Bill W

I think we all hope that it's good news for Clint, but we'll have to wait before we hear back from him. That might possibly be on their next rafting adventure. 🤞

As you'll discover, Lee, this time I increased the font on the title line so there'd be no confusion this time.

My sincerest apologies, guys. I had been up all night working on the next chapters, and when I was ready to post this my sleepy and failing eyesight caused me to mistake the 6 in 26 as an 8. Here is the correct chapter and I hope this makes up for my error.

Chapter 28 - Christmas Break Comes to an End After we finished eating breakfast on Monday morning, we called Devin’s dad at work and explained the situation about possibly insuring the package before shipping it with UPS. We wanted to know if he felt it would be worth the extra expense. "Yes, I think it would be a wise precaution. Not only have some UPS packages been damaged during transport in the past, but at least one UPS plane has crashed and burned before, along with its cargo.

Feckless comes from Scots dialect (1590s) combining the word "feck" (a shortened for of effect, meaning "value"', "vigor", or "worth") with the suffix "less" (meaning without), literally meaning "without effect" or "Without value". Popularized by writer Thomas Carlyle, it describes someone as ineffective, irresponsible, weak, or lacking initiative and character, essentially being "without effect or vigor". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED),the word "feckless" was first used in English around 1586. The earliest evidence cited by the OED is from the writing of John Stewart, a Scottish courtier and writer. The Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle helped popularize the word. Examples of "feckless" used in a sentence: "Their shared affection for the warmhearted, feckless Martin is a further bond between them." "But when we actually get on TV, we are relatively feckless and ineffective." "She can't rely on her feckless son, who prefers to spend his time playing video games." "The Jets were feckless on offense last Monday night against the Browns." "The police were able to make an arrest because the feckless burglar had left his wallet at the scene of the robbery." "Because so many feckless parents are raising children these days, we shouldn’t be surprised at the number of irresponsible teenagers." "Phil is probably the most feckless worker at the company, but he’s so charming and lovable he’s somehow managed to work here for fifteen years." "Erin had come to accept the fact that her parents would always think that every boyfriend was a feckless loser, no matter how smart and successful he might be."

Or fear!

It looks like 2025 was a productive year, so congratulations to everyone that helped make this another great year at Gay Authors! Now, we just have to match or build on these accomplishments in 2026.

Lilt, “a rhythmic swing or cadence; a light and merry song or song or tune,” comes from Middle English lilten or lulten (14th century), meaning "to sound an alarm" or "lift up (one's voice"), possibly related to Dutch/German lullen ("to lull") and Norwegian lilla ("to sing"), suggesting an imitative origin for its musical, rhythmic sense of a light, cheerful tune or speech cadence, likely stemming from onomatopoeia. It entered English in the 14th century, with the "singing" sense emerging later (18th century). According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first uses of "lilt" in English depend on whether it is used as a noun or a verb. As a verb, the earliest known use of "lilt" is from around 1400 in the poem Pearl. The original meaning was "to lift up (one's voice)" or "to sound an alarm". As a noun, the earliest known use is from 1728, found in the writings of the Scottish poet Allan Ramsay. The initial noun sense was for a "lilting song" or a rhythmic cadence. Other related forms also appeared in the Middle English period, such as "lilting-horn" (around 1384). Examples of "lilt" in a sentence: "There was a charming lilt to her voice." "it's a tune with a catchy lilt" "A gentle lilt greeted me and offered to help." "His voice has a jazzy lilt and the swagger of that era." "Just listen to the meter of his lilt, the melody of it." "And Adam Cork's music is full of the blarney of Celtic lilt." "It has a lilt, like gentle waves washing ashore."

I haven't read any of the Prompt Team Genre Event yet, but hope to, although I may not be able to get to it until after the New Year. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season at this time of year when there are so many overlapping celebrations. And may the New Year bring brightness, good health, prosperity, and a prodding muse to everyone here on GA. It's also nice to see that Steve, @wildone, made it out of Ikea alive and well.

Just like the chorus of the song Ella Fitzgerald used to sing: I'm wild again Beguiled again A simpering, whimpering child again Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I And answering @ReaderPaul's question: Yes, I did notice that be and wilder form the word. As my previous post stated, in the 1600s the verb wilder was added to the prefix be- to make the word. Yes, I do make up some of the sentences I post, and others I sometimes alter to give them more meaning. For example: Today I found: Everyone seemed utterly bewildered. That sentence and added... "after seeing strange lights in the sky." and there have been many other that I've done that to.

Quote Myr was bewildered as to why the Word of the Day didn't post at it usual time today. So was I. I've been waiting around for four hours waiting for it to pop up.

The word bewildered comes from the verb bewilder, meaning "to confuse thoroughly", originating in the 17th century from the archaic verb wilder (a verb meaning to lead someone astray or lure them into the woods, derived from wilderness, 1600s) and the prefix be- (thoroughly), ultimately stemming from Old English wilde (something uncultivated or untamed, wild) and deor (untamed animal, beast). Literally, it meant to get lost in the wilderness, and it evolved to describe complete mental confusion, as if lost in a trackless forest. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "bewildered" first appeared in English in the late 1600s, with the earliest recorded evidence from 1685, used by the notable poet and critic John Dryden in a translation, evolving from the verb "bewilder" meaning to lead astray into the wilds, to confuse or perplex. Examples of "bewildered" used in a sentence: "Arriving in a strange city at night, I felt alone and bewildered." "I came out of the movie a bit bewildered, but I enjoyed it." "Everyone seemed utterly bewildered after seeing strange lights in the sky." "Instead of handing me the phone, my stepmom gave me a bewildered look." "He endured the questioning at the hearing with a calm, sometimes bewildered expression." "When the soldier woke up after being frozen for sixty years, he was bewildered by all the changes in the world." "Whenever the puppy looked in the mirror, he was bewildered by his reflection and kept barking at the other dog."

And @drpaladin creates a new word. I wonder if the OED will add it to their new word list for this year. 😃

The word haggard originates from Old French (hagard), meaning "wild" or "untamed", originally describing a hawk caught as an adult for falconry, and became a technical term for a wild-caught, adult hawk (a "haggard hawk"). It later evolved to describe a worn, gaunt, or exhausted look. As a surname, it can come from this French root, a Germanic word for "hedge" or "wood" implying something unenclosed or wild. (hag) or a nickname for a wild person or an occupational name for a falconer. It could have even come from Danish (Viking) as an Americanized form of Danish names like Ågård (farm by a stream). or from Gaelic roots from Mac-an-t-sagairt, meaning "son of the priest". Two famous individuals with the surname Haggard are: H. Rider Haggard, a famous 19th century author of adventure novels (e.g., "King Solomon's Mines"), and Merle Haggard, an influential American country music singer. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first recorded use of "haggard" in English depends on whether it is used as a noun or an adjective. As a noun: The earliest known use is from the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the first evidence dating back to 1452. This initial use referred to a wild, untamed adult hawk captured for training, a technical term in falconry. Shakespeare's "Othello" uses the original falconry meaning, where Othello threatens to release a potentially unfaithful Desdemona like a wild hawk: "If I do prove her haggard...". As an adjective: The earliest known use is from the mid-1500s, with evidence from before 1566 in the writings of Richard Edwards, poet and playwright. The adjectival sense of "looking exhausted and unwell" developed later, around 1690s, influenced by the association with the word "hag". Examples of "haggard" used in a sentence: "They were haggard and thin but strong and well armed." "She was so tired and haggard looking, it hurt him to see her that way." "She is haggard, pale, and her hair is matted with blood." "Chris was the only one who didn't seem to look haggard and exhausted." "His hair was mussed, his features rather haggard." "The pilgrims were thin and haggard, their faces creased." "Chloe read my thoughts and judged my appearance, which was haggard and exhausted." "‘Yes, nurse,’ Dann replied meekly, grinning at her despite his pale, haggard look." "The two bandits, their haggard features grim with battle-blood, edged toward the tall warrior."

Thanks, Lee. It will be interesting to see how much money they make from the baseball cards, as well as the coins and other items they found in the cave. Thank you for your support.

The word brazen comes from Old English bræsen , meaning "made of brass", linking directly to the word brass (from Pro-Germanic brasno). Its figurative sense of being bold, impudent, or shameless developed from the idea of a face that is hard like brass, unable to show shame, with the "brazen-faced" usage appearing in the 1570s. According to the OED, the adjective "brazen" (meaning "of brass") appears in Old English (before 1150), while the figurative senses ("hardened," "impudent") emerge later, with "brazen-faced" noted from the 1570s, and the verb "to brazen" (to act impudently) first appearing around the mid-1500s, with early use by Hugh Latimer before 1555. The figurative shift of the verb "to brazen it" (to face something impudently) emerged, suggesting a hard, unmoving, brass-like demeanor, was first used in the writings of G. Harvey in 1573. Examples of "brazen" used in a sentence: "It was a brazen attempt to rig the result." "Is he going to be this brazen, this bold all the time?" "He exhibited a brazen disregard from other people's feelings." "The brazen sounds of the city's brass bands were muted." "There was the brazen shooting of 79-year-old Jose Quirin." "In fact, many birds are quite skilled at bold and brazen theft."

The word luteous comes from the Latin lūteus (golden-yellow, orange-yellow), which itself derives from lūtum, the name of a plant (Dyer's Weld or Greenweed, Reseda lūteola) used for dyeing yellow. It describes a color that's a greenish-yellow, muddy yellow, or deep orange-yellow, akin to clay or egg yolk, and often used in botany and biology for specific shades of yellow, like dull egg-yellow in fungi. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the adjective luteous in English is from the mid-1600s. More specifically in the In the writings of Thomas Blount, 1656, and in a translation by Richard Tomlinson, 1657. The OED indicates that this adjective is now considered obsolete, with its last recorded use around the mid-1700s. Examples of "luteous" in a sentence: "The artist captured the marshland's essence with strokes of pale green and luteous yellow." "His skin, aged and weathered, held a luteous tone, like old parchment." "The rare beetle's wings were a shimmering luteous hue, almost golden, but with a hint of moss." "As the fire died down, the embers glowed a deep, warm luteous color." "The insect's antennae were slender and luteous, tipped with black."

There will be a lot of things happening and I hope you find some of it exciting. There will be things happening on campus, and eventually there will be some things that will include the neighbor, so I hope you find them to your level of excitement. I appreciate your support.

I'm not exactly sure how I came up with that, but I was doing a search and it came up, so I went with it. My apology if it's not appropriate, since I've never seen it, just read some things about it online. Yes, the boys will be graduating in May, the end to a long and complicated path, and then they'll have to look for jobs. I hate to think about them doing that in the current economy. Thank you for the seasons greetings, and may you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as well, in case our paths don't cross again before then.

Yes, this is all set in 2025, because I didn't want to write about something that hadn't happened yet. I'm not psychic! 😜 No, there will be two more chapters, because my editor likes to work with 3 chapters at a time so he can see the flow. So, you can plan on a chapter being posted on the next two Thursdays, but there may be another delay after that, since the medication is breaking my concentration and I can only focus for a couple of pages at a time, and the same when I go back to proof read them. My apologies about that. Thank you for you support and I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter.

Chapter 27 – Multiple Tasks to Complete By the time we arrived back to the house on New Year’s Day, we'd missed out on watching the Rose Parade on TV. However, the first of the football bowl games had just started, which made Dad happy, and since Devin and I had managed to get a little more sleep on the ride home, we decided to watch the game with him. Before we did that, though, I asked Mom what she was going to do. “I’ll just watch something on the TV in the kitchen. I’ll also

Flavescent comes from Latin, stemming from the verb flāvēscere ("to turn yellow") and flāvēscēns, the present participle (turning yellow), the both derive from flāvus ("yellow"), meaning the word literally describes something that is becoming or turning yellow. It's an adjective, first appearing in English around the 1850s, used for things like leaves in autumn or certain plants, indicating a yellowish hue. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective flavescent was first used in English in the 1850s, with the earliest evidence found in the writings of botanist Asa Gray in 1853. The verb "flavescate" exists, but it's largely obsolete, with its adjectival form, "flavescent," used to describe things becoming yellow, like autumn leaves or certain plant diseases (flavescence). Examples of "flavescent" used in a sentence: "During fall in New England, it's magical to walk through the park and admire the flavescent leaves flutter to the ground." "As I hiked through the forest, the path was covered in a thick coating of flavescent leaves." "The old parchment developed a flavescent tint during the time it spent on the bookshelf." "A flavescent mist hung over the marshlands, giving the dawn an eerie beauty." "Within minutes the miniature oasis was no more, a flavescent smudge of decay against the sickly, pallid earth." "Each fall, the leaves on the big tree in my yard turn a flavescent hue, in sharp contrast with the orange and reddish colors of the leaves in nearby trees."

The word "partisan" comes from French (partisan) and Italian (partigiano) roots, meaning "of a part or a or part or party", ultimately from the Latin pars (part), evolving from a term for a faction member to a zeaalous supporter, then to a guerrilla fighter (a "party" of "irregular troops), and also to a type of polearm weapon (partigiana). Its journey reflects its core idea: being part of a group, whether a political faction, military unit, or cause. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "partisan" (referring to a supporter of a party/cause) first appeared in English shows evidence from as early as 1542, with the earliest written evidence found in a 1555 translation by Richard Eden. The military sense (a fighter in a detachment) emerged later, around the 1690s and the adjective form, initially in a military context, comes from 1708. Examples of "partisan" used in a sentence: "So what was it that seemingly turned him into a Democratic partisan?" "Special interest groups and partisan politics have blocked all efforts at reform since 1986." "The partisan warfare flamed up most fiercely in the latter days of October in Russia." "He then spent the better part of World War II as a partisan with a group of other fugitives." "Alexander Mackenzie, is decidedly partisan. Meanwhile an active and bitter partisan warfare opened." "And then most neutrals will become partisans for the team that give them more aesthetic pleasure." "You feel it from the hugely partisan support the team are receiving, but it is also there in the desire and focus of their team." Examples of "partisanship" used in a sentence: "Politics and partisanship came close to taking his life." "These wars pass into history under a cloak of partisanship." "They promoted partisanship above respect for the popular will." "Her reliably fierce partisanship was the least of the qualities required for a divided country."

My first priority is my current unfinished story Secrets (3 volumes) and any other story are on hold for now, as I deal with other issues. But thank you for your interest in that series.