Hammerblog

Actually, that might have been a good name for the sequel…

Howdy, everyone! Back on the air after a brief absence–but as you can see, a few things have changed out in web territory. I got a little weary of the old site design, as digital enthusiasts do, and when inspiration struck I just had to go with it. The result is Hammerjack reimagined, with a few new bells and whistles added for good measure.

I also took a vacation for what seemed like the first time in memory (it was actually five years, but who’s counting?). Celebrating ten years of wedded bliss, Ildi and I boarded the Carribbean Princess down in Fort Lauderdale and spent a week on the high seas. We did the eastern Carribbean route, swinging down toward St. Maarten and St. Thomas, where we did a little bit of shopping and a lot of hiking.

St. Maarten was absolutely beautiful. We ended up on a nature preserve that just happened to have one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to, after which I did a little booze browsing at the local duty-free shop. I didn’t go too crazy–just a bottle of Guavaberry for a friend back home, and a little anniversary gift for Ildi. She made me swear not to get her anything–but as any married man will tell you, that’s really code for “But I wouldn’t mind if you did!”

Anyway, the ship was great, the food was even better, and the fellow travelers at our dinner table were an absolute riot. We were a pretty diverse bunch, from north, south, east and west, but we enjoyed each other so much that everybody showed up every night in the dining room–and that’s almost unheard of on a ship. To add some more fun to the mix, we had a Bulgarian waiter who could’ve been a stand-up comedian. If you ever sail on the Carribbean Princess, don’t try to cross wits with Stoyan–he’ll get you every time.

Now the tough part is returning to civilian life. The kids made it a lot easier, welcoming us back home like we’d been gone for a month–and to be honest, we missed the little critters “real bad” (as Mr. T used to say). But Thanksgiving is upon us, there’s still plenty of beer in the fridge, and life is pretty dang good.

And I have a new novel to start… 😉