We’re off to Patagonia, Chile today to visit the Torres del Paine National Park. Giant mountains, rushing rivers, gorgeous lakes, pampas, glaciers, and fjords can all be found in the park. Some of the pictures are absolutely stunning and magical. There are beautiful flowers and desert plants both. You’ll also find a variety of mammals and birds, including pumas and condors.

Today in history:

• 1891 – Silent film actress Ann Little was born.

• 1895 – Actress/film producer Anita Stewart was born. And yes she was a producer during the silent era.

• 1935 – The classic board game Monopoly was invented.

• 1940 – Walt Disney’s film Pinocchio premiered. It was the company’s second full-length animated film.

On TV tonight: New episodes of NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, White Collar, and the debut of the new show The River.

Reading: Let’s see, over the weekend I read If Fried Chicken Could Fly by Paige Shelton which I loved. Can’t wait for more in this new series! Now I’m reading Starliner by David Drake.

Today in history:

• 1876 – The National Baseball League was formed.

• 1901 – Queen Victoria’s funeral was held.

• 1913 – Grand Central Terminal opened in New York City.

• 1935 – Leonarde Keeler tested the first polygraph machine.

On TV tonight: Wipeout and The Finder.

Reading: Last night I read The Clue in the Patchwork Quilt by Margaret Sutton. Tonight I’ll be starting Die Job by Lila Dare.

Today in history:

• 1893 – Thomas Edison finished construction on the first motion picture studio in West Orange, New Jersey.

• 1894 – Director/producer John Ford was born. He began directing in 1917 and ended his career in 1966.

• 1906 – Singer/actress Hildegarde was born. Yes, she used just the one name for over 70 years. Long before Cher or Madonna. And she had a lot more class.

On TV tonight: just Ghost Hunters so I’ll probably watch some recorded stuff too. I have become obsessed with the old ’70s TV show Emergency! which I’ve been watching on Netflix. But I need to watch the series finale of Chuck and a few other things.

Reading: Last night I read The Name on the Bracelet by Margaret Sutton which is the 13th book in the Judy Bolton series.

Today in history:

• 1959 – MS Hans Hedtoft, called at the time the safest ship afloat and “unsinkable” like the RMS Titanic, struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sank, killing all 95 aboard. Did they not learn anything from the Titanic? Don’t brag!!!

On TV tonight: a new episode of Alcatraz. Have I mentioned how much I love this show?????

Reading: Over the weekend, I began reading Napoleon’s Pyramids by William Dietrich. It’s a historical thriller about an American who joins Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt.

Today in history:

• 1892 – Pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman was born. Read about her, she was made of awesome!

• 1892 – Actress Zara Cully was born. She’s best known for her role as Mother Jefferson on The Jeffersons,

• 1905 – Character actor Charles Lane was born. I’d be very surprised if you hadn’t seen him in something. He died in 2007 at age 102!

• 1905 – Singer Maria Von Trapp was born. Yes, the woman from The Sound of Music. The real woman.

• 1907 – The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III was introduced into British Military Service. It remains the second oldest military rifle still in official use.

• 1911 – Glenn H. Curtiss flew the first successful American seaplane.

• 1920 – Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland started the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.

On TV tonight: The Finder and Person of Interest, but I’ve lost interest in the latter. And I have a DVD I need to watch.

Reading: I’m reading a great new book called From the Ashes by Jeremy Burns. It’s an action/adventure/thriller and I’m really enjoying it. And unlike so many books these days there’s almost no cussing. I’m 300 pages into it and there have been a grand total of 3 cuss words that I recall.

Today in history:

• 1883 – The first electric lighting system using overhead wires, which were built by Thomas Edison, began service at Roselle, New Jersey.

• 1915 – The neon discharge tube was patented by Georges Claude for use in advertising.

• 1937 – Howard Hughes flew from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds, setting a new air record.

• 1953 – 68% of all television sets in the United States were tuned in to I Love Lucy to watch Lucy give birth to Little Ricky.

On TV tonight: Wipeout, The Finder, and Person of Interest. But I’ll be tuned in to the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction.

Reading: Still reading Dragonseye. Should finish that up tonight.

Today in history:

• 1867 – German-born film executive Carl Laemmle was born. He was one of the four founders of Universal Pictures.

• 1880 – Legendary silent film director Mack Sennett was born. He brought us the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Gloria Swanson, the Keystone Kops, Bing Crosby, and W.C. Fields.

• 1882 – Actor Noah Beery Sr. was born.

• 1899 – Gangster Al Capone was born.

• 1929 – Popeye the Sailor Man, a cartoon character created by Elzie Segar, first appeared in the Thimble Theatre comic strip.

• 1949 – The Goldbergs, the first sitcom on American television, aired for the first time.

Also, happy 90th birthday to Betty White and 70th birthday to Muhammed Ali!

On TV tonight: a new episode of White Collar, though I’m probably going to watch the Barrett-Jackson classic car auction on Speed.

Reading: Loved The Spy Who Left Me. Over the weekend I read The Wizard’s Dilemma by Diane Duane. And now I’m reading Dragonseye by Anne McCaffrey.

Today in history:

• 1910 – The first public radio broadcast took place. A live performance of the opera Cavalleria rusticana was broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, New York.

• 1942 – Henry Ford patented a plastic automobile, which is 30% lighter than a regular car. Way to go, Henry. We were safer before you came up with that!

On TV tonight: the final episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (they’re building 7 houses in Joplin, Missouri), new episodes of Chuck, Fringe, and Grimm.

Reading: Finished up The Fortress of Glass which had a surprise ending. Can’t wait to see how they tie the series up in the next two books. Now I’m reading The Spy Who Left Me by Gina Robinson which I’m sure will rock.

We’re off to Switzerland again! This time we’ll be visiting the village of Verbier which is one of the largest ski resorts in the Alps. It’s one of the best backcountry skiing areas in the world. You know, where they haul you up the mountain in a helicopter or something? Yeah. Not this girl! In the summer, however, one can hike, though many trails are snow-covered year ’round. In addition to sports, the village also holds an annual music festival.

Today in history:

• 1884 – Actress Texas Guinan was born. Even though she was an actress, she was probably best known as the owner of a speakeasy called the 300 Club in New York City.

• 1905 – Singer/actor Tex Ritter was born. He starred in many westerns during the 1930s and 40s. He was also the father of actor John Ritter and the grandfather of Jason Ritter.

• 1908 – A long-distance radio message was sent from the Eiffel Tower for the first time.

• 1915 – The Rocky Mountain National Park was formed by an act of U.S. Congress.

• 1915 – The United States House of Representatives rejected a proposal to give women the right to vote. That didn’t last long. Women had the vote five years later.

• 1926 – Original Sam ‘n’ Henry aired on Chicago, Illinois radio. It was renamed Amos ‘n’ Andy in 1928.

• 1932 – Hattie Caraway became the first woman elected to the United States Senate.

On TV tonight: new episodes of Wipeout and Person of Interest and the debut of a new show on Fox called The Finder which looks interesting.

Reading: Right now I’m reading The Fortress of Glass by David Drake.

Anyway….

We’re off to New Zealand to check out Milford Sound. It’s the most famous fjord in Fjordland National Park. It is, in a word, stunning. And, yes, it looks like something straight out of the Lord of the Rings movies.

Today in history:

• 1894 – New England Telephone and Telegraph installed the first battery-operated telephone switchboard in Lexington, Massachusetts.

• 1898 – Silent film star Vilma Bánky was born. She only made 24 movies but they were choice: The Eagle and The Son of the Sheik, among others.

• 1947 – Elizabeth “Betty” Short, the Black Dahlia, was last seen alive. If you’re not familiar with the story of the Black Dahlia, read about her here. But fair warning, it’s rather gruesome.

On TV tonight: only a new episode of Castle

By the way, I got a Roku streaming device so now I can watch a lot of online streaming shows on my TV. It is so awesome!!!

Reading: Right now I’m reading Siberian Treasure by Colleen Gleason. It’s fabulous!!!