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! 

Volume 18 - Day 81/284, 2026 - Sunday

After our morning walk, I got to the Curious House, and watched Sunday Morning, which I like to try to remember to do on Sunday mornings. One of the things they featured was a free app called iNaturalist, which is similar to other apps I have that identify plants that one might come across. Yesterday, I had the landscaping cleaned up around the house, front and back, and fresh mulch put in all the beds. While I was out with the dogs this morning, I noticed the blossom that is included as the photo with this entry. I expected it was an early morning glory, but I used the new app, and it was identified as a Periwinkle (Vinca Major). I wonder how this periwinkle got in that back bed? I have not introduced periwinkles into any of the landscaping, but I am happy to have it. It shares many features with morning glories; a fast-spreading, evergreen ground cover known for its dark green leaves and pale blue, pinwheel-shaped flowers that bloom in spring and summer. Maybe I accidentally planted periwinkle when I thought I was planting morning glories. I think I will go out and see if the morning glories are really morning glories. Whatever. Paulina and I went to Costco this morning, and then I was on a mission to find peach trees, bigger than the five-gallon sizes that are pretty common. No luck, but I am not done trying. Apparently, Vance will be in town tomorrow, so I know one place I won't be going to, for my own sanity. More later...

Volume 18 - Day 80/285, 2026 - Saturday

It is only the last part of March, and the temperature is bordering on Summer. It was in the lower 90s today, same for tomorrow, and who knows when we will get any rain. Not in the near future. I am watering the grass twice a week, and that is earlier than usual. I had a nice walk this morning with Richard and Paul, and then I had a zoom call with the Condo owners in Playa. It took them 25 minutes to determine (or confirm) whether there was a quorum or not, and I left the zoom meeting at 11AM. The estate sales were calling, and it was just me and Marian. We hit six estate sales, and I spent about $25 on stuff I really needed. When I got home from the estate sales, I drove to Leander (or Cedar Park) to a tree farm, looking for some peach trees. They said they do not sell ANY fruit trees, and was going in to a big explanation about WHY they don't sell fruit trees, but I did not care WHY, the website said I could buy peach trees there. Whatever. I am on a mission. I did stop at a newly reopened restaurant in Georgetown to see if it would work for our next neighbors dinner. I didn't think it would. When I got back to the Curious House, Paulina and I went there for dinner, and Richard and Marge were walking out, so they came back in and sat with us while we ate. We brought something back to the house for Val, and that was pretty much the end of the day. Paulina and Val are now 100% moved in to the house next door, and they are spending their first night in their new house. I am lucky to have them as new neighbors. Old friends/new neighbors! Tomorrow I am going to brunch with Candy, and then going to Costco with Paulina. I also need to stop at HEB to get some impatiens to fill in the big planter at the front door. I will be trimming the current impatiens back, they have gotten straggly and stringy. It will look odd when I cut them back, but I expect they will feel better about themselves. The photo for this entry is the first sighting of (I think) Texas wine cups. Maybe, maybe not, but a sure sign that spring is short and summer is (I think, again) here.