Summer reading

Summertime is my favorite time of year to read, granted that when hunkered down for the winter delving into a good story can offer expanded horizons while dealing with issues of snow, ice and cold. Summer offers a much wider variety of venues to settle in for a good read. This is a particularly good year for this fan of SciFi Space Opera. This year three of my favorite SciFi authors released new books which I collected in the spring for summer reading. For July I read Alastair Reynolds' "On the Steel Breeze", the second of his Poseidon's Children series. During vacation week for the second year in a row Neal Asher has this spot with the last of his "The Owner" trilogy, "Jupiter War". Half way through it and my vacation as well, setting a good reading pace while generally enjoying the time off. Both books hit the mark for what I like to read and now that I've read most of the SciFi novels they have written patience is the watch word between their next releases. On deck for after I return to the real world is "Cibola Burn" The Expanse, Book 4 by James S.A. Corey (pen name used by collaborators Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck). The first book of the series "Leviathan Wakes" from what I understand is in pre-production for a TV series on the revamped SciFi (SYFY??) channel. While reading the first three books I couldn't help but think what a great TV series this could be so it was exciting to hear that the thought may come to fruition. Another of my favorite authors, Iain Banks' last novel before he died of cancer last year, "The Quarry" I finished reading last weekend. This was a fiction but not SciFi. Banks has a large collection of writings though all my other readings of his were the science fiction ones and I'd read most of those. It's time for a morning jog along the lake, then back to lakeside for more reading.

Worth remembering, thank you Lauren Bacall

“You just learn to cope with whatever you have to cope with. I spent my childhood in New York, riding on subways and buses. And you know what you learn if you’re a New Yorker? The world doesn’t owe you a damn thing.”

Vacation Time

My annual Madawaska Lake vacation has rolled around again, none too soon for my mental state though none the less the summer is passing too quickly. Relaxing and enjoying the time here is the goal. Unfortunately Carol was not able to come as the contract work she is doing has not provided vacation though with a recent switch to a different firm she may be eligible for time next year. Patches was able to join me, he’s practically stone deaf now as his 15th birthday approaches this week. I still talk at him for my own benefit and have established a couple of hand signals he seems to understand if he is interested in complying too.

Nothing earth shaking for my activities this week, I haven’t scheduled an adventure day as I usually do. Yesterday my first full day here I spent at the camp reading, gave Patches a once over in the grooming department, a jog/walk along the shore road I’m on, grilling lunch and dinner. Trying to grill vegetables but they need some seasonings that I didn’t think of bringing. I do bring what seems like a ton of stuff with me with the goal to be sure to utilize while here to make it worthwhile, still missed a few food items that would have traveled well but a stop at Shop’n Save in Caribou on the way here provided all the basics I need. I left the bike home and did bring the kayak and went out on the lake late yesterday afternoon for a bit of a paddle. Of course there is the plethora of sunset pictures to take and I took a fairly decent photo of the “super” moon Sunday night. There have been more recreational activities taking place on the lake during this period than usual at this point in the summer. People are boating, waterskiing, tubing, paddle boarding, canoeing, jet skis, kayaking, plus the sounds of kids at other camps along the shore enjoying swimming and other water activities. Here and there with all this going on the occasional Loon seems totally not bothered by it all, suits me fine.

First evening, things are looking good.

 Here's our "super" moon, a FB friend calls it the sturgeon moon.