Volume 18 - Day 235/130, 2026 - Sunday

Holy Hell! It was 107 degrees in central Texas today, so I am considering changing my ways. 107 is too damn hot. At 9:30 this morning, Val and I went to an estate sale, and when we got there, we figured out that I had mis-read the advertisement, and there was NO estate sale there today. When we made it back home, I did not leave the house except to take the girls outside, and I think the rest of the city was doing the same. I would not be surprised to find out that retail sales cratered today, and probably delivery sales hit all time records. It's probably too late for me to make significant changes, so I may need to just get used to running around naked for the near-term. Or not. I have another appointment to take the Piglet back to the vet tomorrow morning, she is now experiencing 'gastro-intestinal' difficulties. See what I did there, I cleaned that description up. Anyway, I will drop her off at the vet, then I have two meetings to attend in Austin, and everybody should be back home by 3 o'clock. I just got a call from Linda, and we are going to have ice cream in about 20 minutes, so that means this journal entry is almost done. I think the photo accompanying this entry is a moth, not a butterfly. I used to think these were butterflies, but I was corrected, so now i think this is a moth. See, an old dog can be taught new tricks!

Volume 18 - Day 234/131, 2026 - Saturday

I'm tired of talking about how hot it is in central Texas lately, so I have decided not to mention how hot it is in central Texas in this entry. Get it? I was up a little bit early today, and got everything watered, front and back, before I walked with Paul. There were two estate sales today, and Judy and Marian and I were happy to attend them both. They were not really too exciting, but I did find two or three things that I needed. Down the street, about a half block away from the second sale, there was a house with a table at the end of the driveway with stuff on it, I assumed they were taking advantage of the estate sale advertising and they were doing a little yard sale. When I got to it, there were two signs that said 'Everything Free Except the Tables.' I picked up four things there ware (maybe) better than the stuff that I bought. Maybe not, but it was free! I got back to the Curious House, and did nothing for the rest of the day. Isn't Amazon a wonderful thing? I was surprised to see these boxes at the front door, but yep, they were addressed to me. Sometimes you forget what you ordered! Here is a question; I could have used a photo that I captured from my doorbell camera for this journal entry, but I chose one I took the old fashioned way. The question is, if I use a photo captured from the doorbell camera or one of the other cameras I have around the Curious House, who gets the photo credit?

Volume 18 - Day 233/132, 2026 - Friday

It is miserably hot here in central Texas, even at 5:30 in the morning. That is what time I got out of bed this morning, let the girls out, made coffee and sat down at the desk. By about 6:10, I was covered in sweat and still needed to water the plants in the back yard. Walking was okay, but it is just hot and really humid. We are expecting a 'front' to come through, which will, maybe, lower the humidity but not the temperature. After the walk, Paulina came over for coffee, and then I went to get my hair cut. Birds Barber Shop is kind of an Austin famous tradition, and I remember when they opened the first shop in (about) 2006. They opened a new store in Georgetown, a couple days late, and I was the first customer of the new store, and I got a free haircut. Nothing wrong with that! After the haircut, called the place that cancelled my injection appointment, just inquiring about, it is just an injection, isn't there someone else there that can administer the injection? After waiting about 15 minutes, the answer was no. Whatever. VP and I went in to Taylor for dinner tonight, the intention was to go to the Circleville Restaurant, but when we got there at 5, the sign said the kitchen was closed until 5:30. We will remember that for future visits. We went to Plowman's Kitchen, which is in a former elementary school in Taylor. It reminds me very much of the elementary school I went to in Michigan. I had a chicken fried steak that was very good, and now I am about ready to call it a night. Estate sales tomorrow, only two, but I expect it will be fun...we always have fun at estate sales, and I wonder what I might find that I didn't know I needed.

Volume 18 - Day 232/133, 2026 - Thursday

I feel like I had a busy day, but I can't really think of too much I did today. Gina and I went to Trader Joe's this morning, I got a few things, mostly chips and ice cream. It was nice visiting with her on the way there and back, and we have our trips to Trader Joe's pretty much down to a science. When I got home, I listened more to my book, I still have a couple hours to go, and I will finish it tonight and tomorrow. It is a pretty good book, The Calamity Club, and I am still not sure how it is going to end. Since there is nothing on tv tonight, I will watch the tv and listen to the book, just like back in the '70's. Hot. HOt. HOT! 104 today, 105 tomorrow, and 106 on Saturday and Sunday. Too darn hot to do anything outside, at least while the sun is shining. When we were living at the farm, it ws not unusual to get behind a tractor that was going just as fast as it could, which was never fast enough, and nobody really cared. 

Volume 18 - Day 231/134, 2026 - Wednesday

I think right after I got up this morning, I took the bandage off the Piglet's foot, for which I am most likely happier about than she is. The bandage was about an inch longer than her foot, and she frequently tripped over it. The foot looks fine, she is not acting like there is any discomfort, so all is good at the Curious House. I headed in to Austin about 10 o'clock this morning, I had a lunch date with Holly, Jonathan and Dale. Lots of fun, it was an early lunch, so we did not have to wait on a table. At Bartlett's, one of my favorites is the Club Salad with crispy fried chicken. Perfect. Once I got back home, I went down for a nap, and the girls cuddled up with me. It is officially really hot, and it is very uncomfortable outside. Just sitting out with the dogs causes me to glisten. Once the sun goes down a little bit, it is a little easier to sit outside. I water the plants in the front and the back, usually before the morning walks. It doesn't take too long to water, and it is easier before it gets too hot. Tomorrow morning I am going to Trader Joe's with Gina, and then I have a zoom meeting at 2:30. It should not be too long of a meeting. This little frog was very patient with me this morning. It started on the top gate rail, and ended up on the gate post, long enough for me to take this photo. 

Volume 18 - Day 230/135, 2026 - Tuesday

Paul decided not to walk this morning, so I took off by myself, and I took a different route, just to shake things up. I walked past the house in the photo that is accompanying this journal entry, and it is the SECOND house I put an offer on before I bought the Curious House. I looked at the Curious House at the same time I looked at the house in the photo, and they were built by the same builder. I actually liked the Curious House better, but I put an offer on the house in the photo and the lot next door, with the giant Oak Tree. The tree was intended to be the 'Jody Tree,' but it didn't work out, and I am totally happy with the way things worked out. I think Jody would have liked to have his own tree, and I still think of it as his tree. Walking a different route this morning put me in touch with a few different folks in the neighborhood, and it was fun. After the walk, Bob came and picked me up for the ROMEO breakfast, and Rick joined us as well. We had a great breakfast, and it was fun. I am pretty sure that is all I did for the rest of the day, but I did listen to more of the book, and got some stuff done in the office. Tomorrow I have a lunch date in Austin, and I may take care of a few chores on the way there and on the way home. The Piglet is doing fine, I don't think she is in any pain, but I did give her another pain pill tonight, just in case. That will likely make sure she doesn't bite at her foot through the night, she will likely be knocked out!

Volume 18 - Day 229/136, 2026 - Monday

SO...the Piglet had an appointment at the vet this morning at 8:30, so I took her in and left her there. They asked if things went badly, did I want them to perform CPR. Think about it. Once I got home, they called about a couple hours later and I went and brought her home. All is good, and I need to remove her bandage on Wednesday. I am really into the book I am reading (listening to), The Calamity Club, and I have just under 9 hours left to go. Not bad for a book that was a 28 hour listen. I had my own doctors appointment at 3 this afternoon, and all is good. Once I got home from that, I took a brief nap, and now I am just waiting for my Monday night programs to begin. PLUS, I have to give the Piglet a pill tonight, and another pill every 12 hours. The vet said it might make her sluggish, but can any animal be more sluggish than the Piglet? The photo of the yucca blooms was taken on our walk this morning, yucca blossoms are very pretty!