Book Review - Deep Freeze

John Sandford has published the next novel featuring Virgil Flowers. It's the middle of winter and Virgil is called back to the same town that he was in when he busted the dog napping ring and put away the school board for murder. Now a woman's body has popped up in the river at the power plant's warm water discharge. While the reader knows from the beginning who committed the murder, the fact that she was in the river is a mystery. While he is there, he is asked by the governor to look into a patent infringement case where someone is modifying Barbi and Ken dolls. It turns out that this case gives him bigger problems than the murder.

This is classic Virgil Flowers and is difficult to put down. This is one of the best of this series.

Book Review - The Cuban Affair

Nelson DeMille is back. He has a new Travis McGee like character who runs a fishing charter boat out of Key West. He is approached by a group of Cuban refugees who want his help in recovering millions of dollars that were hidden during the revolution. With the thaw in relations, they now have the opportunity to go back to Cuba and get the money. The plan is to visit Cuba as part of an educational tour, sneak away, get the money and escape on his boat. Typical of DeMille, the story has twists and turns and the real reason for going to Cuba is not revealed until the end when you may see shades of his book Charm School in this story.

It's a good read.

Nate?

Nate crossed the mouth of the river and went north into Gulfport/Biloxi. Because it was sucking in dry air from the west side, there were no effects in New Orleans.

Nate - 6 hours

The first rain bands are hitting now. Gutters are flowing freely and there is little wind. Weather Channel seems to be focusing on Mississippi/Alabama. Track seems to be east of NOLa with the worst weather in the NE quadrant.

Pork butt is in the pressure cooker and has about 30 minutes to go.

Waiting for Nate

Spent yesterday preparing for the storm. Got up on the roof to clean out the gutters and prune a few tree limbs that were against the house. Picked up all the loose stuff in the back yard. Gassed up the car and bought water, bread and cold cuts. Looks like it's still a Category 1 and most of the wind field is to the east so I'm confident that our winds should be minimal. The news is predicting 90 mph winds but if it's moving at 20 mph the west side will see about 70 mph.

Going to cook a pork butt today and make some pulled pork and cole slaw.

Head Count

Saudi Arabia executed 12 more people last month. It was a mix of druggies and murderers. Year to date head count is now 90.

Nate

It appears that Nate is heading to New Orleans. As it's only a Cat 1 storm, I suspect I will stay and shelter in place.