Sorry I’ve been so hit and miss this week. It’s been one of those weeks.
We’re off, once again, to Namibia to visit the Etosha National Park. Etosha is the third largest animal preserve in the world. And until now I’d never even heard of it! It’s a more semi-arid landscape than the preserves in South Africa and Kenya, but you’ll find many of the same animals.
Today in history:
- 1902 – Actor Will Geer was born. He’s probably best remembered for his role as Grandpa Walton on The Waltons.
- 1918 – Crime fiction writer Mickey Spillane was born. He created Mike Hammer.
- 1959 – The Barbie doll made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York.
On TV tonight: Who Do You Think You Are?, Grimm, Ghost Adventures, and Ancient Aliens.
Reading: I’m still reading books in the Penny Parker series by Margaret A. Wirt.
We’re off to the Windward Islands in the Caribbean to visit the island of Grenada. The island is known for its production of nutmeg. It’s probably best remembered by Americans for our invasion in 1983 to rescue American medical students trapped during the country’s revolution. And being in the Caribbean, there are lots of beaches. 
On TV tonight: We have two episodes of Alcatraz 
and that’s it. Everything else is reruns.
Reading: I’ve been reading a bunch of books from the Judy Bolton series by Margaret Sutton. Now I’ve started another children’s mystery series, Penny Parker by Margaret A. Wirt (who was also one of the ghostwriters of the Nancy Drew series).
Happy Leap Year!!!
I’m not sure I’d want to visit Colombia in person, but a virtual trip to Bogota should be a piece of cake. Bogota is the largest city in the country. There are many historic buildings and landmarks. There are museums, art galleries, libraries, theaters, parks, and sports venues.
Today in history:
- 1896 – Actor/director William A. Wellman was born. He directed the movie Wings which was the very first film to win an Academy Award.
- 1904 – Bandleader Jimmy Dorsey was born.
- 1916 – Singer/actress Dinah Shore was born.
- 1936 – Baby Snooks, played by Fanny Brice, debuted on the radio program The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air.
- 1940 – Actress Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Academy Award for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind.
- 1960 – The cartoon strip Family Circus made its debut.
Learned about an hour ago that the lead singer of The Monkees, Davy Jones passed away this morning at age 66. He’d apparently had a heart attack.
On TV tonight: Ghost Hunters International, Psych, and Top Guns
Reading: I’m reading a boys’ mystery/adventure from the 1950s called Smuggler’s Reef by John Blaine (the pseudonym of Hal Goodwin).
