A Coke Worth Keeping

Let me tell you about a very special bottle of soda. ...

It all began in early 1950 when my father was transferred to the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center in Port Hueneme, California. He was working a cash register in the commissary store and had a buddy, Chief Stinnett, who worked in the butcher shop (ugh) there.

My dad told me that Stinnett (whose nickname was "Stinky") wasn't one to buy his buddies a drink, so my dad used to tease him relentlessly by asking, "Hey Stinnett, why don't you buy me a drink?"

Well, on March 22, 1950, Stinnett finally bought my dad a drink. Behold, the infamous Coke that Stinnett bought for my dad, Jack T. Hill, for 5 cents.

My dad kept the Coke under his register for over a year, until he was transferred to the USS Bolster on 14 Aug 1951. The Coke went with him, of course.

The next and last time that Dad saw Stinnett was in Japan, where Stinnett was in port on an inter-island cargo ship. Dad was going aboard the Bolster when he saw his old commissary buddy on the neighboring vessel. What memorable thing did my dad say to this old buddy?

He yelled, "Hey, Stinky!"

My sister recently sent this family treasure to me. So, I am not only the family historian. I am now The Keeper of THE Coke—60 years old and still unopened. Oh, the pressure!

Music to My Ears

 

I had a little left from an iTunes Gift Certificate and am enjoying these latest songs:

• Avril Lavigne - Fall to Pieces
• Beck - Timebomb (from closing credits on last Sunday's True Blood!)
• A Fine Frenzy - Blow Away
• OneRepublic and Sara Bareilles - Come Home (Single)

What say you?  What are you listening to these days?

Lizzie Hits the Jackpot...Again

After working for an animal supply retailer for fifteen years I confess that my interest in products geared toward animals is likely more extreme than the average consumer. I no longer have to keep up with products, but when it comes to Lizzie I want to be an educated consumer. Her well-being is worthy of a long drive or spending time researching products online.

Since Lizzie is a mere month away from turning six and is still experiencing sporadic "tummy trouble," I chose a dry senior diet versus the lite diet she's been eating for several months.  She's also the first dog of mine who has been fed canned food. I'm still surprised by my decision but feel that she may the first to benefit from the slight variation in her daily diet.  The small amount of canned food mixed in with her dry diet will also assure me that she gets all of her whole food supplement, which is a fine granule that usually ends up at the bottom of a bowl of dry food.

 Dry senior formula, holistic canned diet, and organic treats

A whole food supplement, hypo-allergenic shampoo, conditioning mist, rope toy, & new harness

 

 Three chews on backorder

 

She is being transitioned slowly to the new dry food. I've started her off with the lamb canned food and will be slowly increasing her supplement until she's getting her two teaspoons per day. 

She's already given a "paws up" to the new rope toy. She and my daughter had a rousing good time playing with that this morning. I haven't seen Lizzie move that fast for a long time.  She was a blur of motion and play growling. 

I sure feel better knowing she has a healthy diet and lots of toys to keep her playful to go along with all the crazy love she gets from us. She's worth it!

Book Review: Vanish by Tess Gerritsen

Title: Vanish
Series: Rizzoli & Isles #5
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Published: 08/23/2005
Publisher: Random House
Genre(s): Contemporary Mystery, Crime Thriller

DESCRIPTION

A blessed event becomes a nightmare for pregnant homicide detective Jane Rizzoli when she finds herself on the wrong side of a hostage crisis in this timely and relentless new thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Body Double.

A nameless, beautiful woman appears to be just another corpse in the morgue. An apparent suicide, she lies on a gurney, awaiting the dissecting scalpel of medical examiner Maura Isles. But when Maura unzips the body bag and looks down at the body, she gets the fright of her life. The corpse opens its eyes.

Very much alive, the woman is rushed to the hospital, where with shockingly cool precision, she murders a security guard and seizes hostages . . . one of them a pregnant patient, Jane Rizzoli.

Who is this violent, desperate soul, and what does she want? As the tense hours tick by, Maura joins forces with Jane’s husband, FBI agent Gabriel Dean, to track down the mysterious killer’s identity. When federal agents suddenly appear on the scene, Maura and Gabriel realize that they are dealing with a case that goes far deeper than just an ordinary hostage crisis.

Only Jane, trapped with the armed madwoman, holds the key to the mystery. And only she can solve it–if she survives the night.

---

MY THOUGHTS

I found this book to be the most disturbing of the Rizzoli & Isles series, so far. Excellent but emotionally draining. Human trafficking, a tense hostage situation, and not knowing who could be trusted made for a lot of suspense. If it had ended any differently than it did I may not have continued on with the series. Whew!

---

Book Review: Black Hills by Nora Roberts

Title: Black Hills
Series: Standalone
Author: Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: 07/07/2009
Publisher: Jove
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense

DESCRIPTION

A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Even horseback riding isn't as awful as Coop thought it would be. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.

As the seasons change and the years roll, Lil stays steadfast to her aspiration of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father's demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold most dear need them most.

Coop recently left his fast-paced life as an investigator in New York to take care for his aging grandparents and the ranch he has come to call home. Though the memory of his touch still haunts her, Lil has let nothing stop her dream of opening the Chance Wildlife Refuge, but something ... or someone ... has been keeping a close watch. When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into the heartless killing of Lil's beloved cougar, recollections of an unsolved murder in these very hills have Coop springing to action to keep Lil safe.

Lil and Coop both know the natural dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. Now they must work together to unearth a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts who has singled them out as prey.

---

MY THOUGHTS

Simply put—I LOVED this book! I've read most of Nora's books and Black Hills is one of my absolute favorites of hers. The character interaction and dialogue were top notch, as usual. I was totally enthralled with the story and captivated by the people. Cooper and Lil, their friends, and family are all amazing characters! Chapter 11 had some of the most witty and delightful female banter I've ever read. Lil and Tansy are the truest of friends. Their relationship is to die for. This is one book I will certainly want to re-read!

---