I might have magical powers, as it seems my prayers for rain were more then answered. Wednesday morning we woke up to overcast skies and a good steady rain falling. But by Thursday afternoon, the same overcast skies and steady rain was kinda getting old - although I really wasn't complaining!

I did just the minimal required chores in the dog yard, which was fine with the dogs who wanted to stay curled up in their houses anyway. I spent most of the day catching up with some inside work.

I did find a bit of time for some not so productive, raining day things - namely some reading. Any of you that have visited the house know I love books and my reading tastes span a pretty wide spectrum. I also like to mix up more serious reads with some 'lighter' ones. So I was pretty happy when the new 'Jessie Arnold' book arrived in the mail. For those of you not familiar with Sue Henry's mushing heroin, Jessie was first introduced in "Murder On The Iditarod Trail" a slightly campy but enjoyable mystery set, you guessed it, on the Iditarod Trail.

Over the years I've read all of the series - quick, easy stories that are a nice break from more serious tales and heavier reads - and I've come to a conclusion - I want Jessie Arnold's life.

Not that I don't love my own life - I surely do, but Jessie seems to have all the 'perks' in my life - and none of the hard stuff. Yeah sure, the occasional dead body shows up on her dog trails and folks are occasionally shooting at her or trying to burn her to a crisp in cabin fires - but she never seems to be fretting over sponsorship, her dog yard chores take a mere line in a paragraph and training runs are put on hold without concern. In this most recent book, she and her handsome state trooper boyfriend are actually planning a 10 day trip 'Outside' over Christmas. I wish (for the trip, I mean - not the 'handsome, state trooper boyfriend'. I'm pretty happy with my handsome electrician husband).

Jessie was portrayed by Kate Jackson in the TV movie version of 'Murder on the Iditarod Trail'. I'm still looking for the checkpoint with the hot tub and drinks with little umbrellas in them that Jessie enjoys on her Iditarod. Eight years and I still haven't found it.

I also covet Jessie's team, well, maybe not her team, but as well trained a team as hers. I nearly choked on coffee when I read the paragraph that had her planting her snow hooks and walking back behind her team to check on something she had run over on the trail - especially since this was her first training run of the season on a sled!! 

Even with Kara, my version of Jessie's beloved leader, Tank, in lead I'd still be chasing that team through the woods of Alaska.

Jessie's evening also often includes dropping by the neighborhood bar for a drink and a game of pool with friends. Mine?? Well, they usually involve a TV show or two, while bustling around answering emails, doing laundry, or other such menial chores - and then collapsing into bed early so I'm ready for the next day's early morning.

Ah well, I must get on with my day. It may not involve a weekend helping friends fix up a light house or a riverboat cruise on the Yukon River, but I do have to run into Perryvale to pick up the mail!!!

And btw, this morning the sun is shining and the skies are blue. You just couldn't ask for a prettier morning, with mist and raindrops still hanging on the trees - straight out of a novel!
 
Karen