On the Way to Tennessee

We stopped usually only for gas, coffee, and bathroom breaks. One of our first coffee stops on the road, was in City of Lake of St. Louis. One person held the door for me, before I got there, which I thought was nice of her. Inside was pleasant, with wide space to walk around. The baristas were friendly, and the counter was low enough for me to see almost everything they did to make the coffees. There was also this cool cup from a series at series, with images depicted Missouri. 

We also made a made a stop in a place called Shiloh, Illinois. The named reminded me of the character on General Hospital, although it probably got it’s name for a battle in the Civil War. We only stopped for a while, but we were grateful, and on we went.

Trip to Tennessee: First Part of the Adventure

Heading to Tennessee, one can see a lot of amazing scenery, buildings, and other structures. We started early, but we did get to see the sunrise while on the road, it was so nice. Later, at a pit stop, we found a Casey’s that had crullers, or pinwheel doughnuts, one of my favorites, and a similar one with cinnamon.

There some interesting buildings, and bridges, as we got further into Illinois, including a close glimpse of the St. Louis Arch, and a great big Ferris wheel. We went under a bridge, where there were some buildings that said Port or something (must do some digging), but it was exciting for me to see.

Driving further on we got to see some more pretty scenery, what I think of are wetlands, or land that was recently flooded. We later stopped a rest area that had an amazing view of a lake, named Rend Lake Rest Area. It was beautiful with a park, a foot bridge, and a gazebo.

One of the last stops we made was to Fort Massac Rest Area, in Metropolis, Illinois. There was a memorial, named Blue Star Memorial Highway, in tribute to the Armed Forces. There was another tribute, one that was a little less significant, since Metropolis was a big part of origin story of Superman. A Superman figure, where you can stand, and take a picture, so funny, I loved it. Doing some reading, I learned there is also a Superman, and Lois Lane statues in Metropolis, as well as a museum, though we didn’t go that far. One day though, that might be fun to see.

Inspirational Outline for 2020

This year is about half gone, and there's a lot going on that I want to write about, and share. From some of the more intense, yet familiar, events on our favorite serial dramas, like soap operas, to the classes I'm working on with my library for the junk journal community.

I'm so excited, to be starting the junk journal tutorials, and classes at our public library, here in Burlington, Iowa. One of the librarians, and a friend of mine, have already posted the event on Facebook, with a registration form separately.

A lot of what I've been watching is based on comics, starting with Agents of SHIELD, and CW's Arrow and others, along with some non-superhero ones, like Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Now there are more coming, one's I didn't know about until just recently that seem interesting. I can't wait to watch, write, and chronicle all the interesting things coming this year.

20's with Frankie Drake

After the first world war, Frankie Drake, came back to Toronto, after serving as a dispatch messenger and spy, and became a private detective, with her friend Trudy Clarke.

From the first season, Frankie and Trudy deal with investigating con artists, stopping thieves, and kidnappers, while dealing with some social, and economic issues like prohibition, and women's suffrage, Frankie also runs into interesting characters, like Ernest Hemingway.

All Kinds of Heroes

There are many different types of heroes in this world. One specific kind are those called "superheroes", shown in the DCCW universe. Starting with Arrow, and working through the timeline, all the way to Batwoman, and coming soon, Star Girl.

There are other kinds as well though, police officers, detectives, anti-heroes. Anybody who chooses to stand up, and fight for what's right, who stands up to say "enough" when there's some injustice going on. We all need to remember this.

Going into Autumn (Fall)

The whole of October has gone by so fast. The first part of the month, I've been binging Cable Girls, and other series with some of the same actors, one of my favorites is Blanca Suárez, cast as Lidia Aguilar. Another series is The Boarding School, it's Spanish title is El Internado, also El Barco, The Boat in English.

Now, there have been some crazy Halloween episodes. Two examples are Riverdale, and General Hospital. In the last part of the Riverdale, the Halloween episode, we see Jughead laying on an morgue table, while in GH, Nikolas Cassadine is alive, and I believe is behind trying to take down Valentine. 

It's just one crazy month, for a lot of series, old and new. Scary, and horror mixed in with everything else, drama, mystery and romance.

Different Types of Detective Work

Some of my favorite films are from Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. I LOVE quite a few of their signature series, one of my first being the Aurora Teagarden movies. It follows the life of a librarian, played by Candace Cameron Bure, who is part of real murders club in her town, and how she finds herself tangled in several mysteries. I enjoy watching all the different points of view, and how she uses all kinds of resources to solve the case. 

Another of my newest favorites is Chronicle Mysteries. Alex McPherson, who does a podcast, played by Alison Sweeney, goes back to the place where she spent her childhood summers, to unravel what happened to a dear friend of hers when she was younger. She starts by heading to her uncle’s newspaper to review the facts and uncover new information, and she’s even able to recruit others without really trying.

Research, knowledge and perseverance can be just as important to solve any case, or mystery. There are all kinds perspectives, and ways to uncover the truth, from the legal side of police work, and even lawyer investigations, to civilians with raw interest, and keen observations, just trying to do what’s right.

The Rook: Plot Outline

It all starts with a young woman waking up, on the ground, in the middle of a rain pour. Running from the scene, she finds a note in her pocket, saying that if she can’t remember writing this letter, she failed, and that she’s still in danger. After finding a hotel to take refuge, the woman finds an envelope, with a second letter, explaining that she was warned that she would be attacked, and while she would survive, she would lose her memory. She had prepared for the person she is now and is giving her a choice. Two keys, one red that will give her the information to return to her old life. The other is blue and will aid to start a new life. Her past self says she wishes her luck, and that her name is Myfanwy Alice Thomas.

Myfanwy is them attacked while at the bank vault that holds safety deposit boxes. An explosive power is released from her, disabling them, and allowing her to use the red key. Before she can open the other, one of her assailants is about to set off an alarm, so she takes the keys, and the contents, and runs. Inside is a tablet, and a remote key to an apartment that seems to be hers. The tablet holds a video, where she see’s herself start to explain. The video instructs her to a secret room, that will help her understand more. On a computer, past her goes on, saying that she works for a secret branch of British intelligence, an organization known as the Checquy, and that recruit people with abilities, such as herself. She goes on further to explain the titles and roles of herself, and others within the group, like in chess. 

Deciding to go back to her old life, and figure out what the heck is going on, is a difficult decision, especially when she sees how involved she has become to some of the members of the agency. Myfanwy finds yet another letter to herself, telling that while she believes in the organization she works for, someone close to her betrayed her, so she mustn’t trust anyone.