Broken Thumb Trail Winter Park Colorado

Camping at the Lake

Memorial Day at Tsiltcoos Lake

What a great day this was. Swimming, boating and kicking back. I was amazed at how warm the water was. I'll be back.

Earth Day at the Cascade Raptor Center

Earth Day at the Raptor Center

Blues Clues and Skinner Butte Park

Both of them in big kid swings! Too bad I mistakenly pushed the little one out of the swing right after I took this. Poor little bunkin.

Before we went to the park we went to the local theatre and saw a production of Blues Clues. It was perfect for the kids. They had great time.

Heceta Head

My happy beachcombers

Fear of the Dark by Walter Mosley

This one didn't sit right with me for most of the way. Paris Minton's self-deprecating prattle bothered me to the point that I was missing out on some positive parts of the story and the writing. The whole thing about him being such a fraidy cat just didn't jibe with all the ballsy things he was doing. I had a hard time getting past that. A mirror image of the same thing was happening with Fearless Jones -- he was being talked up as the man you don't mess with yet that wasn't coming across too well. All talk and no walk. Not Fearless himself, but Paris's build up of him. I actually found myself more interested in the back story of Fearless' World War II assassination missions.

Perhaps these things wouldn't have been a problem if I hadn't started with the third book in the series? Of course, that in itself wouldn't say much about this books ability to stand on its own.

Yet, by the end of the book I was open to some more Fearless and Paris. So maybe I'll give them another spin sometime.

Pale Horse Coming by Stephen Hunter

Wow! This was a great book in so many ways. This is the first Stephen Hunter book I've read, and I know I'm coming back for more. I was expecting more run-of-the-mill pop fiction, but instead I got some really excellent writing that kept me turning page after page. A good "story" can keep me turning pages, but this was good "writing". Excellent research, compelling story, well developed characters, multi-layered plot line, great action -- just great writing.

Earl Swagger is a character I want to read more of. He's elemental, and I'm sure Hunter has more backstory on him in some of his other books. I'm looking forward to tracking those down. Looks like Hunter writes some books with his son Bob Lee Hooker as the main character. Gotta get my hands on those as well.

Definitely some squirmy topics touched on in this book: the South in the Jim Crow era, war and the morality of killing, biological warfare to name a few.

Very impressive to come across a "thriller" that is well crafted piece of fiction rather than just another pop story.

'The Hot Dog has a Penis'

My three year old calling it like she sees it at "The Dog House", Eugene, OR.

The Hunt Club by John Lescroart

I don't know about this one. Fairly good story, but thin in many areas. The main character is Wyatt Hunt a former military inspector and former child protective services field agent turned PI. Definitely not of the traditional gumshoe mold -- he's a bit too self aware with some scars from the past left by growing up in the foster care system and later losing his fiance. I really wanted to like this guy, but I don't think Lescroart developed his character well enough or allowed for a rich enough story line for him to grow on me. He did a far better job with the other characters in the book like Hunt's friends Amy Wu and Devin Juhle. But maybe Hunt grew on my just enough, because I do think that I'd give a "Hunt" novel another chance. Just to see whether Lescroart can redeem him.

Ankeny Hill

Mid way through my 100 mile dash. Yes, those are trees and the white stuff is snow. It was beautiful, but the cam just couldn't keep up with me.

A Narrow View

Searching for Nudebranchs this is all I saw today. Just kidding -- we were really hunting for sea glass. But, this is a really good visual of how much could be seen at the beach today. The wind was howling and the rain was pelting so hard that all you could do was look down and, of course, away from the ocean.

We only lasted about ten minutes before I had both girls huddling around my legs mumbling something about cold and leaving. This old dog must be learning new tricks, because instead of "It's not that cold, let's keep looking for a few more minutes" I just picked up the little one and grabbed the others' hand and marched back up to the car. I got 'em changed into dry, warm clothes and we were sitting in front of dogs, fries and chocolate shakes within a 1/2 hour.

That sea glass will just have to get tumbled around some more.

Recent Reads

One of the things I want to log here is what I've been reading. After a long pause, I recently started reading fiction again. I usually have to be careful with my fiction reading as I tend to become a little compulsive with it. Ummm... To be honest, I guess "compulsive" is a bit sugar-coated. More accurate might be: addictive. Anyway, now I try and keep it to times when the family is sleeping or not around.

So I'll be posting what I read, but first I thought I'd list what I've read recently:

• Master and Commander (Aubrey Maturin Series), Patrick O'Brien
• Post Captain (Aubrey Maturin Series), Patrick O'Brien
• The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, Melissa Banks
• Blue Shoe, Anne Lamott
• The Emperor of Ocean Park, Stephen L. Carter
• By Order of the President,W.E.B. Griffin
• The Hostage, W.E.B. Griffin
• Pirate: A Thriller (Hawke (Pocket Star Paperback)), Ted Bell
• Lord Hornblower (Hornblower Saga), C.S. Forester
• The Gunsmith 174: Gunquick (Gunsmith, The), J.R. Roberts
• Pop Goes the Weasel, James Patterson
• Bisbee '17: A Novel, Robert Houston
• A Shred of Honour (Markham of the Marines (Paperback)), Tom Connery
• Honour Redeemed, Tom Connery
• Honour Be Damned (Markham of the Marines (Paperback)), Tom Connery
• The Dogs of Babel: A Novel, Carolyn Parkhurst
• Eventide, Kent Haruf
• Islands, Anne Rivers Siddons
• The Narrows: A Novel, Michael Connelly
• The Tin Collectors: A Novel (A Shane Scully Novel), Steven Cannell
• Vertical Coffin: A Shane Scully Novel, Steven Cannell
• Last Man Standing, David Baldacci
• The Camel Club, David Baldacci
• Absolute Power, David Baldacci
• Dark Star: A Novel, Alan Furst

Ghost Rider -- great comic book movie

Watched Ghost Rider last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I guess I should mention that it's rare that I don't enjoy a movie. It's not that I can't be critical or discerning. I just love the movies. That 2 hours of escape is bliss. Not that I need to escape from anything, I'm just like the rest of us -- love to check out and check into a good (or in my case often a bad) story.

The movie was fun. I did have to overcome some environmental issues in the theatre. For some reason, some of the guys I was with were making fun of the it. Strange because we pride ourselves on going to the "bad" movies. One of the guys even made a comment about it seeming like George Lucas wrote the script. Usually the comments are withheld 'til the end. Hmmm.... maybe it really was bad (ya think?). Eventually I just tuned them out and got down to enjoying the movie.

That bike chain thing was really cool. Especially when he really got it swinging above his head in that fiery arc. If you want more on the action you can just watch the trailer. The caretaker (Sam Elliott) was perfectly cast. That little punk blackheart really bugged me. Not because he was a bad ass or anything, more because of his pretty boy, arrogant, shallow smugness. I wanted to kick him in the nuts. (Perhaps not the intended response of the writers.) Another thing that pissed me off was Mephistopheles welching on the deal with Johnny Blaze. I mean I know he's Satan and all, but I'd expect even him to be a little more forthright in his business dealings..

What's up with Nicolas Cage's body -- was that really him or did they use a body double? I wish I got paid to work out and/or had some ripped dudes body dubbed over mine. Speaking of bods: I loved her shirts, but they did seem to kind of stretch the movie into the unbelievable realm for me. This may sound strange considering the movie had a dude that switched back and forth from a normal to a flaming skull; Satan, his son and various other demons walking around like they're just moseying on down to Starbucks for a latte; and a motorcycle that breathed fire and could be ridden vertically or under water. Anyway, having every scene with her wearing her shirts buttoned just below her bra line seemed to just cross the reality line for me somehow. I mean I can totally get with the idea of a rider commissioned by the devil to round up hell's escapees, but come on -- who really dresses like she did?

Escape Factor: Positive