2010 - Day Seven...

For years and years, I have wanted a business card that was reminiscent of a Baseball card. I have asked around with different companies that produce things for me, specifically the companies that do a variety of printing for us, and the company that does my annual magnetic calendars (they are on the way, it will be okay). I cannot imagine that I am the only person that would like to differentiate himself with a card that is not your every day kind of thing. Anyway, one of our cracker-jack assistants Tom (both of our assistants are extra fabulous) took the challenge and produced the graphic work for the card, and I called on a long-time friend (Mike) to do the printing for me, and I have to admit, I like them very much. I got two sizes; one that is the size of a baseball card (even though I swear they are smaller than they were when I used to hook them on my bike with a clothes hanger so my bike spokes would make my bike sound like...well...a bike with a baseball card slapping on the spokes), and a larger size (twice the size) for the large print crowd. I personally qualify as someone who appreciates the large print at times. And, I have to tell you , I got the big ones as a joke, and I don't really care, they make me laugh! I think they are hysterical! Whatever...I guess I am really just easily amused!

I woke up and got out of bed WAY TOO EARLY this morning. I was sending e-mails to clients in Spain before 4AM. That is CRAZY! Anyway, when I awoke, the temperature was a very civilized 48 degrees, and as I sat in the office sending e-mails, I could hear the wind picking up outside. By the time I left the house to drive into Austin, the temperature on the nuclear powered home weather station was registering 34 degrees. It went down a few more degrees before I get into Austin, where it slowly climbed up a few degrees above freezing. Tonight is going to be a COLD night, and I am leaving the office early to stop at TRACTOR SUPPLY to see if I can find something that I can submerse in the cattle's water trough to keep it from freezing. I will update that report later on in this post.

Today was my day to deliver Meals-on-Wheels and I had six clients all together, three that have been my clients for a long time, 1 that is a client every now and then, and two that are new clients. At least this week, I knew where the two new clients lived (in a HUGE apartment complex with VERY POOR markings on the buildings. Last week it was tough to find them, but better this week. The two new clients are kind of on my learning curve...I have to learn about them and they have to learn about me. One of the things they need to learn about me is that I am ALWAYS the early guy.

I did leave the office relatively early today, and traffic was not too much of a problem, not too many slowdowns at all. I stopped in Georgetown for gas (want to have a full tank in case tragedy strikes) and then I went over to Tractor Supply to see if they had any insulated overalls. NOPE...sold out. Oh well, it is only going to be this cold for about three days, and I am not going to be living outside. So, I will survive just wonderfully well without the Fargo outfits! It is still very windy around here, and I thought these two photos of the house were interesting. The first one is from the road on the way to the house (there are only two houses on the road, and the road is probably 3/4 of a mile long, just a small county road). Interestingly, our road is gravel and wide enough for two cars to pass. One of the roads we have to take to get here is paved, but two cars cannot pass each other on that road, without one or both having to go into the gravel. Interesting!

And I am always enchanted with flags, and I know I have gone on-and-on about flags in previous posts, but I can't help it. I love to see the flags flying proudly in the breeze, and we have had some breezes today!

I finally found the trough de-icer (I think there are two of them in the entire Williamson County area, and then I decided against buying it. I made a couple phone calls to people I know that have been keeping cattle for a lot longer than I have, and they did not even know that such a thing existed.

I fed the cattle when I got home this afternoon, and they were all still at their feed troughs when I last looked out at them. When it is really cold like it is expected to be, I try to feed them twice a week. They will not go hungry, they have plenty of hay out there, but the creep feed gives them some extra warmth for the cold nights. We are very good to our cattle!

Oh, and speaking of Longhorns...did I mention that there is a football game this evening? I am not sure I will be able to watch, because I always feel like I am a jinx to the team. Yeah, the BCS National Championship game is this evening, University of Texas versus Alabama. Hook 'em!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!