Atomic Monster Cafe: Crescent Moon...

...Paradise...my next novella...got a pretty good start on it this weekend....and as always when I start a new story, I'm excited about the potential...we'll see how I feel as I get further into it.

One of the things I'm looking forward to writing is the road trip along Route 66...

...the Mother Road as John Steinbeck named it in his classic, The Grapes of Wrath.

Now mostly just a memory, during the '30's, '40's and '50's...

...Route 66 was "the main street of America", a series of roads linking small towns and providing a commercial route for farmers and industry to get goods to market all across the nation.

All kinds of motels and tourist attractions sprung up along its snaking route from Chicago to Santa Monica, and some remain even today.

Most however met their end with the creation of the interstate highway systems. Like plants deprived of water when a river dries up, they closed up shop and disappeared.

But they'll live again in Crescent Moon Paradise...don't miss it while you can.

Got on the links this morning...

no, I did not create all those divots...

...and enjoyed a pretty good round...one par, some bogeys, a couple of double bogeys, and even scored a birdie on the short par 4 #6...

...long putt for a birdie, proof that miracles still do happen even in this cynical age.

Of course I spent a little more time practicing in my back yard this past week...

cool shorts, hey?

...and consequently hit my cleek a little better...when I can get 170 to 180 yards out of a shot it shortens the hole a bit. Big fun.

Here's a shock...Karen turned on the Senior Open Golf championship being played over in Scotland...was probably hoping to catch a glimpse of Jamie from Outlander...

...pretty sure he wasn't playing today...

...but while she had it on I happened to see the eventual winner, Miguel Jimenez

When asked what the secret is to his many years of excellence on the golf course, he replied: There is no secret...it's good food, good wine, good cigars, and some exercise...

...now there's a man after my own heart (assuming you substitute "whiskey" for "wine"...)

Got a pic of life on the road, so it must be time for another edition of...

Rodger's Ramblings...

...that's the man himself standing beside his trusty steed, a 2018 Kenworth, somewhere just over the Wisconsin line, parked at a TA Truck stop...

...not all bad, right?

Well...with the trucking industry the way it is today, there are strict regulations about how many hours drivers can log before they have mandatory layovers of 36 hours.

Yep...that's 36 hours, as in a day and a half...and with everything being computerized today, they can't start and move the truck during that time without it being recorded.

So what do you do for a day and a half when your "house" is the cab of your truck? There are only so many hours you can sleep, so many meals you can eat...and while today's truck stops have many more amenities than in days gone by, it's still a very long time to be forced into idleness when you're by yourself on the road, away from home, and itching to get back at it.

No one wants sleep starved drivers racing to make unreasonable deadlines in massive big rigs...

...but it seems like pendulum may have swung a little too far the other way on this subject.

Rodger is currently "enjoying" sitting in his truck today, waiting for 9 am tomorrow when he's able to get back to work.

Tough way to go if you ask me...

This weekend Karen and I watched a sobering retelling of the attack on Pearl Harbor that took place on December 7th, 1941...

...the 1970 movie told from both the Japanese and American perspective, and claiming complete historical accuracy.

The title was the Japanese signal to begin the attack...Tora means "tiger", and like an enraged tiger they ripped the US Navy to shreds that day.

And the movie pulls no punches on how unprepared the Navy was, and how we had no excuse...we were intercepting the Japanese transmissions and so had warning something was brewing...but it was a case of not being able to believe the obvious...that they really were ready, willing and able to launch a devastating attack on the most powerful nation in the world.

The movie is methodical, even plodding at times, but the subject matter makes it riveting...and the attack itself is stunning...no cgi magic here...when you see planes exploding and men running from the deadly flames, that's really happening...the movie recreation of that awful day is amazingly realistic.

Should be required viewing for every American, but especially for today's millenials who are as detached from actual reality as any group of people I've ever seen. Hey look! There goes a legendary Pokemon!

Last night we took a break from harsh reality and sat outside by the fire for awhile...

...and gave thanks for the safety and security of our current estate due to the sacrifice and bravery of generations who have gone before.

God bless America, y'all...

later, mcm fans...

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