I’m Back!

I’m just like a bad rash. Just about the time you think you got rid of me, here I come again! The blog crashed sometime Saturday afternoon and people were getting an error saying that it couldn’t connect with the server and to please try again. I waited an hour or two and tried again, and the same problem persisted so I started looking for some way to fix it. None of the online hints and helps did any good, and finally I turned to David Carr, my IT guy, for help. Unfortunately, he was not available so all I could do was leave him a message. Yesterday (Sunday) the blog was finally back up and working, but we still don’t know what the problem was. Hopefully it will continue to work properly.

While Terry has been busy getting her loom set up for her new weaving project, I’ve been hard at work on my new John Lee Quarrels book, Ka-Bar Karma. I started on the 10th and have nine chapters (25,000 words) done now. Yesterday I printed those out for Terry to proofread and edit and when she was done, I made her suggested corrections then sent them off to my next proofreader. While I wait for them to get back, I’ll write some more chapters. This one has already surprised me two or three times because the person I keep thinking is responsible keeps changing. Add to that a new character who has joined the series who will definitely be a thorn in the sides of John Lee and Maddy. I think it’s going to be an interesting story.

Someone asked me yesterday what I thought about the United States pulling out of Afghanistan the way we are doing, leaving so many Afghans who worked with us behind. This is no different than what we did in Vietnam, where we also wasted 20 years and billions of dollars and countless lives. We had no business being either place, but if we go somewhere to fight a war, the damn politicians need to stay out of it and let the soldiers fight the war and get it over with. While the troops in Vietnam and Afghanistan and everywhere else we sent them have served honorably, there is no honor in what we did either place or what we did to our young men and women in uniform.

But I will say that in both places, having experienced Vietnam myself and having talked to quite a few vets of the latest wars, too many of the people in those countries really don’t seem to give a damn one way or another. Any Vietnam combat vet can tell you that the South Vietnamese Army was worthless when it came to fighting against the enemy, and I’ve heard it said the same about the Afghan soldiers. Yes, there are some brave among them, but there were also far too many who think we are just as bad as the people we were over there fighting to protect them from. They’ve been fighting amongst themselves for eons, and they will continue to do so long after we are gone.

And since I’m somewhat political in today’s blog, put on a damn mask and get a shot, will you? I’m sick and tired of hearing about people getting their rights trampled on when they’re being asked to take a vaccine or put on a mask. What about the rest of the country’s right to live without fear of some clod spreading the pandemic even further? Especially the vulnerable young who can’t yet get a vaccine. They have no other protection than what the general public is willing to give them.

The numbers here in Florida are astronomical and rising every day, as they are in so many other places in the country. Someone told me yesterday that the government has absolutely no right to tell you to get vaccinated. Have you ever heard of polio, fool? Mandatory vaccinations put and end to it. Just like they did smallpox and other pandemics that were killing millions of people. Grow up, put on your big boy and girl panties, stop acting like spoiled children, and do what’s right.

Okay, I’m off my soapbox. Now let’s talk about hurricanes and tropical storms. Aren’t I just a bouquet of rainbows and sunshine this morning? As I said in Saturday’s blog, Fred turned out to be a flop, and it looks like Grace isn’t going to amount to a whole lot either. At least not here on the Central Atlantic coast of Florida where we are. But we are prepared, just in case. I guess all that Boy Scout training I got paid off.

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. I guess somebody slept through spelling class.

Congratulations John Burton, winner of our drawing for an audiobook of Camp Timber View by my friend Jason Deas. This children’s mystery about two best friends at an amazing summer at camp is a rollercoaster ride of fun, suspense, and escape that the youngsters in your family will love. We had 26 entries this time around. Stay tuned, a new contest starts soon.  Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed.

Thought For The Day – I was going to cook alligator for dinner, but it turns out we only have a croc pot.