Volume 18 - Day 55/310, 2026 - Tuesday

It took a while, but I finally figured out that Las Vegas is on Pacific time and not Mountain time. I was talking to Maggie in Austin and asked her what time it was, I was confused. But now I have that figured out, I know what time it is, but not sure about the day. It was an early day (Pacific time) starting with breakfast, and then the presentations started. Here is who we heard from: A couple former Presidential Press Secretaries, two US Senators, Lawrence Yun the NAR Economist, and a couple more leaders from the National Association of REALTORS®. This particular annual conference is ALWAYS balanced as far as political parties are concerned, and I like hearing the Point/Counter Point presentations. After today's session ended, Nancy and Melinda and I walked to get lunch, and then it was nap time, but I was not competent on the napping issue. We left the Hotel (me, Nancy and Candy) and headed to the sphere to see The Wizard of Oz, and I can confirm that the Sphere is as cool as everyone says it is, and the show was as cool as everyone has told me it was. I bought four t-shirts. Pay attention Mike! We left there and went to the Venetian, where we did nothing, and then we Ubered back to the hotel. I stopped at the little store and bought two diet Cokes ($5 each), and now I am back in the room. I tuned in and watched the end of the State of the Union speech, and now I am watching (listening to) the Democratic response. Tomorrow will be another day of presentations, then the afternoon off, and then the closing reception tomorrow night. Another good President Circle Conference is close to being in the books.

Volume 18 - Day 54/311, 2026 - Monday

Well, I don't think anyone walked this morning, I know for sure I didn't. The girls are staying with Val and Paulina, so while I was packing it was interesting to not have two dogs following me around. I got to the airport, and contrary to what I saw yesterday, there were no delays in Austin going to Las Vegas. I will be here until Thursday and then I will continue my adventures to points north. It should be fun. The association outdid themselves this trip with my room; I am in a suite on the 70th floor, and the photo accompanying this entry is the view from the living room. I got checked in, registered for the conference, and then went down to a reception. This hotel is HUGE, and I cannot understand how they can build a place this big, and not have an electrical outlet by the desk. And the desk does not have a desk chair, so there is that. I can always find something, but otherwie, everything is just fine. The flight was interesting, too. There was a medical emergency on the flight, and there was one medical person on the flight, a GIANT of a man, and he spent at least 30 minutes on the floor in the front galley with a woman. I guess it all turned out okay, because an ambulance met the plane and she refused it. The last I saw, they were bringing a gurney down the jet way, but I don't know what happened after that. This particular conference ends business about noon each day, so afternoons are free. Tomorrow night we are going to The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere, so that will be fun!

Volume 18 - Day 53/312, 2026 - Sunday

No walking today, and I doubt I will be walking tomorrow, either. I didn't do a whole lot of stuff around the house today, I had an appointment to donate platelets again at 10:45, and again, I did not qualify. The heart is still 'mis-beating,' but it was better today than it was Thursday. I am heading to a conference tomorrow, so I will give the cardiologist a call when I get back. Everything I see from Dr. Google encourages me not to worry about it too much. I do not know when I experience a 'mis-beat,' I have never felt a thing. Dr. Google says I should consult a doctor if these are frequent (not sure how I would know), or if they are accompanied by dizziness or chest pain. Nope, I am not experiencing any of that. Whatever... It also says it can be triggered by caffeine, stress or by interactions of prescription drugs. I also take several supplements, and I have started eating kiwis, so if worse comes to worse, I will blame everything on the kiwis. I took the girls over to Val and Paulina's this afternoon, I am going to a conference tomorrow, so I am looking forward to that. There will be some interesting things going on next week, so stay tuned! I finished my latest book, Best Offer Wins. It was an interesting book, one of the sub-plots was about real estate, but I absolutely despised the main character of the book. There is really not even any way I can adequately describe the book, but it made me nervous! The photo popped up the other day, not sure when it was, but it brought back fun memories of a previous life when I was participating in long distance bike riding. 

Volume 18 - Day 52/313, 2026 - Saturday

Richard and Paul and James did not walk this morning, and I did a very abbreviated walk, but I did walk a little bit. Richard and Paul are still not feeling well, so there will be no walking tomorrow. Maybe I will maybe I won't. Diane and Marian and I hit three estate sales, I bought about $35 of stuff (at half price) that I didn't know I needed, but now I am happy with the haul. I did not do anything in the garage, maybe I will do that tomorrow, maybe not. There is one of the estate sales I went to today that I may go back to tomorrow, depending on how things go at the blood bank. I have a 10:45 appointment, and I hope the heart beat skipping challenge will have resolved itself. We shall see. Paulina and Val came over tonight, and we headed to the Speakeasy in Georgetown to see Aidan Berg and his group, but the said we could not get in for the 6:30 show, so we went to Dahlia's in Liberty Hill instead. The next time Aidan plays, I will do my best to make reservations way in advance. The photo with this journal is all of us at Dahlia's: Clockwise from left is Paulina's mother Graznya, Paulina, Krisa, Oliver, Val and me. You can always tell where I am in a photo, I am usually the one with the carry-out box!

Volume 19 - Day 51/314, 2026 - Friday

As far as I can remember, I did not have anything on the schedule today. Richard was (is) still feeling a bit under the weather, so the walk was just me and Paul. I did a little bit of work in the garage, nothing serious, I am saving that for the weekend. About 10:30 this morning, I remembered that someone (I can't remember who) mentioned the other night that Golden Chick was offering their fried shrimp again, so of course I took off and had a six shrimp combo. Shrimp, macaroni and cheese, a lovely roll and a soda. I will be back several times while they are offering this, I cannot usually get enough fried shrimp. I did get in a couple short naps this afternoon, and I had the windows open most of the day, getting ome fresh air in the house. It is going to be cooler the next several days, but then back up in to the 80s by the middle of next week. Late this afternoon, I went to dinner with Linda and Jimmie, and that was nice. There are three estate sales tomorrow, and then I want to go to City Post (the old Post Office in Georgetown) to see Aidan Berg and his group play a set. 6:30. Anybody want to meet me there?

Volume 18 - Day 50/315, 2026 - Thursday

Richard is not feeling well, so Paul and Jimmie and I had a walk this morning, and after I got home, I was considering a nap, but that didn't happen. I picked Marian up at about 10 o'clock, and we headed in to Austin for platelets donation, with a quick stop at Upper Crust. We got to We Are Blood, and everything was okay, UNTIL...I was rejected because, when they took my pulse, I had 8 heart skips (?) and they are okay if you have 6 skips, but not eight. I was very sad about that, and I made another appointment for Sunday morning. I guess if I have too many skip beats again, I will give my doctor a call. I looked it up on Google, nothing really too scary unless I have chest pains, etc., which I am not experiencing. Whatever...while I was in the lobby, listening to my book, they were shooting a video at the blood bank...with Ringo, the mascot of the Texas Stars, an American Hockey League team. The mascots name is 'Ringo,' the mascot of the 'Stars." get it? Ringo Stars. Ugh. On the way home, I stopped and picked up a prescription, and then tried to take a nap again, and failed. Again. I had the left-over lasagna from last night for dinner. I don't have much on my schedule for tomorrow, but I am looking forward to doing one of my favorite things...straightening out the garage. I LOVE that!

Volume 18 - Day 49/316, 2026 - Wednesday