Volume 18 - Day 232/133, 2026 - Thursday

I feel like I had a busy day, but I can't really think of too much I did today. Gina and I went to Trader Joe's this morning, I got a few things, mostly chips and ice cream. It was nice visiting with her on the way there and back, and we have our trips to Trader Joe's pretty much down to a science. When I got home, I listened more to my book, I still have a couple hours to go, and I will finish it tonight and tomorrow. It is a pretty good book, The Calamity Club, and I am still not sure how it is going to end. Since there is nothing on tv tonight, I will watch the tv and listen to the book, just like back in the '70's. Hot. HOt. HOT! 104 today, 105 tomorrow, and 106 on Saturday and Sunday. Too darn hot to do anything outside, at least while the sun is shining. When we were living at the farm, it ws not unusual to get behind a tractor that was going just as fast as it could, which was never fast enough, and nobody really cared. 

Volume 18 - Day 231/134, 2026 - Wednesday

I think right after I got up this morning, I took the bandage off the Piglet's foot, for which I am most likely happier about than she is. The bandage was about an inch longer than her foot, and she frequently tripped over it. The foot looks fine, she is not acting like there is any discomfort, so all is good at the Curious House. I headed in to Austin about 10 o'clock this morning, I had a lunch date with Holly, Jonathan and Dale. Lots of fun, it was an early lunch, so we did not have to wait on a table. At Bartlett's, one of my favorites is the Club Salad with crispy fried chicken. Perfect. Once I got back home, I went down for a nap, and the girls cuddled up with me. It is officially really hot, and it is very uncomfortable outside. Just sitting out with the dogs causes me to glisten. Once the sun goes down a little bit, it is a little easier to sit outside. I water the plants in the front and the back, usually before the morning walks. It doesn't take too long to water, and it is easier before it gets too hot. Tomorrow morning I am going to Trader Joe's with Gina, and then I have a zoom meeting at 2:30. It should not be too long of a meeting. This little frog was very patient with me this morning. It started on the top gate rail, and ended up on the gate post, long enough for me to take this photo. 

Volume 18 - Day 230/135, 2026 - Tuesday

Paul decided not to walk this morning, so I took off by myself, and I took a different route, just to shake things up. I walked past the house in the photo that is accompanying this journal entry, and it is the SECOND house I put an offer on before I bought the Curious House. I looked at the Curious House at the same time I looked at the house in the photo, and they were built by the same builder. I actually liked the Curious House better, but I put an offer on the house in the photo and the lot next door, with the giant Oak Tree. The tree was intended to be the 'Jody Tree,' but it didn't work out, and I am totally happy with the way things worked out. I think Jody would have liked to have his own tree, and I still think of it as his tree. Walking a different route this morning put me in touch with a few different folks in the neighborhood, and it was fun. After the walk, Bob came and picked me up for the ROMEO breakfast, and Rick joined us as well. We had a great breakfast, and it was fun. I am pretty sure that is all I did for the rest of the day, but I did listen to more of the book, and got some stuff done in the office. Tomorrow I have a lunch date in Austin, and I may take care of a few chores on the way there and on the way home. The Piglet is doing fine, I don't think she is in any pain, but I did give her another pain pill tonight, just in case. That will likely make sure she doesn't bite at her foot through the night, she will likely be knocked out!

Volume 18 - Day 229/136, 2026 - Monday

SO...the Piglet had an appointment at the vet this morning at 8:30, so I took her in and left her there. They asked if things went badly, did I want them to perform CPR. Think about it. Once I got home, they called about a couple hours later and I went and brought her home. All is good, and I need to remove her bandage on Wednesday. I am really into the book I am reading (listening to), The Calamity Club, and I have just under 9 hours left to go. Not bad for a book that was a 28 hour listen. I had my own doctors appointment at 3 this afternoon, and all is good. Once I got home from that, I took a brief nap, and now I am just waiting for my Monday night programs to begin. PLUS, I have to give the Piglet a pill tonight, and another pill every 12 hours. The vet said it might make her sluggish, but can any animal be more sluggish than the Piglet? The photo of the yucca blooms was taken on our walk this morning, yucca blossoms are very pretty!

Volume 18 - Day 228/137, 2026 - Sunday

Well, the Piglet is not going to be happy abut this. She still has the bandage (kleenex and tape) on her right front foot that VPO fashioned for her yesterday, and I am pretty comfortable saying that there has been no more bleeding since yesterday. I will be dropping her off at the vet tomorrow morning at 8:30, and the part she will not like most is that she cannot have breakfast in the morning. I expect the vet will remove the toe nail that is just barely hanging on, but I will know more tomorrow. VP and I went to another estate sale this morning in Liberty Hill. That is not my usual hunting ground, but one of the women I like very much that does estate sales, told us about it last week, so we thought we would give it a shot. We all bought a few things, and that was good. Then it was time for a nap, and I took off for HEB at about 1:30, but before that, I stopped at Paris Baguette (a franchise) that opened last week. I have been to another location in Austin, but the one that opened here in Georgetown was overwhelming. Lots of interesting looking culinary delights, but I didn't buy anything. Again, I was just overwhelmed and decided I would go back during the week when it may not be quite so crowded. Val made goulash so I went next door for dinner, and after that, PO went to Paris Baguette and brought me a couple treats. That will keep me busy for a couple days, anyway.

Volume 18 - Day 227/138, 2026 - Saturday

Well, today turned out to be an interesting day, and kind of out of the ordinary for some parts of it. Of course it started with a nice walk. My knee is not pain free, but the pain is a different kind of pain, so not sure what to think. I looked up the particular injection that I had yesterday, and it said I should expect tremendous relief 'several weeks after the fifth injection.' Well, that means I have a little bit over a month to go. We shall see. Marian, Paulina, Judy and I went to two estate sales, they were not great, but everybody bought something. I spent about $30, I bought a couple odd pieces AND a couple (maybe three) sets of white towels. Bath towels, hand towels and wash cloths. I bought towels a while back, allegedly 'very absorbent' but not really. I could not get dry with those towels. The towels I got today, that Paulina took and washed and dried already, and (hopefully) are hopefully very absorbent. Val is a self proclaimed towel expert, and he tells me they are very good, high quality towels. Yippee! After the estate sale, we decided to go to Temple for lunch. At Buc-ee's. Paulina was on a quest to get an A&M t-shirt for herself, and they had just gone on sale. I had a brisket sandwich for lunch (there is no place to sit inside Buc-ee's, so we sat in the jeep). Really, honestly, going to Buc-ee's was just a cover for the real purpose, which was to go to GoGo's Treatery. We love that place. They have the best FrYo and pastries, cakes, cupcakes, etc. Absolutely the best. We made it home, no longer hungry, and it was time for a nap. Later in the afternoon, Val brought the freshly washed towels over, and when he left, the Piglet decided to leave a trail of blood from the front door to the bedroom. Val, Paulina and Oliver came over and got the Piglet's front right paw wrapped and got the bleeding stopped. Apparently, she chewed one of the nails on that paw practically off, and it is just hanging, hardly attached. There was blood EVERYWHERE. I have requested an appointment with the vet for Monday morning, we will see if that can be done. Time to call it a day!

Volume 18 - Day 226/139, 2026 - Friday

Inside this blue bundle awaits the miracle injection(s) I have been waiting for for a while. GenVisc (Sodium Hyaluronate 25 mg) 850. Five injection regimen. I was expecting one shot and done, and I was surprised when the doctor told me 'the insurance company said you need five injections.' I am surprised that the insurance company knows anything about what I need, but who am I to question the medical/insurance professions. Not like I have been trying to get these injections for a while now, so I am not going to protest anything. So, right now I have a bit of pain in my knee, but it is a different pain than what I ws experiencing this morning. That might go away tomorrow, fingers crossed. SO...my appointment for the shot was at 10:20 this morning, and it is/was forty miles from the Curious House. I made it with no real issues, and I left that office at about 10:45. I had a one o'clock appointment by Mansfield Dam (Lake Travis), so I stalled, and drove up and down 620 for about an hour-and-a-half. I got to the appointment at about 12:35, and the client was up at the road, so there was no way for me to hide. It all worked out, and that appointment lasted a couple hours, and I got back to the Curious House  little after four o'clock this afternoon. I went to dinner with Jimmie and Linda, and when I got home, Paulina came over to chat for just a few minutes. I will be heading to the bedroom to pile up in the big chair with two small dogs in just about ten minutes. I am ready to call this day finished.