Site Title

Lazy Days

Do lazy days make me feel rested or unproductive, that was the question. Let me see, I had a lazy day yesterday. I did nothing or next to nothing.

How did it make me feel? I can’t say for sure because I was happy when I started to take it easy and not do anything of importance or one that would require too much brain power. The output would be very little and I thought I would be feeling good by the end of the day. Guess again!

By the end of the day, I was feeling more frazzled and very anxious. It seems having nothing much to do makes me feel that way. Truth be told, it wasn’t just a day with nothing to do. I did my daily walk in nature and that was fantastic as usual. I walked home looking forward to another cup of coffee and than DOING NOTHING! “Not that quick” said life. The phone kept ringing, then I had mail that needed to be taken care of and a date if I wanted it. Got your attention? Yes, a date. It was the cheesecake guy. I hadn’t heard from him in ages and thought it was water under the bridge. To tell you the truth, I was glad that we didn’t have to do the relationship dance anymore. Chachi, the cat, was glad too. He never liked him. Anyway, he was on the other end saying he wanted to meet, just for coffee and a chat. I thought why not. I agreed to a date and time. Getting off the phone, I felt agitated. Dates make me feel that way!

I decided my mind needed something to keep it occupied. This “doing nothing” was getting on my nerves! I looked at my other projects, a sequel to “The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie.” It is finished and has been accepted but I thought it needed brushing up so I pulled out the manuscript and went to work. Chachi plays the lead role in that one and he does a mighty fine job. I got bored after a while and looked at my other project, a novel that spans three generations. Whoa! Yes, right. It is a huge project, 362 pages done and I am lost. Not sure how to proceed. Bah hambug!

What am I doing? It was supposed to be a lazy day. So I put my feet up, cuddled with my little guy and was feeling rested until my ex showed up. We talked for a while but I could feel something coming to the surface. It wasn’t good. I cut the conversation short and sent him on his way. It was downhill from there. My lazy day was nowhere to be seen and I had to keep moving to keep my mind from going to places I didn’t want it to go!

So do lazy days make me feel rested or unproductive. I can’t answer that question because I don’t think I have had one so far!

Daily writing prompt

Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

View all responses

Anna Wintour

She is a British-American fashion icon who served as the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine for 37 years. Dame Anna Wintour worked her way up the ladder from humble beginnings to one of the most influential figures in the fashion industry.

Her no-nonsense attitude and with her iconic pageboy haircut, the lady demonstrated that doing things her own way is not a bad thing after all. She began her career in the fashion department of Harper’s & Queen in London. In 1976, she took over as fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar. From there, the world was her oyster as the saying goes. In 1986, Wintour returned to London as Chief editor of British Vogue.

“I want Vogue to be pacy, sharp, and sexy. I’m not interested in the super-rich or infinitely leisured. I want our readers to be energetic, executive women, with money of their own and a wide range of interests.”

Her style of management was often critiqued which in turn earned her nicknames such as, “Nuclear Wintour” and “Wintour of Our Discontent.”

Did that stop the one-woman force named Anna Wintour? Not one little bit. In 1980, Wintour was named editor-in-chief of Vogue. During her three-decade reign, she restored the magazine’s clout and produced some mammoth issues.

Wintour stepped down after 37 years at the helm but during that time it never stopped her from speaking her mind, her restless drive or her no-nonsense approach.

At a time when criticism was and is the norm where the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is concerned, Anna Wintour chose to go against the grain. At the Paris Fashion Week, she delivered this compliment to Meghan who was dressed in an all-white ensemble by Balenciaga.

Ms. Wintour: “How are you?”

Meghan: “Nice to see you.”

After exchanging a kiss on the cheek, Anna looks at Meghan’s outfit and says,

“Beautiful cherie. You look amazing.”

That was the nail on every critic’s coffin that rang around the world. The top person of the fashion world had spoken and so it was.

To drive the nail further in the coffin, “Vogue recently featured Meghan Markle on its best-dressed list” for her appearance at the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion week in October 2025.

Anna Wintour was and still is a force to be reckoned with.

Daily writing prompt

When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?

View all responses

Best Book Trailer

I love this book trailer. It is beautifully done and describes the book perfectly. I enjoyed it and I hope you do too.

About the Book

In The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie, author T. J. Mueller takes young readers on a wild and colorful journey into a world full of imagination and wonder.

Honey and Hubie set off on an exciting adventure together, exploring the unknown and discovering that the greatest treasure of all is friendship. Along the way, they meet magical characters, face challenges, and learn what it truly takes to hold onto the bonds that matter most.

This enchanting tale blends fun storytelling with a heartfelt message, making it a perfect read for children who love make-believe worlds and meaningful lessons.

📖 Available now → Buy on Amazon

Why Kids (and Parents) Will Love It

✨ Magical adventure – A journey into a whimsical world full of colorful characters
✨ Friendship at its heart – Teaches kids what it takes to build and keep strong friendships
✨ Captures imagination – Encourages creativity and wonder in young readers
✨ Engaging message – Fun storytelling with a positive lesson woven in

About the Author – T. J. Mueller

T. J. Mueller is an author who masterfully combines fun, imaginative storytelling with heartfelt messages for children. With The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie, Mueller brings young readers into a magical world of make-believe while reminding them of the very real importance of friendship.

Get Your Copy

📕 Paperback Edition → Order on Amazon

Final Thoughts

If your child loves fantasy adventures filled with magical characters and meaningful lessons, The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie is a must-read.

Perfect for bedtime reading, classroom storytime, or family fun, this book captures the imagination while sharing a timeless message: friendship makes every adventure better.

LOL!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

In class one day, Mr. Johnson pulled Johnny over to his desk after a test and said…

“Johnny, I have a feeling that you have been cheating on your tests.”

Johnny was astounded and asked Mr. Johnson to prove it.

“Well,” said Mr. Johnson. “I was looking over your test and the question was,

“Who was the first president?” and the little girl who sits next to you, Mary, put “George Washington,” and so did you.

“So, everyone knows that he was the first president.”

“Well, just a minute,” said Mr. Johnson.

The next question was, “Who freed the slaves?”

Mary put Abraham Lincoln and so did you.

“Well, I read the history book last night and I remembered that,” said Johnny.

“Wait, wait,” said Mr. Johnson.

The next question was, “Who was president during the Louisiana Purchase?”

Mary put, “I don’t know,” and you put, “Me neither.”

🤣🤣🤣

Characteristics of a Good Neighbor

Someone who is quiet, helpful, stays in their lane and is not a gossip monger. Those are some characteristics that I find necessary to being a good neighbor.

People around here usually keep to themselves but gossiping is a necessary evil in this village. What starts out as a small piece of gossip gets shredded and passed around until it comes out on the other end as something big and hard to believe or digest! I think it stamps from people not having much to do. Most are old and the only thing they have got going is keeping up with their husbands, household chores and gardening. Lest I forget, their window seat is their best friend! Nothing gets past the womenfolk here.

That said, there are those who are very helpful and caring. My neighbor across the street calls when she notices that I had left my garage door open. I have a tendency to forget and when the phone rings and I hear her voice, I know it is the friendly neighborhood watch person reminding me to shut the garage door! Then there is the one who brings me a jar of homemade jam made from the harvest of fruits in her garden. I find that to be very sweet. The gesture is often returned. Today, I gave away the ripe figs from my garden and she asked, “Would you like some apples?” I pointed to my apple tree and said, “I’m trying to do the same!”

I am lucky to have some good neighbors. Most are quiet and noise is not something I have to worry about. Most days, it is extremely quiet and I love it that way. I think I am a good neighbor. I’m helpful, friendly, and I make it a point to bring a bouquet or two of flowers to some of the women around here. It is well received and I’m rewarded with a great big smile!

It works both ways. It’s a give and take sort of thing. If you want a good neighbor, you have to start being a good one yourself. All I can say is that I have good neighbors and I am thankful for the peace and serenity that surrounds this place that I call home.

Daily writing prompt

What makes a good neighbor?

View all responses

Glennon Doyle (Archives)

She is an American author and queer activist and her podcast “We Can Do Hard Things” won two webby awards. She is empowering, inspirational and her quotes speak to and touch the heart. It has been said that when Glennon Doyle speaks, women listen and I’m one of those women.

“When a women finally learns that pleasing the world is impossible, she becomes free to learn how to please herself.”

Exactly where I’m at now.

“I looked hard at my faith, my friendships, my work, my sexuality, my entire life and asked, “How much of this was my idea? Who was I before I became who the world told me to be?”

I’ve asked myself the self-same question and the answer is, I was free as a bird!

“This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been. There is no map, we are all pioneers.”

“I do not adjust myself to please the world. I am myself wherever I am, and I let the world adjust.”

I know this journey well. I am in the midst of it.

“I have met my self and I am going to care for her fiercely.”

Doing exactly that and I am seeing the benefits.

“We think our job as humans is to avoid pain, our job as parents is to protect our children from pain, and our job as friends is to fix each other’s pain. Maybe that’s why we all feel like failures so often – because we all have the wrong job description for love.”

This one made me stop in my tracks and to take a good hard look at what I’m doing.

“What I want to be, girls, is beautiful. Beautiful means ‘full of beauty.’ Beautiful is not about how you look on the outside. Beautiful is about what you’re made of. Beautiful people spend time discovering what their idea of beauty on this earth is. They know themselves well enough to know what they love, and they love themselves enough to fill up with a little of their particular kind of beauty each day.”

Beautifully said. What’s inside makes you shine on the outside and it can beat physical beauty hands down.

“Reading is my inhale and writing is my exhale.”

I haven’t done much inhaling lately but boy am I exhaling!

Have an amazing day and YOU ARE ENOUGH!

I Don’t Know!

What could I try for the first time? Absolutely nothing comes to mind! I am drawing blanks but I could be just tired from keeping up with this challenge, the Daily Writing Prompt that is.

I see it as a challenge and it gets my brain working first thing in the morning. Some days it is easy to come up with something and some days like today when I’m feeling like I want to get out in nature but the weather isn’t cooperating, I have no ideas coming in at all. Oh well, that’s par for the course.

Today, I have nothing to add to this question. I’m happy where I’m at and I really don’t have a desire to try anything new for the first time.

Next question please……

Daily writing prompt

What could you try for the first time?

View all responses

Loneliness (Archives)

“Find company within yourself and you’ll never spend a day alone. Find love within yourself and you’ll never have a lonely day.” Connor Chalfant

Loneliness is defined as sadness because one has no friends or company. However, it is actually a state of mind. People who are lonely have trouble connecting with others because even though they want and crave human contact, their state of mind makes it hard for them to see beyond what they are feeling. At this stage, they often see themselves as unworthy of friendship, they often feel rejected and more often than not, they voluntarily remove themselves from what is causing them hurt and that is the outside world and so the vicious cycle begins and takes hold.

Low self-esteem, lack of confidence and being an introvert can all lead to isolation and loneliness. The effects are far-reaching and at times scary. It can lead to antisocial behavior, feelings of not fitting in and worst case scenario, it can also lead to depression and suicide.

Almost everyone experiences loneliness at some time or rather and it gets worse during holidays, birthdays and other significant days. Someone close to me is dealing with symptoms of loneliness and any suggestions of help is falling on deaf ears. He is hell-bent on holding onto his new best friend “loneliness.” I think we are our own worst enemy and when we fall, we fall deep and hard. We go into the trenches and it is hard to crawl back out. We tell ourselves we are not good enough as we are, opinions matter and we see ourselves as not worthy of interacting with what is out there. At times the outside world can be cruel and for someone who is struggling it can be more than daunting. What to do short of meeting with a therapist? Perhaps these few tips might help.

Be there and show that you care.

Be patient. Irritation is the common response. Show that you’re there to listen.

Join a group, exercise class or book club. There are many other options.

Do things you enjoy.

Go for a walk.

Share your feelings.

Practice self-care. Start exercising, eat nutritious foods and get enough sleep.

Love yourself warts and all.

Most of all stay busy.

If none of the above help, here are some quotes to see life from the brighter side.

“A season of loneliness and isolation is when the caterpillar gets its wings. Remember that next time you feel alone.” Mandy Hale

“It’s impossible to be lonely when you’re zesting an orange. Scrape the soft rind once and the whole room fills with fruit. Look around: you have more than enough. Always have. You just didn’t notice until now.” Mary Oliver

I love this one.

If you are feeling lonely know that you’ll always have:

“Books to nurture your mind. Hands to create and explore. Wind to calm your soul. Breathes to soothe your nerves. Nature to soak your worries away. Stars to decorate your dreams.” Emma Xie

Have an amazing day.

Principles That Define My Life

There are several principles that define how I live my life, but there are four intrinsic values that I adhere to. They are honesty, integrity, empathy and kindness.

These four make up the cornerstone of how I live my life. Honesty is important and I try to be as honest as I can. There are times when the “white lies” creep in but those moments are few and far between. However, those “white lies” do come back to haunt me. I am learning to be more straightforward without being hurtful.

Integrity is a must as far as I am concerned. I stand by what I say and when I promise something, I do it. My word is my bond and it really is with me. It basically means that “a person’s spoken promise is a serious and unbreakable commitment, just like a legal bond.” This signifies the highest level of integrity. I know many people who don’t stand by their word. It seems to be a norm these days but I do stand by what I say and you can count on it.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It is about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes and it means to understand and consider another person’s feelings and lifestyle without judgment. I try but sometimes I fall short. It is a work in progress.

Kindness is important. I try to be kind, generous, friendly, and considerate to others. It makes for a better world and one act of kindness is all it takes to put a smile on someone’s face when they’re having a bad day or to show them that someone cares.

Those are the principles I live by. There are others but these four are front and center when it comes to defining how I live my life and they help to guide me on the right path and to keep me grounded.

Daily writing prompt

What principles define how you live?

View all responses

My Book (Promo)

About the Book

In The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie, author T. J. Mueller takes young readers on a wild and colorful journey into a world full of imagination and wonder.

This enchanting tale blends fun storytelling with a heartfelt message, making it a perfect read for children who love make-believe worlds and meaningful lessons.

📖 Available now → Buy on Amazon