Volume 18 - Day 155/210, 2026 - Thursday

I'm torn, although I really shouldn't be. I am enamored with clouds. The fluffy, really pretty ones. I don't care for overcast skies. The clouds that make the days grey and gloomy. Today was a grey and gloomy kind of day, and we even had a little bit (0.08") of rain, so no complaints about that. And the bad clouds gave way this afternoon to some pretty clouds, and I am happy about that. The girls went to the beautiful parlor this morning, and they absolutely hate that, and it exhausts them. They are back, and they have been asleep most of the afternoon. I have been taking them every three months, but this last time was too long, the girls looked a little bit like strays, so their next appointment is in two months. That will probably be too quickly, but we will figure it out. After I brought the girls home, I went to HEB and bought a few things, nothing to get excited about. I finished the book I was reading about Hitler, BLITZED - Drugs in the Third Reich. I really didn't care for the book too much, and I was aware of all the challenges he had with drugs, but I did not know of the extent that all (or most) of the victories were the result of speed and pain pills. SO, I will be on to my next book in a couple days, much more light reading, and book club is in a couple weeks. I will be going in to Austin tomorrow to pick up a prescription, and maybe I will find a couple other things to do while I am there... We shall see.

Volume 18 - Day 154/211, 2026 - Wednesday

I slept very nicely last night, and I was glad about that. My watch tells me that I slept OK, just ok, but I think I had a good nights sleep. Before bedtime, we had a surprise storm, mostly wind, some really good thunder and only 0.01" of rain. The wind blew a bunch of plants on the back patio over, and the terra cotta pot that the rubber tree was in broke into several pieces. Honestly, the wind was crazy, and it totally took me by surprise. The rubber tree is now inhabiting a brand new pot, so all is good. Paulina worked from home today, and she had never been to Dairy Queen before, and now she has! We both got a milk shake, and we were both happy with our choices. I have officially cancelled my trip to South Africa in September. I worried about it for several days, but with the health challenges in Africa (so far not where I would have been) and all the political crap going on everywhere, I just decided this was not the time to go. I still have time, I may be able to get somewhere before the end of the year, just not sure where. I expect I will make it to Playa a couple times at least, and I have a HUGE credit with American Airlines, since I had already booked my flights to Africa. Tomorrow I will take the girls to the beautiful, and I have signed up for another on-line class, so we will see if this one actually happens. 

Volume 18 - Day 153/212, 2026 - Tuesday

I did get a few things accomplished today. On the way to breakfast, I stopped at Home Depot and bought a new pot for some geraniums I bought the other day. I also got a hanging basket of purslane, and by taking the hanger off, it fits in to a wire chicken I have in the back. I got to breakfast a little bit early this morning, so I sat in the little white car and listened to the book I have downloaded. I have about an hour left, and as I was listening, I zoomed in on the photo that is accompanying this entry, an interesting view of the Williamson COunty Courthouse. The ROMEOs met for breakfast, and after that I stopped at Galaxy Bakery and got some scones, and then I stopped at Georgetown Donuts for a couple apple fritters. That should hold me for the rest of the week. I got the plants all planted and used the leaf blower to clean up both the front and back patios and the back deck. Everything is now ready just in case we get a little bit of rain overnight. I am still eating on the pizza I bought last week (or the week before?), and I will either eat it all before Thursday morning or it will find a new home in the trash can. There is a chance we will get a little bit of rain this evening, and there is a chance of rain every day in the upcoming forecast. 

Volume 18 - Day 152/213, 2026 - Monday

It seems I have turned Mondays into my weekends. I used to get household chores done over the weekends, but now I get them done on Mondays. I have better things to do on my weekends! Today, I moved the plumerias onto the driveway so they get more direct sun. The plumeria that I have had for (maybe) a decade (I think more, actually) did not bloom at all last year, and I bought three more small plumerias at HEB about a month ago. They are all out on the drive now, along with the jasmines that I have started from seeds. We will see how things go, I am 100% positive I will need to be more attentive to watering with them out in the full sun. It gets REALLY hot in central Texas. The girls got their monthly pills today, right on schedule! My week just keeps getting better and better, too. The virtual class I signed up for was cancelled, nothing I did, and a meeting on Wednesday has been cancelled as well. I have a LOT of nothing to do this week, and that totally works for me. 

Volume 18 - Day 151/214, 2026 - Sunday

I went to brunch this morning with Val, Paulina and Terry. Original Pancake House, can't beat it! I can't comprehend that Terry had never been there before, all the brunches we have had there, I thought for sure he had been there. Well, he has now! On the way home, we stopped at McIntyre's Nursery, a small nursery that has been there before any of the big boxes. I got a few more geraniums and a few vincas. I didn't really want vincas, but there is not a petunia to be had in central Texas. Then it was nap time. I went back to an estate sale I had been to yesterday, there were a couple things that I liked, and everything was 50% off, but I didn't buy anything. I was tempted to stop at HEB on the way home, but I didn't do that, either. I don't have a lot on my list for tomorrow, I am going to take a one-hour virtual class, and I will need to do watering outside. We are getting to summer, so that means more watering. I spend much of my time trying to figure out if I am going forward with my trip to Africa in September. It's the ebola thing. I have about ten days to make up my mind, I may change plans and go somewhere else, and maybe go to Africa next year. Or the year after. Whatever. Callie did not have a care in the world when I took this picture of her this evening. A sleeping dog is a happy dog. I am lucky to have two happy dogs. They are going to the beautiful parlor on Thursday, so they may not be too happy with that.

Volume 18 - Day 150/215, 2026 - Saturday

Judy and I went to SEVEN estate sales this morning, and I bought a few things at at least three of them, some of it at full price. Fabulous things, that are now accessorizing various rooms in the Curious House. I think I will be going back to one of the sales tomorrow, but that is yet to be seen. After the estate sales, it was time to go down for a nap, but that didn't work as I had planned. Later on, Mike texted me that the original La Cage aux Folles was coming on at 7 o'clock, our time. Perfect! I've seen it a couple times, but always worth seeing again. Val and Paulina come over to watch with me, and, I didn't know it, but it was subtitled. Okay with me, and we all enjoyed it. The girls have been out, and now I am getting ready for Some Like it Hot! This is one of the better tv nights, and I am enjoying it a lot. Before estate sales tomorrow, I am doing brunch, and I am ready for a pancake!

Volume 18 - Day 149/216, 2026 - Friday

It's that time of year again, the time when the sun rises and casts really nice shadows of old men taking a walk in the neighborhood. I spent most of the day staying out of the way of the electricians that were here (this was the third time) making some changes inside the Curious House. Not sure what my next project will be, but I expect there will be one, eventually. The girls stayed out of the way, too, and had a play day with Val and Paulina. Then, Val, Paulina and I went to dinner, and all three of us had fried catfish. A good dinner with good friends. The rest of the evening will be spent doing little of nothing, but there will be ice cream before the night ends. Tomorrow will be estate sales, there are seven, and I think it will be just me and Judy, everyone else has other plans or commitments. Hopefully, there will be lots of treasures that I am not aware that I even need, fingers crossed!