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.

Bing Gananda 12

7 Shots in the night

Tindor had wandered off by himself. He was so absorbed in his discoveries that he lost track of the time. He found himself on an isolated stretch of beach. He could see the sailor's fire across the cove. The sounds of their revelry were faint in the distance.
The sun had gone down behind the mountain some time ago. There was a lantern burning on the Mary Anne, anchored in the cove. He could just see the glow of the mountain's crater over the trees.
Tindor was happy to spend some time off the ship. But he did not want to join the sailors yet. The moon had risen and he was enjoying the peace.

Back at the fire, the men had started on the rum.
"Martin's alright."
"The captain wouldn't have give us the rum."
"What's he gonna say about this?" asked a worried man.
"Who cares, what can he do?"
"Where is Martin, anyway?"

Martin was farther down the beach with Spitzer and Hull.
"Are you with us or not?" Hull demanded.
"Are you crazy? Piracy?" Spitzer was appalled.
"This island is the perfect place for a base. No one even knows it's here."
"The ship's barely armed!"
"She's fast, and she'll do for coasters and these island traders. We'll pick up a few more guns as we go."
"What about the Captain?"
"Damn the Captain! And you too. Are you with us, or not?"
Hull grabbed hold of Spitzer's arm. Spitzer spun and hit him hard in the jaw, braking free. He sprinted away. There was a blast of fire and smoke, and he sprawled in the sand. Martin was holding the still smoking pistol.
"That's one down."

The shot was easily heard onboard the ship in the cove. The Captain and Mr. Jackson both came on deck.
"It came from over there," said the man on watch. He pointed to a dark area of the shoreline. "I saw the flash."
Captain Pearce turned to the Bos'n.
"Who's still onboard?"
He sounded serious.
"Just the watch, Grinder, Daniels, Roper, and Billy here," Jackson answered. "And the cook, of course," he added.
Pearce lowered his voice.
"Are you armed?"
"What?"
"Damn you, are you armed!"
"Well, no, sir."
The Captain spoke quickly.
"Billy, Jackson, come with..."
He was interrupted as two men came on deck. It was Grinder and Roper. They both carried cutlasses.
"Where's Daniels?" Pearce asked in a cold voice.
"He's not coming." Daniels was below with his throat slit.
Billy slowly drew a knife from his belt.
"What'll it be, Billy?" asked Roper. "You with us?"
"Damn you!"
The Captain pulled a pistol from his waist as Grinder lunged at him. There was a small flash and fizzle as the gun misfired. Grinder ran him though. And then, the gun went off, blowing a hole into the deck.
Billy had thrown up his arm to block Roper's slash. He was cut to the bone, blood spurting. He slashed at Roper with the knife barely missing his throat. It was no good. Roper brought the cutlas down on him, nearly severing his head.
Now both men turned on Jackson, but he went over the rail and dove into the water below.

The shots were heard by the gathered Lithorians. They murmured nervously.
"That's the same thing we heard this morning."
"Where is Bing Gananda?"
"Why is she not here?"
Finally, someone led Bing Gananda forth. The rest grew quiet. The most ancient of the Eld gestured for her to approach.
"Where have you been tonight, Bing Gananda?" he asked.
"I have just returned from the mountain, High One." she answered.
There were more voices from the crowd.
"She rode on that beast!"
"The Shadocatch!"
"She is Blood with the Shadocatch!"
The Eld motioned her closer, and asked quietly.
"Is this true?"
"Yes, we are Blood, High One."
The Eld's expression softened just a little. Bing was the only one who noticed. He spoke again.
"And what does Kurura say?"
Somehow, she was not surprised that he knew.
"Kurura!"
There was an uproar from the crowd. Kurura was widely feared by the Lithorians. The other Eld watched in shock as he asked again, this time so as only the closest could hear.
"Tell me, Bing Gananda." Then he added just for her, "You are a brave one."
Her courage rose as she looked into his face.
"Kurura said that there are other worlds."
"And?"
"These creatures are men..."
"And?"
"They bring evil with them." she added in a whisper.


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

More Troubles, Resolved (more or less)

You may remember Our Fuzz has been having Motorcycle Troubles lately. He finally did get that troublesome screw out. That required removing the headlight, and cutting a new slot in the offending screw with his trusty Dremel Tool. Much to his chagrin, he found that this was not actually the fuse box. When he actually found the fuses, there was nothing wrong with them.
It was time to enlist the expert. The Fuzz called on that Mechanical Minded Daughter, a recent graduate of that Prestigious NASCAR Mechanic School! Her extensive knowledge of auto electrical systems, carried over into Motorcycle Electrical situations as well. It turns out that the culprit was this Starter Button. The Fuzz remembers when there used to be a "Kick Starter" on these things. But those days seem to be gone. The switch was temporarily "fixed", and The Fuzz is back on the road. And a new switch will be procured as soon as possible.
The Fuzz used to fix her cars. Now things are going the other way. That's a good thing.

Bing Gananda 11

As the night closed in, the sailors heaped wood on the fire. The flames leaped and sparks rose into the sky. The Captain and Bos'n watched from the ship. The island was dark except for the glow at the top of the mountain.
"Captain," Jackson said, "Did you see that?"
They both stared as several points at the base of the mountain began to glow. It was a soft, cool light, not unlike the moon, now high in the sky over the mountain. As they watched, the glowing lights seemed to be moving, flickering, gathering together.
The sailor on watch had seen them now.
"Cap'n, sir," he said in a shaky voice. "Do you see that?"
"Yes, Billy, we do."
"What do you reckon it is, sir?"
There was silence for a moment.
"I don't know, Billy."

The Lithorians were gathering as they did in times of need. They were mostly a nocturnal race, sleeping though the heat of the day. Tonight, they had been summoned for a High Council.
They had come from the various Holten, each Holt with their Moon Stone, glowing in the night. They would meet at the Great Vale at the foot of the mountain.
Each Holt had it's Eld, usually the most ancient of the Lithorians of that Holt. The Eld made up the Council of the High Ones. They spoke quietly, yet were heard by all.
By now, all were aware of the strangers' presence. But no one knew what to do. The discussions lasted far into the night. Gala Gania was brought forth. She accused Bing Gananda of causing the trouble.
"And how would Bing Gananda be responsible for this?"
"She goes to the sea every morning!" Gala replied.
There was a murmur from the assembly.
"She goes everywhere!" came a voce from the crowd.
"Where is she now!"
"She's gone up the mountain!"
"With that Beast!"
Finally the Council called for silence.
"Find her, and bring her before all."


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

Bing Gananda 10

6 Kurura

The Shadocatch burst from the jungle and began the climb in great bounds. Bing Gananda grasped tighter with her fingers and toes as Pandurina leapt from rock to rock. As she looked over her shoulder, she could see the sun sinking toward the sea. Over her other shoulder, the moon had already risen from the waters.
Kurura would be found at the summit, in a cave near the crater of fire. If he wished to be found. By the time they neared the great crater, the stars shown brightly above the mountain. Pandurina slowed. She was uneasy. Even a Shadocatch was not safe from Kurura.
For the most part, the Lithorians preferred to stay under the lush foliage of the jungle. Bing Gananda was the exception. But although she and Pandurina had been on the mountain of fire, she had never dared to approach Kurura, until now.
There were legends of those who had spoken with Kurura. It was said that those ones, were always held in awe, yet regarded with some suspicion. Bing Gananda had once seen him in flight from afar. It had terrified her, and thrilled her.
Bing Gananda felt exhilarated as she neared the glow of the crater with it's liquid fire below. The wind blew though her hair and it floated around her now, as she stood before the cave of Kurura. Pandurina slunk away as they heard the heavy breathing of Kurura's approach.
But, Bing Gananda stood her ground at the entrance of the cave. She knew she must show no fear. Even when the head of the great lizard appeared, she never flinched.
Kurura stood at the entrance to his lair. He was so close that Bing Gananda could feel his hot breath. Steam rose from his nostrils as he stared at her with unblinking eyes. His forked tongue flicked from his mouth to within a hairbreadth of her face. Still she stood her ground, head held high, and met his eyes.
She bowed low before him, and drew a blade from her waist. With it, she pricked her hand drawing a large drop of her blood. When Kurura's tongue flicked again, and she quickly placed the blood on it.
"Kurura of the Mountain, speak with me," she sang.
As Pandurina watched from a safe distance, Kurura's expression seemed to soften, if that were possible, and he held out one of his powerful forelegs with it's terrible claws. And then, Bing Gananda took her knife and made a small prick, on the soft underside. She touched his blood with her finger and placed it onto her own tongue.
"What is your wish, O Bing Gananda of the Holt?" The sound was not words, yet she now understood them in her mind.
"O Kurura, you are very old and wise. Strange creatures have come to us from the sea. Yet, they seem to be of the world, or of a world. Tell me, are there other worlds?"
"In my youth, I flew far from this mountain, high above the waves. There are indeed, other places like this world of yours."
His words sent a thrill though her.
"I have seen these men and their ship. Bing Gananda, beware. There is evil there among them." He turned his cold eyes toward the cowering Shadocatch. "Bing Gananda, You are a brave one, unlike some creatures." And then he blew a great stream of fire straight at Pandurina. She fled into the darkness.

It took some time for Bing to find Pan shivering in a crevasse of the mountain. She stroked Pandurina and spoke softly.
"Don't feel badly, Pan. A Shadocatch was never meant to stand up to such a one as Kurura."
"But you can."
"I am Lithorian," she replied.


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

More Troubles

This is The Fuzz's Motorcycle. It is on a trailer. Is it on it's way to a fancy Bike Show? No, it is not. In fact it is on the trailer because it is not going anywhere. At least on it's own.
The Fuzz took a quick ride up to the local Dollar General Store for some macaroni. While he was there, he saw a $5 DVD of Master and Commander, which he also bought. But when he attempted to return to His Home In The Woods, his motorcycle would not crank! There was a good chance that the problem was a mere fuse, located in a fuse box behind the headlight. There are even spare fuses there for just such situations. But as can be seen, 50% of the screws to said fuse box, were buggered to the point that he could not get into the thing. The Fuzz was forced to call His Sweetie to rescue him with a trailer. He made several attempts to get this annoying screw out, but in the end he was just screwed. The thing was simply too screwed up to screw around with any more. The Poor Fuzz was forced to leave it all for another day when he would have access to better equipment .

You've Got Mail

Regular readers of this blog may remember how The Fuzz's weekend was negatively affected by an encounter with a Big Red SUV. Well, the day the Police Report came out, he found a full mailbox.Apparently The Fuzz had become quite popular! At least with the local lawyers. The one with the pretty colors is from a chiropractor.
Well, at least it wasn't bills.
We're glad to report that although there is still a ways to go, The Fuzz is on the mend. God willing, he hopes to be back at work next week. For now, he's doing what he can to get this Sliding Glass Door Project
finished up.

Chimneys Series #17

Group Portrait

Bing Gananda 9

Captain Pearce watched Martin, the Mate, being rowed away to the shore. A dozen men were spending the night on the beach with him. The Bos'n stayed aboard with the remaining crew.
"They need to blow off a little steam anyway, sir," he said to Pearce.
The Captain was quiet for a while. Then he turned to Jackson.
"What was that you saw in the jungle, Mr. Jackson?"
Jackson hesitated.
"I don't rightly know, sir. Mr. Tindor was with me, but he don't know neither."
He could see that the Captain wasn't satisfied with that and went on.
"I couldn't see anything. And then, suddenly, it was there, right in front of me, like a ghost or something. I think it looked like some kind of cat, but even now I'm not sure."
"How big was it?"
"That's the thing, sir, it's like I saw it, but didn't see it." he looked into the distance. "Kinda crazy, isn't it."

As the boat hit the beach, Martin stepped from it into the shallows, and then up onto the sand. It had been a long time since he had been on solid ground, and it took him a moment to get used to it. The men were gathering driftwood for a fire.
The sun was low over the mountain, and shadows were beginning to reach toward the men on the beach. The sailors were laughing as they lit the fire. Several were bringing a catch of fish for their meal. Some had gathered coconuts they had found at the edge of the jungle, and there were several strange fruits, that they were hesitant to taste.
Martin had handpicked the men with him, with the exception of the Naturalist, Tindor. It irritated him that Tindor had insisted on staying ashore. But Captain Pearce had been more than willing to do without his company. So it was. But Tindor had wandered off with his sketchbook for now.
It was beginning to get dark by now. Martin joined the men at the fire. They were beginning to roast their catch. One of the sailors carefully bit into one of the fruits, screwed up his face and threw it back into the jungle. He spit out the sour pulp. The others laughed.
"Must not have been ripe," one joked.
The man continued to spit, trying to get the sour taste out of his mouth.
Martin signaled to one of the sailors who had come on the boat with him.
"Here, see if this helps," he said as the sailor brought the cask of rum from the boat.
The men cheered when they saw it.

Onboard the Mary Anne, Captain Pearce looked uneasily to the beach when he heard the shouts. There was something ominous in the air.



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

A Room With A View

In a previous post, The Fuzz related some of his misadventures over the weekend.
The errands mentioned in regard to this unfortunate incident were related to our current project. Even before we moved into our new Home in the Woods, we had planned on replacing this door with a sliding glass one.
There were good reasons for this other than the improved view, and ventilation.
At the left, at A & B, one may notice the pathetic patchwork covering rotted out places in the wall.
So The Fuzz, and His Sweetie hooked up their trusty trailer, and headed into town to the Home Improvement Store.
There, they purchased a fine new Sliding Glass Door for their Home in the Woods. When they asked for help in loading this item onto the trailer, the Knowledgeable "Associate" warned them of dire consequences if they attempted to transport this valuable item laying flat. It would have to be delivered, at a cost of around $60! Here you may see how it actually was delivered.
The Fuzz was not happy about this, and said so. It was explained that this was the way they always did it. When the delivery men saw that The Fuzz was unhappy (about that 60 bucks!) and had his camera, they told him they would get that fee refunded to him.
The old door, and part of the wall were removed with the assistance of a Helpful Son in Law.
Next, the damaged area of the floor was repaired. This went fairly well. Then it was time to frame in the rough opening. You may notice the 2x4 prop that was used to support the roof while all this was going on.
At last it was time to actually put the door into position. That sucker was heavy. The instructions (which were read, if not followed to the letter) said to remove the sliding part of this assembly. That was helpful.And here is a look at our Brand New Sliding Glass Door, installed, in it's new home.
There is still a lot to do to finish this job. The wiring needs to be taken care of. The Fuzz was in route for the necessary items for this, when he met with misfortune. And of course, the wall needs to be closed up. The Fuzz hopes to attend to these details as his condition improves.

Chimneys Series #16

Almost Fancy

Bing Gananda 8

5 On the Beach

As Bing Gananda rode Pan into the jungle her heart was pounding. She could only believe that Gala was right, at least about these creatures coming from the sea. The pool of Hesselite was at the cove where she had been that morning. The part about the end of the world, still remained to be seen. But she would have to look for herself.
Noiselessly, she drew near the pool, remaining hidden in the undergrowth. It was true. There were a number of these creatures taking water from the pool, and putting it into large wooden casks. Of course she had never seen a cask before. When she wished to drink, she would simply sip from the pool itself, or another like it. The stream below the pool was now filled with muddy water.
The men (Bing Gananda had never seen a man) were wrestling the heavy casks along a beaten down path to the beach. The men spoke to each other with loud voices, but it made no sense to Bing, or Pandurina beside her.
Once, one of the men stopped and looked directly toward her. She could feel Pan tense up beside her. The man looked uneasy, but apparently saw neither Pan, nor herself, and walked on. The creatures had already fouled the stream, and the trees were crying.
Bing moved away from the men and found a place were she could observe the beach undetected. The water in the cove was calm. There was a boat pulled up on the sand and several men were standing around it. As she watched they pushed it out into the water, put out their oars, and rowed to the ship. Two men remained on the beach.

"I'm sure Martin and his buddies will want to spend the night here onshore," the Bos'n said.
"Would the captain let them?"
"If he wants any peace he will."
"I think I'd like that myself."
Jackson looked at him questioningly.
"To stay onshore," Tindor explained.
"They'll probably be drunk."
"I'll stay out of their way, Jack. This island fascinates me. I've never seen plants like these, and I'm wondering about your little kitty."
"There was nothing "little" about it," Jackson said, a little miffed. He knew Sam was teasing him.
"I'll bring my journal and make some sketches. It feels good to be on solid ground again."
"I'll take the deck of a good ship to this place any day," the Bos'n returned.
Tindor just laughed.

Bing Gananda was close enough to overhear their conversation. But she couldn't understand a word of it. Neither could Pandurina, the Shadocatch, at her side.
These creatures had come from the sea, but they didn't seem to be a part of it. They came into the world from the sea. But it seemed as if they were creatures of the world, or at least a world, themselves. She began to wonder if there might be other worlds, somewhere.
She climbed back onto Pan and spoke into her ear. She would ask Kurura, of the Mountain.


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

Why One Should Never... (Warning Graphic Content)

This is an example of why one should not ride a motorcycle wearing flip flops and shorts.
The Fuzz, himself, does not do that sort of thing.
First, I should say that he is OK, mostly. He was wearing the boot. But what if he had not? Would all those cute little tootsies still be there?
This is the condition he arrived home in. The bandages were provided by some friendly, and helpful medics. Beneath them is a rather unpleasant case of Road Rash, some examples of which will follow.
(Warning! The squeamish might want to stop at this point!)
As the Intrepid Fuzz was running some errands Saturday morning, he was shocked to see a big old SUV make a left turn, in front of him, as if he wasn't even there!
He grabbed the brakes, but alas, there was no room. That Poor Fuzz ended up sliding along the pavement with his bike. It was an unpleasant experience.
Fortunately, none of the other cars in the area ran over our Prostrate Fuzz.
The medics came and checked him out, but our Stubborn Hero refused the offered ride to the nearest medical facility. In fact, after the legalities were attended to, he completed his errands, and rode home. However, he is a bit sore today. One side of his body hurts. And, his left hand is a bit chewed up. He will probably be out of work for a few days.

Chimneys Series #15

Pretty Fancy

Chimneys Series #14

Kinda


Tall


Ain't


It

Bing Gananda 7

The sailors had cut a rough trail to the pool of water. They had filled their casks and were ferrying them back to the Mary Anne. Tindor and the Bos'n had remained on shore with some casks there hadn't been room for in the boat. Tindor was examining some of the plants at the edge of the jungle.
"Sam?" Jackson and Tindor had become friends on the voyage.
"What, Jack?"
"What do think that was, that thing back there?"
"You said it looked like a cat of some kind."
"Yes, but there was something strange about it. I hadn't seen it standing there, but suddenly it was staring at me. It was like it was looking right though me. I don't think it was a normal cat."
"How big was it?"
"That's part of it. I can't remember. I can't remember anything about it." He shuddered. "It gives me the creeps."
"It just startled you, Jack. Don't worry about it. It didn't attack us."
"Maybe so, but I'll be glad not to be spending the night in those woods."
Tindor just laughed.
"As much as you've seen in your life, and you're afraid of a kitty."

The boat had reached the Mary Anne by now. The sailors were hauling the water casks up over the side. The cook came on deck and tossed some scraps over the side. He was an old salt, scrawny, and grey headed, but a tough old bastard. He approached the captain.
"Sir?"
"What is it, Jones?"
"Any fresh fruit for the men?"
"Ask Jackson. Go in with the boat and see what you can find."
Jones hesitated a moment. He looked nervous.
"With all respect sir," he touched his cap, "I'd rather not. There's something wrong with this place."
The captain turned to Jones with interest.
"What do you mean, Jones?"
The cook grew uneasy. He was embarrassed and looked around lowering his voice.
"There's something in those trees cap'n. I know you can't see it, but I can feel it."
Pearce was not a superstitious man. But he had seen strange things. He was sure this old salt had seen even stranger ones. He was not in the habit of having his orders questioned. But he had the same misgivings.
"You can stay on board, I'll send someone else."

The mate approached. The cook went back to the galley, relieved.
"What is it Mr. Martin?"
"Some of the men would like to spend the night on the beach, sir."
He didn't like this place. But he had no good reason to refuse. He knew the men needed some time ashore. He reluctantly agreed.
"Leave enough men onboard to keep watch. You go with the others." Pearce knew Martin was wanting to get off the ship himself. It might even have been his idea.
"And Martin?"
"Sir?"
"Leave the rum onboard."


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

Chimneys Series #13

Twins

Signs of the Times

The Fuzz has often wondered about this one. Apparently, if one is not an employee, one is free to track mud all over the place.

Chimneys Series #12

From the train

Set The Clock!

The Fuzz, His Sweetie, and the Young Daughter recently took a trip to our nation's capital. Whist there, they stayed at a hotel located on the campus of Gallaudet University. It was pretty interesting. Being from the backwoods as they is, they didn't realize this was a school for deaf students until they got there. But The Fuzz is half deaf himself now days.
His Sweetie and he were out one morning and saw this going on. All he can figure is they had to set the clock.

Bing Gananda 6

4 From the Sea


The sound of the shot startled Bing Gananda from her sleep. She crawled to the opening of her den and looked out. Some of the others had heard it too. They were beginning to gather with frightened looks. Then, Pandurina burst into the Holt and ran to Bing.
She put her face close to Bing and they heard a series of low sounds. Then Bing stood up and spoke to the others.
"Some creatures have come. Pandurina saw them at the lower pool of Hesselite, near the sea."
"They came from the Sea, didn't they!" Gala Gania said accusatively to Bing Gananda.
There was a murmur from the others, as Gala continued.
"You were there again today! Now the Sea has sent them to swallow us up!"
"I did see something today..." Bing began, only to be interrupted by Gala.
"You should had stayed away! You knew it was dangerous! But you go there every day!"
Bing Gananda and Gala had never gotten along. It was mostly Bing's fault. She loved practical jokes, and Gala was the perfect victim. She would become so enraged at Bing, that she was liable to do anything. Bing thought it was great fun.
"I only..." she began. But the others were becoming threatening under the influence of Gala Gania. They began to move toward her.
But then, with a low snarl, Pandurina stepped between her and the others. Pan bared her teeth, and they all fell back a step. Bing Gananda crawled onto the shadocatch, and dug her fingers and toes into the thick fur. Then she whispered into Pan's ear, and they disappeared into the jungle. No one followed.


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

Here's Hoping

Whilst in the Big City of Washington, we checked out a few of the museums.

This scene at the Natural History Museum was reminiscent of one we saw in Paris. There, it was Mona Madness. Here, it was a matter of Hope, the Hope Diamond to be precise. The truth is, that neither The Fuzz, nor His Sweetie were impressed with the new setting. But here's a pix for y'all.

Bing Gananda 5

As the boat neared the beach, Samuel scanned the shore. The vegetation was so dense that little light seemed to penetrate. Off to the right, he noticed a small trickle of water running across the sand.
"Mr. Jackson, to starboard, I believe there's water on the beach."
Mr. Jackson, the Bos'n, moved the tiller and the boat swung to starboard toward the beach.
As the sailors pulled the boat up onto the sand, Samuel and the Bos'n walked to the trickle of water. First Tindor took a taste, then Jackson. It was good. But they would have to find a pool, or some place where they could fill their casks.
They stood peering into the jungle. The tiny stream wound back into the shadows. The birds had fallen silent. All that could be heard was the gentle lapping of the waves on the sand. The men stood still. No one wanted to be the first to step into the gloom.
Finally, Tindor pulled the branches aside and stepped forward. Jackson drew his pistol and followed warily. He turned to the others,
"Wait here by the boat."

After a few hundred yards, the ground began to rise steeply toward the mountain. The stream fell over some rocks into a clear pool, and then continued out to the cove.
"This should do nicely," Jackson said as he took a long drink. "We'll have to cut a trail in to it, but that shouldn't be too much trouble."
Tindor was examining the leaves on some of the undergrowth, when there was a sudden rush, and a catlike creature shot away. Jackson jumped and fired his pistol. He hit nothing. They stood there looking at each other.
"What the hell was that," the Bos'n asked, obviously shaken.
"I don't know. I didn't see it."
"It looked like a cat, a big one." He was quiet for a moment, then said, "Funny thing though..."
"What?"
"I was looking straight at it. But I never saw it till it moved."
Tindor stared off in the direction it had taken. By now they could hear the sailors crashing though the vegetation toward them.
"It's alright boys," called the Bos'n. "It was just some critter that startled me."

On board the Mary Anne, Captain Pearce, and the ship's carpenter had been surveying the storm's damage, when they heard the shot in the distance. They watched as several of the sailors on the beach started into the jungle.
Pearce picked up his spyglass. But all he could see was the two sailors who remained with the boat. They had picked up their muskets and were nervously watching the jungle.
He was relieved when the party emerged from the trees. He could see that they were all there. Then he saw the sailors unloading the casks from the boat, and carry them into the jungle.
So far, so good, he thought. Then he and the carpenter turned back to their work.



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

Bing Gananda 4

3 Water

In the bay, the Brig rode quietly at anchor in the gentle breeze. But the sailors were sullen. They had been at sea for over three months now, and had just weathered a terrible storm. When the island had been spotted, they had hoped for some time ashore. But now the captain had forbidden it.
The island was on none of his charts, and he was wary. His ship had been badly damaged and needed repairs. And they needed fresh water badly. But Captain Pearce had a bad feeling about this place.
They had first spotted it on the horizon at sundown. It was the tall volcanic mountain they saw first. They had stood off all night, afraid to approach the strange shore in the dark. All though the night they could see the glow of the volcano on the mountain. Then with the dawn, they had found this cove. Now he was scanning the beach for any evidence of inhabitants.
The ship was only lightly armed. But she was swift, and her best defense was to flee. Their mission had been primarily to explore, and update the sketchy charts. But there were enemies in these waters. And now the Mary Anne was heavily damaged.
Mr. Tindor came up on deck. He was responsible for the updating of the charts. He was also the one to note any new discoveries they might come across in the Natural Sciences. And he also had some medical experience. But the two did not get along well. Captain Pearce thought Samuel Tindor had too much interest in useless plants and such. Now he would surely be wanting to spend time ashore.
"When will we be going ashore, Captain?"
Pearce didn't answer right away. He considered Samuel a nuisance at times like this. But Tindor was a Gentleman, with a Royal Commission, and connections to the Royal Society.
Pearce realized he would have to send a party ashore eventually. There was no good reason to put it off.
"Mr. Tindor?"
"Sir?"
"Does anything strike you as odd about this place?"
"Well, it's not on the charts. But that doesn't mean much. New islands are discovered all the time."
"Not that." Pearce didn't know how to express what he felt. It was like some kind of ill defined presence. But he did not want to confide in Tindor, and was now sorry he had said anything. He turned to the Bos'n.
"Launch the longboat. Take some men with you and see if you can find some fresh water. Arm the men."
Tindor was surprised at that.
"May I join the party?"
"If you must."
Then the captain went to his cabin, and shut the door.



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

Another Trip

The Fuzz, His Sweetie, and Young Daughter caught the Train up to Washington DC for a visit with that Academical Son, and a bit of sightseeing. They caught the Amtrak here in NC in the Big City. Then they were off to the Capital of this Great Nation. Here, The Fuzz presents for you, a night shot of this Famous Patriotic Landmark.

The train ride was interesting. Here, they were leaving the station early that morning. But The Fuzz thinks we still have a ways to go to catch up to the Germans in that department.
The Fuzz and company avoided the Capital building itself. With all those congressmen (and women) there, it seemed like nothing but trouble.