Rob's Update: Ow, My Hip!
Where Rob plays softball for the first time in twenty years.
Week 22 of 2026
Greetings all!
Kirby’s softball is getting the band back together! Let’s just say when we play Under 30 v. Over 30, the younger team is heavily outnumbered.
But first, your favorite part of it all, a picture of one of my lovely co-stars. In this case, Wynnifred all snuggled up.
As I mentioned in the lede, I joined the crew of Kirby’s softball as they’re starting back up. This team went for decades, but the COVID break killed not only them but also the entire Wichita Bar League. It’s a shame, too, as that league had some great players and great teams over the years, including Kirby’s.
Anyway, I’m not as young as I was in the 90s when I showed up Sundays to play and Wednesdays to practice. And, of course, drink afterward. Or during. Or both.
Let’s just say I was rusty. Rusty on the order of the Yorktown (CV-5), which is currently 3 miles under the surface of the Pacific.
I wasn’t completely pathetisad, but I wasn’t good. Especially with the running part. I have forgotten how to run, and it’s something I need to re-learn. I pulled a muscle in part because of how awkward I am these days, and since I still had a great time, I better work on that.
By the way, I’m sure some of you know why I used the Yorktown as my reference point above. Today is the 84th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. If you’re really interested in the battle, start with Shattered Sword by Paschal and Tully. It’s truly a revolutionary study of the battle in large part because they completely rewrote its historiographical foundation. Great stuff, both for a reader and for a professional historian, which I still am.
One reason I can claim that is the historical fiction I’m writing right now. I’m absolutely using the research I did when I was at Mizzou. Historical fiction is challenging, of course, because there’s a balance.
Part of the fun in writing these Eadward books, of which I plan on 5, maybe 6, is adhering to all the known facts while deviating purposefully for a great book when it’s required. And then, after that, telling the reader just exactly what choices I made.
In this particular case, I’m getting to take advantage of a blind spot. We know something happened, but can’t pin it down more than it happened somewhere between 903 and 909. That means I get to make it up! And I am. Made good progress this week too.
On a more personal side, I’ve not lost much, if any weight for a while now. However, I’m down to about 310, which is a major step forward and one of the reasons I even tried to play softball. I’ve also found myself doing a heck of a lot more projects of late. Right now, I’m rearranging the garage a bit. I’m shifting a workbench out there for small projects, with my intent to have a full woodshop in the basement when we get stairs down there again.
All this is to say, I’m doing a lot! And I’m also sore. But it’s the good kind of sore! Still hurts though…
Anyway, y’all have a great week!
This Week’s Show
Usually, I have shows lined up, but sometimes stuff happens, and that’s when I get MAD!!!!
We had more MADNESS this week, thanks to help from Charli Cox and Sam Robb. Check out the show here:
As you can see, Charli and Sam are fun folks. Find out more about Charli here: https://dot.cards/charlicox.
Check out Sam here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sam-Robb/author/B07QJCG3BD and go read his new book, A Sense of Murder, here: https://www.amazon.com/Sense-Murder-Road-Mage-ebook/dp/B0H1TL57P7/.
Next Week’s Show
This next week I’m going to try something new. I’ve invited a bunch of people to give a quick story about their dads. Cool and fun stuff to celebrate cool and fun dads.
This will probably be a bit disjointed as I rotate guests in and out, but I think it’ll be fun. We’ll have some people returning to the show, some people who will be on eventually, and also some of the people who watch the show.
I’m really excited, and I think it’ll be one of the best things I’ve done. It’ll also probably be emotional, so make sure you have tissues handy. I definitely need them because I’m a weepy cuss.
Anyway, join us here: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/228801?utm_source=live-stream-scheduled-upsell.
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Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Creator of the Firehall Sagas Universe
My Weight Today: 310.6lbs
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/-/e/B00X95LBB0
Website: robhowell.org
Blog: robhowell.org/blog
The Firehall Sagas: firehallsagas.com/
Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: twitter.com/Rhodri2112
2026/04/19