Disneyland 2009, Part ???

A couple of weeks ago we enjoyed another visit to Disneyland, this time with neighbors Jessica and her daughter Ruby and with former students of DeeAnn, Jenny and Michelle. Here are some pictures from the trip.

Ruby showing her autograph book. Little does she know of all the characters she is about to see!

Jenny, Michelle, Jessica and Ruby in front of Cinderella's Castle.

The group of six in front of the Haunted House hearse.

Ruby and Tigger

Ruby and Michelle on Toy Story midway Mania ride

Ruby on the King Triton's Carousel

Jenny and Michelle found a new boyfriend

The King of the Castle

The Princesses

All of us at breakfast with the characters

Review - Hothouse Orchid

I just finished Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods. I liked it for the most part. This continues Woods' Holly Barker series and returns the setting to Florida.

The plot for the book is that Holly barker, recently promoted in the CIA, is asked to take a month's vacation. So she returns to Orchid Beach to find her former army commander the new police chief. This is the same former commander that tried to rape her, was tried and found innocent during his court marshal. After a series of rapes, he becomes a suspect only to show up dead. So the police, along with Holly and a Governor's new task force investigate the crimes to determine who is committing these crimes. If that's not enough, Teddy Fay, a mysterious former CIA employee, shows up and is right in the middle of the story.

As I said, I enjoyed it for the most part. one of the reasons I used to like the Holly barker series was that Wood's didn't write as much sex into the story. Apparently he has changed his mind. So, read at your own risk!

Now it's on to Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler.

Review - NERDS: National Espionage. Rescue, and Defense Society

A few days ago I finished reading NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley. I really enjoyed this book and really hope this is a new series. By the way it ends i am pretty sure it will be a series.

The premise of the book is that five nerdy individuals at an elementary school form a super-spy outfit to fight crime around the world. Each nerd has special weaknesses which turn out to be super powers and together they make an awesome team. But it's when Jackson Jones, the star quarterback and school bully get braces, he accidentally joins the team and things turn interesting.

The book was great. The only part of the story I didn't quite understand is how an elementary school has a football team, star quarterback, and locker room. Perhaps if the setting had been a middle school or junior high that would have made it more believable. Yeah, the whole story is hard to believe, but the inner nerd in me was rooting for it to be true! I could easily recommend it for anyone with about a 4th grade reading level or higher. Nothing offensive.

Now it's on to Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods.