More Bad Weather/Donald Westlake

Donald E. Westlake
1934-2008

Got another dusting of snow last night, rain, some wind. A couple big branches didn't like the wet snow and snapped off the pine tree to the east side of the house and landed on the roof. Enough cushioning from the foliage that they didn't break through the shakes. Took about forty minutes to get them chopped up and down -- filled the yard debris bin and have another two or three times that much left next to the fence.

I woke up about three a.m. suddenly, and I figure that must have been what did it.

Still have a bit of slushy snow covering the yard, but it won't stick long -- more rain coming to wash it away, and flood watches in effect across the area.

Never a dull moment.

#

In the world of literature, Donald Westlake passed away Wednesday. He wrote under a bunch of pen names, and created a couple of most endearing characters, Dortmunder and Parker. Under the nom de plume Richard Stark, the Parker books pretty much defined the modern anti-hero. Parker, a thief, was the essential bad-ass if you got crosswise with him.

Couple dozen of Westlake's novels made it to the big screen, with Lee Marvin first doing Parker, then Mel Gibson.

I always liked his work. Rest in Peace, Don.