Arkangel: A Sigma Force Novel

I just finished reading Arkangel, James Rollins latest Sigma Force novel. Sigma Force is a secret government department that takes on special assignments that usually involve pending disasters that might result in the end of the world. And, of course, they always succeed. This time a Vatican priest who is looking for a lost library of ancient manuscripts collected by Ivan the Terrible under the streets of Moscow texts photographs of one particular book to Sigma Force right before he is killed by a notorious group hired to find that book, which holds clues to the existence of a lost continent in the arctic. It turns out the long-gone civilization which occupied that continent discovered a secret that could change the world, and Sigma Force is dispatched to discover that secret before a group of fanatical Russians does and uses it to dominate the world. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it, although in real life I am convinced Donald Trump would disband that unit immediately, with dire consequences for the world. That's why I always read fiction.

The 2025 CTA Historical Calendar's March Photograph Brings Back Memories

This month's CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) Historical Calendar photo, as seen above, brought back a flood of memories to me yesterday. It is of the Argyle "L" station, taken back in 1910. And no, I do NOT remember it as it was back in 1910. I am not THAT old, although some days it feels like it. What the photo did was bring back memories of Tom Dundee's song "The McBride Argle Station Furnished Rooms," which I listened to back in the 1970s on WFMT's Midnight Special during one of its Chicago music and humor broadcasts. I recorded that 3 hour show on an 8-track recorder and played it over and over again until the tape wore out. It wasn't until the advent of the internet that I was able to find that song again. Yesterday I looked up Tom Dundee on the internet, and it mentioned he was a principal member of Chicago's folk music scene, along with Steve Goodman (City of New Orleans), John Prine, Mick Scott, and Bonnie Kolac. And that led me to see if Bonnie Kolac was the one who wrote another Chicago song on that show called "Rainy Windows." I googled that, and it turns out she wasn't. But just below that was listed Bonnie Dobson, who was indeed the writer and performer of that song. It took years to find that out, and all because I had googled Bonnie and Rainy Windows. The internet can be an amazing thing. And now I intend to tune in next Saturday night to WFMT and listen to the Midnight Special once again, which is still being broadcast after all these years. Thanks for the memories, Chicago Transit Authority!

Fat Tuesday!

Today is Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, and to celebrate this major party holiday, Terra Fermata, an outdoor concert venue here in Stuart, Florida and seen in the photograph above, is hosting Lefty Hathaway's tribute to Dr. John tonight from 7:00 until 10:00. Terra Fermata, by the way, is located in downtown Stuart and has live music seven days a week. It isn't Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but it is awfully convenient to get to, at least if you are here in Stuart. I was there once by accident back in 2016. I had had a beer at a local brew pub across the street, and as I was leaving, I got into a conversation with some hipsters visiting from Deerfield Beach, and wound up walking into Terra Fermata with them. It was at that point in my life that I realized this was no longer my parent's Stuart. I later found out that Terra Fermata always has a cover charge, which I assume the group I was with had already paid for earlier in the evening, and I had unconsciously gotten into the place for free. Definitely a win-win in my book. In any case, if you want to party in Stuart instead of New Orleans tonight, the tickets are $10 online or $15 at the door. And no, I will not be attending. I don't do cover charges. Not then and definitely not now.

A Visit To Singer Island

A while back I started reading a series of mystery novels by A.J. Stewart featuring a private detective named Miami Jones and his wife Danielle, a FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) agent. This is another one of those self-published novels that are sold on Amazon. These days there are only 4 major book publishers, and so many authors who used to get published have resorted to publishing on their own. This particular series caught my eye because Miami Jones and his partner Ron have an office in West Palm Beach, and Miami and Danielle live on nearby Singer Island, in a ranch house on the intercoastal waterway, near Riveria Beach Municipal Beach. And Stewart's description of Singer Island really surprised me. The last time I explored the beachfront there it was the site of a deserted mall, with nothing else around. Of course, that was over 20 years ago. In Stewart's books, he describes it as a thriving beach community. And so, this past Saturday, I drove back to see Municipal Beach, and it is indeed a thriving and attractive area, as seen in the photograph above. Amazing how things can change in a mere quarter of a century. I also looked around for a 1950s era ranch house located right on the intercoastal, and although there were plenty of ranch houses, I did not see a single one on the water - just condos and very upscale homes. I definitely think that house must be artistic license. Much better to have your hero ruminating about a case while gazing out at the water than a ranch house across the street, right? In any case, I enjoyed seeing the area very much, and even found a parking spot at the beach. A win-win situation, as they say.

A Different Vibe At Sailor's Return

My sister Susan and I stopped at Sailor's Return, a restaurant located in Stuart, Florida's Sunset Bay Marina, this past Friday evening to have a beer and admire the view of the St. Lucie River from the outdoor patio. But I should have realized that Friday night during "The Season" (January thru March) is very much different than the rest of the year. We did find a parking spot, but when we got to the patio, every vacant table had a "reserved" sign on it, and the only seat available in the whole place was at the end of the bar. Susan took that one and I discreetly took a stool from one of those reserved tables and extended seating at the bar by one. I really like this place, but we couldn't see the water from where we sat, and that is what we go there for. Plus, it soon got crowded, and the staff seemed pretty stressed trying to take care of everyone. No friendly chats with the bartender that night.

The view from the walkway was as nice as ever, of course, and we did get to see a bit of the sunset on the walk back to the car, but when we got there, we were boxed in. Evidently on busy nights like this, the valets park the cars left with them in long rows in front of the cars in the parking spaces. I had to walk back to the valet stand and ask if they would move a car so I could pull out. I understand why they have to do that, but it is a bit irritating. One of these days we will go back on a non-weekend night and see if happy hour is a little less hectic, and if you can actually sit at a table with a view. If not, there is always next summer. During the month of August, there are lots of tables available, and the bartender is always happy to chat. What's a little heat when you have such a great view, right?

It's March! The 49th Anniversary Of My Parents Move To Florida

My parents Nelson and Mary and I visited my Uncle Bill (my mother's brother) and Aunt Elsie in Stuart, Florida back in April of 1975, where they had bought a condo at the Monterey Yacht and Country Club a few years earlier. My Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie gave us the grand tour, taking us to see the House of Refuge, an historic rescue station built in 1875, a Jai-Alai match in Fort Pierce, and a visit to Stuart Beach. And my father was able to play golf once again with my Uncle Bill, which they used to do every year for two weeks when our families went up to Ontario on vacation. We even took a cruise on the St. Lucie River, where we got stuck on a sandbar and had to wait hours for the company's other boat to rescue us. I remember they dropped the price of beer to 5 cents, and my Uncle Bill spent his time singing along to the old tunes played by the piano player. It was well past dark by the time we got back to shore. And by the way, it gets very chilly out there on the water in April.  The following year, in March of 1976, my parents moved from Chicago to the same complex, but on the river side, instead of along the golf course, where Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie lived. The photograph on the left is of my parents posing in front of their new condo right after they moved in. 

Both my mother and father loved it there, and after my father passed away, my mother continued to live there, telling me she made more friends there than any other place she had ever lived. And so, the condo has now been in our family for 49 years. My sister Susan and I took the condo back from our renters last June, and plan to stay there half the year. And I am happy to report that the place pretty much looks the same as it did years ago. Why ruin that classic 1970s look with a remodeling? Stuart, by the way, is still a great place to live. There are a lot more people living here now, along with a lot more traffic, of course, but these days Stuart is a much more diversified and interesting place, with a beautiful historic downtown. Just watch your step if you decide to take a cruise on the river.

The Mystery Of Kayak Corner

I walked down to the St. Lucie River from our condo here in Stuart, Florida yesterday afternoon after arriving in the morning on a Red-Eye flight. I was hoping to wander around and take a few sunset photographs but found a bunch of people there sitting on benches around waiting for the big event. Evidently it is now a thing for fellow condo residents to gather together and watch the sunset every night, which kind of interfered with my plans. Back when I used to visit my parents down here, there was no one there at all around sunset. Of course, working at the University of Denver Bookstore, the best time for me to take a long vacation was in August, when nobody - except me, of course - wanted to be outside in Florida in the heat of summer. In any case, I decided to take the photograph above of what a sign calls "Kayak Corner." As you can see, there are stools and a bench provided, right next to an incline where you can launch a boat. All of this puzzles me, because I have been coming here for 50 years, and I have never once seen a kayak - or for that matter, a kayaker - around here. What are they? Night kayakers? Or perhaps it is just like our yacht club. Since the Monterey Yacht and Country Club was never allowed to dredge, there can be no boats. The yacht club is just for parties. And so, perhaps the kayakers don't kayak, just hang out in their corner. I must keep checking to get the full story, which no doubt will become a headline in the Stuart News. Fame at last.