Grandma and Grandpa Camp

Last week was our 7-year-old grandsons first week of summer vacation. He spent the days with us, and we did a lot of fun activities during the week including miniature golf, four new parks/playgrounds one afternoon, a trip to the beach to collect shells, a visit to the library to check out his first books, splashing in a wading pool in our neighborhood park, swimming in our community swimming pool and practicing riding his bike. This week he is attending a day camp program through his elementary school.

Last Gasp Motel

My mystery novel, The Last Gasp Motel, will be published on July 12, 2023, by Encircle Publications. This is the second book in the Omnipodge Trilogy, following Old Detectives Home.

The Last Gasp Motel is now available for pre-orders:

Print Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Gasp-Motel-Omnipodge-Mystery/dp/1645994724

Print Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-gasp-motel-mike-befeler/1143611938?ean=9781645994725

e-book Amazon: Amazon.com: Last Gasp Motel (An Omnipodge Mystery Book 2) eBook : Befeler, Mike: Kindle Store

bookshop.org Last Gasp Motel: An Omnipodge Mystery a book by Mike Befeler (bookshop.org)

When retired maintenance man Frank Sinatra finds Darell Willows’s body in the swimming pool of the Last Gasp Motel in Omnipodge, California, Frank must deal with the responding police officer making wisecracks about his name while trying to figure out what happened.

Detective Duke Lambert arrives and quizzes Frank. Frank agrees to help the detective, whom he has worked with before. Suspects include the residents of the Last Gasp and the son and daughter-in-law of the unpopular victim.

The aging residents are a quirky lot including chain-smoking manager Hedda Robinson; kleptomaniac Carolyn Bryant; “Accident” Al Utley, who causes traffic accidents and then collects money from the other drivers; dog-poop vigilante Pat Pope known as “Mr. Poop”; good Samaritan Mira Neighbors; potassium-obsessed, banana-chomping Banny Zamora; flower pedal–scattering Gladys Terry; womanizer Caruthers Quinter; authority-avoiding Varenka; and conspiracy-theory nut Ethel Ogden.

Each of the suspects argued recently with the deceased—and all of them have reasons to want him dead. The eccentric tenants must work together to solve the case before the city demolishes the place they call home and replaces it with a shopping mall—the race is on to find the killer and save the Last Gasp Motel!

 

I’m also available to give presentations to book groups, libraries and service organizations via Zoom or in-person. Mikebef@aol.com

Useful Aids Following Joint Replacement Surgery

Following knee and hip replacement surgeries over the last year, I have come to use some important devices to aid me in everyday activity. When getting dressed, there are two helpful devices I’m using: a sock-puller-uper to get my socks on (a plastic cuff, insert in the sock, then put the foot in the cuff and use cords to pull the sock over my foot) and a long shoehorn to get shoes on. The other essential device is a grabber to reach things on the ground since it’s still hard for me to bend over. With these three devices, I’m ready to take on the world again.

Back in the Saddle Again

After my hip replacement surgery three weeks ago, I’m now ready to start driving again. My leg is strong, and I am offs pain medication so it’s time to drive myself again.

Dumb Dad jokes

I continue to be a fan of dumb dad jokes. These are jokes we dads tell to our kids and grandkids. I post some of these on Facebook, and other people share their puns with me. Here’s a recent one I received. What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus. You get the idea.