Happy Birthday America

Nothing profound to say. I just hope everyone has a safe and happy celebration.

Grandchild News

Stephanie had her ultrasound today and the verdict is in. It's a....












Girl!

Her name will be Sophia (maybe Sofia).

June 25, 1876

It was 134 years ago today that Lt. Col. Custer and five troops of the 7th U.S. Cavalry met their end at the Little Big Horn. That single engagement has generated more controversy than any other battle in history, and also spawned a small industry of books, figures, comics, cards, movies, and dozens of other ephemera. My Custer collection includes jigsaw puzzles, flags, a belt buckle, a battlefield pennant, dozens of books, figures, movies, a card set, a decanter, prints, and more. So here's a salute from the Cap'n to all those who fought and/or died that day, red or white.

All About Me

I've been quiet here of late but there's an interview with me (part 3 of ?) on Evan Lewis's excellent blog. Go to davycrockettsalmanack.blogspot.com and learn all about my experiences at various mystery conventions. At least the parts I can prudently discuss.

D-Day

On this day in 1944 the Allies invaded continental Europe at Normandy and started the drive that would lead to the defeat of Nazi Germany. Not many of the heroes who stormed those beaches are still alive, but here at Casa Cap'n we salute them.
Pictured is a blogger from that battle.

I'm Rich! I'm Rich!

The following e-mail arrived in my box this morning. About damned time. I've already quit my job and sent Margaret my bank account information. I ought to have the money within 48 hours. Gee, I wonder what the poor people are doing tonight.

Dear Lucky Winner.

Please be informed that your email address have won you the grand sum of £1,000,000 GBP in the United Kingdom International Lottery promotion held 2010. Get in touch with me for more information on how to claim your prize.

Congratulations

Thank you,

Mrs. Margaret Sweetland.

I'LL BET HE'S SORRY HE ASKED

Blogmeister supreme Evan Lewis has an interview with me on his blog. He'll be running it over several days. Go to: davycrockettsalmanack.blogspot.com

That's Evan's picture.

WOULD YOU PAY $2,499.99 FOR MY BOOK?

You would if you buy it from Big T Products via Amazon. Plus $3.99 for shipping. Are these people bottom-feeding burn artists or have I achieved hypermodern status?

BUSTED

Three of the four home invaders/murderers that killed my younger daughter's boyfriend's uncle were arrested in California on unrelated charges. One bailed out, the other two are in stir and awaiting extradition. The one who made bail did so before it was learned she was one of the creeps wanted up here.

STEPHANIE

This is my older girl, Stephanie, the mother-to-be. I'm too young for all this.

FAMILY ALBUM

Here's an untrasound picture of my grandchild-to-be. Due date Nov. 16.

BAD NEWS HIT HOME

The following account is in tonight's on line local newspaper:

A 43-year-old man is dead after four robbers invaded his Edgewood home Wednesday night, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded around 9:30 p.m. to a report of a residential robbery in the 3600 block of 106th Avenue Court E. They arrived to find an unconscious man with a gunshot wound, according to Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer. The man died at the scene.

Three people were at home at the time of the robbery -- the man, his wife, and their 14-year-old son, Troyer said.

Troyer gave this account:

The family had been trying to sell a ring on Craigslist and had received a call earlier from the suspects, who said that they were interested. Three males and one female knocked on the door and showed cash to get inside. Once they were let in, the robbers pulled guns on the family, tying up the mother and shooting the father. The son then jumped on one gunman and was struck on the head.

The teen has been taken to a hospital. It does not appear that he was shot.

This may be the second Craigslist robbery of the night in the county, said Troyer, who added that another person was tied up and had his car stolen several hours earlier.

Cap'n Bob again. The victims are the uncle, aunt, and cousin of my younger daughter's boyfriend. As you can imagine, his family is terribly upset. I'm sure they'll catch the mutants who did this crime, and I'm equally sure they won't be sufficiently punished.

And Yet Another Perceptive Critic

Read another review of my page burner at Bill Crider's excellent blog:

BillCrider.blogspot.com

Just so this doesn't sound like nothing but blatant self-promotion, let me add that I won $50 from the Puyallup Tribe today.

Also, I will be doing a signing at the Seattle Mystery Bookstore on Saturday the 24th at noon. I'd love to see you there.

Another Perceptive Critic

Go to the following blog for another review of my latest book, plus the previous one.

http://randall120.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/the-toyman-robert-s-napier/#comment-1894

Hey, Walleeee, Happy Birthday

Tony "Wally Cleaver" Dow is 65 today. Thanks for all the great entertainment, Tony. That's Dow on the right and on the left is Jerry Mathers as The Beaver.

TOYMAN REVIEW

There's a review of THE TOYMAN RIDES AGAIN at lauriepowerswildwest.blogspot.com

The George Meme

Or, The Ten Most Influential Books I've Read.

In no particular order they are:

1. Doctor Dan the Bandage Man. The first book I recall owning. The Band Aids in the back made me want to cut myself just so I could use them.

2. The Catcher in the Rye. I identified with the kid who was out of step with the world. Still do.

3. The Complete Sherlock Holmes. I may have the title wrong, but once I read one story I had to read them all.

4. I. the Jury. I was just the right age to appreciate the sex and violence and I always found Hammer's over-the-top emotions amusing in a strange way.

5. Fanny Hill. This combination of Victorian prose and blatant sex made me wish I'd been born a century sooner and a lot richer.

6. Slaughterhouse Five. Which started me on a tear through Vonnegut's work, which I like a lot.

7. Farewell, My Lovely. My first Chandler. I still consider him the best.

8. Son of the Morning Star. The first detailed and balanced biography of George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn I read.

9. Babbitt. Love the zip, zing, and zowee.

10. The Pictorial History of World War II. A four-volume set we had at home when I was a kid, covering the war in stark detail.

I'm not counting comics, though if I did the first Spider-Man would be the one. I left out fantasy and science fiction, too. I was much impressed with Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert Heinlien. If I had to choose a Western it would be Shane or True Grit, but I read them too late in life to really call them influential. The illustration that accompanies this post is what is known as gratuitous.

Apology to a Virgin

I've been crowing a lot lately about having a jacket stolen from me when I returned from L.A. via Virgin Airlines. Today I did my laundry and in the botton of the basket I found that jacket. How it got there I don't know. It wasn't even dirty. So I have removed Virgin from my overburdened shit list, sent them an apology, and confessed my sins to a itinerant druid priest.

What bothers me as much as standing here with egg on my face is the fact that I have no recollection whatsoever of tossing that jacket into the laundry basket. Is my mind really that far gone? It's a frightening prospect.

But as long as I have your attention, don't forget to read my new mystery novel, THE TOYMAN RIDES AGAIN. No signs of senility are present in that work.

New Header

See my new header? It's not the best job I've ever done, but it might be the most frustrating. The photo is me about 40 pounds ago, I mean 30 years ago. Oh to be young again.

For the last six days I have been trying to find someone, anyone, at Virgin America Airlines to speak with about the jacket stolen from my luggage from one of their fine, fine baggage handlers. Talk about a runaround. Call here. Call there. Go here. E-mail this. Contact that. I'm convinced they intentionally make it impossible to complain about their lousy service. For one thing, they don't publish anything that would direct you to the department that handles the problem. If by some miracle you find the right number to call no one will answer. I'm disgusted. I'll make one more attempt, by writing to the main office, but I have little hope anything will come from it.
I have a lengthy shit list, and Virgin America just got added.

Let's Do Lunch

My cousin Glenn and I ate at LA's famous In-and-Out Burgers when I was there. Some people (like Mark Evanier) swear they are the best burgers anywhere. They're good, but I've had better. The best hamburgers I ever ate were served at a Der Weinerschnitzel in Campbell, California, circa 1977. The franchise was operated by a Middle Eastern family and they flavored their burgers with something that gave them an exotic and wonderful taste.
Not that there's anything wrong with In-and-Out. If nothing else, their order taking should be the blueprint for every fast food business extant. A line of 20 cars can be processed in a matter of minutes, quicker than one person can order at the average McGarbage. It's a marvel of efficiency.
The photo of this Air India 747 on its glide path was taken by cousin Glenn during a different visit. As you might guess, we're close to the airport. You know, LAX, where Virgin America's baggage handlers think we pack our clothes for their use.