On TV watching THE PAPER on Peacock and ready to begin the new LYNLEY and TASK (HBO) Enjoying revisiting CHINA BEACH.
Still working on ANTIDOTE, which is wonderfully researched and written but too long. We go over the same sort of ground too many times. Have to finish it by tomorrow though. Ugh.
I did another protest on Saturday. A lot of support from passing cars. Much more than six months ago. Does it mean anything?
We are all missing Kevin. I got a text from him today saying he has watched SINNERS and did I see it. He liked it. I am impressed that he did. Hope he gets to take a film course in college. It really makes a difference to be able to watch films critically, I think. I only took one film class and it was on vampire films and taught by a Romanian professor. How fitting.
What are you up to?
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Patti, I am glad the weather is so nice there. I am envious. The weather isn't bad here, but it is warmer than in August, which was relatively cool. And in the sun, it feels even hotter. On Friday, September 12, the book sale that we look forward to all year long is starting and will last ten days. It is always hot when the book sale is running.
I am putting up my comment early because it always takes me so long to get started in the morning and my comments are usually late.
Tonight (Sunday), we watched RUSH HOUR 3, which was fun and not too long. I like that movie the least of the three movies, but I do love Jackie Chan.
This week we watched the second episode of HELL ON WHEELS, starring Anson Mount and Colm Meaney. We think we will continue watching it, and I am sure all the episodes won't be so dark and violent. I am enjoying the story of the building of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States. We have watched almost all of the first season of GOOD COP, BAD COP and it is very funny. We have watched one episode of NCIS: TONY AND ZIVA with Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo; it was better than I expected.
Glen finished reading THE PLEASURE OF READING, edited by Antonia Fraser. He ended up liking about a third of the essays and took notes on several books and authors he will follow up on. He is about halfway through the book of short stories by Cornell Woolrich, NIGHT AND FEAR. He is still enjoying the majority of the stories.
I am reading STATE OF WONDER by Ann Patchett, and I have read nearly half of it. Dr. Annick Swenson, a researcher for a pharmaceutical firm based in Minnesota, is living in the Amazon jungle working on a valuable new drug. Dr. Marina Singh, a pharmacologist working for the same firm, goes to Brazil to find out how and why a colleague died when he visited Swenson, and to find out the status of her work. The story is bizarre and Dr. Swenson is very hard to communicate with. It has taken half of the book to get Marian Singh into the jungle. I am enjoying it, but I am not sure it is going to become any more intelligible any time soon. But I have high hopes for the last half of the book.
I am sorry, Marina Singh, not Marian.
Weather here is also gorgeous. I'm happy with it.
Sad news. Donut died sometime Friday night. Who's Donut, you ask? Jessie's family ball python, who has been with them for almost decade. She (I'm assuming it's a she -- I never checked, nor am I sure what I would check if I ever did) was of an uncertain age. She was originally Amy's but when Amy moved temporarily (don't ask -- roommate horror story) to Boston some years ago, Donut became Kaylee's; she was living with the newlyweds until (**sob**) Friday night. I don't know if a snake could sense love, but I hope in Donut's case she could. She will be missed.
As I sad, the weather has been wonderful. We went beaching Saturday morning. Amy texted that they would not be joining us because they were burning Donut, then "Damn Autocorrest! BURYING." Christina was in the water for over an hour, while I sat on the beach and enjoyed the sun and the waves. After about ninety minutes the sun got too warm and I went back to the air-conditioned car while Christina dried off. While she was drying and I was AC-ing, a pod of dolphins went frolicking by -- about five adults and one baby. Christina was sad that I did not see them, but at my age and with my eyes, even if I saw them, I wouldn't see them.
Saturday afternoon, we all gathered for ice cream and cake for a belated Kaylee's birthday party. Lots of laughs and good news about jobs; Trey. the recent engineering graduate, has had a positive job interview, and Amy has a good shot at a new job. Mark, of course, has been hired for a local zoo and will soon learn his starting date; he will be driving here next week to drop off some of his stuff before his final move. Walt will be off on a work trip for a week, then home for a few days, then off again for two weeks. When he finally gets home, they will all be flying to Virginia to move his folks down here. Somewhere in that timeframe, Christina will be in Albuquerque to help Mark with his final move.
Animals. Newercat Rose is finally eating. She had Christina somewhat worried. It's been a stressful time for Rose: She was spayed on Tuesday, came here on Wednesday, and met with her new vet on Thursday, where it was determined that, according to her records, she has lost a full pound. Newercat is in a strange place and spends most of her time hiding, although she has been known to snuggle up to Christina and and set her purr machine on high. She will be fine.
Jack and three of his friends are evidently writing a book. I haven't looked at it but, because none of them can spell worth a damn and none know how to construct a coherent sentence, and because none of them are able to plot a story, I suspect the book will find a major publisher and bring in a large advance.
Watched Marvels THE THUNDERBOLTS (cute), the final episodes of WEDNESDAY (also cute), two episodes of SISTER BONAFACE (very twee, but also cute), and the first episode of Season 3 of HAVE I GOT NEW FOR YOU (with guests Jasmine Crockett and comedian Dave Foley -- devastatingly cute and spot-on). Not much reading: Dean Koontz's latest GOING HOME IN THE DARK (a change of pace that took some getting used to), the Doc Savage novel THE RED SKULL (my FFB ), and Gil Brewer's 1952 hardboiled noir THE VENGEFUL VIRGIN (fast-moving, about an 18-year-old sex kitten and a guy who should have known better). A couople of weeks ago I put a temporary halt on reading Heather Fawcett's third Emily Wilde book (I have not read the first two), but I decided this week to muscle through it. The book was torture (Scholarly Edwardian scholar -- she's 31 -- falls in love and gets engaged to a faerie king who is seeking to regain his realm and lift a magical curse that has befallen it; not really my cup of tea.) I literally had to read the book in five-page spurts, but I continued because the overall theme (the importance of STORY) is something that has always interested me. I will not be reading the first two books in the series.
I will, however, be wishing you a great week, Patti, and I do. Stay safe.
Looks like we're watching different stuff than you are. We've decided to wait on TASK until all the episodes are on. Ditto the rest of UNFORGOTTEN and MARLOW MURDER CLUB (well, we'll watch each two-part episode when it's done). We're trying to watch the continuous series before the ones where each episode is separate, for the most part, Watch the Faroese TROM, which left a cliffhanger and no certainty of a second series, though it now looks like there will be one. It ran in Denmark 7 or 8 years ago, so they really will have a hard time remembering it. I think it was on MHz. Finished the first 6-episode arc of the Slovenian LAKE TRILOGY, which was kind of a downer. I'm hoping the other arcs - three episodes each - go quicker, and perhaps are lighter. This was also MHz Choice. We'll watch the last two episodes of Anthony Horowitz's 9 BODIES IN A MEXICAN MORGUE (MGM+) tonight. It's basically an odd variation on Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. We watched the last two HOSTAGE (Netflix) episodes last night. Five episodes was about right. It was exciting and well done, though perhaps not totally believable. Also on MGM+, I recorded THE INSTITUTE (Stephen King). It is very nasty, perhaps even more so than the book, which I much preferred (at least so far), and if not for Jackie I might quit watching it.
The weather has been great here too. We just had our first rain after two weeks and it has cooled down. Nice.
I had my second (right, this time) cataract surgery on Tuesday - I had to be downtown at 6:15 am! - and it went much better than the first one. We were done early enough (10:00) to go to Junior's for brunch afterwards. I have to go back in six weeks to get checked and see if I will need a new eyeglass prescription for the astigmatism in the right eye. I'm using moderate strength over the counter reading glasses now, and they're fine.
We've seen George Thorogood & the Destroyers a number of times over the years between 2008 and 2019, including once in the Blues Tent at Jazzfest in New Orleans, and we're seeing him on Sunday on Staten Island (for the second time there). We'll take the express bus to the city, stay at a Marriott in Lower Manhattan, and catch the ferry to Staten Island.
I've been reading a lot of short stories lately. I seem to be discovering new to me writers who have been out there under my radar for years. The reviews of Patrick Ryan's new BUCKEYE led me to his collection, THE DREAM LIFE OF ASTRONAUTS, all set around Cape Canaveral. With everything I read - and read about - it is amazing to me how many writers are out there that I just don't know at all. I'm also reading Walter Tevis's collected stories. Despite the eye thing, I managed to read four books last week.
Also, we've added THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW (I think that's the name used here - Netflix) to our Saturday night British lineup, as much to lighten up things as for any other reason. This was Caramel Week. Currently we watch that, then a two-part SILENT WITNESS episode (currently on series 16), then a repeat of NEW TRICKS (finished series 1). If we have time we fit in an episode of our favorite, THE GOOD LIFE.
Glad the surgery is done, Jeff and hope you are seeing a difference in your vision. Please let me know of any new ss writers you like. I end up reading the NY story too often.
I read State of Wonder but it wasn't my favorite Patchett-which was Bel Canto. I have read them all though and loved the two books of essays as much as the novels. I imagine the British novels chose very different books from what Americans would choose.
We do seem to watch different TV shows. I bet that would not have been the case 25 years ago. Lately I am rewatching THE OFFICE and PARKS AND REC a lot because the world seemed more benign then. Imagine valuing government service.
I really would like to like THE GREAT BBS but for some reason watching people bake just doesn't interest me. I can watch them cook though. I came from a completely unbaking family.
Jerry-did you mean buried the snake rather than burned it?
Sweet God in Heaven, Patti, I hope so.
Jerry, I almost hate to ask, but how's the bank thing going?
Western NY is enjoying the same wonderful weather you are! Patrick and Katie arrive on Wednesday, Diane's sister arrives Friday, and the the other 23 Reunion guests show up on Saturday. Diane is in Deep Cleaning mode. The event will be catered and the weather predictions for Saturday are for warm and sunny conditions. Stay safe!
Jerry, sorry to hear about Donut. Your family has many reptiles. And your family has a lot going on right now. I think I already said that I am glad that Mark is moving closer to home. You and Jeff both read more books in a short span of time than I ever could. And lately my reading has slowed down even more. Oh well, at least I am still reading.
Jeff, your comment on BUCKEYE reminded me to tell Glen about it. He was born and raised in Ohio, where it is set. And I purchased a Kindle version of THE DREAM LIFE OF ASTRONAUTS. I am glad you are still managing to read so much right after cataract surgery. I remember not having any trouble reading after my cataract surgeries, which was surprising to me, but I don't think I have ever been able to read four books in a week.
I was in Texas on a four day weekend to attend a family wedding. The farm house there had four dogs. One, a husky, kept getting sent outside for being bossy and then aggressive against one of the other dogs. I enjoyed seeing the dogs. On Friday the heat index was 105 and I started to feel sick after helping run some errands, set up chairs, and then stand around outside. I returned to my hotel and collapsed for 2-3 hours. Judging by my symptoms I had early heatstroke. The wedding was on Saturday afternoon and I stayed inside the Holiday Inn until noon and sucked down fluids the rest of the day.
Jerry, at the wedding was a guy from Albuquerque who works with the state's department of insurance as a criminal investigator. Prior to that he worked for the Albuquerque Police. He was talking about auto-theft and I mentioned I heard of someone who moved the Albuquerque to work at the zoo and had his car stolen the first day there. The insurance guy said, "I'm not surprised."
Patti, I was reading SHOT IN DETROIT - Yes, I am 10+ years behind on my reading list - and was enjoying it quite a bit until a water bottle leaked inside my satchel and soaked the pages. Normally I would have set the book to dry but I was stuck in the airport and had to toss it. Luckily my copy was not a library book and I have an actual library copy on the way to me.
The Milwaukee airport still has a neat used book store outside the security area with the gates. Each time I am there I check for Hard Case Crime novels and this time found a fairly recent reprint of a Max Alan Collins NOLAN novel. I started that after accidentally ruining SHOT IN DETROIT.
Meanwhile, time marches on with a wedding last weekend and a celebration of life this coming weekend back in Illinois.
Patti, I liked Bel Canto and so far in comparison to State of Wonder, Bel Canto was a better read. Tom Lake is the only other book by her I have read, and it is probably my favorite. We do have one of her books of essays but neither of us has read it yet.
Some reviews of The Pleasure of Reading noted that they found it very British-centric and repetitive. I will have to check it out.
Hope it holds up for you, Gerard. I had heat stroke when I was 20 on a beach in New Jersey. Luckily the lifeguard stand revived me and reminded me about staying hydrated. Glad you recovered.
So glad you are having it catered, George. That is a lot of people.
Jeff, Bank of America still thinks my debit card is lost or stolen, but I have no idea why. A minor inconvenience but I really have to fix that soon.
Big fan of Tevis, Jeff.
A snake's viking funeral. Yes, his autocorrect apparently wanted the reptile to burn.
Beverages are trying to mess with you, clearly, Gerard. As was Patti, glad you came through the heat eventually OK. I had not heard until now and the bulletin from Jerry that Albuquerque was a den of Grand Theft Auto.
Patti, I suspect you will enjoy the US version of HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, episode 1 of season 3, which is now available on HBO (they share it with CNN, which runs it first). It's definitely one of the small comforts, mostly among late night series, that help cope with our current utter national kakocracy. But you might remember my talking up the UK original as well, a few weeks back. I liked the grim TASK pilot as well, and the more absurd but still basically grim PEACEMAKER, both also on HBO...and LAST WEEK TONIGHT. THE DAILY SHOW returns from its August break tonight, or should. I have been continuing to watch, in dollops, HARRY O, LOU GRANT, CHINA BEACH, and a few others--all rewatches after decades except for HARRY O, which I would see a bit of when my mother watched it when it was new, while awaiting the new episodes to begin on the good series now on the broadcast nets and what cable/streaming I see.
Wow, does Lou Grant hold up? Where is it and newspapers, what are they?
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