Friday, February 27, 2026

VELLUM DAYS in progress 2026 #vellumdays


Chinese New Year 2026 Celebration Party @ The Georges
Year of the Horse   #fancynancy



#sjpac

#bliss    -yard art dismantle..  new empty canvas for st patrick yard art..
"slainte!"


all "Thank You!"  prayers...     xoxo 

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 9:11 AM 0 comments

p.s. "THANK YOU!" President Donald J Trump for putting a quick end to the utter nonsense of start-stop feature in our cars!! -the micks, celebrating


 it is the most hated feature..  it is so annoying!  we know

it's not good for the car, for drivers/passengers...

could never even believe they mandated it to begin with

and was certain they did not do a quality assurance check.

we are celebrating the end of this stupid feature!!

"cheers!"

hallelujah & amen

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 8:37 AM 0 comments

navigating breast cancer, -mom, wife, daughter, granddaughter, friend, aunt, sister.. photographer, podcaster and entrepreneur

The Triple Blessing of Kassandra's PODCAST:  Where I am Right Now  [on spotify and other platforms]

   1) helping her heal      2) helping us understand on a deeper level     3) helping others 



TWO ROOTS PLANT CO    New Entrepreneurial Adventure




My experience floating outdoors, in the ocean, with my husband, in puerto rico..   so life changing, i investigated opportunities locally..     this indoor experience; not quite the same, but equally glorious..
and no sun screen required!   let there be no doubt it has healing powers..
  -more later, but..    yes!  to campbell float station
grateful you exist! 


 

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 8:31 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

President Donald J Trump, State of the Union, Feb 2026 Q&A -by sandra mickanen of beautiful berryessa in san jose, ca.



 


OUR QUESTION EXACTLY...    !

typical pro-criminal-and-too-bad-real-victims california..    
releasing a serial child predator




PLEASE SEND HELP:  serial child predator, rapist is being RELEASED in Northern California.
PREDATOR:  david allen funston, 64 years old
    -WAS SUPPOSED TO SERVE LIFE SENTENCE

-paroled on some super stupid, 'elderly parole program, federal court order for people age 50, who served 20 years

-which we all know should not negate LIFE SENTENCES for CHILD RAPISTS

****
honest to our good God,  -the level of either ignorance, or incompetence, or evil, or some combination of the three,   -how these people make the decisions they do...

its criminal. 



posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 9:45 AM 0 comments

Saturday, February 21, 2026

Public "Thank You!" to Saint Anthony & blogosphere & friends -for memories otherwise lost.. -sandra mickanen


 enormously grateful to maritza for taking the time to share her very recent Saint Anthony prayer experience in the comments section of my several-years-old experience praying to...

and that gap between testimonies, 

CH= to the bank robbery experience of course!   one of the many gifts of the blogosphere is being able to connect closely, testimonies, despite large time gaps.  i still regard it a genuine treasure, its value unquantifiable..

but, decades after i experienced being in a bank that was arm-robbed, i blogged about it, from memory.

WILD TO ME!  that sue-sue, a best friend at the time;  and the driver..    that she would show up and in comments share her side of the scary story..     we hadn't spoken or connected in a good long time. 

AND EVEN WILDER STILL!!  -that years later, the ex-boyfriend i reference in the memory, steve shaw, due to a friendship reunion, and chance to talk..    HE grants my wish, and shares his incredible, and previously unknown to me, side of the story in comments of that post also.

having their side, their perspective written, captured, shared..  in the comments... 

being able to read it with my own two eyes..  and process...

it is   -one of the highest, most generous and most healing gifts to me..

another belated "THANK YOU!"  

hallelujah & amen

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 9:50 AM 0 comments

Thursday, February 19, 2026

writing; the great disincentive -sandra mickanen reporting


let me start with another, "THANK YOU!" to my family for the very generous gift card to massage envy.  said thanks, wrote thanks, text thanks..  blog post thanks     /shesayswithasmile..

now, 

highest praise for the professional who provided my services, which included, my 1st ever, microderm infusion facial..   wow!  felt great, felt clean..   felt my skin saying thank you...

her name is chikako  (chicago, with k sounds..)   high, high recommend.  milpitas massage envy.

this next info i write because..  think its funny, and my kids will appreciate, because..

i still just loathe a few things:  questionnaires, surveys, ratings,  -homework after a restaurant meal or service or shopping of any and every kind

and i loathe, that despite not clicking, or clicking,  DO NOT SEND FURTHER emails, texts, no marketing.. etc.

my email still gets bombarded, and 'unsubscribe' either doesnt work, or isnt even offered.

so, while, i thoroughly enjoyed my facial, and was delighted with chikako's professional, kind, thorough service..

here it came:   hi sandra, thank you for visiting.. blah, blah

text 1-5 to rate your experience  5=Great, 1=bad..

and i do have a kind of default..   internal surge of ....  some combination of exhaustion, frustration, pissed-off-ness..      because this is ridiculous, every place you go, every time, from every one..

enough!

but, prayed to adjust my attitude, and..  reluctantly, but, overriding all my emotions and mood..

i click on 5.    5=Great.

done.

should have been DONE!    more than enough...

nope.

that opened a new guilt trip and responsibility:  ... blah, blah, to share your experience and shout out Chikako online to earn them an additional bonus!   w/link..

good God.    now she might not get a bonus she deserves based on whether i..

I...   who am enormously burnt out on surveys, ratings, texts..  providing feedback for every. single. frickin' thing i buy, eat, look at, visit...

so i did it.    reluctantly.  pissed off...    but she did provide great service.  guilt trip worked. 

I had my services, facial, and then a massage, back to back..    or, face to back, 

what i mean is,    facial tuesday; massage wednesday.

on my way to the massage on wednesday,  i was all...   in prayer..  super grouchy..

reiterating to the heavens, everything i  just said above...

    why is it my responsibility?  why am i being guilted...   why every. frickin' thing...    why isn't the 5 ENOUGH?!?     why must i have a homework assignment....    God I REALLY, REALLY MISS 

the good old days...     you just said Thank You...     gave a healthy tip...   maybe, mentioned to a manager..

anyway, 

funny part,  i arrive for my massage, all stressed out..   loving Chikako's service, but already dreading the follow up text surveyS that will be coming my way in the after of this massage..

and i laid down on that warm massage table-bed, and the soft music..   and the darkened room...   

and Chikako started massaging my shoulders...

and i was suddenly, rather instantantly...    calm, cool, collected and at peace with the world.

i laughed to myself, silently...  and to the heavens..     i needed an attitude adjustment too.

surrendered to the benefits and experience of this magical, wonderful, over-due massage.. 

****

a powerful, but brief experience, 

because, 

I ALREADY GAVE HER A 5...   AND! ALREADY GAVE A SHOUT OUT ONLINE SO SHE WONT MISS OUT ON HER BONUS SHE DESERVES,   -whether a burnt-out-on-surveys customer says so or not.. !!

so, i know in advance, 

well, 

DELETE.    

******

and reminds me of 2 things:   

this, of course, 

and, 

my husband sharing about EMPLOYEE 'reviews' during his career.

upshot is this:  if the manager gave a high rating..   which the employee did deserve..

this high rating mandated the manager would have to also WRITE more about the high rating..

   -what manager has time, energy for...   writing... explaining... justifying..  

so, they would default to 'average'  because this did not require any additional writing.

   -writing;   the great disincentive.

*****

close with one more giant "THANK YOU!" to Amazon....  

click on icons..     [delivery was great!  on time, care,  followed instruction, etc.]

done.

love you for it!

****

hallelujah & amen. 

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 12:59 PM 0 comments

#wordle -sandra mickanen sharing

#wordle



 

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 12:10 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

feel a poem coming on -by sandra mickanen, penned this morning: feb 17, 2026.


 

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 8:29 AM 0 comments

Monday, February 16, 2026

A: a very happy & romantic valentines too! for the micks..


 i love that my birthday and valentines are calendar neighbors;

live write next door to each other.

as has been our tradition for several years now:

valentines dinner is in the comfort of our own home.

we decorate the table with flowers, chocolates, 

valentines decor of one kind or another..

place cards we've exchanged..  pictures from past dates..

enjoy some bubbly..

and my husband makes us a crazy delicious lobster dinner, 

and we spend the rest of the evening

expressing our love for one another

and our gratitude to God, for bringing us together. 

hallelujah & amen! 

#vellumdays

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 8:57 AM 0 comments

A: my 'actual' 60th birthday: friday, feb 13th, 2026.. Exceptional!


 an exceptional evening

loved everything on our plates at koi palace in milipitas;

and loved listening to fancy nancy order in Chinese..

successfully (although awkwardly) used chop sticks

excellent service, and art & beauty in every direction at the restaurant itself..

followed by..

how fun!  champagne toast at the Georges home..  where they had a big

60 fabulous on the tv screen; with a playlist of happy birthday songs in every genre..

flowers, cake, tropical photo backdrop, and very generous birthday gifts..

spoiled me.  spoiled us.

"THANK YOU!"    

/you know i also sent a handwritten thank you,   yes...

their company is so delightful and friendship a giant blessing

LOVE YOU!   -your beautiful family...  

lots of gratitude prayers...

amen & amen. 

#vellumdays

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 8:31 AM 0 comments

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Happy Valentines Day -the micks


 In Jesus most loving name...     hallelujah & amen

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 9:14 AM 0 comments