4/26/2024

Passed 30K on The Short Happy Life of Thomas Higgins. He didn't have the recurrent dream while he was in Santa Clara. Now that he's back in Sacramento will the dream return?

4/13/2024

The Short Happy Life of Thomas Higgins just passed 20K.  

March 17, 2024

The Patas Affair is out on Amazon. Click on the thumbnail to the right to check out the book.

Valentine's Day 2024

This will be a V-day to remember. Went to Executive Airport to take a flight that had been a Christmas present from the family. Even though it was an introductory flight, son Thomas broke the news that I'd taken him numerous times on flights to various places. With that out of the way we went out to the Cessna 172 that looked a little worse for wear. The instructor pilot, Brashear, was comfortable with the airplane and we soon were underway. He asked me if I wanted to taxi the plane. I pretty much held it on the center line with the rudder pedals (which were stiffer than I remembered). He gave me the liftoff and climb speeds and I got the bird into the air. We climbed to 3,000 feet and he said the plane was mine. I did a few turns to avoid the skydiving areas and with no other planes in the sky we tooled around and I did some Dutch rolls and turns and then with numerous airplane anecdotes from both Brashear and me we enjoyed being in the air. Then it was time to head back. Brashear did the landing and I taxied us back.

Thomas was waiting for us and we all walked back to Executive Flyers and then it was off to meet my brother for a coffee klatch. Here's a photo taken by Thomas before the flight.

February 9, 2024

The first draft of The Patas Affair is finished. The usual rewrite, copy editing, cover finalization, etc. will take place after a few days rest. So far the story hangs together and we'll see whether that conclusion remains after digging into what is on the screen. More as I'm motivated to exercise my fingers on the keyboard.

1/27/2024

 Just passed 50K on The Patas Affair.  After Kurt's rescue, he and Ted had an overnight in Bangui and now are headed back to the field station to see what, if any, damage had been done by the thieves that had taken the electronic spy machine. Kurt is relieved that he was able to recover the memory chip from his camera.

1/9/2024

The Patas Affair just passed 40K (the usual hurdle). Kurt missed his chance to get the mph of a Patas monkey, but he's determined to do so.