Month: November 2025

My Favorite Animals

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I’ll go with one. CATS! Not every cat but the one I have had and the current one I have, Mr. Know It All, are my favorites.

The first one I had was called Twitty. I met him one cold November evening when I saw him with his two siblings wandering around behind the apartment complex. He was an orange cat with deep dark eyes and his siblings were all black but unlike Twitty, they wanted nothing to do with me. Each time I approached them, they would hiss. My adorable Twitty would look at me with those big eyes and there was an instant connection. One day, a friend caught all three because they were just a few weeks old and winter was approaching. I had to take two of them away but I kept my sweet Twitty. He was a gentle and lovely companion. I lived in a “No Pets Allowed” apartment complex but the maintenance guys knew of his existence and said nothing! Twitty would spend his days sitting on the windowsill until I came home from a long day at the university and the minute he heard me opening the door, he would do this happy dance on two legs! I brought him to Europe with me but he passed away a few years later and it was a devastating loss.

A few years later, Chachi, the cat walked in. I wasn’t ready to embrace another cat because I didn’t want to feel that kind of pain again but life had other plans. Little cuteness walked in, took one look at me and decided “he was all in!” I love him to bits and I know it will hurt if and when he leaves but I am prepared this time around or maybe not.

I think cats are lovely creatures. They are smart, loving, make good companions and they listen or at least they pretend that they do! Chach is my second shadow and his world revolves around me as mine does around him. Some days, he is disgruntled because he wants to be out there like his girlfriend, Miss Ipanema, an all black cat with beautiful green eyes that roams the neighborhood. I bet she has seen more than Chachi ever will! Let’s keep it that way. Anyway, Chachi wants to go beyond the “garden fence” like Honey dreams of in my book. It’s not going to happen!

Cats are my favorite animals, not all but the ones I’ve come to know. There’s more to them than meets the eye.

Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite animals?
View all responses

Book Reviews

Good reviews are hard to come by and when I get them, it is time to highlight them for all they are worth and to thank the people who took the time to read and to leave a review. Here are two that spoke to my heart.

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2025

Format: Kindle

The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie is an irresistibly adorable tale that blends warmth, humor, and heart into a story both kids and adults can fall in love with. The author delivers a delightful adventure filled with quirky characters, gentle life lessons, and a sense of wonder that feels timeless.
This book is sweet and spirited and Mueller’s writing has that rare ability to be playful without ever talking down to young readers.
What truly stands out is the book’s message: that friendship, courage, and curiosity are powerful companions on any adventure.

Starr

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Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2025

Format: Kindle

The adventure of Honey and Hubie is the perfect story of friendship. This story will teach your child about the importance of friendship and how to maintain healthy friendships. The images in this story are beautiful and bright and completely compliment this touching story as well. Get ready to have an amazing adventure with Honey and Hubie!

Flowers & Rainbows

Beach and Mountains

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I love them both. They each have something different to offer. As a young girl, I loved the beach. Singapore was home then and being close to the beach was something I treasured. Weekends spent with the family by the beach was normal and mom always had a picnic basket packed with goodies. It is a memory that I treasure. When night came, the skies were lit with a thousand stars and all was quiet except for the soothing sounds of the waves rolling into shore. Sitting alone with my feet dug into the sand and gazing at the stars was something I loved doing and I still miss.

I now live in Europe and mountains are not too far off. When I take my walks in nature, I can see the outline of the mountain in the distance. It is always there, ever watchful. Sometimes it is shrouded in mystery when fog rolls in and at other times quiet but visible but no matter which persona it wears, it is always present. There is something about its quiet presence that captures my imagination. I sometimes wonder what mysteries it holds.

I like them both for different reasons. Each have something different to offer and sometimes I wish I was closer to a beach or to water but only for a moment because what I have now is complete and utter peace surrounded by beauty of another kind and that is enough.

Daily writing prompt
Beach or mountains? Which do you prefer? Why?
View all responses

LOL!

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Pat goes to confession and tells the priest:

“I’ve had sex with a woman who is not my wife”

“What’s the woman’s name”, asks the priest.

“Oh, I can’t tell you that”, says Pat.

“Well I can’t give you penance if you don’t tell me who it was.”

“Was it Mrs. Gilhooly”?

“No, father, it wasn’t.”

“Was it Mrs. Murphy”?

“No, father, it wasn’t “

“Was it Mrs. Jones”?

“No, father, it wasn’t “

“Well then Pat I can’t give you penance “, says the priest.

On the way out Pat meets Seamus.

“Well, Pat, did he give you penance?” asks Seamus.

“No, he didn’t, but he gave me three good leads”, says Pat.

Family Favorites

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Back when I was cooking, there were many family favorites. I’ll go with the ones that my son loved and still loves. When he heads back home which is not often, he places the order a week in advance and then when he is home, he asks for the same dishes over and over again!

The first one and at the top of the list is Tuna Melt. This one takes the Blue Ribbon as far as family favorites go. It is a simple dish that doesn’t take much effort but I tend to pep it up so that it comes out finger-licking good.! He’ll ask for seconds and thirds and then asks me to make it again the next day! That is how good it is to him or is it just memories attached to it? I don’t know but it’s his favorite.

Next one on the list is homemade Lasagne with lots of sauce and with three kinds of cheese! This one takes more prep time but it is well worth the effort. It tastes better the next day but whenever is just fine with him. He doesn’t just eat it, he sniffs it in and it is gone in minutes!

Last but not least are pork ribs smothered in a rich dark red sauce that shimmers and dances! Okay, it is called BBQ ribs but done my way. The meat falls off the bone and it is messy to eat but both my ex and my son loved it. It didn’t matter if they had “sauce” running down their arms, it was all about the ribs. I must say, it was delicious.

Those are the three that I can think of and ones that I have on repeat redial when my son comes home. He loves feeling like a little boy again, although he keeps reminding me that he is not 8 anymore! After the meal, he reaches for my hand and lays it on his head like he used to as a little boy and looks up at me with those sweet adoring eyes enough to melt any heart! I guess they never grow up! I’m not complaining!

Daily writing prompt
What are your family’s top 3 favorite meals?
View all responses

LOL!

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A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower when the doorbell rings.

The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.

When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.

Before she says a word, Bob says, “I’ll give you $800 to drop that towel.”

After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob.

After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.

The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.

When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, “Who was that?”

“It was Bob the next-door neighbor,” she replies.

“Great,” the husband says, “did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?”

Oops! All for nothing!

The Date

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I’ve written about the different types of individuals who are out there on the dating circuit. The narcissists, the scammers, the cheaters, the old men pretending to be 30 again, and a whole host of others that I know are out there but I haven’t met yet and I hope I never do! The aforementioned types give dating a bad name.

Anyway, I went out on this date last week. He seemed nice enough. A medical doctor with an impressive list of achievements to his name. He walked in carrying a bouquet of flowers and with a smile plastered on his face. Three hours into the breakfast date, we were still talking. I had to cut it short so he walked me to the car, gave me a hug, a kiss on the cheek and with a, “We’ll talk later,” and went on his way. My thought at the time, “nice guy” except for the fact that he kept telling me that he had a whole slew of women vying for his attention. Hmm…that was a red flag, but I tossed it aside.

The next day, we talked on the phone and he said, “It was a nice meeting. I want to get to know you better. I have a guest bedroom at my place and you can stay there for the weekend. I promise nothing will happen.”

He seemed harmless enough but I knew that there was no way I was going to spend a weekend at his place, no way in hell! I decided to play it out. We’ve been talking everyday since then, just friendly talk. Then it changed yesterday.

The phone call came as usual. He started out with, “I want to be honest with you. I’m not the faithful type.”

ME: “You mean you were unfaithful in your marriage?

HIM: “I’ve always been unfaithful. I think there is a difference between loyalty and being faithful.”

All the alarm bells were going off and screaming “High Alert!”

ME: “What do you mean? If you’re with someone, you are with that person. There is no room for cheating.”

HIM: “I want to be honest with you. If I’m with you, my feelings will remain with you but if someone walks in and I want to have SEX with that person, it means nothing. IT IS JUST SEX, nothing more, nothing less!”

Where do I find these guys?!! Exactly my question. The problem is he didn’t see the stick stuck so far up my you know what and neither did he see all the doors slamming shut on him! I listened and then it was time to put him out of his misery.

ME: “This is not for me. Cheaters are not my cup of tea, coffee or whatever else! You do you and I’ll do me.”

HIM: “Once we are together, I think it will change. I THINK I will be faithful BUT I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

He was being honest but I started wondering how many marriages out there are running on this same concept. The “having your cake and eating it too,” concept. I know it is not for me. Either be with me 100% or take a hike!

Another one bites the dust. Onwards and forwards. This dating thing is more than a headache and a half!

Have an amazing day.

The First Snowfall

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The weather forecast has been predicting snow for the last couple of days along with the temperatures dropping to freezing and sure enough, it came this morning. I was greeted with tiny flakes of snow mixed in with the rain and wind. Snow, beautiful pristine snow that has the ability to grab your attention and to keep it there for awhile. Standing at the kitchen window with the coffee mug in hand, it was a beautiful sight even though it was just a light flurry.

I decided it was a perfect day for soup and cuddle time with my little fur ball. Somehow, he sensed it as well because he kept close, playing my second shadow to the hilt! Once I had the bedcovers changed to flannel ones, he had a field day diving under the blankets and dashing from room to room. He gets that way some days and on other days, he is as quiet as a mouse and spends his time playing Christopher Columbus. Discovery is on his mind and opening drawers another passion of his.

After downing four cups of coffee, it was time to take another look out the window. The weeping willow is swaying with the wind and the snow flakes have all but gone. Rain is still here but according to the weather forecast more snow is on the way but not the kind that will stay for a while or the kind that will turn the landscape into a winter wonderland. It’s too early for that.

However, I would have liked to go walking out in the snow. The rain and wind put a stop to that. Oh well, there will be other days when the fields will be covered in white and magic will happen as winter takes hold and turns the trees into frosted works of art. It will be picture perfect, just needs a little time to get there.

Have an amazing day.