Sunday, we watched the reentry and splashdown of the SpaceX Dragon capsule (on the NASA Television), and it was thrilling to see. We both still get pumped about this stuff, and it’s great to have such a positive happening and on the news.
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Reading:
I finished the sixth and final book o
f Michael Sullivan’s Legends of the First Empire, Age of Empyre. Perhaps I should call it the final book of the second trilogy, but either way there were a total of six books in the fantasy series. Last year I listed the first books in the series as favorite reads of 2018, and liked the next book as well, but I was not as pleased with the final two books.
The problem is that my perceived “main characters” turned out not to be the author’s intended primary protagonists, as the overreaching story arc played out. Every one of the people I liked, save one, was gone by the end of the saga, while the immortal gods, who had been in the background — where they should have stayed! — became front and center in the last five chapters.
I liked the writing, characters, world building and all, but the wrap-up left me disappointed.
Other:
It’s been HOT here, many days in the 90s, a couple of 100+, the rest in the higher 80s. I don’t like hot weather, and especially here in the Pacific Northwest. Tucson, sure. Portland, no. So we’re spending lots of time indoors, and are glad we installed new HVAC a few months ago.
The kitten, Pongo, is doing fine, growing like a weed. He’s put on a half lb. since we brought him home July 13. He and our older cat, Dexter, are still “working things out”.
Tip the Wink 
Good pix and I’m glad to hear Pongo is adapting.
It is good to hear that Pongo is doing well. We have never had more than one cat (except eons ago when I was a kid and we had too many cats, all outdoor cats). Too bad cats don’t usually want to be friends.
Too bad that you did not care for the ending of the Michael Sullivan series. That can be disappointing to see a series change direction.
It is not very hot here, but Saturday was uncharacteristically warm and sunny when we went to the plant nursery in the morning, and I was too hot to enjoy picking out plants. But we did get lots of them and now I have to do something with them.
Yes, it can be a big disappointment when a series you really likes peters out like that.
We had a pretty warm July, but the real hot weather was up by George, surprisingly. We’re finally getting back to a more normal (mid-80s rather than 90) range, though it was, as the radio weather man said, “ridiculously humid” yesterday, And now we have to worry about possible torrential rain and winds from the remnants of the hurricane turned tropical storm tomorrow.
Good thing we spend so much time indoors.
How about another Pongo picture?
Can do.
(which is a line from Guys and Dolls, which we watched last week)
I am trying to think of a series that disappointed in the end. Mostly I have grown tired of the same characters before the author did, I guess. And I guess it depends how important the characters are to the story. Plot-driven stories can get by with less interesting characters. And character-driven stories can sacrifice a top-notch plot–which is often true with the books I read.
Rick, since SpaceX splashed down just off my neighborhood, I’m taking a bit more pride in the event. I have always been a huge supporter of the space program and I am glad we are finally getting back in the game.
And, yes. we need more pictures of Pongo!
July 2020 was the hottest month in Western New York since they started keeping statistics–over a 130 years. Like you, I despise Hot Weather. I could not survive without A/C.