2018 - Day 59/306 - Wednesday...1790...

Well, here we are, Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Is it The Bahamas or the Bahamas? Whatever it is, only one of my bags made the trip with me. When last accounted for, the suit bag had travelled to Boston and JFK, and may (or may not) be delivered tomorrow around 3 p.m. That's okay, I have stuff that was really necessary in the bag the followed me. The other bag is obviously a wandering bag. I am pretty sure everything will show up when it is supposed to. Overall, I am really not seeing this as much of an inconvenience; I am of an advanced age, and this is the first time I have had any issue with misdirected or lost baggage. The odds were against me...it was bound to happen.

Where was I?

Oh yeah, the Bahamas. I will be here for four nights with upwards of a thousand of my colleagues from across the United States (and probably a couple territories) for a series of action packed (PAC'd, get it?) presentation. We are gonna be talking' politics with politicians for the next several days. I always enjoy these annual events, and I bet I walk away with some great information.

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

2018 - Day 58/307 - Tuesday...1791...

And now for something completely different. I give you, a snowy owl floating around on an ice flow, somewhere where it is cold. Sure, I could have given you the usual wreck or cloud photo. I considered a photo of Barney the cat, or maybe a chicken. But this caught my eye the other day, and I decided to share it with you this evening.

Today was really a pretty good day. I had lots of errands to run and got everything completed and actually got home at a decent hour. It rained a little bit here today, we got 0.08", just enough to keep things (particularly the chicken feed) wet. It is supposed to be clear for the next few days, and there is some controversy as to whether more rain will hit on Saturday or before. You never can tell.

Whenever it is, we will take it and smile.

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

2018 - Day 57/308 - Monday...1802...

Even before I got onto the expressway this morning, I could see the traffic was backed p for a long way. there was some thought about taking the service road for a while, but I went ahead and got onto the expressway. It took about four or five miles of very slow travel before I was able to get going. I needed to stop at Home Depot on the way into the office (and a couple other stops too), and I got to my 8 o'clock appointment with about a minute to share. I took a few photos of the wreck, and the photo for this post was between the wreck (there were two other wrecks today that I could have chosen from) or the interesting clouds at sunset, and I decided to go with the interesting clouds. I will keep the wreck photos in escrow for another day.

I hope you enjoy the clouds as much as we did!

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

2018 - Day 56/309 - Sunday...1807...

The sun FINALLY came out late this afternoon. By that time, I had already been soaked through about three times. Since this morning, we have had almost 9/10" of rain, and the grand total for the last five days is 2.33". It is not bad on the rain scale, but the grey skies and lack of sun have made just about everyone a little bit crazy, me included.

I was able to get a few things done with the chickens. The mature girls are laying pretty nicely, we are getting about 4 or 5 eggs a day, plenty for us and some to pass around. The intermediate chicks are going to stay in the pen for about another week or ten days, and then I will put them in with the hens. The seven smallest chicks got let loose from their little pen this morning, and they are all doing just fine. That makes 11 young chicks (total) in one of the big pens, ten hens in the coop. We should be having PLENTY of eggs starting in the next several months...the young chicks will start laying in May or June.

The question is, will I get more checks later in the spring? No telling.

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

2018 - Day 55/310 - Saturday...1804...

Crawfish are nothing new out here on the edge of nowhere, but crawfish the size of my fist are not the usual thing you see. And, crawfish the size of my fist walking across the driveway in the middle of the day is not something you see every day either. We have not had a lot of rain over the past week, short of an inch-and-a-half, but maybe that was just what this guy (or gal) needed. Anyway, when left to his own devices, he was gone a few minutes after I took this picture.

I accomplished very little of a productive nature today. I did manage to take a couple naps, Jody and I went into Georgetown and had lunch, and that was about it. I only have a couple things on my list of chores for tomorrow, and that will not be too bad.

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

2018 - Day 54/311 - Friday...1807...

The recent rains have not been as bad as these chicks would have you believe. These chicks are eight weeks old yesterday, and in theory could be placed in the coop with the big girls. These two (there are four this age) were born at the end of last year. There are seven other chicks that are a week younger, but not nearly as big. I may move these girls into the coop tomorrow night and see what happens. The other chicks, the younger ones, are going to stay where they are for at least another two weeks, so they can get a little bit bigger. BUT...it seems these girls have decided they can get up on top of their little coop inside the pen, and they thought they were just really special. We shall see...

More rains for overnight, but supposed to clear up late tomorrow and maybe we will see some blue skies on Sunday. That would be swell.

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

2018 - Day 53/312 - Thursday...1804...

It is still cold and rainy here, and I went into the office unprepared. It did not get out of the 40s, and it remains grey and overcast. I am about done with it. Tomorrow, it is supposed to be in the 70s, and more rain, but we shall see. Since this crap started we have received less than 3/4" of rain, but it has been ugly and cold and damp. We are (did I mention that?) tired of it.

On a different note, I saw Barney this afternoon when I was taking him some food. He is just as curious about us as we are about him, so he just hangs out and watches. And we assume he gets his fill of food before something else gets the rest of it overnight.

Here's hoping for the better weather tomorrow...

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

2018 - Day 52/313 - Wednesday...1830...

Congratulations to the Austin CRS Chapter for their fine luncheon meeting this morning, featuring State Senator Kirk Watson. It was very good to hear him and to let us know what was going on Capitol-Wise...

Other-Wise, it is cold and rainy in central Texas. Not a lot of rain so far, but a cold front came through last night, and that dropped the temperatures 25 to 30 degrees. Yesterday it was in the 80s, and when we got up this morning it was in the 30s, and it did not get out of the 40s all day today. It is not supposed to be quite as cool overnight, and back in the 60s and 70s by the weekend.

Bring it on.

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

2018 - Day 51/314 - Tuesday...1827...

I have a couple voting day traditions. It is not important about whether it is early voting or general voting, my habits are the same and have been for the last several years, which means it is an early voting tradition as opposed to a general voting tradition, since I NEVER wait until the actual election day to vote. I have friends that like to vote on election day so they can be in all the hustle-and-bustle of the moment, but I am much more comfortable with my little adhesive sticker that proclaims to the world that 'I VOTED'.

One of the traditions is to be the first in line, and the second is to get into a ruckus with the little old blue haired matrons that are paid to monitor the voting. There is at least one supervisor, and least one assistant supervisor and then there is a plethora of those that choose not to be supervised.

This morning, they were close to calling a gendarme in on me, and a uniformed officer actually did arrive on the scene, but he was only there to exercise his constitutional right to vote. Note to self: Try a little bit harder NOT to rile those ladies up. And, another note to self: What fun would that be?

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

2018 - Day 50/315 - Monday...1819...

Happy President's Day. I made it to the office in (possibly) record time this morning. It was a really nice day in the office, I got a lot of work done and nobody screamed at me (not even once). Last week in the office, we had an infestation of carpenter ants in the office, and there is still evidence of them today. The pest folks said it would be a week or so before they were all gone, and that the Chinaberry tree outside is the culprit. If I could bring the chickens in to the office, I think that would take care of the challenge, but that is kind of impractical. Of course, I could always say that they were emotional support chickens, and that would take care of that. No issues. But then there is the challenge of the chicken sh*t, and I am really not prepared to cope with that. I will have to deal with the flying carpenter ants buzzing me like a 747 (outside cock roach), but perhaps I am exaggerating.

But maybe not.

The hen on the left (a silver lace Wyandotte) is one of the old girls, and if you were to see her walk, you would think she was a dowager princess. She is just (probably) old and arthritic.

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

2018 - Day 49/316 - Sunday...1816...

I have tried really hard to come up with something of interest to report to you today, but I have failed. No, really. I really did try. I spent about five minutes searching the Googles for something interesting. Anything interesting. Trivia. Historical facts. Hysterical facts. Birthday facts. nothing. Nothing interesting happened today. NOTHING.

I did get all my chores done; fresh hay to the cattle, chicken coop cleaned. A couple of putzing around the house things, but nothing interesting. I was going to sweep out the garage, but I decided that would not be interesting either, so I passed on that. Jody and I started to watch a Netflix movie, but we did not think it was interesting enough to finish. It is still on 'pause' in the DVD player.

Since it is Sunday night, I kind of doubt that there is anything interesting on TV. We did have a friend of Randy's come by this afternoon and buy some hay from us. Then he and Randy and I stood around and talked about this and that, but it was nothing interesting.

I fell asleep during the five o'clock news, because it wasn't very interesting. They talked about a new addition to an art museum on the UT campus, but it wasn't very interesting. the weather is not interesting because it is all the same forecast, and when they predict something and it doesn't happen, that is not very interesting.

We are not very interesting.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, DIS-INTERESTING, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2018 - Day 48/317 - Saturday...1833...

I was able to accomplish everything I set out to accomplish on this day, and less. Well, not really, I did get three or four things accomplished. I got the rollers and the springs on the garage door all DW-40d up, so it makes less noise than it did. That was the only thing on the list. I also set plants outside, watered them, messed with the chickens and the chicks a little bit, and looked at the barren wasteland that results when you have the rose bushes in the driveway circle trimmed back. It did afford us an opportunity to see some things that we had not visualized in a couple years, like the one egret in flight that has been buried in bushes for a while. We knew it was there, it was just hard to make out.

I just got back inside from putting the girls to bed, and for a moment, I felt like I was surrounded by coyotes. They seemed to be all around, the loudest (and it seemed like there were about a dozen of them) probably not more than a hundred yards behind the house, which meant they were about 150 yards away from me. I have often played out what I would do if I were ever confronted, and I usually have SOMETHING in my hands, usually a flashlight. I don't think I am in real danger of being confronted, but I do think about it.

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

2018 - Day 47/318 - Friday...1829...

Very, VERY shortly after this photo was taken, the armadillo decided it was through and CHARGED! My scream could easily have been mistaken for that of a girl, and could also be heard across several central Texas counties. It was early, it was dark and I was out there loosing the chickens for the day. I am not sure if I can run faster than an armadillo, but I know for sure I can run faster than that one; don't forget to zig-zag too!

Yes, today is Friday, and I am very happy about that. We are supposed to have rain everyday for the next seven days or so. We have had the clouds and overcast skies, so we might as well have the rain. There is the possibility of a couple inches of rain over the next week, and I hope we can get some water in the tanks for the cattle.

I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING planned for the weekend (well, not true) and I plan to get that accomplished post-haste.

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

2018 - Day 46/319 - Thursday...1828...

The posted photo pretty well sums it all up for me. Hopefully we are a nation are at a tipping point. I have been tipped a long, long time. I understand not everyone agrees with my views, and I try very consciously not to share them on this journal site, but I am tired. I have seen (and will make my own decisions) several of my friends point/counter-point postings, but here is what I think was the most telling of all so far: The high school shooting yesterday in Florida was totally predictable. The next was is predictable as well. And the ones after those, and the ones after those.

It needs to stop. Do something. Somebody do something. I'm begging you.Yes, it is the people who are committing these horrific crimes, but we need to make it more difficult for these to access these weapons. There has to be a balance. DO SOMETHING.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, SHIT FIT, Kindnesses (I mean it), Whirled Peas, FUN!

2018 - Day 45/320 - Wednesday...1810...

So, it is very evident even to me (well, duh) that I do not hold a degree in engineering. As a matter of fact, I don't hold a degree in anything. So there. But there were times this afternoon that I was totally baffled when (A) I was trying to open a card board box that had no obvious glue or tape on it and (B), when I was trying to access the items that were inside the otherwise impervious card board box. I destroyed the box to access the contents (four 25 foot long exterior extension cords), but then I could not release the extension cords from one another. The box was a simple task requiring only stupidity (I got that in aces) and brute strength (not so much anymore), but the task of releasing the four cords from one another took tools (three) and a mind with a mathematical bend (Nope, not here). It took wire cutters, giant scissors and a phillips head screwdriver, but I got those bastards separated. After all that, I forgot what I was going to use the cord for.

On another note, all the chicks are now residing in one of the big pens outside, but inside the big pen. Two pens are inside one big pen. The other big pen (next door to the previously mentioned pen) is where the big girls go in and out to their coop. It is a zero lot line situation, and we will see how it all works out. Tomorrow morning is too soon, but we should have collected enough data by tomorrow afternoon to see if it will all be okay.

Happy Valentine's Day too, by the way.

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

2018 - Day 44/321 - Tuesday...1819...

Okay, back home after several days in Austin attending the Texas Association of REALTORS® Winter Meeting. Good times, hard work, good friends and not enough hours in the day. BUT...being back home is its' own reward! This photo is from this mornings Board of Directors meeting. See the aisle seat with the closed lap top and the coffee cup? That's my seat. Lots of information from a variety of staff, volunteers and other folks that are a LOT smarter than I am. I got into the office this afternoon, did some power real estate, and then headed home, making a couple stops along the way to clear other items off my 'to done' list.

Life is good, it is dribbling rain outside, and I am heading for the bed.

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

2018 - Day 43/322 - Monday...18IDon'tRemember...

This is the penultimate day of the 2018 Texas Association of REALTORS® Winter Meeting. I will attend the Board of Directors Meeting tomorrow, and that will close this years meeting. Today, I attended the Texas Real Estate Commission quarterly meeting. I always really enjoy these meetings; as a group of professionals, many of us just take the intricacies of our business for granted. I think it is fascinating to actually attend meetings to see how things work. PLUS, I got four hours of continuing education credits for attending, a twofer!

Lots of other meetings throughout the day, and tonight was the STARs Reception, honoring the Texas Association of REALTORS® REALTOR® of the Year, Dan Hatfield. Dan is a great and deserving former Chairman of the Texas Association of REALTORS®, and he attended my Installation as Chairman of the Austin Board back in 2014. A very deserving man, and I am happy to know him and call him my friend. I like the photo of the two of us!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, REALTOR® of the Year, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2018 - Day 42/323 - Sunday...18IDon'tKnow...

This is interesting, I did my journal entry last night, and somehow I did not get published. I didn't even know it until JoeMac in Mississippi inquired about my health this afternoon. When I got to a place where I could open my lap top, there is was, just waiting to be published. That is a first!

Another day of good stuff, but I did get to stay in the bed a little bit longer this morning that I ordinarily do. My first meeting was 10 o'clock this morning, and my last 'meeting' ended at about 4:45 this afternoon. Then it was down to the lobby bar for a few minutes, and then back up to the room for a few minutes, before we walked over the Aussies for some TREPAC volleyball. It is too darned cold for volleyball here today (it is 38 degrees right now), and really, REALLY damp outside, so I stayed inside and walked outside to watch the games every now and then.

Two more days of meetings and it will be a wrap to this Winter Meeting!

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

2018 - Day 41/324 - Saturday...18Whatever...

It was a really long day today; first meeting was at 7:30 a.m., and I just made it back, so that makes it about a 14 hour day. Lots of interesting information, lots of interactions with colleagues that are much smarter than I am, and lots of networking. The day started off with an Awards Breakfast, and then back to back meetings until after 5. Then a few minutes to chill, then a reception at the new library in Austin. The new library was about a decade in the making, about $140M in construction costs, but in the end, I think it is a beautiful facility. And, it provides some revenues as an event space. Everybody wins. This is the view from the roof top of the library. Wonderful!

Tomorrow I get to be a little bit lazy and sleep a little bit longer. The day will begin a little bit later, but will go on until about 8 or 9 o'clock, so it will be a long day.

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

2018 - Day 40/325 - Friday...18Something else...

Over the past ten years or so, I have stayed in a LOT of hotels. Generally six or eight extended hotel visits a year, anywhere from four to six days at a time. I got into the habit of taking all the travel size soaps and shampoos and stuff, because there was a program that passed those items along to homeless people in Austin. The group has disbanded, but I am still taking the stuff. I can't help it. And I have expanded to include one wash cloth per hotel visit. When I was in the Hotel/Restaurant business, linens was a big expense. Those towels and wash cloths are not cheap. The only time we would lose bedspreads was when the wrapped the tv's up in them and stole the tv sets! And that was thirty years ago. Rooms were not as pricey then as they are now, and I do not think it is all about inflation of the dollar either. Things (like hotel rooms) are just really expensive these days. There is a lot of infrastructure that needs to be maintained...but still...

It was a full day of meetings and information today, and tomorrow will be even more full. AND an early start to the day.

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

2018 - Day 39/326 - Thursday...18Something...

Today was a busy day of meetings and meetings. And then there were more meetings. And after the meetings, there was an event. The event lasted until early evening, and it was not terribly long, so that was good. It was a long day, and there was a lot of multi-tasking involved. There was some periods of hysteria, and some other periods of non-hysteria. Kind of a roller-coaster day, but everything turned out okay in the end.

This sign was out in front of El Arroyo this morning when I passed by, and I thought it kind of represented the mind-set at the time. People tend to be just a teensy bit unreasonable in 2018. Nothing is anyones fault, everything is someone else fault. I am getting a little tired of that. I am happy to take responsibility for the things I do AND the things I DON'T do. I told someone today that I was WRONG about something, and that I could have sent them an e-mail to tell them, but I decided to call them on the phone to tell them instead.

They were surprised.

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

2018 - Day 38/327 - Wednesday...1846...

I guess Socar never pays much attention to these journal entries. She acts like she is the only one with an appreciation for the clouds. Clouds are free. Clouds are amazing. Clouds are heavy, especially when they are measured in elephants. How many elephants does a cloud weigh? LOTS! Today, it was pretty much a toss up between wreck photos or cloud photos. Cloud photos won, by a 2 to 1 margin. I hope you enjoy!

It is supposed to go down below freezing tonight. UGH! When will it ever end? We cannot take too much more of this.

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

2018 - Day 37/328 - Tuesday...1840...

Rain. North winds. Chilly. Grey skies. Willie has the flu. Not me, THE Willie. Cancelled all February shows. But, there is a hawk that hangs out around the Board offices. I had no idea. I was there last week and saw this note on one of the windows overlooking the canyon. As a matter of fact, when I inquired further about it, I was told there are actually a pair of hawks hanging around the area. Good for them. It is amazing what you can find out about stuff if you just open your eyes and pay attention.

Did I mention that it is cold outside and kind of raining and generally just yucky in central Texas at the moment? Well, it is.

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

2018 - Day 36/329 - Monday...1837...

Apparently not enough people in central Texas called in sick today. Traffic was not noticeably lighter, and it was not noticeably kinder either. Traffic is traffic, and there is not a lot that (at this late date) can be done about it. The best time to plant a tree is 50 years ago. The second best time is today. That is a good thought for a tree, but it is somewhat lacking when we are talking about infrastructure.

Here I go...

But not really, traffic is just something I contend with. I listen to a lot of recorded books, and I started a new one today. David Sedaris. I think it is his new book, but I am beyond the point of keeping track. Interesting. Easy to keep up with, and you really don't have to pay that much attention. That is kind of the way I like my books right now. I have read quite a few 'deep' books over the past four months or so, so now I m just trying to give my brain a rest.

Oh, but the photo you ask...this is a photo of the girl dogs, both up in my lap in the blue chair over the weekend. I am not sure what we were watching; maybe the CBS Sunday Morning News, maybe not. But it was fun for them both to be there and being quiet. AND...they watch television too. It is fun to watch them watch the tv, especially when there is a dog in a commercial.

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

2018 - Day 35/330 - Sunday...1826...

Barney has been making himself more visible lately. He was out and about for a good part of the morning. He knows we are around and he does not run off when he sees us (he does walk away briskly however), and we talk to him when we can. He has been hanging around for several years. We share him with the (good) neighbor. The other (the bad) neighbors are not neighbors that we would like to share anything with. But we have good fences, they don't. Don't get me started. Anyway, this is a photo of Barney helping himself to a drink on the patio this morning, just after we had finished breakfast. He has a pretty good life, we think, and we put food out for him daily, and we give him a warm spot (not sure if he takes advantage of it) when it is really cold outside.

I got all the chores on my 'to done' list finished for both days. That was a pretty good accomplishment, even if I do say so myself. Some of the stuff was more difficult than others, but I got it done. There is still more to do, but I believe in giving myself achievable goals.

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

2018 - Day 34/331 - Saturday...1848...

These girls were not ready to get out of the coop this morning. We are holding at ten mature hens, four intermediate chicks and seven starter chicks. All of the chicks still have heat lamps on them, and the intermediate chicks will be put on the roost with these girls the first weekend of March. The other chicks will join them two weeks later. Not sure if I will get any other chicks later in the spring or not; I would like to get some exotics, but we shall see.

It seems that Jody goes through a battery in his truck about once a year. He pulled into the garage on Thursday, and when he got back in it, the car wouldn't start. The message said 'Put shifter in P to start'. The shifter was in P, and it would not start. I put the trickle charger on it this morning and it started, we took it into the Toyota dealer and two hours and about $200 later we were on the way home. It was lucky it happened after he got home...

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

2018 - Day 33/332 - Friday...1865...

It was a really early day today, and this morning seems like a really, REALLY long time ago. I attended a class in San Antonio today, and the class started at 8 a.m., which meant, taking traffic in the tenth and eleventh larges cities in the United States into consideration, I left Austin really early. I got there just at about the time I had planned, and everything turned out okay. Getting home was another story, but overall, it is still the same day, and I am happily ensconced on the Edge of Nowhere. All the chickens are doing well, all are accounted for and I even saw Barney on the driveway as I was reading meters.

Today's photo is of the sunrise in San Antonio as I was parking this morning for the class. Urban sunrise. Pretty.

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

2018 - Day 32/333 - Thursday...1860...

And, we are heading for another cold front overnight. Expected to lower temperatures by about 20 degrees or so, which should put us at about normal temperatures for this time of year. This is a picture of one of the plants that I have been (religiously) schlepping in and out of the house/garage, depending on how cool it is expected to be. No need to take plants in for the near term, but I am pretty proud of this little succulent. Who knew they bloomed? Who knew they bloomed in the winter? I have never professed to have a green thumb, but as of last year, I have learned the first rule of gardening is water.

I did manage to get a hair cut in today, and a couple other errands done, as well as some work in the office. I am heading to San Antonio tomorrow to take a full day of class. A nice drive south and a nice drive north...both during rush hour! And no traffic in the middle.

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