Monday, February 19, 2018

A bartender with a patch over one eye. No way...

"
Arlo leans back a bit, caught off guard by the news. “If he had a good squad of fighters and was kicking FTG booty, why the sudden hatred for the two? Did he skim the profits or something?”

Cyclops looks inside the mug, sticks a thick, scummy finger down to the bottom and wiggles it around. When he draws it out there’s a squirming goobie fighting to get away. One Eye pops the hapless creature in his maw, back end first. The goobie’s eyes pop out even further as he disappears bit by bit into the drooling mouth. A final ‘scrunch’ and he’s gone. Cyclops sticks his thick black mucus covered tongue out, pieces of goobie parts still attached and then draws it back in slowly, sheer pleasure on his face. Then he frowns.

“Worse. He was weak. His orders was to just damage the convoy ships, not blast ‘em to pieces. He just wanted to kick the FTG in the balls. They wasn’t even supposed to take slaves. G’radian is a wuss and he showed it, over and over again.” Cyclops spits a few eyeballs on the floor and curses. At least I think it's a curse, hard to say. “All those FTG maggots just sittin’ there, ripe for the pickings. G’radian just let them go. It’s stupid and it has finally caught up to him.”
"
Our heroes have finally hit pay dirt! This cutthroat's bar has a Grochna barkeep with a taste for goobies and a grudge against G'radian.

We finally learn where our target has gone and why. But it seems there is more, and less, to G'radian and his son, Bolton, than FTG intel thinks. 

Things are starting to go sideways. AGAIN!

Now what do they do???

Time is running out fast...


Sunday, January 14, 2018

The little things...

Big things matter, of course, but it's the little, day to day things, that give life meaning.

Deb and I finally managed to give our neighbors a small plate of homemade goodies this year, just before Christmas. We've been wanting to do it every year and something always made us forget or we just got too busy. The plate had homemade fudge, snicker doodles, divinity, rum balls and anise pizzelles. We went around to a few houses and got a chance to say hi and spread a little cheer.

I try to talk with my neighbors whenever I see them in their yards or walking the sidewalk or just sitting on the porch. Yes some of my neighbors actually sit outside on swings and on their porches ;-) Most I just have to catch when they are outside to do yard work.

The little conversations, sometimes no more than 'Hi, how are you doing?', make my day. From the smiles we both have I think it boosts their day just a little too.

I had a chance to recommend a lawn service to a neighbor just the other day. A simple thing. A two minute conversation about my newly sodded lawn and how good it looked. The shade from mature trees in Texas will slowly kill some grasses underneath. Mike, my lawn expert, said I should try zoysia when I needed to replace the struggling Bermuda in my yards.

My neighbor was outside doing some yard work and we had a short talk about the weather (very cold for Texas) and the bare spots under his trees. He asked about my yard and I promised to give him Mike's info.

Yesterday we got a small envelope in the mail box, simply labeled 'Gary and Debbie'. Inside was a thank you for the treats and the info.

It was a small gesture. A hand written note of thanks. But it made my day. And I know that the next time I see them in the yard we'll say our 'hi's and the smiles will return.

Monday, January 1, 2018

Happy 2018, Good Bye 2017!

I wish you all a wonderful new year, filled with life, love, laughter and family. 
Enjoy each and every moment, paying attention to those around you. 
Find a way to make someone else happy.
Laugh at yourself when you mess up.
Eat well and enjoy good health.
Give to a charity that helps others eat well and have good health.
Leave your worries and chores on the night stand when you go to sleep, and pick them back up after a good nights rest.
Tell someone how much they mean to you, every day, no exceptions.
Prepare simply for the future, understand the past but live in the only time that matters, this moment.
Meet new friends and go to new places.
See the beauty of a rainy day as well as a sunny one.
Sing a little, dance a little and laugh a lot.

Be happy. 
Take care of yourself and those around you.

If you're a writer; You've had your break, get back to work! ;-)