Books, Reviews, Short Stories, Authors, Publicity, a little poetry, music to complement...and other stuff including politics, about life... "Books, Cats: Life is Sweet..."
The world within a world the boy he’d watched become a man had created. Now that world had been shaken, and needed to be put steady again. “You’ll go back to Ireland. You’ll have to go back.” “I will.” Roarke nodded, unspeakably grateful to be understood without having said the words. “I will, yes.” “When?” “Right away. I think it’s best to go straight away.” “Have you told the lieutenant?” “I haven’t.” Unsettled again, Roarke looked down at his own hands, ran the gold band of his marriage around his finger. “She’s in the middle of a difficult investigation. This will distract her from it. I’d considered telling her I had business out of town, but I can’t lie to her. It’ll be simpler, I think, to make the arrangements, then tell her I’m going.”
“She’s dead, isn’t she? In this picture, she’s already dead.” “Probably.” Eve shifted the image aside, and read the text of the transmission.
SHE WAS THE FIRST, AND HER LIGHT WAS PURE. IT WILL SHINE ON FOREVER. IT LIVES IN ME NOW. SHE LIVES IN ME. TO RETRIEVE THE RECEPTACLE, GO TO DELANCEY AND AVENUE D. TELL THE WORLD, THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. A BEGINNING FOR ALL.
Today, Texas Democratic lawmakers did something remarkable—and notably, not unprecedented.
They boarded planes and fled their state, effectively halting the legislative session and blocking a deeply controversial Republican congressional map from coming to a vote. At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss this as political theater. But what’s unfolding in Texas is deeper than theatrics: it’s symptomatic of a broader democratic crisis that is increasingly defining our era.
This new Texas map, introduced by the state's Republican majority, isn't subtle. It openly carves out five additional safe Republican seats, solidifying GOP control even further. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas’ 38 congressional seats; under the new plan, that number could rise to 30 – an astonishing consolidation of power in a state growing increasingly diverse and politically competitive. For Democrats, blocking the map isn't simply about gaining partisan advantage; it's a defense against a rigged electoral playing field.
And to do it, they resorted to the only effective tool at their disposal: denying Republicans the quorum they needed.
The politics here aren't subtle, either. Democrats fled largely to Illinois, a choice that isn’t accidental.
llinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, known nationally as one of the Democratic Party's most substantial financial supporters, quietly and effectively backed this maneuver. Pritzker, who has spent heavily supporting progressive causes across the country, provided not just logistical support, but a clear political statement:
Democratic solidarity in this fight against aggressive Republican gerrymandering transcends state lines.
But even as Democrats rally around the Texas delegation’s symbolic stand, it's worth acknowledging the complicated dynamics that define redistricting nationwide.
In states controlled by Republicans, gerrymandering has become something close to an art form – precise, strategic, and increasingly ruthless. Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and others have aggressively redrawn district lines to ensure partisan advantage. But Democrats, where they have the power, have often responded in kind. Illinois itself is no innocent: its most recent congressional map was graded "F" for fairness by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, illustrating that partisan redistricting is a bipartisan disease.
Yet there is an important difference emerging between how many Democratic-controlled states and Republican-controlled states are handling this process. California, Colorado, New York, and Washington, all Democratic-leaning states, have shifted control of redistricting to independent, non-partisan commissions. This approach, while imperfect, attempts to depoliticize district-drawing and restore fairness into a process that shapes the very foundation of representation.
Texas Republicans, by contrast, are moving aggressively in the opposite direction. They aren't just playing partisan politics – they're actively reshaping political geography in ways designed explicitly to dilute the power of Democratic-leaning voters, particularly voters of color.
This isn't just political strategy – it's fundamentally anti-democratic.
The Democrats' flight, therefore, should not be dismissed as mere spectacle or partisan brinkmanship.
It is a desperate measure born from a political system increasingly rigged against fair competition. It’s worth remembering that this isn't Texas Democrats’ first act of defiance; they did something similar in 2021 over voting restrictions and in 2003 to resist another GOP redistricting plan. Each time, their dramatic acts have drawn national attention – but ultimately, Republicans have prevailed. And yet, Democrats continue to return to this strategy because it illuminates how few options remain when democratic processes themselves are compromised.
JB Pritzker's involvement, quietly facilitating this moment, points to an emerging strategic solidarity among national Democrats: understanding that local battles over redistricting have national implications.
As Republicans across the country increasingly redraw districts to entrench minority rule, Democrats like Pritzker see state-level fights as central to the future health of American democracy itself.
His funding and support underscore how the fight in Texas isn’t just Texas’s fight – it’s America's.
Folks, I have no long history of political bias one way or the other... More specifically, I was among those Americans who paid surface attention to what was happening in Washington, but the demands of our daily lives far exceeded the time it could take to keep abreast of what was happening...
The time when Washingtonians were trying to scare everybody about communists--accusing anybody and everybody... was quite some time ago. However, those who choose to disrupt America for their own purposes has surely been ongoing... But, it is clear that, right now--yes, right now... those individuals have succeeded in placing an individual perfectly suited for the type of leader that already was a conman in his own world and only became worse when given the power of the presidency. Obviously none of us who were "living our lives" had sufficient time, nor, perhaps, interest, to see the direction that was evolving through the years.
What that means is that we have reached a point where criminal acts have resulted in total control, including the Supreme Court to a great extent, in the presidency. A total rejection of all things that once made America what it was, has been, and was always intended to be... FREE.
Let me be very clear, it is impossible for anybody who believes in God OR, not religious, but still cannot accept starving an entire group of people is just wrong, would never consider that what Israel's leaders are doing right now (and Russia) is the right thing to do... Further, the pretension of actions here in America by the government that declares any action against Israel as illegal... is...also just... plain... WRONG! Anything done, as is/was being done to rig our elections in America is just as criminal as is all other actions now taking place under the present administration... May God Be With Us and All those Who are Being Damaged in some way, including death, as we struggle to be freed from such extreme and lawless activities!
Can America survive the minute-by-minute actions against humanity by the rich and powerful now in control? Only if we all fight in every way possible to stop the MADNESS OF HATE, RETRIBUTION, AND, MOST OF ALL, GREED!
So, we come back to Texas, where people apparently do not matter... Remember that little has been done to help those who lost so much, including their lives in Texas' greatest losses during unprecedented flooding.
Because of course, the politicians have all been involved in working to ensure that the majority of Texans are not fairly treated in our upcoming elections... Yes, that means that the majority (non-white-male) of Texans have been gerrymandered within a "MAP" CREATED TO ENSURE THAT HAPPENS! And it had nothing to do with the redistricting done in association with the last nationwide census... So many lies...how can we keep up???
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Clearly, yesterday’s lunchtime prayer wasn’t a mere ritual. Marie lived her faith. Good thing she does. Only God will be able to solve this for us...
“Ricky and I will have lunch with you and Luke.” She looked at her son—her biological son—and whispered, “I didn’t know it was going to be this hard.” The housekeeper’s arrival cut short Peter’s response. The aproned woman pushed in an elegant, inlaid wood tea cart laden with four china plates and beverages. She proceeded to set the small trestle table over by the window with linen napkins. Marie thought she must be hallucinating. It looked like someone had clipped this scene straight from a soap opera. She glanced at Peter and Luke. Neither of them paid any attention to the housekeeper. Marie gulped. A very ordinary woman who lived an average middle-class life, she knew she was in way over her head. Peter nudged Luke toward the table, then plucked Ricky out of Marie’s arms. “We’ll have to get you a booster seat just like Luke’s. Today, you’ll sit on my lap.” Marie hesitantly took the seat Peter pulled out for her, then looked at Ricky. He’d curled his fingers around Peter’s collar and grinned up at him, so she couldn’t very well protest, even though her heart twisted at the sight of them together. You knew you’d have to learn to share him. She daintily settled her napkin in her lap, then reached over to take Ricky’s outstretched hand. She cast a wary look at Peter. He took Luke’s hand. “Do you normally say grace, too?” She nodded. Too. That one word relaxed her a bit. At least they held some common ground. Building bridges between their families would be easier if they shared a foundation of faith. Luke and Ricky singsonged, “God is great, God is good…” in a sweet duet, and Peter’s voice quickly blended with them. Marie finally caught up and added, “Amen!” Peter’s intense stare made Marie shift in her seat. “What?” “If you’re upset about missing church, you can attend ours.” She broke eye contact and picked up her sandwich. “I’m so confused.” She put down the sandwich without taking a bite. “I’m torn between needing to stay and needing to go.” “Staying is only right. There’s no question. You can’t tease me with one short hour of being with my—” he paused and shot a quick look at Luke, then back at Ricky. His voice vibrated with restrained emotion “—With my flesh and blood, then snatch him away!” Despair flooded her. “I care for my sister. She was injured in an accident.” He frowned. Marie wasn’t sure whether it was from vexation that she didn’t accede to his wishes at once or concern for Sandy. “How is she managing without you today?” “She’s at the rehab facility. One of our church family is picking her up. He’ll keep her company at home until I get there.” “Surely he can watch her overnight.” Marie winced. “The gentleman involved isn’t exactly versed in giving her the particular type of care she’ll require.” “That’s not a problem. We’ll call and arrange for a private nurse to stay with her tonight. You can’t leave.” “Mr. Hallock,” she paused and watched as Peter playfully stuck an olive on Ricky’s thumb. Both of their faces lit with glee. Cuddling Ricky closer, Peter grabbed another olive and did the same to Luke. All three of them laughed. If it’s so cute, why do I want to cry? Peter looked at her and raised his brows. “What were you going to say?” “I know I said it before,” she whispered, “but this is even harder than I thought it was going to be.” His smile faded. “We have to work together, Marie…for their sakes.” “I know.” He shook his head. “It’s so hard to believe. We’ve got a lot to do.” He accepted a carrot from Ricky. “First off, I—” “I think,” she interrupted, “we’d be wise to not make any immediate decisions. It’s going to be complicated. Can’t we please have today to just share our sons?” “That would be easier if you’d change your plan to flit out of here.” She tried to calm down with a sip of iced tea, but it didn’t help. Her hand shook as she set the crystal goblet back down on the table. “Mr. Hallock—” “Peter. It seems crazy to be formal when we’re going to be sharing kids.” Marie dipped her head in acknowledgment. “Peter, I learned about this a week ago. The first day, I was in shock. You’re that way now. I’m falling apart, and you’re acting like nothing is wrong. In a day or two, the reality will hit you full force.” “So you’re dropping a bomb, listening to it tick for a few minutes, then running before it detonates?” She granted him a wobbly smile. His words were clever, but the reality hurt too much. Her eyes burned and her nose tingled with suppressed tears. “Hey,” he said softly, “I’m sorry. That joke was in poor taste. I think you were incredibly brave to come here. I don’t know what I would have done.” “I admit, I’m frazzled. I prayed all of the way here, but my focus was on the boys.” She shrugged. “I’m not ready to think about all of the consequences or plot a future course.” “Okay. We’ll just concentrate on the guys today.” Marie didn’t eat much. Her nerves were strung too tight. Nothing seemed to fit past the big ball in her throat. By the end of lunch, Luke started rubbing his eyes. Marie looked at Peter. “Would you mind if I tucked him in for his nap?” He rubbed his chin on Ricky’s crown. “How ’bout if we let Ricky nap a while, too?” “He naps well in his car seat. It might be easier if we slip out while they’re sleepy. If you’re free next weekend, why don’t you and Luke come for a visit?” “Nothing is more important than this, Marie. We have to make a pact that the boys come first. I’ll clear my calendar and jump through whatever hoops I have to.” Peter sat on the couch and held Ricky while Marie tucked in Luke by herself. Those few moments she spent alone with Jack’s little son were bittersweet. Even after he’d fallen asleep, she held him close to her heart. Finally, she whispered a prayer over him, slipped him onto his bed and covered him with a satin-edged baby blanket. One kiss wasn’t enough. The second and third were just as precious. She knew she had to leave. It felt like a giant was reaching in and tearing her heart from her breast. Each step she took from his room and down the hall took monumental effort. Peter rose from the couch as she reentered the playroom. Ricky lay in his arms like a boneless cat. He’d fallen asleep, just like Luke. “I’ll carry him out for you.” She blinked back tears and reached out. “My arms feel too empty. Please—” To her relief, Peter relinquished Ricky. Peter’s face was pale and taut. Marie suspected his composure was starting to crack. Part of her wanted to stay so he wouldn’t have to bear the anguish alone, but she had no emotional reserves and couldn’t do anything to lessen the impact of this disaster. Left alone, he’d at least keep his dignity. She made it to the front door, but Peter pressed a hand to the oak panel, blocking her exit. “Marie—” “Peter, you have to let us go.” His troubled gaze held her captive. “For now—but things are far from resolved.” Marie nodded. Ricky stirred and lifted his head. Marie shrank as Peter completely closed the few inches between them. Back pressed against the wall, she gulped and her eyes widened. Then his head dipped. “Bye-bye, tiger. You’re a wonderful boy. I was so happy to meet you. I’ll see you again, soon.” He spoke the words very softly, very tenderly, before he kissed Ricky’s cheek and rumpled his hair. Genuine affection glowed in his eyes. His sweetness to her son meant the world—until he whispered to her, “You take good care of him until I can.”
The phone rang as Marie crossed the threshold. Too tired to care, Marie let go of Ricky’s hand and smiled wearily at her sister. “I don’t know how people commute long distances to work.” Sandy gave her a sympathetic look, then glanced at the still-jangling phone and made a wry face. “You’d better answer that. Some guy named Peter has been calling every fifteen minutes for the last two hours. He’s frantic.” “Great.” Marie rubbed her aching back as she headed for the phone. “Hello?” “Marie! It’s eight forty-seven! You’ve been driving long past dark. What took you so long? Was there a problem?” Her purse strap slid down from her shoulder, and Marie let her bag drop onto the battered, white kitchen counter with a muffled thump. Shoving her hair back from her forehead, she sighed, “We’re fine.” “What took you so long?” Peter’s voice sounded ragged with concern, but Marie didn’t want to think about him or his feelings at the moment. His parting words kept echoing in her head. You take good care of him until I can. All the way home, she’d worried that Peter meant to try to take Ricky away. She’d been so absorbed, she’d failed to look at the gauges and run out of gas. “I said, we’re fine.” “Thank heavens! Marie, your car is leaking oil. I saw a pool of fresh oil right where you were parked. I worried you broke down or something.” “We made it home in one piece.” “Good!” His sigh of relief flowed over the line. Marie cleared her throat. “When I stopped to get gas, my license and cards were in the wrong places in my wallet.” The line went silent. “Mr. Hallock? I believe an answer is in order.” She could hear his steps as he paced back and forth on a hard surface someplace. The silence told her he was considering several possible explanations. That fact irked her. She wanted the truth. “While you were in my house,” he said in a well-modulated tone, “the security officer did a search of the car and your purse. He copied your identification and put it back.” I wanted him to be honest—but I also hoped he’d be honorable. Fatigue gave way to anger. “I’m so mad, I could spit nails! How dare you do such a thing!”
~~~
When a book immediately says "Love Inspired," any reader is going to assume love will be the ending, so I kept that in mind, even though it was not a journey full of joy that occured in this wonderful book, MixedBlessings, by Cathy Marie Hake... In fact, it starts with major heartbreak...
Marie Cadant had already been through personal pain when her husband, a cop, was killed on the job... Needless to say, when another major event occurred soon thereafter, she was upset, to say the least, because she believed that her baby was not hers--that there had been an accidental switch at the hospital... And since there was no way to prove it, she was out to deal with the issue herself!
Diligently doing needed research, she had discovered a possible individual who could have her and her late husband's son... At the same time, she had grown to love the little boy she had taken home from the hospital when released... They had grown close and she knew that she would not be able to give up contact with him either... But could another family adjust to such a situation?
Let's just say that the first contact was very disturbing, especially when the possible father saw her child, who was identical to him! But, at the same time, when Marie saw his little boy, she knew right away that he was her husband's child as well. Two boys could not have looked more like their father... At least there was no dispute about whether a mistake had indeed been made.
But Marie became concerned almost immediately. She realized that the man was extremely rich, which was quite different from her life. Further, immediately he began to act authoritatively as if he would be dealing with all issues to get this mistake corrected... NOT! Marie was a mother, most of all, and she planned to ensure both of these boys were in her life, no matter what this rich man tried.
But, no matter what each of the parents was thinking, the two little boys were almost instant friends as if they realized that a connection was meant to be...
Finally the two parents (yes, the father was divorced), decided to allow time for everybody to get acquainted by visiting at each other homes... Sounds ok from the father's standpoint who had help to run his very large and modern home. But Marie was making do even though the local cops were helping her as much as possible since her husband's death. Automatically, the money availability was quickly noticed with offers from the rich to give to the poor--car, etc... Marie was soon feeling distressed, and in fear that the man would try to take both of the boys, using financial care as a reason for legal action... But at least both of them were willing to work toward an agreeable solution...
“You knew I hummed in the shower?” He chortled softly. “Yep. Sunday mornings, getting ready for church. It always struck my funny bone when you chose a hymn that said something about water or a fount or the ocean.”
He paced back and forth with long, impatient strides, then walked to Ricky’s bedroom door. Bracing an arm against the doorsill, he looked at his son, then drew in a deep breath. Without turning around, he said, “We’ll compromise. I’ll split the cost with you.” “No, I can rework my budget.” He pivoted sharply and snapped, “I don’t want you to!” Glowering at him, Marie said, “This isn’t about what you want. This happens to be you trying to impinge on my private life.” His lips parted, then closed for a second. He came closer and rumbled, “Marie, this isn’t about money—it’s about keeping you, Ricky and Sandy safe.” “No, it isn’t. Clearly you have vast funds and I don’t, but I’m not going to allow you to do anything financial.” Peter groaned. “I’m not trying to buy my way into your lives.” “It feels like you are,” she admitted all too promptly. “Then I’ll ask you to forgive me, Marie. I don’t know what more to say.” “I believe in forgiveness, Peter, but I also know I have to exercise common sense and wisdom. I don’t know you at all, and I don’t know just how much trust I can put in you. People with wealth are inclined to try to buy their way out of problems or patch things up with money, but there are some things in life that don’t have a price tag.” “I only want to take care of a few car repairs!” “This time,” she said. “But then where do I draw the line? It’s a subtle form of control, and I’d be a fool to even think of it. I won’t tolerate you tossing your money at me as if I were a charity case or a poor relation. Am I clear on that issue?” His face stayed grim. “Will you at least go to the guy my man recommended? It’s probably something minor, but mechanics see a woman like you coming and a cash register in the back of their brains starts chinging. At least we’ll know he’ll be honest.” He’d scrawled the mechanic’s name and address on a piece of paper and held it out to her. Marie let out a rueful laugh. “If Ricky or Luke end up half as stubborn as you, I’m going to wear my knees flat, praying for patience!” “Then we’ll match,” he countered as he pressed the paper into her hands. She fingered the slip. “I guess we’ll see you Saturday.” He tilted her face up to his. “No, Marie. Friday evening. The nice part about flying is that you’ll be able to spend more time with us. My secretary will make the flight arrangements. She’ll call you with the details and have the tickets waiting at the counter. Her name is Paulette.” She gave him a tentative smile. “We’ll see you Friday.” Friday, Peter could hardly wait for them to get off the plane, yet a long trail of passengers came toward the baggage-claim area and Marie still didn’t appear. Did she chicken out? He’d wanted to call her every single day this week—both to talk to his little son and to reinforce how much he anticipated their visit. It took all of his self-restraint to phone only twice. Did I push too much? Did I act too casual so she decided it wasn’t important? Luke rode his shoulders to keep from being mowed over by travelers. Just about the time Peter decided to ask one of the passengers if they’d seen Marie, Ricky and Sandy on the plane, they came into sight. Marie held Ricky in her arms and walked behind Sandy’s wheelchair. Peter’s heart sped up another notch. “There they are!” Luke clapped his hands and shouted, “Ricky! Ricky! Marie!” Peter watched Marie’s reaction as he jogged toward them. The time he’d spent using the photos and teaching Luke to recognize Ricky and Marie had paid off in spades. Marie stopped in her tracks. Her breath caught and tears glossed her eyes. Peter swept Luke into Sandy’s lap. “Give Auntie Sandy a big hug, Luke.” Luke wound his arms around Sandy as Peter gathered Ricky and Marie together in one, all-encompassing hug. He gave Ricky an extra squeeze, then smiled at Marie. “Luke recognized you from the picture. I got the film developed and have been showing your photos to him all week. Smart kid, huh?” “Luke takes after his aunt,” Sandy declared as she hugged her nephew. “At least in the brains department. He certainly took after you with his looks, Marie.” “Here, Marie. I’ll take him.” Peter eagerly curled his hands around Ricky’s ribs and tugged. “This little monster is too heavy for you to carry!” Marie relinquished him and turned to get Luke. “Then I’ll take Luke.” Sandy shook her head. “Nothing doing, sis. It’s my turn to hold him. Besides, he weighs more than Ricky, and you still have a gigantic bruise from the lab drawing your blood.” Peter looked at the dark purple splotch at the bend in Marie’s arm and frowned. “That looks sore. Luke bruised, too—but not like that.” She tugged at her sleeve to cover the mark. “Ricky wasn’t happy at all about getting stuck. How did Luke do?” “I bribed him with ice cream,” Peter confessed. He noted how Marie redirected the focus to the boys. She wasn’t one to want to be the center of attention. He didn’t let on how seeing her held almost as much appeal as seeing Ricky. Instead, he directed them toward the baggage carousel and let the boys start up some nonsensical chatter. The boys continued to prattle to one another the whole ride home. During one of the phone calls, Peter mentioned he’d gotten a car seat for Ricky, so Marie didn’t need to lug one along. On the ride home, Peter pointed out a few sights and pulled into his drive. “Wow. Marie told me you lived in a nice place, but she didn’t say it was a mansion!” Sandy gawked at it. Peter grinned at her. “I hope you’ll be comfortable here...”
“Just for us. God gave us a blanket of stars.” “Just for us?” “Absolutely.” He turned his head and winked at her. “He whispers His love on the wind, too.” “Mmm,” she hummed. “I like that.”
And of course you can guess how the story ends... But it's a lovely read--heartwarming and inspirational... Enjoy this one!
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