Hot Stuff

We haven't had much luck with our peppers the last couple of years.

We tried growing them over at the Old Place. There was a problem with deer. But this year has been different. We have deer out here in the woods. But we also have Dogies!
Here's a look at some of the Habaneros.
The Fuzz chopped some up the other night for our Buritos.
When one does this sort of thing, one must be careful not to rub one's eyes, or any such thing. One time we were cooking up some hot sauce with these things. The Fuzz was foolish enough to step out to answer nature's call. He has been careful not to repeat this mistake ever since.

Bing Gananda 26

Samuel Tindor had watched in silence as Bing Gananda "Sang to the wind". Then, as the clouds gathered, she called Pandurina, and they rushed off, into the night. He was left alone.
The wind began to rise. Before long it was roaring through the treetops. Leaves and small branches were torn from the trees. Tindor could hear limbs falling to the ground throughout the jungle. Then the rain struck, and he sought shelter in the cat's den beneath the tree roots.
He lay there in the dark, listening to the raging storm. He thought about the Mary Anne and wondered how she would ride this out.
And then, a thought of the Shadocatch, Tomono, came to him. Tindor thought of him out in the storm, and wondered how he was. They were Blood now. Was it always like this?
And what of Bing Gananda? He felt cold, and touched his own clothing. It was dry, but for some reason, he had thought it wet for a moment. She was Blood with him too.
He shuddered, and lay in the dark waiting for the morning.


"Captain" Martin went down as the water swirled around him. He was slammed into the bottom and became confused. He no longer knew which way was up. The waves rolled him over and over, and pounded him against the bottom. Finally he could hold out no longer and the air burst from his lungs and he choked on sea water.

When Martin woke, he was laying in the wet sand. The storm had passed, only to be replaced with a thick fog and chill. It was still dark. He had no idea how he had gotten there. There was no sound other than the gentle lapping of the water on the sand.
He listened carefully for any voice, any sign that he was not alone. There was nothing. Then, finally, there was a distant voice, muffled in the fog.
"This one's dead too."
Martin was relieved. Someone, at least, had survived. He tried to shout, but only gasped in pain. He had several broken ribs, and he couldn't move his legs. He began to drag himself painfully in the direction of the voices.


Tindor was surprised at how quickly the storm had died. Then, the fog had moved in. He could barely see a half dozen yards. He was surprised when Bing Gananda joined him in the cat's den.
She was soaking wet.
"I'm cold, Sam Eu-el," she said as she lay down beside him. She seemed very subdued.
Then she moved closer. Tindor pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. She was shivering. Bing Gananda seemed very small to him. Finally, she was still.
"Sam Eu-el?"
"Bing?"
"Is evil... Can One catch it?"
"Catch it? Like a sickness?"
"Maybe."
Tindor thought about it. It was easy to go along with it when it was all around you. But it was still a choice. Not all the crew had went with Martin. He remembered Jack, and his last words to Grinder.
"Maybe. Maybe you can catch it, But you don't have to."
"I wrecked your ship."
"I know." He had known it somehow.
Bing Gananda curled up beside him. Tindor wrapped her in his arms. She was crying.




*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 25

15 Shipwreck

Martin stood on the deck, watching the shore. He had sent two more of the sailors in with the Jolly Boat to find out what had happened. He was getting worried. He had already lost almost half the crew since they had come to this place.
Perhaps the old cook was right. What if this island was cursed? Questions came to his mind. Why was it not on the charts? Surely somebody should have found it before now. It was not all that remote. Everything seemed just a bit out of place.
A cloud passed over the moon. The sky had been clear, but as Martin looked up now, he could see clouds gathering rapidly. The wind was shifting too. The brig began to swing around on her anchor.
Within a quarter hour the wind was blowing dead onshore. And it was beginning to pick up strength. With the change, swells were beginning to enter the cove.
Martin had been watching the men at the fire on shore though his glass. There should have been four, besides the ones he had sent. He only saw two others.
But by now the Mary Anne was straining at her anchor. The wind was approaching gale force. Martin could see the men on the beach, struggling to launch their boat into the waves breaking on the sand. It was too much for them, and they gave up, dragging the boat up the beach.
Now Martin turned his attention to the ship. She could never beat her way out of the cove against this wind, even if she wasn't short handed. This storm had come up too quickly. It was unnatural.
Then the rain hit. It came horizontally, drive by a wind which had built to hurricane force. There was nothing but wind, rain, and the now pitching deck.
There was a brief lull, and Martin got a glimpse of the shore. It was way too close. The brig was dragging anchor. If the storm did not let up, they would surely go aground. But then the rain closed in again, and he could see nothing.
By now, what was left of the crew were on the pitching deck. They were trying to get a second anchor over the side. But they couldn't hold on to it as the ship lurched. A man screamed as it fell back on him crushing his chest. Matin rushed to help. But it was too late.
The brig struck stern first, then was lifted by the next wave only to hit again harder. The rudder was smashed as the waves pounded her. Now the bow began to swing around and the waves caught her amidships. She was slammed again and again, driving her farther up on the beach. There was the sound of splintering wood as she rolled onto her side and the waves crashed over her.
Martin lost his grip and was washed into the surf, fighting for his life.


*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Basic Home Improvements

Time for more Home Improvements

The Fuzz has been a bit slack keeping up with things here lately. So here is a bit of an update.
With our new Sliding Glass Door installed, it was time for The Fuzz to tackle the Baseboards that he had promised His Sweetie a couple years ago. After all, there was no use in putting in something he would only have to tear up again. But now his excuses were gone.
In the top Pix, you will notice a rat hole in the corner. This was here when we bought the trailer. While installing the new door, The Fuzz had removed a section of wall. He used a piece of this to continue the wainscoting, thus covering said rat hole.
He, and His Sweetie had purchased several 1X4s from the Home Improvement Store, and ripped a bevel along one edge to make Baseboards.
Here's a look at how it came out.
The Fuzz has been working on this a little at a time, as the opportunities arrive. It will be admitted that he does somehow manage to find time for other projects. But the living room is finished now, and he has even made a start on the bed room!
Obviously he is not working on it at this moment, choosing to attempt to catch up on this blog instead.
Here's a look at some of this great Baseboard with a relocated phone jack.

Bing Gananda 24

"Sam Eu-el" woke around midnight. He could feel the tension in the air. He found the two cats huddled together. Bing Gananda was nowhere to be seen.
He made his way to the nearby stream in the moonlight. There he knelt and had a long, cool drink. Then, he sat there in the night air for a long time. The food and rest had refreshed him. Now he finally had a chance to think over his situation.
Nothing about it seemed to be even possible. The mutiny was real enough, but this Bing Gananda, and her cats could not be real. Or could they? And there was this matter of the "Blood", and the words in his head. He was sure he was going mad.
After a time, he realized Tomono was now laying beside him. Lost in thought, he had not heard the big cat's approach. Then the cat sat up and looked into his eyes. There was an intelligence there Tindor had not expected.
Then, the cat spoke. Tindor could not understand the words. But he had an idea what Tomono wanted. Tindor had not been armed, but he did have his penknife. Now he took it in his hand and the great cat raised his paw.
Tindor drew his own blood in turn.
"Now we are Blood"
"Yes, now we are."
It was so strange to understand this creature, so different than himself. He didn't yet understand how close he was now bound to this creature.
"Come with me. Bing Gananda is singing to the wind."
Tindor had no idea what this meant, but he was ready to believe anything by now. He followed Tomono back to Pandurina's den.
Bing Gananda was there leaning over a carved stone bowl. Tindor could not see what was in it, but it gave a strange glow as she swirled the contents with her finger.
She sang.

"Hide your face
O moon from me
Clouds arise
Now from the sea!"

It was an eerie melody, and she repeated the song again and again. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as Tindor realized that she was calling up a storm. A cloud passed over the moon. As he looked to the sky, he could see more clouds forming. The trees were beginning to stir as a breeze began to rise.

Bing Gananda 23

The explosion was heard back at Pandurina's den. Tindor never stirred, but the big cat was alarmed. Bing Gananda tried to calm her. She stroked Pan's thick fur as she sang a soothing song.
Tomono rushed up and began relating what he had seen to Pandurina, upsetting her all over again. And so it was a while before Bing Gananda finally heard the story herself.
She was appalled. Something had to be done about these "men" and their evil. A first she thought about going to Kurura, on the mountain. He, also, could call forth fire. Bing Ganada did not like fire. None of the Lithorians did. They preferred the cool light of their moonstones.
Then a shadow passed in front of the moon. Bing Gananda looked up to see Kurura, on the wing.

The men on the beach saw him too, silhouetted against the moon for a brief moment.
"Mother of God!" gasped Isaac. He could not believe his eyes.
Hull stood still. His mouth hung open. The long body and bat-like wings could be only one thing. But that was impossible.
They watched in disbelief as the shadow of the dragon circled the cove, and then returned to the mountain.
They looked at the fire. A fire might ward off a lion, but a dragon was another thing. But then, of course, there were no such things, were there.
Isaac finally managed to speak.
"Did you see..." But one look at Hull's white face answered his question. This was a nightmare he would not wake up from.


Bing Gananda had seen Kurura returning to his lair. If he would not act, she would.


*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 22

14 Sing to the Wind

On board the ship, Martin had just lain down when the seaman on watch rapped on his door.
"Cap'n, sir, come have a look at this."
Martin wearily came out on deck. The man pointed to the shore. They could see the bonfire on the beach, and beyond that the jungle.
"There, Cap'n, did you see it?"
Martin looked at the island. All he saw was the fire on the beach, and the glow from the volcano at the top of the mountain. He was about to curse the sailor, when he saw a faint glow out in the jungle. It must be what Roper had seen the previous night.
Then, they noticed a commotion around the fire on the beach.
"What's happening on shore?" he asked the sailor.
"I can't tell, Cap'n... It looks like a fight."
Then, there was a sudden flash as the bonfire exploded into the air. The sound echoed across the cove. Then, all was quiet.
The beach was dark now, except for tiny bits of flame here and there. They began to fade into glowing embers as they watched from the ship.
"Bloody hell!" said the sailor involuntarily.
By now some of the other men had come out, having heard the explosion.
"What the hell?.." asked the old cook, and then he too, fell silent. He had his own opinion of this island.


On the beach Hull was gathering the scattered bits of fire together. Isaac first went to the dead seaman, then to Roper. He was still alive, barely, and suffering horribly. He had been cut almost in two by the blast.
Isaac drew his own cutlass and ended it.
"Damn that fool!" Hull said. "We need to get this fire going again before that lion comes back."
"You saw it?"
"Aye, I saw it."
The two men worked to get the fire burning again. Isaac cursing as he burned his fingers.
This hadn't turned out as he had hoped. At one time, piracy would never have tempted him. He was a fisherman. But after his young wife had died, back in England, he had gone to sea. He had thrown in his lot with the mutineers. The adventure appealed to him, and what did he have to lose?
Now they were stranded on this accursed island. The brig was not seaworthy. And the crew were being killed off, one at a time. Seven were dead already. Who would be next? He eyed the jungle warily.


*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

First Fire

It seems to be that time of year again. We've had a few cool mornings lately, and some afternoons, if the truth be told. And it is probably best to just tell the truth.
The point is, that The Fuzz had to light up the Old Woodstove.
And that meant Firewood, of course. And so, here we go again.
The Fuzz broke out that old Chainsaw and dropped a couple of dead trees. They weren't very big, and won't last long. But it did let us warm up the trailer a bit.
He brought a bit of it into our Handy Wood Stash, by the heater. It did feel good.
But it has warmed up a bit now. And so the fire is out again. But it was pretty nice when we wanted it.

Bing Gananda 21

Bing Gananda had brought Tindor to Pandurina's den. There, she had fed him most of the fruit Pandurina had gathered. After that, he had promptly fallen asleep.
She studied him laying there. In many ways, he was like the Lithorians. But, he was a giant. He must be a creature of the day. His skin was well tanned by the sun. There was hair growing on his face. His clothing seemed restrictive to her. It even covered his feet. She wondered how he could use his toes at all.
Bing Gananda was curious about his world. Where was it? How had he come here? They would have a long talk, when he woke.

While Bing Gananda and Pandurina occupied themselves with the man, Tomono decided to get a look at the other men who were on the beach. He crouched in the shadows and watched.
There were four of them huddled around their fire. Their boat was pulled up above the tide in the sand. Two were from the band he had encountered earlier, in the jungle. One of the other two seemed to be the leader. They were drinking something from a cask. It smelled a bit like rotten fruit when the breeze blew toward Tomono.
Against his better judgement, Hull had let the men have the rum. Isaac and his companion were in need of a drink after their ordeal. In fact, they all were in need of one.
Hull pressed them for the details of their scout. Isaac told him of their encounter with Tomono. When it came to the part about Grinder, he was purposely vague.
But Roper wouldn't let it be. Hull tried to get him to drop it, but he kept pressing them. Finally the seaman let it out.
"Isaac killed him. It was a fair fight."
Then there was silence. Grinder and Roper had been partners for years. Roper stared at Isaac with hatred. The rum had emboldened him, and he staggered to his feet, hand on his cutlass.
"Sit down, you fool!"
It was Hull. There had already been enough trouble in his opinion, and he meant for it to stop.
Isaac didn't get up. But the other seaman did, and faced Roper.
"You're a bloody fool too! Sending us out there in that cursed jungle. Why the hell didn't you go yourself?"
"Shut your bloody mouth!"
Roper drew his blade. Hull and Isaac both got to their feet and backed out of the way as the two drunken seamen began to fight clumsily.
Soon they were both bleeding. Then Roper saw an opening and struck. The other man went down. But as he fell, he made one last effort, pushing Roper toward the bonfire. He shrieked as he fell in.
Roper had never drawn the pistol thrust into his belt. But now, as he clawed his way out of the flames, it discharged, ripping open his thigh. Then, his powder flask exploded, blowing fire in all directions.
The explosion terrified the Shadocatch hiding nearby. The frightened cat burst past the startled men, with a snarl, and fled back into the jungle.
Hull and Isaac slowly got to their feet and stared at each other in the silence.
"This isn't our fight," said Hull quietly.
"No, it's not."



*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 20

13 Fire in the Night


As the sailors brought the wounded man aboard, Martin asked them what had happened.
"We was attacked by a lion, Captain," one answered.
When the cook saw the man he said nothing. Martin took him aside.
"Well?"
"He's a goner, Cap'n. We could cut off his arm, but he won't make it either way."
"Dammit."
Morris lay on deck moaning weakly. There was blood on his lips. He was obviously dying. They might as well get it over with. Martin pointed to one of the sailors that had brought him.
"Ben, cut his throat."
The man looked bewildered.
"Now!"
Martin's hand was on his pistol. The sailor reluctantly drew a knife from his belt. Morris looked up at him, eyes pleading. He looked again at Martin, who drew the gun. Then the man bent down, and slit Morris's throat.
"Throw him over."
As the sailors heaved Morris over the rail, Martin walked to his cabin.
As the cook walked away, he muttered under his breath,
"We're all under the curse now."
The sailors looked at each other, and said nothing.

On shore, the men threw more wood on the fire, and watched the jungle warily.


"Captain" Martin was brooding over a some brandy from the former captain's cabinet. Captain Pearce had had good taste. But it was hard to enjoy his new situation. He did have command of the ship, but what good was that with no crew? And the way things were going, there would soon not be enough men left to man her. He sat and stared at the lantern on the table.
It had been inevitable that some would be lost in the mutiny. But who could have known about this "lion" or whatever it was. And, he suspected that Grinder had really been killed by some of the crew. He was a bully and a fool, and he had had it coming.
But he hated to lose Jackson. He was an excellent seaman, and would have made a good mate. Hull and Roper were both too hotheaded. Now, he would have to make the best of things as they were.
Hull and Roper had been part of the conspiracy nearly from the beginning. Once they had possession of the ship, they were to sail to the coast where they would be joined by Señor López and his daughter Maria. They would supply more men, and more importantly, several guns.
This island would be a perfect base for them. There was a good anchorage, sheltered from the prevailing winds. It was not on any charts, yet close enough to the coastal trade for their raids. And with Governor López behind them, there would be little to fear from the authorities.
But that storm had complicated things. They should have already been back to Santa Rosa. Now they would be stuck here even longer until the repairs were finished. He missed Maria.
He did not miss Mr. Tindor though. Their last port of call, before the storm, had been Santa Rosa, on the coast, where López was governor. He had entertained them lavishly. Pearce had suspected nothing. But Señorita López had paid Mr. Tindor way too much attention. He was glad to be rid of him.


*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right. (possibly)

The Devil's Staircase

This weekend the weather was pretty nice. The Fuzz had planned to do a bit of work around the trailer. But His Sweetie remarked that it would be a good day for Motorcycling.There are a few things lined up for the next few weeks, so it did look like if He was going to go, this was the day to do it. He decided to ride NC 80 up to the parkway. This is one of The Fuzz's favorite rides. It is also where he had hit a deer several years ago. He keeps the dents in his tank as souvenirs. But he had no idea it was Famous!
There was a photographer making pix of the passing bikers, and a sign about seeing the pix online. The Fuzz couldn't remember the name, but he hit Google, and eventually found them*. And then, he discovered that he has actually been riding the infamous Devil's Staircase! Pretty exciting! The Fuzz does recommend the ride, if you are ever in the area. From there, he headed up the parkway for a more laid back experience. Here is where he stopped for a sandwich and beer.
All in all, it was a pretty good day up in the mountains. The Fuzz did make it home in one piece, with no new damage to either him, or his bike.

*You can see the proofs that The Fuzz is too cheap to buy here, at Blind Kenny's site.

Bing Gananda 19

Samuel Tindor lay in despair among the roots of one of the unknown trees that towered above him. The jungle was beginning to fade into twilight. He was waiting to die. It was only a matter of how. Would it be some jungle beast, or the men now hunting him? He no longer cared.
He seemed to have shaken his pursuers, for now. But they would be back, he was certain. He tried to remember exactly what had happened. The only thing he was sure of, was that Jack was dead. He had seen Grinder shoot him.
After that, he had fled. Someone had shot at him. And then there was confusion. He thought he had seen a beast attack the mutineers. Then, he had run until he collapsed, and crawled here, to hide, and die.

He may have slept, he wasn't even sure about that. Now his heart began to pound as he became aware of something moving near him.
He could see it now. A great, grey, cat-like creature was moving though the twilight. He sat up to see better. Now he saw another one, circling him. It was another mottled grey cat, this one with a huge black mane. Then it slowly approached. Tindor didn't run, he was ready to die.

Bing Gananda and Pandurina had followed Tomono to where the creature was hiding. From what Tomono had told them, it was an outcast, like Bing herself. Kurura had called them "Men", and said there was evil with them. But the Eld had told her they were not all evil. She wondered, was this one an Evil One?
As Pandurina slowly circled the man, he sat up and watched them. Bing Gananda made up her mind. He was an outcast, and so was she. She would go to him.

As the cat drew nearer, Tindor could see it better. It was very much like the one he had see earlier, except for the dark mane. Then, to his surprise, the "mane" sat up.
Now he could see it was not a mane, but a rider. He saw what looked like a pale child, with hair black as night. As she drew closer, Tindor saw that it was no child, but a woman, no more than a yard tall at the most. She wore only a loose tunic, her arms and legs were bare. Her skin was as white as snow, in contrast to her hair. It seemed almost to glow in the night, like the moon itself.
Bing Gananda spoke. Her voice was like a song, but her language, unknown to him. Yet, Tindor found it soothing. He thought this must be a dream, or maybe he was already dead. She couldn't be real. But then, she touched him, and his whole body relaxed.
Pandurina stayed back in the shadows. She never took her eyes off of Bing Gananda and the man. Tomono patrolled, just beyond her, watching for any intruders.
Tindor looked up into the coal black eyes of this amazing creature. She seemed so delicate, yet he sensed the presence of great power. The cats, as fierce as they were, did her bidding willingly.
Now, from a belt at her waist, she drew a strange blade. Tindor felt a momentary stab of fear, but it quickly faded. The knife was not of any metal he knew. It looked like crystal of some kind, yet sharper than any razor.
Then, strangely, she pricked herself and drew a large drop of her blood. She stepped closer. Tindor couldn't have run if he'd wanted to. Bing Gananda touched his lips with one hand, and he knew what she wanted. He opened his mouth slightly. Then she placed the drop of blood onto his tongue, and spoke again.
This time, although the words were still foreign to him, he heard her, in his mind.
"You must do the same."
Tindor moved as if in a trance. He could barely believe what was happening. He held out his hand as Bing Gananda pricked his finger. Then she touched the drop of blood to her own tongue.
"I an Bing Gananda. Who are you?"
"Sam," he answered. And now she understood him.
"Sam?... Just Sam?"
"Samuel."
"Sam Eu-el," she replied with a smile. She made three long syllables of his name. "Sam" was just not enough for a name, she thought. Although, it might do among friends.
Bing Gananda could see that Tindor was starving and exhausted.
"Come with us now, Sam Eu-el." She had decided he was not the Evil One. "Now we are Blood."
Tindor slowly got to his feet. His mind was reeling. He followed this sprite and her cats into the jungle.

Bing Gananda 18

12 Now We Are Blood


The sun was already behind the mountain when Isaac and the others finally made their way back to the sea. They found themselves on a deserted shore. The Brig was nowhere to be seen. They followed the shoreline back to the cove. By now they were carrying Morris. It was dark by the time they made it back to their boats. Roper and Hull met them there. There was a fire on the beach.
"Where the hell have you been?" Hull demanded.
Then they saw the wounded man. Roper asked,
"Where's Grinder?"
The men looked away. Nobody wanted to speak. Finally Isaac told them.
"Dead," he said flatly.

"Dead?" asked Roper in confusion. "How the hell..."
"Just dead," Isaac said. As Roper looked at the men, he realized that no more would be said. He also saw that Isaac now had a brace of pistols.
Then Hull asked in a shocked voice.
"What the hell happened to Morris?"
"The bloody lion," answered one of the men.
"What lion?" he asked, and then remembered what Jackson and Tindor had reported the day before. He looked nervously at the nearby trees.
Hull examined Morris's arm. It was obvious that he would lose it. He looked away. Now he wondered if there would be enough of them left to man the brig. He told two of the sailors,
"Take him out to the ship and see if Jones can help him."
The old cook had served on warships most of his life. He was the closest thing to a surgeon they had now with Tindor gone.
As the sailors pushed off to the brig, Isaac took Hull aside.
"We found Mr. Jackson and Mr. Tindor," he said. "Jackson is dead. Tindor is out there somewhere." He pointed toward the darkening jungle.

For Our Yankee Friends

Here's something for y'all Yankees

Just thought y'all might like a look at this stuff before it looks like a T Shirt.

Bing Gananda 17

Tindor had stood up when the mutineers came. He had heard their words and watched in shock as Grinder killed the Bos'n. Now all eyes were on him.
"Get him!"
Tindor bolted into the jungle. Grinder raised his second pistol and fired. The ball passed by Tindor's ear. But just as the mutineers started after him, there was a grey blur, and the "lion" rushed between them. A sailor raised his musket, but before he could fire, The cat's great claws had ripped it from his hands. He reared up, slashing right and left. The men scattered.

Tomono had been watching from the shadows. The shot from Grinder's pistol had startled him. But when he saw Grinder turn on Tindor, he attacked. He liked that man, and wanted to protect him.
Tindor fled farther into the jungle. Once the mutineers were scattered, Tomono followed, quietly.


The sailors slowly regrouped around Grinder. Several had vicious slashes. Morris, the one who had lost his musket, had his arm laid open to the bone, and some broken ribs. He had lost a lot of blood already. The others were making a tourniquet. One turned angrily to Grinder.
"What the hell have you gotten us into?"
"Shut up, Isaac!"
The man reached for his cutlass. Grinder drew his own and they began to circle each other. Then Isaac rushed Grinder, and they began to fight. The others just stood back to watch.
Soon both men were breathing heavily and soaked with sweat. Grinder had been cut several times and was bleeding heavily. It was only a matter of time, and he knew it. His eyes were open wide and he began to panic.
He tried to step back, but lost his footing on a root. That was all it took, and he was run though. He stood for a moment, looking down at the cutlass, then looked up into the eyes of the man who had just killed him. Then, his knees buckled, and he saw nothing.
One of the sailors said quietly,
"We are all dead men."

Isaac stood there panting. He had never killed a man before. It had all been done in a moment of anger. This whole place seemed to be under a curse. Now the men looked to him as their leader.
"What now, Isaac?"
"Which way do we go?"
Isaac shifted uneasily. The sun was going down. Soon it would be dark. Then a thought occurred to him.
"Follow this creek. It has to run into the sea somewhere."

Pandurina was laying outside of her den. She had gathered a collection of the fruits she knew Bing Gananda liked. She looked up as Tomono approached.
She snarled at him. But it was only a half hearted snarl. The truth was, she liked Tomono. Someday there would be kits she knew. But not today.
Tomono had heard of Bing Gananda's banishment. He expected that she would be with Pandurina. The fruit confirmed his suspicions. The man was more like the Lithorians than any other creature. So it seemed natural to bring them together. And he knew Bing Gananda would not be afraid.
"Bring Bing Gananda. One of these creatures is here."
"Why should I wake Bing Gananda for you?"
"Because she'll want to see it."
Pandurina knew this was probably true. But she would not be ordered around by any He Shadocatch! She was about to spit at him when she realized that Bing was standing in front of the den already.
Bing Gananda could not really understand the words of Tomono, she was not Blood with him. But she could get his meaning from Pandurina. She asked,
"What is it Pan?"
Now, Pandurina had to tell why Tomono was there. She glared at him, and then explained what he wanted. And as she had expected, Bing Gananda was ready to go.
"Let's go, Pan," she said as she climbed onto the big cat's back.
Reluctantly Pandurina followed Tomono into the jungle.

Life Is Peachy

The Fuzz and His Sweetie got these peaches the other day.They look pretty nice. But the flavor was not exceptional. They are also a bit on the firm side. But they did make a good peach cobbler. And now the delicious aroma of Peach Pie is wafting though the trailer! Life can be good.

Bing Gananda 16

11 All Dead Men


Tomono had not run far. He was quietly watching these men from nearby in the jungle. He did not like them. They were different from the two he had seen at first.
He followed them as they wandered though the dense forest, obviously lost. They were getting closer to the first ones now. Tomono waited to see what would happen next.

Jackson had never stirred during the encounter with Tomono. But Tindor was wide awake now, and thirsty. He went over to the stream for a drink. As he drank, he noticed some unfamiliar fruit growing nearby. He went to investigate, hoping it was edible.
As he was examining it, he heard something else approaching. He crouched down out of sight to watch. The sounds grew louder until he saw Grinder and the others pushing their way though the undergrowth. They were talking among themselves.
"I told you it was the other way!"
"Shut the hell up!"
There was more grumbling, then sudden silence as they stumbled upon Jackson laying there. Finally Grinder spoke.
"Well, look at that. If it ain't Mr Jackson himself."
The Bos'n slowly opened his eyes and looked at them wearily. Grinder kicked him viciously.
"Get the hell up!" As Jackson struggled to his feet, Grinder said scornfully, "Did you enjoy your swim?" Then, "You seen your friend Mr Tindor?"
Jackson glanced quickly around, and instantly regretted it.
"So, he is here!" He turned to the sailors with him. "You two," he pointed, "look around. He must be around here some where. Find him."
Grinder pulled a pistol from the brace at his belt, and pointed it at Jackson's face.
"You had a change of heart, Bos'n?"
"Go to hell, Grinder."
Grinder's face twisted in rage.
"You first," he said, and then pulled the trigger.
It was suddenly quiet after the blast of the gun. Jackson crumpled to the ground, his face was a bloody mess. The rest of the men stared at him. Grinder put his hand on the second pistol.
"Well, who's next?"
Nobody spoke. Then one pointed toward the stream.
"There he is!"

Door Pix

The Fuzz has been a little slack the last few days.
But, he did promise some pix of this finished door project. So here they are.
On the right is a look at the exterior.
There is still a bit of touch up painting needed, and some curtains. But The Fuzz's Sweetie will take care of that.
All in all, it took a bit longer than expected. But there was a bit of an interruption that complicated things.
The Fuzz is doing OK in that regard, and his bike is functioning. There is still no news of any funds for repairs though.
But here is a great little Techno-Tip. If for some reason, one sees a Electrical-Type Flash whilst cutting wood (or anything else) The damage can be quickly, if temporarily, fixed with Wire Nuts! Of course it is better to avoid this situation entirely if possible.

More On Improved

With the interior trim pretty much finished, it was time to go back outside. This had been left off due to The Fuzz's inability to work laying on the floor due to his injuries. But now the time had come.
Here he is using a piece of lumber salvaged from part of the wall that had been removed. The chisel is being used to remove some glue residue.
That piece was used under the new door. To the left is a look at the new curtain rod. The Fuzz had done something similar over the window with a nice piece of scrap copper pipe. But this time the cost was prohibitive. So he used some conduit.It is atached to the wall with screws going though small spacers cut from some scrap copper tubing. Now all we need is some nice curtains. The Fuzz's Sweetie will handle that.
We'll get some pix of the finished job up sometime soon.

Bing Gananda 15

10 A Lion

Pandurina's den was a hollow beneath the roots of a great tree, cool and well hidden. Bing Gananda curled up beside the Shadocatch and was soon asleep. It had been a long night. And she hadn't slept much the day before. She had a mind to have another look at the men on the beach, but for now, it could wait.

The exhausted Bos'n was fast asleep. Tindor sat watching him. Jackson had lost his shoes in the water while swimming for his life, and his feet were already bruised and bleeding. They had nothing to eat, and no weapons. But they had found water.
Tindor was tired himself, but too uneasy to sleep. He jumped at every new sound. At times, in the distance, he thought he could hear the mutineers. As the day wore on, his eyes grew heavy. Eventually, he succumbed, and fell into a fitful sleep.

The sailors were busy. The Ship's Carpenter was directing the repairs. He had not been happy about the turn of events, but he could see which way the wind was blowing, and would make the best of things.
The repairs would take several days at best, perhaps as much as a fortnight. But there was no need to hurry. "Captain" Martin was planning to send a party out to forage for some fresh food. Surely there was game somewhere on the island. And they would need fresh fruit if possible. The Carpenter needed some timber too.
Hull was Martin's new Mate. He was taking some of the sailors to shore with the longboat, to see what they could find. As the men were getting ready to go ashore, Roper took Hull off to the side.
"Hull," he said, "Did anybody see anything strange last night?"
"Strange? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, nothing." Then he added hesitantly, "It's just... From the ship... Well..."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"There were these lights" Roper said in a low voice. "We saw them on shore."
"Lights?"
"Aye, kind of like the moon itself, but out there in the jungle."
"Well, we saw nothing." Hull told him. But he glanced at the island uneasily.


Tomono, the Shadocatch, moved noiselessly though the Jungle. Like most of the Shadocatch, he preferred to hunt at night. But there had been a lot of activity among the Lithorians, and now he was curious. There was a new scent in the air. It was like nothing he knew, and it was nearby.
Tindor woke with a start. It took a moment for his eyes to focus. There was a huge cat staring at him. He was afraid to move.
Then Tomono spoke. Tindor was sure the big cat was speaking, but he couldn't understand a thing. Then with a swish of his tail, Tomono sprang back into the jungle.
Tindor sat in shock for some time. This creature must have been what Jackson had seen the day before. It was a cat of some kind. But like none he'd ever seen. And he was sure it had tried to talk to him. Or was it all a dream?
It looked to be about a yard tall at the shoulders, and was covered with long, thick fur. The color was a pattern of light and dark grey. He had expected it to attack at first. But it had spoken instead. What kind of creatures inhabited this place, he wondered.


Tomono moved noiselessly away from the men. Here was something new. They resembled the Lithorians, but were much larger. He wondered if they were dangerous. He was not surprised that they couldn't understand his speech. It would take Blood for that. He wondered if they had met the Lithorians yet. They must be what had stirred up the Lithorians. He would leave them alone for now.
As he circled back toward his den, he heard something approaching noisily though the jungle. He crouched down and waited. It was another group of the men. They were talking loudly among themselves, oblivious to their surroundings. They were coming right at him.
The leader was only a half dozen paces from the cat when he saw him. His eyes shot open and he dropped his cutlass in panic. He jumped backward and fell over Grinder who was right behind him.
Tomono reared up and leaped over the fallen men, and bounded away into the jungle. One of the sailors belatedly fired his musket at nothing in particular.
"What the hell was that?" one asked once he had recovered.
"A bloody lion," another answered.
The men gathered close together, watching the jungle warily. Grinder angrily pushed the fallen man off of him, and struggled to his feet.
"What was it?" he asked. He had not gotten a look at it himself.
"A damned lion!"
"Big as a house!"
"There are no lions on these islands," Grinder said, half to convince himself.
For a moment he remembered those weird lights of the night before. But this was broad daylight. It was only some animal he told himself as he calmed down. And probably, not that dangerous. After all, it had run away. It was too bad they hadn't shot it for the meat.
But the men were spooked. They wanted to go back to the beach. At least there they could see what was around them. They were men of the sea. This dense and twisted vegetation seemed like a deathtrap to them.
But now they were confused. In the excitement they had gotten turned around. No one was sure which direction they had come from, and everything looked the same.
An argument broke out. Finally Grinder drew his pistol, and threatened to shoot. Then, he chose a direction, and started for the beach- he hoped.


*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

The View Improved (cont.)

Just an update on the Sliding Glass Door Project.
The Fuzz and His Sweetie picked up a few boards at the Home Improvement Store, and took them over to the Old Place. There they were able to rip them into the proper size for some interior trim.
He had already taken care of some of the wiring issues while he was out of work.
Check out our new Porch Light. This was something Our Fuzz had found years ago on the job and stashed. Before things got so automated a lot more stuff used to make it home. I think His Sweetie had mixed feelings about that. But this was one of those times when it paid off.

Bing Gananda 14

9 In the Jungle

Pandurina crept though the jungle with Bing Gananda on her back. Bing was angry. She knew that Gala Gania didn't like her, but this was too much. Now she was banished from her Holt !
"Come with me to my den, Bing." Pandurina said comforting her, as they moved silently among the trees.
Bing Gananda could see a slight hint of the coming dawn in the east. Then Pan stopped. Someone stood in their path. It was the eldest of the Eld again.
"Where are you going, Bing Gananda?"
She could not be angry with him. He had had no part in her banishment. And she was a little in awe of him. He seemed to know her. She wondered how he had found her.
"I will go with Pandurina," she answered.
"Ah, a loyal friend." But now he was speaking to the Shadocatch.
Bing was amazed when Pan replied to him. They were not Blood, were they?
"Bing Gananda is my friend!"
"And, a good friend is worth keeping, Pandurina. Keep her safe."
Now he spoke again to Bing Gananda.
"I too, have been to the mountain, and I too am Blood with Kurura the Terrible. You are a brave one, Bing Gananda. Beware of these men and their ship. They are not all evil, but this is not their world."
Then, he was gone. Only a slight glow remained.


Tindor had brought the Bos'n back into the jungle with him. Jackson was starting to recover his strength.
"What happened out there?"
"It was Grinder and Roper. They came at us with cutlasses. The captain's pistol misfired, and they killed him, and Billy too. Me, I went over the side."
Tindor was quiet for a time. Finally he said,
"Then... they have the ship."
"Aye."
"It's Martin. They killed Spitzer, I saw it."
They were silent for a while. Finally Tindor asked,
"Who's left, Jack?"
"Just you, and me."
"What do we do now?"
"I don't know, Sam."
Tindor thought for a while. It was beginning to get light.
"We need to get away from this beach," he said. "I don't like this jungle much, but we need to get away from here. And we'll need to find some water."
They got up, and began to push their way warily though the thick foliage, back into the jungle.


As it grew light, Grinder and Roper set out for the beach in the Jolly Boat. Martin and Hull met them at the shore.
"How'd it go?' Martin asked. "Who's left?"
"We got Daniels, Billy, and the Captain. The cook's with us."
"What about Jackson?"
They hesitated before answering. Then Roper told him,
"He went over the side."
"Then he got away."
"I don't know what happened to him."
Martin was angry.
"He got away!"
"Maybe he drowned."
Then Hull said,
"It doesn't matter anyway. We have the ship, and the crew."
Grinder asked,
"What about Mr. Tindor?"
"We don't know. He went off by himself last night and nobody's seen him since."
"He's harmless, don't worry about him. He may already be dead."
Then Martin said,
"To hell with them both. Get the boys together. Let's get this ship back in shape."
"Aye, Captain."
Martin smiled. He had his ship, and the world was waiting.


After a time of struggling though the thick vegetation, Tindor and Jackson finally found a small stream and lay down to rest. They had no idea where they were. Jackson's thoughts went back to the time on board the brig, just before the mutiny.
"Sam," he asked, "did you see anything strange before all the trouble started?"
He was thinking of those weird lights they had seen on the island.
"What do you mean, strange?"
"From the ship, we saw some kind of lights, moving around on the island. They looked a lot like moonlight, or... (spirits came to mind) ...I don't know what."
"Where? I didn't see anything here."
"Back in the jungle, near the mountain.
When Tindor didn't answer, he said,
"The Captain was right about this place."

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

One of the results of The Fuzz's recent misfortune was this broken key. It was in his pocket as he slid along the pavement, and probably contributed to the extensive bruising on his hip. (Which is still a bit sore)
Modern technology is wonderful, in it's way, but expensive. This little item runs well over $100. But not to worry.
The Fuzz has ways to handle these things.
It was time to break out that trusty Epoxy Stuff*. So The Fuzz mixed up a bit of this handy stickum, and carefully applied it, trying to keep it away from the stuff that shouldn't get stuck.
And it worked!
Good as new! (almost)

*Here's yet another great Techno-Tip from The Fuzz for saving $$$ on High-Tech Keys!

Bing Gananda 13

8 Exiles


Samuel Tindor was walking back to the fire when he saw Martin, Spitzer and Hull silhouetted against the horizon. He stayed in the shadows and listened to the argument in horror. Then came the shot, and he saw Spitzer fall.
He stayed still, afraid to move lest they see him. Then, in a moment they all heard the shot from the Mary Anne, followed by a splash.
"Sounds like Roper and Grinder are busy."
"What do you think about Daniels and Billy?" asked Hull.
"Daniels is dead, I don't know about Billy."
"I wonder how it went."
Martin was watching the ship.
"We'll know in a minute," the Mate said.
As they watched, another lantern appeared onboard. This one was swung back and forth for a moment.
"Well, that's that," said Hull. "What about Spitzer here?"
He kicked sand at the body.
"Let the birds have him," Martin said as they turned away.
"Aye, Captain."
Martin smiled.

Tindor watched the men walk back to the group at the fire. He heard the sailors grow quiet. Then there was a cheer. His heart sank.
It was mutiny. He suspected that he would be unwelcome at the fire. He wondered how Jackson had fared. He couldn't imagine the Bos'm as a mutineer. He stood a long time in the dark, watching the ship at anchor in the cove.


At the council, the other Eld grew uneasy at the mention of Kurura. The murmuring from the crowd grew louder. To actually seek out the dragon was unheard of. A voice was heard above the rest.
"Bing Gananda is a danger to us all! Send her away!"
It was Gala Gania. But now the others began as well. Bing Gananda was hurt at the outcry against her. She could see that even the Eld were turning against her. All but the eldest, the one who had spoken to her. She was sure he knew.
But there was no stopping it now. Bing Gananda was banished. The council agreed, all but the one, the eldest, who remained silent.
Gala Gania smiled. She had finally had her revenge.
Anger rose up in Bing Gananda at the injustice of it. She stood defiant, glaring at them all in the moonlight. Then she called to Pandurina. The crowd parted as the Shadocatch strode forth.
Then, with a last defiant glare, Bing leaped onto the cat, and they shot away into the night.


Tindor was unsure what to do. He sat down at the edge of the trees, and looked out over the water to the ship. It was no good going there either.
After a time he noticed something in the water. It seemed to be moving toward the shore. As he watched he could see that it was a man swimming quietly, but not toward the fire. Someone had escaped from the ship.

When Grinder and Roper had attacked, Jackson had realized that he had no chance against both of them. All he could do was attempt to escape. And the only escape was over the side.
But now he was tiring. His soaked clothing was pulling him down. He had already pulled off his shoes. He was no great swimmer, and the beach was still far off. He had no plan other than to reach solid ground.
He was sure the crew on the beach were part of the mutiny. If he made it to the island, he would have to find a place to hide.
He was surprised when his feet found the bottom. He crawled up onto the sand with relief and lay still. He knew he couldn't stay there. But he was exhausted. He had to rest.
Jackson lay there for a time in the dark not thinking of anything other than how good the wet sand felt. Slowly, he became aware that someone was standing next to him.
"Jack?"
"Sam?"
Tindor helped him to his feet.
"Come on, Jack, come back here in the woods. We don't want to be seen."


*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.