January 22, 2008

I am cleaning off the top of my desk today and tying up loose ends. Why do we all feel a need to do that when we are getting ready to go away for a few days? Am I really worried that Liz may sit down and say something like, "Oh, let me clean Mom's desk off for her and put everything away in its place?"

A while ago I finished reading the book on the shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Amazing. Michigan is one of those places we just know is there and unless you are from the area or live in the area you don't pay a lot of attention to it. But there, that is anywhere and anyone, not just Michigan. "The Great Lakes contain the largest surface of fresh water water on our planet. There are 8,117 miles of shoreline shared about half and half between Canada and the United States. During the twenty years between 1879 and 1899, some 6,000 vessels were wrecked on these inland seas, and of this number more than 1,000 were total losses: ships, cargoes, hands. Nowhere in the Atlantic or Pacific is there an expanse of 90,000 square miles to muster such a record of death and destruction." Pretty impressive.

Started a new book by Jesse Kellerman. He is the son of Jonathan and Faye Kellerman whose books I really enjoy. Faye Kellerman is probably one of my top three favorite authors. I am not as crazy about Jonathan and although Jesse is OK, it feels like he is trying so hard. It is his second book so I will go back and read the first one. I have only read about 60 pages and the story is good and promises to be better but it seems like he is adding a lot of flourish, a lot of familiar words but not everyday ones. Maybe if I didn't know who his parents were I wouldn't be thinking this way at all.

23 more days until Pitchers and Catchers Day. Last Wednesday was the day that you could order your season "package" of tickets for games this year. So we went with the usual package of 20. Of course, we were shocked to find out that the tickets went up $15 a game per person. We have good seats so I can't imagine what people behind home plate are paying. Well, it was probably necessary. We really do need to pay these guys more money, right? Thanks again, Nick, for your know-how and patience in doing this for us.

Just such a good picture of you two.