Author Archives: Sparky
Family time in CT
On Saturday Ooma and I traveled to CT (just an hour from Worcester) to visit with Ooma’s son Jeffrey, his wife Sarah and their family. I was eager to meet the people that I had heard so much about. I was not disappointed. It was a wonderful day – in perfect weather – with a … Continue reading
“Rogue Lawyer” by John Grisham
Copyright 2015 by Belfry Holdings, Inc. Published by Dell Books, an imprint of Random House, New York. John Grisham sure knows how to write. His books are always of the “can’t put it down” variety. This one is described as the “first in the Rogue Lawyer series.” It appears to be a series of one … Continue reading
“Blue Labyrinth” by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Copyright 2014 by Splendide Mendax Inc. and Lincoln Child. Published by Grand Central Publishing, New York., This is the 14th book in the series of Preston and Child books that feature, as the protagonist, Aloysius Pendergast, the rich FBI agent extraordinaire, and the sixth that I have read. This one immediately succedes White Fire. As … Continue reading
A fun night at the WooSox game
I hoped that I could get Ooma to a WooSox game while we were in Worcester as I think that is one of the summer highlights of the city. But COVID intervened. I then expected to be accompanied by Ray and Kim, with an extra ticket to be disposed of. But Kim broke her foot … Continue reading
“Cockroaches” by Jo Nesbo
Copyright 1998 by Jo Nesbo. Translation copyright 2013 by Dan Bartlett. Published by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc, New York. A (faint) silver lining to a miserable day in 2 ERs was that I read the last 200 pages of this book. This is the second of a series of books by … Continue reading
A miserable, unproductive day in 2 ERs
As mentioned previously, Ooma contracted, for the third time, COVID-19 sometime during our 4 days in VA. Two days ago she tested negative on a home test. Yesterday, because she was still feeling short of breath, she decided she would like an X-ray of her lungs, to see if she might have pneumonia. So at … Continue reading
TN8 wrapup
The 8th trip north (TN8) is in the books, so it is time to do the wrapup. By the numbers: 6 hops, 1,615 route miles (269 miles per hop). 13 nights (9 in hotels), $1,539 in hotel charges ($171 per night). 1,844 total driving miles, 56.4 gallons of gas (32.7 miles per gallon). $227.78 in … Continue reading
TN8 Hop 6: New York NY to Worcester MA
250 miles via I-278, Hutchinson Parkway/Merritt Parkway, US 7, I-95, I-91, I-291, local streets to US 202 and MA 122 with a refueling stop and a stop in New Salem MA to introduce Ooma to Jett’s brother Ray and his wife Kim. Cumulative TN8 route miles: 1615. Cumulative car miles: 1844. Car miles since the … Continue reading
4 nights, 3 days in Staten Island
Our original plan for our visit to New York City (a place that Ooma has never visited) called for 2 days touring Manhattan via the Big Red Bus hop-on, hop-off routes and one day driving to Wave Hill and Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. But then, as mentioned previously, Ooma came down with … Continue reading
TN8 Hop 5: Dumfries VA to New York NY
318 miles via VA 294, I-95, I-495 (west of Washington DC), I-270, US 15, I-76, PA 72, PA 343, I-78, I-287 and NY 440. Cumulative TN8 hop miles: 1365. Total car miles: 1455. We drove about 50 miles around northern VA while staying with Devin and Mary. This was not the hop I had planned. … Continue reading