Tag Archives: cats

A Day in the Life of a Retired, Car‑Free, Cat‑Ruled Creator

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The Big Change: Goodbye, Car

Some people downsize their homes when they retire. I downsized my driving.

After three years and a whopping 5,000 miles, I realized my car was basically a very expensive lawn ornament. Once the daily commute vanished, my driving shrank to quick errands and the occasional entertainment day trip. So I let it go. Honestly, that’s probably the biggest shift in my life lately — and surprisingly, I don’t miss it.

Sleepy person in a robe holding a coffee cup with messy hair, sitting in a chair under bold text reading “Monday 5:30 am.The Weekend Mystery

Here’s the funny part: Even without a job, I still prefer weekends.

My routines don’t change. The schedule stays the same. Responsibilities remain exactly where I left them. And yet… Sunday night still ties my stomach in a knot like I’m about to face a pop quiz on Monday morning. Apparently, some habits survive retirement.

The IRS Incident (A.K.A. The Heart Attack That Wasn’t)

Let’s talk about the day I nearly met my maker.

I use USPS Informed Delivery — a free service that emails you a preview of your mail. Usually helpful. Occasionally horrifying.

At 8 AM, I opened my Daily Digest and saw it: A letter from the IRS.

The IRS! What could they possibly want? My taxes were filed. My refund was received. I hadn’t robbed Fort Knox or started a secret offshore casino. And yet there it was… a government envelope with my name on it.

The mail wouldn’t arrive until 1 or 2 PM, which meant I had five hours to imagine every worst‑case scenario known to mankind. I paced around the room, fretting over every possibility. At one point I even started mentally drafting my own obituary.

By the time the mail truck finally rolled up, I was a wreck. With shaking hands, I tore open the envelope and discovered…

A solicitation.  No audit. No penalty. And absolutely no summons lurking inside. Just a cheerful little note informing me I was eligible for a government match of up to $1,000 if I opened an IRA.

If I had extra money, I’d still have a car — so into the circular file it went. My hands needed a few minutes to stop vibrating.

Morning: Powered by Cats and CoffeeTwo cats sitting on a light-colored carpet near a window, one orange and one black, relaxing beside a cat tree in a cozy indoor space.

But let’s rewind. Before IRS‑induced panic attacks, my day starts with my furry alarm clocks.

Retired people supposedly need a reason to get up in the morning. I have two: Banner and Balboa, who demand breakfast no later than 6 AM. One of them will wake me — gently if I’m lucky, aggressively if I’m not.

They eat. They go back to bed. I log onto the computer and begin my morning ritual.

Step 1: Facebook Patrol

  • Visit my personal page
  • Vote for Joe in the Best of Florida contest
  • Check notifications
  • Make sure the internet hasn’t imploded overnight

Step 2: Creator Duties

I run two pages:

  • Dusty Roads Photos
  • Sights and Scenes of an Everyday Person

I check for:

  • Posts that need to be made
  • Tasks Facebook wants me to complete for “maximum exposure”
  • Anything that belongs on my daily task list

Step 3: Blog Headquarters

Over to AroundDustyRoads.com:

  • Add writing tasks
  • Plan WMEO mayhem
  • Make notes for future posts

Tipped-over laundry basket with colorful clothes spilling out beside two detergent bottles on a white surface.Step 4: Adulting

  • Check all four email accounts
  • Check both bank accounts (because forgetting to log something is my superpower)
  • Check my calendar: doctors, dentists, lawyers, Indian chiefs — whoever wants a piece of me today
  • Check chore schedules: laundry, cleaning, errands

By the time I finish all that, it’s practically lunchtime.

Midday: The Domestic Intermission

I take a break from screen time to:Black cat standing near a sliding glass door looking outside while an orange cat walks across the carpet toward the door in natural light.

  • Clean the kitty litter
  • Bag the trash
  • Hand out kitty treats
  • Make breakfast
  • Shower

Then it’s back to work — creator work, that is.

Afternoon: The Job I Love (Even If It Doesn’t Pay)

Person sitting at a round wooden table using a laptop, with a notebook and small items nearby in a cozy indoor workspace.I tackle my task list:

  • Post photos
  • Write blog entries
  • Manage pages
  • Keep the creator machine humming

Believe it or not, this fills the entire day. Retirement isn’t lounging on a beach — it’s running a one‑woman media empire with two feline interns.

Evening: The Cozy Shift

By evening, I’m ready to unwind:Cover of the book “Fury in Death” by J.D. Robb featuring swirling fiery orange and yellow designs over a dark background with a city skyline silhouette.

  • A book
  • The TV
  • Balboa curled in my lap
  • Banner stretched at my feet like a fluffy orange dog

People ask me all the time: “Aren’t you bored? What do you do all day?”

The answer is simple: No, I’m not bored. I’m busy. My blog and creator pages are my job…

Some people think retirement means I’m available 24/7, just sitting around eating bon bons and waiting for their call. Let me assure you: the only ones who get that kind of access are my cats — and even they have to wait until I finish my morning checklist.

I may not get paid, but the satisfaction is priceless. My paycheck comes in the form of joy, creativity, and that little spark of accomplishment when I finish a post or a project. I work for myself now — and let me tell you, I’m the strictest boss I’ve ever had.

 And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

 

WMEO Commentary- “Cats & Birds: A Complicated Friendship”

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A fluffy orange cat sits on top of a kitchen stove, surrounded by countertop items, looking relaxed and slightly alert as he prepares to “anchor” from the kitchen.

⭐ WMEO Commentary: Live from the Lifestyle Desk

WMEO Anchor:

Banner Good afternoon. I’m Banner, reporting live from the kitchen because it’s comfortable and I was already here. Today’s top story: Cats and pet birds — friends, foes, or football snacks?A black cat with bright green eyes sits calmly while a blue‑and‑yellow budgerigar perches on top of the cat’s head against a soft, muted background.

We begin with a heartwarming historical report: Pitty Pat the Parakeet and Mittens the cat once lived together peacefully, proving that some cats can, in fact, behave themselves around birds.

Unfortunately, not all cats share Mittens’ enlightened worldview.

Field Reporter: Balboa

Balboa joins us from the hallway, where he has issued a formal statement:

“Birds are snack food with wings. Humans eat wings during football. I’m just following tradition.”

WMEO Legal would like to remind viewers that pet birds are not buffalo wings, but Balboa insists he is simply “respecting game‑day culture.”

A black cat sits on sandy ground facing a seagull with its wings partly spread and beak open, creating a tense standoff near the water’s edge.Experts believe Balboa’s stance may be influenced by his traumatic encounter with a seagull, who attempted to steal his microphone, his notes, and possibly his soul. Balboa has not forgiven the bird community.

Roving Reporter: Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin Spice briefly checked in from atop the refrigerator, noting that “some birds are friendly, but others have… questionable motives.” He declined further comment and demanded snacks.

Pumpkin Spice — field reporter with his press pass and camera.

WMEO Conclusion While some cats, like Mittens, embrace feathered friendship… others, like Balboa, believe birds belong on the menu. WMEO encourages all viewers to remember:

Birds are friends, not football snacks — even if they do have wings.

Banner will now return to his nap.

A fluffy orange cat lies on his back on a carpeted floor near a sunlit sliding glass door, paws curled toward his chest as he relaxes in a warm patch of light.

WMEO will return to its usual professional newsroom setup in our next report… just as soon as we round up the staff, bribe Balboa out of the hall, and get Pumpkin Spice off the refrigerator.

empty news desk with microphone, toy mouse and teddy bear

WMEO News Update – Midday Report

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Pumpkin Spice, an orange tabby cat, lies slumped over the WMEO 9 news desk with his head resting on the surface. A small brown teddy bear sits beside him, and a black microphone lies tipped over in front. The blue studio backdrop and WMEO logo create a humorous newsroom scene.

⭐ WMEO News Update — Wednesday 11:30

Pumpkin Spice (at the news desk): “Good afternoon. WMEO is live. Banner and Balboa are in the field, and I have been abandoned.”

Alert brown squirrel standing upright on green grass, facing the camera with its bushy tail raised behind it.

Banner (crackly field audio): “Banner reporting. I’m interviewing Sir Chittersworth, squirrel about town,  about winter prep. He says nut‑gathering is at an all‑time high.”

Sir Chittersworth: angry chittering

Banner: “He just stole my pen.”

Black cat crouched on sand facing an aggressive seagull with wings spread and beak open near the water’s edge.Balboa (shouting over wind): “Balboa reporting— I was supposed to interview a migratory bird, but a seagull just attacked me! It stole my notes!”

Balboa: “It took my microphone! WHY DOES IT WANT MY MICROPHONE!”

Seagull: loud, hostile squawking

Pumpkin Spice (sliding off the desk): “I have requested a transfer back to field reporting immediately.”

WMEO 9 news desk with a knocked‑over microphone, a gray toy mouse, and a small brown teddy bear placed on the papers in front of the blue studio backdrop.

WMEO Management: “We will now be ending our midday report and apologize for… whatever that was. Thanks for watching.”

Disclaimer:
No cats were harmed during the making of this report. Balboa’s microphone, however, did not survive.

 

WMEO Late Breaking News — New Cat Species Discovered

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Two cats sitting behind a WMEO 9 news desk, an orange cat in a black bow tie and a black cat with a toy mouse and teddy bear, with a studio screen behind them showing a spotted wild cat and the headline “NEW CAT SPECIES IDENTIFIED.”

🐾 Dateline: Taunton, MA — This is a late‑breaking bulletin from WMEO: We Meow, You Listen.

Reporting live from the Nature Desk, here’s Banner with the latest update.

Banner: “Big news today, folks. It’s not every day science discovers a new species of cat. In fact, it’s almost suspicious.”

Balboa: “That’s right. We don’t need new species. We were good enough for the Egyptians — we should be good enough now.”

Banner: “Balboa is referring to the fact that ancient Egyptians worshiped cats as gods. But that has absolutely nothing to do with this story. A small wildcat known as the Atacama Tiger Cat was identified in Bolivia in 2016. WMEO has confirmed it weighs three pounds. Three. Pounds. That’s smaller than Balboa’s ego.”

Balboa: “2016?! What took them so long to tell us? Why the big secret? Were they afraid we’d unionize?”

Banner: “Sources say the cat is about 18 inches long, stripy, extremely cute, and definitely a wild cat — not a housecat, not adoptable, and not interested in sharing your couch.”

Close-up of a small spotted wild cat sitting against a black background, showing its patterned coat, large eyes, and long banded tail.

Pumpkin Spice, WMEO’s roving reporter, lounging on a hay bale in full autumn colors.

Roving Reporter, Pumpkin Spice

Balboa: “Pumpkin Spice volunteered to cover the story. He claims he speaks fluent Tiger Cat. We doubt it. He barely speaks housecat.”

Banner: “WMEO will continue monitoring this developing situation. Stay tuned for updates as our field reporter attempts to make contact — or at least avoid getting hissed at.”

Two cats sitting behind a WMEO 9 news desk, an orange cat in a black bow tie and a black cat with a toy mouse, teddy bear, and playing cards, with a studio backdrop and “Thank you for watching” displayed on the desk.

 

This concludes our WMEO Special Report. We Meow — You Listen. Thanks for watching… Balboa insists you applaud.

 

Living With Banner & Balboa: A Cat Household I Still Don’t Understand

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Two cats sit among dozens of bright orange pumpkins in an outdoor pumpkin patch. Banner, a medium‑haired orange cat, sits upright on a pumpkin, while Balboa, a sleek black cat, rests a paw on another pumpkin beside him. Rows of pumpkins fill the background, with trees and distant buildings visible, creating a colorful autumn scene.

Cats I’ve Known… and Still Don’t UnderstandA bald man with a beard and glasses stands against a plain white background. He wears a purple shirt with rolled‑up sleeves, a gray vest, and multiple bracelets. His tattooed arms are crossed as he looks directly at the camera with a confident expression.

I’ve lived with cats my whole life, and I still don’t understand them. I’m no Jackson Galaxy — I’m barely Jackson Cul‑de‑Sac. Every cat I’ve ever had has been their own brand of strange, but Banner and Balboa have taken things to a whole new level.

An orange cat rests on a desk beside a black coffee mug with a “Java Joe’s Coffee” logo. Papers and small electronic items are scattered around the workspace, and the cat appears relaxed, lying close to the mug.Meet Banner: The Chunky Orange Desk Ornament

Banner is my medium‑haired, chunky orange boy who believes my desk is his personal lounge. He stretches across my keyboard like he’s claiming territory.

Pet him too much? He bites. Stop petting him too soon? He bites. Banner believes biting is a love language.

He loves paper bags and the crinkly cat tunnel — but only if it’s placed directly in the middle of the living room like a trip hazard. Move it two inches? It becomes dead to him.

Wet food? Banner tries to bury it like it’s a crime scene. Crunchies only, please.

Meet Balboa: The Black Streak of ChaosA black cat sits comfortably inside a large cardboard box filled with crumpled brown packing paper. The cat looks relaxed, nestled among the paper, with wooden furniture visible in the background.

Balboa is a completely different brand of weird.

Crinkly treat bags? Terrifying. I opened a bag of corn chips and he evaporated — one moment head‑butting me, the next a black streak fleeing the room.

Banner’s beloved tunnel? Balboa pretends it doesn’t exist. He ran through it once last week and immediately regretted it.

But give him a cardboard box and packing paper and he’ll crinkle and rearrange until everything meets his artistic standards. Then he curls up inside like a cozy little gremlin.

A black cat lies on a textured gray surface with one front paw extended, showing small, partially visible claws. The cat rests its head on the fabric and looks relaxed, with soft lighting highlighting its dark fur and the texture of the material.Balboa’s Signature Move: The Needle‑Claw Attention Tap

When Balboa wants attention, he doesn’t bite — he pricks. Tiny, deliberate needle‑claws, just enough to say “Notice me,” but not enough to draw blood. It’s like being tapped by a very small, very demanding sewing machine.

Doorbell Drama: Two Cats, Two Reactions

Doorbell rings? Balboa becomes a ghost, usually hiding behind the headboard. Banner becomes a Walmart greeter, racing me to the door like he’s expecting company.

The WMEO Chaos Crew

They are opposites in every possible way… but they’re my team, my chaos crew, the heart of WMEO.

Two cats sit behind a winter weather news desk. Banner, an orange cat wearing a red scarf with a snowflake charm, sits beside a white mug labeled “WMEO I ❤️ Weather.” Balboa, a black cat, sits next to a small brown suitcase with a “Key West or Bust!!” sticker and a boarding pass sticking out. A microphone sits between them, and a weather map showing snowy conditions appears in the background with text like “Below-Normal Colder” and “El Niño.” The desk displays “WMEO 9” and “WMEO Winter Desk Live.”

Cooperative? Never. Entertaining? Always.