A Sunny Day

Posted on May 6, 2013May 6, 2013 by Dusty Roads

The weather remains cool (50’s) but sunny. The local weatherman says we need rain and that we are running about 10 degrees below average in temperature. The Right Whales are feeding off Cape Cod and it seems every weekend there’s another benefit walk for something.

The cats continue to drive me crazy. Last night after I went to bed I was awakened by loud growls. As I ran to the living room to break up the fight, Smokey at my heels, Rocky bolted to a cardboard box and Buddy flopped onto his side next to it. They both looked at me like they were the most innocent creatures in the world. Clearly it was a “mock battle”.

Not so this morning at 6am when Buddy decided he wanted Smokey’s window seat. (Sigh) That was a real fight, if one-sided. Poor Smokey! I wish I knew who removed his claws! We could pull off a few fingernails and see how they like it.

What will happen when I’m away on vacation and not around to play referee?

But back to yesterday. Since it was a nice sunny day I headed out to take some pictures. I’ve been neglecting some of my favorite spots and it was time to see what was going on for spring.

Lake Rico was busy with families picnicking and kids fishing. Since I didn’t want to intrude I moved on to the Herring Run. I’d seen some great pictures from some of my friends but when I got there the only wildlife was a few grackles.

I hung out for about an hour but nary a sea gull came to visit…lots of people but not much else.

Next stop the Grist Mill Pond in Plymouth.

Mr. Majestic was feeling his oats chasing the Canada Geese up and down the pond. Mrs. Majestic was still on her nest.

At one point he climbed up on the bank and after clearing the area of his pesky nemesis he performed what can only be called his victory dance!

Then off he sailed, head held high, obviously quite pleased with himself.

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Posted on May 5, 2013May 5, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Anyone read any good books lately? I just finished

Knock Out…….Catherine Coulter
Delusion in Death……J.D. Robb
Queen of the Night….J.A. Jance
The Whisperer……Carla Neggers

There seems to be a trend in my choice of novels. Some folks like Romance, some like Thrillers, some like Horror(you’ll never catch me with a Stephen King Novel…way too scary), some like biographies and so on.

I think you can call my choices Mystery with maybe a touch of paranormal tossed in.

Knock Out is one of Catherine Coulters FBI “Thrillers” but this one has more than a little paranormal/psychic thread to the plot. Fiction yes, but it does get you thinking about the so called “Power of the mind”. Its plot moves fast as 2 story lines keep our FBI heroes racing between bad guys in a desperate attempt to save everyone.

Delusion in Death by J. D. Robb is part of a series featuring a female homicide detective (Eve Dallas) for the NY City Police department and her super rich husband (Rourke) set in and around 2058. Each book in the series is a murder mystery as well as moving you through Dallas’s growth as a person. So far there are 34 books in this series.( J. D. Robb is a pen name for Nora Roberts.)

Queen of the Night a novel by J.A. Jance brings back some of her earlier characters. Located in Arizona there is the underlying theme of the Indian Reservations and Spiritual Beliefs. The novel is often sad when man’s inhumanity to man spills over to the youngest and most innocent of our society. But unlike “real life” there is someone there to rise to the challenge…good over comes evil but not without hardship and loss.

The Whisperer by Carla Neggers also brings back characters and plot themes from earlier novels but each story can stand alone if necessary. What I like about Carla Neggers is so many of her stories are set in New England…the Maine Coast, New Hampshire, Southie, Jamaica Plain, Beacon St, Boston…all real places to me. Her stories, including this one always have a heavy does of Ireland and Irish Folklore along with Boston PD, FBI and spies. So I recommend her to anyone who likes a bit of fairies and leprechauns thrown in with their murder investigations.

I don’t have the chance to read as much as I used to and stealing the time for these 4 novels has been a rare treat. Since some of my stolen time was time I would normally spend writing, it seems only fitting that I share these books with you. What have you been reading?

Reading, Writing and Real Estate?

Posted on May 4, 2013May 4, 2013 by Dusty Roads

They say no news is good news but it makes for boring writing.

That’s kind of where I am at the moment. I did hear back from the magazine publisher. I must admit they were very kind and encouraging. They told me they had decided to go with someone with “proven credentials”. They went on to suggest that I submit ideas and articles as a “Freelancer”. Once I’ve been published a few times doors will open for me or so they say.

So onto the next and that one is a clerical-type work from home position for a real estate firm. The job I applied for required a salesperson license, which I do not have, so I coughed up the $400.00 for the course fee and have been throwing myself into it with single-mindedness. I need to complete the 40 hour course which is being doled out in 4 hour increments to get a certificate that will let me take the state exam. That’s another $100. Then if I pass he exam there will be another fee for the license.

The firm decided to speak to me about another position that would not require the license to start but if I get that job I would still need to get the license eventually so I might as well bite the bullet and do it. Having the license will open up additional opportunities. I actually got in the door for a face- to – face interview for that position. The manager promised I’d hear by May 10. Fingers crossed but at the same time I kind of believe that if it’s meant to be it will be.

Unemployment found a position for me. The only one they had was for a bilingual dispatcher. The only problem is that I am not bilingual. English is my only language and sometimes I wonder about that! 🙂

The weather has been sunny and warm and the air is filled with pollen. Even with allergy pills I’m sneezing, coughing and dealing with itchy, runny eyes. Ah how we suffer for the beauty of flowers!

The 3 cats are doing better together. Smokey still tends to “Mix things up” with Buddy which is stupid on his part.

Buddy is probably 10 years younger and 2 lbs. heavier, which is a lot for a cat, plus Buddy has claws and Smokey does not. (I did not de-claw Smokey, he was that way when I got him). I think you can see that this isn’t going to end well for Smokey so I have been intervening. Rocky holds his own. I think in his case it’s just rough play.

Other than that I’ve done nothing but fret over my weight (but done nothing), read novels, and try to figure out where to go for new material for photos and this little corner. Judging from my lack of posts this week I think you know how that’s been going.

Counting down to the Alaska cruise.

I don’t know how the WIFI connection will be on the ship and I don’t plan to pay an arm and a leg for it so my posts may be spotty then too. But I’m sure the Alaska posts and photos will be worth waiting for.

Well, now you’re up to date with my life. I hadn’t forgotten you. Aroundustyroads is always on my mind. Thanks for hanging in! 🙂

Real Estate, Interviews and Alaska…Busy , Busy

Posted on May 1, 2013May 1, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Sorry I missed posting yesterday. I had an interview right in the middle of the day. I just couldn’t get myself settled enough to write and I didn’t want to jinx myself by talking about the interview before it was over.

The other excuse is that I need to buckle down again to finish the real estate licensing class. That’s four hours a day for 10 days not counting the additional studying. I’ve completed 8 hours and I’m working on the 3rd block of 4 hours. It would be nice if I could finish and get the test done before we leave for Alaska but it will be cutting it close.

I ‘m also staring at my home office that needs a major renovation and I haven’t taken even a baby step toward getting that done…ugh. I am feeling overwhelmed and I’m not even working. So much to do so little time.

Now you have my excuses so please bear with me over the next few weeks. I may be a bit “spotty” on my posts until we get back from Alaska but I know I’ll have tons to share from that.

Oh and speaking of Alaska I picked up our cruise documents and plane tickets. Other than confirming the dates were correct and that I had vouchers for everything I didn’t look at them too closely. Then I got an email from Princess Lines referring to changes. Again I glanced but didn’t look too closely. I had too many other things going on but my sister looked. She emailed me that we had a balcony room!

Well that got me moving and I looked it up. Sure enough. We were upgraded from an ocean view on the Baja deck to a Balcony on the Aloha deck. How cool is that!

I’m getting excited. Hard to believe it’s almost here!

A is for…

Posted on April 29, 2013April 29, 2013 by Dusty Roads

I was thinking about the upcoming Alaska trip and it hit me that after Alaska I will still have 2 more states that start with A to visit.
Arizona
Two visits to Arizona gave me memories of the Grand Canyon, Montezuma’s Castle, Meteor Crater to name just a few of the sights.

On my second trip I even got to share some of those experiences with my sister.

There’s still so much more to see there as well.

Slot Canyons and Monument Valley to the north and Saguaro National Park and Tombstone to the south and much more. I could plan return tips every year and not see it all.

Alaska

Coming up in just a couple of weeks is another “trip of a lifetime” but this one is to Alaska. From Vancouver to Anchorage by sea and the interior for a stay in Denali. We have a full schedule but once again we’ll only be scratching the surface. I’d love to see the bears of Katmai especially during the salmon run and the aurora borealis.

Alabama

Museums, battlefields, botanical gardens and nature trails. I’m sure there’s more. Usually when I start looking at a state more and more places of interest crop up. When we went to South Dakota the most common question I got was “What’s in South Dakota?”. Way more than you’d think but I’ll save that discussion for “S”.

Arkansas

And the 4th state starting with A is Arkansas. The thing that comes to mind first is The Clinton Library. National Geographic lists a drive through the Ozarks as one of the “Drives of a Lifetime” . Blanchard Springs Caverns are ranked among the most beautiful underground discoveries of the 20th century. National Parks, a diamond mine, civil war battlefields, even a restore antebellum town to explore, seems like Arkansas has a lot to offer when its turn come up.

So tell me, have you been to an “A” state? Do you live in one? What can you share about any of the “A’s”?