The Miller Report 02262026

 
Miller's Mysteries Blog

Greetings and welcome to Miller’s Mysteries Blog, where winter turns everyday life into a slow-burning plot. 

  Mustang
The cats watch the snowfall, wildlife wanders through, and the neighbor’s goats conduct regular inspections. It’s the perfect season to plan outings to Calendar House shows and cozy dinners out. Shopping lists and spring decorating ideas are already forming. Until then, stay warm and enjoy the mystery.

  • Across my Desk!!

Life Juggling
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xlaFerDUxwo

The goat rolled its eyes at the chicken, “You may wander free, but I still control the lawn!”

We were in a snowstorm recently.  I couldn't help thinking about this.
Night on Bald Mountain – Let the storm announce itself properly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U2bc96Z3QU

Albert Einstein once said, "If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself." Brilliant! 💡

Space News:
NASA Astronaut Makes First Public Statement After ISS Medical Evacuation
Astronaut Mike Fincke has identified himself as the crew member whose medical issue prompted NASA’s first official medical evacuation from the International Space Station — a milestone in space medicine and crew safety protocols.

NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission Moves Forward Despite Delays
NASA has announced a new target launch date for the Artemis II lunar mission, aiming for a crewed lunar flyby that would mark the first human journey around the Moon since Apollo.


This weekend's weather forecast:
Saturday in Southington looks mostly sunny and milder, with a high near 50°F and a cool evening settling into the upper 20s. Sunday turns breezy and colder, with morning flurries possible before partial sunshine returns and temperatures top out around 35°F.

Horoscope for February 26, 2026
Today, the universe is running on coffee and mild sarcasm, so pace yourself accordingly. Mercury is doing that thing where it looks mysterious but is mostly just minding its own business, which means any chaos you experience is probably self-inflicted (no judgment). If you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it — but it’s written in small print and slightly smudged. Bold moves are favored, especially the kind that involve finally throwing something away that you “might need someday.”


 • Math of the Week

1. Linear Equations (Shoveling Driveways)
Michele can shovel a driveway in 40 minutes. Bob can shovel the same driveway in 30 minutes. If they work together to clear Michele’s driveway before the next snowstorm hits, how long will it take them working at their combined rates?

2. Systems of Equations (Snowball Inventory Crisis)
Michele and Bob are building snowballs for an epic snowball fight. Michele makes 6 snowballs per minute, and Bob makes 8 snowballs per minute. After 10 minutes, they have made a total of 140 snowballs. Did one of them secretly eat time texting instead of packing snow? If so, how many minutes did that person actually spend making snowballs?

3. Geometry (The Snowman Engineering Project)
Michele builds a snowman with three perfectly spherical sections. The bottom sphere has a radius of 12 inches, the middle has a radius of 8 inches, and the head has a radius of 5 inches. What is the total volume of snow used to build the snowman? (Use V=43πr^3)

4. Quadratics (The Dramatic Snowball Toss)
Bob throws a snowball straight up with an initial velocity of 32 feet per second from a height of 5 feet. The snowball’s height can be modeled by

h(t)=−16t^2+32t+5

After how many seconds does the snowball hit the ground?

5. Trigonometry (The Sledding Angle of Glory)
Michele and Bob find a hill that forms a 25° angle with the horizontal. If the hill is 120 feet long, how high (vertically) is the top of the hill? (Use sine to determine the vertical height.)

 
 • Now, This Week's Exciting Story

The Hat World

Have you ever noticed how people who love hats are a different species? They don’t just have one. Oh no. They have hats for every mood, every occasion, every level of social awkwardness. “Oh, this one’s casual Friday, this one’s apocalypse-ready, and this one? Wedding-crashing chic.”

Shopping for hats is a whole workout. You walk into a store, and it’s like a safari. You’re crouching, peering under brims, sniffing fedoras — yes, sniffing! It’s how you know if it’s “the one.” And then the clerk asks, “Can I help you?” No, I’m busy bonding with this trilby, thank you very much.

And the mirrors. Mirrors in hat stores are dangerous. They should come with a warning: “Caution: May induce sudden confidence, awkward head tilts, or existential reflection.” You try on one hat, and suddenly you’re a cowboy, a spy, a jazz musician, and a detective all at once.

Then there are the people who over-accessorize hats. You know them — the feather, the scarf, the pin, the three tiny LED lights. Suddenly, it’s less of a hat and more of a portable arts-and-crafts disaster. You can’t look at them without wondering, “Does it match your personality or your to-do list?”

Now, hats for activities? Don’t get me started. You’ve got running hats, gardening hats, fishing hats, snowstorm hats, snowball-fight hats, and apparently, “I just want to supervise my kids shoveling” hats. Some people have a hat for every single day of the week. Monday is depression hat, Tuesday is optimism hat, Wednesday is why-is-my-life-hat…

Ever try explaining your hat collection to a non-hat-lover? “Yes, I have three winter hats, seven casual hats, and the emergency apocalypse hat.” They look at you like you just told them you eat soup with your socks. And honestly, they’re not wrong.

And hat stores — oh, hat stores are a special kind of trap. You walk in for a single cap and leave with three, a monocle, a feather boa, and a deep sense of self-realization. “I didn’t know I needed this until I saw it, but now I can’t leave without it!” That’s how hats get you.

Then there’s the secret club: hat enthusiasts who meet in secret and exchange stories like it’s the Illuminati. “Did you see my derby last week?” “I wore my Fedora of Infinite Wisdom.” They nod solemnly, and suddenly you’re standing outside the circle, wondering if hats are magic or just a social conspiracy.

Online shopping for hats is its own horror story. You see a hat online, and it looks perfect, sleek, mystical. Then it arrives and… it’s a helmet. A floppy mess. And they charge you shipping. You’ve paid for disappointment in advance — that’s capitalism, folks.

Finally, my favorite — the hat that changes everything: the “I just threw this on and look amazing” hat. You don’t plan for it. You don’t think about it. You just put it on, and suddenly strangers on the street are like, “Who is that, and why is their confidence so high?” That’s the true magic of hats, my friends. They don’t just cover your head — they upgrade your life.



Boston Scally Cap - The Peaky Newsboy
https://amzn.to/4rxV5a5
[Full disclosure: I earn a small commission on products linked in this post. Your support keeps the blog alive!]



===========SHADOW
The townsfolk gather in fear as shimmering lights dance across Ashford’s horizon, a sight that should inspire wonder but instead casts a dark shadow. That fateful evening, children report seeing glowing figures reaching down from the sky, smiling with rows of sharp teeth. One by one, the children begin acting strangely, their laughter turning into whispers of malevolence that echo through the town’s streets. Just as quickly as they appeared, the lights vanish, leaving families to wonder who their children truly are now.
    
SHADOW by Joseph Miller
https://amzn.to/4rC3hGr
Secure your copy now and join countless others who have transformed their lives through these incredible testimonies! (affiliate link helps the blog)


Visit and enjoy my Author Page 🍂📜 ♣️❤️♠️♦️
Every tale carries a pulse, a shadow, and a spark of wonder in Joseph Miller’s signature style of soulful suspense and poetic darkness. Explore the collection at:
https://warlockpublishing.com/author-joseph-miller.html
📚📖📘📙📗📕📔📒📓📔📒📓📚 ✨🌙💥👣️👽️🛸🚀☁️ 🕵️‍♀️💕

 Warlock


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

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

Step into a world of handmade wonder at Kelly’s booth, where every piece tells a story. Each item is crafted with patience, care, and a touch of personality you won’t find anywhere else. You can feel the warmth in her work the moment you hold it. Take your time exploring the variety of designs, each created in small, thoughtful batches. Ask Kelly about her inspiration — she loves sharing the magic behind her creations. Whether you’re searching for a unique gift or a special treat for yourself, there’s something here that speaks to the heart. Stop by and discover how handmade pieces can brighten your day and your space.

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


============

 • Thank you for stopping by! 
Thank you for dropping by and warming the room with your presence. Winter roads outside may be harsh, but inside, there’s calm. Hot black coffee sits like an old friend. The firepit hums softly, unbothered by the cold. Hot soup waits, generous and familiar. I’m glad you stopped in.

 • 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,     
Have a great week!!

Joe Miller ❄️🌲️ 🌲️