Volume 18 - Day 139/226, 2026 - Tuesday

It dribbled a little bit overnight, 0.02", but that was enough for me to call a 'rain day' and not walk. It was a good decision, because I was taking mike to the airport for his 11 o'clock flight. We were about half way to the airport, when he got a notice that his flight had been cancelled. Instead of turning around, we went ahead, Mike was thinking they would get him on another flight pretty soon. SO...his 11 o'clock flight was turned into a 1 o'clock flight, and at last word, he was in Tampa and the airport there was shut down because of weather. I still think he will make it home before the end of the day, but you never know. Oliver and I went to Costco later this morning, and after that, I took a nap, then got up and got my hair cut. It is really short, but it is only hair, it will grow back. After that, I went to HEB and got a few things, and they have cannas for $5, and I think I will get back in the car pretty soon and go get some. I really like cannas, they grow tall and bloom a lot! Perfect for me. We are under a severe thunderstorm watch, so I expect some rain over night, but I have plenty of time for getting to HEB and back. no problemo. I did spy these yellow roses this morning, I really like yellow roses, and they were my fathers' favorite flower.

Volume 18 - Day 138/227, 2026 - Monday

Still no rain, but I expect we will have some before too much longer. Memorial Day is coming up this weekend, and central Texas is known for Memorial Day flooding. We may not have flooding this year, but I am expecting some decent rain totals, they are forecasting 3 to 5 inches of rain for the Georgetown area. Fingers crossed. I went and voted this morning, so the rest of you can just stay home, no big deal. Mike went with me, and after I voted (I was in and out in less than five minutes), we just wandered around for a while, then we got home, we each had a piece of leftover pizza, and then took a nap. We went to Salt Trader's tonight for dinner, me, Mike, Linda, Jimmie, Paulina and Oliver. Mike is flying back to Del Rey Beach tomorrow, and then it will be quiet and dull in the Curious House. With any luck, I have booked the group for the next House Concert in June, and that will be good, it is a Dixieland group, and they are a lot of fun. I already have the September and October groups found, so that is finished. After the expected rains, the high temperatures are supposed to go down to the 80s, and I am happy for the temperatures to be closer to normal; after all, it is still only May. 

Volume 18 - Day 137/228, 2026 - Sunday

It has been cloudy most of the day. I removed all the House Concert fliers from around the neighborhood before our morning walk. One set of fliers was already gone, so I am not sure if that was done by friend or foe. I don't think it matters, because we had a nice turnout for the concert last night, and that is a good thing. The post card I mailed from Vatican City in April was delivered yesterday and it took about a month to go from Italy to Georgetown. At least it got here! We are looking forward to getting some rain, maybe starting tonight, and the predictions are that we could receive between 3 and 5 inches of rain. That would be swell! I did not water plants today, in anticipation of the rain, so now watch, we will get nothing. We all went to dinner tonight at Garbo's, I had a cup of clam chowder and a fried shrimp plate, all very good. Dan and Nancy will be leaving early in the morning, WAY before I get up, I expect. Hopefully they will not have any bad weather for their drive back to Las Cruces. I am not sure what will be happening this week, but I expect it will be calm. It's pretty much guaranteed! The Lesser Finches are happy with their millet, and I am glad to see the occasional hummingbird at the feeders, as well.

Volume 18 - Day 136/229, 2026 - Saturday

The two estate sales we went to today were nothing to get excited about. I spent $2 on a plastic Statue Of Liberty bank that had five pennies in it. I was hoping the pennies were pretty old, but they weren't...they ranged from 1969 to 1977. After the estate sales, Mike and I went in to Georgetown to get some scones for the next few days, and then we stopped at Walgreen's to get Marge a birthday card. We got her a cute card, but then we forgot to give it to her. I'll give it to her tomorrow. Dan barbecued burgers this afternoon, and I had one patty, then I was back at the Curious House waiting on the band to arrive and get set up. Tonight was the first House Concert of the sixth season that I have been living here, and we had a pretty good turnout. I think everyone had a good time, and it is a great way for the neighbors to get together and have a good time. The weather was perfect for the evening, and there was a nice breeze, so that was great. Tomorrow, I am not sure what is on the calendar, but I know there will be a dinner (or late lunch?) in Austin, and that will be another good evening. 

Volume 18 - Day 135/230, 2026 - Friday

Not a lot going on today, we had a nice walk this morning, and James and Dan joined me and Paul and Richard. When we finished walking, Mike and I had some breakfast, and then it was down for after breakfast naps. We sat outside for a while after that, and the weather has been really nice for the last several days. Not particularly hot, kind of cloudy, and I think the humidity has been under control. I discovered that I have misplaced a credit card, and the last time I had it was at lunch yesterday. No one has tried to use it, and I cancelled the card and there is a replacement on the way. I really believe I will find it somewhere, but just in case... A group of us went to Dahlia's in Liberty Hill for dinner tonight, and that was good. I had meat loaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and spinach. There was a lot of food brought home, but I was a member of the clean plate club. I am looking forward to estate sales tomorrow, and then the first House Concert of the Year will be in the driveway tomorrow night. I am a lucky man!

Volume 18 - Day 134/231, 2026 - Thursday

Today was an extra good day! Dan and Nancy got here (okay, next door) yesterday, and Mike got here this morning. We all went in to Georgetown for lunch, and tonight we had pizza and pasta at Frankies. Tomorrow, I think we are going to Dahlia's for dinner, and Saturday is estate sales and the house concert. While we were at Frankie's, Albert came in for his pick-up order, and that was fun. Albert (and Amber and Evan), lives four doors down. It is warm for this time of year, in my opinion, and getting warmer. I have done most of the stuff in the yard that needs to be done, but I need to call a tree guy to come out and trim up the Live Oak in the back yard. It will all be okay. This looks like a short post, but it pretty much covers all the events of the day. More tomorrow

Volume 18 - Day 133/232, 2026 - Wednesday

It was a really busy day today, and it was almost like I am not really retired! Of course, I started with a walk with Richard and Paul, and then I started making phone calls to a few colleagues that had been named as references for another colleague. I only had five calls to make, I spoke with three of them and left messages for two. I got ready to head out to my 11 o'clock meeting, and I got to the meeting with two minutes to spare! After that, I had lunch with Holly and Eileen, and then I headed to the store where I bought some patio furniture several years ago. I was just curious (as in the house) as to the possibility of buying replacement cushions for the front patio couch. I would need three sets of cushions, $400 per set. Nope, I am good with what I still have. Then I headed to an orthopedic doctors office in Georgetown. I tried to make an appointment with that doctor by phone this morning, but I was told I could not see that doctor because I was already seeing another orthopedic doctor in that same broad medical group. In my opinion, I can make an appointment with any doctor I want to...but I did not lose that battle. Ugh. Then I headed to Leander to show a home, and then back to the Curious House. I put $68 worth of gas in the little white car, and that was surprising. Nancy and Dan are in town for the weekend...they lived three houses down from me when I first moved to the Curious House. Mike will arrive tomorrow, and then the party will be starting. Did I mention I bought a Venus Fly Trap a couple weeks ago? Not sure that it has ever caught a fly, but it is interesting to look at.