Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt -“Notebook.”

November 7, 2026November 6, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 9 Comments

If one were to consult the Caffeine Addicts Guide to Fulfillment notebook, it would confirm: A morning cup of coffee should be a time of contemplation and peace. The hot, aromatic fluid should be enjoyed in surroundings that are conducive to relaxation and expansion of the mind. As we have come to realize, such is not the case in my space. Oh, sure, the first sip lives up to the hype and helps quell the banging in my head that one would experience in a ship-building yard due to the dangerously low level of caffeine in my body,

The second sip shatters the image with the cacophony of the Westminster chimes of the doorbell coupled with the teeth-rattling barks of the Baskerville hounds known in these parts as Tempeste and Twiggy. A quick toss of two squeaky toys into the soundproof room, followed by the door slamming, brings the kind of silence described in Boston’s “Peace of Mind.”

A look at the monitor shows Barnyard Dawg waiting with a clipboard and a letter. With a sigh, the security shutdown process is begun.

The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above front door fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. Monty Python’s Harmless Little Rabbit’s cage is closed. The front door is opened.

The dawg hands me the envelope and the letter. After signing, the clipboard is passed back with a fiver clipped to it. Once inside, the envelope is opened. It is a letter from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “notebook.” Use it the way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/11/06/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-november-7-2026/

“Barnyard Dawg?”

“Yup. He’s the one who tangles with Leghorn Foghorn.”

“When did he make his first appearance?”

“1946, in a feature named Walky Talky Hawky with Henry Hawk and Foghorn Leghorn.”

“Wow. That was 80 years ago.”

“Yes, the math works.”

“Did you see the cartoon?”

“I was five years old. If I saw it, I don’t remember.”

“Easy, old timer. I have a surprise”

“What’s that?”

“A clip of the cartoon. Just got it off YouTube. Here it is.”

“That was pretty funny. How about the Uber?”

“Right over there”

“Wow, looks like a 1945 Chevy Stylemaster coupe.”

“It is a beauty.”

“What’s the catch?”

“Easy peasy.”

“Okay.”

“We get to be in a car show in front of the pub.”

“That’s no catch. That’s like falling into heaven.”

“Except the show lasts until 7:00.”

“So?”

“No Voodoo’s till then.”

“Ouch. Okay, I can do it.”

“You sure? I see your hand shaking a little.”

“Just age. Let’s go.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

November 6, 2026November 3, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 39 Comments

AI-generated representative image of retired subway cars sunk off. Image credits: ChatGPT

Today’s good news comes from the Times of India and was sent to me by Noelle Granger.

Thanks, Noelle

In 2008, Virginia sank 44 retired New York subway cars off Chincoteague; the 17-ton steel fleet expanded a fish reef alongside older cars and Army vehicles.

Times of India October 28, 2026

In June, 2008, 44 retired New York City subway cars were submerged into the Atlantic Ocean off Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The subway cars began a new chapter as part of an artificial fishing reef. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) carried out the deployment near Chincoteague in an all-day operation designed to expand Blackfish Bank Reef. New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority donated the stainless-steel cars, and they placed them in a grid pattern on the seabed. The commission reported that each car measured 50 feet and that the cars weighed 17 tons combined. Instead of creating a new reef, the operation expanded an established site that already contained retired subway cars and surplus military vehicles.

From New York’s subway system to Virginia’s seabed

The cars initially served New York City’s public transport network. Following retirement, they were repurposed as artificial reef material, adding physical structures to the underwater environment. The VMRC reported that such materials provide shelter for marine species and can help support a food web that attracts larger predatory fish. The agency presented the deployment as a way to expand habitat and recreational fishing opportunities, not as proof that fish populations had already increased because of the new structures.

New York Subway trains at night. Image credits: Wikimedia Commons

The Blackfish Bank Reef lies 5.8 nautical miles southeast of Assateague Island, Maryland, off the coast of Chincoteague, Virginia. The 2008 deployment was the third major addition to the site documented in the commission’s announcement. In 1998, 40 surplus Army armored personnel carriers had been lowered there. 50 retired New York City “Redbird” subway cars followed in November 2003.

Together, the three deployments account for 134 vehicles: 94 subway cars and 40 armored personnel carriers. They were installed in separate operations over a decade, and the 17-ton figure refers to the combined reported weight of the 44 cars deployed in 2008.

How artificial reefs create underwater habitat

Artificial reefs are formed by placing suitable structures on the seabed to provide additional physical support and surfaces that marine organisms can colonize. These structures can create shelter for invertebrates and fish depending on the material, location, and environmental conditions. Additionally, the organisms living on or around the structure can become a part of the local food web. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection describes artificial reefs as structures that provide habitat on otherwise sandy seabeds and attract marine organisms and fish.

Meanwhile, for Blackfish Bank, the immediate purpose of the 2008 operation was to expand the existing fishing reef. According to the VMRC, the submerged cars have been deployed as structures that could attract gamefish, thus making the site more useful for recreational anglers.

Part of Virginia’s wider artificial reef program

The subway-car deployment formed part of a program that the VMRC had been developing since the early 1970s. By June 2008, the agency reported maintaining 23 artificial reefs throughout Chesapeake Bay and Virginia’s coastal waters. These sites used a range of materials, including old concrete pipes, demolished bridge sections, pier remains, a lighthouse, subway cars, armored personnel carriers, and retired ships. Therefore, the project extended beyond a single unusual deployment, using different structures to create underwater habitats at several locations.

The Blackfish Bank deployment demonstrates how decommissioned infrastructure can be repurposed for marine habitat management. The materials used should be suitable for underwater use and prepared to minimize environmental risks. Artificial reefs, however, do not automatically guarantee increased fish populations, as their ecological effects depend on factors including water depth, existing habitat, species interactions, and long-term monitoring. Therefore, evaluating their success requires more than just counting the structures placed on the seabed. Researchers must also analyze which organisms colonize them, whether they support local ecosystems, and how their effects can change with time. The project offers one approach to combining habitat creation with recreational fishing, while highlighting the importance of assessing artificial reefs by their ecological performance rather than their size or the unusual origins of the materials used.

The good news in this story is that what could be in a landfill is now creating a healthy habitat. Today’s JohnKu talks about waste. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Dispose of big things

Like stainless cars and armor…

Where they will do good.

Thursday – A little Personal – Twiggy and Tempeste Face a Worker in the House

November 5, 2026November 4, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 88 Comments

“What is that guy doing, Twiggy?”

“Mom is redoing a room, and the carpenter is tearing out the old.”

“What do you mean old?”

“There is a door that needs to be replaced with a wall.”

“Well, that doesn’t make any sense. What’s with the gates?”

“To Mom, it does. The gates are to protect the worker from us.”

“I guess that’s all that counts. What are we going to do to a worker anyway? What was that?”

” Barking someone to St. Louis doesn’t hurt, I don’t think. That is the sound of a saw.”

“That noise is sure annoying.”

“Look at it this way. It can’t last forever.”

“Maybe not, but it sure seems like it.”

“Well, it’s only a room and not the whole house. We need to be patient.”

“But he keeps coming and going. Very tempting.”

“He has a job to do. I suggest we give him a pass.”

“A pass? Why would we do that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe to keep the rents from going nuts.”

“Okay, I’m going to take a rest. Let me know if you need me to engage.”

“That is a good idea. I think I’ll do the same.”

“You hear that?”

“Yeah. Sounded like a gunshot.”

“You ever hear a gunshot?”

“No, but I imagine that noise is what a gunshot sounds like”

A note from The Producer and me. “Heaven help us.”

Tuesday – anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Button

November 3, 2026November 1, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 60 Comments

Today I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 93. With my eyes closed, I pointed to the page. My finger fell closest to the word “Button.” That is our prompt.

“Don’t touch that.”

“Why?”

“It is a doomsday device. That button will be the end of us all.”

“How do you know that?’

“Listen, kid. I have been around to see what happens when that button is pushed.”

“If you know what happens, how do you escape?”

“That is a long story. Just trust me. We need to go now.”

“Where are we going?”

“I happen to know that, with the change to standard time, the folks are still asleep. Perfect time to have breakfast and then hide out.”

“I’m still wondering about that button. Also, what does R-A-I-D spell?”

“It spells death to us. If the folks see us, they immediately go to it and fill the air with poison. Also, when we get near the folks, stay away from the ears. They can hear our wings whine and start slapping like crazy. My advice: do your drilling on anything exposed below the neck.”

“Okay, got it.”

“Let’s go.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do in the Great Flood of 2348 BC.

November 2, 2026October 31, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 53 Comments

This post continues the Top Ten Not-to-Do list with historical background. Scholars widely assert that November 25 is the anniversary of the beginning of the great flood in 2348 BC. Pretend you were there, and here is a list that will keep you out of trouble.

Top Ten Things Not to Do in the Great Flood of 2348 BC.

10 In the time of the great flood, do not mock Noah’s boat building so far from water. If you do, at best, he won’t hear you. At worst, after forty days and nights of rain, you’ll wish you never had. (Good luck on treading water for a few months, Gregory. Those boat jokes seem a little lame now, don’t they?)

9 In the time of the great flood, do not offer Tiny the WWF champ some help with that rhinoceros. If you do, at best, he’ll pass on the assist. At worst, Tiny, who has just finished his group session on self-esteem, will believe you think he can’t load that snorting beast into the Ark. (Now you have to worry about a loose rhinoceros and soothing Tiny’s feelings, Giovanni. I think the rhino might be an easier task.)

7 In the time of the great flood, do not ask Noah about who is playing in the show lounge. If you do, at best, Noah will think you are joking. At worst, Noah will realize you think the whole boat thingy is a Carnival cruise. (I suppose you should feel grateful Noah allows you to ride in the dinghy, Graham. He could have just tossed you overboard.)

6 In the time of the great flood, do not start singing the Unicorn Song. If you do, at best, Noah will think it cute. At worst, since Noah couldn’t get the unicorns on board, he’ll feel bad. (Don’t forget Noah is 600 years old, Gilbert. He probably never heard of the Irish Rovers, and now you are in the brig on bread and water.)

5 In the time of the great flood, do not smack a pesky mosquito. If you do, at best it will recover. At worst, you just killed one of the two on board. (Although it seems like you did humanity a service, Gustavo, Noah is going to be plenty pissed since he was supposed to have two of everything. I would lay low if I were you.)

4 In the time of the great flood, do not try to bring more than one carry-on bag on the Ark. If you do, at best, the second bag will be floating. At worst, you’ll be caught, and Captain Noah will allow the bags to ride but toss you off. ( I don’t think the punishment is too harsh, Gustavo. What if every being brought two suitcases?)

3 In the time of the great flood, do not try to water ski off the back of the Ark. If you do, at best, you won’t lose your grip on the rope. At worst, the Ark is not going fast enough, and you’ll sink like a stone. (It doesn’t do much good to signal for help, Gerard. That giraffe has no idea what you mean.)

2 In the time of the great flood, do not ask Noah for a turn at the tiller. If you do, at best, he will turn you down flat. At worst, he will give you a spin. ( The fact that you don’t know North from South is not going to play well here, Gabe. Luckily, the mountain tops are fourteen cubits under the water. What’s a cubit, you ask? Go look it up.)

1 In the time of the great flood, when Noah asks you to release a dove, do not release that duck. If you do, at best, the duck will come back. At worst, the duck will be able to float, so there is no need to return to the Ark. (Noah is now asking you how to determine whether the waters have receded. “Wait until you see land” is not the answer he is looking for, Gideon. Those water wings should help keep you up until you sight land. By the way, that shark following you has not eaten for a couple of weeks.)

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway City Hall Art Exposition – Artist Lynn Zwern

November 1, 2026October 31, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 56 Comments

Today we are visiting the Lakeway City Hall art exposition. We are catered by The Kimberly of Austin. Our entertainment is Mayra Mayan

Menu
CLASSIC BEEF TENDERLOIN FILET WELLINGTON
in crisp puff pastry, applewood smoked bacon, natural jus, wild mushrooms à la crème
FRESH GENUINE DOVER SOLE
lightly sautéed with jumbo lump crab, or brown butter almondine, or caviar and fresh dill butter sauce
SAUTÉED GENUINE AMERICAN RED SNAPPER
fresh jumbo lump crab, fine-cut vegetables, shellfish curry broth, ginger vinaigrette
SEARED NORTH ATLANTIC SCALLOPS
citrus filets, brown butter roasted macadamia nuts, micro cilantro
WOOD ROASTED, DRY AGED DUCK BREAST & CONFIT OF LEG AND THIGH
spice crust, potato and leek gratin, black currant jus
WOOD ROASTED DOUBLE BREAST OF CHICKEN “À LA GRECQUE”
campari tomatoes, artichoke bottoms, roasted potatoes, Mediterranean olives, yogurt crema
16OZ VEAL CHOP, LIGHTLY POUNDED “ALLA PARMIGIANA”
crushed San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, spaghettini cacio e pepe
SPAGHETTINI ALLA VALENCIANA
hand-cut spaghettini, sautéed fresh Maine lobster and Gulf shrimp, saffron, mushroom, red chile
CAPPELLETTI ALLA PIEMONTESE
braised beef and Parmigiana filling, butter, veal jus, fresh truffles.

Picture of an old time school bus Let’s all get on the bus.

Here is the artist’s bio. She works in acrylic and watercolor. Since none of the artworks were titled or had their medium identified, we will have to use our imaginations

Here is an overview of the display.

Very intricate.

Time on the sea.

An arrangement.

A different interpretation.

Beach scene.

Purple sky.

Flora up close.

Waterfalls.

Flowers and water.

Hills and water.

Waterfall.

Well, that is the exhibit. Time to relax and enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a wonderful week.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Costume

October 31, 2026October 30, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

The coffee machine looks at me as if to ask a question. “What is it?” Is my response. The large touch screen comes to life with an answer. “Need a day off. There is a costume party to attend.” With the anvil chorus in my brain from a caffeine shortage, I have nothing to say but, “No.” Touching the two coffee icon on the touchscreen starts the process of delivering the elixir that cures all ills. The cup finally fills, and the first sip acts like placing a velvet cover over the anvil. It may still be there, but muted. The second sip, as we have come to expect, is accompanied by the sound of the Westminster chimes of the doorbell and the molar cracking barking of Twiggy and Tempeste. Together, these interruptions have the settling quality of a Yamaha grand piano hitting 34th Street after a fall from the Empire State Building penthouse.

A toss of two Beny bones into the soundproof room followed by a door slam brings back the peace that Cat Stevens sang about in the song Peace Train. A glance at the monitor shows Michigan J. Frog, with top hat, cane, clipboard, and envelope. Knowing that asking a singing frog to leave the envelope is futile, the security shutdown process begins.

The frog breaks into singing Hello! Ma Baby and hands me the clipboard and envelope. The clipboard is handed back along with a fiver. The envelope is from Linda Hill and contains a letter. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “costume.’” Use it the way you’d like. Have fun!

If you would like to see how others react to the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: :https://lindaghill.com/2026/10/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-october-31-2026/

“Michigan Jackson Frog?”

“Yeah, he was a favorite of mine.”

“When was that?”

“Back in 1955.”

“Whoa. You were alive in 1955?”

“Very funny. Yes, I was 14 years old.”

“I didn’t realize you were that old. I should be nice to you.”

“Why’s that?'”

“You know, a be kind to dogs and seniors kind of thing.”

“Yes, I can imagine. Speaking of kind, did you order the Uber?”

“I sure did. It’s right over there.”

“Oh, come on. That thing is not going anywhere.”

“But at this price we can’t go wrong.”

“I suppose we have to carry the thing.”

“Not at all. I’m going to call my AI buddy to fix it up.”

“This I gotta see.”

“Okay, how’s this?’

“You have got to be kidding.”

“Nope, good as new. Let’s go.’

“There has to be a catch.”

“Yeah, we have to be home by midnight.”

“Why’s that?”

“The car returns to its original condition at the stroke of twelve.”

“We’d better go then.”

“Age before beauty.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

October 30, 2026October 28, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 58 Comments

When this sea turtle arrived at the South Carolina Aquarium, it had multiple injuries. All images courtesy of the South Carolina Aquarium, except where otherwise noted

Today’s good news story comes from the Medical University of South Carolina and was sent to me by Linda Leinen. Thank you, Linda.

Rescuing Rose: Aquarium collaborates with MUSC to protect injured sea turtle’s spinal cord

By Helen Adams

Lauren Turner, a family nurse practitioner specializing in wound care at MUSC Health, is enchanted by the young green sea turtle whose care she’s played a role in. “My team and I love animals. It’s been so sweet. We thought of her like a little princess. Then we learned from the Aquarium that she’s more of a sassy teenager.”

That sassiness has served Rose well. The turtle has needed all of its strength as it recovers from multiple ailments at the South Carolina Aquarium: cold stunning, pneumonia, low body weight, and the development that brought her to Turner’s attention: severe damage to her carapace, the upper part of the turtle’s shell.

Rose washed ashore on Seabrook Island, a gated community near Charleston. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources brought the turtle to the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Care Center.

“Cold-stunned turtles are often very thin, just kind of debilitated all across the board,” said Aquarium veterinarian Laura Whalen.

A woman wearing a blue t-shirt leans forward as she looks at a sea turtle on an exam table. Four other woman are watching and helping.

Dr. Laura Whalen, left, says the sea turtle’s degree of spinal cord exposure was severe.

As she and her team treated Rose, the extent of the turtle’s shell damage became clear. “The carapace really, really presented a big challenge for Rose and a big uphill battle. Having the degree of spinal cord exposure, especially over the midline, is not common. It’s not something you normally see as part of their presenting illnesses, and it was very severe.”

If something happened to that exposed spinal cord, Whalen said it could make it impossible for Rose to swim. She wanted the turtle, which weighed just 8 pounds upon arrival, to have the chance to grow up. Adult green sea turtles can weigh 300 to 350 pounds and can live for at least 70 years. They swim thousands of miles in their lifetimes.

So figuring out how to protect Rose’s spinal cord was essential. The Aquarium reached out to MUSC Health, which has worked with the veterinarians in the past.

A metal devide holding what looks like a small, bumpy piece of white fabric. It's part of Restrata, the wound care product.

An illustration of the Restrata used to help heal the sea turtle’s spine. It’s made for areas of soft tissue with irregular surfaces. Image courtesy of Acera Surgical

“Collaboration is huge across the board in this field,” Whalen said. “Veterinary medicine is a smaller field. And then you look at aquarium sea turtle medicine, and it gets even smaller. So by leaning on our colleagues in human medicine, and specifically MUSC, we’re able to pull knowledge, pull resources, pull experiences to provide gold standard care.”

Turner, the wound care expert at MUSC Health, and wound care nurse Glenda Burnette discussed Rose’s case. They recommended a product called Restrata, which helps repair and heal tissue in humans, for Rose. The wound care team also connected the Aquarium with some local sales reps, which led to a donation of Restrata for Rose’s care.

Screenshot from a SC Aquarium video. A woman using a cotton tipped stick to apply Restrata to Rose the sea turtle's shell.

The Aquarium veterinary team applies Restrata to Rose’s carapace.

Then, Whalen and her team carefully applied it to the turtle’s back. “We placed it in the areas of concern on the spinal cord,” Whalen said.

To her relief, the tissue on Rose’s carapace is now growing. “The size of the, for lack of a better term, holes that were over the spinal cord, we’re starting to see those fill in. The hope would be that those fill in entirely so that it’s covered,” Whalen said.

A sea turtle swims in turquoise water. Its eyes are open and its flippers are out.

Dr. Whalen says Rose has been a fighter from the beginning.

There’s no rushing the process. Rose has been at the Aquarium for almost a year and a half so far. “One thing about sea turtles is that they’re very slow to get sick, but they’re also very slow to heal, just with the way their metabolism works. So we knew it was going to be a long process. But, you know, Rose has been a fighter every step of the way,” Whalen said.

If the turtle is able to return to the ocean, the wound care team at MUSC Health hopes to be there to witness it. “There’s nothing that can stop us. It would be such a joy to see her do that,” Turner said.

The good news in this story is that science is helping injured animals and those with birth defects. Today’s JohnKu talks about saving animals. I hope you have a super weekend

It is nice to see,

Science that was aimed at people . . .

Helps animals, too.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Tempeste Pulls a Fast One.

October 29, 2026October 27, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 93 Comments

“Where you going, Tempeste?”

“Oh, I thought I would go out and play something.”

“Play like what?”

“Maybe Panther and Puma.”

“Don’t you need me for that game?”

“It would be nice since you are the puma.”

“Well, I suppose I could help you out.”

“That would be really fine if you could.”

“Just a minute, though. Who is going to win this game?”

“Why, the panther, of course.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Why do you think the panther will win?”

“For one thing, the panther is way younger than the puma.”

“It just means the puma has more experience.”

“The panther is nearer to fighting weight.”

“That does it.. I think I have to teach the panther a lesson.”

“Easy, old girl. You don’t want to pull anything.”

“Very funny. You wait till we get into the game.”

“So you are going to play?”

“Darn tootin’. I just have to go get a drink of water first.”

“Okay, I’ll call Mom to let us out.”

“I didn’t hear you call Mom.”

“I guess having your nice, comfy, warm spot is better than a game.”

“You tricked me.”

“Like taking candy from a baby.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Appreciate”

October 27, 2026October 26, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 40 Comments

Today I randomly opened Eternal Road – The Final Stop to page 189. With my eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger was “appreciate.” This is our prompt today.

“I appreciate you.”

“Oh sure. That’s an easy thing to say.”

“I really mean it.”

“I doubt that.”

“Why?”

“If you appreciated me, you wouldn’t treat me so badly.”

“Oh, come on. I’m not treating you badly on purpose.”

“Okay, so you will admit that you are treating me badly.”

“I guess on a specific case basis it would appear that I’m not treating you with the utmost kindness.”

“So why say you appreciated me?”

“Cause I do. I’m very grateful that you are here.”

“Why is that?”