Volume 18 - Day 148/217, 2026 - Thursday

There was not a lot going on today, of course, the day started with a walk, and then I really can't think of anything I did. I am still eating pizza from the other night, and this afternoon, I took Oliver to the airport for his trip to visit his grandparents. On the way home, I stopped at HEB where they did indeed have cottage cheese and pulled chicken. I am adding a little of these two items to their morning and evening food, just to see if they like it. They had no problems with the cottage cheese tonight, and I have no doubt that they will turn their noses up at the chicken. I need to fill in some geraniums and petunias, and I looked at HEB but did not see what I wanted, so I think I will head to Home Depot after I finish this entry to see what I can find. I have electricians coming tomorrow, and I think they will be here for most of the day, so the supplemental geraniums and petunias will give me something to do.My Apple credit card arrived today, and as soon as they said it was delivered I headed off the to cluster box to make sure. I feel whole again, and I am not planning to use that card until the first of June...just because! I took this photo of Rocky this morning, and I am keeping my eyes open for Bullwinkle. Moose and Squirrel!

Volume 18 - Day 147/218, 2026 - Wednesday

If you like thunder, lightning and rain, you should have been in bed with me overnight! A fantastic light and sound show, and a good rain, too! I emptied 1.67" of rain out of the guage at the Curious House, and that puts us at 7.66" for the month of May. Pretty Damn Good! We have virtually no rain in the seven day forecast, but we are glad for what we have received, so far. It was 63 degrees outside when I got up this morning, and that was my cue to open the windows and get some fresh air in the house. I closed them at about 1 o'clock this afternoon, so that was great. Paulina was in charge of a blood drive at her office today, and they had 30 donations, and I think that is great! I went and got cracked this afternoon, and on the way home, I stopped at Aldi for cottage cheese and pulled chicken. They apparently do not sell cottage cheese, and the pulled chicken I could find was seasoned, and I did not want seasoned. The cottage cheese and the pulled chicken was for the girls, not me. I want to use that as a little bit extra to put on their morning and evening feedings. Tomorrow I expect I will go to HEB to see what I can find. I know they have cottage cheese! I don't have much else on my calendar for tomorrow, I will be taking Oliver to the airport at 3 o'clock, he will be going to visit his grandparents in Poland for a couple weeks. This deep red flower is in a (formerly) hanging basket that I have had for at least the last four years. I don't really remember ever seeing these deep red blooms, but I think they are really pretty.

Volume 18 - Day 146/219, 2026 - Tuesday

Just more evidence that I am fiscally out of touch with reality. I hav been craving pizza, and there was an ad for a (undisclosed) pizza place in a local coupon book. I went on line to see what I wanted to order, but decided I would run some errands and go to the pizza place in person to order the pizza. I was not in a hurry, so why not. I made a stop at the bank, got gas in the little white car, and then headed to the pizza place. I ordered two (yes, two) medium, thick crust pizzas and a 16 piece cheese bread thing. $60.53. OMG! As they were picking me up off the floor, they applied some coupons to the order, and it ended up being close to $40. Still...that seems high for what I ordered. I guess if I average it out, it would come out to about $8 a day (I think I can eat on this for five days), so maybe it was not as bad as I thought. Whatever. The tree trimmers came out this morning, even though they were an hour and fifteen minutes late. They did a good job, but (maybe) they lifted the canopy a little higher than I would have like, but again, they did a good job. Apple says they have mailed me ANOTHER card, so I don't expect I will be able to leave the house again until it arrives. 

Volume 18 - Day 145/220, 2026 - Monday MEMORIAL DAY

Overall, it has been a quiet Holiday here around the Curious House. We got no rain overnight (I am very disappointed), but we have had a little bit this afternoon, and it is still sprinkling a bit outside. All things considered, I am glad it is sprinkling OUTSIDE and not INSIDE. So far, 0.12", and no one will complain about that. The prognosticators are saying we could get another inch or two in the next couple days, so I have my fingers crossed. Paulina and I went in to Austin this morning to donate platelets, and we stopped at Upper Crust Bakery on the way. I brought home a couple cinnamon rolls and a piece of carrot cake. I am pretty sure Paulina did the same. It was a single platelet day for me and a double platelet day for Paulina. I don't want the rain to stop, but I hope it will not be a a deluge tomorrow morning, because the tree trimming people are supposed to be here at 9 to trim some dead limbs off the live oak in the back yard. It is kind of a conflict. The Apple Credit Card mystery has been solved. Apple said the card was delivered on last Thursday, I did not receive it. My mail comes to a cluster box, so I figured someone else had it in their box. I put a note on the mail box, so I cancelled THAT card on Saturday afternoon. This afternoon, one of the neighbors told me they put a package on my porch, and there was the card. SO, that card has been cancelled, now I am waiting on the NEXT Apple card to be delivered. Maybe one day this week. We shall see.

Volume 18 - Day 144/221, 2026 - Sunday

Today was a most excellent day. I started planting the ten cannas I bought last week, and eventually Paulina and val came over and took pity on me, and finished planting. I did not think I was doing that badly, actually, but if anyone volunteers to dig holes for me, I am all over that like a hobo on a ham sandwich. At about noon, Paulina, Val and I went to Walburg and had lunch at the German restaurant, and, as usual, that was great. After lunch, we headed off to the farm, and met up with my farm neighbors, Jim and Patsy. It was excellent to see them, and I should actually make an effort to go out and visit with them more often. I still have stuff in one of the storage buildings at the farm, and I have not looked inside that building in about five years. I am pretty sure that building has been 'looted' by someone, because some things I thought should have been there are not. My fault, I have not paid any attention in years, so there is nothing I can complain about. We took the long way home from the farm, stopped at Berry Springs Park and talked to the donkeys, and finally made it home. Again, it was a great day, and I have a piece of Black Forest Cake in the refrigerator. I should go to HEB this evening, but I may just wait until tomorrow, although tomorrow will be a platelet day. This photo is me, Jim, Patsy, Paulina and Val. A Great Day!

Volume 18 - Day 143/222, 2026 - Saturday

One of my defining judgements about people is whether or not I would go have a beer with them. There are even a few Rs I would not mind having a beer with and getting to know them better (okay, more than a few), and one of them is running for office this year. I think he is a good man, more moderate than many, but he refers to central Texas as 'the Austin swamp.' Well, that is offensive, so I may have to move him to the 'no beer for you' column. I cannot vote for him anyway, but I am stuck being bombarded with political commercials, whether I can vote for them or not. I did vote early for the run-offs, and I only had two things (peeps) to vote for. BUT...I ALWAYS vote. It was just me and Judy hitting the estate sales today. There were three sales, and they were underwhelming, to say the least. I did find two things that I needed, and Judy found two things as well, but there was still nothing really extraordinary about the sales. Nobody has fessed up to receiving my Apple Credit Card by mistake, so this afternoon, I called and told them that I did not receive the latest card. Now the replacement card has been cancelled, and they are sending me another replacement card. I expect someone will fess up and bring me the first replacement card any minute. Whatever. I even looked at the movies showing in Georgetown, and just did not see anything that I am excited about seeing. Tomorrow, I will go with the neighbors (Val, Paulina and Oliver) to the German Restaurant in Walburg for lunch. Always a worthwhile effort, and I may try to convince them to drive out to the farm. There is still one shed out there that I need to clean out...I think there may be some art work in the shed, but I am not sure. Maybe yes, maybe no. I planted this plum tree last fall, and it is knocking itself out with plums. I tried one a couple weeks ago, but it was not really ripe, and it was really sour. Not sure how to tell when they are ripe enough to eat.

Volume 18 - Day 142/223, 2026 - Friday

Since my post last night, we've received 1.35' of rain at the Curious House. Today started out cloudy, but the sun is out now, and it is a beautiful evening in central Texas. Yesterday, the tree people finally made it to the house and gave me a bid to remove some dead limbs from one of the oaks, and today the lighting guy came out and got everything fixed on the outside lights. The tree people just called and wanted to come out on Monday, but Monday is going to be a platelet day, so they will be here on Tuesday. It is not easy finding people that want to work around the house...tree people, lighting people...and I have an appointment with the electricians for next Friday to install some different lights inside the house. After that, I think I will be done with stuff I want done around the house. I still have to plant the cannas that I bought the other day, and I need to see if any of the tulips I planted are showing any signs of life. Let me go look. Nope, I don't see anything happening tulip wise...there is still plenty of time. Tomorrow will be estate sales, there are three sales, so it should not take too long, and I am expecting to come home with at least a couple treasures. I was awake for the start of The Late Show last night, but I fell asleep before it was over, so I expect I missed the best parts. I don't watch too much on CBS, but I am not taking a vow to boycott the channel, but I will take advantage of any opportunity I get to trash talk the channel. Photos from the farm have been popping up on my feed, and I occasionally miss the farm, but then I remember how much work it involved, and I am thankful for the Curious House. I am a lucky man!