The Madison - Season One

Sharon and I finished watching season one of The Madison. Donna and Kevin had mentioned it at lunch and we started watching the series.

The Madison is a contemporary Western television series created by Taylor Sheridan [1883, 1923, Yellowstone and Landman] for Paramount+. Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell lead the series, alongside main stars Beau Garrett, Patrick J. Adams, Elle Chapman, Amiah Miller, Alaina Pollack, Ben Schnetzer, Kevin Zegers, Rebecca Spence, and Matthew Fox.

The first season of The Madison was released in two batches of three episodes each on March 14 and 21, 2026. The Madison has been renewed for a second and third season.

The series follows the wealthy Clyburn family as they relocate from New York City to the Madison River valley of southwest Montana. Led by matriarch Stacy Clyburn (Pfeiffer), the family seeks emotional recovery and a fresh start in the wake of a major life-changing tragedy that permanently changes the family.

I enjoyed the series. I recommend it. We will definitely watch the next season.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennet

My book for July is The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennet. Looking around for a science fiction book to read, I settled on this book. It won the 2025 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Set in an eccentric, bio-engineered empire where massive, toxic behemoths occasionally threaten the coastline, the book follows a brilliant but erratic investigator named Ana Dolorca and her long-suffering assistant, Din. The duo is tasked with solving a locked-room mystery after an engineer dies from an agonizing contagion that causes a deadly tree to burst directly from his chest.

This is really not my cup of tea. It is more fantasy than science fiction; it also won the 2025 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the story. It is a Sherlock Holmes and Watson–style detective story. It is well written and nicely paced. The Tainted Cup is the first book in author's Shadow of the Leviathan series. There are actually two sequels. I will read the sequels.

I mentioned the book to Carmen and Morgan at dinner last Friday. Carmen had read the first two books. She was very enthusiastic about them and was looking forward to the third book.

2026 Lake Almanor - Day #5

I need to pull together some musings about Lake Almanor. This trip had a lot of nostalgia for me.


A lazy morning. We had to be out of the VRBO by 10 am. We packed up the cars and then headed to the Lake Almanor West Golf Course. Even more golf!

We had a 11:30 am tee time. Sharon rode with Holly, while Van and I walked.

I felt solid on the driving range. I was very happy with how I played. My ball striking was consistent. My chipping was solid and didn't cost me any strokes! I just didn't putt as well as I could have. I ended up with one bogey, seven double bogies and one triple bogies. I didn't have a hole where I fell apart.

I carded an honest 54. The last time I played this course three years ago with Nooter I had a 67!?!


Although I have probably played the Almanor West Golf at least five or six times before, I didn't have a picture in my head of any of the holes. The fairways weren't as narrow as I remembered. I enjoyed the course; I liked it more than the Lake Almanor Country Club.

After the round, the four of us had a late lunch at the Almanor West Grill. I had a CLASSIC COBB [Fresh greens, purple cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, bleu cheese, bacon, boiled egg, chicken breast your way], while Sharon had a FRENCHIE WITH FLAIRE [Hot roast beef with provolone, mozzarella cheese and saute'ed veggies on a hoagie roll, served with au jus].

Heading home, we rolled from the course about 2:45 pm. With three short construction stops, we were back in Carmichael just before 6:30 pm. Although we talked about taking 36 to Red Bluff, we took 32 into Chico. Sharon drove the whole way; we didn't stop once.

2026 Lake Almanor - Day #4

The plan for the day was playing golf at the Lake Almanor Country Club Golf Course. We have been coming to Lake Almanor since 1988. I didn't realize the course was open to public play. Asking at the pro shop, the woman that it has been open for public play was long as she can remember!

We teed off at 10:10 am. Sharon rode with Holly. Van and I rented pull carts and walked.

It is a nine hole course. There are a different sets of tees if you want to go around second time to play eighteen holes. We ended going around twice.

I was happy with how I played the first nine. I parred the par four 3rd hole. I made a mess of the 9th hole; it is a long uphill par four back to the clubhouse. If I hadn't three putted four holes, I would have had a very solid score.

I was more inconsistent the second time around. It was hot and I was walking. While the score for the first nine is fairly honest, the second nine was more liberally scored.

We finished the day with dinner at the Red Onion Grill. The restaurant and bar has been there since 2009. Tomasin, Snipes, Hunter and I played pool there in 2012. Sharon and I split Roasted Beets & Burrata [warm roasted organic red beets, burrata, maldon sea salt, olive oil, balsamic gastrique]. For entrees, I had Pork Osso Buco [pork shank braised cacciatore style with tomato, onion, garlic and white wine; cheesy grits], while Sharon had Meyer Lemon Ravioli.

2026 Lake Almanor - Day #3

Holly, Van, Sharon and I spent the morning cruising Lake Almanor. We rented a 20' patio boat from Knotty Pines Resort and Marina. We made a loop around much of the lake, including: Hamilton Branch where the Hamburger Hut used to be; the Dorado Inn where we have stayed off and on for the last 39 years; the Charbier's old property; the dam, and; Plumas Pines.


We had lunch back at the VRBO. Getting organized to take off for the afternoon, we had another adventure with a bat. A bat came in through the front door as Holly was leaving. I herded it out of the back sliding door with a broom.

After lunch, we took off for the Rocky Point Campground. While Holly and Van rode their bikes, Sharon and I hiked four miles along the Lake Almanor Recreational Trail.


From there, we drove into Chester to the Holiday Market. We actually got some thunder and lightning and then a brief downpour just as we got to the market.

Holly and Van made a great dinner to finish the day. Van barbecued some rib-eye steaks and vegetables. They made some pasta with homemade pesto. Van had made a peach cobbler for dessert.

At dusk, there were an enormous number of bats flying from south to north behind the house. I wonder where they were coming from and where they were going...

2026 Lake Almanor - Day #2

Holly, Van, Sharon and I played Bailey Creek Golf Course. Although we have been coming to Lake Almanor since 1988, the course only opened in 1999. I have alot of memories of playing this course over the years, including one particularly memorable round with Wallen twenty-five years ago.

We teed off at 9:30 am. As usual, Sharon rode with Holly, while I rode with Van.

I felt very solid on the driving range, but continue to have trouble translating this to the course. I had a very up and down round; I continue to be very inconsistent. I birdied the short par four 7th hole. I had two other pars and two double bogies. I made a mess of a bunch of other holes.

I had a very liberally scored 112. Unlike most rounds, I actually played slightly better on the back nine.

After golf, I took a nap. Sharon and Holly worked on restaurants for Ireland. Van went for a bike ride.

We finished the night with dinner at the Timber House. Sharon and I both had a Timber House Burger [1/2 lb. Wagyu patty, pepper jack cheese, bacon, TH bourbon BBQ sauce & crispy onion straws].

27 years and 318 days

Jack is now exactly the same age I was when Drew was born: 27 years and 318 days.

Before Drew was born, Alison had two miscarriages in the first two and a half years that we were married.

2026 Lake Almanor - Day #1

When we played Bailey Creek Golf Course three years ago, Sharon talked about wanting to come back to the lake for a golf trip. We finally got something on the calendar with Holly and Van.

We pulled away from the house about 10:15 am. Apple Maps routed us on 80 to 5 to 70 to 149 to 99. I was shocked that Highway 70 is now four lanes all the way from Marysville to Oroville.

We stopped at Jersey Mike's in Chico for lunch. From there, we took 32 to 36. With a short stop to get gas, another to struggle with CarPlay and a stop to register at the gate of the Lake Almanor Country Club, we got to the VRBO just before 3 pm.

Holly and Van pulled up just behind us. After getting the cars unloaded and settled in the rooms, we sat and visited. The house has a partial view of the lake.

Sharon made a 6:30 pm reservaton at Plumas Pines Resort Bar and Grill. Sharon and I split Mountain Brussels [Fried brussels, mission black figs, bleu cheese crumbles, candied pecans]. For entrees, I had Tiger Prawn Linguini Pasta [Cherry tomato, red bell peppers, asparagus, garlic, white wine butter sauce, prosciutto, parmesan cheese, fresh basil, crispy prosciutto, sweet chili gastrique], while Sharon had the Chef’s Special Market Fish (Mahi Mahi).

We drove back to the VRBO around the east side of the lake. Passing the Dorado Inn, I was surprised that there weren't any cars parked behind the cabins.

Everyone crashed fairly early. We are playing Bailey Creek tomorrow.

Gainsleys at the African Dinner Party

Dinner Adventure with Lee, Clem and Dawson

With Dawson, Carmen and Drew in Placerville to visit Sugarloaf, Drew got everyone together for dinner at The Independent in Placerville.

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Sharon and I had dinner at this restaurant with Holly and Van last year after we played golf at the Cold Spring Golf and Country Club. For entrees, Sharon had a flank steak special, while I had Ahi Tuna.

At Haggin Oaks Driving Range

With the temperature in the high 90s, Sharon and I met Donna and Kevin at the Haggin Oaks Driving Range. We hit balls using the Toptracer and sat in the shade catching up.

The four of us finished the day with dinner at Wildwood. I had SEARED PRAWN RISOTTO [TENDER ARBORIO RICE, PISTOU, SMOKED APPLE BACON, PARMESAN CHEESE], while Sharon had the WILDWOOD BURGER [WAGYU BEEF, EXTRA SHARP TILLAMOOK CHEDDAR CHEESE, HOUSEMADE DILL PICKLES, LETTUCE, TOMATOES, SPANISH ONION, BURGER SPREAD, BRIOCHE].

My Life 1983

In the running amok of 1991, I lost a lot of pictures from the period 1982 to 1991. I have never been happy with the 1983 picture that I have in the My Life series.

When I was at the Wallens in June, we went through their albums and found this photo. It was taken July 4, 1983. Just after Alison's second miscarriage, she and I spent the long holiday weekend with the Wallens at their cabin in Lake County. I have no recollection of the hat; it seems very odd. I am working on a TRS Model-100 computer.

All of the My Life Photos can be found here.

Your Friends and Neighbors - Season Two

Sharon and I finished watching season two of Your Friends and Neighbors. We finished season one in June of 2025.

Your Friends & Neighbors is an American dark comedy crime drama television series from Jonathan Tropper for Apple TV+. It stars Jon Hamm, Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Mark Tallman, Hoon Lee, Lena Hall, and Aimee Carrero. Season two added James Marsden to the cast.

Season two included ten episodes and ran from April 3, 2026 to June 5, 2026. In February 2026, ahead of the second season premiere, the series was renewed for a third season.

In the second season, Andrew "Coop" Cooper (Hamm) slips deeper into a calculated criminal mindset as his neighborhood heist operations grow increasingly volatile. The suburban dynamic shatters with the arrival of Owen Ashe (Marsden), an eccentric, ultra-wealthy billionaire widower who brings immense charm but hides dangerous, unpredictable secrets.

I didn't enjoy season two as much as season one. While I still enjoy watching Jon Hamm, the plot goes in a lot of different directions. The show jumps the shark in the last episode. I am interested to see where the story goes in season three.

Marlene and Phil at the African Dinner Party

African Dinner Party

Before Midnight

Friday night, Sharon and I watched Before Midnight. The sequel to Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004), it is the third and final installment in the Before trilogy. We watched Before Sunrise in March and Before Sunset in February.

Before Midnight is a 2013 romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater. He co-wrote the screenplay with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Before Midnight finds Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Deply) in their early forties, now a longtime couple with twin daughters, spending a summer vacation in Greece. As their idyllic holiday winds down, a night alone in a hotel room opens the door to deep-seated resentments, challenging the future of their relationship. Through raw, conversational dialogue, the film explores the realities of long-term commitment and how romance evolves past the honeymoon phase.

I give the trilogy of the three films a luke warms thumbs up. The second film, Before Sunset, is on the Big Picture Podcast's list of the Top 25 Movies of the 21st Century.

Before Midnight was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2014.

2026 Frame Family Fourth of July

In the late afternoon, we headed to Sharon's brother Tom's house for a Frame Family 4th of July. The group totaled sixteen, including: Sharon and I; Tom; Eric; Kevin, Leah, Lydia and Amelia; Terry and Steve; Will and Eileen; Erin, Cormac and Mave; and Jim. Tim and Kathy were in South Dakota with Ellis, Brun and Foley.

Tom barbecued hot dogs, brats and ribs for dinner. We brought cole slaw.

We finished the night with a selection of fireworks in Tom's driveway. Eric bought a large selection of fireworks. It was probably one of the best home displays that I have seen in years.

We got home in time to see most of the second night of the Rancho Cordova fireworks display.

At Ancil Hoffman Golf Course

Holly, Van, Sharon and I played at Ancil Hoffman Golf Course. We teed off at 8:20 am. Van and I walked, while Holly and Sharon rode.

After a strong round on Thursday and feeling solid on the driving range, I was not happy with how I played. I started strong with a bogey on the first hole, but got more and more inconsistent as the day progressed. Nothing was working: tee shots, chipping or putting. I would hit a good shot and then follow that up with a bad shot. I got a little frustrated on the back nine...

At Ancil Hoffman Golf Couse

Debbie, Jim, Sharon and I played Ancil Hoffman Golf Course on Thursday afternoon. We teed off at 3:00 pm.

I was very happy with how I played. My ball striking was solid. Although I gave up two or three strokes with poor chips on the par threes, my chipping has improved.

Using one mulligan on the third tee, I scored an honest 51. I enjoyed the afternoon!

Lunch with Larkin

Larkin and I met for lunch at the Fair Oaks Brew Pub.

Holly and Van at the African Dinner Party

African Dinner Party

Napa Day Trip

Sharon and I spent the day in Napa. We tasted at Bouchaine Vineyards and picked up our wine club shipments. We have been members there since 2010. Like Donum, the place bears very little resemblance to how it looked on our first visit; it has expanded significantly. They are now digging a wine cave!?!

We had a late lunch at the Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar in Downtown Napa. We split Roasted Brussels Sprouts [goat cheese, creamy herb dressing]. We both had a Seared Yellowfin Tuna Niçoise salad [county line harvest lettuce, hard-boiled egg, potato, tomato, green beans]. The salads were not good...

The Odyssey

My book for June is The Odyssey by Emily Wilson. With Christopher Nolan's film version of the Odyssey coming out in July, I wanted to read the book before we saw the movie.

Published in 2017, Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey made history as the first complete English version of the epic poem published by a woman. Wilson chose to match Homer's original line count exactly and translated the text into regular iambic pentameter, resulting in a pacing that feels incredibly modern, swift, and natural to read.

I put together two related posts. First, a one sentence summary of the each of the chapters (called books) is here. Second, a bulleted outline tracing Odysseus' travels is here.

I enjoyed the book immensely. I hadn't read it in high school or college. The structure of the story is very different than I expected. I was generally familar with the struggles that Odysseus faced after he left Troy, but that is really only a part of the story. I also read Circe by Madeline Miller; Odysseus appears in that book. [Note to self], I should read Emily Wilson's translation of the Illiad.

Summary of the books of the Odyssey

The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson

Odysseus' travels in The Odyssey

• Books 1–4: The Telemachy (The Search for a Father)
  • Book 1: The gods agree it is time for Odysseus to return home, prompting Athena to visit Ithaca and inspire his son, Telemachus, to stand up to the insolent suitors plaguing their estate.
  • Book 2: Telemachus calls an assembly to condemn the suitors, but meeting fierce resistance, he secretly sails away to gather news of his long-lost father.
  • Book 3: Telemachus arrives in Pylos, where the pious King Nestor recounts the fates of other Greek heroes but directs him to Sparta for more information on Odysseus.
  • Book 4: In Sparta, King Menelaus and Queen Helen reveal that Odysseus is alive but trapped on the island of the nymph Calypso, while back in Ithaca, the suitors plot to ambush and murder Telemachus upon his return.
• Books 5–8: Odysseus's Liberation and Arrival in Phaeacia
  • Book 5: Released by Calypso on orders from Hermes, Odysseus builds a raft but is shipwrecked by Poseidon, barely surviving to wash ashore on the island of Scheria.
  • Book 6: Odysseus is discovered by the Phaeacian princess Nausicaa, who gives him clothes and guides him toward her parents' royal palace.
  • Book 7: Wrapped in a protective mist by Athena, Odysseus enters the Phaeacian palace and successfully begs Queen Arete and King Alcinous for safe passage home.
  • Book 8: The Phaeacians host games and feasts in Odysseus's honor, but when a blind bard sings of the Trojan War, the weeping stranger finally prompts King Alcinous to ask for his true identity.
• Books 9–12: The Apologue (Odysseus Tells His Tales)
  • Book 9: Odysseus reveals his name and narrates his early wanderings, including his raid on the Cicones, the drug of the Lotus-Eaters, and his clever but prideful blinding of the Cyclops Polyphemus.
  • Book 10: Odysseus explains how Aeolus's bag of winds backfired, how the cannibalistic Laestrygonians destroyed most of his fleet, and how they spent a year with the witch Circe, who turned his men into pigs.
  • Book 11: Following Circe's directions, Odysseus travels to the Underworld to consult the blind prophet Tiresias, speaking with dead comrades and his own mother.
  • Book 12: Odysseus recounts how he survived the deadly Sirens, navigated the monsters Scylla and Charybdis, and lost his remaining crew after they ate the forbidden cattle of Hyperion, leaving him stranded with Calypso.
• Books 13–16: The Return to Ithaca and Reunion
  • Book 13: The Phaeacians safely deliver Odysseus to a misty Ithaca while he sleeps, but Poseidon punishes the Phaeacians by turning their ship to stone, and Athena disguises Odysseus as an old beggar.
  • Book 14: Odysseus, in disguise, visits his loyal swineherd Eumaeus, who hospitably feeds him and laments the ruin of his master's estate without recognizing him.
  • Book 15: Athena guides Telemachus safely past the suitors' ambush back to Ithaca, where he heads directly to Eumaeus's hut.
  • Book 16: Telemachus arrives at the hut, and once Eumaeus leaves, Odysseus reveals his true identity to his weeping son, and they immediately begin plotting their revenge against the suitors.
• Books 17–20: Entering the Palace in Disguise
  • Book 17: Telemachus returns to the palace while Odysseus arrives later as a beggar, suffering verbal and physical abuse from the suitors, though his old dog, Argos, recognizes him and peacefully dies.
  • Book 18: Odysseus is forced into a fistfight with a beggar named Irus for the suitors' amusement, while Penelope tricks the suitors into giving her expensive gifts.
  • Book 19: Odysseus secretly talks with Penelope, spinning a false identity, while his old nurse Eurycleia recognizes him by a childhood scar on his leg but promises to keep his secret.
  • Book 20: Odysseus spends a sleepless night plotting revenge while the suitors ignore ominous portents sent by the gods and continue their abusive behavior during a feast the next day.
• Books 21–24: Slaughter and Resolution
  • Book 21: Penelope challenges the suitors to string Odysseus's old hunting bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe-heads, a feat only the disguised Odysseus successfully accomplishes.
  • Book 22: Tearing off his rags, Odysseus kills the suitor Antinous, kicks off a bloody battle in the hall, and slaughters every single suitor and treacherous servant with the help of Telemachus and loyal herdsmen.
  • Book 23: Penelope tests her husband's identity by asking to move their immovable bed—which Odysseus built around a living olive tree—leading to a joyful, emotional reunion.
  • Book 24: Odysseus reunites with his grieving father, Laertes, and when the angry families of the dead suitors come seeking revenge, Athena intervenes to enforce a lasting peace over Ithaca.

Odysseus' travels in The Odyssey

The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson

Summary of the books of the Odyssey

• Troy: The starting point after the fall of the city.
• Ismarus (Land of the Cicones): Odysseus and his men sack the city but stay too long, losing many men to a counterattack.
• Land of the Lotus-Eaters: A few crew members eat the sweet lotus plant and completely lose their desire to return home.
• Island of the Cyclopes: Trapped in a cave by the one-eyed giant Polyphemus, Odysseus blinds him to escape, triggering the curse of Poseidon.
• Aeolia: Aeolus, the god of wind, gifts Odysseus a bag of winds. The crew opens it out of greed right before reaching home, blowing them off course.
• Telepylos (Land of the Laestrygonians): Cannibalistic giants destroy 11 of Odysseus's 12 ships by hurling massive boulders.
• Aeaea (Circe's Island): The witch goddess Circe turns the crew into pigs. Odysseus resists her magic with help from Hermes and stays for a year.
• The Underworld (Kingdom of the Dead): Odysseus travels to the realm of Hades to seek the prophecy of the blind seer Tiresias.
• The Sirens: Odysseus plugs his crew's ears with beeswax and has himself tied to the mast so he can safely listen to their enchanting, deadly song.
• Scylla and Charybdis: The ship must navigate a narrow strait between Scylla (a six-headed monster who eats six sailors) and Charybdis (a deadly whirlpool).
• Thrinacia (Island of Helios): Despite warnings, the starving crew slaughters the sacred cattle of the sun god Helios. Zeus punishes them with a storm that destroys the last ship, leaving only Odysseus alive.
• Ogygia (Calypso's Island): Odysseus washes ashore and is held captive for seven years by the nymph Calypso, who offers him immortality if he stays.
• Scheria (Island of the Phaeacians): After escaping Calypso on a raft, Odysseus is shipwrecked here. The hospitable Phaeacians listen to his story and finally provide him with a ship home.
• Ithaca: Odysseus arrives home disguised as a beggar, defeats the suitors, and reclaims his kingdom.

Michael

Sunday night, Sharon and I watched Michael.

Michael is a biographical film about Michael Jackson directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. Michael's son, Prince, was an executive producer and kept track of the film's development.

Jackson is portrayed by his nephew Jaafar Jackson and as a child by Juliano Valdi, both in their film debuts. The supporting cast includes Nia Long, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Laura Harrier, Jessica Sula, Mike Myers, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo.

The film follows the early life of American singer Michael Jackson, covering his childhood with the Jackson 5 in the 1960s to the Bad World Tour in the late 1980s. It explores his complex, abusive relationship with his father, Joe. The film details how Michael took creative control of his solo career to engineer record-breaking albums like Off the Wall and Thriller.

After it was over, Sharon said that she wished we had seen it in the theater. Although it received generally negative reviews from critics, we both thought that the movie was good. I was surprised by the protrayal of Michael Jackson's father. I didn't realize that there were allegations of abuse. Michael Jackson and several of his siblings later opened up about the severe emotional and physical abuse they suffered from their father during rehearsals. There is some wild footage of Michael having a giraffe, a llama and a chimpanzee as pets. Although earlier versions of the script included the child sexual abuse accusations against Michael, they were cut from the film. Apparently, they are planning a sequel.