2014 - Day 120/245 - Wednesday...

As a certifiable (albeit self-diagnosed, not that there is anything wrong with that) wearer of the OCD mantel, this is just another example of the many, MANY things that tends to cause craziness in my head.  I cannot for the life of me understand why the postal carrier at our office is seemingly incapable of lowering the tops of the mail boxes when s/he is finished sorting the mail into the various receptacles.  I started out asking that the carriers lower the tops, and that was met with success for that particular instance.  The next tactic was to put a request on the inside top portion of our particular box.  There was never a positive reaction from that.  Next and finally, I resorted to a PLEA to (if nothing else) help preserve my sanity and not be forced to contact a postal carrier customer service representative, which would, in all likeliness do little except to make my head explode and get grey matter on the ceiling of my office.  And there goes the security deposit!

And what exactly is wrong with self-diagnosis?  I have been a high functioning self-medicator for years, and there is nothing wrong with that.  I'm just sayin'...

And another thing...when did Highway 183 and MoPac (Loop 1 for the out of town subscribers) become IH-35.  I had a 8 o'clock appointment this morning in Cedar Park.  Of course I was early, why do you even bother asking.  The appointment ended at about 8:10, and there I was stuck in traffic that emulates and possibly exceeds the crap on IH-35.  I had no choice but to start making phone calls and making sure people were awake and ready to start their day.

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

2014 - Day 119/246 - Tuesday...

Tonight at dinner, Vera the favorite girl chicken (and truly the mistress of her domain, and that is everything) was checking us out from the back patio.  I knew that meant she was ready for some attention.  And I needed a photo for this journal entry.  I went out to the front after dinner and lots of the girls thought I was going to give them something to eat (I am easily mistaken for Jody by a chicken) but they were curious enough to gather 'round for photo opportunities.  I got a couple good shots of Lucy and Libby, and a couple of the unnamed Silver Lace Wyandottes, but look our, Vera is back in town.  She chased everyone away and stood for (in old film terms) a couple rolls of exposure.  I have to admit, she is a pretty girl and can really work a runway!

Today was a pretty quiet day, and I expect the same for tomorrow.  I have an early appointment, and maybe one more mid-day, we will see how that goes.

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

2014 - Day 118/247 - Monday...

Today was an incredibly productive and rewarding day.  Even for a Monday.  How could it not have been great, when I was greeted with this beautiful pre-sunrise view on my way into the office.  Absolutely beautiful.  Look closely and you can see the cattle looking at me like an idiot, not to mention the garbage collection truck behind me that could not understand why I was stopped in the middle of a county road.  Whatever...  And can anyone tell me what is the politically correct term to describe the person or persons who are contracted with to remove household refuse from ones property?  I tried to call that guy that owns the Clippers, but his mailbox was full, so...

I got to the office about 7:45 this morning, and sat in the parking lot talking to someone I absolutely adore, so that was nice.  I got a good bit of work done before I left about 12:15 to go to my first of two or three meetings this afternoon.  Planning, planning, planning.  That is not to be confused with plotting, just so I am clear on that point.

Tomorrow will be a full day in the office.  It is the end of the month and pretty darned close to the beginning of the next one.  Busy time of year, too.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, CLOUDS, Kindnesses, Wh
irled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 117/248 - Sunday...

Jody and I did make it in to Georgetown for dinner tonight at the Catfish Parlour.  Mine was not really that good, so I sent some of it back to the Chef.  This is what I sent back.  There is always a really bad joke on the checks at Catfish Parlour, and when you pay your tab tonight you were supposed to ask the cashier "What's the best time to make an appointment at the dentist?  Tooth Hurty!"  Yeah, whatever...

My old creaky body was not going to submit to sleep last night, no matter how much self-medication I shoved down my throat; Merlot, Ambien and Excedrin PM (a double),  Not happening.  I went out on the couch until about 3 o'clock and finally went back to the bed to sleep.  EMILY, be sure to ask me about the dream I had (and no you freaks, it was not about Emily!).

So, when I got up this morning, I was similarly not disposed to do any work around the house, but I did do some work in fits and starts here and there.  I changed the HVAC filters in the house, reversed the ceiling fans for summer temperatures, put new batteries in the under counter cabinets in the kitchen, cut grass for about an hour (mostly up by the road) and cleaned out the chicken coop and put fresh nesting material in the nesting boxes.  I really like the pine shavings to use in the nesting boxes.  It give the chicken crap a nice outdoorsy smell.  What could be better.  Oh yeah, I also got 13 eggs today, that is a record for this month.  With 27 chickens, I feel like I should be getting about 20 eggs a day, but we aren't.  I need to have a stern talking to with the chickens.

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

2014 - Day 116/249 - Saturday...

The day went pretty much as planned, although there were a couple periods that I thought things were going to be thrown off schedule.  I asked Jody to make a call to the weather service and remind them that there was not supposed to be any chance of rain until the overnight, but he plead that he had no influence on mother nature.

I got up earlier than I would have liked this morning, and made a pile of eggs.  I thought that would have been this journal entry's photo of the day (good grief those eggs were ugly but they sure were good) but it turns out I have a couple others that should be in the entry but only one (and not even the best of them) will make it.  Jody made brats for dinner on Thursday (I think, it might have been Wednesday) and I saved the goo left over from those to cook the eggs in this morning.  I did add a little bit of butter.  Like I said, they were ugly but really good.  I am a firm believer that you can cook the badness out of anything (like salmonella and those other exotic intestinal things).  Just fire it up and you can still eat it.

After breakfast, I power washed the pool deck with the intention that I would paint it later in the day.  After the power washing, Jody and I went into Austin (Costco and some other errands) and headed back and had lunch at our usual (forgive us Mikey for we have sinned, but it is you fault because you are the one that told me about the Oreo cookie milk shakes) and then headed home.  We got home about four o'clock, and I started painting the pool deck.  The part that I had expected to be the most difficult was the easiest and the part I thought would be easy and instantly gratifying was difficult and not really that rewarding.  I had guesstimated it would take three gallons of paint and I have just a teensy bit of paint left to do some detail things tomorrow.  The pool deck had been an egg shell (ivory, beige, whatever) and the beige (ivory) that they had at the paint store looked too yellow to me, so the deck is now WHITE!  It glows in the dark.  It is visible from the space shuttle.  Elk are using our pool deck to guide their migration paths.  The University of Texas sent interns to dig around the site to see if toxic waste had been buried nearby.  All I can say is, it is bright.  AND...there is always next year...  This is a shot of the deck just before 1).  I finished the paint job; 2).  It got dark and I could net see anymore except from the glow of the paint; 3).  I ran out of paint, or; D).  All of the above.  HINT, HINT, HINT...always go with all of the above if you are not sure...  YES, YOU WIN!  Congratulations!

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

2014 - Day 115/250 - Friday...

Friday and I remain conflicted.  I want to go out and power wash the pool deck so I can paint it tomorrow, but I think I will be better off waiting until the morning so I will (probably) do a better job.  I want to go do it, but that is just the OCD (or maybe the
AR, but I have been warned not to say anal in this journal) in me.  I think I just need to chill for the rest of the night.

When I went out to gather eggs, Earl the Squirrel (or possible Earl the Girl Squirrel) was out for his/her photo-op.  I think he/she is in cahoots with Vera, and making calls to the union organizer, demanding equal time on the blog.  I am not sure, but I think this post may appease him/her temporarily.

So, tomorrow I will get up, cook a pile of eggs for me and Jody, then go out and power wash the deck.  Then I expect that Jody and I will go into Austin (can you say Costco?) and then by the time we get home, I expect the sun will have sufficiently dried the decking so it will be ready for paint.  That is the plan, anyway.  I will report what actually happens tomorrow night, same time (approximately), same channel.

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

2014 - Day 114/251 - Thursday...

Okay boys and girls, we are coming into the home stretch here, getting closer to Friday and the conflicts that come with that day...

I had a couple meetings to attend today; the first was a breakfast for the Platinum Top 50 Agents in Austin at the Headliners Club.  No, I am not a member of the Platinum Top 50, I am just a Broker involved at the Board, and I did the meeting wrap up.  The speaker was one of the city folks talking with us about the CodeNext programs the city is working on.  I was there to do a TREPAC pitch, and it was a great event.  I will share with you that there was an OBSCENE amount of bacon on the buffet line.  I do not think I have ever seen that much bacon for that few attendees.  Crazy!

Before and after I did some power real estate.  After that, I headed off to another PT50 event closer to the Board.  It was a High Tea Fashion Show to benefit the local organization, Mobile Loaves and Fishes.  Another really fine event.  While I was there I saw my first Broker Teresa (see photo) and another former office mate Jane.  It was nice to see them both and all the rest of the colleagues that were in attendance.

I think I only have one or two things on my calendar for tomorrow.  Let's see how that turns out.

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

2014 - Day 113/252 - Wednesday...

HEY JACK...JACK, JACK, JACK, JACK, JACK...I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME JACK...WHAT DAY IS IT JACK?  HUMP DAAAAAAAYYYY!!!

So, I feel much better now.  Thank you!

Some days, I fail to take a photo of ANYTHING, even though I am certain that I see interesting things most waking hours of the day.  Today, I took (or was fortunate enough to have friends take my photo alongside interesting things) several interesting photos.  HOWEVER, when I got home (late) this evening, I was going out to check for eggs, and there was this (approximately) five foot rat snake playing statues in the grass.  Usually I do not take that route to check the eggs, but I did tonight, and was surprised to see this snake.  Of course, I took a couple photos, but the most interesting one was when it decided to back out of the hole it was going into.  Who knew snakes had a reverse gear?

Today was a meeting day.  I got into the office early, did some power real estate, headed off to a 10 o'clock meeting at the Board, had another quick meeting at the Board after the first one was over, and then headed off to the City Council Chambers to meet with our mayor and City Council (I think we got them all) to discuss the Public Policy Agenda that we have adopted for 2014.  Interesting stuff, I am very happy for the opportunity to do what I am doing this year.

I think it is interesting that I met with a bunch of city leaders and then I come home and find a snake in the grass.  If that had all been a dream, I would most likely been required to attend counseling.  I'm just sayin',,,

More stuff tomorrow, but for now, I am done!

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

2014 - Day 112/253 - Tuesday...

Well, mother nature has gone and done it.  It is sunny and really warm today.  I think the high temperatures were in the upper 80's, with winds from the north and relatively low humidity.  Pretty soon (give me a couple days) I will be complaining about the record breaking temperatures.  The good news is, we still have a possibility for rain in the seven day forecast, so that is a good thing.  This is a photo of Libby out hiding in one of the front Iris beds.  This particular breed of chicken is really curious, and both of these girls (it is hard to tell them apart) want to be petted and paid attention to...they also want to come inside the house and be 'house chickens', but so far we have succeeded in avoiding that.

Today was a good day in the office, all office work, all the time.  Tomorrow will be a day of little office work before I head out to the Board for a Broker Forum, and then we will all take off and go to City Hall and visit with our Mayor and Council Members.  Come on down and join us!

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

2014 - Day 111/254 - Monday...

These clouds do not look all that threatening, and I am really okay with that.  I personally do not mind a good thunderstorm and all the fun and exciting things it brings with it.  I am really not interested in broken windows, roof damage or any kinds of damage at all, but a good thunderstorm is a fun thing to me.  It is not fun, however, when you have a nervous dag that thinks (and know absolutely, positively 100% for sure) that the end of the world is happening right outside those windows, and why are you still in the bed?  WE NEED TO TAKE COVER!  NOW! GET UP!  How about if I shiver, shake, whine, fart (especially fart) walk around, shiver, shake, whine, whine, whine uncontrollably, and fart some more.  Will that make you pay attention to me?  It is really pathetic, and I can pretty much sleep through anything (see the entry a couple years back about me sleeping in the upstairs bedroom in Memphis when a tornado wipe the house behind us off the face of the planet).  And sometimes I can sleep through the canine gyrations, but if not, I then feel guilty if Jody gets up and tries to comfort the dag; usually accomplished by luring the dog into the bedroom closet and closing the door so he cannot see the lightning flashes and the thunder is somewhat muffled.  Most of you know I do not have a strong familiarity of closets of any kind, and I can guarantee you it is not easy trying to get comfortable in a closet with a psycho boy dog.

I'm just sayin'.  So, we are happy that the worst of this possible storm will not be in our immediate area.  But just in case it is, and you do not hear from us for a while, as the authorities to check to see if the house has fallen off its' foundation.  We will be in the storm cellar, please come and rescue us.

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

2014 - Day 110/255 - Sunday...

Happy Easter to you all, before I forget.

Cut grass. Cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass WATCH OUT FOR THE CHICKENS cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass GO AROUND THOSE WILDFLOWERS cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass MOVE VERA cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass WATCH OUT FOR THOSE BUNNIES - TOO LATE cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass cut grass,

Deeds, Actions, Changes, CUT GRASS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 109/256 - Saturday...

Jody and I went into Austin today where I was tasked with putting together several purchases from Ikea.  We had nine boxes, I completed eight of them.  I put the same table together several different ways.  Not several of the same table, the same table several different ways.  To be polite, I will only say that there was a general lack of details (concerning the details), and so I put together and took apart various components of a table several times.  In the end, it all worked out pretty well.  I still have one more box to unpack and build, but otherwise, all was well.

This is a photo of the orange Iris I mentioned a couple days ago.  There are only about a dozen of these on the property, and they are all up by the road.  It's more of a UT Vols kind of Iris than a UT Horns kind of Iris, but if you squint your eyes a little bit it kind of works.  Jody pointed out some little bitty teeny tiny Iris this morning as we were heading out, and I will give you a look at those tomorrow.  Maybe.

There is a possibility of rain tomorrow, but that is the chance I will have to take.  I did nothing out in the yard today except to give the chickens clean water, gather eggs and give them some chicken feed.  Tomorrow will be a grass cutting day, and who knows what else.  Jody says we have at least three hummers here and there, and I have seen at least that many at the same time at various feeders.  We stopped at Tractor Supply on the way home this afternoon and got some chicken blocks and 70 pounds of birdseed.  That should see everyone for a while.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, HOOK 'EM, Kindnesses, Wh
irled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 108/257 - Friday...

Friday.  I figured out the other day that I have an unresolved conflict with Friday.  Friday is supposed to be something to look forward to.  You get to sleep late the next day.  You get to play on the next two days (assuming you are not a REALTOR®).  It is not a school night.  Those are all good things.  The bad thing is, there is NOTHING on TV.  NOTHING!  A thousand channels of audio and video and there is NOTHING to watch.  If I am lucky there is a marathon of How Its' Made or Buying Alaska, but not usually.

I am conflicted, and now you know why.

This is a photo from the interview that KEYE did today in our office.  It was fun, and I think I would make the perfect movie star.  About 20 minutes of stuff for about 45 seconds of air time.  Interesting.  It was fun though!

Jody and I have lots of stuff to get done tomorrow (insert more conflict stuff here), and it will be a fun day.

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

2014 - Day 107/258 - Thursday...

I love election time in Bartlett, Texas, a sad little city close to where we live on the edge of nowhere (which is further than the middle of nowhere).  We have been subscribers to the Bartlett Tribune Progress (Serving Central Texas since 1886) since shortly after we moved here.  It is an interesting little newspaper, and generally full of name calling and finger pointing and mis-spellings.  The local citizenry are gearing up for mayoral and council elections, and this advertisement in yesterday's edition caught my eye.  I can only assume that if you want to call candidates names in the next two editions you cannot simply write a letter to the editor (the otherwise accepted MO) but you will have to take out an ad and pay for it.

Today was an interesting day, too, speaking of elections.  I spent the bulk of the day at the Austin City Council to give testimony to a proposed city ordinance that would make "source of income" a protected class for rental properties within the city limits.  That is kind of a code for "you will be forced to accept housing vouchers from the Housing Authority.  I have nothing against the program, and I have personally participated in the program but I do not care to be FORCED to accept something.  It is an objection to the program, not the participants.

More about that in another entry...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, POINT FINGERS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 106/259 - Wednesday...

OMG, human beings are such the creatures of habit.  I was off to work this morning and I did not realize it (until it was too late) that I was headed out THE LONG WAY.  They finally get the bridge opened back up, and I put it on 'auto-pilot' and go a mile further than is necessary.  It is not the extra mile that bothers me particularly, it is the fact that, in my little pea-brain, it seems that I am going out of the way and then have to 'back-track' to get where I need to be.  I have tried looking at the route on a map to be rational about it, but that is not working.  OCD.

This is another of the Iris that I have a particular fondness for.  There are some others around that are almost black, and there are also some burnt orange ones that I hope have survived.  I have 2,538 photos on my iPhone, thank you for asking.  How many photos will an iPhone hold before it self-destructs?  Anyone know how to transfer them to another source?

Just asking.

Tomorrow I get to make a presentation to our (okay Austin's) city council.  Wish me luck, I think it will be okay.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 105/260 - Tuesday...

I am going to skip right to the chase folks.  The BEST part of this day was fleeting; it was sitting in the floor of my office, using the IBM Selectric that I received a couple months ago (and reported to you in this journal) from friends (and colleagues) in New Braunfels.  I loved it.  Today was the first time I even plugged it in and turned it on, but it was just like riding a bike, I knew exactly what to do, I remembered what the 'exp' and the 'index' buttons were for, I remembered how to set the tabs and the margins, and it was just a magical experience.  It was great fun!  I loved the way it sounded, too.  I could have used another envelope to make it perfect, but I did not find that necessary.  The address on the envelope is a 20th Century work of art, and everything about it was/is fabulous.  Okay, it might have been better if I were not addressing the envelope to the IRS, but that is just a minor detail.  I look forward to many more special moments with that wonderful piece of mechanical wizardry.  Any of you from this area need to be doing hail Mary's to IBM for making Austin what it is right now.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, TYPEWRITERS (Google it), Kindnesses, Wh
irled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 104/261 - Monday...

For a Monday, it was not all that bad of a day.  It rained on me on the way to work this morning and it rained (like the dams had given way) at the office for a good portion of the morning.  Not a drop at the farm; okay, maybe a drop, but nothing measurable.  It will be reported officially as a trace.

In the middle of the rain I had one appointment and the rest of the day was spent doing penance for my procrastination to gather my income tax documents and sending them to the CPA so I could get my extension properly filed.  It is really not my fault, but I am currently at a loss as to whom exactly to lay the blame.  I will let you know as soon as I get it all figured out.

Tomorrow my first gig is at the Board, so I get to sleep a little bit later.  AND on Thursday night, I may be pulling an all-nighter at City Council.  Those rascally rabbits are trying to pull a fast on their constituencies, and I will be there to show them the error of their ways!

I'm just sayin'...

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

2014 - Day 103/262 - Sunday...

Right on schedule (the weekend) the sun stayed behind the clouds all day and did not make an appearance until about 6 o'clock this afternoon.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  With the sun behind the clouds, it made it much easier to get chores done, and I feel certain that there will be plenty of Hot, Humid Summer Days coming very soon.  HOWEVER, they are forecasting low temperatures of 39 degrees (in Austin) a couple nights this week.  That will be kind of a shock to the system!

The Iris continue to bloom, and they are putting on quite a show.  I have always liked this particular variety, I do not know what their particular variety is, but I always think of them as a parchment color.  I really an fond of them!

Plant Morning Glory Seeds.  Check.
Buy wasp spray and spray nests.  Partial Check.
Remove pool cover.  Check.
Be REALLY surprised that the pool is BLACK.  Check.
Feed cattle.  Check.
Fix Electric Fence.  Check.
Clean chicken coop.  Check.
Pick up limbs.  Check.
Clean porch/patio/garage.  Partial Check.
Cut grass.  Check.
Fix wiring in barn.  Check.

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

2014 - Day 102/263 - Saturday...

The Iris are continuing to bloom out nicely, I do not think there will be a big show this year like there was when we first moved here, but a few at a time are okay as well.

Well, it has not rained today, still supposed to do so tomorrow, but I did get a few chores done today, so that is a head start on tomorrow.  I think I told you that our weather station was damaged a couple weeks ago in the hail storm, so I replaced it yesterday and did (most of) the installation of it this morning.  It seems to be working, but I will tweak the position of it tomorrow, I want it to be higher so there is less interference from a big privet and we will (I hope) get a better (more accurate) wind speed and direction.  I also cleaned off the front porch, and I am discarding some of the porch furniture, time for fresh furniture.  I wonder if I can find something that is a little bit more chicken proof than the previous rattan?  We will see.  I will scour the Sunday supplements tomorrow to see what I can find.

I also did some grass cutting, and I cut the area that I was trying to nurture as a wild flower habitat.  I think the chickens took care of that a couple years ago when I planted all the seed.  The pesky girls!

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

2014 - Day 101/264 - Friday...

It's Friday, all is right with the world, the bridge has been re-opened!

I made it into the office early this morning, did some power-real-estate and ran some errands with Chris.  One of the errands was to go check out a nice condo near the capitol that one of my clients is considering purchasing.  Nice place, good views, close-in location.  What could go wrong?

Back at the office I was able to get a little bit more work done, and took off for home about 2:30.  I had a few more errands to get completed, so I did not make it home until almost 5 o'clock, and was delighted that the bridge was open again.

Sleeping in tomorrow, lots of stuff to try and get done around the house.  Rain is in the forecast again for Sunday, so I need to shift my plans a little bit.

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

2014 - Day 100/265 - Thursday...

I have no clue what is going on in the cyber-world, but everything seems to be melting down.  I have been warned to change ALL my passwords, so I followed the link and changed the passwords that the link stated could have been compromised by the virus, but winky things are still happening to my Internet and electronic thingys.  If anything can go wrong, I expect it to go wrong with my electronics!

I have not had a chicken photo on the journal in a while, and since it seems I cannot upload a photo from my phone to my e-mail (which is my usual MO) I have gone back into the archives for this photo of Vera.  She approved the use of the photo with the standard royalty payment, which I assured her was on the way.

Jody had a dental appointment this morning in Austin, so we took care of that, then I had a couple appointments to attend to.  We were on the way home and decided to stop at Chipotle for dinner to take home.  I was ZOOMING down the service road and passed a gendarme that was not cleverly hidden or anything.  I got out of it with a warning.  69 in a 55 mile zone.  I am living large!

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

2014 - Day 99/266 - Wednesday...

It seems that I got carried away talking with an out-of-state client last night, and forgot to complete my journal entry.  That is a first!  Our friend Joe Mac from Mississippi sent an e-mail inquiry checking to see if I was still breathing and offering several alternatives to why the entry had not been completed, all of which were more interesting than the fact that I forgot.  Thanks Joe!

This is a photo of the completed, but yet to be open for traffic bridge on CR 972.  It is obvious that vehicles are traversing the fine new structure, but barricades are still in place and I am too big of a wuss to challenge the authorities in Williamson County.  Maybe in the next day or two, but I am ready for the bridge to be opened to traffic.

I am tired or being sick and tired, and I am ready to feel good again.  My taste buds are going wacky on me, I poured out two cups of coffee this morning thinking there was something wrong with it, and my turkey weenies at lunch did not taste like they usually do.  Dinner was good, but the salad (a really good bleu cheese) really did not have a happy taste.  Hopefully this will correct itself in the next couple days or there will be no real need to go on!  I still have most of a half-gallon of ice cream!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, MEMORY ISSUES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 97/268 - Monday...

Well, it looks like there could be a storm heading this way, even though there is not supposed to be anything happening here but in Austin.  I got home about 6:30 and all was quiet in the world.  As Jody and I were having dinner the dark clouds started rolling in.  Before Jody was even finished with his dinner, the wind was so strong that I told him that I was going to go out and read my meters and try to get the girls into their bed.  By golly the chickens must have known something was up because by the time I got out there they were ALL in their coop and that is not a usual thing for these chickens.  They will typically stay out of the coop until it is dark as pitch, but not tonight.  I took roll as long as we were all in the coop, and they were all accounted for, too!

I am feeling better, but it is kind of like after about five days of this I am not sure what it is really like to not feel bad.  I think another several days and I will be back to 100%.

This is going to be a week of peeks and valleys.  Tomorrow should be kind of a plateau!

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

2014 - Day 96/269 - Sunday...

Say what you will, but Homemade in the Shade is not just for dinner anymore.  Soup and ice cream, that will pretty much take care of it for now. 

Surprisingly I am not feeling as good as I expected I would feel today.  We did get some rain overnight (0.31" in the official gauge) and that was nice.  Jody and I took the boy for a ride late this morning, and then we were going to go into Round Rock to take care of some errands we did not take care of yesterday but about a mile from the house it began raining very hard AND HAILING so we turned around and waited it out.  About 45 minutes later we took off again and when we got to IH-35 there were piles of hail in the grass.  We got home and I emptied the rain gauge again with 1.98" of rain, so in the 24 hour period, we have 2.29" of rain.  Of course there is no way I can get back to the cattle for a while, but they will be fine.  We need the rain,

I am going to self-medicate again tonight and hope for the best.  I cannot be sick this week, there is too much stuff to get done.  All day meeting on Monday, this and that the rest of the week.  Everything will work out the way it is supposed to.

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

2014 - Day 95/270 - Saturday...

Not only am I sick, I am sick on the weekend when ALL the programs on TV SUCK!  There is nothing worth watching during those brief times that I lapse out of my coma for a few minutes of consciousness and a coughing fit.  In the past 72 hours I have watched about nine weeks of Love It or List It, My First Place, How It's Made and Buying Alaska.  I am over it all.  Rehab Addict is about to have me become an addict to non-prescription drugs.  Where will it all end?  Someone help me...

Jody and I were supposed to go into Round Rock this afternoon, and I just stayed in the blue chair (see above paragraph) doing nothing.  I am achey; everything aches and I think the spasmodic coughing has given me a hernia.  PERFECT!

We will see what tomorrow brings.  It is supposed to rain, so maybe I will stay in bed for another day.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, ACHES AND PAINS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 94/271 - Friday...

Still sick.  Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, itchy watery eyes. 

Insert totally inappropriate comment here.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, STILL SICK, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 93/272 - Thursday...

THIS JUST IN...there will be no 2014 - 93/272 issue of the Seinfeld Blog, the blog about nothing.  The kid is sick (he does not frequently get sick but when he does he is PITIFUL), and so far I have not found anyone to come and rub my chest with Bin-Gay.

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

2014 - Day 92/273 - Wednesday...

Okay, sorry to disappoint you, but this is going to be short and sweet.  I am relatively certain that I am not ill, but that I am having allergy issues.  No matter what it is, I am going to post this entry and heavily self-medicate and go to bed.  Just in case I doze off in the middle of this, I will be back tomorrow, same time, same channel!

This is a photo of some of the wildflowers we say yesterday prior to Jody's Birthday Lunch (not really a) celebration.  I believe the season is just starting, but so far, things are looking quite promising in the wildflower department of central Texas.  They should be in full bloom just about in time for all the Easter Bluebonnet Photos of kids, dogs and delinquents.

I'm just sayin'...

Today was our monthly Board of Directors meeting, and I am always surprised at how much work and dedication our Directors put in on behalf of our association.  A bunch of dedicated volunteer servants.  The meeting lasted today from 9:30 this morning until just about 5:30 this afternoon.  And me sitting there hacking my way through it.

I will have to feel better tomorrow, things do not quit just because we don't feel good, but I do look back fondly at the time where progress came to a screeching halt and I could take to my bed and not pay attention.

Sigh...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, WILD FLOWERS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 91/274 - Tuesday...

How many times did you fall for someone else's April Fools Joke today?  Me either!

Today marks a couple special events.  First and most important of all, today is Jody's birthday.  He is not that thrilled to celebrate (or bring any attention whatsoever to) his birthday, but he is getting better about it.  We had a few chores that needed to be attended to in Austin today, so we got a pretty late start into the city and rand several errands.  After those things, we met many of Jody's (and my) friends for lunch to celebrate his special day.  In attendance were Michael and Lynda, Carrie, Jan, Collette and Jetta.  It was a really wonderful time together, and lots of wonderful memories were shared around the table!  Happy Birthday my love!

Also on this date in the year 2000, Carrie and I officially began our little business.  Starting our 15th year.  Time flies!  Thanks Carrie, for all you help and support, the good times and the not so good times, and all the stuff you do for me every day.

Tomorrow is another day!

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