Aug. 9, 2016

 

Dear Hildie:

 

We watched the Agatha Raisin pilot last night. I know the Hamish MacBeths on TV were disavowed by M.C. Beaton, and I wonder how close this TV adaptation of Raison is. I hope it’s not accurate, because, on TV, at least, she’s an obtuse and obnoxious idiot. I wanted her to be the one murdered.

 

Went out to empty the garbage last night and there were blue lights everywhere—neighbor’s big oak tree had dropped a limb across Hundred Oaks. Nobody hurt, though.

 

Worked out yesterday and didn’t die! Hurrah!

 

Enough of this rain.

 

Take care.

 

 

Love,

 

M

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

 

June 9, 2016

 

Dear Hildie:

 

So much happening here. But I can’t assume this is normal—In this work, it’s likely to be a blip and you can’t count on it.

 

Been reading about Chaucer’s work as a collector of customs. Poor guy!

 

Ate cereal for breakfast today. Crunchy—fruits and berries in it.

 

Waiting for a client to call me back.

 

Take care.

 

Love,

 

M

June 3, 2016

 

Dear Hildie:

 

 

Funny thing about this project I’m writing now: I just wasn’t satisfied at all until I read a review of another entirely unrelated novel in the NY Times book Review and then suddenly the light went on about structure. Then I went on line and saw a book that seemed so apropos, and another light went on. I push myself to get things finished but I guess I need to think them through first. But I have a feeling that if I don’t chew on them by writing a few drafts, I won’t ever get to that point.

 

Take care.

 

Love,

M

 

May 16, 2016

 

Dear Hildie:

 

I finished Kessler’s book CAPTURE. What a disappointment. Mainly case studies—all post hoc, of course. And his “concept” is one known by any psychology student: Namely, that some stimuli become ingrained and cause behavior. Wow! What an insight! I expected more of him.

 

I am busily writing reports for clients. The crew is up state, in Red River Parish. I hope they don’t get rained out. Rain costs money!

 

Now I’m reading a book on global warming. I know Popper would say taking measures against it is futile but I find his philosophy flawed in this respect: Should we do nothing? Besides, some social engineering—like the cleanup of the Thames in the late 19^th century–has been very effective.

 

I hope you’re okay.

 

Take care,

 

Love, M

May 10, 2016

Dear Hildie:

I gave my talk and slide show to some little varmints in the fourth grade today. Nice group of kids But there was a pretty little girl with long blonde hair who asked a lot of questions. I kept saying, “Yes ma’am,” until a teacher corrected me and said he was “sir.” Well, if you wear your hair like a girl, expect to be treated like one. Ah, times do change.

In my current novel, I went back to my original draft—I liked the old characters better. Varmints.

 

Take care.                                                                                                       Love,

 

 

 

May 9, 2016

 

Dear Hildie:

 

I got waked up at 1:30 this morning by the alarm company and had to go down to the office and wait for the police. It was a false alarm, fortunately, but nothing messes up the sleep like having to get up like that.

 

Otherwise, yesterday was entirely pleasant, sitting outside at the table in the front yard reading and smelling the fresh scents of spring—the tree bark, the flowers, etc. All that was missing was the odor of wood smoke, which evokes so any pleasant memories for me. One of life’s simple pleasures. I could imagine I was in Yucatan, or Ireland, or England, or Scotland, or even some place in the world I’d never been to.

 

Ah, well. Smelling is so much more acute these last few years since I went to a real allergist and ditched those ENT doctors.

 

Take care.

 

Love,

 

M