The Christmas Carol Murders by Randy McCharles

On December 24, 2019December 22, 2019 By Rick McIn books, McCharles family2 Comments

This is book 2 of the Peter Galloway Mysteries series. There are more to come. Digital publications only.

Randy introduced Calgary private investigator Peter Galloway in a short story:

Book 1 was set in Fort McMurray, Alberta. A love interest — Angela Ford:

Book 2 is the most surprising yet. It’s set in Prince George, British Columbia with several story lines unfolding in parallel.

Galloway is trying to find his father who is on the run from a murder charge.

Angela Ford and her children are staying away from her violent ex-husband.

A series of grisly murders at the high school.

That story line reminded me of Randy’s Much Ado about Macbeth (2015) which was set around our own high school in Canada.

Amazon

traveling the world on my birthday

On November 2, 2019November 7, 2019 By Rick McIn hiking, McCharles family, travel2 Comments

It’s my birthday. 62-years-young today.

I’ve been on the road for many birthdays.

My 53rd was in Porto, Portugal.

I’ve had a few birthdays out on the hiking trail too.

Spent my 57th birthday tenting in a stone Yak shack at 4110m, close to the Tibet border in Nepal.

And for 62 I’m climbing up the Annapurna massif in ~~Peru~~ … Nepal.

You can see I’m already suffering old-timer’s disease. 😀

My brother’s NEW books

On September 22, 2019September 19, 2019 By Rick McIn books, McCharles familyLeave a comment

The big news is that Randy McCharles switched genres from Fantasy to Murder Mystery.

First up in his new series is a short story:

Murder on the Mall
Introducing Peter Galloway, Private Investigator

His first full Peter Galloway novel is Murder in Wood Buffalo. It’s only available on Kindle and Kobo. He’s self-publishing. Less hassle for him. Lower cost for readers.

It’s easy readying. Galloway is a likeable character. Funny. Looking for love.

He quit the Calgary police department because he couldn’t stomach murder. Now a private investigator — he’s called in to lead a murder investigation in Fort McMurray.

Parksville – Coombs return on electric bike

On September 10, 2019September 9, 2019 By Rick McIn cycling, McCharles familyLeave a comment

It’s our new distance record. About 19km return from my Dad’s house.

The battery was well over 50% on my return. Range might be as high as 60km on a single charge.

Labour Day weekend feast

On September 3, 2019September 2, 2019 By Rick McIn food, friends, McCharles familyLeave a comment

Yvonne cooked up the full turkey dinner. … Delish.

The bird was brined for 24 hours.

related – the night prior Rockin’ Ronnie the Barbecue king served his guests … hotdogs.

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A post shared by Ron Shewchuk (@ronshewchuk)

my Dad’s electric Trike

On August 10, 2019August 9, 2019 By Rick McIn cycling, McCharles family, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Dad bought a Pedego Trike for running around Parksville B.C.

Joyriding and doing the shopping.

You only pedal in case of emergencies. Dead battery, for example.

It tops out at about 20km / hour … unless you are riding downhill. Downhill I’ve got it up to 30km / hour.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

my Dad bought an electric Trike

On July 9, 2019July 8, 2019 By Rick McIn cycling, McCharles family, product endorsements2 Comments

We did shop around, finally deciding on the Pedego Trike as being safest for running around Parksville B.C.

Specifications.

Price is about U.S. $3000. Canadian about $4200 including a special lock and B.C. taxes.

ElectricBikeReview.com does a terrific job reviewing what’s available.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Canada Day in Parksville, B.C.

On July 2, 2019July 2, 2019 By Rick McIn McCharles family, musicLeave a comment

The population of Parksville is far fewer than 15,000 … but we must have had 15,000 at the Canada Day celebration. The beach was packed.

I was most impressed with fireworks.

Tiny little girls were dancing / celebrating / cartwheeling while watching the show. Very cute.

I caught 3 of the musical acts. All good.

Headliners were The Tragically Hip Experience. Very Canadian.

… Or maybe it was actually The Joe Cocker Experience. Very British. Anyway, entertaining.

Dad sold his boat

On May 28, 2019May 27, 2019 By Rick McIn McCharles familyLeave a comment

This was his 6th fishing boat.

He bought it in 2011 for $6700. Sold in 2019 for $5000. Not bad, though he’d put quite a few extras into it over those years.

Yvonne turned it over within 24 hours on Facebook Marketplace. That service worked well.

In the past they used Kijiji.

Dad’s still fishing. But will only go out on charters in future.

Mom’s 90th Birthday Party

On March 27, 2019March 26, 2019 By Rick McIn McCharles familyLeave a comment

Mom and Dad are doing well. Living independently in Parksville, B.C.

Doreen was born in Calgary 1929. Born right into the Depression.

Families had to be self-sufficient. They put home grown vegetables into jars to get through winter.

Her family had one pig and one dairy cow when she was growing up. Later she had her own horse in the city. It ate the neighbours flowers and walked back to the Indian Reserve when it got loose.

Though my family doesn’t normally celebrate birthdays, for 90 we made an exception. 🎂 🙂