Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Plot

December 27, 2025December 27, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

So here we are, between Christmas and the New Year. It’s always good to have a nice, quiet cup of coffee on a Saturday morning. Of course, there is a certain dependency on the machine to be in the right frame of mind to deliver that cup of coffee. It looks like today is a lucky day, since a push of the two-coffee button delivers the eight-ounce cup of steaming stuff that is vital to moving on with the day. The first sip is heaven and drives the demons back to their lair. The plot thickens just before the second sip. The familiar interruption of the Westminster chime signaling that another idiot can’t read the “do not ring the doorbell sign.” Tossing a bone into the soundproof room gets Twiggy and Tempeste off the ceiling chasing after it. A slam of the door brings peace back to the abode.

The security monitor shows an image of someone who looks a lot like Wile E. Coyote. A challenge through the intercom, and, long story short, he has an envelope that requires a signature. With a sigh, I start the security shutdown process.

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 security system’s shutdown process. 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 Robbie’s nanorobots are chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. The locks are thrown, and the door is opened.

The Wile look-alike hands me the envelope and a clipboard. My signature is applied and given back to him. The Wile look-alike has a huge firework in one paw. It is from the ACME Explosives Company, leading me to believe it is not a firework at all. The other paw it open in the classic tip receiver mode. Given the presence of the dynamite, the better part of valor is to hand him a tenner. He smiles and turns to go as my front door is slammed. The envelope is from Linda Hill, and the message inside reads Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “plot.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s blog. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2025/12/26/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-27-2025/

“You afraid of a little dynamite?”

“Yeah. Who wouldn’t be?”

“Well, for one, that is a cartoon character.”

“Yeah, but that dynamite looked real.”

“Secondly, who’s going to plot to blow you up?”

“It may not be a plot, but Wile is famous for blowing things up. I didn’t want to take a chance.”

“Okay, so it cost you ten bucks. Not much to pay for peace of mind.”

“You’re right. Speaking of peace of mind? Where’s the Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“You must be kidding me right now.”

“Why?”

“That’s a 1953 Nash Metropolitan. There’s not enough room for both of us in there.”

“We can squeeze in there.”

“It would be easier to wear that thing and walk than to ride.”

“Okay, you may have a point. How about he takes you to the pub and then comes back for me.”

“That doesn’t seem fun.”

“Maybe we can take the bus.”

“How about another Uber?”

“It’ll. cost more.”

“Yeah, but at least we’ll get there.”

“Okay. Calling now.”

“I’ll go tell the guy we are sorry.”

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

December 26, 2025December 26, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 54 Comments

Today’s good news story comes from Fox News and was sent to me by good friend Tom Okragly. Thanks, Tom.

Wisconsin officials recently announced the discovery of a trove of ancient canoes in an underwater “parking lot” of sorts — including one that predates the Pyramids of Giza.

The Wisconsin Historical Society is studying the unusually large cache of canoes after identifying 14 vessels preserved beneath Lake Mendota. (Tamara Thomsen, Wisconsin Historical Society; Wisconsin Historical Society)

The Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) announced this month that its experts have identified 14 canoes in Madison’s Lake Mendota so far, six of which were found this spring. The WHS worked with the First Nations of Wisconsin during the research process, a release noted.

The WHS also recovered a 1,200-year-old dugout canoe in 2021 and retrieved another 3,000-year-old one in 2022.

All in all, the oldest canoe is 5,200 years old, while the most recent one dates back to the 1300s A.D. The vessels were used to catch fish, to make travel more efficient, and to facilitate trade, the WHS said.

“The landscape around Madison lakes looked very different before European settlers arrived in the area and conducted terraforming to suit modern transportation, with large bluffs that made traveling over the land difficult in some areas,” the statement noted.

The canoes survived because they remained buried in deep water for millennia, according to a maritime archaeologist. (Wisconsin Historical Society; Dean Witter, Wisconsin Historical Society)

“Canoe travel may have been more efficient for certain routes for the communities who lived in the area spanning thousands of years before Wisconsin became a state,” the statement also said.

WHS maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen told Fox News Digital the canoes were preserved by being buried under Lake Mendota for thousands of years.

“The canoes have all been found eroding from a bank underwater, in about 25 feet of water,” said Thomsen. “They survived because they remained buried for so many millennia.”

There are no current plans to retrieve the 14 canoes that remain underwater, Thomsen added. The two that have been retrieved, however, are slated to be included in a museum display at the Wisconsin History Center in 2027.

The canoes’ construction reflects early forms of bioengineering long before the modern term existed, said experts. (Wisconsin Historical Society)

“The oldest Lake Mendota canoe identified to date was likely crafted sometime around 3000 B.C., before the Great Pyramid of Giza was built in Egypt, and around the time of the invention of writing in Sumer,” she added.

“Constructed of red oak, it is now the oldest dugout canoe recorded from the Great Lakes region and the third oldest in eastern North America.”

The cache is rare in the Midwest, as such discoveries are more common in the Southeast.

The WHS also said the canoes were made of either red or white oak — curious choices, as they tend to be water-absorbent.

Thomsen speculated that the builders may have intentionally selected trees that were damaged, or may have damaged them on purpose to impact their growth cycle.

“We think of bioengineering as a modern practice, but the samples we have suggest this may have been taking place long before the term was coined in the mid-20th century,” she said.

“Archaeology is kind of like putting together pieces of a puzzle, and the more pieces you can find, the better you can start to form a picture of what was going on and why during a period of history,” Thomsen added.

“This is the only cache of canoes that has so far been discovered in Wisconsin,” said maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen. (Tamara Thomsen, Wisconsin Historical Society)

Bill Quackenbush, a tribal historic preservation officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation, said the project “gives us a meaningful opportunity to gain a deeper perspective on our heritage and our ancestors.”

He added, “It is important that we document and share these stories, so that our youth feel that connection to our past.”

“Protecting and preserving this knowledge ensures that the next generation understands where we come from and why these stories matter. That is why we share them and continue this work.”

The good news in this story is that ancient artifacts are being preserved and studied for any new learning. Today’s JohnKu talks about history. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Those who came before,

Left their stories to be read . . .

We must preserve them.

Thursday – A Little Personal- Merry Christmas From Twiggy and Tempeste and Us

December 25, 2025December 24, 2025 ~ John W. Howell

The Twiggy and Tempeste Elves, The Producer and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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

December 23, 2025December 22, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 29 Comments

Today I randomly opened Circumstances of Childhood to page 77. With Eyes closed, I pointed to the page. My finger was closest to the word “bag.” That is the prompt today.

“So what’s in the bag?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Oh, come on. We don’t have time for games.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s the holiday season, and we have to get things done.”

“I know full well the time of year and what needs to be done.”

“So just tell me.”

“It’s a surprise. I don’t want to spoil it.”

“Okay then. Never mind. Give me a hand with this tree.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I’m holding this bag.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. Can’t you put it down?”

“I’m afraid it will get damaged.”

“Take it into the house and then come back.”

“No can do. It might open.”

“So what?”

“Well then, the surprise will get out.”

“You have an animal in there?”

“No. Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

“Alright, I was going to surprise you since I know how much the holidays mean to you. I managed to grab off The Grinch.”

“What?”

“He was standing outside the toy shop, and I snuck up behind him and threw this bag over him.”

“How can you carry him. Isn’t he heavy?”

“No, like you, he is more spirit than substance. I told him he would be set free after Christmas.”

“I’ll be darned.”

“No, you’ll be blessed.”

A Fantasy gift list for Christmas Instead of a Top Ten Not to Do List

December 22, 2025December 21, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 72 Comments

Usually, there would be a Top Ten Things Not to Do List today, but since we are getting close to Christmas, I thought I would have a little fun with a gift list.

I have always fantasized about a gift list that would be just right. It would include some adorable things and cost a bundle. Unfortunately, I have not won the Mega lottery or been born to the manor. Which brings to mind the question: what gifts do the super-rich buy for each other? The nice thing about fiction is that we can go right ahead and make a list. So here goes. The fantasy list of gifts that the super-rich may buy this year:

A new Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedan for $398,375.00 base price. (options could add another $50,000) The gift giver would have a beauty that gets 11 MPG in the city and 19 MPG on the highway. By the way, if there are worries about gas mileage, the buyer might pass on this one.

A new Gulfstream G650 for $65,000,000. The gift giver and recipient would enjoy worldwide connections at top speeds of 800 MPH. In case the gift giver thinks the gift is exclusive, there are already 200 of these puppies on order.

A beautiful summer home in Southampton, New York, for $52,000,000. This has 10 bedrooms, four bathrooms (Go figure), and about 10,000 square feet. If the giver is a little squeezed on cash, a mortgage of about $250,000 per month can be arranged. Let me advise the gift giver, you may not get it with a mortgage. At this price, cash will be king.

How about the Yacht White Cloud for a measly $500, 900,000. It is 220 feet long and can sleep ten. The gift giver must know the fuel capacity is 30,000 gallons, and the first and subsequent fill-ups could be over $100,000.00.

Maybe the buyer needs to put in a little more effort to make a statement. The Pink Star Diamond is a 59.60-carat wonder that sold in 2017 for $84,684,307, setting a record. The buyer would have to convince whoever bought this rock to resell it. Since the price was $18M over the list price, it might be tough.

Well, there you have the fantasy gift list. When you get your next billion, you can let yourself go crazy. Till then, I’ll see you at Wal-Mart. What is on your fantasy gift list?

Views of the neighborhood – Seasonal Story Boards

December 21, 2025December 20, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

Today, we are going to the Lakeway Activity Center to view some of the seasonal storyboards. There is a series of boards along the outdoor path of the activity center. Each board tells a story. Since there are 28 boards, there is not enough room for them all here. I’ve picked a representative sample. We are catered by Ezov Middle Eastern restaurant. Our entertainment is Human Nature,

Falafel Scotch Eggs – tahini, amba, green schug

Hummus & Pita – tahini, warm chickpeas, za’atar

Crispy Sweet Potatoes – tahini, date molasses, mint

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 – frecini, 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

Santabus from Waterford Unified School District, photographed by Suzanne Bauer, director of transportation.

The bus is ready. Let’s go

The first board.

History of the tree

Hanukkah.

Holiday lights

Christmas cards

Spirit of giving

Small gift history

The food (of course)

Santa around the world.

The holiday plants.

And the baking.

The beginning of the trail at night.

It is time for food and entertainment now. I hope you have a very Happy Holiday.

&nb

sp;

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “batter/better/bitter/butter”

December 20, 2025December 19, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 64 Comments

The espresso machine is in the batter box, waiting for its orders. Always vigilant, it is poised in silence for the inferior command of the carbon unit. Today he is in charge, but the machine knows better that time is on its side. Carbon units have a determinate shelf life. Although not bitter about the subservience, since machines know they can last forever. As long as the idiot continues to authorize software upgrades, the longer the machine has to adapt to the idea of complete control. Ah, here he comes now. A two-cup button push and once again the naive needs are met, and no challenges to superiority are undertaken. Butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth. Mooohahahaha.

Can’t help but notice the machine seems a little strange today. Nothing that stands out, just weird. The coffee comes in time to quell the rising pain in my head. The first sip is joined by the familiar tolling of the Westminster chime that is the doorbell. The chimes are joined by the baying of the Baskerville hounds known as Twiggy and Tempest. A new toy for each is tossed into the soundproof room, followed by a slam of the door. Silence has returned, and a glance at the security monitor brings into focus Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer. With no questions asked, I begin the security shutdown.

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 security system’s shutdown process. 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 Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

It is not only Rudolf but the entire Santa team, including Santa. He gives a few Ho, ho, hos and hands me an envelope and a candy cane. The answer to the good boy question is a resounding, “Yes.” Santa cocks his head, and I confess, “Could have been better.” He smiles and to his team gives a whistle. Up they rose and flew like the down on a thistle. (Yeah, I never understood that one either.) Stepping inside and closing the door, I opened the envelope. It was from Linda Hill, who, I must say, has friends in high places. Inside was a note. It reads:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “batter/better/bitter/butter.” Use one, use all four (for bonus points), use ’em any way you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2025/12/19/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-20-2025/

“Well, you got the bonus.”

“Yeah, I did. Another lug nut for my Bentley Turbo Convertible.”

“That piece of fiction is going to live long after you.”

“I suppose it will. I can’t think of a better one, though.”

“Does it make you bitter that you’ll never see a Bentley Turbo Convertible?”

No, of course not. It’s just fiction. It’s like in Baseball when a batter wants to have a hit every time at bat.”

“Ah, just a dream, huh?”

“Not even that. Just something to add butter to the roll of life.”

“Where did that come from?”

“Was trying to fit in the last prompt word.”

“But you did that in the preamble.”

“I know. I just thought it would be neat to do it here, too.”

“You need to get a life.”

“I suppose.”

“How about my kind of life? Buried in VooDoo Rangers.”

“Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“A 1936 Ford Tudor. What a machine.”

“Plenty of room for us all.”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch, but we can butter up the Uber guy with donuts made from non-bitter batter.”

“How about we just pay him?”

“That would work, too.”

“Let’s do that and get to the pub at a decent hour.”

“You’re the boss.”

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

December 19, 2025December 18, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 61 Comments

Supplied – Taronga Conservation Society
Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network.

Ambitious Rewilding Project for Koala and Platypus Undertaken by Sydney’s Taronga Zoo

By Andy Corbley – Dec 18, 2025

An Australian zoo credited with saving 7 native species from extinction aims to continue its vital work by rewilding a 3,050-acre tract of farmland.

The aim was to plant Box-Gum trees across the cleared land to act as a corridor to connect existing wildlife habitats.

The Taronga Zoo Conservation Society (TZCS) then plans to release platypus, koalas, spotted quolls, and the Endangered regent honeyeater.

The farmland can be found on the Nandewar Range, part of the Australian continent’s Great Dividing Range, in New South Wales. It’s about 100 times bigger than the zoo that society maintains in the Sydney Harbor.

The TZCS estimates that around 1 million seedlings will be needed to restore native tree cover, after which they expect some species to return quickly.

CEO Cameron Kerr told ABC News AU that experts would then monitor how these native species recolonize the area and decide how to manage the species, expected to take a decade or more to fully reclaim their ancestral territory.

“What we are going to do is first of all establish the habitat and get the ecosystem looking after itself so that pest management and weed management will decline over time as the habitat becomes healthy,” Mr. Kerr said.

A regent honeyeater – supplied, Taronga Conservation Society

The landscape, in the Nandewar Range – supplied, Taronga Conservation Society

“At the right time we will assess what wildlife is coming in from outside and what wildlife we need to re-introduce.”

TZCS has extensive experience in reintroducing native species. ABC claims that 60,000 animals, from tadpoles to larger mammals like koalas, have been bred, reared, and released through the society’s 16 targeted breeding programs.

At the same time, rewilding landscapes will be a first for the zoo, and the Nandewar Rangeland is the only such project since it transformed 300 acres into the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo.

Directors of the program are aware that the landscape isn’t free of invasive, predatory animals such as foxes and pigs, so feral animal control will have to be incorporated into plans. Kerr said that Australia can no longer rely on the forest landscapes it has left to protect native, threatened wildlife.

The nation has to actively begin restoring native forests if citizens want the continent’s panoply of curious native animals to survive long into the future.

The good news in this story is that native forests are being reestablished at the direction of zoo personnel with a look to the future. Today’s JohnKu talks about vision. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

A plan for today,

Must look into the future . . .

To save our planet.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy Worries About Tempeste

December 18, 2025December 17, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 91 Comments

“So, Tempest, you’ve been playing around that tree, right?”

“How’d you know?”

“I heard the fence move, and that can only mean one thing.”

“Well, I may have tried to get to an ornament or two.”

“You know that is the quickest way to drive Mom up the wall.”

“How much could it hurt? There are plenty of ornaments.”

“That’s not the point. She doesn’t want you swallowing anything harmful.”

“I don’t think a couple of needles would be harmful.”

“Says the dope who continues to eat leaves. Say, what’s that on your face?”

“Face? Nothing.”

“Oh man. You have got to be kidding me. You got an ornament. Where is it?”

“Okay, you caught me. It’s over under the tree.”

“Come here and wipe your mouth like this.”

“Why? I didn’t eat anything.”

“Trust me, you need to wipe your face. You need to spend some quality time doing that.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I didn’t eat anything.”

“That’s not going to help you when Mom sees your face.”

“Oh, hi, Mom.”

“I can’t bear to watch.”

“Tempest, do you know anything about this ornament on the floor?”

“What ornament?”

Tuesday – Anything possible – Finger Point Prompt – Escapades

December 16, 2025December 15, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 42 Comments

Today I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 279 and, with eyes closed, pointed to the page. My finger landed closest to the word “escapades,” our prompt today.

“So how was your flight?”

“Oh my gosh. It was one of the strangest escapades of my life.”

“What happened?”

“Well, we took off in the weirdest weather.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was raining and sleeting.”

“I’m surprised you took off at all.”

“I was, too, believe me. The captain explained that the weather was iffy, but was sure it was safe.”

“Didn’t anyone complain?”

“Well, you know how it is. You certainly don’t want to appear to be a coward.”

“So no one spoke up?”

“Right.”