Volume 15 - Day 79/286, 2023 - Monday

It has been a grey and kind of dreary day, although there has been no rain, it is just a chilly day. The temperatures are supposed to go up in the next several days, and rumor has it that we may have seen the last of our chilly weather. Our walk this morning was good, and no real issues with that. I spent the day (most of it) in the office. We had a nice lunch meeting with our friend Tom, who gave us a demonstration of some of the finer points of a software he has that we all like. PLUS, he brought bar-b-cue. Yummy! I had no errands to run on the way home, and the mail had not even been delivered when I got home. Since I did nothing of universal interest today, I had no photos of any interest, so I just took a photo of the back patio, highlighting the new hummingbird feeders I put out yesterday. I have not seen any hummers yet, but my fingers are crossed, and I hope they will show up in the next couple of weeks. Meetings all day tomorrow, and Legislative visits on Wednesday, and lunch with REALTOR® colleagues from across the state. It's gonna be fun!

Volume 15 - Day 78/289, 2023 - Sunday

Well, today was a most excellent day in central Texas, starting with a nice, brisk (cold) walk first thing with Dick and Paul. I think there is supposed to be one more overnight with low temperatures in the 30s, then there will be a nice warming trend. I can't wait. Let me be clear...I am not wanting summer to be here any sooner than is absolutely necessary, but nice spring time temperatures would be very welcome. After the walk, I did a few little things around the house, not including a nap, and then headed out to brunch with Alisha, Reuben and Terry. We tried a new place in Cedar Park, the Toasted Yolk. Not bad, I think we will go back again. On the way home, I made a quick trip to Walgreen's, then took another nap. When I woke up, I had a burst of energy, and the hummingbird feeders I ordered from Amazon had arrived, so I got those installed. Then, I went out and did a few things on the front patio, watered the plants, cleaned the dog water station, and trimmed some of the plants that have died back. I'm not sure how much stuff will come up from the roots, but it will be what it is. Then I went out to the back patio, cleaned table tops, filled fountains with water and watered the plants. I have a few more things to do back there, but tomorrow is another day. The Piglet also got her face washed this morning, she is not keen on having it done, but she looks much better and now I doubt that she even remembers the trauma. Photo: Alisha got me back today, I hardly ever smile in one of her selfie photos, so she returned the favor this morning. I also learned that this is not a selfie, it is an ussie.

Volume 15 - Day 77/288, 2023 - Saturday

The bluebonnets are really prolific this year, but I have not had a good chance to take a good photo of them so far. I see great shots while I am driving, but can't just pull over and get out of the car. I did take a couple photos this morning, but even when I was taking them, I knew they would be very much less than spectacular. Our walk this morning was really chilly, even though the fancy-schmantzy weather station on the back porch reported it was 46 degrees. It felt much colder. Spring begins at 4:57PM on Tuesday, and it is only supposed to be 54 degrees on that date. I am not longing for 100 degree temperatures, but 60s and 70s would be very welcome. There was one estate sale today, and I was the only one that bought anything. I spent $2 for one of those string things used so your glasses don't fall off. I did not even buy it for myself, I got it for Richard, and I think I paid too much! The house was kept today, meaning the housekeeper came by and did her thing. I'm on a five to six week cycle, and it is nice that everything is clean and fresh. I had a few errands to run today, and I got all that stuff done. I need to wash the Piglet's face, but I have been putting that off for at least a week. I may get it done tonight or tomorrow, we shall see. They are going to the beautiful parlor next weekend, but I would be embarrassed to take them in with her face looking like it does. Ugh. Brunch tomorrow, and I am looking forward to that.

Volume 15 - Day 76/289, 2023 - Friday

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all y'all. I have one (ONE) green t-shirt, and I wore it today, just so I could harass other people who were not wearing anything green. Whatever works! It was raining off and on this morning when we started walking, so we had an abbreviated walk, just about a mile. I had a nine o'clock appointment, and had every intention of going down for a nap after that, but that did not work. I had an appointment (again) with the dermatologist at 11:30; I got there about 11:10, they called me in about 11:15, I was mostly nekkid and the doctor was in by about 11:20, and I was OUT OF THERE by 11:40. Perfect! Nothing terrible was discovered, I had about four or five pre-cancerous things on my face and arms, and a couple other things I wanted removed, so those little things were frozen. Once again, I am a lucky guy. I have never EVER been a person that used sunscreen or oils, I just laid out and baked. A LOT, so it seems I am tougher than some others. After that, I did take a little bit of a nap, but the phone kept ringing, so I got up and went to Costco in Cedar Park. I usually go to the one in Austin, but I went to Cedar Park instead. I bought a couple things that were on the list, and got gas in the little white car. The gas station at the new HEB should be open by the time I need gas again, and that will make me happy. Only one estate sale tomorrow, so there had damn well better be some good stuff at it. I'll let you know. Photo: About four or five years ago, my friend Holly brought all the members of a committee we were serving on some clover plants, and I have nursed this baby along, and it is still kicking.

Volume 15 - Day 75/290, 2023 - Thursday

Driving back and forth from the office and hither and yon, the Bluebonnets have been making a good showing. I have not seen a lot of Kids/Bluebonnet photos so far this year, but they are doing nicely, and today I saw a patch of Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes. Very pretty. I haven't been able to stop and document for posterity, but here is a photo of a few that are growing around a tree in Deb and Jay's front yard. Lovely. It was dribbling rain this morning on our walk, and we recorded a whopping 0.02" in the guage so far. It is supposed to rain more overnight, there are tornado watches active, and the temperatures are headed south for about the next six or seven days. The temperature right now is 81 degrees, and in the next few hours it is expected to be in the mid-50s. Crazy. I had lunch today with Lynda and Michael, and it was fun catching up with them. I am thinking of playing hooky from the office tomorrow. I have a couple appointments on the books, and then I think I might just take a nap for the rest of the afternoon. Couldn't hurt!

Volume 15 - Day 74/219, 2023 - Wednesday

It is dark these days when we start our walk in the morning, but by the time we are finished, usually about fifty minutes, it is getting lighter. This morning there was a nice sunrise behind us, so I thought you might enjoy it. I had a ten o'clock appointment this morning, and, as usual, I got there early. After that appointment, I went in to the office, and got some stuff done, and then I had a zoom call at 2 o'clock. I left the office and headed home after that call, and during the call, I got some more work done, since the zoom did not include video from my end. I have a couple appointments on the books for tomorrow, one at 9:30 and one at 11:30. I like Thursdays, mainly because it is the day before Friday! On Friday, I will (once again) show up at the dermatologist, having secured a referral from my PCP. I found out today that PCP stands for my Primary Care Physician. I know doctors have a history of writing illegibly, but now the assistants send e-mails in code. UGH. Fortunately (for you) there was nothing else of any import or interest to you today, so this is it.

Volume 15 - Day 73/292, 2023 - Tuesday

It's cold and I'm freezing. Okay, not literally, but it is not warm, and neither am I. Right now, it is about 60 degrees outside, and I have turned the heat back on, just to get the chill out of the house. I will turn it back off before I go to bed, but I just needed a little bit of heat temporarily. It was cold enough this morning during our walk that I had on sweats, a pretty heavy jacket, a stocking cap and gloves. I went to breakfast with the ROMEOs, wearing shorts and a jacket. Once I got to the office, I at least took the jacket off, but when I got home this afternoon and took the girls outside, I put the jacket back on. The low temperatures are supposed to be in the 30s later this week, and I cannot stand that at all. I think there might be some heavy storms coming our way as well. BUT...I will take it as it comes, and it will all work out okay. It was a full day in the office, and that was good, I got a lot of stuff done. We are still recovering from the storms over the past six weeks or so, and that is all about over. If you get a friend request from my friend Mike, don't accept, I am pretty sure he has been hacked. He is in Tennessee right now, visiting with our friend Twig. Rumor has it, the wimmin in the neighborhood (Marge and Pam) are starting their own Tuesday breakfast group, and I assume they will be known as the ROWEOs. I assume.