drsawzall

A wonderful effort in capturing a life lived, and choices made...the following resonated with me... Oh, that I could relive that exquisite summer, when life wasn’t about decisions and gentle companionship was enough, adulthood being something for others

Some lessons are the hardest to learn... Ephemeral fingers brushing quivering skin, speaking to their descendants on a cellular level, hoping they’ll listen before it’s too late.

How far can one be pushed? You said you'd protect me, you didn't You said you'd heal me, you didn't You said you'd never leave, you did

This spoke volumes to me... I love you not as shelter or escape, but as the place I choose to stand exposed. I do not promise ease. I promise form— a body present when the world feels close.

You gave a fine voice to what it must have felt like to be a cowboy... I loved the following... He could ride for the wages, ride for the land, Ride for the memory of his father’s hand. Or turn his horse toward a softer life, One without storms, hunger, or strife. But a cowboy’s heart ain’t built for ease— It leans toward wind and open seas Of prairie grass and drifting herds, Where silence speaks louder than any words.

The undertones are bubbling to the surfaces... Carlo’s tone lowered. “They say Lorenzo meets daily with envoys... except the Pazzi. The Palazzo Pazzi burns candles till dawn. For charity, they claim.” He winked. “Florence breeds many charities.” Matteo forced a polite smile. “Then may their good works multiply.” Once a tomcat... On a stool sat a girl of sixteen, her chemise slipping from one shoulder as an apprentice sketched her leg. She bit her lip, uneasy but holding the pose. Danilo’s eyes lit. “By Saint Anthony! Florence keeps her angels in workshops!” He bowed extravagantly. “Fair madonna, the saints must be jealous.” The girl stifled a giggle. Matteo hissed, “We are here on business.” Danilo grinned. “Then this is the finest business in Florence.” He plucked a ribbon from her sleeve, kissed it solemnly. “A relic already.”

Looking forward to this batch as well!

First They Came, revised With thanks to, Martin Niemoller, Joseph Gobels, Donald Trump, Pete Seeger, Matthew 20:40-45 All quotations were taken from the public domain. First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. A lie once told remains a lie, but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth.(JG) “They let — I think the real number is 15, 16 million people into our country. When they do that, we got a lot of work to do. They

They say that those who don't remember the past are condemned to repeat it. With that in mind, what would lead Martin Niemoller to write a version for today?

The seeds of unmitigated hatred have born the tragic ending. Sad that it came to this, a life wasted for no good purpose.

Well now... we've just gone from a cliffhanger to a can't hardly wait for the next chapter hanger...

This was a bittersweet chapter; five weeks can be a lifetime or go by in the blink of an eye...we are still waiting to find out what made up the contents in the green bottle, we know the liquid had a healing component...might this be an antidote to the deadlind on 6 August???

Then there's this, a factoid I remembered when you posted this, I wonder, if, as speculated, the woman was the wife or girlfriend of one of the sailors...and inquiring minds want to know if there was any hanky-panky going on below decks... DNA: Woman was on famed 17th century Swedish warship | AP News Now, back to the main event in Florence...🤔

Plans within plans, plots within plots...gonna need a scorecard to see who's on first!!! “On principle,” Matteo said. “Ragusa stands as we do... governed by its citizens, not by princes or priests. Its ships defy both Venice and Rome, sailing free. To support them is to affirm what Florence once swore before God: that we will never bow to tyranny, whether it wears a mitre or a crown.” He paused before jumping ahead. "If Ragusa’s ships flew Florentine banners, our trade would pierce Venice’s monopoly, and Rome would see our republic prosper without papal sanction." And cats will do what cats do... Behind them, two broad-shouldered retainers walked at a distance, watchful but indulgent of their masters’ laughter. Danilo was off doing whatever a cat does when he is free to be a cat.

Something kept twigging me in the back of my mind...... I held her gaze. "You used me as a shield so no one would challenge you.” My father surged to his feet so fast the chair scraped back. His eyes flashed gold. I looked at him. For the first time in my life I realized it. He was still taller than me. But I could take him Huh...well, imagine that......from Ch 1.... I sighed and pulled the gun from the back of my waistband. A clean shot was better than letting it bleed out in the woods. I raised the gun. The wolf lifted its head. And looked straight at me. The headlights caught its eyes. Gold. Not yellow. Gold.

What will Thokk see in the morning?

As @RainbowPhoenixWI pointed out, is Xavier the wolf that was shot, and who is his rescuer, someone not affiliated the pack?

Was this a case of the right decision done the wrong way? Or the wrong decision horribly wrong? If so, the parents are just the same as their son, for they failed to display the same ruthlessness they demanded, regardless of other external factors and circumstances…. The failure to make the decision when Xavier was 12 is damming…And a huge mistake for the future of the pack. So just where will they find the new savior of the pack?? Now that the news is out will the shite hit the fan and the pack weakens? Just what does Xavier owe this pack now? I looked at her for a long moment. "You needed time," I said slowly. "You hadn't found a successor. And an Alpha without a clear line of succession is vulnerable." I held her gaze. "You used me as a shield so no one would challenge you.”

Apophis is quite the backstabbing snake…

I can’t remember the prophecy Ishan had with the witch, but if I remember correctly, is it possible Ishan is the brother who will become the new Emir?

Louis is laying the groundwork for the next series of battles. The key to his success lays in the wavering loyalty of his English allies, and the need of fresh supplies, recruits, and equipment from across the channel. Without these resources his cause is in peril. Time is now of the essence and his spies need flushing out before they discover paths of least resistance. They know not what they truly face in the fens and Wynthrope. Kaylen now an Earl, along with Ser Thomas and Ser Ronan now face enemies not only in front of them, but behind them as well. And from those who haven’t been tested yet, the worst kind of snakes.

From the mouths of children…and kids say the darnedest things… Devon is going to be good for Kent…

Heaven weeps…while greed and lust of riches drive men crazy… He fell silent, tracing idle circles against Gianluca’s wrist, his mind already spiraling toward the shadow of Rome... the plots whispered through the Mercato, the rumors of papal envoys, the way Florence itself seemed to hold its breath before a storm.

One of your best chapters yet, and the following snippet was priceless… And Stephen, the good little monk, the boy who had been raised in a monastery, who had taken vows of silence and obedience, who had never seen anything like this—Stephen lowered his towel. He looked at Val. At Julian. At Lloyd. At Darien and Wylan, sitting together on the bench, their shoulders touching, their hands almost meeting in the water. "Is this what family is?" he asked. Darien looked at him. At the boy who had been a joke, who had become a healer, who was trying to understand a world where monks became squires and knights became lords and men loved each other in bathhouses and women who were legally men washed away the blood of a massacre. "Yes," he said. "This is what family is." Stephen nodded slowly. He set his towel aside, walked to the edge of the pool, and lowered himself into the water hoping that he could cool down a little bit before he went off with a pop.

You mean that out of warranty car repair insurance we see adds for on TV?