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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, 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 4, 2026

Randall Krzak

Hope everyone has a healthy and prosperous new year! All the best!!

The Michigan Wolverines (18) football team played Texas (13) in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, the Wolverines were upset 41-27. They finished the season at 9-4.

The Detroit Pistons had a somewhat bad week,  dropping two consecutive games, although they managed to win one. They are still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division with at 25-9 record, six games ahead of second place Cleveland who they play tonight. Hopefully, Detroit can get back to their winning ways!

The Michigan Wolverines basketball team continued their winning ways, beating the McNeese Cowboys 112-71 and the USC Trojans 96-66. The Wolverines are still ranked second in the nation and have a 12-0 record. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans (9) split their two games, beating the Cornel Big Red 114-97, while losing to the Nebraska Cornhuskers 58-56. The Spartans are now 12-2.

“Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.” — Enid Bagnold. 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 4th, the 1st Sunday of 2026 and the first one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Franciscus Aguilon, Belgian Jesuit physicist, mathematician and architect (book on Optics “Opticorum Libri Sex); Jakob Balde, German poet (Jephthe); Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist, mathematician and astronomer (Gravity, Laws of Motion); Paul-Louis Courier, (de Mere), French classical scholar and pamphleteer; Jakob Grimm, German philologist, folklorist and editor of “Grimm’s Fairy Tales; Louis Braille, French educator and inventor of a system of reading and writing for the blind; Isaac Pitman, English teacher and inventor of Pitman shorthand (Stenographic Soundhand); Casimiro de Abreu, Brazil, poet (Meus oito anos), novelist and playwright (Camoes e o jau); Svend Fleuron, Danish writer; Alfred Edgar Coppard, English short story writer (Black Dogs & Other Stories); Wilhelm Lehmbruck, German painter, poet and sculptor (Seated Youth); Max Eastman, American critic, essayist, and editor of The Masses; James Bond, American ornithologist and expert on birds of the Caribbean (Birds of the West Indies); C. L. R. James [Cyril Lionel Robert James], Trinidadian historian (The Black Jacobins), journalist, intellectual and socialist; Bobby Tulloch, Scottish ornithologist, and writer (Bobby Tulloch’s Shetland: An islander, his islands and their wildlife); Robert Lindsey Jr., American journalist and author (The Falcon and the Snowman, Ghost Scribbler); Gao Xingjian, Chinese-born French novelist and dramatist (Nobel laureate, 2000); Doris Kearns Goodwin, American historian and writer (Team of Rivals, No Ordinary Time); Alicia Garza, American writer and civil rights activist (co-founded #BlackLivesMatter); and Nabila Jamshed, Indian humanitarian, public speaker, and author (Wish Upon a Time – The Legendary Scimitar).

Any names familiar to you? There were three for me this week: Sir Isaac Newton, Jakob Grimm, Robert Lindsey, Jr. 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 New Year’s Eve that Mission: Yemen is now on the semi-finalist list for the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Global Thrillers.

The finalists should be announced some time in late February. I’ll keep you posted.

My Work in Progress

I’ve gone back to a story I began a few years ago, Abydos. The first three chapters have been posted to one of the online subscription writing sites I use. So far, there have been twenty-one chapter reviews. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

As a reminder, here’s what the story is about:

History professor Sylvie Burness and her husband, Charles Wilkie, a renowned Greek archaeologist, are seeking a new project after spending years cataloging Celtic sites throughout the United Kingdom.

Long fascinated with Egypt, Charles proposes an excursion to one of the lesser-known locations, Abydos, a historic city that played an important role in ancient Egypt. Sylvia agrees and together they plan their trip.

Unbeknown to them, an unethical antiquities group called Guardians of Shadows are using one of the Abydos temples as their hideout.

Will Sylvia and Charles be able to evade this group and escape with their lives or will they be entombed in Abydos for generations?

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, November 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

A few deer are continuing to make an appearance, usually before seven a.m. One day this week, there were also fourteen wild turkeys. It’s always great to see the wildlife!

The Detroit Lions beat the Washington Commanders 44-22 to raise their record to 6-3. They play the Philadelphia Eagles tonight. Fingers crossed, Detroit will continue to win.

The Michigan Wolverines kept their playoff hopes alive when they kicked a field goal with time expiring to squeak past the Northwestern Wildcats24-22. The Wolverines are currently 18th in the NCAA rankings, with a 8-2 record. Their next opponent is the Maryland Terrapins.

In a battled between two teams who haven’t won a Big Ten Conference game this year, the Michigan State Spartans lost to the Penn State Nittany Lions 28-10, dropping their record to 3-7, with all seven losses against Big Ten opponents.

In a surprise start to the NBA season, the Detroit Pistons are currently in first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference with a 11-2 record. Will this be the year they return to the form of old?

“Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.” — William S. Burroughs. 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 November 16th, the forty-sixth Sunday of 2025 and the third one in November. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Joost van den Vondel, Dutch poet and dramatist (Jephtha), often regarded as the greatest writer in Dutch; Abraham Alewijn, Dutch poet and playwright (Puiterveense Helleveeg); Jean-Baptites Le Rond d’Alembert, French enlightenment philosopher and mathematician (Encyclopédie); Peter Andreas Heiberg, Danish author and philologist; Petronella Moens, Frisian author and feminist; Étienne Pivert de Senancour, French author (Obermann); Louis-Honoré Fréchette, Canadian poet; Henri Bosco, French author and poet (Gogol); George S. Kaufman, American playwright (This is Show Business); George Seldes, American investigative journalist; Guo Moruo, Chinese scholar and writer; Eduard Bagritsky, Russian-Soviet poet and journalist (South-West); Michael Arlen [Dikran Kouyoumdjian], British author and scriptwriter (An American Verdict); Joan Lindsay, Australian author (Picnic at Hanging Rock); Warren Sturgis McCulloch, American neurophysiologist and psychiatrist (“A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity” with Walter Pitts); Anton [Tom] Koolhaas, Dutch author (Gekke Witte); ohn Whiting, British actor, dramatist and critic (PT Raiders, The Devils, The Good Companions); Betty Hicks, American golfer, author (US Open runner-up 1948, 54); Jose Saramago, Portuguese writer, novelist (Blindness, The Gospel According to Jesus Christ) and Nobel laureate; Renate Rubinstein, German-Dutch author and columnist (Tamar); Chinua Achebe, Nigerian poet and novelist (Things Fall Apart, Christmas in Biafra); Robert Nozick, American philosopher (Anarchy, State, and Utopia); Jane Lazarre, American novelist and essayist (The Mother Knot, Beyond the Whiteness of Whiteness); Hugo Dittberner, German writer; Ebby Thust, German boxing promoter and writer; Bonnie Greer, American-British playwright and critic; John Swartzwelder, American television writer (The Simpsons); Paula Vogel, American playwright (How I Learned to Drive, Mother Play); Piero Falchetta, Italian archivist (Biblioteca Marciana; Robin McKinley, American writer (The Hero and the Crown); Andrea Barrett, American novelist (Servants of the Map); Tahir Shah, British travel writer and explorer; Craig Arnold, American poet (Made Flesh); and Danny Wallace, British 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 slowly continued  on my first edit pass of the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best. I should finish the first of six/seven edit passes over the next week. Since my last post, there were another four new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 335. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Anna gathered the items needed for Evie’s tea, unsure of why she wanted a meeting with her, especially out of the house, but it intrigued her nonetheless. She never knew much of family, yet Evie was as close as it came to being a sister. Anna truly appreciated how Evie was attempting to make her father pay for his transgressions.

Having Evie take care of Master Latimer was inspiring, to say the least, especially since he was the one who killed her parents. Anna wasn’t any older than two and a half, so the memory was colored by stories she heard. While she knew of the man’s horrid sins, what she didn’t know was why. But then again, no one knew why Latimer did anything. He was a driven man, and money, power, and evil was at the root of it all.

Once in the gardens, Anna organized the table with great detail. One of her many talents was making things look flawless, even though she never learned proper etiquette. She had, however, seen Evie’s style and grace for long enough that some of it had rubbed off on her. With Evie and even Missus Latimer, mostly, there were few repercussions should something go wrong. With the master, that was not the case. He expected perfection and perfection alone. If not, there was hell to pay.

Both Anna and Evie knew what her father would do to either of them should they not follow his orders. Evie would be beaten and locked in her room. Even worse, Anna could die at his hands.

Anna checked her reflection in the back of a spun silver spoon and smiled before laying one in its place. She was a beautiful young woman, only nineteen. Her chocolate skin glowed, and her raven black hair was beautifully pulled into a bun. On the nights she let it down, it flowed around her face like a frame. Her eyes were the oddest mix of blue and hazel. She squinted, struggling to remember her mother’s eyes, but failed. She’d been told, though, that her mother’s were the same. Anna sighed. She hoped she got something from her mother.

When she was old enough, she asked the others about her parents. She clung to every answer, holding each detail dear to her heart, including the fact that she had her mother’s eyes. While no one knew why they were killed, they were happy to pass on the good things her parents did and the kind of family they were, despite living in slavery.

Coming back to the task at hand, Anna placed various scones, black cherry jelly, and tea on the table. They were all the things Evie would like; most of them were her favorites since she was a child.

 “Anna.”

She heard a voice behind her and spun to find Evie. “How nice to see you.”

When Evie leaned in to hug her, Anna allowed it but wasn’t quite sure if she should return the affection. Evie hugged her before, but it was a habit, as decorum was at the forefront of everything in society. Hugs were usually reserved for deaths, sad times, and times of critical news, like when Evie alerted Anna that Mama Patti was sold.

“What is this about, miss?” Anna wondered if something was wrong. Besides, there was no need for niceties, as time was of the essence for the risk of being discovered.

Evie sat in one of the chairs. “I need to speak to you about something, but I need to make sure that we don’t have any listening ears at all. Only you and me. Understood?”

“I can assure you of that. Your mother be talkin’ with the staff, and your father be on the other side of the fields tending to one of the men over there, likely.” Anna’s voice dropped, not wanting to overstep.

“Likely beating him to a pulp,” Evie finished the thought as Anna’s eyes filled with sadness.

“Yes, that.” Her mouth flattened.

“So, will you sit with me, please?” Evie waved to the free chair. “I don’t know how long we have to talk, so I want to get to this said quickly.”

“I understand,” Anna said. “Would you like to eat?”

“Yes, please. I am famished after a series of horrid dreams last night.”

“Dreams, miss?”

“They were more like memories that came while I was asleep, and there was no other choice but to live through them all over again.”

“I’m so sorry, miss. I hate that so much for you, but I likely have some of those same thoughts and memories, just seeing them from the other side. What would you like to eat?”

“I can serve myself today,” Evie said. “And you can eat as well. Today you are my guest. What I have to say may or may not come as a shock. But if it doesn’t, I will be surprised.” Evie topped a nearby scone with jam, took a bite, and moaned in delight.

“All right,” Anna whispered.

“I was given some documents yesterday from a trusted source. Some of them are originals, and some are only copies, but I think he did the best he could with was available.”

“Alberto?” Anna wrinkled her brow.

“You know?” Evie’s lips parted in awe.

“I know Alberto has been snooping around and collecting things he intended on giving you, but I don’t know what they are or what they say.” Anna moaned as she took a bite of buttered toast. The house butter tasted so much better than what she was ever allowed. She took a moment to inhale the smell before tasting its goodness. To make the butter by hand was one thing but getting to try it on hot toast was another.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Evie smiled.

“It is,” Anna admitted. “I have never tasted it before.” She looked down in shame before changing the subject. “Now, tell me. What is it that you have found out?”

Evie glanced over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone. “The best I can do is give you a math problem to see if it makes sense to you. Then I can show you the documents I have hidden.”

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, November 9, 2025

Randall Krzak

After a long and valiant fight against asthma and a heart condition, Alfie was euthanized last Sunday at the University of Georgia. The plan was to give him a pacemaker this past Monday, but, with the greatest of regret, we had to let him go. Farewell, my gentle boy!

The Detroit Lions lost last weekend, dropping their record to 5-3. They’re still in second place in the NFC North Division. Today, they play the Washington Commanders. I hope they can bounce back!

The 7-2 Michigan Wolverines and the 3-6 Michigan State Spartans both had byes this week. Let’s see if they can keep things going next week!

“Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.” — Enid Bagnold. 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 November 9th, the forty-fifth Sunday of 2025 and the second on in November. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Paul Aler, French jesuit and poet (Gradus ad Parnassum); Mark Akenside, English poet and physician; Julie de Lespinasse, French aristocrat, hostess and writer; Elijah Parish Lovejoy, American newspaper publisher and abolitionist; Ivan Turgenev, Russian novelist, poet and playwright (Fathers & Sons); Matthias de Vries, Dutch linguist (spelling); Émile Gaboriau, French writer (father of the French detective novels); Emmanuel de Bom, Flemish author (Wrakken); Bohdan Lepky, Ukrainian writer and poet; Allama Iqbal, Indian philosopher and poet; Velimir Khlebnikov, Russian poet and playwright; Erika Mann, German-American author (Other Germany); (Hendrik) “Henk” van Randwijk, Dutch poet, WWII resistance fighter, journalist, and newsweekly editor-in-chief (Vrij Nederland, 1941-50); Tabish Dehlvi, Pakistani poet; Sir Alistair Horne, British historian and journalist (A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954–1962); Anne Sexton (née Harvey), American Pulitzer Prize-winning poet (Live or Die; The Awful Rowing Toward God); Imre Kertesz, Hungarian writer (Nobel Laureate 2002); Marian Christy, American author (Invasions of Privacy); American scientist, astronomer and author (Broca’s Brain, Cosmos, Contact) known for his research on extraterrestrial life; Ronald Harwood, South African playwright and screenwriter (The Dresser); Donald Trelford, English journalist and editor (Observer Newspaper 1975-93); Roger McCough, British poet (The Mersey Sound); Ti-Grace Atkinson, American feminist author; and Bill Mantlo, American comic book writer (Micronauts).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Carl Sagan. 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 continued  on my first edit pass of the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best. Since my last post, there were another eight new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 331. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

A knock sounded at the door of Latimer Manor.

Felipe Vanderbilt was escorted inside the study, where Latimer sat in an oversized, red velvet chair. “Good evening, Governor Latimer.

“Indeed, it is.” Latimer’s bright green eyes flicked to the man.

“I’ve news to share with you, sir.” Felipe lowered his gaze.

“What of it?” Latimer snorted slightly as his eyes weighed on Felipe, waiting for him to make eye contact again.

“There was an issue with the autostoker on Pawnee Street this evening.” Felipe swallowed, waiting.

“Was there?”

Felipe nodded.

“Well, handle it, then. I know you can do so without my direct intervention.” Latimer raised a brow and adjusted his cufflinks. He narrowed his beady eyes and fluffed the side of his straw-like hair, which seemed to be a bit yellower than usual.

Felipe knew better than to comment upon such matters. Everyone knew not to say anything of the like to the governor. Men that said less vanished without a trace or were beaten to an unrecognizable pulp.

“I don’t think you understand, Governor Latimer.” The man winced. No matter how he tried to speak to Latimer without betraying his fear, he failed miserably.

“What do you mean?” Latimer lifted his eyes, narrowing them even more upon Felipe.

“Your daughter was the catalyst for the incident, sir,” Felipe responded.

“Evangeline?” He snorted louder than he intended. “Are you quite sure of it?”

“One of your automatons spotted her yesterday in town around about the autostoker in question. It was the morning after she stayed with her friend, Rebecca Telford,  and attended her coming-out party.”

“What did she supposedly do to the stoker?”

“The report says she pulled a pin on the running mechanism that stopped it in its tracks,” Felipe said. “Sir.” He swallowed, pausing for effect.

“Yes…” Latimer drew out his word.

“She was with a man, sir.” Felipe shrunk, wondering if he was going to get a lashed back.

“And do we know this…” Latimer hissed like a snake as he stood to his feet. “Man?”

“No, sir,” Felipe said.

“Is… she… home?” Latimer snarled.

“I believe so, sir. Last report was that she was in the gardens with that servant girl of hers.”

“Stay here, Felipe.” He took to the door, rounding the house to the backside gardens. “Evangeline Elizabeth Latimer, front and center now,” he screamed. “You are dismissed,” he added with clenched teeth when he got close enough to Anna that she jumped.

Giving his daughter a terrified look, the slave scurried away, leaving Latimer alone with Evie.

“What is this about, Father?” Evie’s lips curved as she batted her eyes, dropping her gaze.

“Don’t father me, Evangeline. Where were you yesterday morning?”

“I-I w-was in t-town, sir.”

“And what did you do to one of my autostokers?” Latimer waited to see if she would tell him the truth.

“I took a pin from it, Father.” Evie stared at him with a look of innocence.

All it did was make him even hotter under the collar. He didn’t expect her to be honest, and now that she was, his face flushed. He was never known as the most genteel man, yet he curled his fists so hard his palms bled as he stood. He was the ruler of these parts and deserved respect.

“And your reasoning behind it?” He shot her a stoic look.

“I was angry at you, Father. It was so foolish of me to do such a thing,” she admitted.

 For half a second, his heart fluttered. “And why were you angry at me?”

“You sold my favorite horse, Father.”

Latimer stared at her, unable to determine if it were a lie or the truth. “Thomasina?”

“One and the same.” Evie crossed her arms.

“I don’t remember you ever giving two cares about that glue bag.” He scowled. “Why the disdain?”

“It wasn’t the horse at all, Father.”

When she stepped closer, he could read a small amount of anger in her eyes.

“There was one of my inventions in its saddlebag.”

“I didn’t get rid of her saddlebag, Evie!”.

“Oh, Daddy!” Evie turned, heading towards the stables, presumably to find whatever was in that bag.

“Evangeline!” He shouted again, causing her to jump and face him. “Where is the pin to my autostoker?”

“Here.” She pouted as she pulled the pin from her hair and handed it to him. “Will that be all?”

“No. There is something else.”

“What’s that?”

“Who was the man that you were with yesterday?”

She blushed. “I was going to keep him to myself for a while.”

“Give your father a clue, then. A name at least, or where you met him.”

“I met him at the coming-out.” Evie sighed. “His name is Jefferies, Thomas Jefferies.”

“Hmm.” He tried to recall anyone with that name but drew a blank. “This name does not strike a chord.”

“It wouldn’t,” she said. “He is visiting from up north. You would like him, Daddy. He’s White Utopian Supremacy.”

“Very nice.” He was unsure if his one and only daughter was telling the truth.

“May I go now, Daddy?” She batted her eyelashes.

“Yes, dear.” Latimer closed the gap between them and kissed her cheek, holding out his hand.

She placed the pin on his palm.

He nodded for her to leave and watched as she walked towards the stables, the anger still bubbling under the surface of his relaxed facade before turning for the house. He didn’t think she was telling the whole truth.

He  entered his study. “”Felipe, here is the pin. Can you have it replaced?”

“Y-Yes, s-sir. R-Right away.” Felipe got to his feet and headed towards the door.

“One more thing, Felipe.” Latimer walked towards his friend. “Keep an eye on my daughter. If she so much as moves out of line, let me know. And find out what you can on a Thomas Jefferies. He would have been at that coming-out party two nights back.”

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, August 31, 2025

Randall Krzak

It’s hard to believe but our son turned forty-seven yesterday!  A belated happy birthday to him!!

The wildlife continue to drop in, with many wild turkeys and even some of the deer venturing closer to the back of the house. They’re always a thrill to see, but we have to be quiet at they are quite sky and take off at the slightest unfamiliar sound.

As we head into the last weekend of August and Labor Day approaches, the searing heat seems to have left. Over the past week the temperature rarely made it to mid-80, although it’s been a welcome relief. No rain for the past week, the first time in a long time. Hope everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

Over the past week, it’s been a tough run for the Detroit Tigers, winning just once and dropping five games. Even with the poor showing their record is still 79-58 and they remain in first place in the American League Central Division, 8.5 games ahead of second place Kansas City. I hope they get back to their winning ways this week!

This week saw the first games of the 2025 NCAA football season for the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans, with both teams winning. The Wolverines (ranked 14th) defeated New Mexico 34-17, while the Spartans (unranked) slipped past Western Michigan 23-6. Both teams play again next Saturday.

I do not over-intellectualise the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.” — Tom Clancy. 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 August 31t, the thirty-fifth Sunday of 2025 and the fifth and final one in August. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Alexander Radishchev, Russian writer (Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow); Théophile Gautier, French writer, historian and poet (Albertus, La Chanson de Roland, Émaux et camées); DuBose Heyward, American novelist (Porgy; Star Spangled Virgin); Ramon de Basterra, Spanish writer and diplomat (La Obra de Trajano); Albert Facey, Australian writer (A Fortunate Life); Félix-Antoine Savard, French Canadian priest and novelist; Marianne Bruns, German writer; Dore Schary, American producer, writer and director (Act 1, Boys Town, Big City); Sal Tas, Dutch journalist (Het Parool); William Shawn, American magazine editor (New Yorker, 1952-87); William Saroyan, American novelist and playwright (Time of Your Life); Amrita Preetam, Indian poet and author; Raymond Williams, Welsh academic and novelist (Second Generation); Jeremy Maas, British art dealer and writer; Julio Ramon Ribeyro, Peruvian writer; Robert Adams, American sci-fi author (Castaways in Time); György Károly, Hungarian poet and author; Raymond P. Hammond, American poet and editor of “New York Quarterly”; G. Willow Wilson, American journalist and comic book writer known for “Ms. Marvel”; and Dolly Alderton, British columnist and author (Everything I Know About Love, Good Material).

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’ve continued  my first edit pass of the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best. There were another four new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 288. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Davis leaned forward. “Governor, I’m not a king, but I hope I can influence the people regarding how they vote. In fact, the 1870 census began in June, so in the next few weeks we should have the results and be able to use them to influence thinking. If it were up to me, you’d be the next president.”

“Me?” Latimer drained his whisky in an attempt to hide his astonishment. “I’m certain there are men far more capable than me.”

“Perhaps. Be that as it may, if I were a betting man, I’m sure you’d win the prize. Think about it. The next time we meet, you can tell me if you’re interested. If you are, we’ll start working on a plan, but if you decide it’s not for you, I won’t mention it again.”

“Jefferson—I don’t know what to say. I’m humbled and honored by your offer. I’ll give it due consideration.”

“That’s all I can ask.” Davis picked up the decanter. “Another?”

“Perhaps one more. I’m meeting Felipe later at the St. Charles Hotel for a late dinner.”

“How is Felipe? I haven’t seen him in years.”

“He’s doing well, although in my opinion, he drinks too much, but not when he’s working in Canebreak. He asked me for Evangeline’s hand in marriage. I’ve given an initial consent but told him he needs to improve his standing in the community in order to be wed to the governor’s daughter.”

“Quite right.”

“You mentioned two reasons you wanted to meet with me. What’s the other one?”

“Just a minute.” Davis rose and strode to a desk in the corner. He returned with an envelope in his hand. He pulled out a letter and handed it to Latimer. “This came last week from Mary Lincoln. I’d be interested in your assessment.”

Latimer unfolded the letter and began to read.

My Dear President Davis,

I hope this missive finds you, Varina, and the children in good health. Thank you for allowing us to send correspondence through the ambassador’s pouch. This keeps our letters safe from prying eyes who might want to do us harm.

The ambassador does an excellent job of keeping us safe, having assigned an armed guard to the charming cottage he found for us. While not the same as the house we had before moving into the White House, we’ve nevertheless made it our home.

Abraham and I both long to return to America. The weather—let’s just say it’s different, but the food still remains strange to this day. I have learned a smattering of French. With some difficulty, I can converse on a basic level when we meet people who do not speak English. However, I’m afraid Abraham struggles with the simplest of expressions. Even yes and please cause him such consternation.

I have one simple request, Jefferson. Before we die, please allow us to return to America. It’s not so much for me but for Abraham, whom I fear is withering away in this strange land.

 Mary

Latimer folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope before setting it on the table. He beat a rhythm on his lips with a forefinger.

“So, what do you think of Mary’s request?” Davis picked up the letter and put it back on the desk before returning to his seat. “I haven’t replied yet, but plan to do so over the next week.”

“If you want my honest opinion, I believe Lincoln should never be allowed to set foot back in America. I would be afraid of any of his remaining followers attempting a coup and putting him back in the presidency.”

Davis nodded. “I’m of the same viewpoint but wanted to hear your thoughts. I shall put her off returning—at least for now.”

The door to the library opened.

George entered. “Mister President, the First Lady, and your children are waiting for you in the upstairs dining room.”

“Thank you, George.” Davis turned to Latimer. “Are you sure you won’t join us?”

Latimer shook his head. “Thank you, Jefferson. Perhaps next time I visit.”

“Understood.” Davis glanced at George. “Will you please see that Governor Latimer heads in the right direction to the St. Charles Hotel? I wouldn’t want him to get lost.”

Everyone laughed.

“Of course, Mister President. I can escort him to the front door if you like.”

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, August 3, 2025

Randall Krzak

We saw the temperature gradually decrease from last Sunday’s high of 100 to 95 on Friday. Yesterday, we had a welcome respite from weeks of heat with a drop of 21 degrees to 74!  That’s the forecast for today as well, although we’ll see a gradual increase of temperature up to 84 by next Friday. Some light rain also helped keep the heat at bay, although we had a two-hour thunderstorm on Wednesday that also kill the high temperatures.  At least this is bearable.

As is the norm, there’s plenty of wildlife stopping by. Friday night just before dark was the best when a buck, six doe, and two fawns put in an appearance. After they stayed for awhile, they all disappeared, melting back into the trees and brush.

The Detroit Tigers played eight games over the past week and have rebounded somewhat, winning five and losing three. Their record now stands at 65-47 and they’re still at the top of the American League Central Division with an eight game lead over second place Cleveland. Still loads of baseball to come this season, but I’ll be hoping to see the Tigers fight their way into the playoffs.

“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.”― Beatrix Potter. Compliments of https://www.nicolemgulotta.com/blog/25-inspirational-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on August 3rd, the thirty-first Sunday of 2025 and the first one in August. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Étienne Dolet, French scholar and printer; Paulus Adrianus Daum, Dutch writer, founder and editor (Batavian Newspaper); Vernon Louis Parrington, American author (Romantic Revolution, Pulitzer 1928); Eugène Baie, Belgian author (Sub rosa et sub umbra); Rupert Brooke, British WW I poet (Lithuania, The Soldier); Ernie Pyle, American journalist and war correspondent during WW II (Pulitzer Prize, 1944); Clifford D. Simak, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Empire, Way Station); Leonhard Huizinga, Dutch journalist and writer (Adriaan & Olivier); Mel Tolkin, Ukrainian television comedy writer; Sal Santen, Dutch writer (You Are Jewish People); Shakeel Badayuni, Indian poet and lyricist; James MacGregor Burns, American political writer (The Lion & the Fox); Hayden Carruth, American poet (The Crow and the Heart); Robert Sumner, American evangelist and author; Roger Foulon, Belgian writer (Un été dans la Fagne); ames Komack, American writer, director, and actor (The Courtship of Eddie’s Father; Chico and the Man; Welcome Back, Kotter); Leon Uris, American novelist (Exodus; Topaz; QB VII); Cécile Aubry, French actress (The Black Rose), author (Belle et Sébastien), television screenwriter and director; Diane Wakoski, American poet (Motorcycle Betrayal); Reed Waller, American adult comic book author (“Omaha” the Cat Dancer); and Frank Schaeffer, American author (Crazy for God).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Ernie Pyle and Leon Uris.  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’m almost finished editing chapters in the manuscript of Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback, with just a couple more to go.Then the real work will begin!  All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were another four new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 272. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Day after day, Finn returned to his lookout and didn’t find Mosby and his men. Are they attacking Union encampments? He stretched, rubbed his right knee, and pushed back through the grass before reaching his horse. He mounted and headed into Middleburg to the Chinn Ordinary.

Inside the tavern, he was greeted by Earl. “Welcome back, Finn. I’m bettin’ you found the Colton place all right.”

“Yes. You were right, there was some damage to part of the roof where a tree fell on it. Just the same there are still two rooms in suitable condition. I’ve set up in them.”

Earl nodded. “I wondered if you’d be back. You missed Colonel Mosby and some of his men. They came a day or so after you was here.” He leaned close to Finn. “Mosby sent a raiding party after some Yankees near Warrenton. I heard him mention he would be leading another raid, but this time, he’ll have support.”

“What kind of support?”

“Jefferson Davis assigned an engineer to work with Mosby. I hear tell he can control birds and squirrels, and they’ll eat out of his hand.”

Must be the guy I saw with the bird at the farm Finn thought. “Do you know his name? Sounds like a fella I heard about.”

Earl shook his head. “Never did hear it mentioned. They jest referred to him as the engineer.”

***

Latimer entered the tent being used by Colonel Mosby. He stepped to the campaign table and unrolled a sheaf of images.

Mosby appeared a few minutes later. After acknowledging Latimer’s presence, he studied the photographs. “Excellent work again, Latimer. We should be able to sneak up on the Yankee camp.”

Thank you, Colonel.”

“We will raid them tonight when they are least expecting us. I’ll inform you tomorrow of our success.”

The following day, Mosby met with Latimer. “Your images were perfect in showing how the Yankees were deployed. There was a mix-up, however, and we engaged the enemy sooner than expected. After a fierce firefight, we took six prisoners and sixty horses. It was unfortunate, but we lost six men. Overall, it was a successful raid.”

“Glad to hear it, Colonel. What do you want me to do next?”

Head back to Oakham Farm. We will rest a spell before planning our next raid. The Yankees seemed to be waiting for us, so I want to wait a bit before going after them again.”

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, June 15, 2025

Randall Krzak

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers. Did you know there are several countries where father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June.  In addition to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and Mexico celebrate today. The use of the third Sunday in June was inspired by a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd in 1910, who wanted to honour her father, a single parent who raised six children. She believed that just like Mother’s Day, fathers too deserved recognition. June was chosen because it was the birth month of Sonora’s father. compliments of https://www.fluorescentstudios.in/blogs/fluorescent-stories. I hope all fathers have an enjoyable day!

The past week has seen temperature in the upper eighties with high humidity. There has been thunderstorms and showers almost every day or evening; sometimes both. Unfortunately, the rain doesn’t seem to temper the humidity. Another thunderstorm is predicted for this afternoon. 

The Detroit Tigers continue their winning ways, with four wins and two loses this week, bringing their record to 46-26. As a result, they are now nine games ahead of second-place Minnesota in the American League’s Central Division. Keep going, Tigers!

“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” – Barbara Kingsolver. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on June 15th, the twenty-fourth Sunday of 2025 and the third one in June. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Hiob Ludolf, German orientalist (Historia Aethiopica, Grammatica Aethiopica); François-Xavier Garneau, French Canadian notary, poet, and historian (Histoire du Canada / History of Canada; Konstantin Balmont, Russian writer; Ramon Lopez Velarde, Mexican poet (La Sangre Devota); Wilbert Awdry, British Anglican cleric and children’s writer (Thomas the Tank Engine); Cees Bantzinger, Dutch cartoonist and illustrator; Hilda Terry [Theresa Hilda D’Alessio], American cartoonist (Teena) and first female member of the National Cartoonists Society; Saul Steinberg, Romanian-American cartoonist and illustrator (The New Yorker); Marshall Field IV, American newspaper publisher (owned Chicago Daily News); Amy Clampitt, American poet (The Kingfisher); Erland Josephson, Swedish actor, dramatist and author (The Sacrifice, Utflykt); aime Sabines, Mexican poet (Tarumba, Maltiempes); Ray Coleman, British author (biographies of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Brian Epstein, and Phil Collins), and music journalist (Melody Maker); Brian Jacques, British author; Xaviera Hollander [de DeVries], Dutch call girl, brothel keeper, and author (The Happy Hooker); Robert Keppel, American detective and author (Signature Killers); and Adam Rapp, American playwright and author (Red Light Winter).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Wilbert Awdry. 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

This week, I’ve continued editing chapters in the manuscript of Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback. All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were eighteen new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 238. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

President Lincoln stared at the man seated in front of his desk. “I issued a war order in January authorizing the Army of the Potomac to launch a unified attack against the Confederacy under your command. Why have you not done this?”

General George McClellan cleared his throat. “I—I, Mister President, may I remind you that at the time, I recommended a two-month postponement before I attacked Richmond.”

“You overstep yourself, sir. Of course, I remember. However, the two months have passed, and I’m unaware of any movement toward the Confederate capital.” Lincoln stood and gazed through the curtains outside. “I’m disappointed that the insurgent leader still roams as a free man.”

Lincoln sighed as he returned to his desk, picked up a letter, and handed it to General McClellan. “Sir, you try my patience. Do as I order in that letter, or you shall be replaced forthwith.”

“Yes, Mister President.” McClellan jumped to his feet and saluted. “By your leave, sir.” He dashed from the room.

***

Latimer stood on the banks of Newport News, Virginia. He glanced at the crowd of Confederate supporters assembled to witness the first naval engagement between ironclad ships and shook his head. They’re liable to be victims if the ships miss each other and the rounds fly through the air.

He launched one of his birds and directed it toward a scuttled Union frigate, the U.S.S. Merrimac, now rechristened as the C.S.S. Virginia.

The battle ensued between a new Union ironclad ship, the U.S.S. Monitor, and the Virginia. Smoke filled the air, blocking sight of the two ships.

Latimer’s bird circled the Monitor, taking photos of the revolving turret housing two eleven-inch Dahlgren guns. These blasted away at the Virginia, firing its three nine-inch Dahlgren bow guns.

Later, when Latimer retrieved his bird and developed the film, he found neither ship had caused much damage to the other. After hours of shelling, both ships retreated, with the Monitor heading to the Union-held Fort Monroe while the Virginia steamed toward her home port at the Gosport Naval Yard in Portsmouth.

Although Latimer’s bird did record hits on the Monitor’s armored pilothouse, it was still battle-worthy. “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!” He continued to study the image of the Virginia and found it had suffered some damage with a number of loosened armor plates and a riddled smokestack, which reduced her speed but she was still ready for a fight.

Stepping to the tent flap, Latimer opened it. “Lester, come here.”

Lester stepped inside the tent. He lost the lower part of his left arm in the First Battle of Bull Run to a Yankee cannonball. Still short of his eighteenth birthday, assisting Latimer was his way of remaining in the fight against the Yankees. “Yes, suh?”

“Please begin loading the wagon. As soon as my new images are dry, I want to head to Richmond and give them to President Davis.”

“Yes, suh. Right away.”

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, May 25, 2025

Randall Krzak

Happy Memorial Day weekend to those celebrating. Did you know that Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day, because it was when people went to local cemeteries and decorated the graves of military personnel who had died in the line of duty. It was first celebrated in 1868. One hundred years later, Congress changed the observance to the last Monday in May, but the name wasn’t changed to Memorial Day until 1971.  Memorial Day endures as a holiday which most businesses observe because it marks the unofficial beginning of summer.  No matter what your traditions are for this weekend, have an enjoyable one!

The Detroit Tigers played another seven games over the past week. They won three of them and lost four, including three losses in a row. Their record is now 33-20. They are still on top of the American League’s Central Division with a three game lead over Cleveland and Minnesota.

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” – Anne Frank. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on May 25th, the twenty-first Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one in May. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Claude Buffier, French philosopher and historian; Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist and philosopher (Concord Hymn); Jacob Burckhardt, Swiss cultural historian; Jules de Geyter, Belgian poet (International); Naim Frashëri, Albanian poet and writer; Johann Baptist Singenberger, Swiss composer, music teacher, editor and publisher of liturgical music; William Maxwell Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook, Canadian English newspaper publisher (Daily Express); Elsa Maxwell, American writer (Jack Paar Show); Miles Malleson, British stage and screen actor, and writer (Kind Hearts and Coronets; Postman’s Knock); Robert Willem Pieter Peereboom, Dutch editor in chief (Haarlem Newspaper); Dirk Vansina, Flemish playwright (Verschaeve Gives Evidence); Bennett Cerf, American publisher (Random House) and panelist (What’s My Line); Gustav Regler, German writer; Kazi Nazrul Islam, Bengali poet, musician, revolutionary and philosopher; Theodore Roethke, American poet (Words for the Wind); Dan Wolf, American journalist, writer, and editor (founder of The Village Voice); John Weitz, American author and fashion designer (Friends in High Places); Rosario Castellanos, Mexican poet (Balún Canán); Robert Ludlum, American spy novelist (Bourne Identity); John Gregory Dunne, American writer (Up Close & Personal, True Confessions); Raymond Carver, American poet and short story writer (Furious Season); David A. Hargrave, American game designer and writer known as The Dream Weaver (Arduin); David A. Hargrave, American game designer and writer known as The Dream Weaver (Arduin); Bob Gale, American screenwriter (Back to the Future); Eve Ensler, American playwright (The Vagina Monologues); Edward Lee, American writer (Mr. Torso); Dorothy Straight, American 4-year-old author (How the World Began); and Poppy Z. Brite [Billy Martin], American author (Lost Souls, Drawing Blood).

Any names familiar to you? There were two  for me this week: Ralph Waldo Emerson and Robert Ludlum. 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

Things are progressing nicely with Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion. All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were thirty-four new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 170. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

The following morning, Latimer set up his makeshift workshop. After storing his automatons, spare parts, and his supplies, he turned to his new assistant. “Private Jameson. Please find us a barrel of water. Also, if you can rustle up some coffee, I sure could use some.”

“Yes, sir.” Jameson rushed from the tent.

The tent flap rustled as someone shoved it aside.

Latimer glanced up and stood when he saw General Beauregard. “Good morning, General.”

“Do you have everything you need?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent. I think it’s time to get one of your birds in the air. A picket reported he heard enemy movement.”

“Right away, General.”

Three hours later, Latimer handed four images to General Beauregard. “Sir, the Yankees are amassing. Here’s proof.”

Beauregard studied the images. “I wish you could provide images faster.” He sighed. I suppose that isn’t possible, is it?”

“No, General.” Latimer shook his head. “Even what I have created is far beyond anything else available at the present.”

“Okay, Latimer. Keep ‘em coming. In the meantime, we shall begin deploying our forces and go after the Yankees.”

For the next four hours, cannon fire and rifle fire echoed across the river. Thick smoke filled the valleys, making it difficult to see. The battle ebbed and flowed, with both sides giving ground and taking from the enemy.

Late that afternoon, Colonel Stuart and his cavalry entered the fray. They threw the Yankees into disarray and confusion, causing chaos among the mass of Union regiments. Before long, the Yankees turned tail and headed back to Washington.

The Confederate troops cheered, and fired their weapons into the air, as they celebrated their first victory of the war.

General Beauregard returned to his command tent. He surveyed his commanders, many who were covered with bandages and blood splatters. He nodded. “Well done, gentlemen. We made the Yankees chase their tail. However, at what cost?”

General Johnston stood. “Sir, I believe we suffered almost one thousand seven hundred casualties. But, the Yankees lost even more.”

The tent flap was thrust aside.

President Davis stepped inside and approached Beauregard. “General, what are your men doing here? Why didn’t they chase the Yankees clear back to Washington while you had the chance?”

“I—”

“We must learn from this first encounter with the enemy. I fear it will not be the last one.” A grim smile creased his face. “At least this will show the Confederacy is a force to be reckoned with.”

“Yes, sir, Mister President.”

Later, the Confederate press would label the Yankee retreat as the, “Great Skedaddle.”

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, May 4, 2025

Randall Krzak

Mother Nature decided to give the forecasters a break. We were supposed to have multiple thunderstorms overnight-only had one brief storm. Supposed to be a rain-free day today, and I hope that bears out as we’ll be at a local farmer’s market.

The Detroit Pistons won gave five of their best-of-seven series with the New York Knicks, but lost game six, ending their season. Hopefully, Detroit will bounce back when the new season begins.

The Detroit Tigers played seven games over the past week, winning four of them. Their record is now 21-13, and they are still in first place in the American League Central Division, with a game and a half lead over Cleveland.

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it.” – Octavia E. Butler. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on May 4th, the eighteenth Sunday of 2025 and the first lone in May. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Richard Graves, English writer; Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus, German encyclopedia publisher; Horace Mann, American educator, author, abolitionist and politician who pioneered public schools; William H. Prescott, American historian; Joseph Whitaker, British publisher (Whitaker’s Almanac); Mynona [Salomo Friedlaender], German-Jewish philospher and writer (The Creator); Ramiro de Maeztu, Spanish writer (Don Quixote & Celestine); Wilhelm Lehmann, German writer; J. W. F. Werumeus Buning, Dutch poet (Daily Bread); (Nicolaas) “Cola” Debrot, Dutch lawyer, doctor, author and politician (Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, 1962-70); Lincoln Kirstein, American writer and impresario; Jeroom Verten [Jozef Frans Vermetten], Flemish playwright; Emmanuel Roblès, Algerian-French novelist and playwright (Lesson Hauteurs); Jane Jacobs, American-Canadian author and urbanologist (The Death and Life of Great American Cities); Peter Blum, Afrikaan poet (Capricorn; Gerlind Reinshagen, German novelist, children’s book author, and playwright (Himmel und Erde (Heaven and Earth)); Carlos Monsiváis, Mexican writer and political activist,; Amos Oz, Israeli author (My Michael); Robin Cook, American physician and novelist; Monika van Paemel, Belgian writer (Accursed Fathers); Narasimhan Ram, Indian journalist (The Hindu); Graham Swift, British author (Waterland, Last Orders); and Ishita Bhaduri, Indian (Bengali) poet.

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

Things are moving forward with Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion. The first twenty-three chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were eighteen new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to ninety-eight. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s the first snippet:

In the spring of 1848, Johann Spreckler, a tall, thin man in his early thirties,  maintained a small workshop in the Jura mountain region of Switzerland. A watchmaker by trade, his true passion was trying to create completely mechanical animals and machinery. Using the tools and parts from his trade, he developed the inner workings of life-size mice that would move about his worktable with amazingly realistic movements.

In his delight, he shared his little toy mouse with his friend, Carl Ludden. His friend was astounded at the machine.

The shiny brass rodent moved about the desktop but, eventually ran off the edge and crashed to the floor.

“I must find a way to control the movement,” Johann said.

That was where his troubles began. For ten years he worked late into the night after his shop closed, trying to develop a mechanism to control his various machines. If he was to control the workings of his creations, he needed a power source other than winding the mechanism as you would a clock.

One night, Johann was overcome by fatigue and rested his head on his workbench. In a dream, he saw the materials needed to create not only a power source, but a signal that would give the machines the ability to move on their own naturally. When he awoke before dawn he set about forging the materials needed to create the power source.

It took another three years for the ‘accumulator’ to be perfected. To his amazement, the creatures took on near-perfect behaviors. They no longer ran off the edge of his bench, but would scurry about the floor avoiding chair legs, hopping onto the rugs. To Johann’s astonishment, the smaller versions would crawl up his sleeve and rest on his shoulder while he worked. Something magical, even mystical occurred in the accumulator’s wiring.

Johann didn’t understand what he had created but was thrilled at the results.

He thought his toys to be innocent fun. He prepared a dozen mice, a small palm-sized bird that would fly about the room, and a miniature man who would sweep the floor with a small straw broom. He planned to offer his wondrous toys for Christmas.

In his shop, he allowed two of the mice to scurry over the counter.

The bird sat on the shelf chirping and flapping its wings. Without any command, it would take flight, circle the room, and come back to the shelf.

When a customer reacted, Johann would proudly tell them the creatures were for sale and quote the price. To his utter and complete disappointment, no one was interested, and in a lot of cases, the customers were terrified of his creatures and fled the store.

The snow was drifting and piled against the front of Johann’s watch shop the morning the mayor, the town elder priest and a rich landowner came into the shop.

From their scowls, Johann knew it wasn’t a cordial visit. He welcomed them. “Good morning, gentlemen.”

It was at that moment the bird lifted from the shelf and looped around the shop.

The priest made the sign of the cross.

The landowner turned to the mayor. He whispered, “See, what did I tell you?”

“Where did you get that creature?”

Johann smiled broadly. “I made him.”

“How can a man create something that is alive?” the priest asked.

‘It does imitate a bird, but I would not say it was alive. After all, it doesn’t eat, drink, or breathe.”

“Satan is the ultimate imitator,” the priest replied. “He has his way of imitating all things that are true and pure in God’s creation.”

“How did you learn to make these creatures?” the mayor asked.

Johann didn’t fully reflect on the way his answer would sound.  “It came to me in a dream.”

The priest turned to the major. He spoke in a soft voice. “De profundis clamavi ad te. (Evil calls for help from evil).”

“Do you renounce Satan and all his work and ways?” The landowner acted as if he was performing an exorcism.

“I think you misunderstand my work gentlemen. I am a watchmaker. The toys are but machines. Is a clock or watch a thing of the devil?” Johann tried to hide his fear of where the conversation was going.

The priest could barely contain his anger. “All day long they distort my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.”

“I am not evil. I am a simple watchmaker and inventor. Why do you see me as doing something against God? He doesn’t enter into this work. I have made innocent toys.”

The landowner slapped his hat against his palm. “To lead children astray. To remove God’s creation with imitations.”

“This will not do,” the mayor said. “I cannot let this distraction from the Church go on in my city. I order this shop closed. I will send the chief magistrate to lock and secure it.”

“You can’t!” Johann protested.

“I can and I have,” the mayor snapped.

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