2014 - Day 243/122 - Sunday...

Well, I had not realized it until I was closing out the months OCD/Anal Retentive tracking sheets, but we did not receive any measurable rain for the entire month of August here at the farm, on the edge of nowhere.  NONE!  I did, however, receive 6,035 spam e-mails (a total of 55,540 for the year) and we collected 230 eggs (a slow month, it has been really hot), which makes a total of 2,600 for the year.  I know haw many dozen that makes, but I should not have to do ALL the work here.  NO RAIN, I am still surprised that I did not put it all together until just now.

The second day of a three day weekend, and I did a little bit more today than I did yesterday, but I did not exert myself.  Mostly small things accomplished.  But overall, it was a good day.  I have seen a couple Monarchs over the last couple weeks, and we should start to see more and more of them in the following weeks.  I at first thought this might be a moth, but Jody said he thinks it is a Monarch.  What is your opinion?

I have not seen Barney Sue Jean the cat in several days, although Jody has reported several sightings.  As I was sitting here typing this journal entry, she moseyed onto the porch and decided to take up residence in what is becoming more and more of one of her favorite places under the table.  Not a chicken within 50 yards!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, and stay safe.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, NO RAIN, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 242/123 - Saturday...

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of your Holiday Weekend.  I am going to replace the flags on Monday, these have pretty much been through it, and the are looking pretty sad.  Fresh ones up for the first of September.

As promised, I did (almost) as little as possible today, although I was not as successful in the nap department as I had intended to be.  Up late, coffee, paper, pile of eggs, blue chair to take a nap but ended up watching old episodes of The Rifleman instead.  Cleaned the floor in the garage (blower not broom) and the same thing to the patio in the back.  Rode with Jody to take the Boy Dog for a ride, back to the blue chair for another nap.

We headed off into town early in the afternoon, and stopped for lunch on the way back.  Another nap called out to us both, and I just checked meters and Jody and I both collected eggs (different trips) and now Jody is pushed back in his chair taking another nap.

Tomorrow is another day.

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

2014 - Day 241/124 - Friday...

As a rule, things just become easier if you just surrender to the inevitable.  I realized today that it is impossible for me to be on time for appointments given the illogical and unreasonable conditions presented by Austin traffic.   I can, however, be really early or really late for appointments.  I had an appointment this morning at 8:30 AM.  I left the house before 6:30 to compensate for possible traffic concerns, and even though there was a wreck on southbound IH-35 (my side in the mornings) I got to the appointment early.  Before 8.  And if you are keeping up, that makes it three for three since UT began classes this past Wednesday (two days ago).  It has always made for good conversation in my world, ever since I moved here, that UT begins classes on a Wednesday, has classes for three days and then has a Labor Day break.  Perhaps it is to give the incoming frosh class an extra day to get over the inevitable "bad feelings" from the first game antics.  Not sure.

Now, in order to be completely unbiased in reporting in this particular journal entry (and don't get too used to it), I am giving fair and equal access to clouds.  As I mentioned in the paragraph above, I went to an early meeting in East Austin.  Dry as a bone.  When I crossed back under IH-35 to the west side, it had rained, and there were puddles everywhere.  Crazy.  Jody reports that we had a trace of rain today at the farm (about 50 miles north of Austin) on the edge of nowhere.  There were promising clouds all around, even by Texas standards.  But no significant precipitation was reported anywhere in the area.  We still have some slim chances for the next couple days.

I am looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend.  I am planning as little labor as possible, interrupted by several strategically timed naps.

Enjoy yourselves this weekend, and be safe!

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

2014 - Day 240/125 - Thursday...

My goodness gracious and bless all ya'lls hearts, you are sure a finicky bunch and display a tremendous amount of delicate sensibilities.  Last nights journal entry elicited such a vocal outcry of my total intolerance and lack of respect and concern for folks on the other side of the freeway (I really think it was the result of the assumption that a law enforcement officer would park his/her car anywhere and consider "shimmying" over a concrete barrier to help someone, but there I go again, I had better quit it or face the wrath of menopausal husbands all across this great land of ours)...  Crap, I forgot the point I was trying to make, but I was on a roll there for a minute, wasn't I?  Oh, I remember...you were concerned that I could not be concerned about the health of the folks on the other side of the Interstate.  Well of course I can, I just would do my best to get to them without causing a new hundred-car-pileup on the side I WAS ON.

There I go again...

So, gentle readers, tonight we will all practice a little Zen meditation:  Repeat after me...  OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.  That's right, concentrate on the clouds over downtown Austin, and turn that frown upside down.  Let a smile be your umbrella, and don't forget, you gotta be a football hero, if you want to make it with the beautiful girls!  Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate that you hate to make him wait, but it all depends on you.  Midnight in Paris and Midnight Cowboy.  I left my heart in San Francisco and another bride, another June, another reason for makin' whoopee.  Sittin' on the dock of the bay where the corn is as high as an elephants eye. 

Whatever...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, I HEAR YOU, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 239/126 - Wednesday...

Well, I have a variety of photos that I could share with you today, here are the choices.  A).  The back end of a school bus.  B).  The sunrise from the side view mirror of my car.  C).  A photo of the wreck I encountered on the way to Austin.  4).  The nurse at my doctors office taking a blood draw this morning during my semi-annual check up.  I personally am thinking number 4 is the most crowd-pleasing of the choices, but I am going to go with C, for reasons you will understand shortly.

Traffic reared its ugly head this morning.  I was lulled into a false sense of security with traffic congestion being somewhat "normal" the last two days.  School had begun again on Monday, but it was only this morning that I realized the real school (UT) first day of class was today.  First there was the school bus (I actually like school bus photos when I am behind them, stopped, and all their flashers are going.  If it is raining and I get one of my good Monet-esque photos, I like those even better.  This morning I was in front of one, behind one, and never was stopped.  A harbinger of good things to come I thought.  Then, as I headed towards IH-35, there was a lovely red fire ball rising like a phoenix behind me, and I got a couple reasonable photos from the side-view mirror in the car.  Then I got onto IH-35 and about 15 miles into it (according to reports) there was a LARGE wreck on the northbound side (fortunately I was heading south, another lucky circumstance I reasoned).  But AUCONTRAIRE MON AMI!  Some wizard of traffic control, obviously (maybe, who knows) in the guise of a Round Rock law enforcement genius, decided to park his vehicle IN THE INSIDE LANE which would afford him the opportunity to shimmy over the concrete barrier to offer his assistance at the scene of the wreck.  You cannot imagine the challenges this caused southbound traffic, for no real reason that I could determine.  But, unlike Paul Harvey, I do not know the rest of the story.


Which leads me to mention that the above episode (and a couple others) made me twenty minutes late for my appointment.  Honestly, the photo of the needle sticking in my arm is much more interesting, and would most likely elicit many more comments, but I did not think I could fill an entire journal entry talking about that.  We could discuss my elevated blood pressure if you like.

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

2014 - Day 238/127 - Tuesday...

Here is something interesting for you; I stopped at the Target store in Georgetown on the way home.  When I came back outside to my car (probably 15 minutes) it had rained and quit.  Crazy!  When I got home we had received 0.2" of rain in the gauge, and Jody was surprised that we had not received more.  He said it thundered a lot (the Boy Dog was BERSERK) and the rain came down really heavily.  But, we will take what we got an be happy with it.  I was paying attention to the clouds on the way home, but as many of you know, clouds that look like rain in other parts of the country only mean clouds here in Texas (at least in this part of Texas).

The drive into the city this morning remained relatively calm, and there were no unusual circumstances of back-ups or lane closures.  In fact it is becoming more likely that proper traffic flow is considered unusual.  My 11:30 appointment cancelled, moved it to Noon on Wednesday, the hump time of the hump day.

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

2014 - Day 237/128 - Monday...

So, what shall we talk about this evening gentle readers?  Hmmm...  Okay, how about this...  How was your first day back to school today?  Honestly, I could see no appreciable difference in traffic this morning, and I am not really certain that I left any earlier than normal.  Normal.  Now there is a subject, but I digress.  I actually had a really good day today, although it was chocker-block full.  I got to the office and REALLY did some power real estate, and there was only one item that I did not get accomplished before I headed to City Hall.  One convenient thing about a plug-in vehicle is that, I am almost always guaranteed a parking space.  Not always the most convenient space, but a space.  I always get lost in the City Hall parking garage.  It is a challenge that, I can see the space that is available from here, and I try to get there, but I cannot.  It is the classic "you can't get there from here" syndrome.  So today, I caved and plugged-in.  First time I have paid for a city charge in a long tie, but they validated my parking ticket, so it was kind of a wash.

Then off to the Board for a couple more meetings.  It was meetings from 11 AM until after 6 PM.  But I am home now, just finished dinner, ready to start the dishwasher and go pile up.

I am the luckiest man in the world and I know it.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, MONDAYS, Kindnesses, Wh
irled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 236/129 - Sunday...

I should be of enormous comfort to all of you, my gentle readers, as well as my friends, colleagues and clients, that my chosen profession is not incumbent on being particularly bright.  Rocket Science is not a requirement, and I have no need to physics or high levels of mathematics.  Evidence the fact that I prepared to go into Austin late this morning to do some shopping at Costco and then attend an open house that was being hosted by one of our agents (Toni).  About and hour into the open house, Toni and I almost simultaneously realized that the shoes I was wearing did not match.  I then texted a friend that I had chatted with at Costco (Sandy) and she replied that I probably had a matching pair at home in the closet.

I have become accustomed to sleeping away the day on Saturdays, and for the past two weekends I have been working with clients showing property, missed my nap times completely.  And not a nap to be found today either.

Monday and Tuesday of this week coming are going to be busy, but the rest of the week looks pretty well uncomplicated.  We will see how that turns out.

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

2014 - Day 235/130 - Saturday...

I think Barney Sue Jean the cat is two-timing us.  As I was leaving to go into Austin this morning, I spied what I believe was Barney Sue Jean walking across the driveway at the neighbors house.  We found that cat in the gutter and we can put her back in the gutter in a second.  Okay, not really, but I think it is interesting that she is working both hoses on the road.  She has to be pretty smart to live outside in the country, and stay whole.  There are lots of predators out here, hawks, coyotes and who-knows-whats.  Anyway, she is contentedly sitting under a tree right now outside the garage.  Wherever she is results in a noticeable lack of chicken presence. 

Good day today, I showed properties in Wimberley to my clients, and that is always fun.  Had lunch with them in Wimberley, visited the Wimberley Pie Company (brought home a couple slices) and then made it back.

Life is good.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, TWO-TIMERS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 234/131 - Friday...

It's Friday, and that means I am more conflicted than on the other days (typically).  I get to sleep a little bit longer on Saturday, but there is nothing of much interest to me on television.  But I get to make a pile of eggs for me and Jody, but there is nothing on television.  I get to have a cookies and cream milk shake tomorrow afternoon, but there is nothing on television.  I get to sleep later on Sunday and make me and Jody a pile of eggs, but there is nothing on the television.  Can you see a pattern here?

Barney Sue Jean the girl cat that adopted us is becoming more and more visible.  She has taken a liking to lounging under the table on the porch outside the office window, and it seems she has been unceremoniously evicted from that "special" place several times in the last 24 hours.  First, the dog had to go out last night about 1 AM, and Jody let out and he found "a cat".  Well, he had to show everyone that he was (and is) indeed the Boy Dog and his job was to protect the property (Jody and the chickens) from any and all foreign intrusions.  Then Lynda came to visit Jody this afternoon and the cat was evicted.  Then it came time for Lynda to leave and she was evicted again.  She is now laying there looking at me (upside down from our vantage point) and she could not seemingly be less annoyed.  Perhaps it is the non-threatening demeanor I have working to perfect over the last several months.,

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

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

2014 - Day 233/132 - Thursday...

Okay, let me ask a question.  Denny, you may be the most qualified to answer this question because I know you are still hooked.  Big Brother used to be one of my FAVORITE programs.  I HAD to watch it every season. I kind of lost interest two or three seasons ago, and the current version is kind of weird.  I probably have not watched enough to get absorbed in the plots and sub-plots, but it is just not keeping my attention.  Other than the fact that there are attractive barely dressed people on it (and a couple homely crazies, see photo) there is hardly anything of substance and very little to keep my attention.  Even the commercials are boring!

A pretty good day at the office today, and tomorrow is going to be relatively full of meetings.  It will be fun, and it will encompass a lot of things about my job that I really, REALLY enjoy.  We will see how that all turns out.

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

2014 - Day232/133 - Wednesday...

Let me be clear!  You are all in for a treat.  The photo for tonight's journal entry seemed to be much more attractive s I was driving at an accelerated speed north on IH-35.  When I transposed it to be used in the journal, it kind of lost something in the translation.  It was lovely, and now it seems rather ordinary  This might be the best journal entry you have ever had the opportunity to peruse.  It seems that I got home late and my self-medication snuck up on me and went into overdrive before I was properly prepared.  I was able to consume my sugar free pop sicle before I embarrassed my self too terribly.  The whole thing will be blown over by tomorrow.  The first person to correctly identify the mongoose with a teddy bear in it's mount will wind the grand prize.  Send your name, address and e-mail address on the back of a fifty dollar bill to JOURNAL care of this station.  Winners will be announced if there are any.

I attended a meeting this evening presented by the Centers For Disease Control out of Atlanta,  They will be making presentations in Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Miami,  The programs is called Business Responds TO Aids of BRTA for short.  It will involve education programs for AIDS prevention and education programs in the community.   Lots of interesting facts and statistics were shared; Most new cases involve men under the age of 30 contracting the disease.  The other disproportionate group is women of color.  HIV and AIDS in America, as elsewhere, continues to be a huge public health problem, and we need to promote prevention and education on all levels.

Excuse me, I think I need to rest my head for just a moment...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz z    z            zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Thank you for your indulgence.

Tomorrow is another day. (Thank Goodness).

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

2014 - Day 231/134 - Tuesday...

Let me know (please) when you become weary of all things Barney Sue Jean.  Jody mentioned that he had not seen her today, and I walked out to the garage and saw her walking around the circle.  Within my field of vision I could see the cat, one bunny and about a dozen chickens.  I was trying to talk reassuringly to the cat (hey kitty, kitty, kitty) and the chickens thought I was calling them (chick, chick, chick) and so a herd of chickens descending on a cat was about all Barney Sue Jean could take at the moment.  She was last seen walking down the drive way towards the road.  I trust she will return, she knows where her food and water bowls are.

Off to a meeting first thing this morning, the Austin Chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers hosted a program called the State of Housing in Black America.  Very interesting, and it was the result of a lot of hard work by the local chapter.  Very well presented and very informative.  I learned a lot at the meeting!

Then it was back to the office to get some power real estate in.  Had some really good phone calls from a variety of people, and then headed back home.  By the way, the air conditioner in our office was repaired this morning, so we had AC for the first time in the office since last Thursday.  I am the first one to admit that it is a 'first-world-problem', but (I admit) I am a first-world kind of guy.

I can't help it!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, IT'S STILL HOT, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 230/135 - Monday...

Barney Sue Jean (the cat, I have added a few more names so she can be just as burdened as anyone) has decided that it is okay to drink from the communal font (dogs, chickens, vermin) on the front porch and that it is also okay for her to be seen in all her glory.  She saw us observing her from inside the house and that seemed to be okay with her.  Afterward, she travelled about fifteen feet to lounge under one of the tables on the porch, the one right outside the office window.  She heard me telling Jody she had not gone too far, and that was her cue to stretch and go back into seclusion.  That is really progress if you ask me. 

I can guarantee you that a three car pileup in the left lane at 4:30 in the afternoon travelling north on IH-35 can cause some delay in your commute.  I have lots of other facts I could share from my years of experience (years and years actually), but I will not bore you with it tonight.

I am just being cranky because they are doing a fundraiser on PBS and Antiques Roadshow has been pre-empted while they sell memberships.

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

2014 - Day 229/136 - Sunday...

I was up entirely too early this morning.  There was a (remote) possibility of rain, and I wanted to get a couple things done before the possibility, so I got up early.  The rain never came.  But there was a possibility.  I have worked the better part of three days worth of my spare time (which is kind of valuable to me) assembling and trying to get this weather station to work.  I have it assembled, and I think is assembled correctly.  I have gotten the time set, and I believe I have accurately set it for Central Time and I believe I have the correct month, day and year set.  The fact that it says that sunrise will occur tomorrow morning at 4:34 AM has me a little bit concerned.  And so far there is not exterior temperature, wind or humidity being registered.  I will work on it a little bit more in the next couple days, wish me luck.

Barney the cat it lurking around.  He crossed on the other side of the pool, and there was a passel of chickens on this side of the pool and neither species seemed to pay any attention to the other.  Now Earl the Squirrel is another story.  There seems to be no real affection between those two species, and Barney has been seen stalking the squirrel.  I think the squirrel is quicker than the cat though.

Tomorrow will be a pretty good day of office doings, Tuesday I have a morning meeting, and I have no idea what will be happening for the rest of the week.

Wish me luck.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 228/137 - Saturday...

Okay, thank you very much, this is much better!  I had a great day today, overall.  Up earlier than I would like to be on a Saturday, but I had a couple appointments in Austin and I needed to haul a bale of hay from Randy and Irene's waterway into the storage area.  I got that done, made breakfast for me and Jody, read the paper, had volumes of coffee and headed out to Austin by 8:30.

It was a great day showing property to my good and long time friends, and we looked at some lovely places.  Now we are into the research phase of things, and it will be good to (probably) see them again next weekend to look at some more property.

I got home this afternoon and Vera was in her wading pool  Crazy!  And the barn cat (Barney) is seemingly happily ensconced in the area.  Jody gave her some moist (canned) cat food and he said it looked like she had washed the plate with her tongue, it was some well cleaned.

Life is good out on the edge of nowhere, I am a lucky man!

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

2014 - Day 227/138 - Friday...

Well, it is Friday, and you all know what that means; full frontal complaining about one thing or another...

Vera has decided that the air conditioner condensation drain line that empties next to the garage is her own personal wading pool.  I had thought that it was a pretty good use of the condensation in a "green" kind of way, and today she was in it ankle-deep and was not to be persuaded to leave.  She is one smart chicken, that Vera.  We only got four eggs today, it is too hot to sit inside on a nest and work yourself up into a producible stupor, and that is okay with us!

On the drive into the office this morning, it was reported on the traffic update that someone had either fallen or jumped from the Twelfth Street Bridge onto IH-35, and traffic was certainly snarled and backed up.  When I passed by there, there was a tremendous LACK of EMS and/or Police presence, and there has been nothing else on the local news reports about it.  Did any of you hear anything about it?

Showing property tomorrow, but before I do that I have one bale of hay that needs to be retrieved from Randy and Irene's waterway.  Yippee!  I still think there is a possibility of getting another cutting this year, but a little bit of rain would make the chances of that much better.

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

2014 - Day 226/139 - Thursday...

SO.  How was your day today?  Ups, downs, sideways?  Just remember, I am the luckiest man in the world.  Repeat after me, every valley has a peak, and vice versa.  Okay, enough of the continuing daytime drama, I actually had a pretty good day.  I just have to admit to myself, I am neither Katherine Hepburn or Eleanor of Aquitaine.  Pity!  I started the day at the Board, and we had a couple really interesting meetings, with lots of good information shared, and lots of innovative, good ideas presented.  Now for the implementation of same.  What have you got planned for the next several months?  It will be here before any of us know it.

Back to the office about 1:30 where I was greeted with the disquieting fact that the air conditioner was choosing not to work.  Tends to make a body cranky and whiny, and I was only there for a couple hours.  The rest of the crew had been dealing with it for the entire day.  My friend Robert stopped by the office just before I was getting ready to leave, and presented me with a beautiful new bow tie.  Very stylish, thank you Robert.

Tomorrow will be a busy day, photos to take, property to list, stuff to do.  Showing property on Saturday as well.

It is good to be me!

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

2014 - Day 225/140 - Wednesday...

Phew.  Have I mentioned to you lately that it is HOT outside.  And sometimes it is HOT inside, too.  On the way home this afternoon, I took advantage of the opportunity to stop by the Williamson County Association of REALTORS® Battle of the Burgers, a fundraiser for TREPAC.  It was a great event, and I had a great time, and I met some new and really interesting folks.  This is a photo of e and some of my peeps; Me, Harry, Avis and Susan.  There is no way in the world that you can put on a pair of Groucho Glasses and not smile and/or laugh.  That is my story and I am sticking with it!

Made it to the office pretty much as usual today, and spent some time in the office, then I was of to do a KVUE Mid Day interview which is always fun.  Then back to the office to finish up some stuff and start some other stuff, before heading to Williamson County.

Non-stop meetings tomorrow, then photographing a new listing and entering a couple other listings of Friday.  A perfect way to end the week.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, IT'S HOT, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 224/141 - Tuesday...

Okay, so I had (HAD) a dilemma.  Actually I just had another one.  The second dilemma was that I did not know how to spell dilemma, and I tried looking it up in the dictionary and (since I did not know how to spell it) I could not find it.  Finally Jody knew how to spell it, so that solved the second dilemma.  AND, do not assume that I am an idiot, that I could have just done a spell check, because this journal has a spell check program that is for CRAP.  It alerts you that (it thinks) a word is misspelled, but it does not give you a clue as to the correct spelling.

Now, having solved the second dilemma, let's get back to the first dilemma, shall we?  The first dilemma was whether or not you would prefer a photo of a wreck or a photo of clouds.  For a while I thought I would share both with you, but then I decided that you (my legions of loyal followers) were mostly keen on the Fox News Channels (If It Bleeds, It Leads), so I am going with the photo of the wreck.  I apologize in advance that it is a still photo and not a video, but I was late arriving on the scene and it was still kind of dark.  I do not even know what kind of truck it was that decided to fall over sideways into the ditch (tumped over), but there it was in the ditch with a variety of psychedelic first responders illuminating the otherwise early lights of dawn.  I think the one guy pointing his finger at me was actually uploading photos to his Facebook account, but I cannot be sure of that.  I try to avoid actual verbal and/or eye contact with people in positions of authority (and especially those that have keys to the jails in Williamson County).  And they just black topped the road too!

Otherwise, it was an excellent day.  One year ago today, Jody and I (along with Michael, Lynda, Jim, Bonnie, Carrie and our Best man Michael, Bruce and Melody) were in Connecticut making everything legal. 

You're welcome!

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

2014 - Day 223/142 - Monday...

It seems that Barney the Cat is getting more and more comfortable.  Last night as I was going out to put the girls to bed, she was in the front yard, and when she saw me she hunkered down but did not run off.  I spoke to her as I was walking out to the chicken coop, and when I was walking back I explained to her that we were happy to have her here, but that she should not mess with the chickens.  We would be very happy to continue feeding her but she was not to feed on chickens.  Mice and rats, okay, but not the chickens.  She listened attentively and again made no attempts to flee.  Tonight as we were having dinner, she walked across the pool deck over to the gazebo and disappeared.  Later on, after we finished dinner, Jody reported she was on the walkway cover from the gazebo to the deck off the back door.  I took several pictures trying to get a good one, and finally resorted to tapping lightly on the door glass to get her attention.  She saw me, we waved and she (again) made no attempts to move and was quite content up there with the swallows buzzing around her.  Kind of a cat fantasy!

For a Monday, this was not a terrible day at all.  I did not sleep particularly comfortably last night, and I intend to make up for it tonight.  I was in the office earl and did some power real estate, then I had some errands to run and then I headed off to the Board to guide colleagues through a couple classes.  I always enjoy that, and I hope to do more guiding next year.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BARNEY, Kindnesses, Wh
irled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 222/143 - Sunday...

I had to take a photo of this, because honestly, even I cannot really comprehend the unintended consequences of our actions.  Jody and I (and Joy for the hoards of proofreading afficionados of this Journal, you know whom you are) went to Taco Bell for dinner.  True, they do not offer a senior special (I actually forgot to ask, maybe they do), but there we were at 4:15 victims of the subliminal messaging served up with mild taco sauce and a side of crispy tacos of the television 'food dressed'  version of their latest special offering.  I admit it, I am a sucker for advertising.  I was born to be a consumer and I happily consume. I won the J. Walter Thompson Nobel Prize for consuming when I was younger and wielding my first credit card, okay, so I did not really win but an honorable mention is not too shabby.  Bottom line, I do not think we will be falling for that hype again in the near future, but once or twice every three decades or so is not too bad.

This being Sunday, I slept in a little longer than usual, and we did enjoy a nice. casual paper reading, coffee drinking egg pile eating morning.  I did get the grass cut in the front of the house, and Miguel came out and managed to get a lot of work done.  IT IS HOT, have I mentioned that lately?  I cannot emphasize that enough!

Tomorrow will be an early and fun filled day.  Office work, real estate stuff, Board stuff and then some this and that stuff.  I will be getting another nice listing on the market tomorrow, so that will be fun.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, IT'S HOT, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 221/144 - Saturday...

Just in case you have lost your guinea, we have found it.  Or it found us.  We were sitting at the breakfast room table this morning, minding our own business, reading the paper, drinking coffee, and Joy remarked that there was a guinea hen outside pacing back and forth by the pool.  It looks a lot more like a Dr. Seuss version of a guinea hen, but it is a guinea hen nonetheless.  We are naming 'it' Bob, in honor of Bob Guiney that was one of the Bachelors years ago, and just so happened to have lived on the next block from us where I grew up in Michigan.  So...Bob it is.  Or maybe Dr. Bob.  We will see how long the guinea sightings last.

As is typical for a Saturday, I accomplished as little as possible.  It is too darned hot to do much of anything outside, really.  I am planning to do some grass cutting tomorrow, but not much else.  The coming week looks relatively light as well, so there is nothing at all wrong with that.

Deeds, actions, Changes, GUINEA HENS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 220/145 - Friday...

Attention K-Mart Shoppers:  Jim Bradley, Jennifer Aniston and Hugh Jackman will not be mentioned in this journal entry.  Sorry...

Just in case you are one of my legions of journal followers, you should know we have finally entered into the summer season.  It is no longer possible to wear a starched shirt more than once without a laundering.  Carpets are fading, chickens are panting, eggs are frying on sidewalks.  The 'full-sun' plants are questioning the reason for living.  Cats are barking and fish got lips.  Wasps have decided it is to much trouble to sting (but the fire ants have not called it quits).  There is still a breeze and the flags are flying, but the breeze is from the Southwest, so that is hardly worth having.  If you would like to take a sponge bath, just get naked and take your sponge out with you from here to the chicken coop.  HOWEVER, I am pleased to report that this is only (about) the fifth day of triple digit temperatures this year.  Unlike a couple years ago when we went three full months with temperatures at 100 or more.  We will happily take the cards we are dealt and go on with our days.

So, everything went off without a hitch today, for the most part...all the pieces fell into place, all the dominoes lined up, I gained a couple hours with one appointment being rescheduled.  Everything went according to some higher plan.  Here is the deal: On last Saturday I worked on behalf of a Seller client and got a property under contract at about 8 o'clock that night.  The transaction closed and funded today.  SIX DAYS!  I have NEVER had a transaction go under contract and close in six days.  We were not even out of the option period for criminy sakes.  But, I am not complaining.  If you believe that I am complaining, I suggest you thumb back through a couple years worth of these journals and see how many times I have told you that I am the luckiest man in the world.  Just one more piece of documentable proof that it is true.  I AM THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD!

You're welcome.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, IT'S HOT, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 219/146 - Thursday...

Well, it has been a busy and fast paced week.  Sometimes things move really quickly but I have learned (as a result of my advanced age) that things ALWAYS work out exactly as they are suppose to work out.  Things may not work out the way we WANTED them to work out, but they always work out exactly as they were supposed to.  I was in Atlanta this morning (and most of the afternoon) attending the 2014 REALTOR® Broker Summit, and everyone in the room was multi-tasking.  I was multi-tasking as well, and everything went well.  By the afternoon, my friend Bryan needed to stop at the office and access his e-mail, and he posted a selfie taking over the place.  It was a much better photo than the one I had intended to use for this journal entry, and I like it very much. 

I got home about 7:30 this evening, had to do a little bit of work, and I am about to call it a night.  Tomorrow still promises to be an excellent day, and I will tell you more about that if nothing crashes and burns.

Tune in tomorrow, same time, same URL address.  Is that right?  URL address?

Whatever.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, TECHNO-STUFF, Kindnesses, Wh
irled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 218/147 - Wednesday...

Okay, well, first things first; my soldiers made the trip with no problems.  And the jelly beans were not even in a secure location.  This was a really pretty darned good day.  Made my 7:40 flight with no issues, short two hour fight which I (mostly) slept through, the Hotel is AT the airport (so that was easy).  NO ROOMS AT THE INN!  Okay, so that was a little bitty problem, but it worked out okay.  My first meeting was at 2, straight through til 6.  Then a quick reception and dinner.  David Eisenhower was the speaker, and he was very smart, very informative and a very good listen.

In between all these events, I got an amendment signed, talked with a couple clients, and did a heavy Facebook rotation.  Meetings in the morning, checkout at 1, flight leave (around) 4, then home.  Remember, I am planning on an excellent day on Friday, but there is still time to screw that up completely!

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

2014 - Day 217/148 - Tuesday...

Really, only Tuesday huh?  It really seems like it should be 'more' than Tuesday, but I will go with that!

Okay, this makes me crazy.  I fixed it, but then staged it (again, so I could document it), and then had to fix it again.  How can people do this?  How can anyone put he toilet paper on the roll so I goes 'under' and not 'over'?  You people are just cray-cray!

Long day yesterday, long day today.  Long days tomorrow and Thursday.  Good day expected on Friday.  If I keep remarking about that I expect I can screw it up, but I will try not to.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, CRAY-CAY, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 216/149 - Monday...

Okay, it was a really long day today, and it will be (at least) an equally long day tomorrow.  And then there will be Wednesday and Thursday.  Long days.  But that will lead me to Friday, which I expect will be a very rewarding day, thank you very much.  I was rewarded at the end of the day with this view from high above Austin, not so high that I needed some sort of breathing apparatus, but high enough that I could see this and I was not even out on the edge of nowhere (which, as you all know is further than the middle of nowhere).  Very pretty.

The day actually worked as planned.  Jody had a dental appointment at 9:30, I had a haircut scheduled for 11.  I took Jody home, had some lunch and then headed back into Austin and did some power real estate at the office until I headed off to a dinner meeting.  Very nice, the meal was extraordinarily delicious, and you all know I am not really a gourmand.

I plan to be at the Board tomorrow about 7:30, and expect to leave there at about 4 in the afternoon.  Another long day, but rewarding.

Deeds, Action, Changes, BUSY AGAIN, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 215/150 - Sunday...

Madonna, Justin Bieber and Jennifer Lopez have absolutely NOTHING to do with this journal entry, it is yet another blatant effort to get my numbers up in the world of blogdom.  Sue me!

This (maybe) is an Althea Rose that Miguel uncovered under a bunch of brush and weeds out by the fake creek on the side of the house.  Very delicate and pretty.  It almost looks like a carnation.

Today was sort of a typical Sunday, if you have a life like we do. Interestingly, every day is sort of the same, but every day is different.  In anticipation of Miguel coming to help today, I was up kind of early for a Sunday, and had breakfast finished and the paper read just after 8 o'clock.  Miguel showed up and stated doing things, and I busied myself with cutting grass in the back.  Jody and I took the boy dog for a ride, and then I had to start getting ready for a couple of appointments I had scheduled.  I made it back to the house by about 4 o'clock, which means there were no naps for me today.

Boo-Hoo.

This week will be relatively out-of-control.  Dentist and haircut appointments tomorrow, dinner meeting tomorrow night, all-day-meetings on Tuesday, go to Atlanta on Wednesday, come back from Atlanta on Thursday, a couple meetings on Friday, and then it is the weekend once again!

Woo-Hoo!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BUSY-NESS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 21/151 - Saturday...

Barney the cat has decided she is not THAT shy after all, and the more times she lets herself be seen, the more frequently her food bowl is refilled.  Pavlov's Cat as it were.  Jody sees her quite often during the day and I saw her last night when I was going out to put the girls to bed.  I have not taken a head-count of the girls in about a week or so, but the last time I did they were all accounted for.  I may do that this evening.  She is a pretty girl, and I hope she decides at some point to become a little bit more domesticated.  Even if not, she has a pretty good deal going on here as it is.

Typical Saturday of doing just as little as I possibly could, although I got stuck actually doing productive stuff now and again.  I did manage about three naps spaced out throughout the day, so that was swell!

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

2014 - Day 213/152 - Friday...

The Titzling Chronicles:  The Final Chapter.  Things were going swell for Otto and his partner Hans until they came across an unscrupulous dress designer named Philippe de Brassiere.  The Depression was in full swing, and nobody was buying de Brassiere's dresses except a coven of drag queens on the upper east side.  He decided he needed an item that ladies would buy even if they were broke.  He stole Titzling's idea, added some lace and began presenting the product as his own.  Tutzling sued, but it was a hard-fought case because Titzling had failed to patent his idea.  After a lengthy and expensive trial, Otto won only token damages.  Broke and dispirited, Otto died a few years later, Hans died in combat in World War II, and Brassiere went down in history lending his name to the product he stole.

Boo-Hoo.

If you grew up in the 50's, you might have heard "party albums" by Rusty Warren and Belle Barth.  They were DIRTY RECORDS, and the were hilarious too.  I memorized many of the routines (I preferred Belle Barth over Rusty Warren) and recently I looked them up on Slacker Radio.  What was really risqué in the 50's is heard every day on cable television now.  I am not sure that is a good thing, but I am really surprised more people have not heard of these women.  Totie Fields and Moms Mabley were a little bit more mainstream (meaning the could clean up their act for broadcast television), and they were contemporaries of Rusty and Belle.  That was all a Long, long time ago, and it was a much simpler time.

Friday.  Nothing on television.  Hoping to sell a couple houses this weekend.  Wish me luck.

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