Volume 17 - Day 190/175, 2025 - Wednesday

So, I did a full walk this morning, and I am glad of that. I got my ten thousand steps in for the first time in a long time, and that makes me glad, too. I went in to the office for a little while, put some stuff in the Buzz, and then I went to lunch with Michael and Lynda. It rained like crazy in Austin, and by the time I got back to Georgetown, there was not a drop to be seen. We may be in for a little rain overnight, and I hope that comes true. No matter what, I will likely never turn away rain from at or near the Curious House. I hope I am not dooming myself. I am still delighting on telling stories to my friends about the recent trip to Europe, and I expect I will be talking about it for a good well. I will likely be going back and forth to the office for the next couple days, getting a little of this and a little of that. We have new tenants moving in on Monday, so it has to get done. Overall, I am a happy man, and I know that not everybody can say that. Have a good evening!

Volume 17 - Day 189/176, 2025 - Tuesday

Still having some knee issues, so I have been doing only half-walks, but that is okay. I had an appointment with a 'bone doctor' this morning, and I was fully expecting to be told that I needed a left knee replacement. Mainly because I have been told that by the medicos for at least the last thirty years. I have been told it would be inevitable. Let me share with you some things I learned today about 'corporate' health care, and the caveat is my experience was a 90% positive one. Here we go. When I am directed to go to an appointment with a doctor (actually a PA-C) in a four story building, I need more direction than the street address. A suite number of the PA-C would be considered helpful. After determining where the PA-C in particular could be found, I stood in line for a while at 'check-in.' That seems to kind of contradict the 15 or twenty minutes that I spent doing the on-line check-in, but...whatever. On the bright side, while I was standing in line, I was able to get my 'Wordle' puzzle done, start to finish. In three tries. Once I checked in, I was directed to a spot to go sit and wait. There was a sign there that said I should be called within 15 minutes, and I was. I also think when someone comes to fetch you, they should introduce themselves. I am not opposed to asking 'who are you,' but shouldn't I know who is leading me into the bowels of this facility. The same should be said of the PA-C that came in to talk to me. I would like to know that that person is whom they said I should meet with. It is not my fault that everyones name tags are located in an inconvenient place to stare. Whatever. So, after some discussion and some poking and prodding, I was given some options, and the chosen option was just to get a steroid shot, and to see how that does. I was also told by a few friends that the steroid shot was not at all painful, but I prepared the PA-C for a high pitched scream. Didn't happen. I still have a little bit of discomfort, but not at all like I have been experiencing, so, so-far-so-good. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Volume 17 - Day 188/177, 2025 - Monday

I had a dentist appointment this morning at 8 o'clock, so I did not walk with Paul. I assumed the dentist scheduled my appointment so early so there would be fewer people in the office listening to me scream like a junior high school girl. Interestingly, at my advanced age, I no longer seem to be anxious about dentist appointments. For the last three visits, I have had no anxiety at all, so I hope to keep that streak running! After the dentist, I had a couple errands to run, and Mateo came by at about noon to hook up the printer I bought from the office. Total overkill, but I love that printer. A little later, I checked the mail, put up a couple flyers about the neighborhood blood drive this weekend, and then took some mail to UPS for Dick and Marge. I hope you are sitting down, because when I got home from that errand, I actually did a couple loads of laundry, so most everything in the house is clean now. Clothes I mean. We had a little bit more ran today, nothing to really speak about, and there may be a little bit more overnight. We need the rain badly, bit everything in moderations is best. Last year, we were plagued by vols, and they were certainly not welcome. This year, the bun rabbits are here and there, and this photo was taken from inside the office at the Curious House. Many people don't like the buns around, but I don't mind them a bit.

Volume 17 - Day 187/178, 2025 - Sunday

Well, it waited until late afternoon to start raining today, and that was nice of Mother Nature. It allowed me to get quite a few things done before chilling out with the girls. I got a few things straightened around in the garage, and then I headed off to my storage place. I got a few things straightened out there, and then headed in to Austin, and took a load of stuff from the office to the storage room. I met Val for lunch, and then got home and decided I did not need to do too much more, but I expect I will have another burst of energy before the day is over. A little of this and a little of that, and hopefully all the moving of stuff will be over soon. I am expecting a delivery from Amazon of a cord to connect the office printer to my stuff at the home office. That will make a big difference for me, I think. Time will tell. In the meantime, I think I will go back to the big chair, turn on something stupid on tv, and chill with the girls. More later!

Volume 17 - Day 186/179, 2025 - Saturday

Well, it rained for much of the day, but as I have said many times today, to many friends, if the Curious House gets flooded, the end of the world will be in about twenty minutes. There were evacuations at the bottom of the hill, and I think many of the people down there have returned. We were expecting more heavy rain this evening into tomorrow, but the radar shows that system may be going west of us, where they have already had plenty of rain...about three months of rain in a couple days. In the last four days, the gauge at the Curious House has recorded almost 6 inches of rain. We'll take it. This morning, I did a few things around the house, and then Diane, Marian and I made it to one estate sale. We kind of had to rethink the plan because it was raining so hard, but it was not terrible when we got to the actual house where the sale was. None of us bought anything. The photo of the South Fork of the San Gabriel River, which is at the bottom of the hill, was pretty well out of its' banks this morning, and that is the reason for the evacuations. After the estate sale, Val came over and we went in to Austin to move the copier from the office to the Curious House. Now I am set...I have a HUGE copier in the home office, but I love that copier. Tonight, Jimmie and Linda and I went to dinner, and we went to a Chinese Restaurant in Leander than none of us had tried before. I had sesame chicken and egg drop soup. Very good. Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I expect more rain. Do you think this entry was kind of rambling? I think you're right!

Volume 17 - Day 185/180, 2025 - Friday, The Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July to you! I spent much of my day doing things around the Curious House, including rearranging the home office to accommodate the printer from the office that I am taking over. I love that printer, and the way I have reconfigured the office will work out just fine, with the minimum of moving things around. I even vacuumed parts of the office as long as I was doing stuff. I may vacuum more another day, not sure. Around 9 o'clock, I headed in to Austin, and it was raining crazy. I expect many of you have seen news reports of all the flooding, devastation, deaths and missing people just about 50 miles west of us. That is not an uncommon occurrence here in central Texas; Nothing Breaks a Drought Like a Flood! I messed around the office for a little while, seeing if there was anything I could bring home with me (we are clearing out the office, we have leased it beginning July 15th). I move a little piece at a time, no reason to get all worked up about it. We have been in that office for 25 years, and I am not sure where all that stuff was hiding, but it will all get done. After the office, I had an appointment to donate platelets, and that is something I really like doing, and I left there about 1 o'clock. Once I got home, it was still raining, and as much as I tried, I could not get a nap in. My neighbors brought me home cooked food over, last night they brought me a quart of ice cream. I need to keep those neighbors. They either like me or think I am too ald to fend for myself. Whichever, it is okay with me.

Volume 17 - Day 184/181, 2025 - Thursday

We are getting some welcome and appreciated rain. Not a lot, but a little over a long period of time. Again, this was a busy day, beginning by being my own advocate for me. I was scheduled to get a blood draw this morning, and I was hoping to see someone about the pain I am having in my left knee. So...I went to the Georgetown office and WOW, the receptionist was nice and helpful, I got the blood draw (and the results, all within accepted ranges, and there was a doctor there that would see me about my knee. The doctor was very nice, explained tings, ordered three x-rays, and decided I had 'moderate knee osteo arthritis and bone on bone' challenges with my left knee. He gave me five days worth of Prednisone, and I have an appointment with a 'bone doctor' next Thursday. I expect I will be told that I need a knee replacement, and I have known that would be suggested for about the last three decades. Now, the only thing not figured out, is the timing of the replacement. But, maybe I am getting ahead of myself, maybe I need to wait until after the appointment to start making plans. Whatever. After that, I went in to Austin to get some things done and to pick up the prescription, and on the way home, I picked up some bbq ribs and chicken ($17.76 Special), so I am set for the Holiday. Jimmie and Linda and I went to dinner again, and I had some really good catfish. Now we are planning our next visit to Taylor for more catfish. My Holiday will include donating platelets, and doing some work to get stuff out of the office and into storage. Fun!