NAMESAKES

While I was out this past weekend, I passed a road construction project with a bunch of my namesakes parked until Monday.

What's that, you say?  You don't understand what I mean by "namesakes"?  They're road graders, aren't they? 

Well, yes, but it's the name of the road grader.  In case you missed it, here's a close-up.


To further clarify, they are Caterpillars . . shortened to Cat, just as my pen-name, Catalyst, is by some of my readers.

All hail Cats!

Mystery Train

Ever seen a railroad crossing like this one?

There don't seem to be any tracks!

And I gather this is some type of switching tool for changing tracks around but one of you old time railroad buffs will have to either confirm or correct that.

Well the fact of the matter is that this was once a roadbed for a railroad line but it's long abandoned and now has been converted into a trail for hiking.

Now that's nice but did you read the fine print carefully?

With that type of warning I think I'll confine my hiking to a nice enclosed shopping mall!

Watch List

If you're a fan of international intrigue, have I got a book, AND AN AUTHOR, for you!  The book is "Watch List" and the author is Steve Glossin.  Many of you may know Steve as a blogger who photographs and describes the antics of the squirrels he feeds on his balcony in Germany.  But Steve is also a writer.  He has published three books (available on Amazon as eBooks and instantly downloadable to your Kindle reader.)  They are, in addition to "Watch List", "Death Mask" and "Prophecy of the Medallion." 

I have just finished "Watch List", having read over half of it this afternoon.  It is a mesmerizing tale of the Knights of Malta and a modern-day brother and sister team searching for a secret from their ancestors going back centuries.  The Catholic Church, a Maltese Mafia and others are all involved.  If you like books by Robert Ludlum and his like, you'll love "Watch List" as the intrigue, the violence and, yes, the sex keep you turning pages.

I am proud to say that Steve Glossin is my friend but even if I'd never met him (on the Web) I would recommend this book. 

Enjoy!

Steve Glossin, Author

Mag 63

Kaleidoscope

That picture and that title brought back a lot

of old memories.

Over the years

I often thought of doing a regular radio program

Or a television show

Or a magazine

Or a newsletter.

I would call it “Kaleidoscope”

To indicate the variety to be found

Therein.

The years went by,

As did the jobs.

I never put together the radio program

Or the television show

Or the magazine

Or the newsletter.

But eventually I did put together a blog.

It ranges over a variety of subjects,

Features a variety of music,

And a variety of pictures.

And I called it:

Oddball Observations.

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

This was prompted by a sweet and talented lady named Tess Kincaid, aka Willow.  She began Magpie Tales back in February of 2010.  Each week she posts a photo and encourages, dares, stimulates her readers to compose a poem, a story or whatever prompted by the photo.  This week is the 63rd such week.  You can find submissions by other writers at Magpie Tales. 

So long, Phoebe

Phoebe Snow died today from complications of a brain hemmorhage she suffered last year. She was 60 years old and a great singer.



And Katie Couric made it official today.  She's moving on.

Birthday Dining Review

Yesterday was my birthday.  As my gift for the day, SWMBO said she was going to do all of the cooking and all of the cleaning up.  Now that is a treat!

I believe I have mentioned on previous occasions that my wife is an excellent cook.

So we started the day with breakfast, a meal we don't often eat anymore.  (I know, I know, it's the most important meal of the day but it's just too much for us to deal with that early in the day.)  I had no idea what was coming but it turned out to be one of my favorites: Eggs Benedict.  Delicious!

That allowed us to avoid lunch since the breakfast carried us right through to dinner.  And what a dinner!  I'm not sure that we have ever had these in our home: LOBSTER TAILS!  They were gigantic and were accompanied by a wonderful rice and vegetable dish, asparagus, and a salad with greens and strawberries.  I was in seventh heaven.

But a couple of hours later dessert was served.  Strawberry cheesecake with some more sliced strawberries on the side.  I went to bed a happy man.

Unfortunately, my camera instincts didn't kick in and I have no photos of the food.  But I can tell you that too many days like this will further convince me to never go to a public beach again.

No, no, that's not me.  I have never owned a Speedo!

Call the fire department - - no wait!

What on earth is causing those flames???

Oh, never mind.  They just lit the candles on my birthday cake.

71 and counting.

And to those of you who mark the day - Happy Easter.