meet her grandchildren. So on Tuesday I flew to Charlotte (1.5 hours), then to Portland (5.0 hours) and drove 90 minutes to Tillamook OR, arriving at 10pm local … Continue reading
Nauti Parrot Oasis
I went to a benefit concert Sunday at the Nauti Parrot Oasis in Fort Myers. It was a fundraiser for homeless vets. Five bands donating their services from 1pm until 8pm and a special menu where 100% of the proceeds went to the cause. Lots of good music and a few beers warmed a cool … Continue reading
“Bastard’s Bluff” by David Benjamin
Copyright 2021 by David Benjamin. Published by Last Kid Books, Madison WI. This is the second in Benjamin’s series of Jim Otis detective stories. In this one Otis gets drawn into a series of hate crimes in tiny Hercules WI which start as vandalism but escalate into bank robbery and attempted murder. He is no … Continue reading
AAAbsolutely idiotic
I have been a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA) for 30 years. The $57 annual fee pays for itself if I have just one incident during the year where I need assistance – a tow, a boost for a low battery or help changing a tire. They are generally a fine organization. But… … Continue reading
Punta Gorda after Ian
Punta Gorda is a nice little harbor town and former fishing village just north of Fort Myers. Like Fort Myers, it was blasted by Hurricane Ian. Also like Fort Myers, it is recovering quickly. I visited Punta Gorda last Friday and, yes, there was debris lining the streets, mostly furnishings from homes that were flooded. … Continue reading
Getting better and getting ejected
I haven’t had anything major to mention lately, but there has been an accumulation of little things that I will mention. I got a new laptop. This is the first post that I have written on the new computer. The old one was still working, but barely. It was getting slower. The microphone didn’t work. … Continue reading
“Blue Moon” by Lee Child
Copyright 2019 by Lee Child. Published by Dell, an imprint of Random House, New York. This is #24 (of 27 currently) in the Jack Reacher series of adventure/mystery books by Lee Child. I have read quite a few. But not 24. I will eventually read all of them, I think. But it will take some … Continue reading
Giving Ian the finger (or leaf)
Yesterday my hibiscus had 12 blooms. It had only 6 today, but it usually has only 1 to 3. I think this is the hibiscus’ way of giving an emphatic finger to Hurricane Ian. “Is THAT the best you’ve got? Ha! I spit at your wind!”
Planning for 100…
It is always good to plan ahead, right? So, for my 100th birthday I want to go dancing. I want to get out on the dance floor, with my walker, and groove to the beat. And if the lead singer wants to serenade me, that would be fine, too. That is the birthday I witnessed … Continue reading »