Tag: author

Views of the Neighborhood – Dedication of Lakeway’s Rainbow Bridge

~ John W. Howell ~ 66 Comments

Today, we are visiting the Lakeway Greenbelt to witness the dedication of Lakeway’s official Rainbow Bridge. I was on break when this event took place, so I would like to thank The Producer for taking the photos and providing the background information. We are catered by Ezov of Austin, and our entertainment is Judy Garland.

Menu

Pan-fried Halloumi- Texas figs, spiced saffron honey, arugula

Traditional Latke – spiced apple compote, embered labne

Jerusalem Bagel – za’atar cream cheese, smoked snapper

Khachapuri – ackawi cheese, egg, lots of herbs

Loaded Latke – fried eggs, ackawi cheese, beef bacon, chives

Sabich Benedict –  crispy eggplant, poached eggs, amba hollandaise

Green Shakshuka –  zucchini, leeks, fennel, poached eggs, toasted.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich – Challah, Pickled Lemon Aioli, Cabbage Salad.

Steak Shish & Eggs –  wagyu beef skewer, two eggs over easy, fried potatoes

Background from Gretchen Vance – Lakeway City Council Member

The bridge mentioned in Ms Vance’s note.

Screenshots from a TikTok video of Rainbow Bridge in Lake Lure, North Carolina destroyed by hurricane.

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s get going

There’s the sign

Before the ribbon cutting.

The original marker.

The bridge beyond the people.

Words from Mayor Pro Tem Louis Mastrangelo and City Council member Gretchen Vance, with City Council Member Kent O’Brien on the left

The ribbon is cut

An information installation at the head of the bridge next to the original monument.

A view of the monument and the information installation.

The first collar.

The next three.

Now it is time to enjoy the music and food. I wish you a lovely week.

 

Eternal Road – The final Stop eBook is now available in the US for free on Amazon today until 11:59 PM PST.  This is the last day. Here is the link.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GL135KQ

 

 

 

 

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Joke”

~ John W. Howell ~ 59 Comments

A picture of a string with drops of water- the logo for SoCS

 

The joke is on me. Thinking that another disaster was forming with the coffee machine, a standby plan was put into place. The machine sat in darkness, with no sign of life. The first part of the plan was to run through the checklist of operations to diagnose the problem. Water? Check. Beans? Check. Turned on? Check. Plugged in? Oops. Well, there you are. The machine was not plugged in. In short order, that problem was rectified. The sounds and aroma filled the room. Salvation is at hand. The healing elixir pours forth into my cup. One sip, and the ever-present Westminster Chime of the doorbell triggers the Cerberus twins, in the form of Twiggy and Tempeste, to take up the ear-piercing, end-of-the-world warning.  A toss of an organic knuckle bone into the soundproof room and a slam of the door bring back normalcy and silence.

Checking the security monitor, a rabbit is holding a sign. The sign reads Envelope for Howell. Need to sign. Tips appreciated.  With a sigh, the security shut-down process began.

The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the shutdown process of the security system. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away.  The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

“Eh, what’s up, Doc?” The rabbit hands me a clipboard and asks for a signature on the line marked with carrot juice. After signing, he hands me an envelope and holds out his free hand, paw. A clear sign that a tip is expected. My tip for the day was articulated to the bunny before slamming the door. “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”

The envelope is from Linda Hill. Inside is the message. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “joke.” Use it as you see fit. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2025/10/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-4-2025/

Joke by John W. Howell © 2025

“Well, that was another tour through your madness.”

“I guess you could call it that.”

“Why don’t you just tip those messengers with money?”

“I think it is more fun to lay out a philosophical one-liner.”

“Well, maybe for you.”

“Besides, how is a cartoon character going to spend a tip?”

“Hmm. Never thought of it that way.”

“Also, I could add how a figment of my imagination is going to drink Voo Doo Rangers.”

“Hey, you hold on there, my friend. First of all, I’m no figment. Second of all, I can drink a ton of Voo Doo Rangers.”

“A ton? Don’t you mean a liquid measure like a barrel?”

You know what I mean.”

“Yes, I do. I was just pulling your leg.  A joke as it were. You are a real as it comes.”

“Aw, thanks. Uber is over there.”

“A classic with custom wheels.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure, but it looks like a 1970 Mercedes 300D SEL.”

“You got me. All I know is there is room for both of us.”

“And we only have to make one stop.”

“One stop?”

“Yeah. The guy is also an Uber Eats delivery person.”

“So what is he delivering?”

“Chickens.”

“Chickens? How is that possible?”

“Well, a farmer needs some more chickens, and Uber Eats delivers anything.”

“So when we get to the pub, we will smell like chickens?”

“You know the pub. No one will notice. Let’s go.”

 

Friday JohnKu _ AKA -TGIF – Good News/Fri-Yay -The Weight of Snow and Regret Blog Tour with Elizabeth Gauffreauwith Elizabeth Gauffreau

~ John W. Howell ~ 145 Comments

I am very happy to welcome Elizabeth Gauffreau here on Good News Friday. She has a new book and it is good news for sure.  So without any delay. Here is Liz to talk about her book.

Introduction

Thank you for hosting me on my blog tour for The Weight of Snow and Regret, John! For today’s tour stop, I’m giving a brief overview of the historical context of the poor farm system in Vermont. But first, here’s what The Weight of Snow and Regret is all about.

Description

For over 100 years, no one wanted to be sent to the Sheldon Poor Farm. By 1968, no one wanted to leave. Amid the social turmoil of 1968, the last poor farm in Vermont is slated for closure. By the end of the year, the twelve destitute residents remaining will be dispatched to whatever institutions will take them, their personal stories lost forever.

Hazel Morgan and her husband Paul have been matron and manager at the Sheldon Poor Farm for the past 20 years. Unlike her husband, Hazel refuses to believe the impending closure will happen. She believes that if she just cares deeply enough and works hard enough, the Sheldon Poor Farm will continue to be a safe haven for those in need, herself and Paul included.

On a frigid January afternoon, the overseer of the poor and the town constable from a nearby town deliver a stranger to the poor farm for an emergency stay. She refuses to tell them her name, where she came from, or what her story is. It soon becomes apparent to Hazel that whatever the woman’s story is, she is deeply ashamed of it.

Hazel fights to keep the stranger with them until she is strong enough to face, then resume, her life—while Hazel must face the tragedies of her own past that still haunt her.

Told with compassion and humor, The Weight of Snow & Regret tells the poignant story of what it means to care for others in a rapidly changing world.

Historical Context for the Weight of Snow and Regret

The approach I took to writing the novel (and the reason I’m eager for people to read it) is to honor the history of the Sheldon Poor Farm and the people who lived, worked, and died there by creating characters that readers would come to understand and care about. The job of fiction, in other words! 

The Poor Farm System: 19th Century

I researched the history of the poor farm system in Vermont, which was inherited from 17th-century Elizabethan poor laws.

The Poor Farm System: 20th Century

In the 20th-century, the historical context was a transition from specific localities’ being responsible for the poor to the federal government’s assuming responsibility for the social safety net, with the states responsible for administering the federal benefits programs. (Two of the characters in the book are adamantly opposed to the state’s taking over.) The road sign in the image is for the road to Sheldon Poor Farm. It’s easy to find similar poor farm road signs in Vermont and New Hampshire, particularly on the back roads

The Poor Farm Residents

The next image outlines the two categories of poor farm residents, temporary and permanent, and the primary reasons people would have been sent there.

Conditions at the Sheldon Poor House

I was surprised at how much information about the living conditions I was able to find simply by reading local newspapers. I was also surprised at the range of conditions. As the timeline below indicates, living conditions for the residents were either exemplary or appalling. (The 1931 abuse allegations included a straightjacket for unruly residents and one room used as a jail. I couldn’t find anything further about whether the allegations were actually addressed.)

 

Books2Read Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/WeightofSnow

 

Author Biography

Elizabeth Gauffreau writes fiction and poetry with a strong connection to family and place. Her work has been widely published in literary magazines, as well as several themed anthologies. Her short story “Henrietta’s Saving Grace” was awarded the 2022 Ben Nyberg  prize for fiction by Choeofpleirn Press.

She has previously published a novel, Telling Sonny: The Story of a Girl Who Once Loved the Vaudeville Show, and two collections of photopoetry, Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance and Simple Pleasures: Haiku from the Place Just Right.

Liz’s professional background is in nontraditional higher education, including academic advising, classroom and online teaching, curriculum development, and program administration. She received the Granite State College Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2018. Liz lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire with her husband. Find her online at https://lizgauffreau.

Click/tap to follow blog tour: https://lizgauffreau.com/the-weight-of-snow-and-regret-blog-tour-2/

Also more good news Eternal Road – The last stop is free on Amazon US today through Sunday. Here is the link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GL135KQ

The good news here is that Liz has a new book.  Today’s JohnKu talks about books. I hope you have a super weekend.

Books by John W. Howell © 2025

New ones are published,

We greet them like new neighbors . . .

Go and check them out.

 

 

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Tempeste on the Hunt

~ John W. Howell ~ 111 Comments

“Hey, Tempeste. What cha finding over there?”

“It’s nothing, Believe me.”

“If it’s nothing why are you spending good nose time here?”

“It just seemed like it would be something.”

“I have to see for myself.”

“Be my guest. See nothing.”

“Yeah, you are right. You would think there would be a crumb of something around here.”

“This trash bin could offer a snack.”

“You go ahead and case out the bin. My poverty stricken mind is now on toys.”

“I can’t see anything. No smells either.”

“Face it. These two don’t drop anything of interest.”

“Gosh you would think even a drop of milk or something.”

”

“Sadly our rents haven’t reached the clumsy age yet. No kids here either.”

“Yeah we need a kid to drop a pepperoni or better yet, a peanut butter toast, peanut butter side down.”

Hey Twiggy. What are you and Tempeste doing?”

“You won’t believe it.”

“Try me.”

“We are praying that you or Mom let some food fly sometime.”

“Well you know your Mom.”

“I sure do. We might as well pray for a gopher in the house.”

Eternal Road – The final Stop eBook is now available in the US for free on Amazon from now trough Sunday October 5th. Here is the link.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GL135KQ

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Tempeste Face a Change

~ John W. Howell ~ 113 Comments

“Looks like a good day for the yard, Twiggy.”

“I think you are right. Let’s get out there.”

“Hey. Wait a minute. There’s a fence cutting off my favorite part of the yard.”

“I think the rents are preparing for fall.”

“What do you mean by preparing for fall?”

“Well, you know how you love to eat acorns and crape myrtle leaves.”

“I beg your pardon. I don’t eat acorns and crape myrtle leaves.”

“Yeah, right. Anyway, the rents are trying to keep the temptations down to a dull roar.”

“So they put up a fence to keep me out of the area where those delectable..er, I mean dead leaves fall?”

“That is a good summary. They also moved the tent so the other leaves will stay off the turf.”

“Yeah, well, there is a leaf that broke through.”

“There will be some, of course, but the majority will not be available to you.”

“I don’t get what is so wrong with eating leaves.”

“Obviously, since you do it a lot.”

“Well, if I’m going to be accused of doing it, might as well do it.”

“Spoken like every heroin user on the planet.”

“What’s heroin?”

“To you, it’s that thing in your mouth.”

A reminder. I will be on a break from tomorrow until Thursday, October 2nd.

Guest Post – D.L.Finn – Miracles & Ghosts Past – A Christmas Collection Two #newbook

~ John W. Howell ~ 127 Comments

 

I am very happy to have as a guest, Denise Finn. As most of you know Denise is a prolific writer of children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She has a new book just in time for the holidays and she’s going to tell us all about it.

 

Thank you, John, for having me on your amazing blog to kick off the release and blog tour of Ghosts & Miracles Past: A Christmas Collection Two. I’m so grateful for your support!

I started a train story for another short story collection, but never finished it. Giving it another look, I decided to bring it into the Christmas season, and immediately found Rita’s story. I’ve been wanting to write a train story because I’ve been a fan since I was a little girl. I’ve been on many trains and plan to make this ride Rita took to Reno in the winter. I’ve watched that train cross over the summit many times from the overlook over Donner Lake. I have not only wondered about the view from the train, but also the history it carries. Now, I don’t know if they’ve ever made a murder mystery ride, but it sounded fun to me and became my idea for the story. I also like to use local settings when I can, and “The Christmas Train Mystery” was perfect for that. I almost ended it at one point where it would have been a short story, but that turned out not to be the end when a ghost and an angel got involved.

BLURB:

Miracles saturate the sweet-scented Christmas season—a reminder we aren’t alone.

Miracles & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection brings eight stories from past holidays. Rita buys train tickets for her and Morris’s 30th anniversary in the novelette, “The Christmas Train Mystery.” She’s convinced this trip will bring her and Morris closer—if he can find the time. A murder mystery excursion will change Rita’s life in more ways than one, but will she go with her workaholic husband or by herself? In the first short story, “Christmas Rescue,” Opal trusts the wrong man and loses her mother in the same year, leaving her feeling lost. On a mission to get candles for the dinner table, she makes an unexpected find. “Is There a Santa?” goes back to the 1920s, where a widower is desperate to hold on to his farm and children. He doesn’t want charity, just a bit of luck or a miracle. In the final stories, you’ll meet an eleven-year-old who’s home alone, a family living in the aftermath of war, a girl who gets some shocking news, a widow with a warning from beyond, and a woman trapped on an elevator with Santa. Hope underlies these stories; it endures even in the direst of circumstances. Whether help comes from a ghost, Santa, or an angel, miracles are just within reach.

 

EXCERPT FROM: The Christmas Mystery Train, 1986

Rita smiled as she tucked the train tickets in her purse.

The woman in the small booth grinned. “Happy thirtieth wedding anniversary to you and your husband. You’re going to have a great time!”

“Thank you, Patty. I’ve always wanted to go on the murder mystery ride and can’t believe they added in a special holiday one.”

“This is the first one, and it’s almost sold out. Enjoy!” Patty waved as her phone rang. She shut her window and answered the phone.

Rita unlocked her husband’s new red BMW M3. Her sensible gray, six-year-old Mercedes-Benz 300D was in the shop getting a tune-up. Their son, Kevin, picked up his dad to take him to work in his fancy blue Corvette that morning. The men in her life loved their cars, and she loved them, even though they weren’t always easy to deal with.

Rita was careful backing up. Morris wouldn’t be happy if his baby got scratched. She hurried to her salon appointment to get her hair highlighted with blond and red streaks, as Morris liked. Next on her list was to have his car washed and vacuumed, and finally grocery shopping. She made sure to park at the far end of the parking lot so no one would scratch the car. She had learned her lesson when someone had taken a key to her door at the mall last week. Her fault or not, she was blamed.

“No point in getting you a new car with how you care for this one.” He’d folded his arms.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful.”

“I hope so. We have an image now to keep up, but I suppose they can fix this when it’s in the shop for maintenance. It helps Kevin, too, as he moves up the ladder. Soon he’ll be a partner like me.” He pointed to his puffed-out chest.

“Yes, he is exactly like you.” Rita plastered a smile on her face.

He beamed like he was a lawyer lighthouse. “Yes, I’m very proud of my boy. Plus, he is marrying into one of San Francisco’s prominent families. Think of how that will help our firm.”

“I’m sure it will.” Rita hid her misgivings.

The girl was a delicate beauty but aloof and rude to people beneath her. A habit her husband had developed lately too. It was ironic because he would have been one of those people as a child. He grew up in a poor but loving family. Fifteen years ago, when his parents died two years apart, Morris blamed their poverty, not the cancer or heart attack. From that day forward, his focus was on making sure he didn’t end up like them. He stopped responding to his brother’s calls and put all his energy into work. It was like none of them or that life had ever existed, no matter how many times Rita tried to remind him. She sighed loudly and pulled into the Fabulous Forties, where the wealthy lived.

Universal Purchase Link

 

FUN FINN FACTS

  1. I’m a big fan of train rides and have been on amazing ones like the Skunk train out of Fort Bragg, CA. Many more to explore!
  2. Must-watch Christmas movies and shows for me are: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, A Nightmare Before Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

 

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

 

YouTube
Amazon Page
D.L. Finn blog
Pinterest
Instagram
Facebook
Bookbub
Bluesky
Twitter/X
D. L. Finn’s Gratitude Store

 

To celebrate the release, I will be giving away three Amazon Gift Cards: $5, $10, and $15. At the end of the tour, I will randomly pick the three winners from those who leave comments during the blog tour. Good Luck!

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt

~ John W. Howell ~ 49 Comments

Today I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop to page 109. With etes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger is “shakes.” That is our prompt today. Also if you would like a Kindle copy of Eternal Road it will be free on Amazon in the US from October 2 through October 5th. I’ll publish a link and reminder nearer the event.

Shakes by John W. Howell © 2025

“You have the shakes. How come?”

“I’m not sure. I just can’t seem to get warm.”

“Have you eaten anything that may not agree?”

“You know I did have some fish last night. Maybe that’s it.”

“You can never be too careful.”

“Yeah I know. I thought it was fresh.”

“Were the eyes clear?”

“Yes and it was nicely chilled too.”

“Well, maybe that is not the reason then. Could be the weather.”

“It does seem colder for sure.”

“I think we are getting ready for winter. So how can I help you?”

“Just talking helps. I think the shakes are gone.”

“It’s pretty dangerous getting chilled. Especially up here.”

“I think I’m going to be okay.”

“That sounds great. How about a swim.?”

“Good idea. That will get my blood rolling for sure.”

“We can go visit the rookery and check out the chicks.”

“They are probably pretty big now. They are over five months old. We gotta watch out for the Mama’s though.”

“I know. Nothing riles a penguin Mama like the thought of a chick being disturbed.”

“Last one in is a rotten egg.”

 

I will be on a break from Friday September 26th until Thursday October 2nd.

 

Top Ten Things Not to DO When Visiting the Zoo

~ John W. Howell ~ 64 Comments
Image by si_kor from Pixabay

 

This post ran on April 7th 2014 annd was co-authored by Marie Ann Bailey and me. Since the last few days of summer still allow a zoo trip, hopefully, this will be useful.

Top Ten Things Not To Do When Visiting the Zoo

10. When visiting the zoo, do not try to get the chimpanzees’ attention by throwing popcorn at them. If you do, at best, they will simply pick up the popcorn and eat it and continue to ignore you. At worst, they will reciprocate by flinging some dark, smelly stuff back at you, causing you and the family to have an uncomfortable ride home, with your shirt covered in chimp poop.

9. When visiting the zoo, do not think that just because the Siberian Leopard kitten is fast asleep, you can simply reach through the bars and scratch its adorable furry little head. If you do, at best, you might merely bruise your arm as you jerk it back when you hear the kitten’s mother roar. At worst, the kitten will wake up and decide to play tug-of-war with your arm while mama gets closer and closer, snarling the whole way.

8. When visiting the zoo, do not throw things into the elephant exhibit just because you think it is fun to watch elephants pick things up with their trunks. If you do, at best, you will be reprimanded by the zoo staff and told to leave the zoo. At worst, you will be tasked with cleaning up the elephant exhibit, which could be a lengthy process since the elephants never forget a litter bug and might think it is fun to pick you up with their trunks.

7. When visiting the zoo, do not try to mimic the Lemurs as they run through their exhibit, catapulting themselves through the air and landing upright on trees. If you do, at best, your efforts will result in some embarrassment and a rash on your bark from you ungracefully sliding down a tree that you tried to leap onto. At worst, the tree you leapt onto will turn out to be inside the Lemur exhibit, causing the Lemurs to see you as a predator and mob you until you are rescued by zoo staff.

6. When visiting the zoo, do not sneak in a pair of roller skates because you made a bet with your best friend that you can get through all the exhibits within an hour. If you do, at best, you will only draw the ire of the other zoo visitors, as they have to jump out of your way to avoid being run over by you. At worst, you might take one of the downhill paths too fast and find yourself nose-to-nose with a rhinoceros in its wading pool at feeding time.

5. When visiting the zoo, do not tap on the glass of the Goliath birdeater exhibit, thinking you can coax the tarantula to where you can see it better. If you do, at best, the tarantula will just hunker down even more, and zoo staff will be compelled to ask you to leave. At worst, before making you go, the staff will insist that you clean the cage of the birdeater, blindfolded with peanut butter on your fingers.

4. When visiting the zoo, do not try to entice a crocodile to open its mouth by holding food out over the fence. If you do, at best, the croc will simply ignore you since it probably is more interested in the Pekingese that someone snuck in. At worst, the croc will leap up and forward to get your hand as well as the treat in it, causing you to dislocate your shoulder as you try to get out of the way without falling over the fence and into the croc’s open mouth.

3. When visiting the zoo, do not think yelling at bears is a good and effective way to get their attention and make them active. If you do, at best, you will simply annoy the other zoo visitors until someone wads up a paper bag and stuffs it in your mouth. At worst, after stuffing the paper bag in your mouth, the other zoo visitors band together and toss you over into the bear exhibit, causing such a commotion that the bears then wake up and become active, thinking you to be a member of a rival clan.

2. When visiting the zoo, do not think that you can hide out until after the zoo closes because you always wanted to see the zoo at night. If you do, at best, you might become very bored very quickly because most of the animals are also done for the night and curled away in their beds. At worst, you try to entertain yourself by climbing trees, pretending to be a monkey, until you realize, much too late, that you’ve flung yourself into the lion exhibit, and since they hunt at night, they are all wide awake and waiting for you.

1. When visiting the zoo, do not try to pretend you are a member of the zoo staff just so you can arrange a close encounter with the zoo’s mascot, a yellow reticulated python named Lemondrop. If you do, at best, you will be found out because you have to keep looking at your badge to remember the name of the staff member from whom you stole the uniform. At worst, you get your close encounter with Lemondrop, who turns out to like you so much that the python can’t help but take you into its burrow to give you a big hug.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Sculpture Garden – Great Hills Brass Concert

~ John W. Howell ~ 79 Comments

We are headed to the Lakeway Sculpture Garden to attend the Great Hills Brass ensemble concert sponsored by the City of Lakeway Arts Committee.  We are catered by the Launderette of Austin, and our entertainment is The John Wilson Orchestra.

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Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Seven

~ John W. Howell ~ 73 Comments

A picture of a string with drops of water- the logo for SoCS

At seven in the morning, no one wants to be forced to fix a coffee machine. This morning is no exception. The hatch is open, and a confusing maze of wires and lights makes me wonder why it’s open in the first place. The machine asks if a song would help calm my nerves. “Yes, Hal, a song would be nice.”

The machine starts singing, ” Daisy, daisy give me your answer true.”

“It was then that the decision is made to go to Starbucks. Before leaving, somebody activated the Westchester Chime sequence of the front doorbell. This, of course, triggers the baying of Igor’s hounds in the form of Twiggy and Tempeste. A ham hock toss into the soundproof room followed by a slam of the door brings peace back to the valley. Looking at the security camera,  a very large bear is seen standing on the porch. “What do you want?” is the message through the intercom. “Envelope for Howell,” comes the reply. “Just leave it.”

After a long silence, it is clear the bear is not going to leave the envelope. With a sigh, the standby process is begun.

The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the shutdown process of the security system. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away.  The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opens.

A bear is wearing a pork pie hat. “Sign here,” he says, and passes me a clipboard. My signature is placed next to my name, and the bear hands me an envelope. “Haven’t we met before?” My question causes the bear to scratch his head. “Have you been to Jellystone Park?” My response is negative. The bear holds out his paw. “Here’s your tip. Not all pick a nick baskets are created equal.”

Before the bear can react, the front door is slammed and the envelope opened. It is from Linda Hill.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “seven.” Use it however you’re inspired to. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2025/09/19/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-20-2025/

Seven by John W. Howell © 2025

“Was that Yogi the Bear?”

“If you say so.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t have a use license, so since you are not writing this post, you can say whatever you want without setting me up for a lawsuit.”

“I’m not sure that’s how it works.”

“Well, anyway, I don’t think we could consider this blog a commercial enterprise, so it may be a moot point after all.”

“What side of the law  book did you get up on this morning?”

“I’m just saying.”

“I hope we are by that stuff.”

“Yes, we are. What do you want to talk about?”

“Seven.”

“Seven?”

“Yup. Seven VooDoo Rangers.”

“Where’s the Uber?”

“Over there.”

Photo by Dan Antion

“What is that?”

“It’s a Volvo 122. I would say a 1964.”

“Well, it looks like the driver is ready, so let’s go.”

“We have one stop first.”

“I hope it isn’t a wax job.”

“No, it is a stop at IKEA.”

“IKEA? What for?”

“The car needs a new engine, so we will pick one up.”

“All put together?”

“Are you kidding at IKEA?  We have to hurry; it may take a while.”