Friday John Ku – AKA – TGIF

January 5, 2018January 4, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 43 Comments

Another Friday with the distinction of the first Friday for 2018. This one came pretty quick given the fact that last Monday was a holiday. I don’t know about you, but this Friday does not feel any different from last Friday. I guess it would be pretty unreasonable to expect to wake up in the new year and have it feel different from last year.

I can say that our weather has taken a turn for the worse so far this year. We have been under the Jack Frost thumb. We don’t expect it to last forever so we’ll hold tight and ride it through. Today’s John Ku talks about hold the course in adversity. I hope you have a great weekend.

Life tends to challenge,

And no one knows why this is . . .

Remember don’t quit.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Cold Snap

January 4, 2018January 3, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 79 Comments

“You called Boss?”

“Yes, Lucy. It’s time for your morning walk.”

“Hold on, Boss. Have you been out there today?

“Yes. It is a little chilly.”

“Pops. Sixty degrees are a little chilly. It is thirty degrees right now.”

“Come on. How do you know that, Bailey?”

“You’re kidding, right? I’m a dog. It’s in my DNA to know what is going on outside all the time.”

“Do you agree, Lucy?”

“Well, as I take a sniff of the downstairs exit I can sense some cold air.”

“You guys are like the biggest chickens. It will do you good to get some fresh air. You laid around all day yesterday.”

“Well, there were reasons Boss.”

“Like what kind of reasons?”

“It was a Tuesday. On Tuesday Bailey and I like to lay around.”

“I know. I got a photo of you two.”

“Let me look, Boss. Oh, I see there is some sunshine.”

“See there you are. Come look Bailey. You’ll like it.”

“Um. In a minute, Pops. I need to do some creative thinking.”

“I can imagine, Bailey. How about you Lucy?”

“You know, Boss. Right now I’m good. Let me rest in this ray of death for a minute.”

“So maybe we’ll go for a walk later?”

“We’ll get back to you on that, Boss.”

“How about if I get out your blankets?”

“Now you’re talking, Boss.”

“Way to go, Pops.”

“You ladies look cute.”

“Why thank you. (As if we didn’t know. Right, Bailey?)”

“Right.”

Wednesday Story Day – AKA – Hump Day

January 3, 2018January 2, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 38 Comments

It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week we left Harriet and Alice who were contemplating what to tell Frank Plano the PI who was at the front door. It seems there was a little of Alice’s blood left at the Severides on the night they were murdered. Harriet and Alice are contemplating what to tell the detective. In the meantime, Lucas and his sister are having a conversation that we should witness. The problem with this storytelling is we cannot be in two places at the same time. Last time we were with them, Lucas told his sister Trish about the insurance. Let’s get to the hospital and pick up the conversation.

“So you are telling me we are both worth five million dollars.”
“That’s right, Trish. Our parents left insurance money to us.”
“And also there is another policy on their lives as well.”
“So I have been led to believe.”
“I have a question for you.”
“Okay sis, shoot.”
“If you have five million dollars, what are you doing painting the Murphy house.?”
“How did you know about that?“
“That private detective told me you were working in Anton as a painter and working for someone named Harriet Murphy. I thought it made sense until you told me about the money.”
“I have to be able to trust you. Can I?”
“Can you what? Trust me? You and I are all we have left as family. I hope you can trust me.”
“Okay. Makes sense. You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you. Promise.”
“I promise although I think that is a ridiculous request. I’m your sister for God’s sake.”
“Thank you. So the reason I took up painting Harriet’s house is I thought she and her friend Alice had something to do with our parent’s murder. I also suspected they took the policy and any money that was in the house.”
“Where ever did you come up with that assumption and how much money did out parents have.”
“You of all people should know out parents were pretty heavy into drug distribution.”
“Yeah, I knew they were involved. I just accepted it since it was easy to tap into the inventory so to speak.”
“I figured. Well, when you think of the drug trade you have to think cash. After all, you don’t use banks to tip-off the feds about your activity.”
“Yeah so?“
“So I think there could have been as much as a million in cash.”
“A million? Are you crazy? How could they hide that much money?”
“A million in one-hundred-dollar bills weighs a little over twenty-two pounds and when stacked is only twenty-five inches wide by six inches long and under five inches high. It could fit under the bed. I’m only guessing at a million. It could be more.”
“Whoa, this is way over our heads.”
“You know the funny part is Harriet hired a private detective to look into the whole thing.”
“She did? What the hell for?”
“Well she really hired a lawyer to help me, and he hired the PI.”
“This is getting more confused the more you tell me.”
“The point is you, and I have to be careful. the person or persons who killed our parents won’t stop if they think we know who they are.”
“Do you know?’
“Absolutely not. I don’t think it is Harriet and Alice though.”
“Why don’t you think it’s them.?”
“They are too incompetent. Whoever did it knew not to leave any clues.”
“A professional?”
“I’m even thinking of a law enforcement officer.”
“The sheriff?”
“Wouldn’t put it past him.”
“You say you have a lawyer? We need to talk to him.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #155 by Keith Channing

January 2, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 35 Comments

In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keith@channing.info before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The Photo.

“Where did you put the key?”

“Under the mat as usual.”

“Under the mat. Are you sure?”

“Yes, of course, I’m sure. We always put the key under the mat.”

“I know I know. Well, the key is missing.”

“No kidding Sherlock. Look closer, and you’ll see the house is missing.”

“Okay, now I think we have a problem.”

“What gave you a hint?”

“There is nothing in our slip but a seagull.”

“Which tells you what, Inspector Clouseau?”

“Someone has run off with our houseboat.”

“Bingo. I think you’ve got it.”

“What do we do now?”

“I think we need to call the police.”

“What are they going to do. Our house could be in Singapore by now.”

“Come on. How many houses do you think are floating down this canal. It shouldn’t be too tough to find it.”

“I suppose you are right. After all, there aren’t a lot of houses with a red and blue paint scheme.”

“Now, you can thank me for the color choice.”

“I suppose. And you can thank me for leaving the bathtub drain unplugged.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think I see the tip of our roof.”

“Where?”

“Just below the surface of our slip. see it?”

“You idiot. How many times have I told you to make sure to close the drain?”

“Well, at least no one stole our house.”

“Thank you for small miracles.”

“Oh, and I found the key in my other pocket.”

“Twice Blessed.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – New Year Portrait

January 2, 2018January 1, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 52 Comments

Well, it is the new year and time for a portrait. Lucy and Bailey were still for about twelve seconds on New Year’s Day and I caught them.

I hope you have a great week.

Top Ten New Year Resolutions Not to Make

January 1, 2018December 31, 2017 ~ John W. Howell ~ 63 Comments

We have all made resolutions which in hindsight we probably should have left alone. I hope you have tome to go back and make some revisions if one of these is on your list.

10 When making New Year resolutions, do not include a stipulation to lose weight. If you do, at best you’ll miss your target. At worst, you’ll feel bad about your progress and consume enough ice cream to turn your goal into a three-year affair. (Funny how easy those pounds come back huh, Carswell?)

9 When making New Year resolutions, do not vow to stand up to Tiny. If you do, at best, your resolution will last three minutes. At worst, you’ll meet Tiny just as he is leaving his anger management class with an assignment to hug the first person he meets. (I’m thinking you shoving Tiny away wasn’t the best move of the new year, Carver. Good thing you have new running shoes for Christmas.)

8 When making New Year resolutions, do not swear off your favorite drink. If you do, at best you be thinking of nothing else. At worst, after what seems like a year you will have way too much to the concern of friends and family. (You made it four hours, Case. Maybe next year.)

7 When making New Year resolutions, do not include an item that requires someone else to help. If you do, at best that someone will disappear. At worst, you will count on support only to find your helper has violated the resolution several weeks ago without letting you know. (Just think of all the times your helper told you to be strong, Caster. Is that boiling blood I hear?)

6 When making New Year resolutions, do not include additional exercise goals. If you do, at best you’ll last a week. At worst, you’ll rationalize that getting up in the morning is challenging enough.(How about that sit-up when you first wake up? It counts right, Chadwick?)

5 When making New Year resolutions, do not eliminate sweets. If you do, at best your withdrawal symptoms will require an intravenous infusion of chocolate. At worst, your cravings will take you to the extreme where all you can think about is sweets. (I can’t believe you actually took candy from that baby, Chanan. And at gunpoint? Aw come on.)

4 When making New Year resolutions, do not vow to eat healthy. If you do, at best your food groups will be reduced to soybeans and flax seed. At worst, just when you thought you were in control you wake up in the hospital learning you were found in the walk in cooler of the local McDonalds. (Just what were you thinking, Chane?)

3 When making New Year resolutions, do not count getting organized as one of your goals. If you do, at best you not be able to find anything. At worst, you will discover in late February that you threw out all your receipts for business expenses. (All those nasty papers were ruining your Karma right, Chevalier?)

2 When making New Year resolutions, do not hope to learn a new language. If you do, at best you’ll get hello and goodby down pat. At worst, you’ll think you have it whipped after the first lesson only to find some folks shocked at what you said. (It appears that “sit on my thumb,” and “I appreciate your help,” are very close in pronunciation, Chidi.)

1 When making New Year resolutions, don’t even think about promising yourself that you will write more in 2018. If you do, at best you’ll manage the same. At worst, you will be so discouraged by your progress you will think writer’s block was invented to torture you personally. (Rather daunting to count those words (or should I say word) today huh, Chisolm?)

Views of the Neighborhood – New Years Eve

December 31, 2017December 30, 2017 ~ John W. Howell ~ 66 Comments

This week our Coffee Waves shop had its grand re-opening after Hurricane Harvey. Although I wouldn’t usually feature such an event on Views, I thought it significant as one more piece of evidence of a return to normal here in Port Aransas.

I published this trailer picture earlier this fall when Coffee Waves was open for business but not in their building.

Here is the finished building.

Inside the people are lining up.

This is another shot of the interior. I have a close up of the message later.

For the opening, a band is set up.

Festive balloons.

This is the business end.

Here are some of the 120 rotating Gelato flavors.

This is the Gelato menu explaining the difference when compared to ice cream.

A sign telling the world about Port A Strong.

Another sign for out of towners who are in a hurry.

A beautiful place to have a cup and relax.

I will share my post on Instagram and Facebook (as ordered)

This is a close-up of the words on the wall. Pretty much a favorable view of those things that happen to us all. I know in your town, the opening of a coffee shop would not garner a lot of attention. Here, it is news since it is one more step to returning to the life we all love so well. Thanks for joining me.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Resolution.”

December 30, 2017December 29, 2017 ~ John W. Howell ~ 35 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday and this week’s prompt is “resolution.” Linda Hill says we can use the word any way we want. (My chest swells with the idea of such freedom.) If you would like to join this happy band of delusional souls go to Linda’s blog and see how easy it is to slip from reality. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2017/12/29/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-30-17/

“You say you want a resolution. Well, you know. We all want to change the world. You tell me that it’s evolution…”

“Hold it.”

“What?”

“What are you doing?”

“Singing about a resolution.”

“Resolution? You gotta be kidding me.”

“No. I’m not. What’s the problem? Great song by the Beatles.”

“Why is it I can count on you to somehow get everything in life confused?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The song. It is about revolution, not resolution.”

“Wait. What? You sure?”

“OMG. Yes, I’m sure. Here listen to my phone.”

“I’ll be darned.”

“I could only hope.”

“Why do these guys want a revolution?”

“It was a song written during turbulent times.”

“Don’t you think a resolution would do the trick?”

“A resolution by whom?”

“Well, I was thinking of Congress. You know the old ‘we are resolved’ kind of thing.”

“And who would pay attention?”

“Hmm. Good point. Okay so how do we start a revolution?”

“I think if you want to start a revolution all you have to do is make a resolution to stand on the corner and sing.”

“That was cold.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

December 29, 2017December 28, 2017 ~ John W. Howell ~ 39 Comments

Another Friday. This year has no more Fridays left. Sorry folks but you spent them all. The good news is next year there a reload of fifty-two Fridays is just waiting for the stroke of midnight. Then we will have a fresh batch of things of which to look forward.When you think about it, there are few other desirable things on the planet that replenish like Friday. Each week we use one up and like magic without doing anything, the next week has another. Try doing that with an ice cream cone.

It is a marvelous thing. Of course, you could say the same about any other day of the week but face it. No other day of the week has such appeal. Fridays are golden.

So here is looking forward to an entire year of them. Here is the John Ku for this week. It is about Friday.

You seem far away,

When Monday interrupts life. . .

Then you save us all.