COVID Diaries: Day 592

It was a beautiful, sunny weekend, but boy was it cold!

Cora and I snuggled in for some TV watching on Friday night – we watched the 20/20 show on Gabby Petito’s disappearance and murder.  Such a sad story. 

I finished my book for my book club meeting that’s in a couple of weeks, and started the book for next time! 

I went for a couple of hikes in the mornings, just at a local park in town that has a few miles of hiking trails.  It was a good workout, and a nice relaxing time.  I also took a walk down at the waterfront and met some friends for a late lunch.  We even saw a Great Blue Heron relaxing in the sunshine!  Don’t worry, his wing was fine.

I swept all the currently accumulated leaves off my deck, and filled up most of my yard waste toter.  And I did a bit of purging in the closet and drawers, collecting a large shopping bag of shorts and pants to go to Goodwill.  I’ve been having trouble getting motivated to purge stuff, but I was happy that I managed to get some done.  So I feel decently productive.

Time to gear up for the work week, and the arrival of November!  I’m definitely not ready for winter.

Book Review: Three Stations

Three Stations, by Martin Cruz Smith (read by Ron McLarty)

This is another of the CD audio books that I got from my mom.  A mystery/thriller featuring Arkady Renko, a criminal investigator in Moscow, convinced that he’s found a serial killer.  Unfortunately, his boss in the police department doesn’t want him investigating the case, and orders him to rule that it is the solitary murder of a prostitute.

Renko teams up with patrol officer Victor to investigate.  Along the way, they discover additional crimes, including a young woman involved in the sex trade who escaped her captors and fled with her three month old baby.  Along the way, the infant was kidnapped, and she is forced to look for her baby in the incredibly busy city of Moscow.

The book has a lot of twists and turns, and some of it isn’t well organized.  I found it to be a little difficult to follow along, with all the characters coming in and out of the story.  It isn’t clear why Renko’s superiors are so keen to shut down his investigation. 

It was interesting, and a fun, quick read, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read the rest of the series. 

2 stars.

 

Book Review: Wishin’ and Hopin’

Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb

In yet another installment of CD audiobooks that my mom passed along to me, we have this quirky, humorous take on growing up in the 1960s.

 

Felix Funicello is a short, naive Catholic kid, just trying to make it past childhood.  He is surrounded by Catholic school playmates that fit all the stereotypes; the smart, goody-two-shoes, the troublemaker, and the sexy foreign girl. Life gets exciting when their teacher has a mental breakdown and is committed temporarily.  The next day, a French Canadian lay teacher arrives to take over for the nun. 

She teaches them a thing or two about the French language, while Felix is really just interested in one day getting a French kiss from his famous cousin Annette Funicello.  Along the way, Felix and his pals bumble through life, with no shortage of cringe-worthy moments.

The novel delivers plenty of laughs; a light-hearted coming of age book celebrating the Christmas season.  Note: this isn’t a children’s book though; there is plenty of adult language and sexual innuendo.

4 stars.

COVID Diaries: Day 585

I’m currently experiencing the beginning of a “bomb cyclone” that is supposed to be roaring through the Pacific Northwest today through Tuesday.  I’m not sure what a bomb cyclone is, but it is apparently going to be the worst one we’ve had since the early 1980s.  Now depending on which news source you read, it apparently started on Thursday and is a series of “bombs,” or is that cyclones?, raging through.  So far at least, I would describe the last few days as pretty typical of fall in the Northwest.  We got some rain, we got some wind, but I was outside both Friday and yesterday and it seemed like a perfectly lovely fall day. 

Unfortunately all this talk of the bomb cyclone put off my Sunday Funday, because you know, the entire coast was supposed to be underwater and buffeted with near-hurricane force winds.  What we have right now is rain and a bit of wind.  I walked to the grocery store and got soaked on the way back, but the walk there was calm, and almost sunny.  So I guess with the arrival of the rain it is probably a purging and organizing, and puzzle type of evening.  It’s hard to get motivated through the drizzle.

I just have to reflect on my Sunday Funday a few weekends ago, when a friend and I went down to Whidbey Island and did some agate hunting, and I found three! We sat and talked and then went to the little town of Coupeville and poked around in the shops and got dinner at a Tavern nearby.  I got some photos of the gulls too.  It was such a nice day! 

In good news,  Yellow had his follow up appointment with the vet on Friday, and they pulled out his remaining staples.  His wound is closed!  Five long months, and I KNOW that he was just as tired of it as I was.  Even though I explained to him that he doesn’t have to go back for a while, I’m not sure he really understands that.  He did forgive me though when I gave him some wet food.  He really is settling in well here.

 

Of course, Cora is doing great too – she is happy and healthy and just wants Yellow to play with her.  He’s not ready for that, but he does let her lick him, until she gets rambunctious.  

I think it is time to start a new puzzle.  I’ve been pondering a lot on what’s next in my life’s journey and getting things sorted out.  A little down time couldn’t hurt.

 

 

 

Book Review: After This

After This, by Alice McDermott

This coming of age novel follows the Keane family, a devoutly Catholic family living on Long Island.  Mary Keane is working as a secretary in a large secretarial pool, when she meets John Keane, a World War II veteran.  They marry and start a family and the novel follows them through the next 30 plus years. 

The novel weaves its way through the fundamental shifts in American society caused by the Vietnam War and the sexual revolution.  It explores faith and family, and children growing up and becoming independent.  It uncovers the tragedy of war and mental illness.  It winds its way through grief and disappointment, as well as familial obligation.

McDermott narrates through each of the family members, and captures the nuance of parents vs. children, and young vs. older, throughout multiple time periods.  She does all this while developing characters who are rich and complex, each one different despite being part of the same family. 

4 stars.

Book Review: A Little Trouble With The Facts

A Little Trouble With The Facts, by Nina Siegal 

This is one of the CD audiobooks I got from my parents, and I popped it in for my commute.

Valerie Vane was once the IT girl of the lifestyle reporting world in New York City.  But then she had a rather sudden and public fall from grace, right into the obituary department of the newspaper she worked at.  Valerie of course, wasn’t satisfied writing obituaries, but it was the only way to keep her job…

She writes an obit for a has-been graffiti artist, and her fact checking mistake earns her a call from a mysterious man who calls himself Cabeza.  And Cabeza wants her to dive in and find who murdered the artist.

The book is rather cliché, with a number of twists and turns, but it is an easy to read chick-lit murder mystery.  Even though she doesn’t have a full stack of brain cells, you can’t help but want to see Valerie Vane close the case and get herself off of the obit page.

3 stars.  

COVID Diaries: Day 577

Sometimes, I day dream to maintain my sanity.  I think about all the things that I’ll have more time for once I retire.  All the things I want to do, or do again, or see.

Travel: I cannot wait to get back on the road and travel regularly again.  A new job a few years ago, then COVID, and I’m itching to stretch my wings again.  I have so many places on my bucket list!

Near the beginning of our hike out to Delicate Arch, with the La Sal Mountains in the background

Horses on the beach at Fort Stevens

As we say in the PNW, the Mountain is out!

Reading: Admittedly, I read a lot now.  But there are so many books and so little time!  History, historical fiction, biographies, novels… So many books sitting on my shelves and on my IPod just waiting to be picked up and loved.

Rock-hounding: This is a new pursuit.  I mean, I have always loved rocks, but I have gotten way more interested in the last year. Probably because it’s outdoors, and away from other people.  You can walk gorgeous beaches, or meandering rivers, and see what you find.

Photography: I have enjoyed photography for a long time.  Ever since that day at Yellowstone National Park when I was about six, and my dad told me I could take one photo of anything I want.  I chose an elk carcass.  Yes, that somewhat morbid nature has remained with me.  Yes, I still take photos of carcasses…  But I also take photos of beautiful landscapes and live animals!

The view of the mountains from the cabin window

Mesa Arch with the La Sal Mountains in the Background

The beach in the other direction with the river tributary

A beautiful sunset!

The red layers of the Chinle Formation

Badlands National Park

Hiking: Getting out and enjoying nature and exercising has been so healing and grounding for me.  I dream of taking new trails and going to new parks.

Heading out on the Lake Ann Trail

Hiking through a culvert!

Me on the Towpath Trail

Me on the ridge with the Cascades in the background

Old growth cedar and hemlock – these trees are at the easternmost point of their range here.

Me hiking in the fog

Puzzles: I have so much fun working on a puzzle!  Enough said.

Family: My job has meant long hours, and sometimes a long commute.  I’ll have more time to spend with family and friends!  Hopefully, coupled with traveling, hiking, rock-hounding and puzzles.

Maybe I’ll pick up some new hobbies too.  I have always wanted to cook better; maybe it will be a time to work on my skills. I would like to do a vegetable garden too!

That day is getting closer all the time…

Circus Trip 2018: National Air and Space Museum

Day 60, Friday, September 14, 2018
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, National Mall, Washington, D.C.

I had one more day to spend in Washington, D.C. that summer, and I got to spend it at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum!

There are so many cool exhibits there, including the original 1903 Wright Flyer, Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Vega 5B, a Lunar Lander, a space program reentry pod, TWA jetliners, replica hot air balloons and more!

It is such an awesome museum to spend time in – and I really enjoyed it! 

 

 

COVID Diaries: Day 569

It’s finally the weekend once again!  I can’t tell you how much I LIVE for the weekends.

And today is my mom’s birthday.  We went out for lunch to Mexican food.  She didn’t want anything big to celebrate, so we kept it low key.  I’m so grateful that I have a wonderful mom; someone who raised me well and continues to support me everyday.  She is truly a blessing.

Work is, well work.  In strange and wonderful news, one of my direct reports, who resigned about a month ago, decided that the grass isn’t always greener and is coming back next week.  It’s great to not have to train up someone new.  Some things really do work out for the best! 

The news on Yellow is good too!  FINALLY his wound is staying closed!  It has been three weeks since he had his last suture and staple procedure, and the wound is still holding.  A few of the staples have fallen out, but there are five or six that remain.  I sent pictures to his vet yesterday and we are going to give it a few more weeks.  I’m so happy about this! 

Last weekend I did a lot of yardwork and purging inside.  I’m planning to continue that this weekend, in addition to having a Sunday Funday with a girlfriend. 

I continue with my future planning.  I met with my financial advisor a few weeks ago and things are really looking up!  It makes me happy and feel like I have more flexibility with things.  It really is a relief. 

I hope you all are doing well!

Book Review: America’s Hidden History

America’s Hidden History: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation, by Kenneth C. Davis

You already know that I’m a history nerd.  This book really helps to explore some of the lesser known historic figures in American history.

 

The book has several chapters on different time periods in history; between the arrival of the Spanish and the Revolutionary War.  It includes stories about Queen Isabella, who insisted the explorers take pigs along to the New World, which were likely a significant vector of disease.  And George Washington’s pesky little insubordination and war crime in 1754 that led up to the Battle of Fort Necessity. 

The stories about the Revolutionary War were fascinating as well.  We all know about Benedict Arnold and his ultimate betrayal of the Patriot cause during the Revolutionary War.  But did you know about the successes that he achieved prior to his treason?  And did you know about his role after he crossed over to the British Army? He led troops for the British against the Americans. 

I listened to this on audiobook, and my only real gripe was the fact that the last CD of the set was a duplicate of the second to last CD.  Which meant that I didn’t get to hear the end of the book!  I was able to download the corrected version from the library and hear the last portion of the book. I emailed Penguin Randomhouse Audio about replacing the last CD; I hope they are willing to send a correct recording of the last disc!