Rep convention

July 21, 2016

 

Dear Hildie:

 

 

Mowed the office lawn yesterday and it kicked my tail. Partly because I had to keep jerking the lawn mower cord.

 

Rep convention  is a train wreck.  Of course, so was the 1860 one, but Trump is no Lincoln!

 

Have to get working.

 

Take care.

 

Love,

 

M

THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT

July 8, 2016

Dear Hildie:

What a terrible week. For the country, I mean—all these shootings. I can’t figure the shooting of the man in Baton Rouge. The police officer who did it seems to have a good record and yet the video leaves him with a lot of questions to answer.  I have to give it to the mayor, the governor, and Councilwoman Denise Marcelle for keeping a lid on things, though that can’t go on forever. It’s hot, tempers are frayed, and it won’t take much for things to take fire.

All I can say is keep safe.

 

Love,

 

M

THE SECOND STAIN

July 6, 2016

 

Dear Hildie:

 

Boy, a client paid me $4,050. Now I can pay the $4,333 company credit card bill–almost.

 

Today’s mystery—I came out into the driveway with a flash drive in my hand along with my car keys, put them on the seat, and then, when I came back with my coffee cup, the flash drive was gone. Flash (or thumb) drives are very useful,  because they’re tiny and  can hold so much info, and they’re very dangerous because they’re tiny and can hold so much info!  Lose one and you can be putting all your fin financial/personal data into the hands of a stranger. I was bumfuzzled, but, then, applying Holmes’ methods in THE ADVENTURE OF THE SECOND STAIN (“I knew it was there because it could be nowhere else”) I found it on the floor of the van. Of course, Holmes lied when he told the PM that, because he knew the minister’s wife had taken it. Oh, well.

 

Crew is all in beautiful west Louisiana today. Lucky things!

 

Take care.

 

Love,

 

M

 

 

 

Abandoned houses

Dear Hildie:

 

Yesterday Karl and I went out to an archaeological location to take pictures of some old houses.

They’re all fairly modern looking, located in a 70 acre patch of woods. Lots of mosquitoes. The interesting thing is that they seem to have been suddenly abandoned. The first is modern looking, with a sun porch on the south side, Inside the place is in terrible repair—Looks like somebody took off hurriedly. There’s a can of unopened Borden’s eggnog (as well as other liquor bottles) on the bar counter, which suggests December. The inside toilet tank top says Jul 1974. There’s a suitcase on one bed. There’re boxes of documents on the sun porch. One bank statement was for a person in, Covington. There was a brown bat hanging over one door and he took off when I tried to take his picture, flew around the room. Can’t tell his species for sure: Pipestrelle? Eastern brown? Wingspan about 18 inches. I understand this area didn’t flood in Katrina but I suppose the threat could have caused people to leave. But a deputy told the field crew lots of people had walked away from their houses due to money troubles in that period. Structure 2, which is just west of it, has caved in roof and much of floor missing. Floor boards are modern looking, treated wood, and it is on formed, triangular cement blocks. The walls are wall board (with big holes). Toilet had been pulled but fixtures (sink, etc) otherwise looked new.  Again, no discernable style.

 

Weird, the way those places were left.

 

Take care.

 

Love,

 

M