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Randall’s Ramblings, March 6, 2025

Randall Krzak

We had plenty of rain and thunderstorms at the beginning of the week, but more thunderstorms are forecast for today, along with hail. The past couple of days the temperatures rose into the upper 80s, making it feel quite steamy.

Michigan State lost to Auburn 70-64 in the NCAA Elite Eight, ending their season. Perhaps next year they’ll go all the way!

Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons have been splitting games, with their record now 43/35. They’re still on track to make it to the post season, and are currently in the sixth and final position for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. There are only a few games left in the regular season, so they’ll still be in the playoffs.

After losing the first three games of the MLB season, Detroit has bounced back and are currently 4-4. Despite a .500 record, they are in first place in the American League Central Division, with Kansas City, Cleveland, and Minnesota all a game behind with 3-5 records. Chicago is in the bottom of the division with a 2-6 record.  Detroit and Chicago play again today.

“The secret of it all is to write… without waiting for a fit time or place.” – Walt Whitman. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on April 6th, the fourteen Sunday of 2025 and the first one for April. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Johann Kuhnau, Bohemian composer (Biblical Sonatas), kapellmeister, novelist, and lawyer; Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, French playwright and poet (Sacred Odes & Songs); James Mill, Scottish philosopher and historian (History of British India); John Pierpont, American poet (Airs of Palestine), Unitarian minister, abolitionist and reformer; Aaron Bernstein, German Jewish writer (Young Germany; Alexander Herzen, Russian writer; Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, Norwegian poet and journalist (Travel Memories from Norway 1860); Johann Scheler, Belgian librarian and man of letters; Joseph Medill, Canadian newspaper editor, owner and politician (co-owned Chicago Tribune, Mayor of Chicago 1871-73); Karl Binding, German jurist whose writings were used to justify the Holocaust; Joseph Lincoln Steffens, American muckraker and investigative journalist (Shame of the Cities); Erich Mühsam, German author and political anarchist; Daniel Andersson, Swedish poet and writer (Svarta Ballader); Willis Hall, British screenwriter and dramatist (Torn Curtain; Billy; Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure); ohn Pepper Clark, Nigerian poet (A Decade of Tongues; Mandela), playwright (Song of a Goat), and magazine editor (The Horn), often published as J.P. Clarkl Homero Aridjis, Mexican poet and novelist (Mirándola dormir, The Child Poet); Hans W Geissendorfer, German director, writer and producer (Lindenstrasse, Soliloquy, In the World You Are Afraid); Jack Canfora, American playwright; and Ilan Hall, Israeli-American chef, producer and writer (Food to Get You Laid, Knife Fight and Guy’s Grocery Games: All-Star Invitational).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I completed chapter seventeen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now been posted to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another six reviews this week, bringing the total to 235. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

After Mongo and Akin departed, Obasi turned to the others. “Black Shadow is one of the largest groups in Nigeria. Some call us criminals, but like Robin Hood, we take from the rich and give to the poor—ourselves.”

Everyone laughed.

“As you probably surmised, Mongo is the leader of Black Shadow, and I am his deputy. We engage in drug dealing, smuggling, kidnapping, and extortion across the country and are a prime target for Nigerian law enforcement and intelligence organizations.”

“Cool!” Musa blushed.

Obasi glanced at Musa. “You’re right. It is cool—and also dangerous. We met not long ago with the leaders of the four groups we are in competition with and have formed an alliance called the Council of Vengeance. Your roles at UNIBEN will be to push our influence with the student body and faculty and find like-minded individuals who think like we do. We want to create chaos between those targeting us and have them chasing their own tails.”

“Count me in.” Ibrahim pursed his lips. “I know just the person to target—my father. He’s a member of the National Intelligence Agency and tries to get me to spy on other students.”

Obasi nodded. “Yes, he and others like him will make excellent targets. While we’re concentrating on UNIBEN, where Black Shadow started back in the seventies, the other members of the Council of Vengeance will be doing the same in different cities.” He drained his chapman. “Together, we shall create mass mayhem as we continue to flourish.”

***

Freedom Park

Lagos

At the same time as Mongo and Obasi’s meeting took place at the Euphoria Lounge Bar, two other members of the Council of Vengeance met at the Freedom Park in Lagos.

Kelechi Bello, leader of the Renegade Kings, and Chinaka Zabu, the leader of the Crimson Fangs, sat at a table in the deserted picnic area.

Each man brought one armed guard with them.

Kelechi studied Chinaka’s face. “Since you wanted to meet, I assume you feel the same about Mongo’s Council of Vengeance as I do.”

“Yes.” Chinaka nodded. “It sounds like a good idea. However, what if this is a ploy by Mongo to expand his operations by preying on us? I propose we go along with what he wants, but we must be vigilant and watch for anything that might be our undoing.”

“You speak wise words for someone new to our way of life.” Kelechi tilted his head. “I agree with your sentiments. But what should we do if we catch Mongo or his Black Shadow trying to distract us and take over?”

Chinaka laughed. “I can think of only one solution—death.”

“So be it.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 30, 2025

Randall Krzak

We’re seeing temperatures mainly in the upper 60’s and mid 70’s as we move into Spring. It’s been mainly sunny for the past week, although we had plenty of clouds throughout yesterday. Today, we’re supposed to have a couple of showers and possibly a thunderstorm before we zoom into the lower 80’s at the end of the coming week.

The NCAA’s March Madness continued this week with the University of Michigan losing their Sweet Sixteen game to Auburn 78-65, so that finishes their 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, Michigan State scooted past Ole Miss 73-70 to move into the Elite Eight where they’ll play Auburn later today. The winner will move into the Final Four.

The Detroit Pistons are now 42-32. Right now, they’re still in the top six in the conference and will continue into the playoffs if they can win several of their remaining games.

The Detroit Tigers opened their MLB regular season on March 27th against the LA Dodgers. I was able to watch two of the three games. Unfortunately, Detroit lost all three. What a bummer!

Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” – Ray Bradbury. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 30th, the thirteen Sunday of 2025 and the fifth and final one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/). 

Jethro Tull, English agricultural writer; John Hawkins, English writer (A General History of the Science and Practice of Music; Life of Samuel Johnson); Anna Sewell, English author (Black Beauty); John Fiske [Edmund Fisk Green], American historian and philosopher; Paul Verlaine, French lyric poet (Sagesse; Clair de lune; Hombres); Franz Oppenheimer, German sociologist and economist (The State); Sean O’Casey, Irish playwright (Juno and the Paycock); Melanie Klein, Austrian-British author and child psychoanalyst (object relations theory); Erwin Panofsky, German-American Jewish art historian and iconologist (Early Netherlandish Painting); Jean Giono, French writer (World Chant); Heinz Risse, German writer; Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Bengali writer (Satyanweshi, Tungabhadrar Tirey); Ernst Gombrich, Austrian-English art historian (The Story of Art); Herbert Asmodi, German writer and actor; Milton Acorn, Canadian poet; Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish eccentric businessman (founder of IKEA) and author (The Testament of a Furniture Dealer); om Sharpe, English historian and author (Riotous Assembly, Want); Graeme Edge, British rock drummer, and poet (Moody Blues – “The Dream”; “Morning Glory”); Gerrit Komrij, Dutch poet/essayist (Happy Schizo); Ryszard Kotla, Polish travel writer and activist, tour guide, journalist, academic teacher, engineer; and Piers Morgan, English newspaper editor and TV personality (Daily Mirror, CNN).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Anna Sewell andPiers Morgan. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I had hoped to complete chapter seventeen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week, but ran out of time. There were another thee reviews this week, bringing the total to 229. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

That same evening, Mongo left his house and strode toward the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé parked in the driveway. He nodded at the armed guard who held the back door open and ducked as he entered.

The guard handed Mongo a sealed envelope. “This came by messenger.”

“E se, Akin.”  Mongo thanked his bodyguard in the Yoruba language.

Akin showed a toothless grin, the result of a beating at the hands of the authorities, before closing the door and hopping into the front passenger seat.

Mongo studied the handwriting on the envelope. Don’t recognize the writing. Wonder who it’s from?  He pulled an obsidian letter opener from a map pocket on his door and slit the envelope. He replaced the letter opener and pulled out a sheet of paper.

Beware! Things might not be as they seem. Eyes are watching over you. Take all precautions if you want to live.

The handwritten note was unsigned.

“Hmm.” Mongo stuffed the note back in the envelope and shoved it next to the letter opener.

“Where to, sir?” The driver glanced in the rearview mirror.

“Huh?” Mongo glanced at his watch. Still early, but some of the students should already be there. “Oh, take me to Euphoria.”

“Very good, sir.” The driver started the vehicle and pulled out of Mongo’s driveway. He turned left and weaved his way down the hill. They continued through the city, bright with neon signs and billboards. Thirty minutes later, the driver stopped in front of the Euphoria Lounge Bar.

Akin hurried out of the front seat and assisted Mongo out of the back.

“Akin, check inside and see if Obasi has arrived. If he has, signal to me.” Mongo glanced around before strolling toward the entrance.

Moments later, Akin stuck his head out the entrance door and waved.

Mongo climbed the single step and entered the bar.

“Obasi is at a table in the rear.” Akin pointed. “There are four others with him.

“They’ll be students who wanted to meet with me away from the university. Take up your normal position and keep an eye on them—just in case.”

“As you command, sir.” Akin led Mongo to the table before moving to the bar, where he sat on a stool facing the room.

Obasi and the others stood while Mongo took the final empty seat. “We are a small group tonight, Mongo. However, there are others who want to meet you—perhaps next week.”

Mongo nodded to a waitress who set a glass in front of him.

“Sir, would you like anything else?”

“No. Thank you.”

The waitress smiled at him as she departed.

“Mongo, you know my sister, Yoruba.” Obasi gestured to the woman sitting next to him. “Let me introduce the others. From her right, going around the table, are Musa, Ibrahim, and Ovie. You might recognize them as they”

The three men grinned as they each half-raised a hand as Obasi called out their names.

“Welcome, everyone. I apologize for cancelling the W National Park excursion, but something unexpected came up.” Mongo sipped on the drink the waitress had brought him. “I expected more interest based on comments made in my classes.” He shook his head. “Oh, well. Can’t be helped—anything could have arisen for the others as it did for me. In any event, I had planned to pick four people to function as field agents to increase our organization’s membership.

Yoruba raised a hand. “Will you do the excursion on another day?”

“Yes, of course. I had planned to have everyone swear an oath of secrecy and go through an initiation. We’ll skip the initiation for now, but to continue to hear more about us, you will need to swear an oath.” Mongo glanced at the four students, who appeared eager to proceed.

“If you’re ready, repeat after me. I, state your name, do swear upon pain of torture or even death to abide by the rules governing the organization to which I pledge my allegiance. I will never divulge what I know to any outsiders.”

The students looked at each other.

“Mongo, why such a serious oath?” Musa shook his head. “This seems like a skit from a movie, not a real-life vow.”

“If you cannot take the oath, you’re welcome to leave—now.” Mongo glared at Musa. “This is a dangerous business, and we do not take anything for granted.”

“No-no.” Musa raised his hands as if to ward off an attack. “I was just voicing my opinion.”

Mongo smiled. “Opinions are always welcome as long as the person providing them obeys the rules.”

“Understood, Mongo.” Musa lowered his head. “I am sorry if I offended you.”

Mongo glanced at Obasi. “No worries. If you’re ready, let’s do the oath.”

Everyone stood and repeated the words spoken by Mongo.

When they finished, Mongo and Obasi clapped.

The waitress returned with a tray of drinks. After setting one in front of each person, she departed.

“Welcome to the Black Shadow.” Obasi grinned as he raised a glass of chapman. “To the enrichment of those seeking to gain forbidden knowledge.”

Everyone reached for their glasses, raised them, and took a drink.

“Ugh. What is this?” Ovie grimaced.

Mongo chuckled. “Chapman. I didn’t want to use alcohol for toasting such an important event. As Obasi said, ‘Welcome to the Black Shadow.’”

“When will we learn more?” Yoruba took a swig of her drink.

Mongo glanced at his watch as he stood. “It’s getting late for me as I have another important engagement this evening. Obasi will fill you in.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 23, 2025

Randall Krzak

We’re now officially in Spring. The trees continue to bud, while the daffodils are now past their best, and lawns are turning green. Not a good time for those with seasonal allergies!

The NCAA’s March Madness kicked off this week, with sixty-four team vying to move forward. My two teams are both in the South bracket and have started out with wins. Michigan (5) beat UC San Diego (12) 68-65 in round one, while Michigan State (2) slammed Bryant (15) 81-62.

Michigan continued in round two with another win, this time over Texas A&M (4) 91-79. Michigan State plays New Mexico (10) in round two this evening.

Michigan is now in the Sweet Sixteen, were they’ll face Auburn (1). All being well, Michigan State will move into the Sweet Sixteen as well.

The Detroit Pistons are now 39-32, with five regular season games remaining. Right now, they’re still in the top eight in the conference and will continue into the playoffs.

The Detroit Tigers played six Spring training games this week, splitting 3-3. They are now 12-12, but still in second place in their division. They’ll begin the regular season on March 27th against the LA Dodgers.

 “When all else fails, write what your heart tells you. You can’t depend on your eyes, when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 23rd, the twelth Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Jeronimo de Bosch Kemper, Dutch sociologist and historian (Statistic yearbook); Alekey Pisemski, Russian novelist and playwright (A Bitter Lot); Eduard Schlagintweit, German writer; Uchimura Kanzō, Japanese religious writer and pacifist (How I Became a Christian); Roger Martin du Gard, French novelist (Les Thibault, 1937 Nobel Prize for Literature); Frank Sargeson [Norris Frank Davey], New Zealand short story writer and playwright; Akira Kurosawa, Japanese director and screenwriter who was posthumously named “Asian of the Century” in the “Arts, Literature, and Culture” category (Rashomon, Drunken Angel, Seven Samurai, Ran); Francis Berry, British poet and academic (Shakespearean scholar); Jimmy Edwards, British comedy writer and actor (Take It From Here, Whack-O!); Barry Cryer, British comic, writer (The Kenny Everett Show; Ross Abbot; The Two Ronnies), and actor (All You Need Is Cash); Alan Bleasdale, English author, playwright and scriptwriter (Are You Lonesome Tonight); Kim Stanley Robinson, American sci-fi author (Mars Trilogy); Gary Whitehead, American poet; Mitch Cullin, American novelist (A Slight Trick of the Mind); Judith Godrèche, French actress (The Man in the Iron Mask; L’Auberge espagnole), and novelist (Point de côté); Randall Park, American comedian, writer, and actor (Fresh Off the Boat); and Jayson Blair, American journalist and author.

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I completed chapter sixteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another six reviews this week, bringing the total to 226. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

Evelyn glanced around the otherwise empty office. “Ahem. We’d like to make some flight reservations, please.”

Dolores eased her glasses over her eyes as she continue to blow bubbles. “Where to and when, hon?” She spoke with a New York accent.

“Well, my dear. If you could pull yourself away from your bubble blowing, we’d like to book three tickets from here to Johannesburg.”

Dolores frowned as she spit her gum into a wastepaper basket. “Don’t get uppity with me, hon, or I’ll find flights that take the longest to arrive.” She smirked. “Come back in a day or two, and I might have something for you.”

“Ahem. Our trip is rather urgent.” Trevor introduced himself. “I am Colonel Trevor Franklin, Retired. Lady Evelyn and I are on our way to meet with South African officials who requested the meeting.”

“Spaz. And I suppose Miss Smart Mouth here is the queen of England.”

“Not quite, hon. But I am a cousin of the king.”

“So? Unless the ambassador tells me to kiss your butt, you’ll wait like everyone else.”

“Perhaps we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.” Evelyn glanced at Trevor as if to keep him quiet. “It’s imperative that we depart as soon as possible.”

Dolores popped a new piece of gum in her mouth and chewed. “Well, hon. Since you sorta apologized for your rude behavior, I’ll see what I can do.” She pulled her keyboard closer as she squinted at the screen. “You said Joburg, right?”

Evelyn bit back a retort, electing to give the woman the benefit of the doubt. “Yes, but I suspect it will be listed as Johannesburg.”

Dolores began blowing bubbles as she used two fingers to peck at her keyboard. “No direct flights.” She continued to type, tilting her head. “It looks like you won’t be able to depart for at least a week. All the economy seats out of Tocumen are booked.”

“That won’t work.” Evelyn sighed. “What about business class or first class?”

Dolores used a long fingernail painted bright red to pop a bubble. “Hon, no one, and I mean no one, gets a business class ticket without the ambassador’s prior authorization.” She laughed. “I’ve been here ten years, and I’ve never booked a first class ticket—not even for the ambassador.”

“Well, our boss authorized us to travel ASAP, even if it meant the higher-priced tickets.”

“What your boss says has no merit in this office, hon. You might as well get used to the idea you’re not going anywhere right away.”

Evelyn sighed as she pulled her Hyperion encrypted cellphone from a back pocket. Thumbing through her contact list, she selected the number she wanted and dialed, turning on the speaker phone.

Moments later, a high-pitched female voice answered. “Gosh, Lady Evelyn. It’s so great to hear from you. What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Georgia.” Evelyn chuckled. “How soon can you get CC, Trevor, and me to Joburg?”

“CC called earlier and told me to expect to hear from you, so I dug right in. I have you booked first class, which Admiral Blakely authorized, for tomorrow morning, departing at 09:30 for Washington Dulles. After a brief layover, you’ll fly to London. Here’s where it gets tricky—you’ll have a twelve-hour delay before your flight to Johannesburg.”

“Not a problem, Georgia. We can spend the day with Sir Alex. What’s the overall flight time, including layovers?”

“Let’s see.” The clatter of Georgia’s fingers on her keyboard echoed through the speaker. “Tomorrow’s Tuesday. You’ll reach South Africa on Thursday morning. The total number of hours for your trip is—holy smokes! It’ll take thirty-nine hours. I’ll arrange for transportation from Joburg to the embassy in Pretoria. CC said you’ll be meeting with Hendrik Webster, the director general of the State Security Agency, so I’ll request the embassy set up an appointment with him.”

“Many thanks, Georgia. You’re a gem.”

“Just doing my job, Lady Evelyn. Although I do wish I was going with you. I’ve always wanted to visit Kruger National Park and the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. By the way, each ticket costs just over fourteen thousand five hundred dollars.”

Evelyn laughed. “Both locations are on my bucket list. Perhaps one day we can visit them together. Glad we’re not paying for the flights, although I could use my AMEX Black Card.”

“That would be a trip of a lifetime—save your card to cover our personal flights.” George chuckled.  “I just sent the flight info to your phones.”

Pings came from Evelyn and Trevor’s phones.

“Just came in, Georgia. Many thanks.” Evelyn glanced at Trevor, who gave her a thumbs up.

“Anything else I can do for you today, Lady Evelyn?”

“No, that’s all. Thanks again for your help. Talk with you soon.” Evelyn broke the connection, put the phone back in her pocket, and faced Dolores. “You could learn a lesson or two from Georgia on how to deal with customers.”

Dolores popped more bubbles but didn’t reply.

Evelyn turned and walked out of the office, followed by Trevor.

As they walked along the corridor, Trevor chuckled. “I expected some resistance from the travel office as they always think they’re a law onto themselves. Good job in dealing with her.”

“Typical plebian. Let’s find CC and Rufus. As Robin Williams once said, “How about you and me blow this Popsicle stand?”

They both laughed as they entered the almost-empty canteen.

CC and Rufus sat at a table in the corner, nursing coffee cups. They stood as Evelyn and Trevor approached.

“I see you got things sorted.” CC tapped his shirt pocket from where his phone protruded. “The canteen is about to close. Why don’t we head to the hotel, get checked in, and find a place for dinner?”

Evelyn nodded. “You know how to talk a girl off her feet. Lead the way, my shining knight.”

Rufus stuck a finger in his throat as if he was going to puke.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

It’s been a dry and warm week, at least until early this morning when we were hit with a couple of thunderstorms. Tornadoes are in the forecast for the east of South Carolina. Meanwhile, during the week I did get a fair bit of yard work done, but will have to wait for things to dry out before doing any more.

Michigan and Michigan State played last Sunday. State won the game, 79-62 and upped their record to 26-5 while Michigan dropped to 22-9.  This was Michigan State’s 11th regular season championship under coach Tom Izzo, and they inched up to 7th in the Top Twenty-Five, while Michigan tumbled to 22nd.

Both teams played on the 14th in the Big Ten Conference Championship. State was the number one seed and played Oregon (8) while Michigan (3) played Purdue (6). State won their game and played Wisconsin (5), losing 77-74. Michigan beat Purdue 86-68 and went on to beat Maryland (2) 81-80.  Michigan will play Wisconsin on Sunday for the Big Ten Conference Championship.

The Detroit Pistons won one game this week, while dropping two. They’re are now 37-31, but still in contention for the Eastern Conference playoffs, as long as they return to winning ways.

I watched my first Detroit Tigers spring training game this week. They won 5-1. As of yesterday, they are  in 2nd place in the AL Central Division with a 9-9 record plus one tie.

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” – George Bernard Shaw. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 16th, the eleventh Sunday of 2025 and the third one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/). 

Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Dutch historian and writer; Gerbrant Bredero, Dutch poet and playwright (Klucht van de Koe); Michael Franck, German composer, poet, and baker; Madame de La Fayette [Marie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne], French novelist (La Princesse de Clèves -1st historical novel in French); Bengt Lidner, Swedish poet (Medea, Yttersa Domen); Anna Atkins, English botanist, photographer and the 1st person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images; Peter Ernst von Lasaulx, German philosopher and writer; Ernest Feydeau, French author, friend of Flaubert (Fanny); Sully Prudhomme, French poet and the 1st winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1901; F. A. Forbes, Scottish author; Ethel Anderson, Australian poet; César Vallejo, Peruvian-French poet and novelist (Los Heraldos Negros; Trilce; Russia in 1931); Francisco Ayala, Spanish writer; Samael Aun Weor, Colombian writer; Sid Fleischman, American author, and screenplay writer (The Whipping Boy; Blood Alley: The Abracadabra Kid); Geoffrey Freeman Allen, English railway writer; Harding Lemay, American writer (head writer for soap “Another World”; Don Richard Carpenter, American writer (Hard Rain Falling); Don Richard Carpenter, American writer (Hard Rain Falling); Kate Worley, American comic book writer (Omaha the Cat Dancer); and Lauren Graham, American actress and author (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

Since I concentrated on outdoor work this week, I didn’t finish chapter sixteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I’ll get it finished this coming week and post it to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eight reviews this week, bringing the total to 220. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

Five hours later, the three-vehicle convoy reached Panama City. Bob weaved through the crowded streets to the American embassy on Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton. Rufus and Trevor followed.

“Sir, wake up. We’re here.” Bob blew the horn to notify the Panamanian guards of their arrival.

After Bob showed diplomatic ID to the guards, they opened the gate, and the three vehicles entered. Bob continued to the motor pool area, where the Suburban and the Toyota Land Cruisers were handed over to the maintenance team. He told the maintenance chief about Jim’s body.

Bob led CC and the others up the hill to the six-story chancery. Once again he showed his ID, this time to a Marine standing inside a bullet-resistant booth.

The Marine asked for CC, Evelyn, Rufus, and Trevor’s ID. Upon viewing Trevor’s, the Marine came to attention and saluted.

Trevor smiled as he returned the salute.

The Marine pointed to a table to the left of his booth. “Please sign in. Once you’ve done so, Bob can take you inside. Admiral Blakely and the ambassador will join you soon.”

Fifteen minutes later, Bob escorted them into a conference room adjacent to the ambassador’s office. Everyone grabbed a seat at the rectangle table for twelve as a steward brought in a trolley laden with tea, coffee, water, juice, and pastries.

After they had something to eat and drink, they relaxed until the door leading to the ambassador’s office opened.

In strode the ambassador, followed by Admiral Blakely.

Everyone jumped to their feet.

The ambassador laughed as he took his seat at the head of the table with the admiral seated next to him. “Welcome back from your excursion into the Darien. I’m Charles Sanderson, the ambassador to Panama, at least as long as the president allows me to be here. But you can call me Chuck.”

Everyone smiled at the ambassador, who resembled the fictional character used in the KFC commercials—white hair, a white goatee, black-rimmed glasses, and dressed in a white suit with a red bowtie.

“Aye, Ambassador. Thank you for the loan of the vehicles.” CC grinned. “I’m afraid we added a few dents and scrapes to them.”

“Don’t worry about it. Can’t be helped when you go into the jungle.” The ambassador turned to Admiral Blakely. “Richard, it’s your show, so please take over.”

The admiral nodded. “I’ll expect a full report by the end of the day. In the meantime, I want to inform you about your next assignment.” He glanced around the room, stopping when he reached Trevor. “At a request from Ambassador Sanderson, we will be sending Bedlam Bravo sans Trevor, back to Yaviza to keep an eye on the Embera-Wounaan.”

“I was asked by the Panamanian president if we could assist in supporting their indigenous tribes in the Darien given the recent increase in crime originating in the area.” Chuck stroked his goatee. “Since I concur with the president’s request, I tried to hoodwink Richard in providing support.”

“I spoke with Sir Alex and Harrison yesterday evening, and both agreed to the use of Bedlam Bravo for this mission.”

Trevor raised a hand. “Sir, if I’m not going with my team, who will lead them?”

“Good question. Sir Alex, Harrison, and I had a lengthy discussion about this. We’d like Rufus to take over as Bravo team lead on a temporary basis. August will assume command of the quick reaction force until Rufus returns.”

“Aye, Admiral.” CC gestured toward Evelyn and Trevor. “What do you have planned for us?”

“I spoke with the president of South Africa while you were running around the jungle. At last, he’s agreed to have Bedlam Delta positioned in the country. You’ll be meeting with the State Security Agency. The director general of the SSA will become the overseer for Bedlam Delta.” The admiral frowned as he glanced at Trevor again. “He’s driving a hard bargain as he wants a South African in charge of the team. You know what that means.”

“Understood, Admiral. We only have one experienced South African in our existing teams—Gerhard Badenhorst. I’m confident Gerhard is up to the task.”

The admiral nodded. “He’ll remain with Bedlam Bravo pending our finding a suitable replacement for him. In the meantime, our existing Bedlam team leaders will head to South Africa to establish the groundwork for setting up our newest team. I’ll speak with Gerhard and explain his promotion. Keep him posted as much as you can.”

“Aye, Admiral. Anything else?”

“As a matter of fact, there is, CC. We still need to discuss your transition to my deputy and your replacement as Alfa’s team lead.” The admiral shook his head. “We might need to go on a snatch-and-grab with the military and intelligence communities for volunteers.”

“Och aye, Admiral. Things have a way of working out.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 9, 2025

Randall Krzak

Last weekend, there were multiple forest fires in North Carolina and South Carolina. Fortunately, they didn’t seem to be as bad as those in California. There were three fires in our general area, but they were promptly dealt with before they became too large. Many thanks for the brave fire fighters and other first responders who took care of things.

Plenty of visits this week from the local wild turkeys, including a couple of toms. The deer also made a couple of appearances, along with the normal types of birds and squirrels. It’s always a treat to see all of the wildlife.

As the college basketball  conference championships approach, followed by March Madness, which begins on March 18th, the Michigan State Spartans continued their winning ways. While they didn’t move up in the Top Twenty-Five standings, remaining in eight position, they did improve their record to 25-5 with two more wins. Meanwhile, the Michigan Wolverines stumbled, losing two games and dropping their record to 22-8. Their final game of the regular season is later today, when they play each other in Lansing.

During the past week, the Detroit Pistons played three games, winning one and dropping two. Their record is now 35-29.

While the temperatures over the past week have hovered in the mid-60s most of the time, we were in the upper 70s yesterday. Other than a couple of early morning showers, it’s been dry. The forecast for today and tomorrow is rain and mid-50s, before heading back to the mid-70s for the remainder of the week.

We were delighted to have a visit from our former neighbors in Michigan this week. They stopped by for a day as they headed south to visit their family. It was great to see them agian and catch up.

“If you are in difficulties with a book, try the element of surprise: attack it at an hour when it isn’t expecting it.” – H.G. Wells. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 9th, the tenth Sunday of 2025 and the second one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Friederike C. Neuber, German actress and author (Allerkostbarste Schatz); William Cobbett, English journalist and author; Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian national poet and painter; Phoebe Knapp, American hymn writer and organist; Umberto Saba, Italian writer; David Garnett, English novelist and editor (Lady into Fox); Josef Weinheber, Austrian poet and writer (Adel und Untergang); Vita Sackville-West, English novelist, poet (The Land) and gardener (Sissinghurst); Frank Arnau [Heinrich Schmitt], German crime fiction writer; Umberto Saba, Italian writer; Peter C. Quennell, English biographer and critic (Byron in Italy); Rex Warner, English poet and writer (Wild Goose Chase); Derk Bodde, American sinologist and historian of China; Ed Hoornik, Dutch writer and poet (Survivor); Mickey Spillane [Frank Morrison Spillane], American mystery writer (I the Jury); Marie Cardinal, French writer (La Clé Sur La Porte); Simon Heere Heeresma, Dutch writer and poet (Han de Wit goes in development aid); Robert Calvert, South African-British writer and musician (Hawkwind); Keri Hulme, New Zealand novelist (The Bone People), poet and short-story writer; Michael Kinsley, American journalist and editor; Kevin Wade, American screenwriter (Working Girls); and Jack Kenny, American television writer and producer (Warehouse 13).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Mickey Spillane [Frank Morrison Spillane]. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I finished chapter fifteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another six reviews this week, bringing the total to 212. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

After CC emptied his magazine at the attackers, bushes around him rattle. He yanked his pistol and turned.

“Hold on, CC. Calvary to the rescue.” Rufus grabbed a piece of real estate next to CC while Evelyn did the same.

She pointed toward the jungle in front of them. “How many targets, CC?”

“I just kicked one into touch as I ran out of bullets. I think there might be one or two more, but I’m not sure.”

“What about Trevor?” Rufus gestured at the OP.

“Aye. He knocked out one or two others. Earlier, he said shots came from four different compass points, so there might not be any attackers left.”

Jungle noises resumed.

Trevor glanced at the body CC shot before he joined the others. “Looks like we got them all.”

“Aye. Let’s head back to camp and we’ll keep an eye on things from there. Holler before we approach as Bob’s still armed.”

The team leaders filled Bob in about the attack.

Bob shook his head. “You guys seem a bit subdued after what you’ve been through. I was ready to shit myself.”

Everyone laughed.

“Aye, Bob. We were all like that in the past, but time and experience have taught us how to control our emotions.” CC glanced at the others as he stowed his pistol, magazines, and NVGs in his rucksack before checking the magazine on his rifle and placing it near him on the table. “Let’s get some more rest—a couple of hours before daylight. I’ll keep watch for now. We’ll pack up as soon as possible.”

Trevor, Rufus, and Evelyn nodded as they headed to their personal tents.

“You, too, Bob.”

“If it’s okay with you, CC, I’d like to stay here. I’m too wired to rest.” Bob placed his weapon on the table next to CC’s”.

“Och aye. No worries. We’ll head to Panama City. Talk with the Embera-Wounaan and let them know what they can keep if they want it. We’ll need one or two of them to escort us back to Yaviza to the main road.”

“Will do, CC. And thanks.”

“Thanks for what?”

“Not treating might like a rookie.”

“Aye.” Although you are just like a new recruit.

The rest of the night passed without incident.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 2, 2025

Randall Krzak

Wildlife continue to visit on a regular basis. In addition to an abundance of various birds and at least eight squirrels, wild turkeys are prevalent. We haven’t seen as many deer recently, but there were four on Thursday and five on Fridays. As it gets warmer, we expect to see our larger visitors decline.

As college basketball heats up with conference championships on the horizon, followed by March Madness, which begins on March 18th, Michigan State (ranked eighth in the Top Twenty-Five) and Michigan (ranked fifteenth) site atop the Big Ten standings with 14-3 conference records (23-5 and 22-6, overall, respectively). 

Both teams have three conference games remaining. Assuming each team wins the first two, this will set up an exciting rematch on March 9th, when Michigan travels to Michigan State for the finale. Meanwhile, Michigan State plays Wisconsin later today, while Michigan takes on Illinois.

Over the past week, the Detroit Pistons won three games while dropping another. There record is now 34-27.  They have twenty-one games remaining on their 2024/25 schedule and are currently 6th in the Eastern Conference.

We’re now getting some warmer temperatures, with highs getting into the lower 70s.  However, the forecast for the following week shows temperatures primarily in the lower-mid 60s. Most days will be dry, but there is a slight chance of rain a couple of days and even a thunderstorm.

“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.”
– Oprah Winfrey. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 2nd, the ninth Sunday of 2025 and the first one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Thomas Bodley, English diplomat and scholar (founder of the Bodleian Library); George Sandys, English colonist and poet; Camille Desmoulins, French journalist, pamphleteer and revolutionary leader (his oratory led to storming of the Bastille); Evgeny Baratynsky, Russian poet; Janos Arany, Hungarian epic poet (Toldi, Death of King Buda); Multatuli [Eduard Douwes Dekker], Dutch writer (Max Havelaar); Henry Beebee Carrington, American lawyer, professor, prolific author, and Brigadier General (Union Army); Carl Schurz, German-American journalist and Major General (Union Army); Herman Schaepman ‘the Doctor’, Dutch poet, Roman Catholic priest, theologian, and politician; Sholem Aleichem [Solomon Rabinowitz], Yiddish author and playwright (Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye the Dairyman); John Jay Chapman, American poet, and writer (Learning & Other Essays); Dr, Seuss, American children’s author (The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham); Godfried Bomans, Dutch humorist and writer and TV personality (Pieter Bas); David Goodis, American crime fiction writer; Tom Wolfe, American journalist and author (The Right Stuff); John Cornell, Australian screenwriter (Paul Hogan Show; Crocodile Dundee), and director (Crocodile Dundee II); John Irving, American short-story writer (The World According to Garp; The Cider House Rules); Peter Straub, American award-winning fantasy and horror author; Mark Evanier, American writer; Michael Salinger, American poet known for his Poetry Slam performances; Morioka Hiroyuki, Japanese science fiction writer; and Glenn Rubenstein, American writer and journalist.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Dr. Seuss and John Irving. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I finished chapter fourteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eighteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 206. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

An hour later, Andres woke with a start. After glancing around and not spotting anyone, he donned his hat, rolled up the blanket, and mounted Shadow.  Soon he was back at the stables, turning Shadow’s reins over to the servant who brought out the horse earlier. “Gracias. Give him a good rub down and a portion of oats.”

“De nada, Jefe. I shall look after Shadow.” The servant took the reins and led Shadow away.

In a better mood, Andres returned to the hacienda. He walked along the veranda and entered through French doors into his office.

A servant appeared, holding a cup of coffee. “Did you enjoy your ride, Jefe? I thought you might like a drink to refresh you.”

“Gracias. Yes, the ride was worthwhile. I should do it more often. Has my guest arrived yet?”

“Sí, Jefe. He is meeting with Señor Juan at the moment. Shall I send them to you?”

“Sí, gracias.”

After the servant departed, he glanced around the room.  It was once the refuge of the previous owner. Its Brazilian cherrywood floor contrasted with the two walls lined with floor-to-ceiling oak bookcases. One day I should start reading the books.

A stack of hardwood in a stone fireplace waited to be ignited when the evening weather turned cool. The outer wall boasted glazed windows, with two sets of French doors opening onto the veranda. A massive portrait of his father seated on a brown quarter horse took center stage on the wall behind the desk. If only Padre could see me now.

His reminiscing was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Enter.”

Juan Guzman, Andres’ primary accountant, opened the door and stepped aside to let a short, stocky man with bowed legs enter.

They took easy chairs in front of Andres’ Italian-made oak desk.

“Jefe, this is Obasi Bankole, the deputy leader of Nigeria’s Black Shadow.”

Andres stood and shook hands with Obasi before the three men sat.

“I understand Black Shadow is looking to purchase cocaine from us.” Andres rubbed his upper lip, which was clean-shaven as was Obasi’s.

“Yes. I am authorized to arrange an agreement between our organizations.” Obasi smiled. “Of course, you must realize Africa is an impoverished continent compared to the Americas, so our purse strings are not as deep.”

Andres laughed. “I assume Juan gave you our initial price, which might be negotiable if terms can be reached.”

“Yes.” Obasi nodded as he lifted the briefcase he brought with him and extracted a document. He glanced at it before handing it to Andres. “As you can see, our leader, Mongo Abara, has proposed fifteen thousand dollars a kilo, if you can provide at least five hundred kilos to start.”

Andres turned to Juan. “What do you think? I know we can handle five hundred kilos without any difficulty. What about the price?”

“Jefe, I believe the best price we can do is eighteen thousand a kilo.”

Andres glanced at Obasi. “Will this work for you?”

Obasi shook his head. “I suggest sixteen thousand.”

“Hmm.” Andres stared at the ceiling. “Make it seventeen thousand and we have a deal. How would you like the cocaine delivered?”

“If I agree to seventeen thousand, we would like the merchandise delivered to one of our ships outside the Nigerian maritime border, which extends two hundred nautical miles from the coast.”

“Agreed. We would use a Panamanian-registered freighter for delivery. The initial funds must be sent to a bank of our choosing. Juan will help you with this. Future shipments can be paid to the ship’s captain for transferal to us.”

Obasi nodded. “Your terms are acceptable. Thank you.” He stood and reached out a hand.

Andres lumbered to his feet and shook the outstretched hand. “It will be our pleasure to do business with you.” He pushed a bell on the telephone console.

A servant appeared.

“Show Mr. Bankole to his vehicle por favor.” Andres turned to Obasi. “Do you require anything before your departure?”

“No.” Obasi glanced at his watch. “If I return to the airport now and depart, I shall be back in Nigeria this evening. Until we meet again.”

The servant escorted Obasi from the office.

 Andres turned to his accountant. “Keep a close eye on the progress with our new partner, Juan. If you find anything untoward, it might be necessary to contact someone in Miami to send a message. They’ll know just what is needed.”

Sí, Jefe.” Juan grinned. “My cousin’s friends are always looking to expand their influence. They will show these Black Shadow people not to mess with the CDG.” He drew an imaginary knife across his throat. “Otherwise, they shall become bait for the sharks.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Rambling, February 23, 2025

Randall Krzak

The wild turkeys put in appearances almost every day during the past week. Most times, it was just a group of 15-20 females, but on a couple of occasions, they were accompanied by a tom.  While the females pecked at the ground, the gobbler remained in the background as if keeping watch over the group. They usually departed en masse about twenty minutes after arriving.

This week we received a list of our next participation in the local farmer’s market. We have eight confirmed dates (all Sundays) between the beginning of May and the end of August. In addition, we’re wait listed for the other Sundays. Some time during this period, we should also receive word about our inclusion for September through the end of the year.

On Wednesday and Thursday morning, we had a few snow flurries–no real accumulation except a bit in sheltered areas. However, the temperature was sufficient so even this accumulation didn’t hang around long. It was funny hearing people in the stores talk about the flurries as if a major storm was going to hit us. It didn’t.

Turning to college basketball, Michigan won last Sunday and moved up to 12th in the Top Twenty.  Michigan State also won on Tuesday, but slid to 14th. On Friday, the two teams played each other in Ann Arbor. Michigan State won, 75-62, raising their record to 22-5, while Michigan dropped to 21-6.

The Detroit pistons won their first game after the All-Star break. This was their 5th consecutive win, and they are now 30-26. They play again tonight.

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” – Stephen King. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 23rd, the eight Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Samuel Pepys, English navy administrator and Member of Parliament famous for his Diary of the English Restoration period; Wilhelmus Schortinghuis, Dutch theologist (Profound Christianity); Richard Price, Welsh philosopher; John Walter II, English newspaper owner (who made The Times into an important newspaper, 1812-47); Herman Neubronner van der Tuuk, Dutch philologist (Tobasch’ Grammar); W.E.B. Du Bois, American civil rights activist, writer (Souls of Black Folk) and co-founder of the NAACP; B. Traven, German novelist (“The Death Ship”; “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”) who is cloaked in mystery and whose identity, real name and birthplace is disputed; Erich Kästner, German writer; Mien van ‘t Sant, Dutch author (Mieke serial); William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (Rise & Fall of 3rd Reich); Walter Allen, English writer and literary critic; Heinrich Schirmbeck, German author and activist (Das Spiegellabyrinth); David Wright, South African-British poet (Deafness: A Personal Account; Gery Florizoone, Flemish poet; Gerry Davis, British screenwriter (Dr Who); Jef Geeraerts, Flemish writer (Black Venus) and crime novelist; Donna J. Stone, American poet (Wielder of Words); Bernard Cornwell, English historical novelist; John Sandford, American novelist; and Doug Moench, American comic book writer known for his work on Batman and “Master of Kung Fu”.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Bernard Cornwell and John Sandford. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I finished chapter thirteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another seven reviews this week, bringing the total to 188. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

“Mis amigos, later today, I shall meet with a representative from a Nigerian group interested in purchasing more of our product as they try to increase their influence in Africa. I’ve been in discussion with them for several weeks, and yesterday, we reached an agreement.”

“Well done, Jefe.” Carlos grinned. “what will be our profit?”

“That is something we will settle during today’s negotiation. While we only receive about one thousand eight hundred dollars a kilo in Colombia, I hope to get at least half of what we earn in Estados Unidos, or about eighteen thousand a kilo.”

Diego rubbed his jaw. “B-But, J-Jefe, why the l-lower p-price?”

“Call this an introductory price.” Andres laughed. “When they realize the quality of our product, they will be willing to pay more, perhaps as much as twenty-nine thousand dollars a kilo.”

Carlos whistled. “Dios mío, Jefe!” We shall be richer than ever.”

“Sí and we shall give the church her due to worship God.” Andres clapped his hands.

A servant hovering in the background brought him fresh coffee.

After sipping on the hot brew, Andres glanced at his watch. “Felipe should be arriving soon from Yazivi to give us an update about the men he sent to deal with the outsiders.”

“J-Jefe, you m-mentioned last t-time that I w-would become the deputy j-jefe for Carlos and Felipe. W-When will I s-start?” As normal, Diesgo struggled with his words, caused by a stutter he developed in childhood.

“Do not worry, mi amigo.” Andres smiled. “After you discuss your duties with Carlos and Felipe, I shall pick a start state that is convenient to everyone.”

Diego nodded. “G-Gracias, J-Jefe.”

The door opened, and Felipe stormed in. He walked past the buffet and joined Andres and the others. “Sorry, Jefe. It took longer for me to return than I expected.”

“What happened?” Andres turned and waved a hand at the servant.

The servant brought a pot of coffee and an extra cup. After refilling Andres, Carlos, and Diego’s cups, he poured one for Felipe before returning to his station near the buffet.

Felipe took a sip of the steaming brew. “When I arrived at Yaviza, I expected to find our men were victorious.” He shook his head. “Much to my amazement, three of them were dead and the other three had suffered minor injuries. Arturo, the man I put in charge of the team, suffered the most serious injury, with a puncture near his heart. I brought him back with me, and he’s been taken to the hospital for treatment.” Felipe shrugged. “If he does not survive, there are other men who want to go.”

Andres crossed his arms as he grimaced. “So, who are these interlopers who dared to enter our territory?”

“I do not know, Jefe. But, they must be seasoned warriors.”

“Find out. This is an outrage, and their interference cannot be accepted.” Andres slammed a fist on the table, causing cups to spill. “I have an important meeting today. If details of this indignity were to get out, it might disrupt our expansión plans and make me a laughing stock among the other cartels.”

“Sí, Jefe.” Felipe started to rise.

“Sit.” Andres glared at Felipe. “I will tell you when to go. You must be famished. Eat first and return to Yaviza. Find out who dared to challenge us and get rid of them. If you must take additional men with you, do so.”

“Sí, Jefe. With your permission, I will arrange for more men to return with me. Afterward, I shall eat.”

Andres remained silent as he waved a hand in dismissal.

After Felipe departed, Andres glanced at Carlos and Diego. “Seems we have more work to do. I cannot believe Norteamericano federales are behind this. Must be someone else—perhaps their CIA?” Andres shook his head. “In any event, we must show we are powerful and not someone to be trifled with.” He jumped to his feet. “I’m going for a ride and will return in a couple of hours, in time for my meeting. You are dismissed. Adios.” He left the dining room, slamming the door behind him.

Carlos and Diego climbed out of their seats and echoed Andres’s farewell.  They looked at each other and shrugged.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, February 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been a fair bit of rain this week, culminating in a thunderstorm this morning. The weather hasn’t stopped the wildlife from visiting. In addition to the normal  myriad of birds and squirrels, flocks of wild turkeys range from fifteen to twenty-four were in attendance on four days. Twice at dusk , eight deer also dropped in.

We attended our first local farmer’s market last Sunday since moving. Although shorter in length compared to the small business markets we participated in while living in Scotland, the three-hour event passed quickly. I sold three autographed copies of my novels, while Sylvia sold two of her poetry books and four of her laminated poetry sheets.  I’m not sure yet when we’ll be there next, but we did submit an application covering numerous dates for the rest of the year. We should find out our slots in the next couple of weeks or so.

As the NBA headed toward its annual all-star events, the Detroit Pistons kicked things into high gear, winning three games and upping their record to 29-26. I hope they continue their winning ways after the all-star game!

The Michigan State Spartans played two games this week, splitting the pair. They saw a slight slide in the Top Twenty-Five, going from 9th to 11th. Their record is now 20-5.  Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Wolverines played one game this week,  adding another win and moving their record to 19-5. They moved up to 20th in the Top Twenty-Five. Hopefully, they’ll add another game to the win column when they play this afternoon.

“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” – William Faulkner. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 16th, the seventh Sunday of 2025 and the third one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Orderic Vitalis, English-born French monk and chronicler (Historia Ecclesiastica); Giambattista Bodoni, Italian typographer (Bodoni), printer and publisher; Johann Wilhelm Heinse, German novelist and art critic of the Sturm und Drang period; Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German writer (Gaudeamus); Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (The Tale of Cross-eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea; Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), and playwright; Ernst Haeckel, German biologist (Causes of Evolution) and philosopher (Social Darwinism); Henry Adams, American historian and writer (Education of Henry Adams); Octave Mirbeau, French writer (Journal of a Lady’s Maid); William S. Scarborough, American linguist and author (Birds of Aristophanes); Elizabeth Craig, Scottish cookery book writer; Van Wyck Brooks, American literary historian and writer (Ordeal of Mark Twain); Albert Hackett, American actor, playwright and screenwriter (It’s A Wonderful Life; The Diary of Anne Frank); Hal Porter, Australian writer (Tilted Cross, Paper Chase); Arthur Crook, British editor (Times Literary Supplement); Bob Tadema Sporry, Dutch author; Hubert van Herreweghen, Belgian poet; Araucaria [John Galbraith Graham], British crossword compiler (The Guardian) and priest; Paul van ‘t Veer, Dutch journalist and writer (Het Vrije Volk); Peter Porter, Australian-British author and poet (Chair of Babel); Alfred Kolleritsch, Austrian poet and literary journalist; [Ervin] Aharon Appelfeld, Israeli writer (Blooms of Darkness; Badenheim), and holocaust survivor; Paul Bailey, English novelist and biographer; Richard Ford, American author (Sportswriter); Eckhart Tolle, German-born author (The Power of Now) and spiritual teacher; Dorus Vrede, Surinam poet (Otobanda; the Other Bank); Guy Gallo, American poet, playwright, and screenwriter (Under the Volcano); and Warren Ellis, British comic book writer (Red).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

Work continues at a good pace on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series, finishing chapter twelve and posting it to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another nineteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 181. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

Around 03:00, Trevor was back in the OP. He munched on an energy bar and took a swig of water from his canteen. When he resettled himself, he used the AN/PSQ-20 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle (ENVG) to scan the perimeter. Hmm. Awful quiet. He picked up his radio and keyed the mic. He whispered, “Haggis, this is Black. Heads up. Jungle’s gone quiet. Expect visitors.”

***

In his tent, CC listened to Trevor and keyed his radio once to acknowledge the warning. Still dressed, CC dashed out of his tent, stopping at the other tents to pass the alert.

CC returned to the command tent, where he shoved his SIG Sauer pistol, and magazines for the pistol and his assault rifle in a rucksack, before donning his ATN PS31-2 night vision goggles.

Moments later, Evelyn and Rufus entered and did the same.

Bob joined them, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Get kitted up. Trevor said company is on the way.” CC grabbed several power bars and a full canteen and added them to his rucksack before heading outside.

“What?” Bob’s jaw dropped.

“Just do what we rehearsed earlier. Your designated station is here in the command tent.” Evelyn put a reassuring hand on Bob’s arm. “Rufus and I will follow CC. We’ll be ringed in a semi-circle between the command tent and the OP, so be careful if you begin shooting so you don’t hit one of us.”

Bob nodded before rushing to the corner and grabbing a rucksack CC made up for his earlier. He tipped over the table and took his position.

Evelyn nodded as she and Rufus dashed outside to their pre-arranged spots among the trees.

Craack! Craack! Craack!

Single shots woke the jungle.

The animals who made the jungle their home began screeching as they hurried away from the danger.

Rat-a-tat! Rat-a-tat!

CC, Evelyn, and Rufus strained with the NVGs as they searched for infiltrators.

“Incoming invaders!” Trevor spoke on the unified radio channel. “I’ve seen shots from at least four vectors.”

“Aye, Black. We’re ready.” CC removed the safety on his assault rifle as he prepared to take on their attackers.

A shadow, darker than the rest of the jungle, rose in front of CC.

With an automatic reflex, CC first a single shot.

The shadow screamed and dropped from sight.

More screams erupted as tracer fire lit up the jungle.

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, February 2, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been plenty of wildlife visitors this week. Last Sunday, a flock of wild turkeys came. If I counted correctly, there were thirty in the flock. A couple days later, a slightly smaller flock appeared, numbering twenty-five. Finally, on Friday, there were twenty-two turkeys, with an eight deer escort. Of course, the birds and squirrels are here each day.

There were mixed results for the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans’ basketball teams. Michigan did fall out of the Top Twenty-Five as expected. They did win two games this week, improving to 16-5. Meanwhile, the Spartans moved into 7th in the Top Twenty-Five, but they won’t remain there when the next poll is released. They won one game this week, but lost the second one. Their record is now 18-3.

The Detroit Pistons also had a mixed week, winning once but dropping two games. They are even at 24-24. Hopefully, they’ll keeping adding to the win column.

“Just know that everyone’s writing is terrible. Until it’s not. No one’s stuff is right immediately. You gotta work it. Refine it. Shape it. Spend time with it. It’s a relationship. Between you and what comes from you. Not easy. Gonna be terrible before it’s not. And that’s okay.”  – Ava DuVernay. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 2 , the fifth Sunday of 2025 and the first one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Anna Roemers Visscher, Dutch poet; Gabriel Naudé, French librarian and scholar, personal librarian to Cardinal Mazarine, assembled his Bibliothèque Mazarine; Christian Gottfried Thomas, German composer, publisher, and musicologist; Hans E Schack, Danish politician and writer (Phantasterne – Fantasy); Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav, Slovak poet; Havelock Ellis, English physician and social reformer who studied sexual behaviour (Psychology of Sex; Curtis Guild, Jr., American politician, journalist and soldier, 43rd Governor of Massachusetts (1906-09; Annette Kolb, German author (Small Fanfare) and pacifist; Christian Gauss, American professor and writer (Phi Beta Kappa award namesake); James Joyce, Irish novelist and poet (Dubliners, Ulysses, Finnigan’s Wake); Aldo Palazzeschi [Giurlani], Italian writer (I cavalli bianchi); Kurt Baschwitz, German-Dutch sociologist and journalist (Du und); Carroll Righter, American columnist and astrologer to the stars; Buzurg Alavi, Iranian writer (Panjah va sih nafar, Namal’ha); Ayn Rand [Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum], Russian-American author, screenwriter and philosopher who developed the philosophical system of “Objectivism” (Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead); Bernardas Brazdzionis, Lithuanian poet, editor and critic; Evert Werkman, Dutch journalist (Het Parool); Xuân Diệu, Vietnamese poet; James Dickey, American poet, novelist and lecturer (Deliverance, Buckdancer’s Choice); Liz Smith [Mary Elizabeth], American journalist and gossip columnist known as “The Grand Dame of Dish” (WNBC, NY Daily News); Nydia Ecury, celebrated Afro-Dutch writer, translator and actress (Kantika pa Mama Tera); Judith Viorst, American author; Thomas M. Disch, American sci-fi author (Genocides, 102 H-Bombs); and Ina Garten, American author and TV cooking show host (Barefoot Contessa, Food Network).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: James Joyce and James Dickey. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

Work continues at a good pace on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I posted chapter eleven this week to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another thirteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 154. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

“Hmm.” Andres closed his eyes as he stared at the ceiling. Carlos is right—I forgot about El Padre’s venture into the Darien which the rest of the Gaitanistas admired. If he hadn’t sent me to the los Estados Unidos to attend university, I would have remembered. But I can’t let Carlos think he’s in control.

When he opened his eyes, Andres studied his manicured hands before staring at Carlos. “Gracias for the reminder. I had forgotten El Padre’s efforts when the Gaitanistas began taking advantage of the Darien. So, if there are no objections, we will proceed with expanding our distribution center in Yaviza, but I also want to further explore putting a second facility in La Palma.”

Carlos and Diego glanced at each other. They both nodded.

“S-Sí, Jefe.” Diego grinned. “We both a-agree with your p-plan. W-Who will you put in c-charge of the new f-facilities?”

Andres put his hands together in a church steeple pose, his elbows resting on the table. “I wish Felipe was here to provide us with his opinions. However, since he’s at Yavizi more than either of you, I think he should be the one in charge.”

“But, Jefe, I have been with you longer.” Carlos shook his head. “Does not my seniority and loyalty count for anything?”

I knew he was hoping to be put in charge at Yavizi. “Of course, Carlos. You shall be responsible for setting up operations in the La Palma área.”

“What? Excuse me, Jefe. Gracia for this honor.”

I doubt he thinks it’s an honor, but I must establish my authority, especially with Carlos as he has friends in high places within the organization. Andres nodded. “This will be an important undertaking. Should you succeed, there will be ample other opportunities in the future.”

“Sí, Jefe.”

Andres turned to Diego. “Do not think I have forgotten you, my friend. I appoint you as the deputy jefe for both locations. You will work with Felipe and Carlos to sort out the details for your appointment.”

Diego beamed at the news. “I-It is a great h-honor you have b-bestowed on me, Jefe. I cannot thank you enough.”

Andres waved a hand in dismissal. “You are both being rewarded. Doing a respectful job will be the thanks I deserve—and respect. I—”

The dining room door opened, and a tall, thin man with short-cropped black hair entered. “Sorry, I am late, Jefe. I shall explain.” He gestured toward the buffet. “May I eat first?”

Andres nodded. “Welcome back, Felipe. Grab your food and join us.” Andres turned to the lone servant still in the room. “Bring more coffee, por favor.”

The servant nodded. He brought a new pot of coffee and a cup. After refilling Andres’ cup, he filled the others, putting the new cup in front of Felipe’s seat.  Afterward, he departed.

Felipe sat and began to eat, shoveling a large forkful of eggs and beans into his mouth. After he finished chewing, he sipped his coffee. “Jefe, I was late because our facility near Yavizi might be under surveillance. One of the Embera-Wounaan working for us spotted some foreigners in the area. Since there aren’t any roads beyond Yavizi, it’s difficult to move around. However, the man said there were three vehicles. Other members of the Embera-Wounaan had helped clear a path for the foreigners to set up a camp.”

Andres tilted his head. “Any contact with these intruders?”

“Sí, Jefe.” Felipe took another bite of his food and washed it down with more coffee. “The Embera-Wounaan took two of our men to where he had spotted the foreigners. They have several tents set up, including a command tent of some type. Our men spotted three foreigners, with one man in an observation post away from the camp. This man began shooting, so our men responded before disappearing into the jungle. They came back to our facility and reported to me.”

Andres nodded. “What happened next?”

“I warned Carlos I would be late for today’s meeting. Afterward, I requested six armed men return to Yavizi on the plane that brought me. They have orders to infiltrate the foreign camp, and, if possible, take one of them hostage.” Felipe grinned. “I assumed you would approve of this, Jefe.”

“Of course.” Why are things always going against what I want? “Anything else?

“Sí, Jefe. Once they kidnap one of the foreigners, they are to take care of the others. As the Americans say in some of their movies, they are to ‘dispatch them with extreme prejudice.”

Everyone laughed.

“B-But, Jefe, what if th-these men are Norteamericano f-federales?”

Andres shrugged. “It matter not. Whether they are federales or another cartel trying to encroach on our territory, they will learn the same lesson—El Tapon del Darien can be a dangerous place, one where they might lose their lives.”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, January 26, 2025

Randall Krzak

This week the variety of wildlife visiting us increased. For the first time, we saw two hairy woodpeckers (I think), an Eastern bluebird, and twenty-one wild turkeys. While the turkeys have visited before, we haven’t had this number.  While we’ve heard the woodpeckers before, this was the first time they were close enough to the house to see them. We continue to have regular visits from eight deer, along with squirrels, crows, pigeons, sparrows, cardinals, and blue jays. It’s always interesting to check out our visitors.

I continue to follow the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans’ basketball teams. Both team played twice during the past week. Michigan one their first game in overtime, but lost the second one. They are now 14-5, and currently listed as 21st in the Top Twenty-Five, but with the loss will likely lose their position. Michigan State won both of their games, improving their record to 17-2. They are now ranked eighth in the Top Twenty-Five.

With the Detroit Lions faltering at the end of the season, I’ve started following the Detroit Pistons.  The Pistons had an abysmal record last year (2023-24), finishing 14-68. They are already 23-22 this year.

“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” – Mario Andretti. Compliments of https://www.aspiringwriteracademy.com/45-motivational-quotes-for-aspiring-writers.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 26th, the fourth Sunday of 2025 and the last one for January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Florent Chrestien, French writer; Claude Adrien Helvétius, French controversial philosopher (On the Mind); Achim von Arnim [Ludwig Joachim von Arnim], German Romantic poet and writer (Des Knaben Wunderhorn); Rufus King, American newspaper editor, politician and Brigadier General (Union Army); Mary Mapes Dodge, American children’s author (St. Nicholas Magazine), editor and writer (Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates); Samuel Hopkins Adams [Warner Fabian], American journalist and muckraker (Average Jones); Edward Sapir, American linguist and anthropologist (North American Indian languages); Charles Scribner III, American book publisher; lya Ehrenburg, Russian Soviet war correspondent, writer (The Fall of Paris; The Thaw; People, Years, Life), editor, and poet; Menno ter Braak, Dutch writer (Carnaval of the Citizens); Romney Brent, Mexican-American actor and writer (Dinner at the Ritz); Kaye Webb, English writer and publisher (Puffin Club); Philip José Farmer, American sci-fi writer (Riverworld); John Logan Gorlay, British journalist and editor; Michael Bentine, English author and comedian (Reluctant Jester, The Goons); Claude Ryan, Quebec newspaper editor; Farman Fatehpuri [Syed Dildar Ali], Urdu scholar, linguist, critic and author; José María Valverde, Spanish philosopher, poet and translator (La espera, Historia de la literatura universal); Roger Landry, Canadian businessman and newspaper publisher (La Presse); Angela Davis, African American activist, author and professor; Christopher Hampton, Portuguese playwright (Oviri, Hotel du Lac); Jonathan Carroll, American author; and Shannon Hale, American author.

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

Work continues on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I posted chapter ten this week to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another thirteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 141. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

Andres López, the local leader of the Gaitanistas in Necoclí, paced the veranda of Hacienda Los Urabeños. It was named in honor of a former name for the Gaitanistas. As one of the nephews of the group’s leaders, he held his role with passion and power—both dangerous in his quest to one day become the primary boss.

He flicked the butt of his Cuban cigar over the railing as he continued to pace, running his hands through his long, black hair. He turned as he sensed someone opening a door from inside the hacienda.

One of Andres’ servants held the door open. “Excuse me, Jefe. Breakfast is ready por favor.”

Andres nodded and entered, walking along the inner hallway to the dining room. As he approached, the aroma of the buffet breakfast set his stomach rumbling.

Two of his underlings stood as he took his seat at the head of the table.

Andres motioned for them to sit. “Buenos días, Carlos and Diego.”

The men returned the salutation. “Good morning, Jefe.”

Andres gestured to an empty seat. “Where is Felipe? I thought he would be joining us.”

“Sí, Jefe.” Carlos Ramírez frowned. “We received a message he hadn’t returned from El Tapon del Darien yet. It seems there is a problem near the plant.”

“What sort of problem?”

“It is unclear, Jefe.” Diego Sánchez shrugged. “One of the Embera-Wounaan assisting us reported an issue, but we have not learned the details.”

Andres sighed as he rubbed the jagged scar on his left cheek, the result of a mishap in his youth. “If the Darien weren’t such an excellent place to hide some of our drug-smuggling operations, I would propose we vacate the area. However, we are making a fortune from this business and by charging an entry and transiting tax on the migrants who want to cross into Panama.”

A servant filled a plate from the buffet with beans, rice, and eggs and set it in front of Andres.

A second servant brought Andres a glass of mango juice and a cup of Café San Alberto.

As he drank from the glass, this signaled to the others they could help themselves at the buffet. They stood and filled their plates before rejoining Andres.

Only the sound of the men eating and drinking filled the room as conversation ceased.

Once he finished his breakfast, Andres pushed away his plate and reached for the coffee. After sipping to check the temperature, he smiled and leaned back in his chair, holding the cup.

Even though they hadn’t finished eating, Carlos and Diego followed standard protocol when in Andres’s presence and stopped eating.

The two servants, who had remained in the background, refilled coffee cups and glasses They cleared away the dirty dishes and left the dining room.

Andres cleared his throat. “We must decide soon on where we will push forward with my plan to increase our drug supply distribution center toward the eastern edge of the Darien Gap. I still think La Palma would be the logical choice, given it has a decent-sized population, so we would be able to hire additional men if needed.”

“Sí, Jefe.” Carlos glanced at Diego as if seeking reassurance. “There is an airport outside the town. If memory serves me, it’s called Miraflores Airport. Your advice is always well-intended. However, I propose Yaviza as the better location. Your father established our initial center outside the city to take advantage of access to the Chucunaque River when the population was larger than La Palma. Today, the towns are about the same size. Beyond Yavizi to the east, the roads are paved, making it easier to transport our product into Panama City. La Palma does not have such access. There is also an airstrip near Yaviza.”

“Hmm.” Andres closed his eyes as he stared at the ceiling. Carlos is right—I forgot about El Padre’s venture into the Darien which the rest of the Gaitanistas admired. If he hadn’t sent me to the los Estados Unidos to attend university, I would have remembered. But I can’t let Carlos think he’s in control.

When he opened his eyes, Andres studied his manicured hands before staring at Carlos. “Gracias for the reminder. I had forgotten El Padre’s efforts when the Gaitanistas began taking advantage of the Darien. So, if there are no objections, we will proceed with expanding our distribution center in Yaviza, but I also want to further explore putting a second facility in La Palma.”

Carlos and Diego glanced at each other. They both nodded.

“S-Sí, Jefe.” Diego grinned. “We both a-agree with your p-plan. W-Who will you put in c-charge of the new f-facilities?”

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved