Read the Informationist

People. I think everybody here knows I am all about family. Although author Taylor Stevens and I share a last name we are not related. She is however the author of a great thriller called the Informationist. This is the first in a series (I hope long one) of a great heroine or maybe hero Venessa "Michael" Munroe. I won't give anything away but this is the type of character that comes around maybe once or twice in a book reading lifetime. If you liked Lizbeth in Dragon Tattoo you will love Venessa. That's what I was told anyway and that is what got me to the Informationist.

The setting is great with lots of turns and twists and a couple of "are you kidding me" put in just to get the reader going. I was so impressed with the book that I searched the author on Facebook and Twitter (my oldest calls it stalking) to let her know how much I enjoyed the book and she contacted me back! Taylor Stevens is a readers author accessible to her fans. To me that says something. 

I here the Informationist comes out in paperback in about now and the second in the series The Innocent in a few months. Get booth and enjoy. Refdaddy says so!

Car Shuffle

On May 29 our 1993 Dodge Caravan died on Interstate 5 between Olympia and Tacoma WA. Five days later my youngest daughter's 1998 Nissan Sentra (soon to be health teacher) died in Ellensburg WA. On May 31 Mrs. Refdaddy (Kathy's Keepsakes) closed our 12 year old gift store. So like any All American family we did a bit of a car shuffle. I gave my 2005 to my daughter to drive and I learned quickly about the local and reginal express system. 

I knew sooner or later a car was in my future, but like so many others in the country and like many small business owners with stores gone you now what up, I was not sure what we could or could not afford. 

My first car ever was a 1976 AMC Gremlin. $2797 new! I drove it to college (the same one CWU that my youngest goes to) Every car after that has been a Nissan. The reason mostly because my big sister works at a local Nissan dealership and so did my oldest daughter through high school and college. 

Now, my oldest went through UNLV with a degree in business and UW with her Masters.She works for a huge software company now that deals primarily with Nissan. So, she arranged at one of her clients something we could both afford and be happy with. I was really surprised when we found an SUV that really worked. I wanted something bigger than I have had before that we could haul things in and also have towing availability. I also wanted something I could get Kathy's power chair in and out of with ease. 

Long story (sorry) short this is what we got yesterday. Thanks everybody at Rairdon Nissan in Auburn, Tony, Robin and of course Utah Utes own Jimmy! I don't know if it is my dream car but I thought I would be dreaming that I could have it. Trailblazer welcome to the family.