2015 - Day 59/306 - Saturday...

Work, work, work, that's all I ever do.  What I can tell you for sure is, work takes many faces!  Today was a REALLY great day at the RPAC President's Circle Conference; very interesting presentations today from Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson, Paul Belaga (CNN commentator and former Clinton counselor), Dr. Benjamin Carson (possible 2016 Presidential candidate), and a surprise quick presentationKyrsten Sinema.  Overall, I would have to say it was a pretty darned balanced slate of presenters.  I would also have to say I was somewhat embarrassed with some of the responses from my colleagues.  I expect, at the very least, that we be polite when offered opinions that we don't share.  I know for certain I was polite (if you do not count the 'looks that could kill').  BUT, it was all a great learning experience, and it reinforces the value I find in being a member of the NAR RPAC President's Circle.  See you next year in Las Vegas!
from Arizona State Representative

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

Day 58/307 - Friday...

This was a very good day.  There were lots of really good speakers at the RPAC President's Circle Conference; General Wesley Clark, Former Texas Congressman Martin Frost, and my favorite (and the one I was really looking forward to) Pulitzer Prize Winning Presidential Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.  Ms. Goodwin spoke (primarily) about Teddy Roosevelt and President Taft.  Very, very interesting anecdotal information.  Ever since Jody and I watched the PBS Series on the Roosevelts, I have been looking forward to hearing her at this conference.

In addition to these great presentations, there were several speakers from the National Association of REALTORS®, and the overall them of the day was The Role of NAR in Government Affairs.  Overall, a lot of good information and plenty of thought provoking information.

After the sessions, I decided to hang out by the pool for a couple hours, do a little bit of business, return e-mails and make a few telephone calls.  That was very nice.  I then took a nap!  SWEET!

Here is my grand FAIL of the day:  In about 1979, I was running a hotel in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and I was having a blast.  My friend Mike (not the Mike from Florida, a different Mike) was working with me.  We have been Facebook friends for a few years, and he saw that I was coming to Scottsdale and he lives with his wife and two kids in Chandler.  Mike gave me a call early this morning and asked if I was available for lunch.  Nope.  But how about a drink?  His office is near the airport in Phoenix, so he came down (over, up, who knows) to Scottsdale and we had a drink and talked and had a great time.  It has been over thirty years since we have seen each other.  The FAIL is, I did not have the presence of mind to take a selfie of the two of us.  CRAP!  Hopefully it will not be another thirty (or more) years before we see each other again.

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

2015 - Day 57/308 - Thursday...

Okay,  made it to Scottsdale with no real challenges.  I got up early this morning and finished packing.  I had actually put everything aside last night, but did not pack anything until this morning.  I actually got a little bit of a late start into the office, but I was there by about 8:30, and did a little bit of power real estate, and left for the airport at about 10:30.  All was good, made it through security with no real issues, and a relatively uneventful flight to Phoenix.  Made it to the hotel (compliments of a ride from Mark) and checked in, registered for the conference, and made it to the room for a little bit more catching up with e-mails, etc.  There was a lovely sunset (see photo) before I went down to the opening reception, and had a very nice time saying hey to lots of my Texas colleagues.

One of my previous colleagues (mike) lies close by, so we may be getting together for lunch while I am here.  That will be a blast!

Tomorrow will be an early day, lots of good meetings and speakers, looking very forward to it.  I especially enjoy all the business that gets done in a less formal setting.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, DRY AND BEIGE, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2015 - Day 56/309 - Wednesday...

Well, today was a day of meetings.  Four in fact.  First was a breakfast meeting at the Board, then there was a Member Forum, with folks from REALTOR.com in attendance.  Great information and I think things are all going to work out well.  Then there was a batch of office birthdays so we had a lunch celebration, and then back to the Board for one final meeting.  This is what each of several boxes of donuts look like about one-third into the second meeting.  Pitiful!

I am very proud of myself; I took a bale of hay out to the cattle after dinner tonight, and I cleaned the wood stove of some ash, so we are ready for the next onslaught of cold temperatures.

Bring it on!

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

2015 - Day 55/310 - Tuesday...

Another TREPAC Chili Cook-Off has come and gone, Chris did ALL the work, and he did a GREAT job!  There were lots of people there, a great turnout, a record number of 16 teams (there had been 17 teams, don't know what happened to the last one), and lots of attendees and lots of great participation.  Everyone liked Chris's chili, but we were not aggressive enough in asking for votes.  But that is okay, it was fun (and tiring) and tomorrow is another day.

I think I just heard the weatherman say there is a possibility of an inch of snow in the morning.  My wine must be working overtime.  I need to check the ingredients on that box!

I am so tired of people complaining, it make me want to do a whole post of nothing but complaining.

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

2015 - Day 54/311 - Monday...

Okay, I have spent the better part of an hour channeling my inner Julia.  Or maybe it was my inner Jody.  Or maybe it was my inner Andrew.  Whoever the hell it was, I channeled myself right into making six little (8x8) pans of cornbread for the chili cook off to be held tomorrow night at the Austin Board of REALTORS®. Who knew I could cook?  The only thing I have cooked in the last 24 years is piles of eggs on the weekend mornings, and microwaved wieners that I eat (not often enough) for lunch.  Otherwise, I cannot think of anything I have cooked for years and years and years.  I am not sure that this cornbread counts as cooking, but it was easy and quick and I did three pans at a time.  I hope that will be enough.  If you want to try some (and some really excellent chili that Chris is channeling at his house as we speak) head on over to the Board office tomorrow evening, make a TREPAC investment, and enjoy my contribution to culinary disaster.  If nothing else, you can wash it down with beer or wine.  I'm in!

Otherwise, except for the fact that it is really cold, drizzling rain, grey, cloudy (and did I mention that it is really REALLY cold), today was another typical day.  I did have my annual physical (as many of you on Facebook may have already been informed) and I just have to tell you that running around in the doctors office naked in sub-40 degree climes is not what I had in mind for the day.  IT WAS COLD IN THERE!  Turn on the heat FGS!

But otherwise, it was just another day.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, CORNBREAD, Kindnesses, Whirled Pe
as, FUN!

2015 - Day 53/312 - Sunday...

It is rainy and cold and windy, and as best I can tell, the temperatures have not been out of the 40s all day.  I am glad that I did most of the Sunday chores on Saturday, so I had the opportunity to do one of my favorite things:  PRETTY MUCH NOTHING.  Jody did take the Boy Dog for a ride this morning, and I went along with them.  I did clean the nesting boxes in the chicken coop, and that was pretty much it for the day.  This Great Blue Heron did hang out at the sometime tank for a good while this afternoon, and he was interesting to watch.

It is supposed to get colder this evening, and there is talk of a snow-flake in the area by morning, maybe some freezing rain east of us, but it looks like we will escape a direct hit.  About fifty or sixty miles north of us looks like it will be bad weather for the next couple days.  It is interesting how a bad storm can cause so much disruption; electrical services, transportation, scheduling snafus.

Count your blessings, and remember, I am the luckiest man in the world.  You can take number three or so, if you'd like.

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

2015 - Day 53/313 - Saturday...

It hit about 80 degrees here today, and while I wad driving into Austin to show property, there was a bike ride going on out here near the edge of nowhere.  There were a good number of bikers, and I wanted to take a photo behind them but the car in front of me would not make a move, so the best I could do was this shot when they turned.  I have a 50 mile bike ride I am riding in at the end of April, and I have not been on my bike since the last ride (same mileage) last year.  I have some catching up to do.  I am not concerned about not making it, but I need to get some butt time on the seat, just for a little bit of extra insurance!

It is supposed to get cooler tomorrow with a 50% chance of rain.  There is a possibility of freezing temperatures for the next five days or so, but still nothing like the folks in the northeast are getting.  The high temps are in the 40s and 50s next week, so I assume we will all survive.

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

2015 - Day 51/314 - Friday...

Drum roll please...HERE'S EMILY!  Yep, me and the Em had lunch this afternoon at the Wally Burger place on Mesa.  It was great!  We sat there for over an hour talking about stuff and the baby Barrett.  I miss her and she misses us, and it will be a bittersweet thing for her to return from maternity leave and get back into the work grind.  Emily is all in with everything she does, and I have nothing but respect and admiration for her and Hunter, the Hud-Boy and the baby bear.  I need to make more time to sit down and have more lunches with her before her leave is over.

Hurry Em!

Okay, so last night if you paid any attention, I was dumb-struck with all the dead skunks that I had encountered on the roads going to and from Austin in the last several days.  Well, I must have been fixated more than I realized because the Boy Dog's farts woke me from a sound sleep, and I swear I thought there was a skunk outside the bedroom marking it's territory.  I imagined a skunk got into an amorous relationship with one of the cats and then decided that "no-Means-No" and things went south from there.  Anyway, I guess the whole time it was just the Boy Dog's digestion challenges, but it stayed with me the whole night.  I was really surprised that there was no odor when I went outside this morning to get the paper.  And the same thing when I went out on the back patio.  That's when it hit me...

Now I'm just gonna sit back and watch my numbers peak!

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

2015 - Day 50/315 - Thursday...

Question:  Why did the skunk cross the road?  (Please be advised, this is a trick question.)  Answer:  We have no idea, because no skunk near he edge of nowhere has ever successfully made it across the road.  It is obviously skunk rutting season here on the edge of nowhere, and all the county roads are lousy with dead skunks.  And if you don't see them, you can still smell them.  Note to David:  Smell ya later?

This is the glory that we woke up to this morning.  Out here on the edge of nowhere we can see for miles and miles, and we get to see things like sunrises and sunsets (and skunks, see the paragraph above).  Albert showed a really photo of the sunrise taken from their tower cam this morning, and it was just a pretty as this one, just about 50 miles south of here.

Lots of good work accomplished today, lots of good things planned for tomorrow.

SPOILER ALERT:  Gonna have lunch with a special someone tomorrow and that means my numbers are gonna go through the roof!  Tune in!

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

/2015 - Day - Wednesday...

And then there was this:  A REALTOR® and a Lady Bug walk in to the office bathroom.  You can fill in the details, but the punch line is "I don't know about you, but I'm just trying to blend!"

It was a long, eventful, busy, prosperous and rewarding day.  And we are still on Standard Time.  As a REALTOR®, I am not a fan of Daylight Saving Time, it just means we work until 9 o'clock in the evening instead of 7 o'clock in the evening.  If it is still daylight outside, I guess I should be doing something productive.

Hump day, and I am looking forward to the weekend.

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

2015 - Day 48/317 - Tuesday...

In case of nuclear (or nu-cu-ler if yer of a differing political bent), or some other apocalyptical event that pretty much wipes out humanity as we know it, I expect (and this is only my opinion) the only recognizable things that will survive are cockroaches, dendelions and Teslas.  According to my spell-check, there are three mis-spelled words in that sentence, but that is okay with me, I kind of like mis-spelled words on occasion.

This particular dandelion has a circumference of about 12 feet, and has greeted me on several occasions with a 'come hither' look reserved for succulents firmly ensconced in a corner of my dentists office.  And it's name is Audrey.  And it is out for blood.  So I sit on the other side of the room, and give this dandelion a wide berth.  Even the chickens avoid it, but if I could ever dig it up, I reckon I could make a gallon or two of dandelion wine.

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

2015 - Day 47/318 - Monday...

And now for something completely different...

I do not think the temperatures have been out of the 30s all day today.  When I woke up this morning, I could hear it raining outside, and the wind did not quit howling all night.  It was the wind, not the coyotes, I can tell the difference.  There are Iris blooms here and there out in the yard, and it is supposed to freeze lightly tonight.  There is a fire in the stove, and it is cold and damp, kind of like what you would expect in Cleveland or somewhere like that.  I know, I know, I watch the news, I see the status updates from Melody and Diane.  I know it could be worse, but that is part of the reason we live here on the edge of nowhere.  It is not supposed to be cold, it is supposed to be hot, and I am supposed to complain about THAT, not THIS.

Today was a good day, Jody had an appointment at the eye doctor, I had a couple listings to visit, and then it was off to the optician to order Jody some new glasses.  We were home by about 4:30, and we stopped off at the NEW Popeye's in Georgetown and brought home some fried shrimp for dinner.  All the good things!

Tomorrow I will have a couple appointments in the morning, a lunch at lunch time, and then back to the office for some more power real estate.

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

2015 - Day 46/319 - Sunday...

R.I.P. SL MR SPECKLED RANGER, aka Mr. Speckles, April 1, 2006 - February 14, 2015.

If you had asked me what unusual thing I would be doing today, I would have never in a million years replied that I (along with Miguel's help) would be hooking a chain up to Mr. Speckles head and dragging him out of the new tank in the back pasture.  As best as I can tell, he was not sick.  I think he just got stuck in the tank and drowned.  There is nothing glorious or worthy of ceremony to drag a 1,600 pound bull out of a stock tank, and then undo that and wrap the chain around his neck and drag him to the furthest corner of the property to wait for the coyotes and the vultures and the rest of the wildlife around here to do their jobs.  I did try to treat him with as much respect as I could, but it is not really that respectful when you have to do what has to be done.

He was a magnificent animal, and he kept the girls back there happy an he was great at his job.  Even though he had become somewhat of a challenge (he learned how to jump fences) and I was working towards him going on to a more accommodating place, he will be missed.

That is just what happens out here on the edge of nowhere.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, MR. SPECKLES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2015 - Day 45/320 - St. Valentine's Day...

I hope everyone enjoyed their day today...the thermometer on my car registered 80 degrees at one point, but it was a beautiful day overall.  I actually stayed in the bed until almost 7 o'clock, but I was beginning to feel guilty that the girls were wanting to be 'loosed' so I got up and loosed them! 

The weather prognosticators are prognosticating a decline in the temperatures to not go above 40 degrees by mid-week, and one of them forecasted (I am going to go with this being a real word)
a snowflake.  Jody said he would go along with a forecast of a snowflake much more readily than the forecast of a blizzard, so he is a happy camper.

I did get a home listed this afternoon, and that will hit the market at the beginning of the week.  Otherwise, I was successful in doing as little as possible today.  I fear that will change tomorrow, Sunday is typically the day for chores.

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

2015 - Day 44/321 - Friday...

If you know anything about me and Jody, you know we are both seniors, we both tote ARP cards, and we do anything and everything early to avoid the rush.  So, you should not be surprised to find out that we celebrated St. Valentine's Day TODAY (why wait) and went to the Crossroads Café.  We were planning to both have burgers, but that was my lunch, so I had chicken strips.  The Café was all decked out in anticipation of the throngs of revelers expected tomorrow, and I thought I would share.  Festive may not be the word that first comes to your mind, but there were candy kisses on the tables, and extra score. 

Today was both a busy day and a quiet day.  It was busy in the morning and quiet in the afternoon.  When I got home this afternoon, I went in to Bartlett to buy the girls some chicken feed, since I will be going in to Austin tomorrow to look at a house to list.  Wish me luck.  By going and getting the chicken feed today, I do not need to rush around tomorrow to get that done.

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

2015 - Day 43/322 - Thursday...

All I can say is, you guys must all be living right.  I had a plethora of photos to offer for this journal entry; first was the traffic jam (again) on Cesar Chavez.  There was also a photo of a 'puffy-panted' waiter, you know, kind of like the Seinfeld Puffy-Shirt episode, except the puffiness was in the pants.  Get your mind out of the gutter people!  He was (I hope) a waiter at Fogo de Chao, the Brazilian Steak House downtown.  Either that of HE WAS THE CAUSE of the traffic jam on Cesar Chavez.  Then there was the photo of the ducks on the sometimes pond behind the house.  Actually there was no photo of the ducks on the pond, because when I went out there to that the picture, they all decided to fly off.  BUT I do have a couple nice photos of duck in flight from the sometimes pond out in back of the house.  Finally, after having scared off all the ducks, Barney the cat decided she would pose for a quick photo without running off.  NOTE TO JOHN AND SHARON:  That is what animal talking can accomplish.  I talked with her and she was happy as a clam to stay put.

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

2015 - Day 42/323 - Wednesday...

All I can say is, it is lucky for all you guys that the sunset was really pretty this evening, otherwise you would have been greeted by a photo of a traffic jam on Cesar Chavez between Congress and IH-35.  And I have to tell you, this is much better than a traffic jam.

Today was a really nice day.  It started out REALLY foggy, when I went out to let the girls loose, I sounded like it was raining as I got to the coop, because the fog had condensed on the tree leaves and it was dripping into the bamboo.  It was slow getting to the Interstate, and slow the rest of the way into the office.  Two hours.  Then when I headed to my first appointment, there were lots of closed streets, detours and all that stuff, and traffic was re-routed onto secondary streets.  BUT, I made it to my appointment on time, only because my appointment was at 9:45 and I thought it was 9:30.  Worked for me.

I went with Barb (2015 ABoR President) for her debut on the Mid-Day Report at KVUE, and she was absolutely perfect!  We are all very lucky that she is leading our association this year.  After that, it was back to the office where I acted like a real estate broker for a couple hours, then left to go home.  That was when I encountered the traffic jam, but I actually made it home in about an hour and a half, pretty typical for the ride home.

Did you buy your Power Ball ticket?  Good!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, $500MILLION, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

-Day 41/324 - Tuesday...

At the SEVEN AM (7AM just did not have the same punch) TREPAC breakfast meeting this morning, George P. (Prescott) Bush spoke to our group.  As the newly elected Texas Land Commissioner he was an interesting, informed and non-inflammatory speaker.  Level, open and out-going, it was interesting to hear him speak about his platforms and particularly about his family.  It seems that Barbara is in charge, if there was ever any doubt.

The TAR Winter Meetings wrapped up just minutes before noon today.  Following the breakfast, it was the TAR Board of Directors meeting, and there was lots of great information shared at that meeting.  Then it was back to the office to do some power real estate, and tomorrow will be here before I know it.

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

2015 - Day 40/325 - Monday...

It was another long day of meetings, and tomorrow will be only half a day...the first half.  Meetings begin at 7 and run until 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and that will be it for the 2015 Winter Meetings.  There is really so much information shared and networking going on, that it is hard to comprehend it all, and it takes about a week after it is over to try and absorb it all.  I know this is really cliché, but lots of business is taken care on in the informal settings of the lobby bar.  Folks are open, their guards are down and they just sit there and share with you.  Excellent.  Tomorrow morning at 7 is the TREPAC Major Investors Breakfast followed by the BOD meeting for the state association.

This is a photo of Austin from the First Street bridge, right by City Hall.  We are very important looking, especially in the dark!

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

2015 - Day 39/326 - Sunday...

Okay, so sue me.  I was in (practically) the last row of the auditorium and the picture is fuzzy!  SUE ME!  Another day under our belts at the Texas Association of REALTORS® and it was full (again) of great information and meet-ups with colleagues and friends from across the state.  After making a quick presentation to the Political Involvement Committee, I went upstairs to the Governmental Affairs Forum, where the keynote speaker was Congressman Michael McCaul.  He is a great speaker, and he certainly knows his stuff, but he is not frumpy about it.  As the Chairman (?) of Homeland Security, his engagement with us was really well attended.  Serious stuff, but he also told a joke:  What' the difference between a couple teenage daughters and a terrorist?  You can negotiate with a terrorist!

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

2015 - Day 38/327 - Saturday...

So, it was another relatively LONG day.  Early meetings went through about 5 this afternoon, then it was on a bus at 5:30 to go to a reception at the Austin Club.  There were lots of our State Representatives there, including Larry Gonzales and Donna Howard.  I have the very good fortune to be the Texas Association of REALTORS® member contact for Donna Howard, and I could never EVER have asked for a better job.  I am truly a big fan of Representative Howard, and it is my pleasure to work with her.

The Texas Legislature convenes in odd-numbered years, so we will be doing Hill Visits in April, and I am really looking forward to that.

I have a little bit of homework to do this evening before my first meeting at 8 o'clock in the morning.

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

2015 - Day 37/328 - Friday...

Needless to say, this is about the least offensive photo that I can actually share about the Celebrity Waiter event I attended (and sort of participated in) this evening.  The theme was "Grease" and there were lots of poodle skirts, t-shirts, this and that.  Maybe I can find a photo that will not be totally offensive to several classes of folks, and if so, I will post it in a subsequent entry.

It was a really busy day, got lots of work done, two presentations first thing this morning, a couple challenges with some property repairs, and enough stress to go around for a week or two.

Tomorrow will be a full day of meetings at the Texas Association of REALTORS® Winter Meeting, ending tomorrow evening with a reception at the Austin Club.

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

2015 - Day 36/329 - Thursday...

Just in case you were wondering, the Boy Dog continues to make progress, and all is working in the silent fart department also.  I am not sure if that part of him was ever compromised, but it is definitely working.  He still enjoys going on his daily rides, and he can get up and go when he WANTS to.  Like me though, I think he would rather just take a nap.

Today was a really busy day, but lots of accomplishments were made.  Tomorrow begins the TAR Winter Meeting, and I have two early morning speaking appointments before I get to that conference.

Tomorrow night I will be participating in the Women's Council of REALTORS® Celebrity Waiter event.  It promises to make for primo photo documentation.  In the past, I have been Liberace, Gold Member, and tomorrow will remain confidential so as to not spoil anything.  The theme this year is Grease!  SPOILER ALERT:  I am NOT going as Frankie Avalon!

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

2015 - Day 35/330 - Wednesday...

Attention all cars!  Attention all cars!  Be on the lookout for Evans' socks, last seen (one of them at least) being used as a pocket square by John at the ABoR headquarters earlier in the day.  Also, if you are the person that gave me that particular pair of socks, I am sure you will understand.  And by the way, can you tell me where you bought them so I can go buy another pair?

Today was the BOD meeting at ABoR, and I knew I was going to make a TREPAC ask, so I intentionally broke the wrappings of that particular pair of socks (they were decorated with dollar signs and monetary sayings).  As I was collecting investments, John became uncontrollably enamored with my foot coverings, so I made them a gift to him.  That is my story and I am sticking with it.  I spent the rest of the day sockless, with my feet sticking to the souls of my shoes.  I think that must be an acquired comfort for guys, because I was never much one for wearing no socks with my penny loafers.  BUT, I am (maybe) not too old to learn,

All in all it was a great day today, tomorrow will be a day in the office, and then Friday will be the first day of the TAR Winter Meetings.

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

2015 - Day 34/331 - Tuesday...

Well, are you aware that if you need to move a chicken, stick them in a bag or a pot of boiling water, it is best to do it after dark when they are on their roosts.  You can pretty much do anything you want to a chicken in the dark, and they will not protest.  I did not get home until about 7:30 this evening, because I had some late evening business to take care of in Austin.  SO, Jody had reported to my by electronic communication devices that he had only retrieved one egg, so I stopped at the coop when I arrived.  All the girls were accounted for, and considering that the new 'hands-free' ordinance in the city of Austin has cut back totally on my photo documentation of the crap that I observe on a daily basis going back and forth, I took a picture of a couple chickens, and edited those down to this little girl. 

It rained from about 10 o'clock this morning (in Austin) until about 6 o'clock this evening.  Just a trace here on the edge of nowhere, 0.01" to be totally accurate (because I am a counter, that's why).

Tomorrow will be a full day of meetings, a little bit of a break on Thursday, and then full days of meetings Friday through Monday at the Texas Association of REALTORS® Winter Meeting.

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

2015 - Day 33/332 - Monday...

I love Mondays.  Do you really think I love Mondays or do you think I am being less than truthful?  I said less than truthful because (even though I looked it up in the dictionary) the word 'lying' (as in 'do you think I am lying) just does not look right.  But I digress.  And I am possibly 'digressing' because I am sitting here writing this journal entry with my Kinky Boots Sippy Cup that I reported obtaining last week while I was in New York attending the Inman Conference.  I don't know about you, but a sippy cup full of cheap wine is just about the best thing in the world.  Plastic cup and box wine.  Paradise.

On a more serious note, I did get a lot accomplished today, and I expect to make more strides within the world of my 'to done' list tomorrow.

Did I mention that I am the luckiest man in the world?  Well, I am.

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

2015 - Day 32/333 - Sunday...

I must be wanting to go back to Friday or fast-forward to Friday, because I just wrote that it is Friday, even though I know it is Sunday.

It was a nice day today, and when the clouds finally cleared out the temperatures made it into the low 70's.  Everyone is enjoying the sunshine, and Vera got some carrying this afternoon.  It has been a while since she was the subject of adoration in this journal, so here she is in all her glory!  We are still getting lots of eggs, so we hope that keeps up for a while.  I doubt we will get any new chicks this year, we still are going strong with 25 girls, so that is plenty.

In the most recent 24-hour rain gauge reading, we got 0.55" of rain, so that is not a bad way to start the new month.  It was kind of a bad way to get the month started if you wanted to really get any work down out here on the edge of nowhere.  Everything is muddy, I am not complaining about the rain, but everything is muddy.  The chickens are muddy, the cattle are muddy, and the mud is muddy.  Miguel came out to help me today, and we managed to get the mule stuck in the mud.  We put hay out for the cattle in the pasture opposite them, and there was so much mud at the gate that they did not want to cross through it to get to the fresh hay.  Miguel eventually coaxed them over with some cattle cubes, so all worked out okay.

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