The title of this particular post is a spin on one of my favorite TV shows, but it sums up the last few months for me. It's been quite a summer (so far). I say 'so far' because I refuse to surrender to fall as soon as September arrives, so I'll be savoring the remaining days of summer as long as the weather holds out.
What have I been up to this summer? I'm glad you asked.
So thankful that I have been able to hike almost every week since the beginning of June, hitting several sections of the Appalachian Trail, as well as the C&O Canal Tow path and some other random spots. The picture included is from Washington Monument State Park in Maryland. Great view and a very interesting place.
Attending the Little League World Series has been on my "bucket list" for years and this year I finally made the 3+ hour drive to Williamsport, PA to watch a couple of games. Weather delays hampered the day's schedule, but not the experience. I met some wonderful people from all over the world. Next year, I plan to take a couple days to attend. Hopefully, my schedule will allow for the championship game.
I haven't done as much kayaking this summer as last, but I did manage to get on the Shenandoah River several times. I plan to get in a couple more treks before the weather turns too cold.
This summer, I've seen some great artists in concert: Black Stone Cherry, Small Town Titans, Jamey Johnson, Erin Viancourt, Whitey Morgan & The 78's, Cody Jinks, and Wade Hayes. Unfortunately, I don't have any concerts set-in-stone on my upcoming calendar.
In two weeks, I'll be in Knoxville, Tennessee (one of my favorite places, if not THE favorite). The trip will center on the Vols football game vs Akron, but I always enjoy the ancillary activities I find while in town.
Since the release of "The Mouse and The Cat Trap", I have finally been able to get back into the groove of writing (productively) every day. As much as I want to get another Clay Sullivan book out, I won't be rushing it. I really like the flow of this book, so far, and I want this one to be the best one yet.
I've got quite a few home improvement/repair projects on my agenda for the fall, so I hope I can maintain my current writing schedule, as I have several short stories that I want to complete and submit sooner rather than later.
I was asked recently what my favorite song is and my all-time favorite is "Against The Wind" by Bob Seger. My musical tastes are eclectic and ever evolving, so I thought it may be cool to periodically share what I'm listening to at that moment, as well as books, movies, TV shows, etc. I stumble upon.
What am I listening to?
I'm really into Whitey Morgan and the 78's lately. They have many great songs to choose from, but if you're not familiar with them, "Bad News" is a good place to start.
What am I reading?
I am reading my way through Michael Connelly's bibliography and am up to "A Darkness More Than Night". If you'd like to keep up with what I'm reading, follow me on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/tyler_cates
What am I watching?
I really enjoyed "Samaritan" on Prime Video. It was a refreshing spin on the superhero genre. and with the recent major studio releases, refreshing is sorely needed, in my opinion. I don't think Sylvester Stallone gets nearly enough credit for his performances and he is great in his role here.
Until next time, Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you soon.