Such an interesting week. We closed on the house in Port Aransas and will be closing on the house in the Austin area today. In between, we loaded up a truck which we rented and moved. The estimates for a move did not make any sense. The prices were way too high. The primary factor was not the labor but the milage from Port Aransas to Austin. By renting a truck, we had unlimited mileage, and the cost was under $300.  We did have to gas up the vehicle which was another $60.00. We hired two able-bodied men in Port Aransas to load the truck and were willing to pay $50.00 each for about an hour and a half. Unfortunately, they did not show up (island time and all that), and we were fortunate our neighbors helped load.

When we got to Austin, we had hired a group named Bell Hops, and they were there on time and had the truck unloaded in an hour. So, all in all, it worked out and at a price significantly less than the lowest quote. Today’s JohnKu talks about being ready to take care of yourself. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Self Reliance by John W. Howell.

When plans made fall through,

There is only one way out . . .

Your skills put in play.

Another Friday has rolled around, and it has been hectic for the last two weeks. The producer and I have sold our house here at the beach and bought another in Austin Texas. Yes, I know. The question comes up, “Why on Earth would you do that?”

It is a good thing that there are excellent reasons for doing so.

1. Our youngest daughter lives in Austin, and we would like to see her more.
2. The health care facilities are more accessible for a septuagenarian. (Me. The Producer is still a kid.)
3. We love Austin. (It has an element of weird more like us )
4. We think the last 10 years at the beach are enough and want some city life for a while. (theater, opera, symphony, and exercise facilities)

On Sunday we will be leaving for our new home. I intend to post one last View of the neighborhood which will be where we have lived.

Today’s JohnKu talks about change. I hope you have a great weekend. Oh yes. I do have a personal hot spot but will not have internet at the new house until March 5th. Please bear with me if anything should go wrong and my posts don’t appear.

Change by John W. Howell © 2019

Some do not like change,

Others go out of their way. . .

To do it daily.

Another week has gone by the wayside. Is it me or does time fly? I guess it could be a combination of both. I have had one of those weeks where I had to sit back and try to figure out what I accomplished. It was kind of strange to receive a notice from Grammarly on Tuesday that since 2015 they have checked 4,570,914 words with 17,000 last week alone. I guess this would indicate I’m doing something. Wouldn’t it? *crickets*

Not to belabor the fact that time is flying by I decided to let this week’s JohnKu speak for how I feel. I hope you have a great weekend.

Time by John W. Howell © 2019

You look up one day,

And you notice time has passed . . .

Invested wisely?

“Hey, Dad. It’s Friday. How about a toss?”

Friday has come again. YAY. It looks like everyone is going to share in the cold front moving from the Northwest. Temps are going down and snow possibilities going up. This always reminds us that winter is still with us. Somehow we seem to forget that little fact. Sure, there is a lovely day here and there. Just enough to make us believe we will have an early spring. My advice is to not fall for it. Only assume it will be cold until April and your mind will rest easier. Like a free lunch, there is no such thing as an early Spring.

Today’s JohnKu talks about Winter. By the way, the term JohnKu was coined a few years ago by Kimberly at https://words4jp.com/ She is a poet, and when I started doing my version of a Haiku, she suggested delicately that maybe what I was doing was a JohnKu more than a classic Haiku. Ever since then I have been grateful for the suggestion. Kimberly is now back to blogging and certainly worth a visit.

Winter by John W. Howell © 2019

A Robin arrives,

Our heart soars thinking its Spring . . .

Twelve degrees tonight.

Have a great weekend.

Another Friday which signals another weekend. (YAY) This last week saw the manuscript delivered to the editor. The title is The Predator a world domination fight to the finish. It is a sequel to The Contract, and in it, Gwen and I hope to answer some questions raised in the first book.  It looks like we will be ready to publish in June, God willing and the creek don’t rise. We are currently working on a blurb and the cover. We’ll give you some more info when we have something to share.

That is all the exciting news from here. I have begun my next book which will be a solo effort. I want to give you the last three lines since that is where I always start. Here they are,

“I don’t think any of that matters anymore, my son. Now that you know the truth.”

“But how could you keep this kind of secret from me.”

“To see you grow and prosper was worth any deception. Now come on. We have much to discuss.”

Today’s JohnKu talks about the doors that close and those that open. I hope you have a great weekend.

Doors by John W. Howell © 2019

They say doors that close,

Lead to others opening . . .

Don’t leave your big foot.

Friday already. Seems like this week was an eternity.  It was a great Christmas touched with sadness.  Makes one believe that sadness is in the world just to make sure we all know happiness when we have it. I think I’ll cling to that thought.  I’ll visit it a little more in the JohnKu

On the writing front, Gwen and I have completed all the editing in our capability and now we need professional help. Our manuscript is ready to send to the editor.

This is the last Friday of 2018. I have to say this year could have been better. I don’t think I will be sad to see 2019 offer a new opportunity. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Sadness by John W. Howell © 2018

Why sadness exists?

For no other reason than . . .

To frame happiness.