Volume 13 - Day 365/0, 2021 - Friday

Okay, this is it, the last day of 2021. Tomorrow will be a new beginning, the spring of 2022. I cannot say that I will miss the past year very much, there were some good things, and I have my health and I am still obnoxious and inappropriate in most instances. Get over it. Today was a good day, I seem to smile more, laugh more and have more fun that in the recent past. I hope that goes forward through the new year. I showed a property late this morning, and as I was leaving (for the second time), I saw this lady (Rebecca, I think) making a carving in a dead tree. Of course, I stopped, backed up, and said hello, and she let me take this picture. I think it is important that you take pictures of things you see during your day, and that is one of the things I try to do through this journal. I will begin the fourteenth year of this journal tomorrow...really it has already started, because I did the first entry on New Year's Eve many, many years ago. I am nothing if not totally crazy. Exactly one year ago today, New Year's Eve 2020, I moved into the Curious House. Moving to this house was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I could not be happier. 

Volume 13 - Day364/1, 2021 - Thursday

I am having just a little bit of trouble keeping up with the days of the week. It is not like I am not paying attention, it is just (probably) that I just really don't care what day of the week it is. I assume that I will care what day of the week it is next week, but until then, I am just going to go with it. AND...you know what happens when one assumes... Today was not a bad day, all the usual stuff, but I was listening to a radio program, and an expert said he expected that next year we will be dealing with the Covid virus as  'endemic,' as opposed to a 'pandemic.' I looked it up, and I still cannot tell the difference. Feel free to comment, if you think you can help me out with that... Jody received a very special honor today, and it has been over a year in the making. That seems like a long time, but that is what it took. He was always a strong advocate of the People's Community Clinic in Austin, and they dedicated two wings in their facility to him, and I got the official notice this morning. I am attaching a photo of the signage at the Adolescent Health wing (maybe not a whole wing), and they also dedicated the Children's Health wing to him. He would be very proud of this, but he would not want to make a very big deal out of it, either. 

Volume 13 - Day 363/2, 2021 - Wednesday

So, not a bad day today, I think it could have been worse. Got my walk in, got in to the office, got my desk cleaned off, we all had pizza for lunch, and I brought considerable amount of pizza home with me. I had an appointment at home, got that done, tried to take a nap, that didn't work. I got all the clocks wound, fed the dogs, went down to Dan and Nancy's for dinner (home made bean soup, yummy), walked over to the quickee-pickee and bought Power Ball tickets, and now I am home. The weather broke another record for the warmest high temperature today, supposed to cool down on Sunday, but then back in the 70s (I think) towards the end of next week. I am looking forward to the long weekend, planning to get lots of files cleaned out and all that kind of stuff to start the new year off with a clean canvas. Maybe.

Volume 13 - Day 362/3, 2021 - Tuesday

Okay, I only had minor interactions with bureaucratic crap today, but it was enough to make me angry and to only reinforce a couple decisions I made late last week. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say, I am really happy when I make a difficult decision, and it turns out to be the right thing to do. Jay and I walked this morning (in a little bit of a drizzly rain), then we went and had breakfast. I got in to the office about 11 this morning, and I was dumbfounded (dumbfounded, I say!) to see the line of people blocking traffic in three directions, waiting to get a free Covid test. According to the news, this place is open from 8AM until 5PM, and they processed about 1,000 tests yesterday and today. I guess it will be the same thing tomorrow, but I am still surprised with the lines and the 3 hour waits they are doing to get the tests. I had a three o'clock appointment with a vendor at the Curious House this afternoon, so I made it home in plenty of time for that. Over the long weekend (probably on Friday and Saturday) I will prepare for the possibility of a light freeze in the area. We have experienced the warmest December ever recorded, and over the next seven days, we may be below freezing for about a total of 15 hours, combined. Nothing terrible, but the plants will probably not like it if they are not attended to. We (me and the girls) will make sure they are warm and happy.

Volume 13 - Day 361/4, 2021 - Monday

Well, it seems that in the last five days, the City of Austin Municipal Court has seen 33 people. I grant that, in the last five days, only two-and-a-half (or so) of them could actually be considered business days. Okay, let me be generous. Out of the last five days, TWO of them could be actual business days. That averages out to 16 1/2 people per day have been helped at the City of Austin Municipal Court office on Burleson Road. That does not seem to come anywhere close to covering their overhead. On this day (today) there were no less than ten Austin Policemen patrolling the large expanse of emptiness. And there were at least five other staff persons waiting for someone to send through the metal detectors, after they instructed them to empty their pockets, take off all their jewelry, remove all belts, and proceed. There were also two attendants checking the waste baskets to make sure they were not causing any foul odors. And then there are the actual clerks that are supposed to help the folks after they have taken a ticket (see photo) and waited patiently to be seen. I almost got in trouble because I told the electronic number giver at the kiosk that I was hearing impaired. NONONO. I told the staff person they could void that ticket, and I proceeded to correctly identify myself as a hearing person that would like to be seen by a clerk. When my number was called, I proceeded to present my certified driving record and the proof that I had successfully completed the prescribed defensive driving course. The clerk (the same lady I saw last week), scanned the paperwork, told me she had sent it on to the JP, and that was that. Receipt? Do I get some sort of receipt? Nope. UGH. So, I will try to remember in March that I need to confirm that I am not a wanted person, and see if I can find their office (on Burleson Road) again.

Volume 13 - Day 360/5, 2021 - Sunday

Sunday. Not the typical Sunday, but not a bad one at all. Morning walk with Jay. Dick overslept, so he did not join us, but all is well. After the walk, I fed the girls, and then did a few segments of the defensive driving class. By the end of the day, I was done with the class, and got a 95 on the test. I know the question I missed, and I will look up the correct answer at some point when I have nothing better to do. Apparently, since I just got a speeding ticket, it appears I am younger than I think. Later in the morning, Jay and I took a quick trip to Costco, and then I did a few of my ordinary Sunday chores, and then went down for a nap. For the first time in a long time, I did not rearrange the garage today. I am not certain, but it might be that I finally figured everything out, and am satisfied with the current configuration. Probably not. I expect the coming week to be quiet and calm, and then we will be celebrating the New Year. I doubt that I will be making any resolutions, I am not really that strong willed when it comes to restricting diets and taking off some pounds. We shall see...

Volume 13 - Day 359/6, 2021 - Christmas Day

I hope you all had the Christmas Day you were hoping it would be. Mine was reasonable calm, and that was just the way I wanted it to be. I got up and did my walk with Jay, Dick and Dan. It was really quiet in the neighborhood. We only passed a few others while we were walking. No construction, no trucks, no traffic, no noise. Lovely. Lots of good conversation, lots of laughs, and then when I got home, I fed the girls and went down for a nap. When I woke up, I really can't remember what I did, BUT, I did decide to get started with my defensive driving commitment. As of now, I am about half way done with the course, and as soon as I publish this journal entry, I plan to do a little more of it. I should be finished tomorrow. I was invited to dinner tonight at Michael and Lynda's house. Very nice, always delicious. Josh, Mary Ann, their baby Sophia, and Mary Ann's mom Mai. Not sure of that spelling. I also brought home a generous helping of meat and potatoes, along with some pie. That oughta keep me through tomorrow. Some of the places in the Curious House hood are bordering on a Griswold's competition. I had heard about these two houses at the bottom of a hill at the end of a cul-de-sac, and they are truly over-the-top. And where these two houses are positioned, you have to make a special trip; they are a destination viewing spot!

Volume 13 - Day 358/7, 2021 - Friday

I did very little of anything today. I got up, did my walk with Dick and Jay, and when I got home, I fed the dogs and took a really nice nap. I got up, did a little bit more nothing so much, and went to have the car washed. There was a line at the car wash, and not too many employees, but I was in no real hurry, so that was okay with me. I was listening to a book, so I had nothing but time. After the car wash, I went in to Georgetown and picked up the pies I ordered last week, and then I was back hame and I went down for another nap. Tonight, I was invited down to Dan and Nancy's for dinner, and we were joined with Oliver, Paulina, Val, Diane and Chester (Nancy's nephew). Very nice. A few Polish traditions were observed, and we all learned a few things about traditions across the world. There was a lot of food, lots and lots of food. I am home now, and ready to call it a night. Tomorrow is a big day, and I hope you all enjoy it!

Volume 13 - Day 357/8, 2021 - Thursday

This is my Horriblescope as printed in this morning's newspaper: Your sharp wit delights people and makes them feel safe. You'll notice what's going on and your comments are on-point. Among your many attractive qualities is your ability to live in the moment. While I agree that I am witty and can make (many times inappropriate) inspired comments about any topic of any conversation, I have generally found this 'gift' to be misunderstood, and causes me to be the topic of general criticism. I believe that 'talent' of mine is generally under-appreciated, but I have, for years, just accepted this as MY cross to bear, as I spend hours (occasionally) trying to justify my words and to get the complainant to understand 'the joke.' Whatever. it is way too late to be trying to change this quality of mine now, so instead, I just seek out others that are just as (if not more so) caustic as I am. And, so far, it is working out pretty well for me! Okay, new subject. I am very happy with the Ninja Air Fryer I bought last month, even though I have not air-fried anything in it yet. It is also a toaster oven, which is what I have used it for, with tremendous success. Christmas Eve is tomorrow, two more sleeps (a term I have only just begun to hear this season) before the big day. I am not planning to go in to the office tomorrow, but you never know...

Volume 13 - Day 356/9, 2021 - Wednesday

Okay, other than a few spontaneous temper tantrums, today was a pretty decent day. As i reported on Monday, I received a speeding ticket, and today, I started the process of signing up for a Driver Safety Course (DSC), and the whole thing went south after that.According to the small (tiny) print on the ticket, I could find out everything I needed to know on the city website. Except I couldn't. The telephone number was helpful, and a nice lady showed me where to find it (try the search bar). I filled out the form, and, following the directions, I could either have the form certified and mail it with a check ($144), or I could go to one of the two Municipal Court locations in person. One of the locations was on my way home, so that was the location I chose. Except that court office is closed, and has been ever since the first challenge of Covid. Hmmm. Not happy. So, back in the car, the other location was 19 miles away, but it was early, so I decided to head back south. A couple of the hissy fits had already been had by the time I got back in the car; first, why was there NO MENTION that this location have been closed for two years, and then a woman (it's always wimmin) tried to run me over in the parking lot. Once in the car, I had another hissy fit when the police car in front of me decided to sit through the green light (he was first, I was second in line), and we just sat there while he (apparently) checked his email. I decided it would not be good form to honk at him, so I just screamed at him in the privacy of my own car. Ugh. When I got to my second destination, I went to the correct address, correct building number, and entered the lobby, where I was greeted by a sign that read, despite all the printed address notations on the DSC application, this location was NOT the office of the municipal court. Go out this building, head EAST, the municipal court entrance is at the END of this building. Okay, which way is east? If I went the direction I thought was east, my ambulatory travel was interrupted by a locked fence that said access was for police, and employees only. I persevered, and found that the actual location was on a different street, about five blocks away from the address on the paper work. Upon entering, I had to empty my pockets, and I was busted because I carry a pocket knife. You never know when you are going to need to cut something open, but that was not a very good response, so I had to go back out to my car with the knife, return to the lobby, and practically get nekkid before I could go pay $144 and leave with a bunch more paper that the nice clerk used a yellow highlighter to make important stuff. I now have authority to complain about this process until March 22, 2022, the last date that I can complete the DSC or else they will come looking for me.

Volume 13 - Day 355/10, 2021 - Tuesday

The good news is, it has been over a year since I got my last speeding ticket, so...I can take defensive driving again and not have the ticket I got yesterday show up on my driving record. Whatever. But...tomorrow, I will spend an hour or two figuring out how to get all the documentation they need gathered up to submit to the city so I can get PERMISSION from them to take the defensive driving class. As I said, it could all be a lot worse, so I will just do what has to be done. It was in the 30s when we walked this morning, but I was all wrapped up and didn't mind it. After the walk, we (the ROMEOs) met for breakfast, and we were joined by Jack, and that was all good. I got in to the office about 10:30, and my commute both ways was very pleasant, watching my speed and all that. I generally prefer the middle lane of the expressways, but I may need to migrate to the right lane for the near term. I don't think I will be able to stand that long-term, but I will give it my best. I still have not turned the heat on inside the house, but I did turn the fireplace logs on for about an hour this evening, just to get the chill off. The seven day forecast calls for the temperature to be 85 degrees on Christmas day, and there is no rain in sight. There has not officially been a freezing temperature recorded this fall (and now winter), and there is not one expected the rest of the year. Just because it is warm doesn't mean it won't turn cold in a New York minute. Stand by...

Volume 13 - Day 354/11, 2021 - Monday

Well...when life hands you a speeding ticket, you can either pay it or take a class to have it removed from your record. I was speeding, and this is the second speeding ticket I have gotten since Jody died, so I don't even know if I qualify to take the defensive driving class, but I will find out tomorrow. I am not trying to say that I was NOT speeding, but I am saying I was just going with the flow of traffic. There is no way I could have been going faster than the people in front of me, but that is pretty much a moot point after the fact. One way I can control this is to quit going in to Austin as much, which may be afforded me depending on what happens with the new variant. In any case, as much as I go up and down the roads, it could have been a lot worse. And, all things considered, I still have luck on my side. Otherwise, it was not a terrible day. It was cold this morning for our walk, and it is supposed to be 34 degrees tomorrow when we walk, but by Friday, it will be back in the 80s. If you take a nap here in central Texas, you chance missing winter all together. And speaking of winter, today is the winter solstice, and I learned some stuff about that today. The winter solstice in central Texas happened at 9:59AM. Winter solstice is not a day, it is a moment in time, when the planet is at a particular point in its annual orbit around the sun. I found out lots more useless information about the winter solstice today, but I will save that for another time.

Volume 13 - Day 353/12, 2021 - Sunday

Overall, this was a really great weekend. It was cold this morning, it is still cold. 46 degrees when I last looked. 46 degrees is cold in Texas. I think it is about 65 degrees inside the house, I still have not turned on the heat, the reason for which is unknown, even to me. It is just a bit chilly, but I have nice warm cuddly blankies to wrap up in, and I have cozy house slippers, so all is good as far as I am concerned. It will be back up into the 70s by the middle of the week. I was all wrapped up for our morning walk, and the picture that accompanies this entry is of the moon getting ready to set as I walked out of the house. We had a nice brunch (me, Candy and Alisha), and then I went down for a nap...maybe two. I rearranged the garage yet again, and I think I may be satisfied with it for the near term, but if that is the case, I have no idea what I will do to pass the time next Sunday. Val arrived from Ireland on Friday night, and I was invited out to dinner with Dan, Nancy, Paulina, Val and Oliver tonight. After dinner, we walked around the square in Georgetown, just looking at the lights. Very nice...

Volume 13 - Day 352/13, 2021 - Saturday

I just went outside with the girls, and it feels MUCH colder than 45 degrees. It is a biting, dampish kind of cold, It rained overnight, and when I woke up this morning, there was a lot of lightning, so I did not walk. There was apparently a lot of thunder overnight as well, but I slept through all of that. As I have very proudly proclaimed on MANY occasions, neither of the girls are in the least annoyed by thunder or lightning, and I am very happy about that. All my peeps near the Curious House bemoaned the fact that they were awakened with, not so much the thunder, but the nervous and anxiety ridden fur balls. Again, let me repeat, I slept through the whole thing. Since it was rainy most of the day, I took advantage of that, and got a lot of little things done around the Curious House. I rearranged the refrigerator in the garage, got all the clocks wound and made close to the actual time, cleaned the exterior garage door, and got a few other errands completed. All-in-all, it was a really good day. I did work in a nap or two, and this evening, we had our wine social at Dan and Nancy's house. It was really well attended; there were twelve of us there, all together. Mikey said to tell everyone hello, and everyone said hello back to Mikey! The Piglet absolutely HATES this maze bowl (on loan from Dan and Nancy), but it makes her eat her breakfast and dinner more slowly. She eventually gets everything eaten, but she has to work at it, she just cannot gulp everything down without a little bit of work. I like it, she hates it.

Volume 13 - Day 351/14, 2021 - Friday

I am very fond of Fridays. Fridays are (almost) always good days. What is there not to like about a Friday? Today, I got up, did my walk with Jay and Dick, and then I went and gossiped with Dan and Nancy. Nancy gave me a Goldbelly pizza, which I will (most likely) have for dinner tomorrow night. I was hoping to take a nap, but that did not happen. I had an 8:30 zoom, and that was a quick on-and-off, nobody gets hurt call. The housekeeper arrived about 9:30, so that was good. My IT guy called at about 10:30, and we got a few things done, but not everything. After the housekeeper left, I went in to Georgetown, traded in my generic license plates for new vanity plates, and then went to Galaxy Bakery to order pies for Christmas dinner. Key lime and cherry. I'm not sure this is really traditional, but I think it might work. Time will tell. I also went to get some groceries, and $103 later I was heading back home. I usually don's spend that much money on groceries, unless I am buying dog food. It is not hard to spend $50 on dog food, but today, there was no dog food, and no grapes, either. Tonight for dinner, I am eating leftovers from our Holiday party on Wednesday; chicken and beef fajita meat. I'm pretty sure the guacamole should not be eaten, so I am avoiding that. Last night was skeleton Christmas decorations, tonight is dead Santas. It is amazing the number of deceased Santas I see when walking through the neighborhood.

Volume 13 - Day 350/15, 2021 - Thursday

One of the neighbors a few doors away from the Curious House has left his giant (like 15 to 20 feet high) skeleton from Halloween in their front yard. Is that a new thing? This photo was taken earlier this week in central Austin, same kind of idea. I think I could make a zillion dollars if I could come up with a craze that encompassed Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's in one giant inflatable yard display. Think of all the time and bother that one piece of yard art could save the multitudes of upwardly mobile neighbors all across this great country of ours, while lining my personal pockets with the filthy lucre of their tasteless desires. The mind boggles. It was 70 degrees or so this morning when we started our walk, and that is a new record high low temperature for this date. Tomorrow we will be about 68 degrees, but then a front arrives over the weekend, and it is supposed to rain all weekend. So much for getting the dogs to actually get off the patio to pee. They have an aversion to getting their feet wet. We shall see...

   

Volume 13 - Day 349/16, 2021 - Wednesday

Okay, so let's just call it a day. I got up this morning and walked with Jay and Dick. It was just the beginning of a relatively planned out day, start to finish. Once I got home from the walk, I messed around for a while, and then I headed to Walgreen's for my pneumonia shot. At my ever advancing age, it is what needs to be done. I have to take the second shot NOT LESS THAN one year from now. Is someone going to remind me that I need to get the second shot? Apparently not. SO...I have that on my calendar for five days, beginning one year from tomorrow. Advancing age is difficult, there are lots of things to remember. Like flushing. You should always flush. And flossing. Flushing and flossing are really important, and they sound kind of alike, so you would think it would be easy to remember those things. Flexing? Not so much. Let's not go too crazy here. After the pneumonia shot, I had an appointment at the Austin Board of REALTORS®. I have not been in the building for pretty close to two years. It was interesting, and it was fun. I was only there for a few minutes...less than thirty minutes, just a couple quick videos and a couple stills. After that, it was time for my haircut. My appointment was supposed to be at 2, but Johnna moved it up to 12:30 for me, so that was good. Then it was off to the office. At five o'clock, we headed down to the Hyatt and got on one of the tour boats, and rode up and down Lady Bird Lake, looking at the Trail of Lights and getting a different perspective of the new Austin. I say the New Austin, because it really isn't anything at all like the Austin I moved to in 1985, 1985 was like Austin/Mayberry. 2021 is like Austin/Dubai. Very different. Kind of interesting, kind of busy, kind of disturbing,

Volume 13 - Day 348/17, 2021 - Tuesday

OOPS. I forgot. Sue me...

Volume 13 - Day 347/18, 2021 - Monday

It is kind of dribbly outside right now, not raining, just dribbling. There won't be enough to register in the gauge (I don't think), but it will count at least for a trace. As Monday's go, this was a pretty nice one. Got in a nice walk this morning, not as cold as Sunday morning, but, as the Titanic steward replied as one of the first class passengers asked him if the water would be cold, definitely not hot. It was for the most part a grey and overcast day. It will be back in the 80s on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but then cold and rainy on Saturday and Sunday. It actually looks like the entire weekend will be a washout, and I may actually have to turn on the heater over the weekend. I haven't needed heat or air conditioning for about the last six weeks, and that has been okay by me. Carrie and I made our annual trek to the Capitol this afternoon, it is as beautiful as ever, if you have never visited, I highly recommend it. I'll be up for another walk tomorrow, and then the ROMEOs will have breakfast at 9AM. I have my pneumonia shot scheduled for Wednesday at 9AM. Office Christmas party Wednesday beginning at 5:30. Ugh.

Volume 13 - Day 346/19, 2021 - Sunday

I am reasonably comfortable that all the potted plants, front and back, made it through the several hours of below freezing temperatures over night. By about 8:30 this morning, I was putting plants that survived the night in the garage, back outside, where the bright sun was shining and warming up the surrounds. While I was doing that, I had a power visit from my (Nebraska) friend Kim, her two kiddos and her friend and colleague Leighun. I am not sure how that is pronounced, but it was a fun, quick visit, since they were on their way BACK to Nebraska, after having come in on Friday for a Ladies Volleyball tournament (their team won). After that quick visit, I got ready and headed to brunch; it was me, Candy, Sharon and Terry. It was really good to see Terry after such a really long absence. His work is distracting him from his social life, but we hope to see him more in the near term. Once I got home from brunch, I took a LONG nap (a couple hours), and then I got started uncovering the plants in the back yard. After all the uncovering, everything got a good watering, so, plant-wise, everything is ready for the coming week. After the really low temperatures this morning, we are expecting a warm up to about 83 degrees on Wednesday. The week coming should be relatively calm, and I am looking forward to the next couple weeks of mostly nothing needing to get done in much of a hurry!

Volume 13 - Day 345/20, 2021 - Saturday

Well, as expected, today was a full day of fullness. As usual, I got up this morning and took a nice walk with Jay, Dick and Dan. My part of the walk was a bit abbreviated, since I had a nine o'clock appointment in Austin. I left for my appointment and had to turn around because I forgot my cell phone. That is not the first time this has happened, and I seem to do that more frequently lately. I hope that is not a sign of some other issue, but at least I can remember that I forgot my phone and I can also remember where I left the phone so I can go back and get it. Whatever. I knocked on the door of my appointment at EXACTLY 9AM, so technically, I was not late. I was late according to my personal criteria, but according to everything else, I was right on time. By 9:45, I was back on the road headed to College Station, and I got back home by about 4 o'clock this afternoon. Plenty of time to take a nap, and then have some food with absolutely no nutritional value, and then maybe another little bit of a nap, and then head over to Dick and Marge's for wine. It is Saturday night after all. There were just four of us tonight, and we spent some time talking about the new, revised book club we are thinking of starting, and 'all inclusive' book club, and actually reading the book will be one of the requirements. We had plenty of other stuff to discuss at length, as well. Yesterday it was 87 degrees, and overnight tonight is is supposed to be about 29 degrees for just a few hours. At six o'clock this afternoon, it was 56 degrees cooler than it was at the same time yesterday. On Wednesday, it is supposed to be 83 degrees. Fortunately, winter does not last that long here in central Texas. All the plants in the front of the house have been moved into the garage, and the plants in the back have been gathered up and covered with various bedspreads, Hopefully, everything will survive. There was a really nice sunset this evening, too!

Volume 13 - Day 344/21, 2021 - Friday

So, another week is in the books. It was a long, tiring, satisfying, frustrating, and motivating week. This morning I got up and walked with Dick and Jay. We are considering a change in our names, to Tom, Dick and Harry, just because it might be easier when we meet new people in the neighborhood. I got in to the office, got some work done, and headed home at about 11:30. I stopped at HEB on the way home, and then I logged on to a zoom meeting at 1 o'clock. It was my last zoom meeting as TREPAC Chair, and I handed it off to a very capable, creative and competent Incoming Chair, Nancy. The PAC will only achieve greater things in the years to come. Tomorrow will be a relatively busy day; I have an early (9AM) appointment, and then I will be off to College Station, then home and wine over at Dick and Marge's tomorrow evening. Sunday might be a little bit less hectic, and next week is looking kind of slow right now. That can change pretty quickly, though. Photo credit Leslie.

Volume 13 - Day 343/22, 2021 - Thursday

Today was more of a normal day, if there is such a thing in my world. I slept well last night for the first time this week, and I got up this morning and met with Jay and Dick, and we had a nice walk. It was in the 60s when we left, so there was no reason for a jacket. Tomorrow, the temperatures will again rise to the 80s, and then on Saturday, it is forecast to start the day at 37 degrees. Then, later next week, we are expecting to be back in the 80s. i had lunch today with Cass and Megan, I have not seen them in at least a couple years, so that was nice. Then, this afternoon, I had an interview with an agent that is interested in affiliating with us. I think that went pretty well, and the door if open if they decide to walk through it. Tomorrow I will go in to the office, and I want to be home by about 12:30; there is a zoom meeting at 1, and I want to do it from home. I have an early (9 o'clock) appointment on Saturday (remember the part about it is supposed to be 37 degrees?) morning, and then I may drive to College Station to pick up my watch. I had a call today that it was ready. So...who knows? My Christmas Cactus is doing nicely, but the Amaryllis committed suicide this afternoon. It was about 16-18 inches tall, had three lovely blooms, but I came home and the stalk and blooms were laying in the floor, it just could not support its' own weight. I can certainly empathize with that...

Volume 13 - Day 342/23, 2021 - Wednesday

Today was my last day of training for incoming TREPAC Trustees and Trustee Sub-Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs. Incoming Trustees have a full day tomorrow of Spokesperson Training, and on Friday we will have a full Trustee meeting via zoom. Then, it will be the downhill slide to the Holidays. It will be nice to have a bit of calm to look forward to until the New Year. We were doing just fine this afternoon, and I had just risen to make a few comments, and the fire alarms (I think) sounded and the building was supposed to be evacuated. I do not really think they evacuated the building, but we did leave and went down three flights of stairs to the street. I guess it could have been worse, but within about 15 minutes, we were allowed to return to our meeting room. We finished the day with some Governmental Affairs updates, and then it was off to dinner. The photo accompanying this journal entry is after having evacuated and before we returned to the building. It is apparently a secret as to the reason for the alarms going off, and that is perfectly okay with me.

Volume 13 - Day 341/24, 2021 - Tuesday

It seems like the weekend was a long time ago, and just since I sat down to conjure up this journal entry did I realize that it is still Tuesday. I have been binge eating for the last six days, this is really the first time in my long life that I have had a 'birthday week,' and I cannot really figure out what took me so long. Today was another kind of long day, but it was also a lot of fun. We met with incoming TREPAC Sub-Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs, and tomorrow we will meet with incoming Trustees.The PAC is somewhat complicated, lots of rules, lots of things we CAN'T do, and I can always remember my eagerness to ask for investments when I was just learning about REALTOR® Advocacy. I probably made every mistake that could be made, but somehow I evaded a lengthy prison sentence! Our jobs tomorrow will be to keep the incoming Trustees from making mistakes, not to get them out of a pickle after they have made one. It is not often that I see our MetroRail, and when I do, it is usually as they are traveling down MoPac. I saw this train today as I was close to the Fourth Street Station. I am ashamed to admit that I have never taken a ride on the train, and I always wanted to take Jody for the round trip from Cedar Park/Leander to the downtown station. Alas, it was not to be, but one of these days I will check that off the list.

Volume 13 - Day 340/25, 2021 - Monday

OMG! Is it still Monday. Why yes, I think it is. It has been a long day, and I have two more long days to go. Mike left this morning, his flight was at 10AM. The house is quiet, I miss him. I'll do laundry sometime this week, your towel will be clean, c'mon back, the girls and I are ready. After taking Mike to the airport, I headed to the office and touched some stuff, then I was off to the Texas REALTORS® office for a Legislative Management Team meeting. The meeting adjourned, and I headed home. Not long after I got home, I was summoned back to Austin for a dinner with all our incoming TREPAC chairs and vice-chairs. Tomorrow and Wednesday, our meetings begin early, and are each followed by a dinner, so the next two days will be long, but totally worth the effort. The photo accompanying this journal entry is of me, Nancy and Deborah, more affectionately known, far and wide, as Cinderelly and his two wicked step sisters. If you need more information, you are welcome to check with one of us!

Volume 13 - Day 339/26, 2021 - Sunday

Well, today ends the really great birthday weekend. Tomorrow it is back to business, and I have a week relatively filled with meetings and stuff like that. This morning started with our usual walk, then a nice little nap, and then Mike and I headed for brunch. On the way back from brunch, we stopped at a very nice little gift shop on the Square in Georgetown, called Diva's. Very, very nice stuff, and I had a single purpose in mind, to find the little glittery Christmas Tree that I saw at Nancy's last week. Found them, bought the last two they had in stock. There are a couple other things there that I have my eye on (my good eye), and I expect I will get that before the end of the week. Another item is even too impractical for me, so I think I will take a pass on that. When we got home, Mike and I both went down for naps, and then this evening, we ate remains of food that I had in the refrigerator. All the donuts are officially gone now, and I ate my own head. I was taught never to put anything bigger than your head in your mouth, but there is always room for interpretation. Tomorrow morning will be no walk, Mike's flight leaves at 10AM, so we will leave the house about 8. It was so nice to see him the last several days, and hope is is not that long before we get to hang out together again.

Volume 13 - Day 338/27, 2021 - Saturday

Okay, MAYBE I can upload photos to this journal entry, maybe not, but we shall see how it goes. It seemed to be corrected this morning, but that was this morning. I'm not too sure what you guys have all done for your 70th birthday, but yesterday and today was a blast! As I reported yesterday, we had a great luncheon yesterday, and there were some really great donuts...with different icing and lots of fun stuff on them. Tonight, I actually ate myself, and there may be more information about that later in this journal entry. This morning, I walked with the other ROMEOs, and then Mike and I came back to the Curious House, and I am pretty sure we both went down for a nap. When we got up, we had a bagel, and then we messed around outside for a while, and then we all headed downtown for a little fun gathering. Brunch and a drag show. It was a blast, friends of mine from various walks of my life, and everyone had a great time. At least a few people can cross that off their bucket lists now, and a great time was had by most, if not all! When we got home, we took a little bit of a break, and then we headed over to Jay and Deb's for Saturday wine night. We kept going and going, and had more great conversations, and share a bunch of laughs. We never run out of things to talk about! SO, photo info (maybe): The first photo is of the donuts from yesterday's lunch, the second is from the brunch and drag show this afternoon.

Volume 13 - Day 337/28, 2021 - Friday

Okay. Well, this day is almost over. It was a great day. I got birthday texts at 2:19AM, 3:34AM, and 5:19AM to start the day. Dan at 3:34 said 'I got up to pee, so Happy Birthday!' I didn't hear from Dewayne, so that is his loss. Dewayne is Dan's friend in Kentucky. A long story. Once I was somewhat coherent, I went for a walk with Mike, Jay and Dick. A nice early morning walk, but it was really humid. Then we went down and talked with Dan and Nancy, and then I had to leave for an 8:30 zoom that did not happen. SO Mike and I put up more Christmas lights around the sidewalk and driveway. I have to admit, the Curious House looks pretty festive, but I think we are going to add a couple hundred more lights tomorrow morning. We went in to Austin and had a birthday luncheon and that was a lot of fun, all the office peeps were there, and it was a great time. The photo accompanying this post is the birthday donuts, I do not know where Tosalyn finds these things, but she does, and they are great. Mike and I got home, and relaxed for a bit, and then went down to Dan and Nancy's for pizza, with Paulina and Oliver. It rained on our way in to Austin, but only a trace here at the Curious House. I think tomorrow will be another fun filled day, so I will report more on that tomorrow. Stay tuned. Post Script: I cannot upload photos, so I am not sure what the problem is...maybe tomorrow...

Volume 13 - Day 336/29, 2021 - Thursday

It was a beautiful day in central Texas, I think the temperature hit the high 70s, beautiful blue skies, and kind of low humidity. This morning, Mike joined the ROMEOs for a walk, and there was a really pretty sunrise. After the walk and a visit with Dan and Nancy, I came home and did a little bidness, made a few phone calls, and then Mike and I went for a ride around Georgetown. We drove past a bunch of the houses that I considered before I bought the Curious House. We made a stop at Lake Georgetown, and then we headed for a drive by the farm. That was the first time I had been back to the Edge of Nowhere since I sold the house last summer. June maybe. We had chicken fingers for lunch, then it was time for naps, and after we got back up, we went outside and met my new neighbor. His name is Rick, and he seems like a pretty nice guy, so he should fit right in. His furniture is supposed to be delivered tomorrow morning, so I will take him a couple bottles of wine for a welcome to the neighborhood. This amaryllis is an overachiever, it bloomed out last Sunday, added another bloom yesterday and there is another bud getting ready to burst open. Very pretty!

Volume 13 - Day 335/30, 2021 - Wednesday

It was a busy day today, I got up about an hour earlier than usual, just to make sure I had time to get everything done. I did an abbreviated walk this morning, because I needed to be in Austin by at least 9 o'clock. I did not even get a chance to say very much to Dan and Nancy...BUT, I was on my way in to Austin right on time, and got there in time to touch everything that needed to be touched, and then I was on my way to Seguin to attend the installation of my friend Debbie (Hoosier), as 2022 President of the Four Rivers Board of REALTORS®. It was a great installation ceremony, and all the colleague members and affiliated were well represented. My friend Mike from Del Ray Beach came in this afternoon for a visit too. I made it back in to Austin and picked him up from the office. Carrie picked him up at the airport since I was in Seguin, but everything that needed to be done got done. This is Mike's first visit to the Curious House, and he is one of the few house guests I have had. We went to dinner tonight with Dan and Nancy, and then we went to the walk the Square in Georgetown and look at all the Christmas Lights. All in all, a really good day!

Volume 134 - Day 334/31, 2021 - Tuesday

The last day of November. I think this was a really good day, honestly. It got started with my walk, and that was nice, and though it started out on the chilly side, by the time it was over, I was all toasty and warm. At the end of the walk, I went down and sat on the porch with Nancy and Dan for a little while, and then the Romeo's took off for our Tuesday morning breakfast. When I got home from breakfast, I sat down at my desk and did not get up until about 2 o'clock (PM). Newsflash: The housekeepers showed up at about 1PM...only one person, but before they were finished, there were three of them. The house looks great, and I am now on a once-a-month schedule with them. I am very happy with them, and I will happily recommend them if you are in the market for a housekeeper. I think everyone that comes in the house will be happy that I finally caved in and hired someone to do the stuff that I am perfectly well capable of doing, but I just don't want to do it. I am pretty sure that is called 'stimulating the economy,' but I am not 100% sure. Right now, I am doing a load of laundry, so EVERYTHING will be clean before the end of the day, including ME! The photo accompanying this journal entry is what greeted me when I walked out the front door this morning, what could be a better prelude to what the coming day had in store?

Volume 13 - Day 333/32, 2021 - Monday

One more day and November will be over. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, there is nothing I can do about it, and on the other hand, there is STILL nothing I can do about it. So, it seems that December will arrive on Wednesday, right on schedule. It was really cold this morning, about 38 degrees, but it got up into the mid 70s before the day was over. A lovely day in central Texas. All was good in the office, and Carrie and I took an expedition to Barton Springs Mall. I cannot remember the last time I was in a mall, but it has been quite a while. While we were out and about, I had a call from Jimmie, one of my neighbors, inviting me to dinner tonight at a place called Farm to Fork, in Liberty Hill. Very nice, I had a Patty Melt, great company, great meal, all-in-all quite an enjoyable evening. Jimmie and Linda have been traveling quite a bit, so it has been a while since any of us in the 'hood have seen them. A great treat, thank you very much. My Christmas Cactus in the bathroom is just about to burst forth with bloom, again, apparently right on schedule. Interesting how stuff like that happens!

Volume 13 - Day 332/33, 2021 - Sunday

Weather-wise, today was a much lovelier day than yesterday. I did not take tremendous advantage of the day, but it was very nice to sit in the sunshine every now and then. We got our walk in, and I did a load of clothes. Nothing heroic. Then there was brunch, and there were seven of us, a great group, lots of laughing and conversation. I got home, finished up the work I had started, and now I am ready for the coming week. I am trying to remember if I got a nap in, but I am pretty sure I did, it is my modus operandi after all. I had a sudden realization this afternoon, and that is that I am as old as the people I accuse of being old. Well, hell. The amaryllis I bought as a bulb a while back decided to burst forth in bloom today. It was not open last night when the wine gang was here, but this morning I was surprised to see it in all its' glory. I will plant it out in the yard later. My Christmas Cactus is about to bloom out, too, so that is pretty great. I am always surprised that I can nurture things, it is not one of my talents.

Volume 13 - Day 331/34, 2021 - Saturday

Weather-wise, this was a terrible day. It started with an abbreviated walk in the rain, and when I got home, I fed the girls, and then I was off to HEB at about 9 o'clock. I expected it to rain because, as I reported yesterday, I watered all the plants outside. My 12:30 appointment cancelled (Note: Always confirm appointments before you show up and they don't!), so I went in to the office and cleared off my desk, and then headed to my 2:15 appointment (which I had already confirmed). By that time, it was really a steady drizzle, not a hard rain, and the temperature was in the low 50s. Cold, wet, miserable. I left Austin and headed home, and my IT guy was there by 3:30. Apparently, the iMac was too old to be updated, too old to be doing what I wanted it to do, so by 4:30 I had gone to Best Buy (even though I am boycotting Best Buy), and came home with a new iMac. It is huge! The screen is probably 50% larger than the old iMac, and that is nice. SO...it seems everything works on this new iMac, and it seems to be a LOT quicker doing every single thing that it does. Tomorrow, I will get busy with the stuff I wanted to get done yesterday. This evening was my turn to host the wine get-together, and it was really fun. The rain has stopped, but it is still chilly outside, and I have still not turned the heat on inside the house. I did turn the fireplace on this evening, and that was nice...

Volume 13 - Day 330/35, 2021 - Friday

I did not go anywhere today. I did go outside, I watered plants in the back and plants in the front. Once again, I rearranged the garage, and twice I went to check on the mail, and it was there when I went out at about 5 o'clock. I did go on my walk this morning, and I was really bundled up; two jackets, sweat pants, knit hat and gloves. I worked on my leaning ficus, put new batteries in eleven fake candles (36 batteries total), took two or three naps, considered going to HEB but decided I would go tomorrow. I bought MSOffice twice today, and still cannot make it work. I have an appointment with an IT guy tomorrow at 3:30. I need to be able to use Word and other stuff, and I am tired of messing with it. I ate way too many M&Ms, a few grapes, some cheese, and a micro-wave dinner I got at HEB earlier in the week. I cleaned off my home office desk, which really means I hid a bunch of stuff that I won't be able to find in a couple months when I am looking for it. I talked to Diane, Peter and Paulina. I watched my neighbor across the street put up his Christmas lights, I brought my neighbors trans and recycle bins up to her garage door, and brought my bins into the garage. I took bottled water to the men collecting the trash. I did NOT buy anything on line today. I reacted badly to the stock market downturn. I fed the dogs twice. I had a bagel for breakfast. I talked to one of our agents three times. I shredded a bunch of papers. Otherwise, I did nothing. I took the photo accompanying this journal entry a couple months ago, and I think it is one of those things about 'me thinks the bakery protests too much' moments. Do you really need to advertise that your bakery is sanitary?

Volume 13 - Day 329/36, 2021 - Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I know I certainly have plenty to be thankful for this year. I got up this morning and did my walk with Jay and Dick. When I got home, I fed the dogs, piled up in the big beige chair, and took a nap for about an hour and a half. I got up, did a few things in the house to make it look more like a house (inside), and then I set about rearranging the garage, again. I think that is my new hobby, I rearrange the garage two or three times a week these days, and I am going to keep at it until I am satisfied with my efforts. After that, I got in the car and went to check out the new HEB. I knew they were closed, and that was the whole intent, to go over there with nobody else around. I just wanted to see if any of the ancillary buildings had any appearance of being occupied yet. I know what a brand new HEB is like (overwhelming), but I am interested in the smaller stores that will be around it. No signs yet. This crossword puzzle is a sure sign of my advancing age. I saved it from the newspaper tis morning, and I will work on it off and on until I get totally frustrated. The good news is, I also kept the solution to the puzzle, just in case I need it later.

Volume 13 - Day 328/37, 2021 - Wednesday

Apparently, I am not finished ranting about this, and 'seeded' grapes are NOT something I am grateful for. And another thing, that spelling of the word 'grateful' just doesn't look right. But I digress...who in the hell would ever purposefully but grapes with seeds in them. What does one do with the seeds, except look stoopid, walking around with a spit cup, missing the cup, and then searching through the shag carpet to try and find the seed. What will they think of next? Any day now, due to supply chain issues and the lack of computer chips, I expect they will begin marketing televisions, new and improved exercise model, complete with NO remote. It could happen! I got a few things accomplished around the house today, due mainly to a spurt of energy early on. I got the final bedroom dressed, so now it looks like a bedroom, did a load of clothes (really, I washed floor mats from the bathroom), and emptied a few more boxes, boxes that had been living in my bedroom closet for a couple months. Things are coming together, and I am close to having the house ready for the housekeeper to arrive next week. 

Volume 13 - Day 327/38, 2021 - Tuesday

OMG! Traffic sucks! The fake news (haha) is reporting that the airports are jammed with people, but I think they all decided to drive instead. And they are all stopping at the local HEB on their way out of town. I got in to Austin this morning and went directly to an appointment I had to preview a property that may be coming on the sales market soon. A lovely property nicely situated, close to the University and the Capitol. We shall see. After that, I headed in to the office, and got my desk cleared off, and then I logged on to a 1 o'clock zoom. After that, I took some stuff to our storage locker, and then headed back north. That is when I was confronted with traffic, HEB patrons (not gonna do any name calling), and then I tried to navigate the aisles at Home Depot. I have bought WAY TOO MUCH lighting for the outside of the house, and once everything gets installed (hopefully in the next two days), I will take all the stuff that is not needed back and get a credit on my card. I am mad, but I hope there is a method to my madness. Today was the first official Tuesday morning ROMEOs coffee/breakfast meeting. ROMEO stands for Retired (the word Really can be substituted since I am not totally Retired) Old Men Eating Oatmeal. The closest any of us had to oatmeal was Dick, and I don't even remember what he ordered. We are going to get the group to (maybe) six of us, but I think it is going to be a fun group.

Volume 13 - Day 326/39, 2021 - Monday

It is that time of year, when I cannot really get my feet comfortable. If I put on fuzzy slippers, my feet start sweating, without fuzzy slippers, my feet are freezing. Is that too much information? Maybe, but this is my journal, so just skip around until you find something more interesting, which there may or may not be something that qualifies in this entry. Earlier this morning, mu overwhelming concern was the day that our garbage and recycling would be picked up this week. Our regular collection day is Thursday, and Dick came to the rescue and said we would slide to Friday. When I was living on the Edge of Nowhere, Holidays did not make any difference, the collection day was the day, nothing changed. This week, I fear I am going to have to lease some space in some neighbors recycling container, I cannot believe where all this stuff comes from, but the barrel is full, and there are are four days left. I have a new obsession, it is these little snack packs. Nancy introduced me to them while we were in San Diego, and I never even knew there was such a product available.Of course, this obsession is a pale second to my primary obsession (currently) which is Peanut M&Ms. But that is a whole 'nother story. I purchased an air fryer today, so now I am in need of some stuff that can be air fried. Any suggestions?

Volume 13 - Day 325/40, 2021 - Sunday

I had a burst of energy this morning after our walk. The fourth bedroom, the one I have been using as a dump site, is actually cleared of most of the junk now, and it almost looks like a bedroom. I have to move nightstands from the third bedroom (for consistency) then make the bed. I have ordered a bedspread from Amazon, so by the time the housekeepers get here on the 30th, it should almost look like someone lives here. I don't want them to just turn around and walk away, shaking their heads. I also (throughout the day) cleaned out three closets, put some clothes for Goodwill in my car, and then headed off to meet Michael and Lynda for brunch. It was really nice seeing them, and fun catching up, it has been too long between visits. After brunch, I went by the Food Bank to pick up a couple auction items I bought during the Austin Empty Bowl project fundraiser. Hopefully, this will be an in-person event next year, fingers crossed. And then home. The rest of the Christmas lights were put up on the house this afternoon, still have the trees to go, and I may do some lights around the driveway and the sidewalk, not sure yet. I am positive that I bought way too many lights, not counting the ones that were up in the attic. Those are the ones that will be wrapped around the trees, front and back. Since the Curious House backs to a 'parkway,' I had the lights on the house all the way around, front, sides and back. I plan to turn them all on Thanksgiving evening, and let them go from dusk to light, maybe 6PM until 6AM. Through New Year's Day. Then they will all get packed up for the year, and it will start again next November. You never really know what you might see on an early morning walk. This knife (play knife?) was laying on this bench at the 'pocket park' this morning, and since I am such a devotee of Forensic Files I didn't touch it, I just documented the scene in case something comes up in the future.

Volume 13 - Day 324/41, 2021 - Saturday

I am kind of tired tonight, I got up this morning, did my walk, had a bagel for breakfast, took the girls to the beautiful parlor, came home, started working in the garage. It seems I am obsessed with the garage. It is never organized enough for me. I spent hours today, moving shelves, throwing stuff away, rearranging stuff. I am kind of satisfied for now. I have no idea what tomorrow will be like. I know for sure it will start with a nice walk, then a little bit of this-and-that, and then off to brunch. The Christmas lights started being installed this afternoon, and they might get finished tomorrow, but they will be done before Thanksgiving. News Flash: I have arranged for a housekeeper to start this month, and then come to the house on a monthly basis going forward. I think it is about time I got this done. I have lived in Texas for 36 years, and one thing that I have always been concerned about is the ability to grow various flora. I know that many of the Texas native plants are lovely, but I miss some of the things that are easy to grow in other parts of the country. When in California last week, I was reminded how easy the Birds of Paradise are to grow there, and I really with they would grow here. It is HOT and DRY here, so that is always a challence!

Volume 13 - Day 323/42, 2021 - Friday

YES! Friday! And next week will be a short week. I got in to the office this morning, after my 8:30 zoom meeting. Zoomeeting might be a little bit more like it. We generally have these meetings every Friday, and we have become such good friends, they sometimes degenerate into some kind of monkey business. BUT...I have relinquished control, and Nancy is making great decisions, and the 2022 fundraising year will be terrific! Yesterday was really a good day, and today was another great day. I have big plans for tomorrow; the girls are going to the beautiful parlor in the morning, the Christmas lights are going to be put up in the afternoon. Jay and Dick are coming over at 11 to help me put up a couple bike racks in the garage, and I plan to spend some more time rearranging the garage. Tomorrow night is wine on the driveway to Dick and Marge's, but we may move into their garage, depending on the temperature. Working on plans for Sunday, not sure what that day will being. I had a little bit of slow time this evening, and I was going through some of the photos from San Diego. I like the picture that is accompanying this journal entry, it was our last dinner in San Diego before heading home the next day. Photo credit Leslie. So much fun, a lot of hard work, lots of meetings, lots of memories.

Volume 13 - Day 322/43, 2021 - Thursday

I made it to Bryan/College Station and back today, with no problems. I think I was home by about 2:30 or 3, and I really don't even remember what time I left this morning. I made a series of phone calls on the way up and the way back, so that was okay. Once I got home, I had a few more phone calls to make, and a consult with a potential listing client. As usual, the day started with a walk, and I expect the same for tomorrow, and then I will head in to the office. I am currently on a mission for a house keeper. I have lived in the Curious House for almost a year. I vacuumed (wink, wink) once, and dusted AT some surfaces once or twice, but I think it is time to get the house deep cleaned. It is not dirty or messy, just needs to have some attention paid to it. AND...there are no house keepers to be had around here. My friend Dick found a house keeper, she came and looked, and she said she could not work him in to her schedule. Ugh. But I love a good challenge. Have you heard about the lunar eclipse that is supposed to happen (early) tomorrow morning? I think we will have too many clouds, and I have absolutely no interest in getting out of bed at 3AM to confirm it cannot be seen because of clouds. This photo was taken last night, I like it. 

Volume 13 - Day 321/44, 2021 - Wednesday

Earlier this year, I took a vow to refrain from publishing photos of wrecks I see (until I run out of things photos for this journal), almost on a daily basis, while traveling here and there in central Texas. I have no intention of breaking that vow today, because, technically, this is not a photo of a car wreck. I was traveling home this afternoon, and fire trucks and other emergency vehicles were entering the Interstate, and fortunately, my exit was just a bit before the location of the fire. How does a truck catch fire while traveling down the road at 60 or 70 miles per hour? That is not a rhetorical question, I just don't know how it can happen. There was apparently enough time for the truck to pull over to the shoulder of the road, at which time, I assume, a couple hundred people called 911 from their cell phones. Other than that, and the wreck I saw on the way IN to the office, it was a normal day. Wrecks, unfortunately, are normal as well, but truck fires are a different animal! I am going to head off to Bryan/College Station tomorrow. A quick trip, just to take care of a errand, and then back home. There is a cold front expected tonight, which is supposed to lower our temperatures by about 20 degrees. High temperatures for the next several days are expected to be in the high 60s and low 70s. It's about time!

Volume 13 - Day 320/45, 2021 - Tuesday

I made it to bed this morning at about 3 o'clock, and I did not really sleep very comfortably. I knew I wanted to go for a walk with my buds here in the subdivision, and that starts at 7AM. I am pretty sure that I will be out like a light pretty early tonight, I am thinking 8 or 9 at the outside. SO...after my walk, I visited with Dan and Nancy for a while, and then I got ready and headed in to the office. I left the office at about 1 to go retrieve the girls from the kennel, and when I got there, they were under the dryer, so I had to go back about 45 minutes later. A minor inconvenience. I also stopped at HEB and got a few things, and then rearranged the garage a little bit after that. SO...all in all, not a bad day on no sleep. Just sitting here, though, is making me a little bit drowsy. I got to see my friend Kimmish (from Lincoln, NE) for literally just a few minutes while I was in San Diego. Over a year ago, she and another friend Jef (with one f) had a plan to take one quick trip every month, and, well, you know what happened. We are talking about getting that plan back in motion starting in January, which will be here sooner than any of us think.

Volume 13 - Day 319/46, 2021 - Monday

Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. And, while I am at it, don't believe EVERYTHING you read in this journal. To be clear, as I write this, it is actually 2:23AM on Tuesday, Day 320, but I just got home from my adventure in San Diego, and I have not yet done yesterdays entry. This is it, so even though you will most likely not read this until tomorrow, it is today, but I am posting this as of yesterday. Got that? It was a long day...8:30 (Pacific) Board of Director's meeting until just about 12:30PM (Pacific). My flight was not until 7PM (Pacific), but I had nothing better to do, so I went to the airport at about 1:30PM (Pacific). The flight was delayed, we left about an hour late, and then we sat on the tarmac for a while, and we finally got to Austin at about 12:30AM (Central). All other time references, going forward, will be Central time unless otherwise noted. SO...that is about it for today, time for me to check out!

Volume 13 - Day 318/47, 2021 - Sunday

Another pretty darned busy day in San Diego. Breakfast meeting this morning at 8 o'clock, a couple more throughout the day, then a quick trip to the fashion mall (I was there on my last trip) with Melinda and Nancy, then a 3 o'clock closing session with Simone Biles, then the Region 10 Caucus, then dinner, and now in the room. Best quote (not exact) of the Simone Biles interview; If Plan A and Plan B don't work out for you, you've still got the whole rest of the alphabet to go. BOD meeting in the morning, and then I fly home at 7PM. The BOD meeting is scheduled to be over at noon, but my flight is not until 7, but I will find something to do after the meeting. I may just go to the airport and watch the people. I am relatively easily entertained. I will be glad to be home, and back to my routines. I am looking forward to picking up the girls, seeing my friends, just the everyday stuff. Just the everyday...stuff...

Volume 13 - Day 317/48, 2021 - Saturday

Another good day in San Diego, although I have been a little more tired today than the last few days. I had forgotten how much fun these trips were, but I also forgot about how much work was involved, too. Like most of these conferences, there is a lot of walking involved as well. I am pretty sure I have set a record for 'steps' the last couple days. The opening session today featured Drew Brees, the former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, and also the guy that grew up just outside of Austin. Interesting interview, fun to hear. After the session, I went to the Public Policy Coordinating Committee (which I will serve on next year), just to get a head start on what their work is. There was some lively debate during the committee meeting, and they got a lot of work done in the hour-and-a-half meeting. We went to lunch, then I went back to the hotel and took a nap. Off to Belmont Park at about 5:30, and then I (once again) came back to the hotel. Everyone else went to the Keith Urban concert, but I was done. Any complaints can be forwarded to the pig, care of this journal.

Volume 13 - Day 316/49, 2021 - Friday

We are all kind of getting back into the swing of things with in-person meetings. This morning started with an opening general session; we heard from our chief lobbyist in DC, our chief economist, and a variety of other folks, experts in their particular niche of the real estate profession. Then it was off to lunch, then back to the hotel for a little bit of a nap, then off to the trade show. Then, back to the hotel, a quick lookee-see in the gift shop, where I refused to pay $38 for a t-shirt, or $85 for a pair of shorts, but I did pay $2.97 for a diet Pepsi. We went to dinner tonight in La Jolla, and did not get home until almost 11 o'clock Pacific time. So, here I am, recounting the events of the day, and happy to be able to have made those memories with so many friends and colleagues from across the country.