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Randall’s Ramblings, February 22, 2026

Randall Krzak

In the past, today would be celebrated as the birthday of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Now it’s celebrated as President’s Day, the third Monday of February, to recognize all presidents.

We’ve seen a rise in temperatures this week, hitting a high of 81 degrees on Friday. We also had a couple of brief downpours, and the pansies we planted last year are now producing seedlings.

The Detroit Pistons have come out of the All Star break picking up where they left off, winning two more games and increasing their record to 42-13. They are in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland.

The Michigan Wolverines briefly moved into first place in the NCAA rankings. Although they won another game this week, they lost 68-63 to 3rd-ranked Duke. The Wolverines are now 25-2 on the season. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans, who had dropped to 15th in the rankings, improved their record to 21-5 with a win over UCLA.

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” — Ray Bradbury, WD. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 22ns, the 8th Sunday of 2026 and the fourth and final one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Rashi, French rabbi who wrote commentaries on the Talmud and Hebrew Bible; Tahmasp I, shah of Iran (1524-76) and author (Tazkire-i Shah); Louis-Georges de Bréquigny, French historian; Alexander Campbell, Scottish composer and writer (associate of Walter Scott); Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher (“The World as Will and Representation”) known for his philosophical pessimism; Józef Kremer, Polish philosopher, art historian and psychologist; Oskar Kolberg, Polish ethnographer, folklorist, and composer (Lud); James Russell Lowell, American poet, critic and diplomat (Biglow Papers); James Barnet Fry, American historian and Brevet Major General (Union Army); Robert Alexander Cameron, American soldier and newspaper publisher (Union Army); Francis Pharcellus Church, American editor and publisher (The New York Sun – “Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus”); Leon Vanderkindere, Belgian historian and mayor (Ukkel); Aldredo de Escragnolle Taunay, Brazilian writer (Inocencia), musician and politician; Karen Hulda Garborg, Norwegian playwright (Mot Solen/Eli; Jules Renard, French writer (Poil de Carotte; Zitkala-Sa, also known by her Anglicized and married name, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Native American (Yankton Dakota) writer, violinist, librettist (The Sun Dance Opera), educator, and political activist; Yme Schuitmaker, Frisian-Dutch potato merchant, actor, and playwright (Maerteblom (Snowdrop); Lysbet); Norman Lindsay, Australian artist and novelist (The Magic Pudding); Alfred Wikenhauser, German RC exegetist (John-Apokalyps); Hugo Ball, German playwright and social critic (co-founder Flametti, Dada); Robin G. Collingwood, English philosopher. historian (“The Principles of Art”; “The Idea of History”) and archaeologist (Roman Britain); Edna St Vincent Millay, American poet, dramatist and feminist (Harp Weaver-Pulitzer Prize); Victor Raúl Haya de la Torre, Peruvian politician and author (founder of Peruvian Aprista Party); Paul Van Ostaijen, Belgian-Dutch poet, writer and critic (Occupied City); George O’Hara, American silent era screenwriter and actor (The Sea Beast, The Grapes of Wrath); Giorgos Seferis [Georgios Seferiades], Greek poet (Nobel 1963); Seán Ó Faoláin [John Whelan], Irish short story writer (Murder at Cobbler’s Hulk); Stefan Lorant, Hungarian-American writer, photojournalist, filmmaker; Morley Callaghan, Canadian author and radio personality (Toronto Star, Native Argosy); Edward Robb Ellis, American diarist and journalist who is the most prolific diarist in the history of American letters with an estimated 22 million words; Jane Bowles, American writer; Wayne Booth, American literary critic; Edward Gorey, American author and artist (The Curious Sofa, The Gashlycrumb Tinies); Gerald Stern, American poet, (The One Thing in Life), essayist (Some Secrets), and educator; Paul Dooley, American character actor (Sixteen Candles; Strange Brew; Grace Under Fire), comedian, and screenwriter (The Electric Company); Jules van Neerven, Dutch economist, journalist, and editor (Limbourg Daily); oanna Russ, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Female Man, Alyx); Ishmael Reed, American author (Last Days of Louisiana Red); Felice Picano, American publisher, memoirist and novelist (The Lure, Like People in History); and Richard Greenberg, American playwright (Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain).

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 slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as multiple external activities are consuming most of my time. Over the past week, there was one additional chapter review, bringing the total to seventy. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Ali led them to the same vehicle he used the night before. “Our chariot awaits.”

Once everyone climbed inside, Ali tapped the dash. “We are at peace today. Our conveyance will take us where we want to go.”

As promised, the engine fired on the first try without the black smoke.

He pulled out of the parking spot and plunged into the traffic without a glance at other vehicles.

While some drivers blew their horns, most just gave way to another Cairo driver.

“It will take much longer to reach the warehouse than coming from the airport. Traffic is very bad, so I must go slow. However, the warehouse is exactly what we will need to prepare for our excursion to Abydos.”

“How is the money holding out?” Charles attempted to keep his hand away from the panic strap, although he did grab it from time to time. He kept working imaginary brakes whenever he thought they might collide with another vehicle.

“Your benefactor was most gracious with his funds. I have used no more than half of what he sent. Of course, I shall inform you right away if I need more.”

“Excellent.” Charles glanced at Sylvia. “I shall let him know in due course. After our visit to the warehouse, I’d like you to take us on a drive around the city and point out some of the tourist spots. We will want to visit some of them before we head to Abydos.”

“Yes, Professor. When would you like to put the charms of Cairo behind us?

“How soon can we be ready?”

“If I am not so mistaken, we could depart the day after tomorrow. If it is permitted, I would like to take Sylvia and Finley to the nearby pyramids.”

“Aye. Good idea. I wonder how much has changed since I was here five years ago?”

Many more tourists, along with those who prey upon them.” Ali slammed on the brakes as he blew the horn.

Ahead, a bus and a truck had collided, blocking both lanes. A horde of people surrounded both vehicles, yelling and shouting, with some making threatening gestures with their hands.

“I am thinking everyone should hold on.” Ali twisted the wheel, turning around in the narrow street. “We shall go a different way, as this could be blocked for many hours. Even longer if fights break out among the onlookers.”

He made a right at the first crossroad. Rows of three and four-story buildings lined each side of the street. Various shops, including pharmacies, family-owned grocery stores, and clothes merchants, occupied the ground floor of each building, with apartments on the upper ones.

“I think—”

An overloaded truck trundled through the next intersection, the load careening toward them. The driver ignored the horn of Ali’s smaller vehicle and continued by, forcing Ali to give way.

“Driving in Cairo can be challenging at the best of times. It is not for those with a faint heart.” He grinned. “But this is what makes Cairo a special place to live.”

For the next thirty minutes, Ali weaved and swerved around pedestrians, mopeds, and cards, the van rocking in time with his movements. He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Keep an eye on the car behind us—he might try to squeeze between us and the parked vehicles.” He shook his head. “That driver is crazier than I am.”

“Watch out!” Charles pointed through the windscreen as he mashed on the imaginary brakes at his feet. “Camels!”

Metal crunched and crumpled as Ali sideswiped a parked vehicle blocking part of the street. He managed to dodge the camels. “Whew! I thought I would be buying someone a camel.”

“What about the car you hit?” Charles jerked a thumber over his shoulder.

“It is the cost of doing business when parking on Cairo streets.” Ali shrugged. “Besides, the driver tried to park in a spot half the size of his vehicle. It is his fault.” He gestured forward. “Our turn will soon be upon us.”

* * *

Two teenagers grabbed the ropes attached to their camels. As they managed to calm the skittish animals, a car sped toward them.

“Hurry, Omar. They’re getting away!”

“Relax, Pisir. He gunned the green Ford Fiesta’s engine and aimed for a small gap between the lead camel and the car Ali sideswiped. Omar yanked the wheel, crashing into the rear side panel of the vehicle, which blocked part of the street.

Both men slammed forward with the impact, their heads meeting the dash.

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 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, February 15, 2026

Randall Krzak

February is rolling along as we head towards spring. The temperature are slowly improving, although it’s still around freezing at night. We’re receiving a good rain today, which we need as everything seems pretty dry. Will this start of turning things green? Will have to wait and see.

The Detroit Pistons won two more games this week, raising their to 40-13. As the NBA heads into their All Star break, Detroit is still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland. I hope after the break they continue their winning ways.

The Michigan Wolverines (2nd in the NCAA rankings) beat Ohio State and Northwestern this week before they roared past UCLA 86-56 to up their record to 24-1. With first place Arizona falling yesterday, will Michigan become the new first place team? We should find out tomorrow. They have six more games before the Big Ten tournament.

Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans lost another game this week, falling to Wisconsin 92-71 and dropping their record to 20-5. Although they are currently ranked 10th in the NCAA rankings, they’ll likely drop a few places when the new poll is released.

“I’m out there to clean the plate. Once they’ve read what I’ve written on a subject, I want them to think, ‘That’s it!’ I think the highest aspiration people in our trade can have is that once they’ve written a story, nobody will ever try it again.”— Richard Ben Cramer. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 15th, the 7th Sunday of 2026 and the third one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Claude Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon, French satirical novelist (The Skimmer); Friedrich August Wolf, German philologist (Prolegomena); Jens Baggesen, Danish writer and linguist (Labyrinth); Abraham de Amorie van der de Have, Dutch theologist and poet; Demetrius Vikelas, Greek businessman and writer (first President International Olympic Committee 1894-1896); Alfred North Whitehead, British mathematician and philosopher (Adventures of Ideas); Halford John Mackinder, British geographer (Britain and the British Seas); Bannister Fletcher, English architect and architectural historian (A History of Architecture); Sax Rohmer [Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward], English author (Dr Fu Manchu novels); Sidney Gilliat, English screenwriter (Night Train to Munich) and director,; Ypk van der Fear, Dutch writer (Reade Runen); George Mikes, Hungarian-British writer and humorist (How to Be an Alien); Ian Ballantine, American publisher (Ballantine Books); Piet van Aken, Flemish writer (Klinkaart, Het begeren); Radha Krishna Choudhary, Indian historian and writer (History of Bihar); Herman Kahn, American, writer and military strategist (Thinking About the Unthinkable); Norman Bridwell, American author and cartoonist (Clifford the Big Red Dog); Gérard Chaliand [Gérard Tchalian], Belgian-French writer and geopolitical expert (Revolution in the Third World, A Global History of War); Paul Ekman, American psychologist known for his work on facial expressions (Telling Lies, Emotions Revealed); Susan Brownmiller, American activist and feminist author (Against Our Wills); Gregory Mcdonald, American mystery writer known for “Fletch”; Jack Tinker, British theater critic for the Daily Mail; Jo Clayton, American sci-fi and fantasy author (Irsud, Maeve, Star Hunters); Ian Heads, Australian sports journalist, commentator and author who was rugby league’s foremost historian (Rugby League Week); Douglas Hofstadte, American academic and writer; Art Spiegelman, American cartoonist (The New Yorker, 1992-2002), Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novelist (Maus), and editor (Arcade; Raw); Matt Groening, American cartoonist and writer (Life in Hell; The Simpsons; Futurama); Chrystine Brouillet, Quebec novelist (Chère Voisine); Josh Marshall, American journalist and blogger (Talking Points Memo); and Miranda July, American writer, actress, and filmmaker (You, Me, and Everyone We Know;; Kajillionaire).

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 slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as multiple external activities are consuming most of my time. Over the past week, there have been an additional eight chapter reviews, bringing the total to sixty-nine. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

The following morning, Ali joined Charles, Isabella, and Finley for breakfast at the Blue Restaurant and Grill inside the Kempinski Hotel. When Ali entered, his eyes bulged as a hand shot to his chest. “Have I died and gone to heaven? One day here would feed my entire village for a full week.”

“Where is your village? Will we be able to visit?” Isabella buttered a warm croissant and set it on the plate next to her tea.

Ali waved a hand in a northwesterly direction. “It is not too far from Cairo. Sometimes the desert encroaches on the buildings as the sand shifts.” He laughed. “At one point, my ancestral home was no longer in the village, which created many difficulties.”.

“Finley laughed. “What happened?”

“My father, may the gods protect him from all evil, is the chieftain, although I do not know how much longer he will walk the earth. Tradition passed down through generations requires the chieftain to always reside in the village.” He is a very sagacious man—at least he was, but his mind is somewhat depleted. However, now he is in his ninetieth year. To solve the problem, he purchased a second house—this one in the middle of the village. So when the parameters of the village shifted one more, he moved back into the ancestral home. Either way, he always remains within the village, no matter what the desert does.”

Charles smiled. “I hope we meet your family while we’re here.”

“That is my plan.” Ali glanced toward the ceiling. “However, I do not want to tempt fate nor upset the guards. As you would say, we will play this by the ear.”

“I’d like to visit the warehouse you chose for our base.” Charles ran a hand over his blue cotton shirt and black trousers. “As you can see, I’ve shed my fancy travel clothes.” He laughed. “I see you have too, Ali.”

“I wore the fez and Bedouin clothes just to make an impression with Isabella and Finley.” Ali looked down. “This suit is more my style, but like you, I will wear something more suitable for our excursion. You are much more presentable now for me to take around Cairo. It is most inadvisable to be showing any wealth—it will mark you as a person for the thieves.”

“What about us staying here?” Isabella glanced at Charles. “Should we change hotels?”

Ali shook his head. “Many foreigners visit Cairo each year and stay in the best hotels without any known difficulties. It is when you travel around the city that bad things might happen. After today, Jabari or one of his team will be with us whenever we leave the hotel.”

“What about today?” Charles pursed his lips.

“Ah. He is busy making arrangements.” Ali patted his left shoulder. “Howsoever security is needed, I am armed.”

Charles finished his coffee. “Are we ready to go?”

“If you do not mind, Professor, I would like one more of these delicious pastries—or perhaps two, if they are not too filling.” Ali patted his taut stomach. “I must ensure my body has the proper food to keep me functioning at my normal high levels. Besides, I do not think I have tasted anything so good.”

Everyone laughed.

“I had the hotel put a hamper together to take with us.” Isabella smiled. There should be plenty of pastries, fruit, and sandwiches to tide us over.”

“Perfect.” Ali took a large bite of his pastry and washed it down with a cup of tea. “Two minutes shall pass when I am ready.”

At last, they stood and left the hotel.

Ali led them to the same vehicle he used the night before. “Our chariot awaits.”

Once everyone climbed inside, Ali tapped the dash. “We are at peace today. Our conveyance will take us where we want to go.”

As promised, the engine fired on the first try without the black smoke.

He pulled out of the parking spot and plunged into the traffic without a glance at other vehicles.

While some drivers blew their horns, most just gave way to another Cairo driver.

“It will take much longer to reach the warehouse than coming from the airport. Traffic is very bad, so I must go slow. However, the warehouse is exactly what we will need to prepare for our excursion to Abydos.”

“How is the money holding out?” Charles attempted to keep his hand away from the panic strap, although he did grab it from time to time. He kept working imaginary brakes whenever he thought they might collide with another vehicle.

“Your benefactor was most gracious with his funds. I have used no more than half of what he sent. Of course, I shall inform you right away if I need more.”

“Excellent.” Charles glanced at Isabella. “I shall let him know in due course. After our visit to the warehouse, I’d like you to take us on a drive around the city and point out some of the tourist spots. We will want to visit some of them before we head to Abydos.”

“Yes, Professor. When would you like to put the charms of Cairo behind us?

“How soon can we be ready?”

“If I am not so mistaken, we could depart the day after tomorrow. If it is permitted, I would like to take Isabella and Finley to the nearby pyramids.”

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 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, February 8, 2026

Randall Krzak

Last weekend’s snow disappeared by Tuesday as the temperatures rose. We did have some flurries on Thursday, but they didn’t amount to anything as they melted as soon as they hit the ground.  Even the wildlife visitors cut back on their appearances as they seem to be able to forage. The temperature is supposed to be in the upper 50s for a few days this coming week, before dropping back into the 40s.

The Detroit Pistons were busy this past week, dropping one game but winning three games to raise their record to 38-13. They’re still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland. I hope they to continue to win and improve as the season moves forward.

The Michigan Wolverines moved back into second place in the NCAA rankings. They played on game this week, rolling over Penn State 110-69, to up their record to 21-1. The Wolverines play Ohio State this evening.

The Michigan State Spartans dropped to 10th in the NCAA rankings but returned to their winning ways last night by knocking off 5th-ranked Illinois in overtime 85-82. The Spartans are now 20-4 on the season.

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” — Ernest Hemingway. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 8th, the 6th Sunday of 2026 and the second one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Théodore-Agrippa d’Aubigné, French soldier, historian and poet (Histoire Universelle / Universal History); Robert Burton, British writer and Anglican clergyman (The Anatomy of Melancholy); Samuel Butler, English poet and satirist (Hudibras); Gabriel Daniel, French Jesuit, historian and historiographer of France, appointed by King Louis XIV (History of France; harles-Jean-François Hénault, French writer and historian (A Chronological Abridgement of the History of France; Moritz Gottlieb Saphir, Austrian satirical writer and journalist; ohn Ruskin, English writer and art critic who championed Gothic Revivalist and the Pre-Raphaelites; Maxime Du Camp, French writer, traveler and early photographer (Les Buveurs de Cendres); Jules Verne, French novelist known as the “Father of Science Fiction” (Around the World in 80 days); Kate O’Flaherty Chopin, American writer; Theodor Lessing, German writer; Henry Roth, American writer (Call it Sleep); Elizabeth Bishop, American poet (North & South, Pulitzer Prize 1956); Henri Knap, Dutch journalist and writer (Per Ongeluk, De Weg naar Peruwelz); Lisel Mueller, German-American poet (Alive Together – Pulitzer Prize for Poetry 1997); James Deetz, American anthropologist and historical archaeologist (In Small Things Forgotten: The Archaeology of Early American Life); José Maria Sison, Filipino writer, poet, and founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (Philippine Society and Revolution); Averil Cameron, British historian; Pirzada Qasim, Pakistani poet and VC of Karachi University; Z’EV [Stefan Weisser], American poet, percussionist and sound artist; John Grisham, American writer (Client, Firm, Pelican Brief; Yucef Merhi, Venezuelan artist, poet and computer programmer (Poetic Clock; Quetzalcoatl 2.0.1.2.); and Bethany Hamilton,  American pro surfer (shark attack victim; author Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Jules Verne and John Grisham. 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 slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as I’m dealing with multiple external activities. Over the past week, there have been an additional six chapter reviews, bringing the total to sixty-one. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

A porter stepped forward, took the keycards from the receptionist, and gestured toward the elevators. “Right this way, please. You are in adjacent Madina deluxe suites. Both have balconies with views of the city. Your own butler is included, along with access to the executive lounge. My colleagues will bring your luggage to your suites, so we do not have to wait.”

They stepped off the elevator, and the porter took them to the first suite. He unlocked the door and handed the keycards to Charles before gesturing for them to enter. “There is a separate living room and bedroom. If you require anything during your stay, please let the butler know. Thank you for choosing the Kempinski.” He turned and left the suite.

Charles handed a keycard to Finley. “Guess you’re next door. Go check it out and see what you think.”

An hour after checking in, Charles, Isabella, and Finley entered the Osmanli Restaurant. The restaurant was decorated in oranges, creams, and yellows. A myriad of Turkish pottery, kilims, and ornaments clung to any available wall or shelf space. Featuring traditional Turkish meals derived from the Ottoman Empire, the various aromas of cooking meats and hot dishes permeated throughout the restaurant.

The maître d’ escorted them to a table overlooking the Nile River. A reserved placard indicated the table was for Professors Rennie, Burness, and Burness.

“Cool. May I keep the card?” Finley grinned. “I’ve never been called a professor before.”

Charles laughed. “Aye. Keep it and may it be an omen for the future.”

“Now you’re starting to speak like Ali.”

They laughed.

Charles glanced at the menu. “Shall I order for everyone, or do you want to choose your own?”

Isabella closed her menu. “Lead on, Professor.” She chuckled.

“Go ahead, Uncle Charles. I’m sure you won’t lead us astray.”

“I hope not.” He turned to the hovering waiter. “We’ll begin with the soğuk and sicak meze. For the main course, please bring Osmanlı karışik kebab. We’ll finish with baklava and Turkish coffee.”

“Very good, sir. And to drink?”

“Bottled water and one Coke.”

After the waiter departed, Charles turned to Finley. “We’re starting with the chef’s selection of cold and hot appetizers. Afterward, we’ll eat one of the house specials, a mixed kebab.”

“This is awesome! So this is how the rich live.”

“Don’t get too used to this.” A glint of a smile creased Isabella’s face. “After we acclimate to the Egyptian weather and begin our excursion, we’ll be sleeping in tents.”

* * *

Two men dressed in tan trousers and long-sleeved blue shirts sat at a nearby table. One held a cell phone in the air as if he was reading a text, but in reality, he was taking photographs of Charles, Isabella, and Finley.

The second man sneered. “More rich foreigners coming to rob us of our culture. Tarik will be pleased we spotted them.”

“Yes, Omar. The money you paid to the porter to keep us informed of new foreign arrivals and get their details was worth the expense. We shall keep an eye on them while they lavish in style and report back to Tarik.”

“Agreed, Pilis. When the time is right, we shall strike.”

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 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, February 1, 2026

Randall Krzak

January is now behind us, although it closed with a huge storm, dumping at least six inches of snow on our area. It’s cold, too–16 degrees, although it’s supposed to reach 35 and be mostly sunny, so that should start melting some of the snow.  By the end of the week, it’s supposed to be in the lower 50s. We had quite an array of wildlife visitors this week–several wild turkeys, seven deer, eight squirrels, and a myriad of cardinals, blue jays, robins, sparrows, black birds, and pigeons. As we always do during inclement weather, we did put out seed/corn for all of our visitors.

The Detroit Pistons played four games this week, winning three and dropping one. They are now 35-12 in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, with a 7.5 game lead over 2nd place Cleveland. Hopefully, their winning ways will continue throughout February!

The Michigan Wolverines (3rd in the NCAA, 19-1) and the Michigan State Spartans (7th in the NCAA, 19-2) faced off in East Lansing on Friday night. The Wolverines didn’t have any problems dealing with the Spartans, beating them 83-71. They’ll take their 20-1 record against Penn State this week while the Spartans will try to return to their winning ways against Minnesota.

“All readers come to fiction as willing accomplices to your lies. Such is the basic goodwill contract made the moment we pick up a work of fiction.” — Steve Almond, WD. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 1st, the 5th Sunday of 2026 and the first one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Johannes Trithemius, German Benedictine Abbot of Sponheim who amassed a monastery library of 2,000 books; Elkanah Settle, British poet and playwright (The World in the Moon, The Empress of Morocco); Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich, Swiss poet and fabulist (Ulrich von Hutten, Hundert neue Fabeln); ames A. Herne, American playwright (Hearts of Oak; Margaret Fleming); Paul Fort, French poet (founder of Vers et Prose); Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Austrian poet, dramatist and essayist (founded Salzburg festival); Yevgeny Zamyatin, Russian writer and Soviet dissident (We); Charles Nordhoff, British-American author (The Bounty Trilogy, The Hurricane); Denise Robins, English romantic novelist (1st Long Kiss); Stephen Potter, English writer and humorist (School for Scoundrels, Shipbuilders); Langston Hughes, American poet (Weary Blues), playwright (Mulatto), and librettist (Troubled Island); Georg Rendl, Austrian writer (The Bees Novel), beekeeper and painter; S J Perelman, American author, humorist and screenwriter (The New Yorker, Around the World in 80 Days); Michael Kanin, American director, writer and actor (Woman of the Year, Teacher’s Pet); Zhang Chunqiao, Chinese politician and writer (member of the Gang of Four); Muriel Spark, Scottish author (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie); Ben Weider, Canadian businessman and author (The Murder of Napoleon); Douglas Johnson, British historian; Galway Kinnell, American author (Body Rags, Book of Nightmares); Reynolds Price, American writer (A Long and Happy Life; Kate Vaiden; Strengthened By a Pale Green Light); Jerry Spinelli, American children’s author (Stargirl, Wringer); Kevin McCarra, Scottish sports journalist (The Guardian, Scotland on Sunday, The Times); Andrew Upton, Australian playwright, screenwriter, and film director (Riflemind, Little Fish, Gone); and Meg Cabot, American author.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: S J Perelman. 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 slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as I’m dealing with multiple external activities. Over the past week, there have been an additional fourteen chapter reviews, bringing the total to fifty-five. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Two weeks later, the Lufthansa Airbus 321 Neo touched down on time at Cairo’s International Airport. After the plane bounced once, the tires gripped the tarmac and began to smoke. The pilot weaved through several aircraft taxiing toward their gates or preparing to depart.

When they arrived at their gate, Charles, Isabella, and Finley waited for the aircraft to come to a complete stop before unbuckling their seatbelts and climbing out of their seats. Charles slid into the center of the aisle to block the flow of passengers pushing forward while Isabella and Finely retrieved belongings from the overhead bins.

“Uncle Charles, I was disappointed we didn’t travel first class, as you mentioned, but business class was perfect.”

Charles grinned. “The only way to travel first class from Edinburgh to Cairo would have taken twice as long and meant two additional stops. I think you’ll find our hotel will make up for it.”

“Finley, Charles and I would like you to do something for us.” Isabella smiled at her nephew. “Please drop auntie and uncle—at least when other people are around.”

“Okay, Aunt—I mean, Isabella.” A grin etched across Finley’s face. “This trip is a dream come true.”

As they worked their way to the exit, economy passengers tried to push their way forward but were kept at bay by the cabin crew. Upon disembarking, Charles, Isabella, and Finley marched up the access ramp into the terminal. They followed other passengers heading to the baggage claim area.

“Finley, we better grab two trolleys.”

“I’ll get them Un—Charles.” Finley pointed to a sign over two rows of empty carts. “Be right back.”

Charles began pulling their suitcases off the luggage belt as they came by and stacked them on the floor.

When Finley returned, he assisted Charles in transferring everything to the trolleys.”

“Ready?” Isabella gestured toward the exit. “Follow me.”

After a quick stop to have their passports stamped, they headed out of the arrivals hall. Outside, a cacophony of shouts, screams, and laughter assaulted them.

“Look, Uncle—Charles, the guards are all armed.”

“Typical for this part of the world—nothing to be alarmed about.” Charles glanced around and smiled when he spotted Ali and another man heading toward them.

Dressed in a red tarbouche and Bedouin-style white thoab, both men looked as if they had just stepped off a film set.

“Ali! I love your fez and your robe. But, shouldn’t you be wearing a keffiyeh instead of the fez?”

Ali shook Charles’s hand and kissed him on both cheeks. “You mentioned Professor Burness enjoyed Raiders of the Lost Ark, so I thought I should look the part.’ He gestured toward the other man. “This is my cousin, Darius. He will be your head porter.”

Charles shook hands and nodded toward Isabella.

Ali had already approached her. After kissing her outstretched hand, he pecked her on both cheeks. “Professor Burness, welcome to the land of the pharaohs. Allow me to introduce myself.” He stood to attention and seemed to grow taller. “My honorable lady, I am Sheikh Mohammad Ali Mustafa Kafir El-Badawi, at your service.” He removed his fez and bowed. He removed his fez and bowed. “At your service.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Sheikh—”

He laughed. “I agree my full name is quite a mouthful, especially for people who aren’t used to Egyptian names. Henceforth, I shall respond to Ali.”

“I’ll call you Ali on one condition.” Isabella smiled. “You must call me Isabella. Professor Burness is too formal.” She turned to her nephew. “This is Finley. He will be with us most of the time.”

Ali shook hands with the lanky young man with light red hair and blue eyes. “Welcome to Cairo, Finley. I hope you will do me the honor of allowing me to teach you everything I know.”

“Thank you, Ali. I’m sure you will help me a lot.”

“I think we’re ready to depart, Ali.” Charles stepped behind one of the trolleys.

“No, Professor. I shall take one, and Darius will take the other. We have two vehicles outside, so follow us.”

Once in the baking sunshine, Ali led them toward a pair of battered once-white vans. A guard cradling an AK-47 leaned against the first one.

Ali shook hands with the guard and introduced him. “Professor Charles, this is Jabari. He lives up to the meaning of his name, as he is known for his bravery. Jabari is another of my cousins, and he will be in charge of your guard force.”

When Jabari smiled, sunlight bounced off his four gold front teeth. “Welcome, Professor Charles. Upon my family’s honor, I shall protect you, your wife, and your nephew.” He glanced at Ali and Darius. “And my cousins, should they require it.”

Ali turned to Charles. “Take only the luggage you will require during our stay in Cairo. Everything else will be placed in the second van. Darius will take it to the warehouse I rented to serve as your office and staging area.”

After the luggage was distributed, Ali opened a passenger door and gestured toward Isabella. “If you please, I shall take you to the wonderous hotel your husband has picked out for your first visit to Cairo.”

She laughed as she climbed inside.

Moments later, with everyone in the van, Ali leaned toward Charles, who sat in the front passenger seat. Ali whispered, “What is the name of your wonderous hotel?”

Charles grinned. “The Kempinski Nile Hotel.”

Ali whistled. “It is good for you I did not know this before we agreed upon my wages. I would have held out for more.” He rapped his knuckles on the dash and turned the key.

Nothing happened.

Ali tilted forward and mumbled a few words in Arabic and tried the key again.

A thick cloud of smoke blew over the van as the engine sputtered to life.

Charles glanced at Ali. “What did you say?”

“I told this son of a modern camel if he embarrassed me again, I would take him to the Nile and push him 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 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, January 25, 2026

Randall Krzak

When we went for our regular grocery shopping trip on Wednesday, I was surprised to find the store so busy. Of course, I had forgotten about the predicted snow storm but was quickly reminded when I noticed the eggs, milk, bottled water, and bread had all but disappeared from the shelves. The storm was anticipated to begin around 1pm on Saturday and last for twenty-four hours. As of midnight, there hadn’t been any precipitation, but by 8am this morning we had a bit of a dusting of snow. Will be interesting to see if we get more as the day progresses.

The Detroit Pistons played three games this week, winning two and dropping won. They are now 32-11in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, with a seven-game lead over 2nd place Cleveland. Hopefully, their winning ways will continue!

The Michigan Wolverines moved up to 3rd in the NCAA rankings after winning last week. They won two games this week, improving their record to 18-1. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans moved up to 10th in the rankings. They also played two games this week, winning both of them. Last night, they rolled past Maryland, 91-48. Good luck to both teams as they continue their winning ways!

“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” — George Orwell. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing. 

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 25th, the 4th Sunday of 2026 and the fourth and final one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Gaspar Fagel, Dutch statesman and writer; Robert Burns, Scottish poet (Auld Lang Syne) considered the national poet of Scotland; Arne Garborg, Norwegian writer and playwright (Bondestudentar); Julije Kempf, Croatian historian and writer; W. Somerset Maugham, British novelist and poet (Of Human Bondage);  Virginia Woolf, British author (Jacob’s Room, To the Lighthouse); Kitahara Hakushū, Japanese poet and children’s writers; Diego Valeri, Italian author and poet (Le Gaie Tristezze); Yojiro Ishizaka, Japanese writer; Gerard Knuvelder, Dutch literature historian (Vocation, Kitty); Frans Goedhart, Dutch journalist (Het Parool); Lord Iliffe, English publisher (Coventry Evening Telegraph/Autocar); Michael Duane, British progressive educationalist and author; Russell Reading Braddon, Australian author; Jules de Palm, Antilles writer; Raymond Baxter, English television presenter and writer (Fast Lady); Eva Zeller, German poet and novelist; Paavo Haavikko, Finnish poet and writer; Kathleen Tynan Halton, Canadian-British journalist and author; Shotaro Ishinomori, Japanese manga author; Silvio Blatter, Swiss writer; John Cooper Clarke, English performance poet;  Gloria Naylor, American author (Women of Brewster Place), born in New York City; and Geoff Johns, American comic book writer.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Robert Burns (today is the anniversary of his birth) and Virginia Woolf. 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 slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as I’m dealing with multiple external activities.. Over the past week, there have been an additional five chapter reviews, bringing the total to forty-one. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

To: Charles Rennie

From: Finley Burness 

Many thanks for the invite, Uncle Charles. Egypt sounds cool. My mum and dad said I could go as long as I’m helpful and don’t get in the way. I’ve read all the information about the Temples of Abydos on the links you sent me. I’m terribly excited and look forward to the trip. Thank you and Auntie Isabella for inviting me. I’ll be ready to go on Friday.

Charles smiled as he reread Finley’s email before sending the details about the firearms training. He typed a second email, this one to his sister, Grace.

Hey, Sis. Many thanks for allowing Finley to participate in our excursion. This will give him a leg up when he starts his archeology training after his gap year. I promise to keep him out of trouble and teach him everything I can about being an archaeologist.

After booking a flight from Edinburgh to Cairo, he sent a final email—this one to Ali, with their flight information for a Friday evening arrival in two weeks.

“I’m gagging for a tea.”

Charles glanced up and smiled when Isabella entered the office. “Don’t sit down. I’ll get you one and meet you in the living room. You need to sort through the myriad of Amazon packages that arrived this afternoon. What on Earth did you buy?”

Isabella laughed. “We can’t go on an archeological dig without being properly attired. I bought clothes, hats, and shoes for all three of us, along with matching backpacks and belts.”

Oh, great! She must have watched Raiders of the Lost Ark again! “Yes, dear. Let me get your tea and freshen up my coffee. I’ll meet you in the living room.”

When he joined Isabella, she had most of the boxes opened. He studied the stack of clothing, shoes, and hats she bought for him. “Very impressive. I expected you to dress me like Indiana Jones, and I’m relieved you didn’t.”

Isabella rolled her eyes. “It did cross my mind, but I thought it would be better to be prudent. After all, I wouldn’t want you to look like a complete imbecile.” She handed him a final package.

He shook it—something moved inside. “What’s this?”

A mischievous smile crossed her face. “Nothing an experienced archaeologist should be without. Go on—open it.”

They both burst into laughter when he opened the box and pulled out a whip similar to the one used by Indiana Jones. He went to the balcony, stepped outside, snapped the whip in the air. “Now, I’m ready.”

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 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, January 18, 2026

Randall Krzak

The number and variety of birds visiting has increased over the past couple of weeks. We’re also seeing more squirrels, wild turkeys and deer. Not sure why the change, but it’s great to see the wildlife!

The Detroit Pistons played two games this week, winning both of them. They’re now 30-10 on the season, in first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, 7.5 games ahead of second-place Cleveland. Hopefully, they will continue their winning ways!

The Michigan Wolverines also played two games this week, winning both of them by ten points. Although they dropped to fourth in the NCAA rankings, they are now 16-1 on the season. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans, ranked twelfth, improved to 16-2. Both teams play again on Tuesday.

“Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it’s work. … Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighborhood can stand for everything.” — Stephen King, WD (this quote is from an interview with King in the WD May/June 2009 issue). Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 18th, the 3rd Sunday of 2026 and the third one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Antoine Houdar de la Motte, French playwright and poet; Montesquieu, French philosopher and writer (Letters Persanes); Peter Mark Roget, British lexicographer (Roget’s Thesaurus) and inventor (slide rule, pocket chessboard); William Henry Havergal, British composer, hymn writer, and Anglican clergyman; Johannes van Vloten, Dutch literary figure and theologist; Louis van Haecke, Belgian chaplain and author (Blood to Bridge); Jan Ferguut [Jan van Droogenbroeck], Belgian poet; Austin Dobson, English poet, critic and biographer; Ioan Slavici, Transylvanian-Romanian writer, founded the Young Romania Social and Literary Academic Society; Rubén Darío, Nicaraguan journalist, diplomat and poet; Paul Léautaud [Maurice Boissard], French writer and theatre critic (Petit ami); Gaston Gallimard, French publisher (Librairie Gallimard); A.A. Milne, English author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books; Arthur Ransome, English author, journalist and critic (Swallows & Amazons); C. M. Eddy, Jr., American writer; Hans H. Holm, Norwegian poet (Jonsoknatt); Jacob Bronowski, Polish-born British mathematician and science writer best known as the presenter of the BBC television series, The Ascent of Man; Charles Delaunay, French writer, magazine publisher (Le Jazz Hot), jazz musiclogist (Hot Discography), record label founder, and music promoter; William Sansom, English writer (Loving Eye); Arno Schmidt, German writer; James Crow, American geneticist and educator (Genetic Theories and Influences: Comments on the Value of Diversity); Gilles Deleuze, French philosopher (Difference and Repetition); Robert Anton Wilson, American sci-fi author (Trick Top Hat); Jon Stallworthy, English poet; Raymond Briggs, British children’s book author and illustrator (The Snowman; Fungus the Bogeyman); Anthony Giddens, English sociologist (theory of structuration), and prolific author; Bill Keller, American founding editor-in-cheif of nonprofit “The Marshall Project” and executive editor of “The New York Times”; Dave Attell, American writer and comedian (Captain Miserable, Insomniac with Dave Attell; and Binyavanga Wainaina, Kenyan author and journalist.

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

My Published Work

I found out on this week that Mission: Yemen is now on the finalist list for the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Global Thrillers. The 6-8 first in category winners and the genre grand prize winner will be announced on April 18th. Fingers crossed that Mission: Yemen becomes one of the first in category winners, or even better, the genre grand prize winner!

The cover of Mission: Yemen is still competing in the monthly competition held by http://www.allauthor.com.  It’s currently in the third round but in order to move forward, it’ll need your help.

If you like the cover and are so inclined, please go to the website and vote for it. Here’s the link: https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/20355/.

Thanks in advance!

My Work in Progress

Work slowly continues on Temples of Abydos. Over the past week, there have been an additional nine chapter reviews, bringing the total to thirty-six . As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Charles glanced out the office window at the West Sands, famous for the opening scenes of Chariots of Fire, as he waited for someone to answer the phone. He sipped from his first mug of coffee for the day while he counted the number of rings. After reaching ten, he gave up, and began to put the phone down when he heard a male voice.

“Hello. You have reached the Supreme Council of Antiquities within the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.”

“Hello. Could I speak with Ali?”

“It is I who is speaking. To whom do I have the indubitable pleasure of addressing?”

“This is Charles Rennie. We met about five years ago at an Egyptian symposium.”

“Ah, Professor Charles. How could I not forget my favorite Scotsman?”

Charles chuckled. I was the only Scot at the symposium.

“To what divination from the gods do I owe the pleasure of your call?”

Charles laughed. “I’m looking for a charismatic character, full of wit, and knowledgeable about Egyptian antiquities. Are you aware of any such individual?”

“As it so happens, I do. You are talking to the most charismatic—and witty Egyptian in the whole world.”

“Aye. Well, I’m taking a one-year break from teaching and want to explore some Egyptian sites. The first one I chose is Abydos.”

“It is most fortunate for you I am well-versed with the temples of Abydos and happen to be available. In fact, my boss said if I never came back, it would be too soon.” Ali burst into laughter. “I do not know how he would function without me to keep him in line. But, there is an important question I must ask.”

“What’s that?”

“Do you think you can afford me? My serious self comes with a modest price tag of seventy-two thousand Egyptian pounds a year, but I charge extra for wit and knowledge.”

“Aye. But how do you keep them separate?”

“It is in the knowing of what a client wants. After all, it takes much work to be my charming self, so why not charge for it?”

“What about a base salary of seven thousand Egyptian pounds a month plus expenses?

Ali laughed. “That appears to be a fair amount. But ten thousand Egyptian pounds would be even better. Toss in meals, and I will be your humble servant as long as you require. Mind you, I do eat a lot.”

“I’m sure we can accommodate you.” Charles chucked. Okay, ten thousand Egyptian pounds, which is just over one hundred fifty British pounds, My wife, Isabella, will be accompanying me, plus one of my nephews, Finley Burness, who wants to be an archaeologist. Can you arrange the necessary dig permits and extended visas for us from the ministry? What about workmen?”

“For the appropriate stipend, I can arrange anything you will require. There will be the usual modest fees plus my commission.”

“How much is your commission?”

Ali coughed. “Ten percent.”

“Hmm. A bit steep. Make it five, and we have a deal.”

“How about seven and a half?”

“Six—my final offer.”

Ali chortled. “Professor Charles, you are almost as good at bargaining as an Egyptian. I am happy to accept your gracious offer. At the first available opportunity, which will be today, I shall begin arranging vehicles, supplies, diggers, porters, and armed guards.”

“Why armed guards?”

“Since you were last in Egypt, there has been an increase in attacks at antiquity sites. Some people were kidnapped for ransom, and several were shot for no apparent reason.”

“I see. Aye, armed guards would be prudent.”

“I am glad you understand my thought processes, Professor Charles. When are you wanting to begin?”

“Isabella, Finley, and I will be in Cairo in three weeks as we need to time to arrange our visas and get requisite shots. Give me your email address, and I’ll send the details to you.”

Ali gave his address to Charles. “Upon receipt of your email, I will send you the account information for you to do a transfer of funds to me so I may begin preparations.”

“Aye. How much will you need?”

“It is, of course, up to your esteemed self, but I am thinking the princely sum of five thousand of your pounds will be sufficient for me to begin.”

“That much?”

“Yes, Professor Charles. Antiquity search is no stranger to price increases. Everyone wants more money. Of course, I shall only hire the very best, you can rest assured.”

“Very well. Anything else?”

“Yes. It would be prudent for you and Missus Professor, as well as your nephew, to learn which end of a weapon to point at nefarious individuals. It might make the difference between breathing and not.”

“Aye. I will enquire about what is available for the average person in Scotland, but I think it’s reserved for armed police officers and the military. If not, can I assume something will be arranged in Cairo?”

“On the grave of my father, I shall promise to teach all three of you. It is in my best self-interest to do so. After all, I am not wanting to join my ancestors just yet.”

Charles chuckled. “We will leave things in your capable hands, Ali. I shall send the flight details as soon as they are confirmed.”

“Excellent, Professor. I shall work with unbridled desire.”

Charles broke the connection. He’s still a character. Wonder what Isabella will think of him?

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 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, December 7, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been more squirrels visiting than we’ve seen for some time. Same with the birds, deer, and turkeys. I suppose it’s due to the colder temperatures. The kittens we adopted certainly are enjoying the visitors as they spend time on our enclosed deck checking them out. One squirrel even ventured onto the deck railing and one of the kittens ran to the screen to investigate. The squirrel seemed to sense the kitten couldn’t get any closer and it continued to eat the bird seed we left for our visitors.

The Detroit Lions defeated the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday evening, roaring past them 44-30. Their record improved to 8-5, and are still in the hunt for a NFC wildcard playoff spot. Of course, they probably need to win their remaining games to do this as NFL.com only gives them a 54 percent chance of making it.

The Detroit Pistons played four games in the past week, winning three and losing one. They still have the best record in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-5 record and are in first place in the Central Division, 5.5 games ahead of second place Cleveland.

The third-ranked Michigan Wolverines extended their winning record to 8-0 with a convincing win over Rutgers, 101-60. This is the third consecutive game in which Michigan scored 100 or more points. Meanwhile, the seventh ranked Michigan State Spartans suffered a defeat at home to Duke, 66-60, taking their record to 8-1.

“Genius gives birth, talent delivers. What Rembrandt or Van Gogh saw in the night can never be seen again. Born writers of the future are amazed already at what they’re seeing now, what we’ll all see in time for the first time, and then see imitated many times by made writers.”
– Jack Kerouac, Writers Digest. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on December 7th, the forty-ninth Sunday of 2025 and the first one in December. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Abū-Sa’īd Abul-Khayr, Persian mystic and poet; Allan Cunningham, Scottish poet and author; Johann Nestroy, Austrian actor, singer and playwright (Judith und Holofernes); Otto Ammon, German anthropologist and sociologist (schedelmetingen); Paul Adam, French writer (La Bataille d’Uhde); Svetolik Ranković, Serbian writer (Forest King); Johan Huizinga, Dutch culture historian (Homo Ludens); Willa Cather, American Pulitzer-Prize winning author (One of Ours; My Ántonia); Akiko Yosano, Japanese poet (Tangled Hair); Heywood Broun, American journalist (1st President of American Newspaper Guild); Joyce Cary, Anglo-Irish writer (House of Children); Jacques Gans, Dutch author and journalist; Leigh Brackett, American sci-fi author (Ginger Star); Tatamkhulu Afrika, South African poet and writer; Noam Chomsky, American linguist (founded transformational grammar), philosopher and political activist; Kumar Shahani, Indian writer and director (Kasbam Tarang, Maya Darpan); James Tate, American poet (Pulitzer Prize 1992); Nikola Wapzarow, Bulgarian poet and writer; and Mohamed Diab, Egyptian screenwriter and director (Cairo 678, Marvel’s Moon Knight).

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

The second edit pass on the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion is now underway. Edits are based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best.  There were another three new chapter reviews, bringing the total to 344. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Izabella flinched as she peered around the ballroom. Where on earth was Annabelle? Being a hostess and having to chase down her daughter and Annabelle was the most nightmarish debacle that Izabella ever found herself in the middle of. Both girls were thorns in her side.

She pondered whether anyone would recognize her family dynamics were unlike anything they allowed the public to perceive. In truth, Izabella felt a bit sorry for her niece from time to time, but it was much better to remain silent.

The repercussions of telling anyone what happened to her sister were terrifying. Still, Izabella didn’t regret the favor she received by showing loyalty and respect to the man she called her husband. He possessed a degree of handsomeness, even as callous as he was. The luxury in which Izabella found herself living was nothing to dismiss either. She could, on a technicality, be a slave.

The only real drawback to her agreeable life was living as Evangeline’s mother. The one reprieve from restless nights, caring for the wailing infant Evie, was in having her handmaiden. Izabella was not an evil woman, and she would never allow anyone to imply it. Still, the welling of guilt gnawing at the back of her mind left a shadow that crept up, attempting to stifle her words. While it terrorized her, it also taught Izabella the value of silence.

How easy was it to remain unassuming if one merely slipped into the shadows and minded their manners? If she didn’t choose to do so on her own, her husband would have made sure by other means that she was silenced.

Peculiar was the most fitting word for her daughter; but as she considered it, what else could she have expected? A smile plastered across her face, and the beauty of her visage was the only thing Izabella ever needed. As she saw it, her sister’s belligerence and stupidity were her problems and no one else’s.

If she possessed any sense at all, she would have long ago learned to use the beauty she was blessed with to beguile gentlemen.

Izabella and Vivien were fools to think their beauty, paired with a sharp tongue, would be sufficient to stay safe. And most assuredly in Tankard Town, in the heart of the Confederacy, no less. Though, as Izabella moved through the parlor, she could not help but wonder how differently things may have gone if Abraham Lincoln hadn’t been exiled. If only the North had prevailed.

But they hadn’t, and Izabella’s wits were the thing that kept not only her but her niece safe. Who was anyone to judge her for doing the best with what she was given? Still, the way Annabelle regarded her was like a nagging itch in the back of her mind. Izabella wrung her hands. Somehow, in some way, the girls put two and two together.

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