Just for Fun

Halloween is the perfect time to have a little fun with your home's curb appeal! Whether you're welcoming trick-or-treaters or decorating for the family, you don't need to spend a fortune to create a spooky seasonal display. Here are a few easy, affordable ideas to get you started: Make milk jug ghosts: Draw spooky faces on clean milk jugs, add battery-powered lights, and line your walkway with glowing ghosts. Mummy-wrap your front door: Use white streamers or fabric strips and oversized paper eyes for an easy Halloween makeover. Decorate with pumpkins: Paint funny or spooky faces on pumpkins for a family-friendly porch display. Create window silhouettes: Cut bats, cats, and ghosts from black construction paper and display them in your windows. Make a spooky wreath: Add faux spiderwebs,... 10/14/2026

Trivia question answers for Tuesday October 13, 20261. The lumbar spine consists of how many vertebrae? 62. What is a Ramekin? A small casserole dish3. What is an elver? A young eel4. What is the name of the mansion where Elvis died? GracelandTrivia questions for Thursday October 14, 20261. Who titled his 1989 autobiography "Holy Cow"?2. Which cartoon character has a girlfriend named Petunia?3. Which city is home to the world's largest hotel lobby?4. Who created James Bond?Enjoy your day. 10/14/2026

The other day I met with Simon, my pet sitter, to pay him for taking such good care of my kitties, and he suggested this Pastelaria.   This one is the largest in the area, but there is a cafe/pastelaria on almost every corner.   It is relaxing to have breakfast and enjoy the fresh air.   Breakfast here is mostly a pastry and a coffee. He also suggested Armona Island for a tour, so today we are off to explore that area.   Simon & Michelle are the pet sitters, and Simon is from Sweden, and will return in a couple of weeks.  He'll be back in April next year.  10/14/2026

Wordless Wednesday: Girlfriend Getaway, A Little Slice of Hilton Head HeavenSix girlfriends, one island and a week full of wonderful memories! Last week in Hilton Head, we dined at some of the best HHI restaurants, watched girlie movies that had us laughing one minute and reaching for tissues the next. We managed to squeeze in a little retail therapy for good measure while on HHI! We’re nothing if not productive! 😉We happened upon this beautiful scene of sailboats resting on the sand beneath that stunning coastal sky. Being a “water” person, of course I was in absolute HEAVEN!Good friends, salt air and a view like this. For once, I almost have no words! 😀 10/14/2026

Wordless Wednesday…Imagination CentralSince I was a little girl, I loved looking at clouds. Whether I was on the grass in our front yard gazing up at a cloud overhead, or on a long car drive to the beach, staring out of the car window…I let my imagination go wild.   Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.Maya AngelouClouds are the best “toy” a child can have. They are ever-changing and free! Believe it or not, I “imagined” a small village by the sea once on a car trip down to Galveston. Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. Rabindranath TagoreIt is better to have your head in the clouds, and know where you are... than to breathe the clearer atmosphere below them, and think that you are in paradise.Henry David Thoreau 10/14/2026

Here's what you've all been waiting for!Our 6th Annual EPIK Catonsville Halloween House Map is officially LIVE, and we've got some fabulously spooky homes for you to check out!Every year, homeowners around Catonsville and the surrounding communities go all out for Halloween, transforming their homes into everything from fun and festive displays to downright creepy creations!We've put together a map featuring 28 decorated homes so you can grab the family, pile into the car and enjoy a Halloween adventure around town.🗺️ Download Your Halloween House Map!We've made it easy! Simply click the link below to visit our Halloween landing page, where you can download the map and plan your route.🎃 CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR 2026 HALLOWEEN HOUSE MAP!A Big Thank You to Our Halloween Homeowners!A HUGE th... 10/13/2026

Bill Salvatore of Arizona Elite Properties featured a post toRe-Blog today on Active Rain. a fun post by Joan today, andworthy of our daily Re-B. Gilbert AZ  GILBERT ARIZONA HOMES FOR SALE, Bill Salvatore, AZVHV / HelpingArizona Heroes, New-Construction Advantage, Realtor, sell my house, 2026Market, Chandler  #Sellmyhouse #whatsmyhomeworth #homevalues#2026market #ArizonaEliteProperties #ChandlerAZ#yourValleyProperty #GilbertRealtor #AZVHV#buyingaHome #LiveinSunnyAZ #BillSalvatore Thought I would share this experience, as some of it is different than buying in the US.    You wander around the lot and the cars are not marked with much info like in the US.   No sticker on the window with all the details.   Here, mostly only info on the car's brand and model and price.   I had no insurance ... 10/13/2026

Trivia question answers for Monday October 12, 20261. The most self-reported ancestry in the US is from what country? Germany2. Seeds from what fruit were found in King Tut's tomb? Watermelon3. How many zeroes are in a trillion? 124. What is a calorie a unit of? EmergyTrivia questions for Tuesday October 13, 20261. The lumbar spine consists of how many vertebrae?2. What is a Ramekin?3. What is an elver?4. What is the name of the mansion where Elvis died?Enjoy your day. 10/13/2026

Every year on October 13, and this year on Tuesday October 13, 2026, we celebrate and enjoy Happy National United States Navy 251th Birthday. Continental Navy was born on October 13, 1775.The decision of the Continental Congress set the Continental Navy and these two ships and crew represent the birth of the United States Navy.We can observe and celebrate the day with to join Navy personnel as they celebrate their history and military heritage.We can learn about naval history in the United States and around the world. Explore the various fleets the Navy uses, and celebrate a sailor you know by give them a shout out. Use Happy Birthday Navy to post on your social media.I want to wish to everyone at Active Rain community a Happy Birthday to United States Navy. 10/13/2026

Today is Timmothy's birthday and lately he has been raking a lot of leaves... maybe he had a dream about this.My baby is 25 years old today... where does the time go?The picture above must have been on his 2nd birthday. He has always been a husky boy and he has always been my pride and joy. Tina has always been the apple of my eye. I wish I could have had 20 kids. 😊My Real estate Tie-InLife choices changed in many ways when my children were born. I quit the best job I ever had because that job kept me on the road most days of the week, including weekends. I grew up with a father who was more often on the road then at home. I wanted to be home every  day for my kids. I loved motorcycles but gave up my bike because I wanted to live to see my kids grow up, go to college, and eventually get... 10/13/2026

What would you do if you weren't afraid! - Spencer JohnsonOne must learn by doing, for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try. - AristotleI have chosen to be happy because it is good for my heath. - Will HammTime is but the shadow of the world upon the background of eternity. - Jerome K. JeromeLife is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible sun with us. - Sir Thomas BrownNo matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you've come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself. - Madonna 10/12/2026

Trivia question answers for Sunday October 11, 20261. What is known as the "white pearl of India"? The Taj Mahal2. How tall was the model ape used in the making of the movie "King Kong"?    18 inches3. What color is soapstone when it is first mined? Blue4. What does the human lacrimal gland produce?  TearsTrivia questions for Monday October 12, 20261. The most self-reported ancestry in the US is from what country?2. Seeds from what fruit were found in King Tut's tomb?3. How many zeroes are in a trillion?4. What is a calorie a unit of?Enjoy your day. 10/12/2026

Come on, it may be Monday, but you could use an extra smile today, right? Of course you can - we all can! So, how about a brief look at some of the funniest and clean humor around?  Sit back, make it look like you are working hard on some research, and enjoy! And now this is the latest installment of Mayhem Merriment Monday. 10/12/2026

Come on, it may be Monday, but you could use an extra smile today, right? Of course you can - we all can! So, how about a brief look at some of the funniest and clean humor around?  Sit back, make it look like you are working hard on some research, and enjoy! And now this is the latest installment of Mayhem Merriment Monday. 10/12/2026

It is quite a different feeling on Sunday, not being able to watch games.   With a 7-hour time difference, all the games start too late.   The Broncos game had come on just before I went to bed Sunday night.SO, while drinking my morning coffee, watching the Bronco game.  I did see the score, but how did they get there?  Needed to watch!   With the Chargers not being real good, we didn't look that good against them.   Next week we play the Seahawks, so they will need to get going a bit earlier than the 4th quarter!How is your team doing so far?      10/12/2026

Thought I would share this experience, as some of it is different than buying in the US.   You wander around the lot and the cars are not marked with much info like in the US.   No sticker on the window with all the details.   Here, mostly only info on the car's brand and model and price.   I had no insurance before buying the car, so was wondering if it would be ok to drive a car.   THEY carry insurance on the cars, so we can test drive.I did call a couple places for insurance quotes, and went with the insurance the dealer had an affiliation with.   674€ a year!   SO much less than in the US and for full coverage!First, the paperwork is very minimal, about 5 pieces of paper.  Of course, it was in Portuguese, but the lady presenting spoke English and did the translating.   They put a li... 10/13/2026

This discussion, from my experience comes from the number of pundits and halfwits that claim modern AI rntrepreneurs are no different than Karl Marx and his followers. Let’s use some of this experience to understand the rise of AI oligarchs and the future of AI.We begin with Marx’s main idea: the abolition of private property. How do tech crowd feel about private property? They steal it. If you can simply take private property, then it’s not private. Marx would approve.The AI crew does this by scraping vast amounts of internet content for use in training their large language models (LLMs). That material includes copyrighted books, magazine articles, academic papers, images, music and countless other forms of intellectual property (IP). Do tech folks pay royalties? Do they pay licensing ... 10/11/2026

Reflections Time doesn’t stop, but sometimes it pauses long enough, allowing us to reminisce, reflect, and reconnect. KGS We were in Lawrence, KS last week for Larry’s 60th High school Reunion. It was more than a high school reunion, though. We stayed with our old friends of 50+ years. We stay in touch and see them once a year, but nothing beats being together in person. It was also an opportunity to see our grandson, a senior at KU.  We toured his fraternity house and the senior house where he lives.   I’d met some of them at our 40th reunion. Some had lived in Lawrence their entire lives, while others had moved away and eventually returned, drawn back to their families and the roots they’d never forgotten.  I was surprised to learn that two of Larry’s former classmates lived in the su... 10/12/2026

Nothing like homemade bread!To accompany my pot roast dinner tonight, I decided to try this simple bread recipe that I saw while perusing Pinterest.  Dutch Oven BreadPrep Time: 10 minutes.  Cook Time 30 minutes. Resting Time 1 hour.  Serving: 1 loaf.Ingredients: 4 cups white bread flour 1 - 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 packet active dried yeast (2.24 tsp.) 11.5 oz warm water, around 104° 1 tablespoon honey Extra flour for dusting Instructions: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and yeast.  Mix the warm water with honey until dissolved, then pour the liquid into the dry ingredients.  Mix with wooden spoon or your hands until a rough dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.  The dough should spring back slightly... 10/11/2026

For a Hardee County rancher’s son, playing Zech MacIvey in an upcoming TV series, is not make-believe. It is family memory, Florida history and the open country still worth saving.By R. Michael BrownPhotography courtesy of Corey Castellano, Jaime Green, Tamarind Free Jones and Carlton Ward Jr.The surprise about Colby Harrison is that, when the cameras stop rolling, his job playing the part of a Florida cow hunter doesn’t. He goes back to feed the cattle on his family’s ranch. Before our interview, the 12-year-old actor had already finished his morning ranch work and started his school day. A rodeo competitor and student of roping, he now plays Zechariah “Zech” MacIvey in the upcoming television adaptation of Patrick D. Smith's "A Land Remembered," the sweeping Florida novel that spans t... 10/11/2026