Monday, June 19, 2006

Twelve Sharp

This is the day I wait for all year... the day the new Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum) novel goes on sale. Janet Evanovich is one of my all time favorite writers and she never fails to entertain me. Twelve Sharp is the 12th book in her Stephanie Plum series. For those of you who have never read any, these books are hilarious stories about a fictional bumbling bounty hunter (Stephanie Plum, single, age 30) who's in love with two different men (both are hotties who make the stories sizzle), and who drives a power blue '53 Buick (known as "Big Blue") whenever she can't help it. The books are full of cars blowing up, funeral homes burning down, and calamity around every corner. They're a little bit crime story, a little bit mystery, a little bit romance, and a lot of comedy. And they never fail to make me laugh out loud.

Each year for the past 3-4 years I've picked up the first book in the series (One For the Money) over Memorial Day weekend (or roughly 3 weeks before the next novel is released) and I read through all of the novels again ending just in time to be up to date when the next new novel comes out. I look forward to this every year. It's a happy ritual for me. The day the new novel comes out I usually spend several hours reading it but I always make sure not to finish it the same day. No matter what, I draw out the pleasure to make it last at least 2 days. I haven't been able to make a new Evanovich novel last more than two days yet... I only have so much restraint!

I was at the Motor Muster at Greenfield Village the other day and low and behold what did I see? A powder blue '53 Buick! I couldn't resist the opportunity to take some photos to share with you...

Front view...

Side view...

Back view...

This is one ugly car! No wonder Stephanie is so embarrassed to be seen driving this baby when she's making a fugitive apprehension. It does make you want to laugh just imagining it, doesn't it?

I tried to get a view of the car that wasn't ugly but there wasn't one. Here's the best I could come up with...

So now you know what I'm up to today (and some of tomorrow). Gotta run for now... Ranger's calling ;-)