Category Archives: Life

AARP Says 30 Days to declutter… My Kitchen Strongly Disagrees

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The Kitchen Declutter project begins. Doesn't look too bad if you don't open the cabinet doors

Making Peace With a Slow Declutter

I knew I’d never complete the AARP decluttering challenge in the 30 days they promised. So far, the only room that moved at their suggested pace was the bathroom. The kitchen? That beast took me two full weeks. It’s technically “finished” now only because I’m assigning the cupboards that open into the dining room to the dining room. They really belong to the kitchen, but at this point I’ll take any help I can get.

The Cookbook Situation (Yes, It’s a Situation)

I’ve sold a few things on Facebook Marketplace and listed all my old cookbooks there as well. Right now, they’re just piled up waiting for a buyer. I have this funny quirk: I cannot throw out books. I may end up giving these cookbooks away, but tossing them in the trash? Absolutely not. It would feel like throwing out my own child.

The Hall Closet/Pantry: My Biggest Victory So Far

The biggest project so far was the hall closet/pantry. I’ve reorganized it as much as I can for now. I’m still debating a few items, so I’m letting things settle to see if the current setup works for me. I bought new canisters for flour, sugar, and other staples so I can actually see what I have — no more half‑open bags lurking in the shadows. These should keep everything fresher, too.

Remember what that closet looked like when I started? Look at it now. I’m genuinely proud.

Before. Is it a closet or a pantry. I don’t think it knows

After- A pantry reorganized and cleaned out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banner and Balboa’s “Help”

Banner and Balboa gave the newly organized pantry — which has always been off‑limits — their full approval. Of course, that may be because they managed to sneak in and “help” while the door was open. They’ve both protested now that the door is closed again. I’ll admit I’m not as worried if they manage to get in these days, since I no longer have nails and tools scattered all over the floor.

The Spice Cabinet: A Whole Other Adventure

The other big project wasn’t the mugs so much as the spices. Whew. What a mess. I did some serious purging because most of the one‑offs were expired anyway — things I bought for one recipe and never made again. Here’s the before and after of the spices. Much better.

Before, A crowded and confused spice cabinet. A bit disorganized but functional

 

 

After. Still full but all organized by spice and type

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Up: The Bedroom and Closets

The next part of the decluttering project heads to the bedroom, closets, and personal spaces. My bedroom is a mixed bag. I’ve already cleaned out one nightstand, but I have a huge cabinet that holds my winter coats and photography paraphernalia. One closet is pretty organized but full — it holds all my luggage, and it gets pulled out often because the HVAC unit is in the back and needs yearly service.

The second closet is… a nightmare. I’ve had good intentions, but I always get overwhelmed. I’m not sure how far I’ll get. I can feel my momentum and enthusiasm slowly dying, but I can say this: a start has been made. If I can maintain what I’ve already done, I can always pick the project back up.

But I say this firmly: No, AARP. This is not a 30‑day project unless you’re doing a superficial clean‑out.

And Now… The Grand Finale

Press onward, intrepid declutterer — the closet awaits, and it isn’t going to clean itself.
Behold… the beast I’m tackling next.

 

 

 

Certified Innocent (According to Them)

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Life with cats is nothing of not entertaining.

The Innocence Project

It’s time for an installment of the The Banner & Balboa Show: Starring Two Cats and One Exhausted Human

The Quirky Lives of Banner and Balboa: A Household Run by Cats

Every cat owner knows the truth: you don’t live with cats — you simply coexist with tiny, furry agents of chaos who believe your home is their personal amusement park. And honestly? They’re not wrong.

Scrolling through Facebook the other day, I saw a meme that said:
“You’re not a cat owner until you hear something crash at 3 a.m. and decide it’s a problem for tomorrow.”
And I thought… yes. Yes, that is the entire biography of my household.

Because if there’s one thing Banner and Balboa excel at, it’s quirks. Endless, baffling, hilarious quirks.

The Morning Indy 500

Every morning, without fail, the boys kick off their day with what I can only describe as the Feline Grand Prix.

The track layout changes daily, but the highlights include:

  • Up the cat tree
  • Over the TV stand
  • A dramatic leap over the cat fountain
  • A full‑speed sprint down the hall
  • A victory lap into the bedroom
  • And then… repeat.
    And repeat.
    And repeat.

Coffee doesn’t wake me up.
The thunder of tiny paws does.

Banner: The Social Butterfly With a Heated Seat Obsession

Banner is the friendliest cat on the planet. He would greet a burglar with a head‑butt and a purr. Delivery drivers? His best friends. Random dog walking by? He’s already planning a meet‑and‑greet. I swear, if I ever lose him, he’ll be in someone’s yard introducing himself like he’s running for office.

But his real quirk?
The stove.

The moment the oven turns on, Banner materializes like a summoned demon and plants himself directly on the stovetop. Not near it. Not beside it. On it. Because apparently nothing warms his royal backside quite like preheating to 350°.

I’ve tried explaining the concept of “danger” to him. He disagrees.

Balboa: The Dramatic Artist, Professional Nap Innovator

Balboa, meanwhile, is a creature of comfort and questionable decisions.

One afternoon, I walked into the kitchen and found him curled up — peacefully, smugly — inside a glass bowl. A bowl meant for salad. A bowl that was absolutely not meant to contain a 14‑pound panther‑cat. But there he was, looking like a furry croissant, proud of his new life choice.

He also believes the bed belongs entirely to him. If I get up in the night, he immediately stretches out to full length like he’s claiming territory for the crown. Returning to bed becomes a negotiation.

The 3 A.M. Symphony

Every cat owner knows the sound.

That unmistakable, horrifying, adrenaline‑spiking noise:
Huuuuurk… huuuurk… HUUURK.

Forget alarm clocks. The sound of a cat about to puke will launch you out of bed with Olympic speed. Too bad it always happens at 3 a.m., when your brain is still buffering.

And of course, once you’re up, Banner and Balboa assume it’s breakfast time. Or playtime. Or “let’s stare at the wall for no reason” time.

Doors? Cabinets? Mere Suggestions.

Need a bit of light? Banner will turn it on for you. He’s mastered the art of flipping the switch with his teeth, leaving behind tiny bite marks as his signature. Nothing like walking into a room at 3 a.m. to find the lights blazing and Banner looking very pleased with his electrical handiwork.

Light Switch with Banner’s tooth mark

Both boys have mastered the art of opening things that should remain closed.

Cabinet doors? Easy.
Bedroom doors? Child’s play.
Privacy? A myth.

When Balboa was little, he used to squeeze under the counter next to the dishwasher like a tiny mouse. Now that he’s too big to fit, he simply opens the cabinet under the sink and climbs in that way.

Banner, meanwhile, sits outside the opening like he’s watching a nature documentary. He can stare at that hole for hours, waiting for Balboa to reappear like a groundhog predicting spring.

Life With Cats: A Comedy, A Mystery, A Warm Fuzzy Mess

Living with Banner and Balboa means:

  • Never eating alone
  • Never sleeping alone
  • Never having a moment of silence
  • And never, ever being bored

Their quirks are ridiculous, inconvenient, and occasionally hazardous to my sanity — but they’re also the reason the house feels alive.

Because at the end of the day, nothing beats a warm purr, a head‑butt, or the sight of a cat proudly sitting in a bowl he absolutely does not fit in.

Life with cats isn’t perfect.
But it’s perfectly theirs.

 

Rambling Thoughts & A Little Life Update

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🌟 Because life doesn’t follow a theme — and neither does this blog

If you’ve been reading Around Dusty Roads lately, you’ve probably noticed that there isn’t exactly a theme happening. One day it’s cats, the next it’s a local adventure, then a recipe, then some random daily trivia. That’s retirement for you — footloose, fancy free, and no longer tied to a work schedule or those precious two weeks of vacation.

These days, I just enjoy jotting down whatever crosses my mind and sharing the little slices of life that make me smile (or roll my eyes). And for you youngsters out there, consider this a preview of what might be waiting for you when you finally escape the daily grind. Whether that’s a good thing… well, jury’s still out.

🌱 Projects, Experiments, and the Things That Didn’t Quite Pan Out

I’ll admit it — I’m still a little disappointed that Welcoming Haven didn’t take off the way I hoped. It was a solid idea; I just didn’t have the budget to push it where it needed to go. Same with my brief Etsy printable experiment. Let’s just say I’m much better at buying cute printables than designing them.

DoorDash had its moment too. It was fun… until it wasn’t. Once I factored in gas, maintenance, and the joy of climbing to third‑floor walkups with arthritis, the math stopped mathing. When I took a spill on a delivery run, that was my sign to wrap up that chapter.

So for now, no side gigs. Just me, my home projects, and the cats supervising everything I do.

📸 The Great Photo Tagging Marathon

One of my big undertakings is the massive photo‑tagging project. I’m working backward from Now and have made it to May 2021. Considering my media library goes back to January 2011, this should keep me entertained for a while. Maybe longer.

🧹 Decluttering: The Adventure Continues

Then there’s the decluttering saga. I’ve got boxes to donate, boxes to sell, and boxes that are destined for the trash — all currently cluttering my living space. But the cupboards are looking pretty good, and AARP swears I’ll be done in a few weeks. I’m choosing to believe them.

Part of my motivation comes from watching my sister deal with the mountain of stuff my mom left behind. I still have boxes from that era that I haven’t opened. Someday I’ll tackle them… probably when I reach the dining room. Until then, yes, the place looks a little like I’m auditioning for Hoarders: The Prequel.

🚶‍♀️ Health, Mobility, and a Dash of Pride

Now for the big topic: mobility. My arthritis has been getting worse, and while the hip replacement went well, I’m not eager to repeat the experience with my knee. I lost 25 pounds hoping it would help — and while I look better, my walking hasn’t improved much.

I’m seriously considering a walker. I still have the one from my surgery, but it’s not great for strolling around parks. A new one would let me load my camera on the seat and get back to exploring. The cane works, but juggling that and a camera is a circus act.

My pride is the real obstacle. I don’t want to admit I’ve reached the “walker stage.” But as the saying goes, pride goeth before a fall — and in my case, that might be more literal than I’d like.

Future Me?

🐾 And Through It All…

My days are full — projects, decluttering, mobility puzzles, and of course, the cats “helping” every step of the way. But one thing remains constant: I’ll keep sharing my rambling thoughts here on Around Dusty Roads.

Thanks for sticking with me through all the twists, turns, and experiments. And if you’ve got advice, stories, or your own retirement adventures to share, feel free to jump in. Even if I pretend I don’t want advice, I usually enjoy hearing it.

 

Daylight Saving Time: The Time Change We Just Can’t Shake

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It’s early March, which means two things in New England:

  1. We’re all pretending it’s spring even though the wind still bites.
  2. The annual Daylight Saving Time debate is warming up faster than the weather.

And because I can’t resist a good trivia rabbit hole, I stumbled across a Jeopardy clue that sums up our relationship with DST better than anything else:

Clue: To combat fuel shortages, Congress enacted this for almost 10 months in 1974, from January to October.
Category: “D” in American History
Value: $600

Yes — the answer is Daylight Saving Time.
We didn’t just “spring forward” that year. We practically launched ourselves into permanent daylight.

We Tried a Long-Term Relationship… It Didn’t Go Well

The idea wasn’t new. Allegedly, Benjamin Franklin pitched something similar to save candles. Germany used it during World War I to conserve fuel. And in 1974, during the energy crisis, Congress said, “Let’s try this full-time.”

Ten months later, after dark winter mornings and a nation full of cranky schoolkids, the experiment quietly ended. But the twice‑a‑year clock shuffle? That stuck around like a houseguest who never got the hint.

Every Year We Swear We’re Done With It

By now, the pattern is predictable.
Early March rolls in, and suddenly:

  • Congress floats a bill
  • Someone suggests permanent DST
  • Someone else suggests permanent Standard Time
  • Committees form
  • Studies are commissioned
  • We all complain
  • And nothing changes

It’s the legislative equivalent of “We should really get together sometime” — said with no intention of actually scheduling anything.

And Yet… Here We Are Again

Daylight Saving Time officially ends on the first Sunday in November, but the real cycle ends when we stop grumbling about it — which, let’s be honest, is never.

We tell ourselves it saves energy.
We tell ourselves it gives us more daylight.
We tell ourselves it’s tradition.

Mostly, we tell ourselves whatever gets us through that groggy Monday morning after the switch.

Countdown to the Clock Shuffle

So here we are, early March, inching toward the big weekend.
Coffee makers are bracing themselves.
Humans are sighing.
And the cats? Well…

Banner and Balboa are thrilled.

In their world, Daylight Saving Time is the greatest invention since the treat bag.

Breakfast arrives a whole hour earlier — a development they fully support and believe should be made permanent immediately.

If Congress ever needs motivation to finally pick a time and stick with it, they

should consult the feline lobby. Banner and Balboa have notes.

What About You?

Do you love the extra evening light, dread the clock change, or simply follow your pets’ lead and accept breakfast whenever it arrives?

 

It’s National CanDo Day- You CanDo it!

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National CanDo Day: A Fresh Start for a New Year

January 4th marks National CanDo Day, a celebration of possibility, determination, and the quiet power of simply believing you can. It’s a day designed to help us take a realistic look at what we’re capable of — not in a pressure‑filled, resolution‑heavy way, but in a grounded, encouraging, “let’s start where we are” kind of way. And honestly, after the whirlwind of the holidays and the push of new projects, I think many of us could use that reminder.

A Moment to Pause and Take Stock

Life gets busy. Creative projects take over. New goals pull us in new directions. And sometimes, like me, you look up and realize something you love — a hobby, a blog, a routine — has slipped to the side. National CanDo Day invites us to pause, breathe, and take a gentle inventory of what we can do right now.

We can’t do everything. Not perfectly. Not all at once.

Just what’s possible today.

This day is about recognizing your strengths, your determination, and the dreams you’ve carried quietly for years. It’s about remembering that progress doesn’t require magic — just willingness, consistency, and a little spark of belief.

Turning Dreams Into Doable Steps

The heart of National CanDo Day is simple:
You are capable of more than you think — and you don’t have to wait for the “perfect moment” to begin.

Maybe you’ve been wanting to start a new project.
Maybe you’ve been meaning to return to something you love.
Or Maybe you’ve been dreaming of a change but haven’t taken the first step.

Today is your nudge.

A Little Challenge for You

Choose one thing — just one — that you can do today.
Not the biggest thing. Not the hardest thing.
Just something doable.

✔ Send that email
✔ Organize one drawer
✔ Write one paragraph
✔ Take a 10‑minute walk
✔ Start the outline of a dream you’ve been putting off

Small steps count. You can take a tiny step.  Small steps remind you that you’re capable.

Real People & Dreams. Real CanDo Spirit.

• Walt Disney dreamed of a place where families could laugh and imagine together — and built Disney World, a kingdom of creativity that still inspires generations.
• Nicole Botelho, my friend and a true force of compassion, turned her dream of a peaceful animal haven into reality with The Forever Farm Animal Sanctuary.
• Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, started with $5,000 and no fashion background — just a belief in her idea and the grit to make it happen.
• Brandon Stanton, creator of Humans of New York, began with a camera and a goal to tell everyday stories. His project became a global movement of empathy and connection.
• You, reading this right now — with your own quiet dream, your own spark of possibility. You belong on this list too.

You Can Do This

Wherever you are today — tired, inspired, overwhelmed, hopeful — National CanDo Day is your reminder that you’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience, strength, and a whole lot of heart.

So here’s to doing what we can, celebrating what we have, and believing in what’s still possible.

You’ve got this. And today is the perfect day to begin again.