Author Archives: Sparky
“Lost Souls” by Lisa Jackson
Copyright 2007, 2009 by Susan Lisa Jackson. Published by Kensington Publishing Corp., New York. I will start with a statement that this is my first Lisa Jackson mystery and possibly my last. It wasn’t horrible but I won’t go out of my way to find more of her books. Amazon categorizes this book as a … Continue reading
TGA?
No, not TMI, though you could be excused for thinking that by the time you finish this post. It stands for Transient Global Amnesia. Basically, you just lose memory of a period of time for no good reason. In my case it was between 9am and 2pm yesterday. I got a phone call from a … Continue reading
WooSox
The Boston Red Sox’s Triple-A minor league affiliate moved this summer from Pawtucket RI to Worcester MA. Formerly known as the “PawSox,” the team has been relabeled the “WooSox.” They play in a brand new ballpark, Polar Park, less than an hour from my summer home in Orange MA. I have already gone to two … Continue reading
Sprain pain
I sprained my wrist playing softball two weeks ago. I tried to make a diving catch of a flyball. No, I didn’t catch it but somehow bent my wrist back in making the attempt. It was immediately obvious that I had hurt my wrist, but was not immediately obvious how badly I had hurt it. … Continue reading
Sewer!
At each step along the way in the construction of the shed in Ft Myers I posted a blog entry with an exclamation-point title (e.g., Insulation!). I don’t own my summer site but my excitement at (finally!) getting a sewer hookup was similar to a major step along the way in the shed construction. I … Continue reading
“Wait Till Next Year” by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Copyright 1997 by Blithedale Publications Inc. Published by Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York. This is a book about baseball and family and the loss of neighborhoods in America. Kearns’ childhood obsession with the Brooklyn Dodgers is recounted with deeply personal memories. Baseball becomes intertwined with her family – especially the sickness and death of … Continue reading
A month without television
Well, just shy of four weeks, actually, and not completely without television because I did have a weekend away in which I immersed myself in Law and Order. But it is my most TV-free span since my parents acquired our first set back in 1954. Even the transatlantic cruise in 2018 had television on board. … Continue reading
“Sometimes I Lie” by Alice Feeney
Copyright 2018 by Alice Feeney. Published by Flatiron Books, New York. Occasionally I read a book that I admire but have a hard time recommending. This is one of them. The problems I have with the book are (1) there are no likable characters and (2) I found the jumping around in time – from … Continue reading
Getting settled or just passing time?
I have now been residing at my summer site in Orange MA for two weeks. Normally, after two weeks in a place, I would be settled – unpacked, lawn furniture deployed, gas grill set up, etc. But not this time. Because I am in a “temporary site” I have left everything as close to ready … Continue reading
My truck is not just a pretty face
Well, it is 17 years old so it wouldn’t be considered “pretty” in any situation. But it proved its worth last weekend when, en route to brother-in-law Ray’s cabin, I encountered a fallen tree that completely blocked the road. Ray and his son Matt responded to my phone call and they arrived with an ax … Continue reading