Blogging · Celebrate Life · Fun · Travel

Sending A Special Thank You To Laos, Dominica, Ecuador, And Guyana

Thank you for dropping into my blog, I appreciate you and hope to see you again soon.

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

Please say hi the next time you drop by, it’s like traveling with each visitor.

Melinda

 

Celebrate Life · Fun · Mental Health · Music

#Weekend Music Share-Coldplay & Ed Sheeran – Fix You (Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire)

It’s the weekend!!!!!!

 I’m glad you joined me for another edition of Weekend Music Share this week.

Have a great weekend!

Melinda

Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.

Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

To potty on the potty pads and not somewhere else, like my husbands bathroom. Griffy is totally laid back until she wants a snack. Jet’s close to the same size and is calm until he thinks it’s time of a snack ot petting.

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Celebrate Life · Daily Writing Prompt · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
What’s your dream job?

I’m retired so by far this is the best job. At 12 I had a paper route to make some play money and my second job was being a cashier in a grocery store. Every job I’ve worked has taught me new lesson’s. There were plenty of jobs I didn’t like and other’s I gave all to.

After retiring and giving my body time to decompress, I had a store on Ebay for five years. It was a blast and kept me busy. I won’t forget the guy who bought one homeade soap a month, and when I offered a deal on three soaps for the price of two, he continued to buy one soap.

Not working has been a blessing and life contiues to teach me lesson’s. My days are slower now and I know how difficult it can be to balancce work with health issues.

New Orleans

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Daily Writing Prompt · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
If you could un-invent something, what would it be?

My gut says Social Media platforms, have you seen the “dares” going around Tic Tok? Teens and younder adults walking on moving trains, and the list is long. I was a teen and made plenty of mistakes yet I’m smarter than the people doing the stunts.

I closed all of my accounts last year because a company I worked with was hacked and all of my data was released. I took the comments Apple said about safety, and applied every ounce of help they provided. Because my personal information was leaked and confirmed the information is on the Dark Web, that’s data is roming around which can lead to identity theft the rest of my life

I wouldn’t un-invent something because as life goes on, we get to watch new versions of a product eveolve.

Photo by Karola G on Pexels.com

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Granny (1921-2005)

I would love to sit down for a few days with my Granny asking questions about growing up poor and how hard the challenges were after her father died.

Granny went crossed-eyed at nive years old right before her father died in 1930, leaving them penniless. But sheer will kept you going even when your husband left you with a one-year-old to raise.

You never complained, just kept your mouth shut.

You never raised your voice at me.

You only asked me for help once, to come over to fix the curtains in the room like I did the day before. Gramps couldn’t do it right that day.

Your boundaries were in cement, don’t break them.

Being raised by your Grandparents gives you a different view, like any generational change.

I learned working hard is the way to work regardless of the job or pay, you do your best.

The little sneaky things you did for me that Gramps didn’t know about.

One of my favorite memories was when I acted like her wheelchair was a race car while at the mall. Making car noises and laughing at the same time. The smile on our faces was priceless.

I admire you for having the strongest backbone and finding a way to survive when you couldn’t drive. You were committed to Gramps and I, there’s not great feeling than true love.

I think about you every day.

We had so much fun even if you were being sneaky.

Melinda

Repost because this post hit a special spot for me.

Celebrate Life · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · History

Fun Facts, Did You Know?

I’m so glad you’re enjoying these post, I love hearing your hilarious comments.

Bananas glow blue under black lights

To the everyday eye under normal conditions, ripe bananas appear yellow due to organic pigments called carotenoids. When bananas ripen, chlorophyll begins to break down. This pigment is the element that makes bananas glow, or “fluoresce,” under UV lights and appear blue.

Bees can make colored honey

In France, there’s a biogas plant that manages waste from a Mars chocolate factory, where M&Ms are made. Beekeepers nearby noticed that their bees were making “unnatural shades of green and blue” honey, reported BBC. A spokesperson from the British Beekeepers’ Association predicted the bees eating the sugary M&M waste caused the colored honey.

Wimbledon tennis balls are kept at 68 degrees Fahrenheit

The temperature of tennis balls affects how the ball bounces. At warmer temperatures, the gas molecules inside the ball expand making the ball bounce higher. A tennis ball at lower temperatures causes the molecules to shrink and the ball bounces lower. To make sure the best tennis balls are used, Wimbledon goes through over 50,000 tennis balls.

Adult cats are lactose intolerant

Feeding your cat milk could be making them sick. Like some humans, adult cats don’t have enough of the lactase enzyme to digest lactose from milk, causing them to vomit, have diarrhea, or get gassy. Cats only have enough of that enzyme when they’re born and during the early years of their life.

Albert Einstein’s eyeballs are in New York City

They were given to Henry Abrams and preserved in a safety deposit box. Abrams was Einstein’s eye doctor. He received the eyeballs from Thomas Harvey, the man who performed the autopsy on Einstein and illegally took the scientist’s brain for himself.

The Pope can’t be an organ donor

Pope Benedict XVI was issued an organ donor card in 1970. Once he ascended to the papacy in 2005, the card was invalid, reports the Telegraph. According to the Vatican, the Pope’s entire body must be buried intact because his body belongs to the universal Catholic Church.

An one-armed player scored the winning goal in the first World Cup Héctor Castro played on the Uruguay soccer team during the first ever World Cup in 1930. In the last game between Uruguay versus Argentina, Castro scored the winning goal in the last minute of the game. The final score was 4-2, making Uruguay the first country to win the World Cup title.

The world’s oldest toy is a stick

Think of how versatile a stick is. You can use it to play fetch with your dog, swing it as a bat, or use your imagination to turn it into a lightsaber. Its adaptability, along with how old sticks are, is among the reasons why the National Toy Hall of Fame inducted the stick into its collection as possibly the oldest toy ever.

Have a great weekend.

Melinda :)

Celebrate Life · Fun · Mental Health · Music

#Weekend Music Share-Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Sting & Phil Collins – Money for Nothing Live

I would love to have seen them practicing, chatting about and take in the possitve energy.

It’s the weekend!!!!!!

 I’m glad you joined me for another edition of Weekend Music Share this week.

Have a great weekend!

Melinda

Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.

Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Celebrate Life · Cooking · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Gluten-Free Peppermint Mocha

Coffee drinks give me a chance to stop & relax, which we all need.

What you need

1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

1-2 shots of expresso

1 TB raw cacao powder

1 TS pure maple syrup

1/4 TS teaspoon peppermint extract

How to make

In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk to your desired temperature over medium to high heat.

Pour the warmed milk into a high-powered blender and add the espresso, cacao powder, maple syrup, and peppermint.

Blend until the drink is combined and slightly frothy, about 1 minute.

Pour into a mug and enjoy it immediately.

Serves 1

Double the recipe to make 2 servings.

Enjoy

Melinda

Reference:

The recipe is from Kristin Cavallari’s cookbook True Comfort.

Celebrate Life · DIY · Fun · Health and Wellbeing

DIY Refreshing Room Spray

There is nothing pleasant about lingering foul order. This citrus-scented spray helps eliminate unwanted odors from any room from in the house.

You will need

Spray bottle: small

Distilled water

1 tsp dish soap

1 tsp vodka

30 drops of citrus essential oil

How to Make

Fill a small spray bottle two-thirds with distilled water

Add the dish soap, vodka, and the essential oil

Tighten the spray top and swirl the mixture for 30 seconds before spraying.

The spray is a great housewarming gift or for use around the house.

Melinda

Reference:

Willow & Sage by Stampinton

Repost

Celebrate Life · Fun · Music

#Weekend Music Share-Elton John, Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

It’s the weekend!!!!!!

 I’m glad you joined me for another edition of Weekend Music Share this week.

Have a great weekend!

Melinda

Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.

Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Moving Forward

The Future Is Behind The Door

The seller accepted our offer over the weekend! During the closing period you find yourself filling out a ton of paperwork and making phone calls, yet every step counts.

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Fun · Mental Health

Wordless Wednesday-Every Bookcase Tells A Story

I’m happy to see you for another Wordless Wednesday, and I look forward to seeing you again.

 

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Daily Writing Prompt · Family · Fun · Men & Womens Health

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

What would be the greatest gift? WOW, that is a big question however true love and committment are the greatest gifts for me. I’ve been fortunate to have received expensive gifts and small simple gifts and honestly they both made me happy but love can’t be bought.

I’ve been married 23 years and everyday my husband shows me he loves me in little ways that make me feel joy inside. Sometimes, like for Christmas this year he bought me a couple of small Swarovski Crystal trinkets including an ornament for 2025. He is the only person to buy me the trinkets and it’s been at least 15 years since he purchased the last one, it was quite a surprise.

Love is all a we need!

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Celebrate Life · Fun · Mental Health · Music

#Weekend Music Share-Robin Williams Makes an Insane First Appearance | Carson Tonight Show

Be prepared to laugh so hard it hurts!

Robin was the brightest star with humor in his blood. He shared his talent with us and we are thankful. His life was cut too short from mental illness.

It’s the weekend!!!!!!

 I’m glad you joined me for another edition of Weekend Music Share this week.

Have a great weekend!

Melinda

Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.

Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Moving Forward

We’re Starting Off 2026 With A Bang

We have spent 23 years building our finances around living comfortably in retirement and beyond and buying a new house. David retired last April, our house is paid for and we have no debt, just as we planned and saved for.

Yesterday we made an offer on our first house and now David is pulling all the financing together for a mid-February move-in date. I am so in love with the house and have dreamt of living in a one-story without a pool for the longest time.

The seller accepting our offer is just the start. We plan to move into new house, then upgrade our house and sell it. This will be a longer process but I’m screaming inside with excitement.

I’ll give an update if the offer is accepted. We went in with a low offer because it’s been on the market for over a year and no one is living there. The market is down and continuing to go down in our area. Now is the time to buy before the market swings upward.

Happy Face

Melinda :)

Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Men & Womens Health

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
If you started a sports team, what would the colors and mascot be?

That’s a great question because I’m not into sports. I watch a tiny bit of football or golf with my husband on occasion but not a fan of any. I do appreciate the great play’s in any sport, that is the excitement of the games.

Of the college & professional football teams, most mascot’s are boring. I would chose an animal like a leopard, koala, or a marine animal and a color combination that works best for the animal. If I had the ability to make the decision, I would teaming up with an appropriate charity or conservation organization with a percentage of money from each game, or concessions to make a difference and educate the public with out having it crammed down their throat.

Photo by Connor Slade on Pexels.com

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Celebrate Life · Fun · Health and Wellbeing

Fun Facts That Will Amaze You

I’m so glad you are enjoying Fun Facts. I learn something new each week, even if it’s weird. I love hearing your comments! 

 

Contrary to popular belief, it’s really, really hard to see the Great Wall of China from space, particularly with the naked eye. (nasa.gov)


The first footprints on the moon will remain there for a million years. (nasa.gov)


Days on Venus are longer than years. Due to its slow axis rotation, it takes 243 Earth days to spin once; but it only takes 225 Earth days to go around the sun. (nasa.gov) 


Humans could never “land” on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune because they are made of gas and have no solid surface. (natgeokids.com)


But you could ice skate on one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa, which is covered in ice. An Axel jump would take you 22 feet in the air! (nasa.gov)


Keep the feedback coming, I sure enjoy your comments each week. 

Enjoy! 

Melinda

 

Celebrate Life · Fun · Mental Health · Music

#Weekend Music Share-She’s Gone (1976) – Hall & Oates

It’s the weekend!!!!!!

 I’m glad you joined me for another edition of Weekend Music Share this week.

Have a great weekend!

Melinda

Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.

Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Celebrate Life · Children · Daily Writing Prompt · Fun

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
What is your all time favorite automobile?

I’ve been a car lover since high school after meeting several guys how had awesome and fast cars. It’s not just fast cars that catch my eye, I’ve been to many types of local cars shows or car club meeting over the years. It’s hard to pick one car when I appreciate so many however being the owner of a 1963 Corvette fully restored would blow my mind.

At every Corvette meeting, I would chat up every owner of a 1963-1967 Corvette, they are the same body style but 1963 is the year I was born. Adding icing to the cake. I also love many old salon type cars, for that matter I enjoy cars old and new.

If you are thinking about buying a Corvette, I suggest you drive one and get in and out many times. The car lays close to the ground and getting in and out can be awkward at times. I bought a white Corvette in my early 30’s not thinking about logistics, like getting in with an umbrella or taking a older client to lunch.

I had to take care of a baby for a half a day, my friend managed to get Cowboy’s tickets on Thanksgiving day. I wrangled the car seat in and headed to my brother’s for our gathering. The baby was a huge surprise from me and the only thing I had to do was change a diaper and found out later it was on backwards. All the women kept passing the baby around that I had little to do, which is great since I know nothing about babies except you feed them and shortly after it’s time for a diaper change.

Go Corvette!

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Holiday

Have A Blessed Christmas

Growing up I couldn’t wait to arrive at my Grandparent’s house for Christmas. My Granny would go over the top with food and sweets. We opened our presents on Christmas Day. They usually bought lots of clothes. I still have all of their ornaments, they are frail, and I don’t use them but I have them to look at and bring back old memories. 


Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the son of God. Please take a minute to think of the reason for the season.




                                                          Around 12 years old 

Have a blessed Christmas, I hope you have family and friends to celebrate with and enjoy a good meal by starting with thanks to God for sending his only son who died for our sins..

Melinda