Volume 18 - Day 176/189, 2026 - Thursday

It is way past my bedtime, but I will tell you more about that a few sentences from here. I walked with Paul this morning, that is the first time I walked in a while, so that was good. My knee is not really getting any better, and I will find out more about that tomorrow at my doctors appointment. There are a couple things (I think) that could avoid a knee replacement, one of which may include a trip to Germany. Cheaper than a replacement, much more fun, and a much quicker recovery time. I did visit the chiropractor this afternoon, and then Oliver and I went to Costco. I got a few things, including a pistachio cheese cake, which I took to our neighbors dinner tonight. Gina and Billy hosted the dinner at their home, which is beautiful, and Gina is a wonderful cook, and none of us left hungry. When Gina and Billy lived next door, I was the recipient of food frequently, and I brought steak, chicken and cheesecake home with me this evening. Gina and Billy have three pooches, so there was a lot of petting, snuggling and baby talk as well as the great food. We are skipping July for neighbors dinners, and Marian and Ronny are in charge of coordinating for August. Really...we are already making plans for August. I think book club is skipping July as well, but I will really need to check my calendar to be sure.

Volume 18 - Day 175/190, 2026 - Wednesday

Evidence that I trimmed the crape myrtle limbs off the garage roof, because if you don't have a picture to prove it, it didn't really happen. And geraniums, I trimmed to dead-heads off the geraniums. I will trim a few more over the weekend, but I will need someone to hold the ladder for me. I am not totally stupid! I got a few things done in the Curious House this morning before I left for my committee meeting, the most significant of which was getting the damage claim filed with the totally useless insurance company the man that hit me uses. I won't mention the name of that company (again), but the name rhymes with State Farm. Again. SO...we will see where we go from here. I was required to send 11 photos of the Buzz, the VIN number, a shot of the odometer, and a couple other things. Ugh. Someone from that insurance company should be doing this, I did not cause the challenge. I DO cause lots of challenges, but I did not cause this one. I got in to Austin in plenty of time to chill before the meeting started, and it was another day of good works for our REALTOR® association. Once I got home, it was mainly nap time, and tree trimming. I trimmed the limbs today so I can put them in the can for pickup tomorrow. Tomorrow I will also check for estate sales over the weekend, I have an appointment with the chiropractor, and a visit to Costco. Fun times! 

Volume 18 - Day 174/191, 2026 - Tuesday

I didn't realize it was Tuesday until Tuesday was almost over. I will try to remember that tomorrow is Wednesday, but there are no guarantees. I left to go in to Austin this morning at 7 o'clock to get to my 8:30 meeting. The photo accompanying this entry is the view from the third floor of the Austin Board of REALTORS® where the meeting was held, and where I will be (again) for most of the day tomorrow. Volunteer servants doing their servant thing! It was good working with my colleagues, making good decisions for all our members. I got home this afternoon at about 4:30, and the girls had convinced themselves that they were never, EVER going to be fed again. For them, today was a lot like the days when I was still doing business and would be gone for most of the day. They don't want to get back in to that routine, and I don't want to do that, either. I like the life of a retired person. Thursday I have a chiropractor appointment and the neighborhood dinner Thursday night at Gina's house. I am bringing apple pie from Costco. Friday, I have an appointment with my 'new' GP, my first real doctors visit with him, and I have a couple pages of questions and concerns. He may not want to be my GP after that appointment, we shall see. 

Volume 18 - Day 173/192, 2026 - Monday

When Paul and I walked past the little pond in the subdivision, this heron was in the water. When I got on the sidewalk to take a picture, it flew up in to this tree, which was still a good setting for the photo. Thanks. I did a lot of busy work this morning, and ran errands. I watered the plants front and back and made a quick trip to HEB. I had a $100 Gift Card, which I spent and more. I also went to Georgetown Donuts (my favorite) and got a half dozen donuts. At noon, I picked up Marian and we headed in to Austin to donate platelets. I made two stops on the way; I picked up prescriptions and we made a stop at Upper Crust Bakery. I have cinnamon rolls for a couple breakfasts and two pieces of carrot cake. Interestingly, I have not consumed the cupcakes I bought yesterday at GOGO'S TREATERY, so I would say I am pretty well set with sweet things for at least the next ten days. Paulina met us at the blood bank, and we all donated platelets. Our next visit will be on July 6th, and we all like doing that. Tomorrow, I will not be walking, I have an 8:30 meeting at the Austin Board, and breakfast is provided, so all the bakery goods will stay in the refrigerator for a while. Good grief!

Volume 18 - Day 172/193, 2026 - Sunday

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there, and also Happy Summer Solstice day, the longest day of this year! I walked this morning with James and Paul, and then I did some grown up things in the office at the Curious House. Went through the mail for the last week, paid a few bills on-line, and sorted through some things. I went out into the garage this morning, and found a GFCI had tripped, and some of the stuff in the beer fridge freezer had thawed. Some of it was not totally thawed, and I put that in the refrigerator part. The items that were totally thawed will be put out in the trash on Thursday. Those things are still in the freezer, I don't want the garage to start stinking until Thursday. I still have not completely unpacked the carry-on, there is plenty of time to do that next week. I had a two o'clock appointment in FAR south Austin, and that drive was about forty miles each way. The client was a man I represented over twenty years ago when he bought his home, and it was nice to see him again. He told me I had not changed a bit, and that was a little bit concerning. After that appointment, I had dinner with Val, Paulina and Oliver at the Cheesecake Factory at the Arboretum, and now I am ready to be finished with this day. Tomorrow will be a platelets day, and I need to pick up prescriptions and maybe hit Upper Crust for cinnamon rolls. We shall see. Marian will ride with me, and we will meet Paulina at the blood bank, so the three of us are back in the groove. I may even do a little bit of grocery shopping tomorrow. Maybe.

Volume 18 - Day 171/194, 2026 - Saturday

I am back home again from my past week's escapades, and I am pretty sure the girls would like me to leave again so they can become more spoiled with Val, Paulina and Oliver. I got off the train in Temple so we could stop at GoGo's Treatery for FroYo, cupcakes and macaroons. All very yummy. I took a couple naps on the train, and I apparently slept through the stop in Cleburne, when I woke up, I was surprised to find that we were in McGregor. Whatever. I emptied 3.96" of rain from my gauge, and I will record that shortly. I have unpacked the necessities, and I will do the rest tomorrow, but for now, I am ready to go pile up in the big chair with the girls. I was happy to see this rainbow on the way home, that was a welcomed surprise, and for a while, there was a double rainbow, but it did not photograph very well.

Volume 18 - Day 170/195, 2026 - Friday

Happy JuneTeenth everybody! I was going to include the ussie of me and Richard for this entry, but I thought the contrast of the sad buildings and the St. Louis Arch in the background was more in keeping with why I ride trains here and there. Sadly, I am a little bit disappointed in this leg of my return home. The parts I am in control of are just fine, like looking out the window of my room and seeing the real country. The parts I cannot control are the alleged rudeness of the staff on this leg of the trip. Maybe it is just my imagination. In addition, my room is cold enough to hang meat, and the solution was 'there's a blanket up there.' Not good enough. Whatever. I just got back from dinner, salmon and red wine (I know), and now I am in the room for the night. We are in St. Louis, and I think this stop will be about a half hour. I am not sure where we will be when I wake up in the morning, but I am looking forward to getting home. I think I will be in Taylor about 6:30 or so tomorrow, not exactly sure. I think Paulina and Oliver are going to pick me up, and then we will have catfish for dinner in Taylor. I have work to get done over the weekend so Eileen won't be mad at me, and I have a listing appointment on Sunday. Life goes on!