Deighton! (49) (50)

I started into the final Len Deigton trilogy of Bernard Sampson: Faith, Hope, Charity.
I finished Faith (49) on Saturday afternoon. I love this writer. The under current of the book revolves around the death of Tessa (Fi's sister) at the end of the last book. I had forgotten about this.. I actually had to go back and read the last chapter of Sinker to refresh my memory.. I figure it has been close to 13 years since I read that book. That helped a bit.. I love the complexity of these book.. although it is all about rumor and theory, so you are never quite sure what to believe. At the end of Faith, it is revealed by a defecting Russian that Tessa is still alive.
I stayed up until about 1 am last night finishing Hope (50). This book largely revolves around George, Tessa's husband. He is obsessed with finding out what happened to Tessa. Fi refuses to talk about it, but seems to side with George.. The father is also adament about finding out about the death. In the background is all the usual office politics. Bernard still has feelings for Gloria, although he wont talk about it.. but did reveal himself to Werner. Werner later tells him that he was Fi's case worker when she was in the East.. And tells him about the affair she was having (with one the of men Bernard killed that evening). The book ends with the hint that Bernard and Gloria will get back together.. and again the idea that Tessa is dead.
I certainly hope that Faith wraps up a few loose ends!

Weekend

Ended up heading North on Friday night. Arrived about 10.30, made a fire and relaxed. Wife was not feeling well at all.. coughing all the time.. Slept most of Saturday.
Saturday was a nice day, although not warm enough to swim. We went in town and grabbed a sandwich at Subway, and went to Young SP and had lunch on the beach. Then went and climbed the big hill in Boyne and looked at the lake. Not any color to speak of. Went out to dinner with K and wife. Got to hear about their upcoming move to Cali. Got an early start back on Sunday. Wife has been on the couch coughing ever since.. she is so misrable.
Went and had a massage yesterday, and felt better after it.. Today I am very sore.. I hope that is a good sign, and tomorrow I will feel better. Stayed up too late last night finishing my book... On to the next one!

Ramblings

Gas prices have finally fallen to pre-Katrina levels we are now at $2.58 ($2.62 before Katrina).. Of course this is just in time for Rita. This one looks nasty.. I see everyone is leaving Houston.. They have traffic cams etc on line.. It is errie to see nobody on the 610.. I have friends that live down there.. hope they get out to safety.
I have been to Gavelston.. I had relatives that landed their from Germany in 1851..
I guess this is the first time I can recall that a hurricane has stuck anywhere I have been before, or where I know people..
Personal life has been rough this week.. not getting along with A and that taxes me.. My back feels a bit better today.. still stiff, but I can stand up today.
Got message from K, they are moving to California.. not a big surprise.. Hope to get up this weekend to see them before they leave.

Havana Bay (48)

This is the 4th Renko book by Martin Cruz Smith. This one was set in Havana Cuba, and is a bit different than some of the others.. still a great book.. Arkady still has his sly wit.. when identifing the body of a KGB agent he knew, he is asked if they were friends. He replies.. In a manner of speaking.. he tried to kill me... it was a complicated realtionship. lol.
Another thing that I like about the Smith stories is that he does not fall into familiar patterns in his books.. the characters do different things.. but are still true to the character (if that makes sense). A great book.. another chapter in Arkady's life. I will wait a bit to read the 5th and latest book in the series... Could not find it at the library this past weekend.. so in the mean time I will start the final Sampson triology by Deighton. Have not read these books in over 10 years.. yet everything comes back to me as I started reading it last night :)

Laying on the couch.

A fairly quiet weekend. Wife was not feeling good so she did not work on Saturday, so she took daughter to cheerleading clinic. I stayed at the house for the Dish installer.. who arrived about 8.30 and worked for about 4 hours to install our new Dish system. Very similar to our old system, except this has a DVR to record shows, and we can have it installed in all 4 rooms, for about the same price. All in all I like it, and I think that I will really get some use out of DVR. I always say I don't watch TV, but the truth is I just get so frustrated with the commercials.. If I could record shows and skip over those, I would probably watch more...
In the afternoon I went out and looked at the Luke Swank exhibit.. that was interesting.. I particularly liked the 'My Town' pics that he took in Pittsburgh.. he really captured the raw, gitty and dirty steel town. Mitchell was not particularly interested in the pictures, which disapointed me a bit, but he did enjoy the gallery, and was very good while we were there. Another experience for him ;)
I seem to have hurt my back again.. I strained it a bit on labor day when rearranging Morgans room. Well on Saturday I did it again when moving a small stand while installing the new tv system.. I am very uncomfortable.. I dont think this is going to get better by itself.. would love to get a massage, that always seems to help me, but dont know where the money would come from.
I seem to feel best when laying down.. so I watched a lot of TV and movies this weekend.. Rented Fargo which I had never seen the entire movie.. also watched 1940's house about a modern British family who lives as if they were in war time Britian for 9 weeks. The sacrafices they made were amazing.. people talk about rationing here, but it was nothing like the conditions in Britian. Also watched a show on the Brooklyn Bridge, but was largely disappointed in it.. the book I read went into much better detail both on the construction of it, and the politics behind it.

Polar Star (47)

Last night I finished Polar Star by Martin Cruz Smith, this is the second in the series of Arkady Renko. I think I have figured out what I like about this character.. he always seems to be in a desperate situation.. so desperate that he has given up all hope.. so he just seems to be doing it for his own amusment.. when you have nothing left.. you dont care.. and he doesnt. It is hard to explain.. and yet it is very enjoyable... The plot is quite involved.. The basics are he is in exhile working on a fishing boat in the Bering sea and another crew member turns up dead.. so as a 'former' investegator he is pulled off the slime line to look into it.
Lots of twists and turns later.. and after meeting a thousand characters we have some resolution.
I kept notes on the characters this time.. and I realized it is like real life.. charaters come into scenes and sometimes they are important, sometimes not. If you walk into a room you meet people but you have to figure out who they are, remember names. That is how it is in this book.. you the reader have to keep track of everybody and figure out who they are and if they are important.. most books give you some background when you meet a character... no so here.. at first is was confusing.. but after I got the hang of it, it becomes fun...
I really enjoyed this book.. on to the next one!

I forgot my book (46)

As I mentioned earlier I forgot to take my book this weekend.. which really bummed me out.. because I do enjoy these Arkady Renko book and was looking forward to it.. So after some poking around at the cabin I found The Hapless Handyman's Home Repair and Weekend Project Guide by Sonny "Bubba" Ferguson. Which became my 46th book of the year. This is basically a comedy book with lots of Southern white trash stories thrown it (think Jeff Foxworthy). It was amusing.. although this guy talks about his father being a carpenter.. and some of the advice is actually sound.. but most of the book is about his stories and crazy friends... A good cabin book, and something quick to read on the weekend.

Weekend

I so very much wanted to have a good weekend.. and it was a struggle to. I was trying super hard not to let things bother me.. like when I realized I forgot my book that I was so looking forward to sitting on the beach and reading.. but that was ok, becuase it was cool and cloudy when we got there.. then it started raining. My wife was upset with a me (again) and that rounded out my birthday.
Actually the weather did clear up in the late afternoon and we went swimming.. had a fire in the fireplace and relaxed.. I found another book to read. Sunday was a beautiful day.. so we enjoyed some of that before heading back.
Overall the weekend had its ups and downs, but still enjoyable.
Suppose to be 90 today.. I guess summer is not over!

Red Square (45)

I finished Red Square by Martin Cruz Smith. This is the 3rd book of the Arkady Renko series (which started with Gorky Park). I missed the second book.. did realize this was the 3rd until I got into it..
I realized why I love these books, and why I dread them.. The story is good.. but it there are so many characters that pop up at odd times it is hard to keep them all straight (the Russian names dont help any either - lol). But it is also an excellent story.. I was completely hooked from about the time that Max walked into the party.. It was a well written, well crafted book.. I really did enjoy it.. the ending was a bit odd.. they solve the mystery.. but dont really tie up any ends.. so in that aspect it is just like real life :)
I really enjoyed the book! And look forward to the next few :)

Friday, at last

Ok.. I think I have most of the stuff done before my trip this weekend... Which is good because I have to work at 3:30 today, and wont have any additional time to do anything.
Got the oil changed yesterday... that was the big thing.. filled up... I grabbed my plates this morning.. it was so quick it was almost pleasant.. in and out so fast I didnt have to pay for parking!
Finished my Arkady Renko book last night and started the next one.. I am taking notes this time.. so I can keep track of all the characters.
Lets see.. my personal life.. more bad news about my mother, and my wife isnt talking to me.. so pretty much normal there.. It will be nice to go away for a day.. I just hope that I can actually relax! I am going to try real hard!!

You won't need dentures

I saw the dentist on Tuesday.. just a routine cleaning.. the dentist actually did it.. He is looking over my teeth, telling me they are in good shape.. good bone structure.. then he says.. well you will never need dentures. Which I guess is a good thing.. but sorta odd too... I mean I didnt ask about dentures... I dont have any dental problems that would make me think about dentures.. christ I am only 38.. well I'll be 39 on Saturday.. maybe that is why I noticed the comment a bit more? And notice the grey hairs that are mixed in my dark hair. I guess I always reflect on my birthdays.. they dont really bother me.. I want them to keep coming! Having birthdays is good.. it is when they stop that you have a problem!
So I am off to the cabin on Saturday morning with the kids... Not terribly excited about it, but still it will be nice to get away. I am going to make a concious effort to relax.. not to putter around.. but force myself to lay on the beach and do as little as possible!
I've been getting up at 6am the past 2 days and exercising in the morning. As much as I hate to get up, I must say it works out better. It gives me some time in the morning to get a few things done... and with working until 10 or 11 each night it is about the only time I do have.

Labor Day Weekend

Had an ok weekend.. nothing too outrageous (good or bad).
Gas has stayed steady at $2.99. On Saturday I sat in the backyard and read before going to PB for lunch. Was going to watch the game when we got home, but could not find it so I took a nap before work. Watched Strange Brew this weekend.. bought the movie forever ago.. had never watched it.
Took my son to the Lugnuts game on Sunday.. that was fun, he enjoyed it.. and another nice day to sit outside! Also picked up a pair of running shoes on Sunday.. probably should not have spent the money, but for $40 I figured it was worth it.. my other ones were shot.
Did not feel the best on Monday.. stomach was upset.. may have been from all the food I ate on Sunday? lol.. spent a majority of the day cleaning the kids rooms.. Grilled some steaks for dinner and finished out the holiday.
Back to work today.. and work tonight.. but I have the weekend off :)

Gas Prices Fall!

I waited it out! I needed gas today, but was lazy and didnt get any. Although being out at noon and seeing the prices holding at $3.39 and not going up (as they had every other day) as a good sign.
When I left for work at 3pm I should have stopped (low fuel light was on) but I didnt have time.. When I went by Speedway.. the had dropped their price to $2.99!! The place was packed at that time, but I stopped on the way home and got some (but did not fill up per the President :) Got 5 gallons for $16 and that brought me up to half a tank.
As I went into pay I heard some people talking..
"Hey $2.99 thats not bad.... I guess"
I think that sums it up.
Who would have thought last week at this time that we would be happy to pay $2.99/gal.
The threat isnt gone but I think some sanity has prevailed!

Shock Waves (44)

I finished Shock Waves by Clive Cussler this evening.. I have not read a Cussler book for a while.. he writes well, and the stories are good.. but my main fault is that the hero Dirk Pitt is a James Bonn like character.. escaping from impossible problems, and recovering from injuries that will kill a lesser man.. not just once but over and over and over again.. it becomes a bit old after a while..
I think that the Author believes he is Dirk Pitt superhero.. At least it seems like it from the dusk jacket. There was one nice twist in the book.. Dirk is helped out by an Engineer. We dont know his name... and as they leave he gives him a note.. which is singed C Cussler. I thought it was real obvious, but I wonder how many readers missed it?
I also like the way all measurments are in metric.. however this book (written in 1996, but set in 2000) still refers to French Francs.. guess he research missed the coming of the EU and the Euro? At that point even the records were in Euros.. which is what is mentioned in the book.
But none the less it was an enjoyable book! And after a break I may read some more of them.. I have a few other Cussler books in my library.

Working for a living

I got through my 15 hour day yesterday. Worked at the Komm then did a double with the City.. left home a bit after 7am and got home a bit before 11 pm.. Got to pay the bills.... Christ.. Got to afford gas.. Gas was $2.69 on Tuesday, $2.99 that evening, $3.19 yesterday and now is $3.39.. That is a bit much.. but what are you going to do?
Thinking about going to the Lugnuts game this weekend with my son.. that should be fun.. Saturday wf is working football in morning and I am working basball in evening.. in between I think we will meet at the PB for some lunch and watch part of the game.
Also trying to sell some stuff on Amazon.com.. we will see if I get any hits.. and also think I will sell my V220 phone.. dont really like it that much and I will try to recoup some of the losses on it.