Reading - Coincidence, Deja-Vu, or What?

I've been reading a police procedural mystery based in England during the late 1950s. Actually, it is the second of a series. Yesterday my reading took an interesting turn.

As I was reading, I came across several things - not connected to one another - that happened to be either in the current news or was something I was thinking about earlier in the day.

The story mentioned the World Series in that "it was distinctly Americana". Last evening, by chance, the Washington Nationals beat the Houston Astros in Game 7 to become the 2019 World Champions.

Further along in the story, the detective made the comment that he was not expecting a "quid pro quo" about an information exchange with a snitch. Of course, this Latin phrase has been in the front-page news for several months now. And I have not come across it in any of my fiction book readings during that time. It was written in 2005 by the way.

In another conversation, the same detective was talking to an American private investigator and the movie "On the Waterfront" came up. The PI mentions Marlon Brando and Karl Maldon. I had been thinking of that same Jesuit priest that Malden played because someone had told me he (the priest) was in charge of the old labor library at Xavier High School where I worked for 17 years. When the library was closed, most of the old books were of no real value anymore and consequently, faculty were allowed to take a few if they wanted. I took a battered copy of an early "Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith. I happened to note it yesterday as I scanned my bookshelf earlier that day for another book BEFORE I read the passage.

Finally, back to my mystery - a major part of the plot involves a candidate for the presidency who might be involved with the mafia or other crimes.

I've come across connections before like these examples, just not so many at one sitting that reminds me of something from the daily news or in the case of the labor library, something that happened to me.

And it's Halloween tonight.....!?!?

Took a Quiz Recently

On Facebook the other day, my wife posted a picture that challenged you to find a camel in the picture. She sent it to me and I took a screenshot of it. 

The picture was of a man's head and neck and was made entirely of colored drawings of different sized animals. The idea was that there was a correlation to how long it took for you to find the camel and if/how soon you might get Alzheimer's.

If you attempt to increase the size, it gets a little blurry which makes the photo harder to examine. I'm sorry about that.

It took me quite a few minutes, but less than a half-hour. Since I am already 75, I figure late-stage at best. 

Book Reviews

I've been thinking recently about writing book reviews; specifically, writing ones on books that I read. I find when I have read a book I rush to Goodreads to change the status from "Reading" to "Read", then give it a star (1-5) rating,  and then ensure that the reading starting and ending dates are correct, but then I stop. It asks if I want to write a review and always I opt-out. I don't want to take the time. I also don't want to try to write a review that tries to be as good as the ones I read on the site. Though I do remember writing one once  - can't remember the book - and it got a favorable comment.

I currently have three books, one fiction, and two nonfiction, currently waiting for a written review. All good books, but I haven't even started the first one yet. It's as if I don't want to take the time from my reading, to write about a good book that I enjoyed and let others know. So there they sit, on my desk, waiting to be looked at a final time before they each return to dusty confines of a bookshelf. Heaven forbid!

Ironically, I just am starting a re-read (as if I even have enough time to read the books I haven't read the first time!) and that is about...wait for it...BOOKSHELVES!

Nifty cover, right? It looks like a four-volume boxed set, but no it's just one hardback. The author is a very good one; I have his "The Pencil" and a few others. But I decided to add this to my current reading. "What am I reading?" you ask. Well, see for yourself.

Finally, as you can see, I have gotten away from writing any book reviews again... 

An Oriental Visitor

We've had a recent arrival of an oriental variety this week to our front shrub and flower garden. Some cocoon-looking nest has locked itself onto one of our shrubs. I took a picture of it and used Google to identify it.

Google identified it as a Chinese mantis or at least the cocoon, or ootheca, of one. It's actually a hardened protein-based egg mass that protects the eggs. Wikipedia says that the species was accidentally brought over in 1896 by a "nurseryman" to the Philadelphia area. Since then it has spread across the country. The pictures show a green to brown looking praying mantis a little larger than four inches long.

The Asian mantis is very aggressive towards its prey which is essentially the same as other mantises - insects, hornets, and other mantises. Yes, it is cannibalistic. Here is a photo from Wikipedia.

We will try to get an actual picture of it if we can.

It's Not Over Until...

Well, I got the stitches out this morning. There is good news and bad news. The good news is that the incision is healing well; in fact, the nurse complimented me on how well I was able to keep both the stitches and the incision so moist like I was supposed to do. Most people don't do a very good job of it. I had a total of 15 stitches.

The bad news is that it is still covered. The nurse put on some glue on the incision and covered it with six flex-strips or other tapelike material. These have to stay on for two more weeks; but if they fall off after two days that is okay too.

She also said that a small amount of leakage is normal. By that, I am assuming she meant blood. I noticed I have a few drops on my T-shirt.

The most difficult thing to keep the scar as moist as possible. The nurse originally said to use petroleum jelly again. I told her I couldn't/didn't want to do that because then I would have had to wear a patch over it and that jelly would stain my shirt. She finally said I could use Gold Bond cream like I did for my biopsy.

Anyhow, I'll take it easy for a few days, then about Monday begin another set of exercises.