Volume 18 - Day 88/277, 2026 - Sunday

I stayed pretty busy today, starting with a good walk with Richard and Pau. I watched part of Sunday Morning, but lost interest and started cleaning (straightening out) the garage. I almost filled the recycling container with paper bags that I have been saving for too many years. I am not saving them anymore. After that, I went to one of the big box pet stores (not sure which one) and got bird seed and some dog food. I am stocking up on dog food because I will be out of town for a couple weeks in April. After that, Val and I went to an estate sale that I was at yesterday, but the main thing I went back for was already sold, that's just the way things go. I thought it was too expensive yesterday, it would have been better at 50% off, but it was a goner. I watered plants, and then some other neighbors (Albert, Amber and their son Evan) came down, Evan is going to help watch the girls and water plants while I am gone. After that, I went to Costco with Linda and Jimmie, and now I am ready to have some ice cream and pile up for the night. I think the girls are pretty ready to chill out as well.These geraniums are at least three years old, and I have two potts of them, and they seem to be very happy, which makes me smile. I also put some potting soil in the pot with the big ficus, and I will give it a little fertilizer later this week. 

Volume 18 - Day 87/278, 2026 - Saturday

We went to seven estate sales today, and at one of them, across the street from the actual sale, there was a house with an absolutely beautiful stand of red, white and pink amaryllis. Absolutely beautiful. The Curious House boasts a few amaryllis, all procured over the years from Trader Joe's, and they get better every year. I'm happy with them. Before estate sales, Richard and Paul and James and I had a nice walk, and there was some (only some) good conversation. Seven estate sales is a LOT of estate sales, and it was me, Diane and Marian. I am pretty sure everyone bought something, and I spent about $25 and got a few cool things. I am going back to one of the sales tomorrow to check out a couple things that will be half-off. You never know what might happen on the last day of a sale. After the sale, Marian, Paulina and I went to the Georgetown Community Center, where they were having a native plant sale. By the time we got there (1PM) they had sold out of everything and the place was next to empty. I guess it was a competition between estate sales and native plants, and the sales won. I hired a new lawn care guy, and he cut the grass this afternoon, the first time of the season. He did a good job, and I think we will be on a two week rotation. Every two weeks should be plenty. I just got back from the quicky-picky, where I got my lottery tickets for the next few days. One of these days...

Volume 18 - Day 86/279, 2026 - Friday

Today is Val's birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL! The day started with a good walk, and then I got back to the Curious House, had a scone, did a few things in the office, and then I went down for a nap. I didn't do a whole lot for the rest of the day, the girls and I just kind of hung out. I did get a few things in the office done, and got some planning done. I talked to a couple people in Chicago about flights to and from Africa for my trip in September. I think I (Paulina) found better and less expensive flights round trip, so I probably will not use the recommended vendor to book those flights. We have had a cool front come through, so it is 17 degrees cooler right now than it was a five o'clock this afternoon. The cooler weather is only going to last a couple days, but we will take what we can get. I went to dinner tonight with Val and Paulina to celebrate his birthday, and had cake from Upper Crust after dinner. Tomorrow will be seven estate sales, and I am looking forward to that. In the afternoon, there is a native plant sale going on at San Gabriel Park, and I expect I will go to that, just to see what I can find. 

Volume 18 - Day 85/280, 2026 - Thursday

This time tomorrow should be a little bit cooler than it has been lately in central Texas. The weather prognosticator said it is unusual to have 90 degree temperatures in March, and so far there have been five days at 90 degrees or better. I think that is the most 90 degree days in March ever here. Maybe tomorrow it will break, and we will be more seasonable, and I can open the windows again. Maybe. Paul and Richard and I had a nice walk this morning, I need to start walking a little further to get my knee used to it. I had a zoom class this morning for three hours, and then a zoom meeting for one hour this afternoon. Other than that, I did very little of anything today. I did get a few things done in the office between zoom meetings, and I have absolutely nothing on my list of things to get done tomorrow. There are seven estate sales on Saturday, and that might well be a record for us. I plan to finish the current book, The Bean Trees, over the weekend since book club is Monday night and I am the host this month. I have to say, I am not particularly fond of this book, but I will get it finished. I do have a nice little group of Bluebonnets in the front bed, and they are particularly lovely this year. Lots of them on the sides of the highways, always a sign that spring has sprung!

Volume 18 - Day 84/281, 2026 - Wednesday

The day started with a pretty good walk with Richard and Pau, and then, I had an appointment at the Curious House with the landscaper. All I really want is to make, what appears to be, a very complicated estimate a simpler for me to understand estimate. I don't need a lot of this and that, I just want to add some plants and get two peach trees bought and installed. So, I hope to get the revised estimate later this evening or tomorrow, get it approved, and then wait for all the work to happen. I did get a new lawn maintenance person approved, and the grass will get cut on Saturday. Today was a platelets day, and it is pretty crazy that I was the only one that could donate platelets today. For one reason or another, Paulina and Marian were not able to give, so that is unfortunate. Whenever I am disqualified for donating, I take it very personally. Whatever. Tomorrow, I have a couple zoom meetings; one is a three hour continuing education class, and the other is a committee meeting. I haven't looked yet, but Marian says there are a lot of estate sales this weekend, and that is always fun. I'll let you know. You can always count on the rose bushes in the back yard, they are very little maintenance, and they are absolutely stunning. 

Volume 18 - Day 83/282, 2026 - Tuesday

I had a nice walk this morning with Richard, and after the walk, I met with Rick and Richard for our ROMEO breakfast. I got a good bit of office work done, I really don't pay attention to doing the 'worst first,' but I settled down and did a couple things that I have been putting off. It was not as bad as I expected, and now it is done. I also finished the fountain planter on the back patio this afternoon, and I got the three functioning fountains up and going. I am pretty satisfied with the new plantings, and I will just need to keep everything watered. I still can't find the large peach trees that I am coveting, and I am ready to approve a bid for filling in the landscaping in the front and back, we just need to agree on some changes. Unfortunately, that means they are going to be back at the Curious House tomorrow. Also tomorrow, Marian and Paulina and I have appointments to donate platelets, and Val's birthday is Friday, so she has ordered a cake from Upper Crust, AND, I need to pick up another prescription while I am in the neighborhood. 

Volume 18 - Day 82/283, 2026 - Monday

So...it was kind of a busy day, but only busy because of a couple things I chose to do. I did walk this morning with Richard and Paul, and then I had a 9:30 appointment at the dermatologist. This appointment was my annual follow-up, and all is good, she froze off several pre-cancerous spots here and there, mostly face and hands, all the places where the sun shines. I think I am lucky so far, because I was pretty well known for sun worshipping, and I have NEVER used tanning lotions or oils or sun blockers. The hotter, the better...but then, I moved to Texas. After that appointment, I went to one of the local nurseries and bought some plants to convert two fountains (two of the same fountains) into planters. I never really liked these fountains, but I think they will do well as planters. I have done the one in the front (see photo), and I will do the other one tomorrow morning. My lawn service guy raised the rate per visit again, so I decided to find another service. The man that Richard has hired will be by later this evening or tomorrow and give me a bid, so I think that is who I will be going with. Frequently, change is a good thing. I had a wonderful conversation with Deb this afternoon, we chatted and laughed and gossiped for 39 minutes! She was on my list of people to call because I had told her I would like to be in her book club, but it is just not going to happen. Any way, we had a great talk, and we all miss her and Jay, but if I can wait five years, she and Jay may be back here for one of their grand kids high school graduation! They moved to Vancouver, Washington three years ago, time flies!