2011 - Day Three Hundred Sixty Five; Saturday...

Let me get the proselytizing over with, and then we will move on...

pros·e·ly·tize (prs-l-tz)
v. pros·e·ly·tized, pros·e·ly·tiz·ing, pros·e·ly·tiz·es
v.intr.
1. To induce someone to convert to one's own religious faith.
2. To induce someone to join one's own political party or to espouse one's doctrine.
v.tr.
To convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another.

Maybe proselytizing is not really what I am going to do, because I am not trying to win anyone over...maybe it is more of an admission that good advice is easy to give, and difficult to accept or take action on. You be the judge...

If you were looking for a short entry today, you may want to log out and come back another day.

This is the end of my THIRD YEAR of this journal. I did miss one day this year because of technical difficulties (Internet was out), but I cannot believe I have been doing this on a daily basis for that length of time.

Every entry I write ends the same way:

Deeds: Do a good deed for someone, particularly someone that is not expecting it of you. You do have the ability to change the lives of everyone you meed throughout the course of your day. It does not have to be anything big, it can be something as simple as a smile, a recognition or a thank you.

Actions: Actions go right along with deeds. If you say you are going to do something, then do it. Actions do not have to be big either. BUT, even small things can make the difference in someones life. PAY IT FORWARD. Do something nice for someone. Hold the door open for them. If someone is having a hard time, shut up and let them talk. Be a good listener. You can do it, I know you can.

Changes: Make small changes in your life. Those changes will have a reverberating effect on EVERYONE around you. If you start an exercise program (I am not advocating that, I am just using it as an example) and feel better about yourself, that change will be felt by everyone around you. The best thing you can do for yourself and those around you, is to fall in love. That will really make a positive change in your life. You will be happier, and everyone around you will recognize it, and they will be happier too. I highly recommend it. I have been in love for twenty years, so I know of what I preach!

Kindnesses: My friend Kay posted something to her FaceBook page tonight: Please, Thank You, You Are Very Welcome, RSVP (that means tell them if you are going to attend, it does not mean ignore it), I'm Sorry, Pardon me. Now this is where I take over. What is so hard about that. If you have done something to offend someone, just apologize. DO NOT SAY, I am sorry if I offended you. JUST APOLOGIZE! Do not make your apology conditional. You either need to apologize or not.

Whirled Peas: You have either figured it out by now or you have not. If you haven't, there is really no hope for you. Please close this program, turn off your computer and go to bed.

FUN! For God's sake. Try to laugh everyday. Twice a day is better. Laughing will make you live longer, and statistically speaking, people who have more birthdays live longer. You cannot argue with that.

There. I am done with that. Except for this. How many times have I lost my way this year? There were 365 days in this year, and I am certain I lost my way at least that many times. I missed at least that many opportunities to make a positive change in someones life, and I did not take it. I have been selfish on many occasions. I took the easier road many times. I took the path of least resistance time after time after time. Although I consider myself to be a better person now than I was ten or twenty years ago, I still have a LOT of room for improvement. I will try to do better.

I did rekindle some old friendships and I am happy about that. I said things to some of my closest friends that I am not sorry to have said, but those words did not really have any kind of benefit to either party. There is a big difference between being honest and open, and being hurtful. I will try to remember that. No guarantees, I am only human.

Happy New Year, God Bless You, and I love you all...

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

Orchid has a new calf, and I am going to name HIM (I am pretty sure it is a him) NEWBIE. One of my New Year Resolutions is to get all the paperwork on the cattle brought up to date. We shall see. He is a pretty little boy, I think he is a couple days old, so that is what I will call it. That makes EIGHT calves this year, and two of them were from Orchid.

Jody and I went out and did our part to stimulate the economy. We started at CostCo and that was fun, took off to IKEA where it was more fun, and ended up at Dairy Queen where it was just as much fun. IKEA was out of something we wanted (Okay, I went back to IKEA only to find out the item was out of stock), but it is supposed to be available at 10AM tomorrow morning. Guess who will be there at 10AM tomorrow morning?

Hubert came over today and sowed about twenty acres of pasture with oats and some blackland prairie seed that I have had for a couple years. Now all we need is rain.

I am sitting here with a glass of wine, and basking in the fact that I am the luckiest man in the world. Thanks!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, HAPPINESS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Sixty Four; Friday...

Okay people, you have one more day before we start an entirely New Year. Are you ready?

Today was a really short day in the office, the phones were relatively quiet, so I left by about 11:30. Of course, then my phone started ringing, and it did not stop until around four o'clock this afternoon. But I was home, so that was some consolation.

I am having chicken issues. One of the Vera's is acting strangely for the second day in a row. It may have something to do with the rooster (should that be capitalized) and the attention he is paying to her. Whatever it is, she is acting oddly, and I do not want to lose another chicken. I may have to lose the rooster. We shall see.

Jody and I went into Georgetown tonight for dinner at an Italian Restaurant called Tony & Luigi's. Our friend Janice had recommended it to us a few weeks ago, and we had intended to eat there ever since we first noticed it a couple years ago. BUT, we did make it tonight, and it was a very good experience. Good food, good atmosphere and good service. We will go back again. On the way into Georgetown this evening, we passed by a wreck and one of the cars was laying upside down. I do not know if there were any injuries, but no one looked there was any panic situations. It is amazing how automobile engineering has advanced so you can walk away from auto accidents. Interesting.

On the way home, we drove around the courthouse square in Georgetown to admire the light displays. They have done a really good job, very tastefully done, not gaudy or overly commercial. Very nice and relatively understated. This photo is a sample of the prettiness!

Tomorrow will be (if it goes according to plan) a kind of busy day. We need to go into Austin, and I think there is a trip to Ikea planned. I need to check out some office furniture for some transitions we have planned for the office next week. I am kind of tired already, just thinking about it.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, LIGHTS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Sixty Three; Thursday...

We are coming down to the wire boys and girls. Two more days and this old year will be history. Out with the old, in with the New Year...

I think there is always a positive feeling when we begin a New Year, but this time it seems a little bit different. We are actually going into the New Year with clients, customers and business on the books. Smells good for real estate and all of our REALTOR colleagues in the Capital City. Bring it on!

This morning I participated in an Austin Board of REALTORS Governmental Affairs and TREPAC check presentation to Congressman Lloyd Doggett. He is a good man, a friend of the real estate industry, an advocate of what is good for Texans and a long time supporter of property owner rights. He has a tough fight in front of him, and it will be an interesting election year to say the least.

Going in to the office tomorrow for the last time this year.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, POLITICS!, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Sixty Two; Wednesday...

It was a lovely sunrise this morning, and it was the precursor to a really nice day. I stayed home a little bit longer this morning, just because traffic is not nearly as much trouble during this Holiday week as it usually is.

There have been tremendous accomplishments in the office, getting things ready for the new year. AND IT IS BUSY! People coming out of the woodwork for both sales, listings and property management. Life should be good next year, and that is a good thing.

Early appointment tomorrow, and then more office doings. Life is good!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, SUNRISES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Sixty One; Tuesday...

Well, only four days left for me to come up with something profound to extol upon all of you going into the New Year. I may actually wait until January 1st to be profound, that way I buy myself an extra day.

A very quiet day in the office today. Finished listening to my book on CD, and will start the next one tomorrow. I expect the remainder of the week to be quiet, getting things organized for the New Year, and closing all the books on this one.

A great dinner tonight; a nice salad, creme of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Even though we are up to our eyeballs in candy, cookies, pies and assorted sweets, there will be nothing for me tonight. I will make due with my pop-sicle and be happy. A nice fire in the stove, and the day layed out in front of it, what more could be needed?

Deeds, Actions, Changes, HAPPINESS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Sixty; Monday...

Well, there are only five more days to go before this year is kaput! Tomorrow is a work day, and I am already looking forward to the next three day weekend. True that, but I am also looking forward to a fresh start in the new year. Who's with me?

Today was a really nice and calm day. Cloudy and overcast for the most part but I did go out and sweep leaves and chicken poop off the patios, and it looks great. Soggy leaves and soggy chicken poop are much easier to clean than the ordinary dry crispy kind of leaves and chicken poop. It gives the broom something to cling to!

We did go into Georgetown and have a spoiler )compliments of Keith the manager) and then we went to Beall's. I was hoping to find a couple pairs of slacks and maybe some shoes on sale. Could not find any slacks that interested me, did not bother to look at the shoes, and decided I did not want to go to Kohl's. We did make a stop at HEB to pick up a few things, and came on home.

I have been reading 'In Cold Blood' and it is a truly interesting book. I can see that Truman Capote was a successful writer, so I may try for 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' next.

I got five eggs from the girls today. Yes, I know, one of the girls is not a girl, but then again, I am not expecting to get any eggs from him either. I made a pile of eggs this morning for breakfast, and that was good. The blue/green eggs are expected to get larger as the girls get older, so we will see about that.

It has been a truly lazy Holiday, and that has been jut fine for the two of us. We shall see what this week brings and what the New Year has in store.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, EGGS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Nine; Sunday...

Christmas Day, 2011. I hope you all had a lovely day with the ones you care about. Your logical families if not your biological families.

We spent a nice quiet day on the edge of nowhere. Took the dog boy for a walk this morning and then for a ride. Then we went down for naps before going to dinner at our friends Michael and Lynda's. We did make it home before dark, and I cleaned the ash out of the wood stove. Working on getting a fire started right now.

Three blue eggs and one brown egg for today. It has been another cold and rainy day with the accompanying grey skies. I cannot blame the chickens for not laying, it is pretty miserable weather outside. This is a photo of the chicken we strongly suspect of being a rooster. We have been pretty lucky in getting only hens, so eleven of the twelve chicks we got are hens, and we are still not too sure of this one, but it is bigger than the rest, and there is a pretty good chance he will be the cock of the walk.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BOY CHICKENS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Eight; Saturday...

I had the good sense to get out and feed the cattle and take them hay before the rain actually started in earnest this morning. Everyone was accounted for, and all happy that they were getting some yummy feed and fresh hay. As I was walking back to the house with my serious jacket, the rain started pelting on my hood, and I got inside without too much precipitation actually penetrating anything.

These grey, gloomy winter like days really remind me of when I was MUCH younger (fifty years ago maybe) when we were living in Michigan, and I would go out pheasant hunting with my dad and some of his friends. I still have his shot gun, but it is the look of the sky that takes me back more than anything else. Just the way it looks.

Although I do not AT ALL agree with many of their philosophies or their political (and discriminatory) professions, it is hard to beat an Oreo Cookie Milk Shake from Chick-Fil-A. So, instead of going in for a spoiler at Dairy Queen today, we headed into Georgetown for lunch and had chicken salad sandwiches, fries and shakes. Delicious, even though...well, you know...

When we got home it was time for naps. The girl cat has been making her presence known more frequently lately. We have lived here three years, and we were aware that she roamed and explored around the house at night when we were in bed. She used to catch mice somewhere in the house, and she thought it was just grand to present them to Jody in the dark of the night. So, when the opportunity came this afternoon to take this photo of her in front of the wood stove, I took it. And three or four others.

Our friend Mike from Florida called to wish us a Merry Christmas this afternoon, and for dinner tonight we had tamales courtesy of our friend Chris. We have been racking up goodies from a variety of sources and we are truly blessed and happy for all the wonderful friends in our lives.

Overall it was a nice quiet and relaxing day, and the same is expected for tomorrow. We will head out to visit Michael and Lynda tomorrow and enjoy dinner with them. A fine time will be had by all...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, KITTY CATS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Seven; Friday...

I have felt like it was Friday for the last three or four days, so now that it actually IS Friday, it is kind of anti-climactic. Kind of. But I am very happy that it is Friday, and even happier that tomorrow is Saturday, which (I hope) means I can sleep in a while. Not that I will, but that I can if I want to. I will try.

I was in the office this morning about 7:30, and left about 11. Traffic was a dream on the way in, I do not think anyone worked today, at least our parking lot was deserted, except for our office, and closed 'officially' at noon. Independent contractors pretty much means you can come and go as you please, so I think Chris was in the office until after 4 this afternoon between appointments.

When I left the office, I had LOTS of errands to do. Chicken feed, bird seed, cinnamon rolls, pies, various electronics cables, wine, and various other goodies. I even made it to Georgetown twice, and did not stop for a spoiler. I am close to being back in training, so I let the spoiler slide today. There is always tomorrow. I do intend to go back into Georgetown for a little bit more shopping.

This is a picture of four of the new chickens. I am hesitant to keep referring to them as the 'new girls' because we have a sneaky suspicion that one of them is not a girl. We believe the black and white one (second from the right) is a cock. I heard some morning crowing last weekend, and there are no other chickens around us. AND that particular chicken is much bigger than the others. SO, I need a little more verification, but I suspect we have a cock in the chicken coop! Time will tell...

Tomorrow morning, depending on the rain (it has rained every other day this week, and supposed to start again late tonight) I want to pick up tree limbs that are down all around the property. I think Hubert may come and sow some wheat in the pastures next week, so I need to clean up one of the pastures, and all around the house there is tree limbs down. That will be a good thing to try and accomplish in the morning.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, A COCK IN THE COOP, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Six; Thursday...

I am just wishing my life away. All week long it seemed to me like it should have been later in the week than it really was. Today still seems like Friday, even though I am fully aware that it is only (and has been all day) Thursday.

Okay, just to be pishy, every one is talking about this being the shortest day of the year; well, I think all the days are pretty much equal, but today may be the day of the year with the least amount of daylight (for us). Other than those that live 'equatorially' there are solstices that cause more and/or less day light depending on the time of year. BUT, most days are pretty much the same length as the next one, or the one before. As I said, I am just trying to be argumentative here, for really no good reason at all, except that I can be. AND that fact has no real correlation with the kind of day I had one way or another. I'm just sayin...

Today was also (like) the second day this week that I made it home before dark. Looking back to the pasture, I noticed that one of the gates was open. Not a customary event AT ALL. So, I went back there, took an inventory of the cattle (all accounted for) and closed the gate and latched it. I guess I left it open on Sunday but that is not something I take very casually. There were no fresh tracks of any kind, so it must have been me. This is a photo of the three newest calves, all looking cute as bugs, and all happy to play and run and jump. FUN!

I hope to take half of the day off tomorrow. I plan to go in in the morning, and leave about 11 or 11:30. Then, believe it or not, I am off to CostCo and then maybe a little more shopping before I make it home. Should be fun. I am storing up patience.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, OPEN GATES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Five; Wednesday...

I did a tour of quickie-marts in South Austin today, looking for something that must remain a secret for now. If I were to tell you what I was looking for, it would ruin the surprise. BUT, at the final stop on my quest, I did see this display of nutritional food items for purchase. I think it pretty much covers most of the food groups; yellow, red, blue and green. I think it is a fair statement that I have not seen that much crap in one place in a really long time. It's been a long time since I had a twinkie, and I have to admit I was tempted...

Exciting progress was made in the office today, and for that I am happy. I am actually getting a head-start on the New Year, so that is a good thing. I can take off for the Holiday and not have anything nagging in the back of my little pea-brain.

Property management meeting tomorrow, then Meals-On-Wheels, then screwing off for the rest of the afternoon. I will go into the office on Friday, but I expect it will be a short day. We will see...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, EMPTY CALORIES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Four; Tuesday...

You know, there has never been any real political overtones to this journal. Well, okay, except for the photo-shopped picture of the Governor of Texas with Richard Simmons behind him. I have to tell you, all I have to do is THINK about that picture and I laugh out loud. I think it is good enough to post again today*. BUT, I digress. What brought this all about is the CRAP that is going on in Washington. The District of Columbia Washington, not the salmon swimming up the streams that no longer exist Washington.

I am of a good mind to not play with these folks anymore, and if I, in my usually passive-it-will-all-work-out-okay-and-it-will-all-get-sorted-out-in-the-end kind of way is having these ideas, I can only imagine what a bunch of non-registered I-have-no-purpose-but-I-have-a-sign-and-a-crayon occupier types are thinking. My opinion is, these folks that were elected (many of them not by me) need to watch out. I smell change, and they need to figure all this shit out. I am not supposed to be as smart as them, so FIX IT and FIX IT NOW!

Whatever.

We now return to our regularly scheduled rants...

The Boy Dog is feeling better, thank many of you for checking in on him. Winding down to the Holidays. I have a couple meetings tomorrow, one is a telephone conference call, and another in the office late afternoon.

*That is the first time I have ever re-run a photo. The credit goes to Richard not to Rick. Richard makes me laugh, Rick makes my cry.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, RANTS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Three; Monday...

Wow, today was a busy day. I sent out four Property Management Contracts, Reviewed two sales contracts for colleagues and talked with two other potential clients. Crazy. But, I will take it, bring it on!

One of my FB friends actually had the nerve to complain about the rain today. Probably not so much the rain, but the prolonged grey skies and damp and cloudy weather. I hope none of the weather Gods were paying attention at the time.

It rained all the way home on me this afternoon. When I was leaving Austin, it was not really raining, just dribbly. These clouds were still in Austin around the University of Texas. The building you see at the bottom of the photo (for those of you that are not from these parts) is the LBJ Presidential Library on the University of Texas Campus. Pretty clouds.

BUT, the further north I got, the stranger it was becoming. The sky turned a weird yellowish color, and it rained pretty hard, and that followed me the rest of the way home.

Tomorrow is another day.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, RAIN, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty Two; Sunday...

Well, the dog is still not feeling really that well, he had me up twice during the night to let him out. Better than not letting him out, though! Jody may take him to the vet tomorrow, not sure. At one point this afternoon, his teeth were chattering like he was freezing cold, no idea what this is all about, but he seems to be making some slow positive progress.

If you are going to make a pile of eggs, chances are you will end up with a pile of egg shells. I am not sure why we are keeping these shells, the compost pile is full, and nothing else will fit in it, so we are just making a pile of shells. Kind of interesting though.

I went out this morning and fed the cattle and gave them a fresh bale of hay, all were accounted for and the newest calf (named him Junior) is bouncing around like a little kid. All is well.

Jody and I went into Austin today, where I was previewing a property for management, and then I went to Burlington Coat Factory and got nine pairs of socks. If I have to wear long pants and (more frequently) suits, at least I can have stylish socks. And they have the cheapest socks. You get what you pay for, but I see absolutely no reason to wear the same socks for years and years. Socks should have a six month life span, that's it. No need to prolong the inevitable.

Oh, and of course, we stopped at Dairy Queen for spoilers. I had a small, working my way back down to some kind of discipline, one spoiler at a time.

This week should be kind of quiet compared to last week. We shall see...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, SOCKS, YES!, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty One; Saturday...

Slept in a little bit this morning, but I am not sure by whose measure I am judging that. My own I guess. I did not get up until after 5, and the Boy Dog had not moved but maybe six inches overnight. We were both pretty worried about him, and I was relieved that he was still breathing this morning, but that was about all. Throughout the day he has made good progress, and he has taken some water, a little bit of food, and he has gone outside to pee. All positive signs, and he is making a good come back from whatever in the hell he ate that nearly killed him. We are hoping no one tried to poison him or anything else around here, but I am not thinking that is what it was. He just ate something that was very attractive to him (like he was gonna miss a meal) and t really made him sick.

I was teaching a class at the Board this morning, so I left about 7:30. That was the first time I left in the light in a long time, at least it seems that way. I have been leaving in the dark and getting home in the dark. CRAZY! This is a photo of the sunrise from my rear-view mirror this morning as I was on the way to the Board.

After the class, I met Jody in Georgetown. I got him an OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle) for Christmas, and it was installed today. Tomorrow we will have it activated. I like the things OnStar can do, and it is great. We now have it on three vehicles. My friend Bart swears by it after he was involved in a bad wreck a couple months ago in Dallas. It is truly a good service, I hope no one ever has to use it, but it is good to know it is there.

Tomorrow will be a day of feeding cattle and doing a few chores. We may go into Austin to do a little bit of shopping. Hubert is going to come over tomorrow afternoon as well, we are thinking of planting some wheat in the pastures to give the cattle something to graze on. There is really nothing green for them so anything will help I think. We shall see...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, ONSTAR, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Fifty; Friday...

Well, the dog kept us UP ALL NIGHT LONG. Projectile vomiting, the whole works. Just when you thought it was safe to go back to sleep, the whole thing would start again. It continued well after the time that I got up to get ready to go to work (4:15 or so) and he was in and out of the house like a little kid. Nothing much was going on by then, he was just annoying. And needy. And acting like a Velcro dog. We expect he ate something outside that REALLY did not agree with him. We will never know what it was, and that is just as well. Jody called the vet this afternoon, who suggested we give him two Pepto-Bismol tablets, and the has been resting comfortably ever since.

Got some good work done at the office this morning and again this afternoon, and in the middle of the day I attended a Staff Appreciation for the Austin Board of REALTORS. The luncheon was held at NXNW, not far from the Board. I did not care at all for my dessert as you can see from this photo.

BLECHHH.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, DOG VOMIT, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Nine; Thursday...

What a day. I got to the office about 8 o'clock this morning, and it pretty much rained on me all the way. Carrie called and said she would pick me up in five minutes, and we would head off to the capitol. It was raining a little bit when we got there, and it was raining a LOT when we were heading back to the car, less than thirty minutes later. We were on a time line, first of all because we needed to be back in the office for a 9 o'clock meeting AND because we only put 30 minutes worth of dimes in the meter, at 6 minutes per dime.

We made it back to the office, but not ON TIME for the meeting, but IN TIME for the meeting. We had a good PM meeting, and we were pretty much getting ready for our Holiday Luncheon at Green Pastures. We had about thirty people attend the luncheon, and it was very nice, although IT TOOK FOREVER. Really! Why should any luncheon in Austin take over four hours. There is not any excuse for that. None at all. BUT do not get me started on this or I won't shut up. Whatever... This is the photo of the group of us, and we did have a very nice time.

One more luncheon tomorrow, and then next week should be pretty calm. That is what I am hoping for anyway. I will do my very best to try and make that happen.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, LUNCH, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Eight; Wednesday...

Well, as long as we are on the subject of things we do not see very often, here is one for you. Rain on the windshield of the car on my way to work! We are getting a little bit used to rain again, at least we recognize it for what it is. It is just kind of like the earth has shifted on its' axis and we are now in Seattle. We were in the Mojave in the summer, Seattle for the winter. We are terribly confused, but we are not complaining.

Today was the last Board meeting of the year for the Austin Board of REALTORS. After the meeting, we attended the Past Presidents Luncheon, and it was very nice to see so many of our past executives. There were lots of stories (and some tales, too) in that room, and it was a really nice luncheon.

Tomorrow is our office Holiday Luncheon, when we honor and thank those that have contributed to our successes over the years. It is hard to believe that our little business in going on its' 13th year, and still going. It is due in large part to the people we surround ourselves with, and we want to make sure they are aware of it, and to say Thank You! Stay tuned for photos!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, RAIN, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Seven; Tuesday...

Well this is something you do not see everyday. This is our cat, Missy. Jody found her abandoned and eating out of a trash can back in 1995 or 1996. She had been a mama, but we never could find her litter. When we took her to the vet for a checkup, there were BB's in her from being used as target practice, and various other issues. We have had her all these many years, and she is definitely Jody's cat. When we first got her, we had one dog and two other cats. That dog is just a fond memory as are the other two cats. We have a different rescued dog now, but just this one cat. She does not really play well with others. She has become more adventurous though. Even considering she is blind in one eye and deaf in both ears (we assume) she prowls around the house every now and then. Most of the visitors to the house are not even aware that we have a cat, she pretty much hides all the time. SO, it was a real occasion to be able to get a picture of her for this journal.

I attended a breakfast meeting this morning with State Senator Kirk Watson, and there are some interesting things going on politically speaking. The next several years are going to be interesting to say the least. Stay tuned...

Tomorrow is a Board of Directors meeting, and that will be the final meeting of the year. Everything will be a new beginning in just a few weeks. Wish us all luck.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, KITTY'S, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Six; Monday...

These were the clouds this morning as I was on my way into the office. I kind of remember these as 'buttermilk' clouds from when I was growing up. Pretty...

I don't really think it is always true what they say about Mondays. Sometimes it is, but it could also be true about Wednesdays or Thursdays as well. AND, crap, it is not always true what they say about Fridays and Saturdays, either. So, basically, what we are left with is a crap shoot on how the days are going to roll out. AND, today happened to be a pretty darned good one.

Got a couple management properties into the portfolio, and it looks like there will be four more this week. Not a bad week if I do say so myself.

Tonight was the TREPAC Appreciation Party at The Highball in South Austin. It was really a lot of fun, and probably about 50 to 75 TREPAC Investors attended. Really nice.

Are there beavers in this area? I swear I saw a beaver crossing the road tonight on my way home. I got out of the car with my camera and chased it for a while and took two pictures, but they did not turn out at all. ANYWAY, whatever it was, it was squat, dark and waddled, and it looked like a beaver. Of course, with that description, it could also have been me on a bad night. Whatever!

Tomorrow I will have breakfast with State Senator Kirk Watson at the Board of REALTORS. That will be a nice event, I have met him two or three times.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BEAVERS?, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Five; Sunday...

A nice ending to a really nice weekend. Got some work done while at home, so I am ahead of the curve to start my week. I have no reason to believe that I will stay caught up at all for this week; but the week after this one should be calm and quiet.

I got lots of things done around the house this weekend. Got the bees fed (they have not been that hungry during the cooler weather), and got the garage swept out. Got firewood loaded in the wagon for the coming week, and cleaned off the desk in the office.

Did I mention that we headed into Georgetown? Jody needed a battery for his truck, so we headed in by way of Berry Creek Park. Jody carries mule treats in the truck so he can stop by every now and then to feed the boys that are residents of the park. I think they recognize his truck, too.

We got to 'the largest retailer in the world' to buy the battery, and it was truly a case of the dumbing down of the world. As long as all you want is to find something to buy and carry it to the register, the help can be helpful. But if it requires thinking and logic, we are all doomed. How can this be? Whatever...

AND, as long as we were in the neighborhood, we stopped at Dairy Queen for spoilers. Perfect!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, MULE FACE, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Four; Saturday...

Good day today, although it has been cloudy and overcast, with a wind from the north which makes it feel a LOT colder than it really is. It has been in the middle 50's, but it feels MUCH colder.

After breakfast and chores (not necessarily in that order) Jody and I went into Taylor to get cattle feed and I put gas in the truck. $86 worth of gas. That is really a lot of gas, especially when the price of gas is going down. A far cry from when I fill up the car every two or three weeks. Anyway...

We got feed and headed back home. Once we got there, I took feed out to the cattle and moved them to the west pasture. I also put out fresh salt and mineral blocks for them, and a fresh molasses tub. The newest little boy is a week old today, and he seems to be doing just fine. A true Sagittarian! He was out there running around and having a big time with his mama and the other cattle. Life is good.

After naps, Jody and I headed into Georgetown and a visit to the Dairy Queen. Just as we were pulling in, I had a call from an 800-number. The computer from one of my credit cards was calling, and wanted to ask me about 'suspicious activity' on my card. I pushed the proper buttons, and was connected to someone somewhere (I expect not on the contiguous 48 States) and was asked about recent purchases I had made. We went through a little bit of identity verification (not giving away too much on my part) and was told someone was using my credit card number at a Rite-Aid in South Carolina. Hard to do when I just used the card to buy gas this morning in Taylor, Texas. I guess that is what tipped them off, plus the fact that whoever it was did not actually have my card, just using the number. One purchase for a hundred dollars or so had been rejected, but another for a couple hundred dollars had been approved. Interesting how computers can spot questionable transactions. SO, that is now a dead credit card, and they will send another one in a couple days. Life goes on...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BAD GUYS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Three; Friday...

Yippee-Skippee! It's Friday, and you know how I love Friday! Today was a good, productive and quietish kind of day in the office. I was able to get quite a bit of work done, and even went to lunch with Chris on a quest for wieners. There used to be a trailer on South Lamar that specialized in wieners, but we got there and the trailer was gone. That's the trouble with trailers, they can just pull up the stakes and leave. That kind of sounds like a country song, 'The Trouble With Trailers'.

This is a picture of one of the Bassets, we used to see each other quite frequently on my drives to and from the office, but with the really extreme heat of last summer, they got out of the habit of running after cars. I was worried for a while that I would only see one of them, but they both seem to be back and are out more often now, chasing cars. I always stop and talk to them, and get a good sniffing from the male one. The female one is not as friendly, and is more cautious. But the boy Basset is a pretty good guy. I am not sure if they recognize the car or not, but they seem like they are happy to have someone to talk to.

Jody and I are going into town this evening for a party at Carrie's house. I am going to surprise her and take her a dozen blue eggs. We shall see how she likes them. It will also be fun to see folks that we have not seen since last year, too.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BASSETS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Two; Thursday...

Well, well, well. The temperatures are not expected to get below freezing tonight, so I am not going out to turn off the water in the pastures. I think everything will be okay.

We have at least two of the new girls laying now, twice this week we have had two brown eggs and two blue eggs. A good sign. It won't be long before we have ten eggs a day, four brown and six blue. Need eggs? The blue ones are really MUCH SMALLER than the brown eggs, and I was not expecting that at all. AND, they are not the color blue I had imagined, but they are different, that is for sure. They are more of a teal color, and I guess I was expecting more of a robins-egg blue. Well, the color may change as they get older, and they may lay bigger eggs when they mature a little more as well. We shall see...

Tomorrow is Friday, and I do not have anything on the schedule. Well, okay, there are two things on the schedule; a birthday lunch for Amy (I hope I get details) and a party to attend tomorrow night. Both of those will be lots of fun, and we are especially looking forward to seeing people tomorrow night that we have not seen for a good while.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BLUE EGGS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty One; Wednesday...

If you are interested in what the well dressed blogger will be wearing for the New Year, you can check out this photo and you still won't know. Anna at the Board gave me these glasses this afternoon. It is pretty scary that she knows the kind of kitschy things I would like.

Five different functions today, beginning and ending at the Board. That does not mean I spent the entire day at the Board, but I at least started and ended my day there.

Only three functions tomorrow, and one or two on Friday. Then the weekend, and it should wind down pretty well next week. We shall see.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, KITSCH, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty; Tuesday...

IT'S A BOY! No doubt about it, definitely a boy. No question, for sure a boy. Sorry Jenny Lou, it is not a girl. Without question the new calf is a boy. GUARANTEED. Positively. He's a BOY! Now it is time to decide on a name...

Good day today, worked and then worked some more. Getting things all tied up for the end of the year. Just about three more weeks and it will all be over. Finito!

A couple meetings this afternoon, one in person and the other by telephone while I was in my car. I attended the last one just in time for the meeting to be over.

Tomorrow is a FULL day from beginning to end.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, HE'S A HE!, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Nine; Monday...

Well, I have been freezing all day long and I am not sure exactly why. The high temperature did not go past the middle 40's again today, and that is not really that cold, but I have not been able to get over my chilliness. It was a wet, windy, overcast and cloudy chill in the air, and I never could get warm. Now I am at home sitting on the couch in front of the wood stove in my underwear, and I am perfectly comfortable. Go figure...

I was in the office most of the day today, and made good progress with the stuff on my desk. I feel like (however) that I am losing the e-mail battle. I like to keep a very clean in-box (and my desk-top is pretty clean as well), but I am just getting further and further behind. HELP ME!

This photo (it was obviously a slow day for photos) was taken accidentally when I was taking the camera out of my pocket. I was getting into Chris's car, and somehow turned the camera on at this photo was taken. Kind of a neat abstract.

I went out (after I got home from work) and put the chickens to bed and went to turn the water off in the pastures. I slopped through mud in the corral to get to the barn, and would not have been surprised if I had ended up on my ass in the mud. BUT I made it into the barn, all the cattle were accounted for and the newest little calf is (seemingly) doing just fine. Like I said, cattle do not really care much about when they birth their young, they just do it, and most of them survive.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, RANDOM SHOTS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Eight; Sunday...

A wonderful day was had by all...

Slept pretty late this morning, and get up and did the ordinary chores. Made an egg pile for me and Jody for breakfast, and then came into he office at home to catch up on e-mails and see if I could get ahead of the game for the coming week. Kept the fire going in the stove in the living room, so that is good. It will go for at least three or four days before I need to clean out the ash.

I was a little bit suspicious of Lady Bug yesterday when I was out feeding the cattle, she looked like she was up to something (in a cow kind of way), and I saw some suspicious activity out in the pasture this morning.

When Jody and I were on our way to Dairy Queen this afternoon, I told him about it, and when we got back I went out into the pasture to check things out. There indeed was a new calf, most likely born yesterday (since the suspicion I saw this morning was the calf following Lady Bug into the barn). SO, I believe it (I kind of agree with Jenny Lou that it looks like a heifer) but you never know for sure at this age until you see them pee. So I will wait til later to make an official call.

She is a pretty baby, but I tell you the truth, cows pick some of the damnedest (SP?) weather to have their calves. It is rainy and windy and cold, and there is lots of shivering going on out in those pastures and the barn.

I also spent about an hour broadcasting wild flower seeds out around the storm shelter and the other tank that we had filled in earlier this year. I hope the seeds will germinate and not just wash away. We have had about an inch-and-a-half of rain in the last couple days, and more is expected. It has (so far) been a nice drizzly rain, nothing too extreme, but a good soaker!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, NEW CALVES AND GOOD RAINS, kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Seven; Saturday...

What could be better for my birthday wish-for than rain? AND, rain we are getting. We have actually had a couple days of rain, and more on the way. The totals have not been particularly impressive (so far just about a half inch) but being soggy is a good thing here in the land of the parched.

Yep, today is my birthday, and it has been great. After the installation last night, I rose this morning (eyes kind of bloodshot) and went downstairs for breakfast, where I was joined by several of my colleagues and friends in the Hotel Dining Room. The facility at Lost Pines is very nice. That was the first time I had stayed there, but a really beautiful facility. It is difficult to imagine that the whole place was carved out of thousands of acres of scrub. The drive alone, from Highway 71 to the main part of the facility is a couple miles. Very impressive.

Jody and I did make it to Dairy Queen this afternoon, and we both enjoyed Hot Fudge Sundaes. My very best friend of all time (Mikey) called from Del Rey Beach, so that is always a treat. Who could ask for anything more?

I am a really lucky man!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, ANOTHER TRIP AROUND THE SUN, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Six; Friday...

Yep, today is Friday, and among other things, it is grey and rainy outside. What could be better than that?

Well, okay, I will tell you. Tomorrow is my birthday, so there have been lots of good wishes sent my way. There was a wonderful luncheon held in my honor, with lots of friends and colleagues (one in the same) from one area or another. It has been a wonderful day.

AND, tonight I am at the Hyatt Lost Pines for the Austin Board of REALTORS Installation for the 2012 Board Officers. It is going to be a great night. I am writing part of this entry in advance, so I have a head-start before I have too much wine.

I will be back later with more...

Okay, it is officially 32 minutes past my birthday, but I wanted to share this photo with you. This is a photo of me and Gay Puckett, a major Investor with TREPAC Gay works with JB Goodwin, REALTORS, and I appreciate her Investment In TREPAC. It was great to see her this evening.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, TREPAC, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Five; Thursday...

Sometimes I do not even have a clue. I was not aware enough today to take a photo for the journal, and so when that happens, I will go on the Internet to find interesting photos. SO, I searched 'December First' and found nothing really interesting, so then I searched '12/01/2011' and this was one of the images that came up. I have no reason what the correlation is between the date and this photo, but I like it, so I am using it for this journal entry. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

I started out the morning at a breakfast meeting for the Platinum Top 50 REALTORS in Austin. It was a very nice event, and the group is really deserving. Very nice to see so many of our colleagues in one place, and a nice start to the Holiday Party Season. It has begun!

After that, we had a Property Management meeting in the office, then a few minutes for lunch, and then I met with some of our agents to plan a strategy for success in the New Year. Lots and LOTS of good energy surrounding us for the New Year, and now it is just up to us to carry through! We will do it, and we will all be happy and prosperous in the New Year. We are all happy and prosperous now, just want to kick it up a notch!

I stopped by Buck Moore's on the way home tonight and got the girls fifty pounds of organic feed. They are all doing nicely, and they seem to be happy.

Tomorrow nights entry will be from the Hyatt at Lost Pines, where the Austin Board of REALTORS will be holding their annual Installation. Congratulations to Leonard Guerrero as incoming Chairman, and congratulations to Judith Bundschuh for a great job this past year at Chairman. We have accomplished a lot!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, COWS (whatever), Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!