I hope your year is filled with love and light.

Melinda
Making your own will save you money in the short and long run and get the one for your specific hair color.
Melinda
Enjoy saving yourself and saving money.
Melinda
There’s no denying that having a change of scenery can help you to de-stress, relax, and give you some respite from any issues you’re currently tackling in your life. Everyone should always have a change of scenery every so often to ensure their mental health wellbeing.
If you can’t afford to get away for a few weeks, or perhaps you can’t get lots of time off work, even a weekend getaway can be just what you need. With that in mind, here’s how you can plan the perfect weekend away:
The first thing you must do is look for a destination that will fill you with a sense of calm and happiness. Avoid the usual tourist traps in your area or region, and instead, look for places that are off the beaten track.
You won’t find it hard to come across some possible destinations. For example, you may find a quaint seaside village that tourists seldom frequent. Somewhere remote enough that tourists will avoid, yet is reasonably close to a major town or city for amenities.
Next, it makes sense to search for and book your accommodation in advance. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for campsites or luxury apartments for you and anyone else going with you. What matters is that you guarantee your stay somewhere.
The last thing you want to do is have a stressful time away from home because you haven’t got somewhere to stay for the duration of your vacation or weekend getaway. Websites like Expedia and TripAdvisor can help you locate suitable places to stay.
One of the hallmarks of a fun and successful trip away from home is ensuring you take everything you need for your time. Clothes are undoubtedly essential items that you’ll need, but there will undeniably be many other things you will need.
For example, if you have to take medication prescribed by your doctor, you must remember to bring it with you. Plus, you should check you’ve got enough medication to last for the duration of your trip away from home.
If you plan on doing absolutely nothing during your trip away from home, you can probably ignore this part of the article. However, if you want to fill your time with some fun activities such as visiting nearby landmarks and points of interest, it’s worth planning an itinerary.
An itinerary will help you plan enough time for all your activities, so you won’t feel like you have to rush and potentially stress yourself out during your time away. Keep in mind that if there are many things you want to do, you may need longer than a couple of days.
Whether you are planning a weekend getaway or would prefer to escape somewhere for a few weeks, the above tips will help ensure you have a smooth and successful time away from home.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda

Have a great day!
Melinda
Brought to you by Bella Grace a Stampington publication
Melinda

Harry Houdini, the most celebrated magician and escape artist of the 20th century, dies of peritonitis in a Detroit hospital. Twelve days before, Houdini had been talking to a group of students after a lecture in Montreal when he commented on the strength of his stomach muscles …read more
In the autumn of 1963, Beatlemania was a raging epidemic in Britain, and it was rapidly spreading across the European continent. But in the United States, where the likes of Bobby Vinton and Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs sat atop the pop charts, John, Paul, George and Ringo …read more
On October 31, 1776, in his first speech before British Parliament since the leaders of the American Revolution came together to sign of the Declaration of Independence that summer, King George III acknowledges that all was not going well for Britain in the war with the United …read more
Indira Gandhi, the prime minister of India, is assassinated in New Delhi by two of her own bodyguards. Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, both Sikhs, emptied their guns into Gandhi as she walked to her office from an adjoining bungalow. Although the two assailants immediately …read more
Five years after Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalinism and the “personality cult” of Soviet rulers at the 20th Party Congress, Joseph Stalin’s embalmed body is removed from Lenin’s tomb in Moscow’s Red Square. When Vladimir Lenin died in 1924, the leader of Russia’s …read more
Enjoy your day!
Melinda

‘To succeed in life you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone’ – Dr Kavanagh, during a talk on ‘Moral Anatomy’ in 1908 The Church near me regularly puts inspiring quotes on the noticeboard outside. In fact it’s become a bit of a thing locally with people taking photos and making […]
The 3 bones of life — Happy Healthy Me – a Journey
Have Fun,
Melinda



So glad you stopped by today and look forward to hearing your comments.
Melinda
Chocolate can be good for your heart according to the American Heart Association.
Most dark chocolate is high in flavonoids, particularly a subtype called flavanols that are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Some studies suggest chocolate or cocoa consumption is associated with a lower risk of insulin resistance and high blood pressure in adults.
National Chocolate Day, on October 28th, recognizes one of the world’s favorite tastes. While many specific chocolate-related holidays exist throughout the year, National Chocolate Day celebrates all things chocolate.
Enjoy the health benefits of chocolate today and every day!
Melinda

We all have our own sources for coziness. Some of us may string twinkle lights around our homes while others light deliciously scented-smelling candles.
Bella Grace by Stampington
Melinda



Have a great day!
Melinda
Bella Grace by Stampington
Melinda

On October 24, 1901, a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Edson Taylor becomes the first person to successfully take the plunge over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
On October 24, 1945, the United Nations Charter, which was adopted and signed on June 26, 1945, is now effective and ready to be enforced. The United Nations was born of perceived necessity, as a means of better arbitrating international conflict and negotiating peace than was …read more
The supersonic Concorde jet makes its last commercial passenger flight, traveling at twice the speed of sound from New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to London’s Heathrow Airport on October 24, 2003. The British Airways jet carried 100 passengers, including …read more
On October 24, 1969, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford as a team of bank robbers in the Old West, opens in theaters around the United States. The film was a commercial and critical success, receiving seven Oscar nominations (including …read more
Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Kendrick announces that he will dismiss the sexual assault case filed against Marv Albert by 42-year-old Vanessa Perhach if the sportscaster agrees to get counseling and stays out of trouble for a year. Albert faced up to 12 months in jail and a …read more
Enjoy your day!
Melinda

Melinda
I’m so glad you are enjoying the new weekend tradition. I learn something new each week, even if it’s weird.
Being compassionate to others–as well as oneself–leads to greater happiness
Melinda
I love to save money on items I’m already purchasing and there are two Apps that you add to your browser that will help you save money if there is a coupon code available or promotion going on.
I can’t tell you how much I love Ratuken! They have paid me so much money for shopping it’s hard to believe. To date, I’ve earned around $1850 just for shopping and buying what I already planned to buy. They payout once a quarter and next month a check will mail out for over $250, my credit card is going to love that payment.
Companies love Ratuken too. One of the companies I shop at often has 10%-15% Ratuken promotions versus the normal 1%. So I try to plan my shopping around the higher cashback days. Ratuken emails me with companies that are doing promotions and what the extra cashback is. If I plan on shopping or need something from one of those companies I jump on the extra cashback. On $100, 10% cashback versus 1% cashback is a big difference.
Ratuken has a pop-up when your shopping, you need to click on it to activate it. Then all the items in your cart are counted for. You can go to the R at the top of your screen to make sure Ratuken is active. One thing to remember is sometimes Honey will have an offer that Ratuken doesn’t so if you click on the Honey offer it disables Ratuken. All you have to do is go up to the R again at top of the screen and reactivate. Always go back up to the R to check you are still active if you’ve clicked on any Honey offers before you check out.
Ratuken also pays for referring friends and family and currently has a limited-time offer of $40 per referral. When you refer someone you get $40 dollars after they spend $40. You can refer as many people as you like, just make sure to use your individual link.
It’s the season for shopping, not only are the holidays coming but weather changes often call for new clothes and shoes, not to mention those honey-do projects.
Here’s my link if you would like to join. https://www.rakuten.com/r/MSANDO99?eeid=28187
One of the greatest things about Honey is that they give you points even if they can’t find a coupon code. They have also recently started offering money for certain items when you are shopping. Example: I bought a pair of jeans, Ratuken only had a 1% reward going at the time but Honey paid me almost $16 for the jeans. A pop-up will appear if the item qualifies and you click on it to activate the coupon.
The other change I like about Honey is they allow you to cash out every time you have 1,000 points. You don’t have to, you can wait and collect more but it’s available. Another big change I like is you don’t have to get a gift card, you can have the money sent to your PayPal account.
This month alone I’ve been able to cash in close to $50 by getting in on the special offers for what I’m already buying. That’s $50 cash to PayPal and straight to my bank account.
Here’s my link to join. joinhoney.com/ref/gvehf5o
You can’t find a simpler way to make money and find coupons than with Ratuken and Honey.
Happy Saving!
Melinda


So glad you stopped by today and look forward to hearing your comments.
Melinda
This month’s Chronic Illness Writing Prompts are Falling, Transitioning, Choosing, Imagining, and Beautifying. This month I picked three of the five. Each month the prompts are from A Chronic Voice, be sure to check out her awesome blog filled with tons of information on living life to the fullest.


This month I’m working on the inside and the outside of me. On the inside I’ve started Yoga, at least I have bought the necessary items to start. I plan to focus on stretches then work into some actual Yoga moves. It’s been years since I’ve done any exercise other than walking the stairs. Today I started walking with my husband and the dogs at lunch.
As for the outside, after getting my hair cut my ears are more noticeable so I pierced one of my upper ears and have bought a diamond shooting star for it. I pierced both sides but the side I sleep on hurt too bad and I let it close up. I have plenty of jewelry but haven’t worn it much this past 10 years. I started wearing a necklace again and that has worked so far. I also bought a faux diamond wedding ring since mine no longer fit. Now I have a wedding ring to wear after years of going without one, it feels good and I think my husband likes it.

I have spent many years living as a patient, always reading about what is going on with me, the latest research, and even listening to others with the same health issues. I’m choosing to no longer take that approach. When I go to the doctor, I’m a patient, ask my questions, come home, and read about the side effects of any new meds, and then I’m putting it away. Yes, I have to pay attention to the everyday issue and look for side effects or worse but I’m changing my mindset. I’m working on a healthy mindset with a sick body. It’s not glossing over the facts, I chose to not focus on the facts. There is a big difference. My doctor is great and she changed my meds yesterday, I’m taking a positive attitude about how they will help my pain levels without opioids. I’m living opioid-free for as long as I can.

I’m having fun with my blog by doing more Book Reviews and Interviews. I have had so many great books to read and enjoy the opportunity to share with my readers. I have two companies out of the UK that I’ve been working with and now work with NetGalley so I can expand my range of self-help and mental health books.
I wanted to be a journalist from the sixth grade on, actually worked on the school and our local newspaper in high school. I won a Journalism scholarship but we couldn’t afford for me to go to school out of town. I look at blogging as my writing opportunity. I’ve forgotten most of what I learned about proper writing but I get along. I want to expand myself. We are well-rounded people with many interests and I want to bring you more interesting topics on my blog.
I also want to get back to more advocacy work, I’ve been lax and now it is the time to get involved in issues that mean something to me. You may have noticed how active I’ve been in October Awareness Days, they are great issues that need more conversation around them. Look for more in the coming months.
Happy October!
Melinda

Have a great day!
Melinda
So you’ve decided to go on a weekend away with friends. Being prepared for this trip is essential to have an amazing time! Here are the top 10 things you need to remember on any weekend away.
If you’re driving somewhere for the weekend, make sure you bring some easy-to-grab food along with you. If you get hungry while driving (or even on the plane/bus), it can be dangerous to try and get your bag or dig through your purse. It’s also important because if there isn’t anywhere nearby to get food, this will help you last until dinner time.
Pack a travel-size first aid kit in case of any accidents! It’s also essential to bring Tylenol, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, Imodium AD (in case of diarrhea), floss, and any other personal necessities because there may not be a store nearby to buy these things. Have car accident lawyers on speed-dial, just in case.
Make sure you prepare an itinerary for the weekend. This can include anything from finding fun activities to do if it’s raining outside (such as visiting museums or finding exciting shops to explore) to finding a restaurant to eat dinner at and making sure there is somewhere for breakfast.
It’s smart to bring reusable water bottles along with you. If it’s hot outside, this will help keep you hydrated as well as cut down your chances of buying a bottle of water at a gas station, which is known to be very overpriced.
Pack a backup set of clothes in case something gets spilled or ripped on your trip. It’s also wise to bring pants so you can wear sweatpants if it’s colder outside than you thought/you didn’t pack any warm clothes, as well as a sweater or jacket if it’s colder outside than you thought/you didn’t pack a coat.
Whether you forget to bring enough for dinner and need more, lose your wallet, or have a bank card not working, this will come in very handy. This is also helpful because there may not be a place nearby to buy anything extra from, so it’s wise to have some money set aside just in case.
Your passport might expire soon, or you might need it for other reasons while traveling. It’s much easier to keep track of your passport if you put it in the same spot every time, such as your underwear drawer or backpack pocket. This will save you the hassle later on.
Don’t make plans for every hour of your trip because things always happen unexpectedly, and there’s no way to avoid that! It’s essential to relax and be flexible on trips so you can have more fun.
It’s nice to capture memories of your trip with pictures, whether photographing landscapes or taking selfies with friends. If you already have a smartphone, it wouldn’t hurt to bring along an additional camera – make sure to charge the battery, as it doesn’t last forever.
Don’t forget that this is your trip and you should enjoy every minute of it – talk with friends, explore new places, take lots of pictures, try new things. And most importantly: don’t stress yourself out over little things because there are bigger things to worry about!
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda

On October 17, 1974, Benji, a film about a stray dog who helps rescue several kidnapped children, opens in theaters; it will go on to become a family classic. Written and directed by Joe Camp, Benji starred a mutt named Higgins, who had been rescued as a puppy from a California …read more
Wilhelm Voigt, a 57-year-old German shoemaker, impersonates an army officer and leads an entire squad of soldiers to help him steal 4,000 marks. Voigt, who had a long criminal record, humiliated the German army by exploiting their blind obedience to authority and getting them to …read more
On October 17, 1835, Texans approve a resolution to create the Texas Rangers, a corps of armed and mounted lawmen designed to “range and guard the frontier between the Brazos and Trinity Rivers.” In the midst of their revolt against Mexico, Texan leaders felt they needed a …read more
On October 17, 1989, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake rocks northern California during Game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics at Candlestick Park, forcing postponement of the matchup. The series resumes 10 days after the earthquake, which …read more
On October 17, 1931, gangster Al Capone is sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion and fined $80,000, signaling the downfall of one of the most notorious criminals of the 1920s and 1930s.
Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1899 to Italian immigrants. He was expelled from school at 14, joined a gang and earned his nickname “Scarface” after being sliced across the cheek during a fight. By 1920, Capone had moved to Chicago, where he was soon helping to run crime boss Johnny Torrio’s illegal enterprises, which included alcohol-smuggling, gambling and prostitution. Torrio retired in 1925 after an attempt on his life and Capone, known for his cunning and brutality, was put in charge of the organization.
Enjoy!
Melinda
This is perfect for Fall and a great gift idea for the holiday season.
8 TB. orange peel
2 TB. tangerine peel
2 TB. whole cloves
2 TB. cinnamon chips
1 tsp. cardamom, decorticate
2 tsp. whole cardamom
1 TB. whole allspice
Bowl
Pot: heat-resistant
Glass spice jar: 6 oz.
Lable
Blend the citrus peel and spices together in a bowl. Boil a pot of water on the stove. Add1-2 tablespoons of potpourri to boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer the spices as long as desired. The water will evaporate, so be sure to add more water as needed. You may reuse the same spices a few times during the week before discarding.
Store potpourri in a glass spice jar and add a label.
My idea is, tie some raffia around the top with instructions.
Enjoy.
Melinda
I really enjoy this week’s Fun Facts!!!!!! There are some good ones in here.
Enjoy!
Melinda
Every business operated from home requires some dedicated workspace. Accordingly, there are many options for a home workspace. However, not every business needs the same home office. For some, like freelance photography, you may convert your garage into a studio, while a portion of your living room can serve as a better workspace for freelance writing business.
In other words, setting up a home workshop for your home business depends on the kind of business you run. Here are six simple tips for setting up a home workspace for your home business.
Any business run from home is prone to interference from different people within the house. Therefore, it is crucial to think about how you can separate your workspace from your home to reduce distractions. A great idea would be to create a dedicated room for work and separate from your family. There are many ways of separating your workspace. For instance, you can enclose part of the garage and use it as a workshop.
Your workspace should support what you do and keep you engaged. That is why you cannot use your living room when the TV is on as a workshop. However, you can make your workspace as unique as possible to enhance engagement and productivity. Think about using colors and other aspects to personalize your workshop.
There are many options when it comes to setting up a dedicated workspace at home. Think about the garage, the kitchen, and other available rooms. Whether you want to build an outdoor structure or convert an existing space, you must consider your options carefully. This way, you can make your workshop as motivational and inspiring as possible.
Your workshop should be suitable for work all year round. For instance, if you want to convert your garage into a workspace, be sure to change the doors to make it look like an office. You may also need pest control services to make it functional. Consider everything you may need to do to make your workshop look better and ready for work.
If you are turning your garage into a dedicated workspace, you may want to insulate it to make it more comfortable and welcoming. Secondary glazing installation on the windows may serve you well. You may also need extra floor insulation. This strategy will help you reduce your heating expenses and make your workplace warmer.
Every business needs security regardless of the setting and size. Accordingly, it is only a matter of time before people find out you run a home business. That is why you should ensure your business is secure, especially if you separate it from the main house. Invest in solar streetlights and a security alarm system to protect your business equipment.
It is crucial to designate a dedicated workspace for your home business to reduce distractions and increase productivity. Protect what is essential to your business by creating a safe, secure, and productive workshop. This aspect will help you keep stress levels low and focus on core functions.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda



So glad you stopped by today and look forward to hearing your comments.
Melinda