I don't think I ever want to go to the Amazon

I finished "River of Doubt" by Candice Millard on Thursday. It was a great story. I can't believe that Teddy Roosevelt and his son, Kermit, went on that crazy adventure. They definitely didn't know what they were in for. The River that they went down is now called The Roosevelt River. I think it's a tributary to the Amazon. Just the description of them close to starvation and the Indians who actually let them live and the devastations of getting sick or loosing boats was insane. But, for me, the topper was the description of the insects and parasites. Did you know that there is a parasite that lives in the river that will jump up your urine stream and get stuck in your bladder? If you don't get it surgically removed within a day or two you die. There are so many more that just made me cringe and cringe and cringe, that I was exhausted from just reading about the insects and parasites and trees and plants and animals. Phew.

Now I'm reading a bit of fun, because after that book who wouldn't need a little uplifting fun. This one is called "Girls' Poker Night" by Jill A. Davis. And, I've actually found myself laughing out-loud from it. Should be a quick read and then I have another crazy true story about whaling or something. Yeah, I don't know, but someone keeps giving me these true tales and somehow I read them and end up getting sucked in and actually enjoying them. Could I be turning into a non-fiction reader?!? Oh the horror. Nah, I think it's good to mix it up some. I really need to find some great sci-fi books to read soon.

So, I went to the beach on Friday. I had the day off and decided I needed to swim in salt water. It was the perfect day for the beach as I think it was about 104 degrees (if not more) where I live. The beach was the perfect temperature and the water wasn't even that cold. I went swimming in the water and got pummeled by a wave. It tumbled me a little to where my left knee is a tad scraped up. But, I still went swimming for quite a long while. You just had to get past the waves and then you could swim and float around. It was nice. And no, my ankle is not 100% yet. Sucks. But it is getting better. I'm still wearing the brace. You'd think that the waves would've killed it, but I was fine with my ankle.