CHAPTER 33
We spent an hour or so at the memorial, as a cold wind blasted in off the sea, the weathervane quivering like a nervous dog.

CHAPTER 32
Christmas was on us far too soon. Arris and Steve were doing the full extended family thing in Reading, so we had plenty of room for once. This was going to be a big one.

CHAPTER 31
We followed the congregation into the church hall, where I laid out the fruits of my visit to the supermarket, the traditional mix of mince pies, sausage rolls and blueberry muffins for Jim. Anne spotted us, and came over, all smiles and sharp-dressing.

In this chapter. Khatia gets to know bennie better and things move forward as bennie proposes.

NEW SPACETRAN 16.

Spacetran 16

List of our children and their friends.

Girls,

Wendy, William’s twin.
Jessica and Charlotte, Ben’s (AKA Bennie’s,) twin sisters.
Dave and Eddie , Sherriff Jack Johnson’s boys.
Linda and Sandra, Sherriff Jack Johnson’s daughters.
Ray, Wendy’s husband, (Our son in Law.).
Khatia. Bennie’s secret Muslim wife.

“What time do they finish serving lunch?” Khatia asked.

CHAPTER 30
Tony was in at eleven, and we were still swapping stories about gathering clothing, near misses, school days and all the other items and incidents that scarred us or brought a smile.

Snakes and Ladders 6

Chapter 6

I stare at the three of them my head going from one to the other to the other.
“Sword fighting?! I don’t know how to sword fight!”
Brennan just nodded as he made what looked like a tea. “Yes, this is exactly why they have asked for this.”

Shaya frowned as she was sliding into this dark blue silky dressing gown. “It is dishonest is what it is, they want to hurt her and embarrass us. Wren cannot be expected to perform well in a duel when does not have the training nor the years of experience that Kyte has.”

Dreams and Truth

It should be raining, Robert thought. It seemed like whenever there was a funeral in the movies or on TV, it was raining. But for a early November afternoon, it was sunny and warm. He found it hard to grieve for his mother. In one way, she had been gone for a while, lost in Alzheimer’s.

He found it also ironic that she would be buried today, on November 11, Remembrance Day. She had been, after all, the daughter of a soldier, and a soldier’s wife. For some reason the old poem came into his mind.

CHAPTER 18
It smelled green, so logically it tasted green when I was sick, and said vomit was green as well, as my empty stomach dredged deep for something to chuck up.

Maurice Gao spoke up. “Do the Watanabes know Ripley is in Australia now?”

Gabrielle looked over at Maurice. ‘Be patient, your turn will be coming soon."

Synopsis- While a JAG attorney works on Hiromi’s legal defense, Gabrielle Tanaka advises the Swan Song committee on how they could get Ripley assistance once she returns to Japan.

The Fastest Dress in the West.

The Sun’s pretty hot as I urge my horse around the cooley and down towards the creek. I needed to make camp soon I’m still a few days’ ride from where I gotta be. I’ll be out in California before too long I hope. There’s a gold rush going on out there and I want, no I need a piece of it.

I got too many folk depending on me.

I lead Lola (Ma Horse.) around to a bit of a promising looking spot, good water here, and a nice deep spot in the brook for some fish maybe. Good ’n sheltered here too, a bit of trees mostly pines and cottonwoods.