Working on getting these to Publishable Standard.

Taking down for now.

Thanks to all my readers. News should be coming soon, although we know how life goes.

1.

Once upon a time in a small town, there lived a 10-year-old boy named Tommy. He was an adventurous, energetic boy who loved climbing trees and playing soccer with his friends. One sunny afternoon, his aunt, Sarah, announced that she was getting married. Everyone in the family was excited, especially Tommy, who loved weddings for the cake and the delicious food.

Umberto didn’t respond to my note. I guess I wasn’t too surprised. Elissa never interacted with the notes I left in Tommy’s game; it was Tommy doing so, though he thought my responses were coming from Elissa at first.

“That’s Lee,” I said, feeling a bit relieved.

As we ventured through the bustling streets of New York City, the towering Empire State Building and the iconic Chrysler Building rose above us like giants of glass and steel, their mirrored surfaces reflecting the city's chaotic energy below. The air was filled with a symphony of honking horns, bustling crowds, and distant sirens, bouncing off the towering buildings and creating a cacophony of sounds.

I didn’t see or hear of Johanna once the trial was over, but I never forgot her and how she changed the course of my life.

CHAPTER 27
Work was a bit of a cold shower after the weekend, but Betty had enough pictures on her digital camera to keep our colleagues happy at our first post-work visit to the regular place for drinkies and pisstaking. There were the usual dreadful-but-traditional joking comments about rain and sheep, plus far more serious ones about the shots of the Hiatt’s bunkhouse.

Alya, Ada, Jasmine, Becky, and Clair step out of the house as the dust settles from the reinforcements arriving. She watches as they gather up everyone. Jasmine was using Ada for support as they stood on the damaged porch.

“I can’t believe this porch is still intact.” Becky was standing near Alya.

“It’s made of titanium/steel alloy. The whole frame of the house has been reinforced with it.” Clair remembered when Jack and Nick had the
house reinforced after moving it to this spot.

A Grumpy Old Man’s Tale 52 Political Analysis

Continued on from GOM 51 on a Saturday evening in the Green Dragon Inn taproom

“Christ, Lads, Dave missed his calling as a green grocer he should have been a diplomat. He’d have all the middle east conflicts sorted in minutes. Admittedly, he’d turn the entire spot into one big, f*** off, glassed down, radioactive plain, but the situation would be sorted permanently which would definitely be a result. We need more of that kind of thinking.”

“I recently heard, Alice, that Hell is staffed by vegetarians and the security guards are all vegans, so I’m going to heaven where slaughtermen and butchers like me are well thought of because the angels who run the spot are known to enjoy a deliciously bloody, blue steak, and there are no security guards because none of the residents wish to leave.”

How about another chapter? Please enjoy.

Colonel Decker's response to our report arrived swiftly, outlining the next steps we were to take in light of the situation we had encountered. With his guidance, we formulated a plan to ensure the safety and well-being of the survivors under our care.

"We're to take those in cryo-sleep to the nearest base for further medical treatment and debriefing," I relayed to Mir'tan as we reviewed the Colonel's instructions.

Acidalia XVI
By Amanda D

Quantico Marine base Thursday Sept 7th 8:30 am:

Nathan was never the best with introductions. Starting conversations, getting people’s attention, keeping their interest, it was all very hard. Sometimes he’d just freeze up, not knowing what to say. So when two of his family members were staring him down, right across the doorway, he stood there, silent.

Then he tilted his head, and his father laughed.

“Been a long time since I’ve seen that.” He said. “Love to see you back, son.”