Robert is reading a book he picked up in a thrift store in Idaho.  It is called A Thousand Acres, by Jane Smiley. Mira says she’s a well-known writer.  There is apparently a movie made from this book.

Robert will reserve general comment on the book and the writer, but he really likes one part.

See below.

The book is about farming and goes on at length describing farm life and the character of farmers. The writer describes one farmer in a way that Robert really enjoyed because it describes a guy with the personality that pretty much nails the one that Robert has always tried to achieve.  Namely, the self-described (and actual) bumbler who, in the end, everyone recognizes as an achiever.  Really cool if one can pull it off. Robert’s pretty sure he’s got the first half nailed.

But the really perceptive part of the passage is the part that describes the freedom that is enjoyed by the person with this character-type.  What is this guy?  Extremely selfish character full of false humility? Or is he giving more than he takes? Or, is he just a hugely innocuous nothing-burger? Nice writing.

In Robert’s estimation, most of the people out there doing this kind of thing are not really to be admired for any special reason.  After much review, however, Robert can pronounce that these folks appear to have it going on.  First child in 2008. Ugh.  He’s jealous. If he could do it over again . . .

Promaster 136 Builds

The kids earn video game time by writing essays. Very short essays.

Here’s some:

Athens v. Sparta: Some Differing Interpretations
By Rory Pierce

I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and also been reading the History of the Peloponessian War by Thucydides. There are at least three remarkable similarities and differences between the two in their descriptions of the war between the Athenians and the Spartans.

First, in the game, Herodotus travels with you in the world. Herodotus was the first historian It is not realistic that Herodotus would leave his scholarly desk to escort players in the game.

Second is a similarity between the book and game. In both the book and the game, there was a great plague in Athens. It is gruesomely described in the book.

Third, there is the difference that the Battle of Megara is written as occurring in 424 BC but in the game it takes place in 431 BC.

These are some similarities and differences in how the war between Athens and Sparta is presented in the history book and the game.

Poirot is a Poo
By Caedryn Pierce

I’ve recently read many adventures of Sherlock Holmes, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I’ve also read a few of Agatha Christie’s stories featuring the famous detective Hercule Poirot. Each of these detectives have amazing skills. But there are also some major differences between them. Here are three of the differences.

First regards the shape of their heads. Poirot has a head the shape of an egg. A rather round egg.of course, he is bald. Sherlock Holmes has the sharp head of a vampire, a very severe look. The two heads are of strong contrast. I wonder who is smarter? Who’s head contains more of those little grey cells?

Second, is their figure. Poirot is downright obese. He eats and eats on the TV show, and all his friends make fun of him. He hates the idea of exercise. Sherlock on the other hand, is thin as a rail. Perhaps this is because he is portrayed as a drug addict. Once, when Watson chased him his leg broke in two.

Lastly, each detective has a downright dumb assistant. Holmes’s assistant Watson is so dumb, he once sat in a field for two hours for no reason. But Hastings, Poirot’s assistant, is perhaps worse. He once picked up a necklace and said the giant diamond on it was fine. It was actually not even there. So stupid!

These are a few of the differences between the literary detectives, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. I’m sure there are others.

Poop Dad
By Rory Pierce

    I’ve been on road trips with my family through Oregon and all around Idaho. Each trip had its own appeal, and there were of course some similarities and differences in these trips. The visit to Oregon was great because we went to more cities, all were different. I remember going to poop, poo, and pooh. I recall that they were more interesting than the places we visited in Idaho which included Mcall, Stanley, and Salmon. I liked that during our Idaho trip we saw more of the country and saw more natural wonders, in Idaho we visited the hot springs and played in the Salmon River. On the downside, in Idaho we did too much camping. We camped 20 out of 21 nights. We also went on a wilderness backpacking hike and camped by a lake. The Oregon trip was great because of the river rafting in Maupin. We also went rafting in Stanley on the Salmon river. I don’t think it was as fun as Oregon. Those are some highlights and lowlights of my trips to Oregon and Idaho.

Robert thinks these two do a good job with the video.  And their trip!

He’ll go someday . . .

The Pierces took their annual western states road trip!

We  gather our backpacks and camping gear, grab a flight to a city, get a rental car, then start driving!

This year, Spokane, WA => McCall, ID => Stanley, ID => Salmon, ID => Hamilton, MT => Missoula, MT => Couer d’ Alene, ID => Spokane, WA.

Tent Camping: 7 nights
M/Hotel Beds: 4 nights

Lots of activities.  Kayaking, River Rafting, Fishing, Tubing, Hot Springs, Wilderness Backpacking, Archery, lots of Mexican food, ice cream and, of course, . . . Sponge Bob.

We saw a great baseball game in Missoula. The Missoula Paddleheads played the Great Falls Voyagers. For the uninformed, a moose antler is sometimes called a paddle.  The Voyagers are named after this.  Ohhhhh.

Here’s the photos!