The Miller Report 02192026

 Miller's Mysteries Blog

   Greetings and Welcome! 
Welcome to Miller’s Mysteries Blog, where the cold weather sets the scene and the coffee keeps things moving. Snow drapes Southington in quiet, broken only by passing wildlife and curious goats at the window. 
 Nyx
The cats look out, unimpressed but alert. We’re counting down to shopping trips, decorating days, and AMC movie nights. For now, enjoy the warmth and the words.



  • Across my Desk!!
Scrambled Egg, cheese,
toasted hard roll, coffee

ZODIAC
February 19, 2026 arrives with bold “main character energy” ✨— but unfortunately the supporting cast includes your alarm clock ⏰, an unanswered email 📧, and a mysteriously blinking dashboard light 🚗. The Moon 🌙 suggests confidence, while Mercury ☿ recommends proofreading the text you’re about to send before it becomes legendary for all the wrong reasons 📱😅. A surprise opportunity may appear disguised as a mild inconvenience 🎭, so squint at your problems today — one of them is probably wearing a fake mustache 🥸. By evening, Venus 💖 approves of snacks 🍿, stretchy pants 🩳, and congratulating yourself for surviving whatever plot twist you accidentally triggered 🎬✨.


Every school should have a course called Money 101, teaching students how to budget, save, invest, build credit, grow strawberries, and file taxes.

build a bucket garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n4YlcIW11I
cherry tomatoes, marigolds, lettuce, peppers,
carrots, potatoes, radishes, scallions, herbs, chives

Here’s the weekend weather forecast for Southington, CT (Friday Feb 20 – Sunday Feb 22):

Expect typical late-winter chill with temperatures cool but mostly above record-deep cold levels, highs generally in the 30s to low 40s and lows in the 20s through the weekend. Saturday looks mostly cloudy with light mix or chance of light snow or sprinkles, and sunshine limited at best, while Sunday stays mostly cloudy with cold air and a higher chance of snow showers later in the day. Models also indicate that a larger coastal storm could develop late Sunday into Monday — with increasing chances of accumulating snow as the system approaches, though exact details are still evolving. Winds will be light to moderate and no major warmth is expected, so bundle up and plan for a chilly, wintry weekend.

NASA News
🌌 ISS Crew-12 Continues Science in Orbit — Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission launched earlier this month and safely delivered a multinational crew to the International Space Station. They’ll spend about eight months conducting research that supports long-duration spaceflight and NASA’s exploration goals.

Bottom line: NASA’s focus right now is on completing critical pre-launch tests for Artemis II while station crews carry on with scientific work in orbit — a busy time across the space program as humanity edges closer to returning people beyond low Earth orbit.



  • The Reader
Colleen curls up on the sofa with a fuzzy blanket and a hot cup of chai tea. Evening shadows stretch across the living room, giving the space a soft, movie-set feel. Her notebook lies open on the cushion beside her. She opens Mindmyst Tales on her tablet and begins reading. The cinnamon and clove smell of the tea fills the air. She taps her pencil thoughtfully against her notes. It feels like creative time has truly begun.  
  
 • Math of the Week
Oh I love this already — Bob and Michele vs. Winter: The Algebra Years. ❄️📐 Here we go:

1. Snow Shoveling Strategy (Linear Equations)
Bob can shovel snow at a rate of 300 square feet per hour. Michele can shovel at a rate of 450 square feet per hour. Their driveway is 1,800 square feet. If they work together, how long will it take them to clear the driveway?

2. Firewood Stacking (Volume & Unit Conversion)
Michele stacks firewood in a neat rectangular pile that is 6 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 4 feet high. Bob says they burn about 1.5 cubic feet of wood per hour during a snowstorm. How many hours of burning time does the stacked wood provide?

3. Snowfall Accumulation (Systems of Equations)
Snow begins falling at 8:00 a.m. at a steady rate of 1.5 inches per hour. At 10:00 a.m., the snowfall rate increases to 2 inches per hour. By 2:00 p.m., how many total inches of snow have accumulated?

4. Sledding Hill Angle (Trigonometry)
Bob measures a sledding hill that rises 25 feet vertically over a horizontal distance of 60 feet. What is the angle of elevation of the hill to the nearest degree?

5. Hot Chocolate Supplies (Exponential Growth)
Michele starts the storm with one large container holding 2 pounds of cocoa mix. Each snow day, they use 12% of the remaining cocoa. How much cocoa mix remains after 5 snow days? Write and evaluate the exponential decay equation.



 • Now, This Week's Exciting Story
 
The Comedy Club

Joe steps onto the stage like a man who’s already lost an argument with his own punchline, one hand clutching a slightly overconfident bottle of water as if it’s his emotional support beverage. The mic stand squeaks in mild protest while he squints into the lights, nodding at the crowd like they’re co-conspirators in whatever chaos he’s about to confess. He sets the bottle carefully on the stool, unscrews the cap with ceremonial seriousness, and takes a sip that says, “Hydration is important, but so is dramatic timing.” There’s a beat where he scans the room, eyebrows raised, as if calculating how much trouble he can get into before security notices. Then he leans into the mic, grins, and lets the silence stretch just long enough to make everyone nervous in the best possible way.

Set

You ever notice vacuuming is the only household chore that sounds like you’re losing an argument with a robot? It’s just this long, dramatic “WHOOOOOOO” like it’s disappointed in your life choices. I plug it in and it roars to life like, “Oh, so now you care about cleanliness?” Calm down, Dyson, we both know I waited until crumbs achieved citizenship. The vacuum doesn’t clean the house — it judges it. And somehow, it always finds that one Cheerio from 2008.

Vacuuming also has stages. First, confidence. You’re gliding across the carpet like you’re detailing a luxury car. Then suddenly you hit the rug fringe, and it’s like the machine swallowed spaghetti. Now you’re crouched on the floor performing emergency surgery. Nothing humbles a grown adult faster than whispering, “It’s okay, buddy, I’ll get it out,” to an appliance.

And why is the cord always two inches too short? Every time. I’m vacuuming like I’m in a hostage negotiation with the outlet. “If you just give me six more inches, we can finish the hallway peacefully.” Instead, I’m dragging the cord behind me like it’s a stubborn toddler at the grocery store. By the end, I’ve unplugged and replugged it so many times I should get airline miles.

Then there’s the mysterious object the vacuum refuses to inhale. You go over it once — nothing. Twice — nothing. Ten times — still there. At this point it’s not dirt; it’s a rival. I’m leaning over squinting like, “What are you made of, vibranium?” Eventually I just pick it up with my fingers in defeat, which defeats the whole purpose of vacuuming.

Let’s talk about vacuum lines. Those perfect stripes in the carpet? That’s the only time I feel like I have control in life. I step back and admire them like I just landscaped Versailles. “Yes, diagonal pattern today. We’re feeling bold.” Five minutes later someone walks across it and the whole masterpiece is gone. Art is temporary. Crumbs are forever.

And the attachments. Oh, the attachments. There’s a tiny brush, a skinny nozzle, a thing that looks like it belongs in a medical procedure. I don’t know what half of them do, but I snap them on like I’m assembling a Transformer. “Autobots, roll out… under the couch.” I use the skinny one to suck up dust in corners I didn’t know existed. Suddenly I’m vacuuming like I’m in a crime scene investigation.

Vacuuming under the couch is a journey. You tilt it back and discover artifacts from another era. A remote control, three pens, a sock with no hope of reunion. And enough dust to knit a sweater. I’m down there like an archaeologist. “Ah yes, the Lost Civilization of Snack Time.”

And why does the vacuum always pick up something loud when someone’s on the phone? The house is silent all day. The second someone says, “Hello?” I find a paperclip. The vacuum goes, “KRANG-CLACK-THUD!” Now I’m gesturing frantically like I’m diffusing a bomb. “IT’S FINE! IT’S JUST METAL!” Nobody believes me.

Emptying the dust canister is its own emotional arc. You look inside and think, “Wow, I did that.” That’s productivity you can see. But when you open it, a cloud of dust erupts like you’ve unleashed an ancient curse. Now you’re coughing in the backyard wondering if this is how it ends. I just wanted clean floors, not a Victorian lung condition.

But here’s the weird part: when it’s done, the house feels different. The air feels lighter, the carpet softer, your step a little prouder. You stand there holding the unplugged vacuum like a warrior after battle. “We did it.” And you know — deep down — you’ll be back in three days, because the Cheerio empire is rebuilding.

You simply must get yourself one of these vacuums!!
https://amzn.to/4tLSR8B
This might be an affiliate link.

============SPACE TALES 2
An alien probe landed in Joe’s backyard, mistook his leaf blower for advanced technology, and flew home victorious. 🍂👾

Space Tales 2 by Joseph Miller
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FKHGKSL3
Buy a copy now. Begin your next great reading adventure.

 

These are not just stories—they’re doorways into danger, desire, mystery, and redemption. Open them at my Author Page 🍂📜 ♣️❤️♠️♦️
https://warlockpublishing.com/author-joseph-miller.html
📚📖📘📙📗📕📔📒📓📔📒📓📚 ✨🌙💥👣️👽️🛸🚀☁️ 🕵️‍♀️💕




============ sponsor

KelDel Creations
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090364412851

Kelly’s craft booth is a wonderful stop for anyone who appreciates time-honored craftsmanship and artistic spirit. Her handmade items bring together skill, creativity, and a touch of inspiration from everyday life. The result is a collection that delights shoppers of all tastes. Her booth is arranged in a way that makes browsing easy and enjoyable. 

You might find something perfect for your home or a thoughtful gift for someone you love. She enjoys meeting new visitors and sharing the behind-the-scenes work that goes into each piece. Kelly hopes you’ll come by and take a look.

3-15-2026 Psychic, Oddities and Steampunk Expo at Ocean Beach Park, New London, Ct.


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 • Thank you for stopping by! 

I’m thankful you visited, especially in a season that asks for care. Winter roads teach us to slow down and look ahead. Hot black coffee keeps the hands warm and the thoughts steady. The firepit holds the evening together. Hot soup offers comfort without ceremony. Thanks for being here.


 • Please do write a comment.  You could, if you dare, ask me a question. If I like it, I'll publish it right here in Miller's Mysteries Blog!
[send to mindmyst@yahoo.com]

Until next Thursday,    
Happy February!!! 

Joe Miller ❄️🌲️🌲️ 🌲️


  Joe