Shield of Time

Following the enjoyable Time Patrol I wrapped up Anderson's work on the subject by picking up Shield of Time from the local library.

Once again the story focuses on Manse Edwards, Unattached Time Patrol Agent and James Bond/Indiana Jones of the genre. The book is slightly awkward in format, reading like distinct novellas patched together into a [more-or-less] coherent whole, but let's boil it down to this: Wanda Temberly, a woman featured in an earlier story, finds herself violating the rules of the Patrol in her effort to aid a Pre-Colombian tribe. It turns out she has a distinct role to play in the future, as does Manse. Through other adventures the pair seek to restore history to its 'proper' lineage after chaos brings about the death of a minor king in medieval Italy.

The writing is a bit sexist, as Wanda goes around stammering whenever her emotions get the better of her, and whoa to anything more than a kiss between these two 'honorable' agents.

But forget all that. Shield of Time is a fun read, full of interesting facts, fine writing, and high adventure.

Recommended.

Read in 2008.

The Dante Club

I began reading this on the fourth of July, 2008, sitting in a gazebo staring out at a private lake up north. It's a wonderful memory.

Then I put the book down, despite enjoying the first few chapters, and didn't pick it up again until this year. Go figure.

The Dante Club tells the story of a group of men working on translating Dante's The Divine Comedy into English shortly after the end of the Civil War. Perhaps you've heard of some of the men in question - Henry Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and James Lowell. It is, in effect, a club of literary giants.

A series of murders grip the city, each patterned after a punishment in Dante's work. As the pre-eminent Dante scholars in America, the group takes on the challenge of bringing the killer to justice, not just to stop the killings but to rescue the controversial work of Dante from being exiled from American soil. A noble goal, but one that just might bring them to the brink of death themselves.

It is a fine book, rich in historical detail and perhaps most impressively, it brings these poets to life as complicated, flesh-and-blood men with all the grace and failings that go with it.

I recommend this book to any fan of mystery, and/or history.

3.3 out of 4

RIP Beta

Angel (one of our cats) knocked over a fishtank last night and ate YaYa's Beta. Tears this morning, mitigated by her respect for Angel's prowess. We'll have to buy another soon.

Please Support this Lowly Writer

I have another column set to run tomorrow in the Journal-Sentinel (on the op-ed page). If you're in WI, please buy a copy and let me know what you think. Or buy a copy and keep your opinion to yourself. Either/or. :)

Surgery postponed - an update

As many of you know from Lisa's Facebook update, my Mom's surgery was postponed after a series of delays that knocked the surgery from noon, to three, to . . . possibly Monday.

So in the meantime, let's pretend all is normal.

* * * *

After we visited my Mom this morning I went to work. In the evening Lisa packed up all the kids and took them to Chuck E Cheese for an 8th birthday party for Meadow, a family friend that had slept over this weekend.

The party was fine, but that Chuck E Cheese has gone downhill. Metal detectors, security guards - and yet twice, TWICE in ninety minutes kids stole tickets and token cards from YaYa. They were recovered both times, but c'mon! As Lisa said "I held my purse close the whole time. Real close."

Here's a picture of LuLu and Ginger at the party:



Did I mention that Lu had those two bottom teeth pulled? She was terrified and asked to call me (I was at work), but she bounced back just fine.

* * *

A frightening development in my household Sunday: Ginger got out of the crib on her own. God help us all.

* * *

Report cards last week. LuLu did very well, and I have no complaints; YaYa did very well in some areas and awful in math. The math grade is unacceptable, and from now on she and I will sit down and re-do any problem she gets wrong on homework and tests.

* * *

For a week or two Ginger abandoned me and would cuddle and play only with Lisa; she seems incapable of showing affection for more than one person at a time. Saturday things swung back in my direction, and she ignored the Mrs. and doted on me. It's crazy how hurt I was by her rejection, and how happy I was when I was back in her favor.

A Request

Just about twelve hours from now my Mom will be going into surgery. I'm not free to explain what's going on, but yes, I'm a little worried. It's not as dire as heart surgery, but it isn't a tonsilectomy either.

Long story short, if you're inclined, please say a prayer on her behalf.

BTW - yesterday (Saturday) was my parent's 39th anniversary. May they celebrate many more.

YaYa meets Junie B.

One of the best gifts I ever got YaYa was a copy of Junie B Jones First Grader at Last! a book that seemed to kick start her love of reading to the nth degree.



Even before she could read on her own we'd all gather at night and Lisa would read the kids a chapter or two, with YaYa reciting the opening lines by memory:

My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice. Except I don't like Beatrice. I just like B and that's all.

A few months back Lisa learned that Junie would be appearing at the Discovery World Museum here in Milwaukee. She took YaYa to meet her favorite characters.

Junie of course



but Lucille too.





They were part of the cast for a First Stage Children's Theater product of Junie B Jones that ran in late October - early November. Oddly enough, YaYa's class was scheduled to attend a performance of the play on her eighth birthday!

She asked Lisa to chaperone, and it was a great kickoff to YaYa's birthday weekend. :)

The Resort by Bentley Little

Bentley Little is a popular author of paperback horror novels, and I've seen his work on the shelves many times. I was never tempted to pick one up, but changed my mind for The Resort. The verdict? Not great, but good.

The Resort is just that, an upscale resort and spa slapped down in the middle of the southwest desert. Our family of protagonists lands a nice, off-season deal on a five day stay. What was intended as a dream vacation quickly goes haywire.

The resort is haunted, brutally controlled by a malevalent spirit that forces the guests into participating in bloody sporting matches, horrific BSDM performances, and the like.

It's kind of like The Shining, had Stephen King had decided to tint his hotel with a sadistic sexual obsession.

That's not to say I didn't like the book. By and large it was a good read and quite enjoyable, especially the first third as the terror began to build. I didn't like the ending, which was quick and forced and altogether a bummer.

I'm not sure I'll read more of Little's books, but I don't regret grabbing this one.

2.4 out of 4.

Smiley's Trip to the Pumpkin Farm 10/20/09

Lisa volunteered to chaperone Smiley's trip to the pumpkin farm on her birthday. Not the ideal way to mark the day, I'm sure, but he loved the trip, and loved that she went along.







They fed goats . . .









Went on a hayride . . .





This is Mrs. Heidi, Smiley's teacher/first love . . .



There are 36 or 37 kids in Smiley's class. Yes, that's right: 36 or 37. Imagine the cost of his monthly snack day!







They also got lost in a corn maze and saw a puppet show . . .





In short - they had a blast!