Volume 18 - Day 76/289, 2026 - Tuesday

There was no walk at all this morning, it was too cold and the wind was still blowing pretty briskly. I knew I was not going to walk, so I tried staying in bed as long as I could, and I made it until 6AM, which is really late for me. I think I need to start staying in bed longer, since I really have no reason NOT to stay in bed. I got a few things done when I got up, and left the house at about 8:30 to get gas in the little white car, and then met Richard for our ROMEO breakfast. After breakfast, I had a couple errands to run in Austin, and I picked up Eileen for lunch. We had lunch (I didn't eat because I just had breakfast) at a very trendy place at the Arboretum. It was kind of like the Trader Joe's of little restaurants; really too cool for me. I ordered a beverage which I did not really care for, a ginger and something. Nope, I don't need to go back there. It was fun catching up with Eileen, and I need to do that more often. I got back to the Curious House and did a few things, and then I headed out to HEB. Yes, I actually did it, but I probably should have stayed home. I gave several people the stink-eye, but I got out with no actual physical trauma. The physical maladies came about when I was putting the plants back on the back patio and the front patio. The weather prognosticators said we probably experienced our last freeze of the season, fingers crossed. I have one appointment on the calendar for tomorrow, and that will be fun!

Volume 18 - Day 75/290, 2026 - Monday

I got cold overnight, partly because I left the windows in the dining room open and one window in the front bedroom open. I had closed the bedroom windows, but it was down to about 39 degrees outside when I got up, which accounts for me being cold. So cold, that it woke me up, but I didn't wake enough to do anything about it. I now have an extra blanket on the bed and all the windows are closed, so I expect I will be much more comfortable tonight. I did even less than a half-walk this morning, again because of the cold weather and the winds...it has been really windy for the last couple of days. After my abbreviated walk, I did very little for the rest of the day. I did bring all the plants in, front and back, and I expect I will take them all back out tomorrow. This cold weather, forecast to freeze overnight, will hopefully be the last freeze of the season, and I will be okay with that. I went to dinner with Jimmie and Linda this evening, raw oysters, calamari, and a bowl of gumbo. All really good. I have a few things on the schedule for tomorrow; no walk...ROMEO breakfast, pharmacy stop, lunch with Eileen, and a couple other things. Wednesday is shaping up to be a pretty good day as well.

Volume 18 - Day 74/291, 2026 - Sunday

It was 93 degrees in central Texas this afternoon, right now, it is 76. The low temperature overnight is expected to be about 39 degrees, and overnight on Monday about 35 degrees. On Friday, it will be 90 degrees again. Crazy. It did make for a nice walk this morning, and I did very little after the walk. Jimmie, Linda, Marge and Richard and I took off for lunch at the Salt Lick in Round Rock and then we filed into the Dell Diamond to see Banana Ball, featuring the Texas Tailgaters and the Indianapolis Clowns. I've had tickets to this game since October, and ever since then, I thought the Savannah Bananas were playing the Texas team. No matter, it was fun, and they certainly don't waste any time. AND...the games do not go over two hours, not matter what inning it is. I like that. After the game, we met Ronnie and Marian, their daughter, son-in-law and grand baby at Culver's for a little bit of custard. I'm watching the Oscar's now, and I doubt very much that this will end on time. Nothing on the schedule for tomorrow, walk and in the afternoon I will go with Paulina to run a couple errands. I still have not gone to the grocery, but maybe I will check that off my list tomorrow. Fingers crossed. In the photo, one of the players on the Texas team is batting on a unicycle. And...he got a single. Texas won the game, 7-2. Or maybe 7-1. Not sure.

Volume 17 - Day 73/292, 2026 - Saturday

Overall, today was a most excellent day, in several different ways. Don't mess it up! It started out with a good walk with Richard and Paul, and when I got home, I had a bagel for breakfast. We had six estate sales to hit this morning, and Marian and Judy and I took off for that and had a great time. Judy finally bought something, Marian got a signed basketball from Tech, and I spent about $70 on stuff that I did not know I could not live without. The very best find of the day is Beulah! Meet Beulah, she is Bertha's sister. Beulah is happily ensconced in the living room, and so far, Bertha is in the garage. Beulah just absolutely makes me smile every time I look at her. After estate sales, I went in to Georgetown and had a six shrimp combo (shrimp, salad, fries and a drink). Then I went back to one of the estate sales, because Val saw a trunk that he wanted. When we were there this morning, it was priced at $225. They were closing for the day at 3, so I got back there at 2:45, it was half price, and I ended up with it for $100. Okay, really, Val ended up with it for $100. Later on in the afternoon, Val, Paulina and Oliver came over to do their final walk-through of the house next door that they will close on next week. I could not ask for better neighbors, so I am really happy about that. I expect tomorrow will start with a walk, and then late morning Jimmie, Linda, Richard, Marge and I will head off for lunch and then hit Dell Diamond to watch the Savannah Bananas. It should be a fun day, even though the weather forecast says it will be 91 degrees. Ugh!

Volume 18 - Day 72/293, 2026 - Friday

It turned out to be a really lovely day in central Texas, even though it started out a little bit chilly. If you think high 40s is chilly. I know it is much colder in other parts of the country, but we think 45 degrees is close to closing the roads temperatures. Paul and Richard and I had a nice walk, and then I did very little of anything until it was time to go pick up Marian to go to the blood bank. We met Paulina there, and the three of us wore our Lady Gaga t-shirts, so that called for a photo opportunity. Going to donate platelets is a fun part of my routine, and three of us going together is even more fun! Marian and I stopped at Upper Crust on the way there, and they were already out of cinnamon rolls, but they did say that, in the future we could order on-line and pick them up when we were going to donate. That should work! I've been having a hankering for pizza, but I was strong, and ate some chicken and cranberry salad flips. Maybe pizza tomorrow. There are six estate sales tomorrow, so there is no telling what I will find that I can't live without. Stay tuned!

Volume 18 - Day 71/294, 2026 - Thursday

It cooled off overnight, enough so that I had to put on a jacket to walk this morning. After the walk, I had an early morning appointment, and then I was on a zoom meeting later in the morning. The hallmark of a really successful zoom meeting is one that does not last as long as expected. The zoom meeting today was really excellent, both because of the content and the work we got done, but also because it did not last as long as we expected. After that meeting, I went over to Paulina's, where we (really not me, all Paulina) did a few final things for our trip next month. By the time I left Paulina's this afternoon, we (again, mostly Paulina) changed my KLM return flight from Berlin, made hotel reservations in Munich and Berlin, and booked two or three tours across Italy, Ireland and Germany. There will be lots of train rides, so I am totally 'on-board' with that. See what I did there? I have had the ficus tree in the photo accompanying this journal entry for at least two decades, maybe three. We bought it from HEB, and when we bought it (maybe three bucks) it was less that a foot high. Now, it is a great big ficus, and it takes very little care, very little attention. It is not like me at all!

Volume 18 - Day 70/295, 2026 - Wednesday

It was raining, thundering and lightning this morning, so I did not walk. Neither did Paul or Richard. With any luck, there will be a nice walk tomorrow morning. The temperature is expected to be in the 30s and 40s tomorrow morning, after being in the low 80s today. In the next couple days, we are expecting the daytime temperature to reach 90 degrees. Crazy. I had a zoom meeting this morning; it was actually an in-person meeting, but I had to get in the que for our NAR Legislative Meeting in DC coming up in June. I clicked on the registration button at 2 seconds past noon, and I was number 3000 and something in line to register. It all worked out okay, and I am registered. We have always done this meeting in May, but this year it will be in June for some unknown reason. I have another zoom meeting tomorrow morning, then an appointment after that, and then I will go to Paulina's so we can make sure we have everything together for our trip to Italy, Ireland and Germany next month. OMG, that is coming up in less than five weeks! We have been planning this trip for over a year, and it is getting ready to happen! The clouds gave way to sunshine and blue skies this afternoon, and that always makes me feel better!