This summer has been a good one for fireflies. A couple of weeks ago we got spectacular natural fireworks. And the cicadas are literally drowning out the after-dinner traffic noise in my backyard, or garden as the English would say. But the master of them all here and everywhere, is the mosquito. This little insect has, as described in the book Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator, killed billions of us over the centuries. And they haven’t stopped trying.
Rode twice, golfed, lifted three times and kayaked in the last eight days. Took a load management day today. Thank you Kawhi Leonard for giving doing absolutely nothing a cool name. Like intermittent fasting isn’t just skipping breakfast, lunch or dinner. And a social media diet isn’t putting down your phone for a while. I could go on but if I did, I might sound like a ‘get off my lawn!’ kind of old guy.
I have had two people tell me they would buy our 2016 Toyota 4Runner if I ever wanted to sell it. Including one I met in a golf course parking lot. Nice to know my ride has cachet. It’s a great truck, though, not too big or too small, extremely comfortable, reliable as hell and great in the snow. The mileage isn’t impressive but its not terrible either. Its wheelbase is too short to tow much weight and that might be an issue in the future. Highly recommended for what it is and does and I think we’ll keep it.
Reading Hard Ride, a book of western short stories written in the 1950’s and I can’t believe how sensitive I am to the portrayals of men, women and natives. Its like I am looking for faults, stereotypes specifically. They are there but not to the extent you might expect. Good writers know people. The biggest difference from the modern era I notice is the realization from the hard-bitten cowpokes and gunmen that it might be better if they put their guns away, settled down to productive work and married the capable, independent and attractive female character they inevitably run across. And that’s not too bad.
Working away on book three. Editing it savagely as I want it lean and fast moving as it can be. Sometimes I don’t mind it, sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. Which is, I have read, par for the course.
Have a great week!