Author Archives: Sparky
Historical markers
If you have been paying attention, you know that I spent a good many hours this past winter photographing headstones in Florida. It was a feel-good activity that combined the need for some exercise with an ability to keep myself socially distant from living people. I have done some of the same this summer in … Continue reading
“Deep Storm” by Lincoln Child
Copyright 2007 by Lincoln Child. Published by Anchor Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. This book is strongly reminiscent of the Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton. That is not a bad thing. But where Crichton wrote realistic medical mysteries, this one tiptoes into the sci-fi genre. That surprised me as Child is … Continue reading
“They Shot Kennedy” by David Benjamin
Copyright 2020 by David Benjamin. Published by Last Kid Books, Madison WI. Full disclosure: the author is a friend. A very good, lifelong friend. We met in high school, in Madison WI in 1963. That is particularly relevant because this book is set in a high school in Madison WI in 1963. It is semi-autobiographical. … Continue reading
“London Bridges” by James Patterson
Copyright 2004 by James Patterson. Published by Little, Brown and Company, New York. This is one of Patterson’s wildly popular books featuring Alex Cross, FBI agent and psychologist. It appears to be the 9th of his Cross books and the second where Cross is up against the Russian supervillian known as “The Wolf.” This book … Continue reading
A social-distanced reunion
Jett was able to see her 3 siblings yesterday in a CDC-approved fashion. We traveled to her brother Ray’s house, settled in their back yard and sisters Sybil and Christine joined us, sitting in widely-spaced chairs. We chatted, loudly, across the distance. Jett and I sprung for lunch – chicken and eggplant parm, with breaded … Continue reading
(lack of) Progress report
I haven’t blogged in a while for the good and sufficient reason that I didn’t want to bore you. I figured if I was bored then you would certainly be bored too. In our first two weeks in Massachusetts our main activities were (1) avoiding contact with people, (2) quick trips to food stores for … Continue reading
“White Fire” by Preston & Child
Copyright 2013 by Splendide Mendax, Inc and Preston Child. Published by Vision, New York. I really liked the first 80% of this book. Then it got ridiculous. This is the 13th book in the Preston & Child series featuring Aloysius Pendergast, a rather effete FBI agent. My wife loves these books and I can see … Continue reading
“Are we there yet?”
Jett asked me yesterday how far we have traveled, towing the 5th wheel, in our nearly 8 years of living on the road. I thought maybe 20,000 miles. She thought that was too low. Fortunately I keep records. The answer: 37,163 miles. If you add in the tow miles that weren’t part of an officially-designated … Continue reading
TN6 wrapup
Now that the Sixth Trip North (TN6) is in the books, it is time to look back. First, the statistics: 7 hops in 12 nights 2,020 truck miles 1,577 tow miles $862.89 in campground fees (including $165.20 in lost deposits) 226.9 gallons of diesel fuel consumed (8.9 miles per gallon) Highlights: No breakdowns. No disasters. … Continue reading
My silly walk
No, not a Monty Python silly walk. Wish it had been. Background: I put the truck in for new brakes July 1. I am trying (not too hard) to sell it and upgrade to a newer, less-used used truck, but I figured that regardless of whether I sold it or kept it I had to … Continue reading »