Life in America - I made the move.

[Tom van Brits]

Mrs Z see if you can find '4 blind mice' by James Patterson.
With your background I think you'll love this one.

What are you planning fitness wise? I could not run for close to 2 months now and tonight during a 12 hour shift I finished a job on the train and then decided to catch up with the guys sealing the traps on the train cars. I quickly put on my Oasic runners at my bakkie and set off. They were about 1mile ahead of me, maybe a tad further and I enjoyed it so much. Glad to see I still have a fair limit of fitness.
Try to get mr Z to do something fitness like as well 

[BigEd]

Of all the ones above you mentioned one stands out to e - Jeffrey Deaver. Worth every second you spend on it. The Bone Collector was a great start and it jut got better from there on...

My 2c

[Mrs. Zog]

Mrs Z see if you can find '4 blind mice' by James Patterson.
With your background I think you'll love this one.

What are you planning fitness wise? I could not run for close to 2 months now and tonight during a 12 hour shift I finished a job on the train and then decided to catch up with the guys sealing the traps on the train cars. I quickly put on my Oasic runners at my bakkie and set off. They were about 1mile ahead of me, maybe a tad further and I enjoyed it so much. Glad to see I still have a fair limit of fitness.
Try to get mr Z to do something fitness like as well 

Well, it's not much, to be honest, but it's a start. I'm not unfit; it would be better to say I'm not as fit as I want to be. I used to be super fit, disgustingly fit. I did serious trail running, hiking, weight training, I used to be a Krav Maga instructor. Oh how far I have fallen...

I always see tons of people run/walk across the lagoon causeways, it's a thing around here. You usually see dolphins, sometimes manatees. @Tom van Brits did it when he was here. The other day I was driving across and I thought, "I wish I could do that." And then I thought, there is absolutely no reason why I can't.

I'm so stuck in my rut, working from home, basically only getting out to go grocery shopping and run errands. That's it. I feel really badly stuck. I get bitter because Mr. Zog goes out, he goes fishing all the time (no reflection on Mr. Zog, I don't begrudge him his fishing, not at all). But I work EVERY. DAMN. WEEKEND. Every single one. I have Fridays off because that's the day I use to clean the house, run errands, go shopping, get the shit done I can't manage in the week. And I'm really sick of it.

So I'm going to take this time for myself (make this time for myself) and maybe get a bit fitter in the process. I'll have to do it on Friday mornings, with a backup plan for Saturday or Sunday in case of weather. Also, it's workload-dependent. I was going to start yesterday but work screwed me over and now I'm behind. I'll try to go tomorrow, depending on how I catch up today. I'm not masochistic enough to get up at 4 am and go before work in the week. 

It's not a long run/walk, I think it's 2.5 miles or thereabouts. Up the bridge, down the other side and back again. I'm under no illusion that I can run it. No way right now. But eventually I want to. I'll have to see how it goes.

So that's the plan, anyway. I need to reclaim some personal time and get my sanity back. I'm too tired, too unfit, too stressed, and too stuck. I can't go on this way.

Regarding Mr. Zog, he says he gets enough exercise at work and I'm not taking up that battle to tell him what he should do. He's an adult.   
 

[mike gs]

Read James Lee Burke, Michael Robotham, Daniel Silva, Tim Weaver.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[Tom van Brits]

Yes Mrs Z that was a rewarding run, and I spotted dolphins on at least every other run.
Good times! 

[Mrs. Zog]

Read James Lee Burke, Michael Robotham, Daniel Silva, Tim Weaver.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

All new to me, I will check them out, thanks! 

[Fudmucker]

The first person to invent a treadmiil- or pedal-powered computer, TV or video games play station that DOESN'T work on mains power or batteries is going to save generations from unhealthy physical condition, antisocial behaviour and mental illness

[woody1]

So is this now the local book club. Mr Zog please save us. We NEED to see what you are up to.

[tok-tokkie]

Books.

Tom Clancy has been suggested a few times & you have read some.  I liked Red October so looked for more Clancy but I became progressively dissatisfied.  His books are plot based with excellent descriptions & explanations of technical things.  But his characters are paper thin like cardboard cut outs.  He is unable to develop characterisations so his books are devoid of personalities so they become lifeless.  The plot is all that is there to drive them.

Len Deighton.
Unlike Clancy his books are character driven.  Writes about similar topics.  Bomber is about a raid against Germany.  You are German.  Most WW2 books in English treat the Germans as the enemy and vilify them so unpleasant reading for a German.  Deighton is different.  There are four threads to this novel representing different aspects of the event.  The bomber crew, the defence (radar, night fighters & AA guns), civil defence (firefighters & wardens) & the civilians (the target).  He concentrates on a few individuals in each group so they become characters you can relate to making the book alive and something you can relate to & have sympathy or dislike for.  It all comes alive and the horror of what bombing raids were for all concerned is dramatised.   It does not glorify the people but it is sympathetic and praises them.  A very human book about inhuman events.
(My father was in the SAAF & went on 3 night bombing raids over Germany with the RAF.)

Deighton has written many books.  Some are novels like Bomber but others are historical.  Fighter is about the Battle of Britain but it is factual and historical.  (My uncle was ‘Sailor” Malan and features significantly in the book [if my recollection is correct])  He has even written a cookery book.

I am interested in aerial warfare.  His Goodbye Mickey Mouse is about the American 8th Airforce.  I much admire them – daylight raids where the losses were great but the airmen were brave and disciplined & carried on in spite of the odd against them.  I come from a British aligned community where knocking the Yanks was the norm.  Here is a Brit writing with great compassion about them.  It concentrates on the fighter escorts – Mickey Mouse was the name of the P52 Mustang I think.  I thought it was a particularly good book but probably not a topic of interest to you.

I have listed 3 books about aerial combat which is probably not your interest at all.  He wrote very successful spy stories like Game, Set & Match (3 books that are interlinked).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Deighton_bibliography

[KiLRoy]

If you want to read a pure gem, read A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean. Its hands-down  the most beautiful book i ever read. 

If you like dark and despair, Cormac McCarthy.

Then there is non fiction. The real reads..

Have not read Norman McLean (yet). Cormac McCarthy... I tried The Road but it was too dark and desperate, did not finish it. In a similar vein as The Road, the John Matherson series by William R. Forstchen (starting with One Second After) - it scared the heck out of me. I wish I hadn't read it. Also Fever by Deon Meyer, not as scary, enjoyed it.

Also more dystopian - Justin Cronin's The Passage trilogy was a good read.

Yes, heavy reading. I admire his short sentence style though.  Busy with Blood Meridian. Have to force myself to read it. Feel dark and violated afterwards. Its very very heavy. Thinks its my last book of him.  Vince Flynn is like Tom Clancy. Specs ops main character. I like it better. Sadly he past away relatively young. I think you may like it. Read all his books. Try do it in sequence. But please try Maclean. Its a masterpiece. Arguably the best book i have ever read.  Ito London, i enjoy his short stories the most. He is a master of short stories

[KiLRoy]

I have a feeling you may like this

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mother_Tongue

Fascinating read, if you into that kind of thing

[Mrs. Zog]

If you want to read a pure gem, read A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean. Its hands-down  the most beautiful book i ever read. 

If you like dark and despair, Cormac McCarthy.

Then there is non fiction. The real reads..

Have not read Norman McLean (yet). Cormac McCarthy... I tried The Road but it was too dark and desperate, did not finish it. In a similar vein as The Road, the John Matherson series by William R. Forstchen (starting with One Second After) - it scared the heck out of me. I wish I hadn't read it. Also Fever by Deon Meyer, not as scary, enjoyed it.

Also more dystopian - Justin Cronin's The Passage trilogy was a good read.

Yes, heavy reading. I admire his short sentence style though.  Busy with Blood Meridian. Have to force myself to read it. Feel dark and violated afterwards. Its very very heavy. Thinks its my last book of him.  Vince Flynn is like Tom Clancy. Specs ops main character. I like it better. Sadly he past away relatively young. I think you may like it. Read all his books. Try do it in sequence. But please try Maclean. Its a masterpiece. Arguably the best book i have ever read.  Ito London, i enjoy his short stories the most. He is a master of short stories

I will try MacLean and let you know what I think! Also, the Bill Bryson sounds right up my alley, thanks! 

[Mrs. Zog]

So is this now the local book club. Mr Zog please save us. We NEED to see what you are up to.

He doesn't love you anymore... 

[Mrs. Zog]

So I did my first causeway walk this morning.

I was sitting on the porch, pre-dawn, drinking my coffee, alone. Because Mr. Zog had gone fishing. Again. As he does on weekends. And I thought fuck it. Why should I sit at home and stare at the wall... I had a lot of work for today but tried not to think about that.

I was at the bottom of the causeway by 7:45 and got the last parking spot. There are two boat ramps, and it was busy already. I set off at a brisk pace, up and over and back again. It was already beastly hot and humid. I had remembered my SPF 50, and a hat  Being a cold-blooded northern European, I tend to burn to a crisp if I'm not super careful, and there is zero shade along the bridge.

Lots of walkers, bikers, runners, speedwalkers. I didn't even attempt to run. I also stopped a few times to take pictures and tried to spot dolphins, but no luck. The water was really calm, it was like glass, so it would have been easy to spot them.

All in all, I really enjoyed myself and feel less stuck. I want to do this once a week, as I said before. It was good to be out in the sun and see the water.

Endomondo let me down. It told me it couldn't get GPS signal for most of the walk and in the end informed me I had walked 0.2 miles in 42 minutes. Which was just... grossly wrong. The 42 minutes was right, but it was closer to 2.5 or 3 miles, according to Google Earth. Ah well. I wasn't going to set any records... today was mostly about getting out and about and regaining some sanity.

Here are some pictures. The ground by the parking lot was just covered in morning glories and sweet peas, it was beautiful.

[Mrs. Zog]

The first person to invent a treadmiil- or pedal-powered computer, TV or video games play station that DOESN'T work on mains power or batteries is going to save generations from unhealthy physical condition, antisocial behaviour and mental illness

Maybe Mr. Zog can build me a hamster wheel for work! 

[Mr Zog]

I'm still here. 

Things have been hectic the last few weeks, but at work and on the home front. And to top it all I have been dealing with my mom who is in a care-facility at the moment and has been having severe disagreements with the management and owners about just about everything... (my mom can be difficult at times  ) to the extent that they wanted her out of there 

So anyway, I've not only lots on my plate, but also lots on my mind. So sorry if y'all feel a little left out. Get over it, build a bridge, whatever     

The noises in my head have been very loud of late, and when I go fishing they quieten down a whole lot. So that I can think, and come up with solutions.

Yesterday I took the Jon boat out on the Sebastian river for the day, and this morning I went and stood on a boat launch dock and threw some lures at the water. Just for an hour. Mrs Zog makes it sound like I fish all day  but it just aint so!   

The bakkie is going like a dream, and it tows the little boat like it ain't even there. The reverse camera makes backing up to the tow-hitch a pleasure! And it is a LOT lighter on fuel than the F150. I'm averaging around 20 MPG right now, the Ford gave me around 14 MPG.

Anyways, I'm still here. Like a dose of Herpes, I'll never go away completely   

[woody1]

Thank goodness

[Fudmucker]

...So anyway, I've not only lots on my plate, but also lots on my mind. So sorry if y'all feel a little left out. Get over it, build a bridge, whatever     

The noises in my head have been very loud of late, and when I go fishing they quieten down a whole lot. So that I can think, and come up with solutions.

Helmet time urgently required...? 

[Oubones]

Good to hear from you again!
Going fishing always brings calm and serenity.
I am glad that you do not have to worry about an unreliable truck anymore, one worry turned to pleasure!
The other problems will follow the same path!
Good luck for the week and may you find all the solutions!

[Tom van Brits]

Mrs Z, Strava