Volume 13 - Day 243/122, 2021 - Tuesday

Aye yi yi, translates to the exclamation of 'oh' in English, and thus any repetition of the word, such as 'ay ay ay,' would infer a sense of dismay, confusion, or frustration. It could also be interpreted as 'Oh my God,' as in a state of surprise, or astonishment. I'm going with the second definition for the purpose of this journal entry. Aye yi yi, today was a busy but fun day. I did a short walk this morning with Jay, then headed off to the office kind of early for me. I did some power real estate, and left for the Curious House about 1:30 or two o'clock. I went down for a quick nap, and then did a few things around the house. After the news, I met up with Jimmie and Linda, and we headed off to Georgetown for catfish at Bob's. It was my second time, and the first time for Jimmie and Linda. No pressure, but they enjoyed it, and that was good. We left and drove around the park for a few minutes, then I took them to see the 'old' Monument Cafe, then we had ice cream (I never knew that place was there, then went to see the sunset on the D. B. Woods overlook. Never knew watching the sunset was a 'thing' for a bunch of high school kids, either! At the end of the day, all three of us had a 'first time' experience, and it just makes me reinforce the fact that I am the luckiest man in the world! Oh yeah, the house to the left of me is on the market for sale, do you know anybody that wants to be my neighbor? Guaranteed a laff-riot!

Volume 13 - Day 242/123, 2021 - Monday

I am officially cattle-less, for the first time in about two decades. One of the bulls jumped the fence to a neighbors yesterday, and several hours later, and after calling a vet with a tranquilizer gun, all my cattle have been cleared off JBAcres. We will spend some time reinvigorating the land, all seventy acres, and the reintroduce cattle to the land, probably early next year. I still have about 165 round bales of hay that will be marketed for sale, and going forward, we will have happier (less wandering) cattle and more fertile land for more round bales of hay. It's Monday. There was an early morning appointment at the house, and that was done by about 10:30. I made an appointment to have the car serviced (the front passenger side door opens from the inside, but not the outside), and the appointment is for next Monday (Labor Day), and the repair will be made at the Curious House. I always doubt that they will show up at the house as scheduled, but they always do, so we will just wait and see. Then there were a couple zoom calls, and then on the way home, a stop at HEB. Saturday afternoon, Nancy and Dan brought me some Bolognese sauce and some spaghetti and some shredded cheese. I did not make the spaghetti tonight, I buttered two slices of bread, cut it up, put it in a bowl, spooned on the Bolognese, put it in the microwave, spread the cheese, and had a yummy dinner!

Volume 13 - Day 241/124, 2021 - Sunday

Once again, I am a lucky man. Another natural disaster as a result of Hurricane Ida. Destruction everywhere, it is just another disaster, when we are experiencing one disaster after another these days. I hope everyone is remaining safe and secure, but I am pretty aware there will be lots of personal tragedies. Today, as usual, was a day for brunch, and that was nice. Just me and Sharon, and we tried a new place called Greenhouse Craft Food in Round Rock. Really pretty darned good, Sharon had avocado toast and I had grits with fried chicken and bacon. Really a pretty good place, and it was not nearly as crowded as places we usually go on Sundays. During brunch, I got a text message that one of my bulls got loose, and was being amorous with one of the neighbors (not the good neighbor) cattle. I guess I could have just asked him to mail me the stud fee and we could call it even, but I didn't. As of now, there are no more cattle out at JBAcres, We will work on the fields, weed them, fertilize them, and get them ready once again for some good grazing. It might take several months or maybe even a year, but it will be really good for the land, and the land needs it. All the cattle will be taken to the auction barn, and once the land improvements have been made, I will by a cow or two from Hightower, and I will be back in business. That 's the way it is done.Funny, not to have any cattle on the farm where there have been cattle for the last thirteen or fourteen years, Another passing of a torch. zThe more things stay the same the more things change. There has been a lot of change in my life recently, and I am about tired of all the change. I can't keep up with all the change, and it is starting to weigh on me, but I guess I t wiol aol work out one way r another, or not at all.It has been an interesting day,

Volume 13 - Day 240/25, 2021 - Saturday

Okay, well, this should be an interesting entry. I have had a little bit of wine, so please excuse me for my intolerance of drugs and alcohol! Today was a pretty good day, I had a few things on my list to get accomplished, and I got them done.  This morning, I went in to Salado, and got the girls prescriptions refilled, so they are good with their meds for the next three months. I also drove through Salado just to see what was going on, and took the picture that accompanies this journal entry, The photo does not do this sculpture justice, it is a wonderful work of art, so if you are even in Salado, I recommend you stop by and take a look. There is another piece of art, by maybe the same artist, up the road that I like very much as well. After that, I came home and took a little nap, and then Dan came down, and we buried the Suddenlink cable that has been a hazard to the lawn folks since January. I discovered several wasp nests, with no stings to myself, which I think is incredible. I roused a couple nests, and stood very still to keep them from stinging me, and that worked very well. Tonight was the third of the four house concerts, and it was tough and go for a while. The trio set up, and then we moved in to the garage. Back out on the driveway, and then we moved back into the garage. Finally, I move the car out of the garage, and we had the rest of the concert in the garage. Nobody cared, we had a blast, and it was really fun. Bluegrass tonight, next month will be blues! Much fun!

Volume 13 - Day 239/126, 2021 - Friday

Well that was not very neighborly! I got up this morning about four o'clock, my flight was supposed to leave at 7, and I just do not like being in a hurry. Everything was good, and there were no real complaints. On the flight from Houston to Austin, a couple INSISTED (INSISTED, I SAY), on taking the window and middle seats next to me. After we all got settled, the woman (in the window seat) got a disinfecting wipe and wiped down her husbands tray table and then wiped down her own. I was totally ignored. Not even an offer I could refuse. Nothing! Ugh! I got to the office about 10:30, and got some stuff done, and I headed north about 1 o'clock. On the way, I made a stop at HEB, Tractor Supply (bird seed), Panera Bread (orange cranberry muffins and an orange scone), and then Walgreen's. I tried to make an appointment at Walgreen's to get my flu shot, but the telephone appointment tree was not really user friendly. So I just stopped in with no appointment. About 30 minutes later, I was poked and on the way home. The shot itself was a little more intense than any shots I can remember lately, but no big deal now, and so far no ill effects. My friend Nancy got hers one day last week and was immediately feeling poorly. I okay, thanks. And apparently, I'm p

retty hairy for an old guy!

Volume 13 - Day 238/127, 2021 - Thursday

This will be a relatively brief entry, brief for my long-windedness at any rate. I'm in Corpus Christi, and I just got back to my room after a great TREPAC event. I think they raised about $8K, and that is a great night, I don't care who you are. My flight left this morning at 11, and I got to Corpus at a little after 4. Tomorrow, my flight leaves at 7, and I get back to Austin at about 10. Stops in Houston, both ways. I forgot to pack a dress shirt, and I thought about that even before I got to the airport this morning. I bought a shirt at the PGA store in Hobby, and it was CHEAP, too. I didn't think anything you bought at an airport was cheap, but I was wrong! $19.99!  My Wendy's lunch at the airport cost more than that, and right now I have NOTHING to show for that! I will head in to the office tomorrow when I get back in to town, get some real estate done, and then I will head back to the Curious House. I have a zoom call in the morning, that I will try to join from the airport in Houston, between flights, and that is it for meetings. I have a couple things I need to get done on Saturday, and then I think I will take most of the day off on Sunday.

Volume 13 - Day 237/128, 2021 - Wednesday

I am going to be a little more careful with this post than I was last night...I ended up doing that entry twice, and I don't know why. What I do know is, just sitting down and pounding the keys is a lot more interesting than trying to recreate an entry. Or, that could just be my imagination! I could just take a poll of my legion of followers, but... Wednesday. Hump Day! Downhill to the weekend. Tomorrow's entry should be pretty interesting, or at least the photo accompanying the entry should be pretty good. I will be in Corpus Christi, and that is always fun! Today was really a good day...I did some REAL POWER real estate this morning, made a stop at Texas REALTORS® on the way home, made another stop, and then headed to the Curious House. I have my list of things to pack for one night (more than you would expect), and my lists of things to get done over the weekend. I am a list maker. I live for lists, and to cross things off the list. Tonight, I am hosting the first meeting of the Water Oaks Ladies Travel Club. Not really, but a couple neighbors are coming over and we are going to talk about going to Italy and Sicily next spring. Things are so tentative, so even though Morocco was cancelled for December, there is no harm in making plans and reservations. It could really be fun, stay tuned! Passion Vines. I love them, but I have never really been successful in raising them. I know the whole purpose if for the butterfly caterpillars to feed on them, but I am not even sure that I have been able to get to that point. This is a picture of one that was blooming at the farm over a decade ago.

Volume 13 - Dy 236/129, 2021 - Tuesday

This is my second attempt for this particular journal entry. I had everything done, and then it all disappeared. I think it was a pretty good entry, but honestly, I don't even remember what I was writing about. Wait a second, some of it is coming back to me... I was going to go get my flu shot this afternoon, but I think I will put it off until Friday or Saturday. I am scheduled to go to Corpus Cristi on Thursday, so I will wait for the vax until I get back. I would hate to be feeling badly while I am out of town. I was in DC once, and I bit into a burger and lost a crown on one of my front teeth. I looked like a short, fat Jethro, and it put an entirely different spin on the rest of the visit. So, I think waiting until I get back is a good thought, just to be safe and just in case the (extra strength) flu shots has some weird affect (effect) on me. I have never had a negative reaction to a flu shot, but there is a first time for everything. I still have the temporary paper shades on the three glass panels in the front door. I have been trying to get someone to come out and put an opaque covering on them for about a month now. They have that stuff at Home Depot, but I decided I would only succeed in screwing it all up and making it look like crap and THEN having to find someone to come out and do it right. I have also decided that I need some type of film on my bedroom windows that will reflect heat out of the room. That room has three pretty good sized windows facing west, and there is a very obvious temperature difference from that room to the rest of the house, so I will see what the window tint people can come up with. On the way in to the office this morning, traffic came to a literal crawl, and I watch at least 8 to 10 people go through the flexible barriers to go from the free lanes to the toll lanes. If you know who to report this to, I think there is a $500 fine for doing it, and I am just the guy to report them!

Volume 13 - Day 235/130, 2021 - Monday

Keeping my energy spurt going yesterday, I was out watering plants and doing this-and-that after dark last night. And then again, there was a repeat this morning. I am still pretty satisfied with the stuff that I got done, and I am kind of surprised how much outside stuff I can get done in the dark. This morning, I got up and did a few things, and then met Jay for our morning walk. We usually end up walking for about 45 minutes every morning, and it is interesting to see the regulars, and then be a little bit concerned if we don't see one of the regulars for a day or two. By the time I get home, I am a sweaty mess, and the girls are ready to be fed. I left for the office, and got there about 9:45. I spent a good part of the day trying to convince three (then four) different agencies that I had already completed all the forms and conditions for one of our tenants that has applied for rental assistance. I have the one tenant that has applied, and Carrie has one as well. It is mind-boggling the amount of time that has been spent on my one tenant applicant for rental assistance. But, oh well... I left the office about 2:30 this afternoon, and stopped at HEB for a few little grocery items before I got home. That ought to do me for the next week or so. Not many people in HEB wearing masks, but I still do, and I still use the wipe things for the handle of the shopping cart. Ordinary care, it is what it is. I am convinced that the solar system I had installed is working about 90% properly. I will be able to give you more information when I get my next electric bill. The last one was less than usual, but not as low as I was expecting.

Volume 13 - Day 234/131, 2021 - Sunday

Today was a nice day...I got up and walked with Jay for a while, then came back inside and watched Sunday Morning on CBS. I did a little bit of putzing around, and then I got ready and headed to brunch with Sharon. We went to a new place (her choice, whoever's turn it is to pay gets to choose the place) called Urban. Eat. Drink. It was good, and it is a good thing we choose to go early (10:30), since the place was filling up like crazy. After brunch, I went on a mission to find some Mexican import stuff to supplement the stuff I already have to hang on the fence, but I am apparently out of touch fiscally with how much Mexican imported crap costs these days, so I bought nothing. Then I drove around for a bit, drove past the house Jody and I had up in Jester, there was a family coming out of the house, so I didn't hesitate. We moved into that house in 1994, and the Anaqua Tree (sandpaper tree) that I planted that spring is HUGE now. I came home and went down for a nice nap. When I woke up, I did a couple things out in the yard, then I worked in the garage for about an hour. I put about 15 storage containers of stuff from the farm up in the attic. My intention was to go through it and get rid of stuff, but I just put it all up in the attic. I may go through it in my old age, or I may not. I still have a few things I want to get straightened out in the garage, but I am happy with the progress I made. Today is the last day of the Austin mural series, and this mural is also just down the street from the office. I expect everyone that follows this blog (whether accidentally or on purpose), has see this mural either in person or in some other media form.

Volume 13 - Day 233/132, 2021 - Saturday

What a lovely, calm day.Unfortunately, the decision was made to cancel our trip to Morocco, which we had planned for December of this year. Michael and Lynda and I had started a discussion a few days ago about the odds of going with the situation in the world in general. Lynda beat me to checking the State Department web-site, and found that they were not recommending travel to Morocco. Pretty much that was the deciding factor, and I had a nagging suspicion in the back of my head for the last month or so, ever since WE began spiraling out of control with new Covid cases, and we are supposed to know what we are doing. SO...that trip is off, time to plan another trip, probably in the spring. This morning, I ran a couple errands, but only got one item checked off my to-do list. I decided to take a drive, so I went to Burnet with no purpose at all in mind, then I turned around and came home. It was then time for my second (third?) nap of the day, which I took full advantage of. THEN, it was time for Saturday night wine, and tonight Dan and Nancy were the hosts. Seven of us, and we always have a good time together! Tomorrow is brunch, it looks like it will be me and Sharon on our own, and then maybe a drive in to Austin and maybe a movie. Whatever, it will be fun! The penultimate mural post, and this one is another view of the underpass on North Lamar, just around the AmTrak station. Always something to see!

Volume 13 - Day 232/133, 2021 - Friday

Friday. Music to my ears. There was a time, not too long ago, that Friday held no special significance to me. Friday was just another day. Weekends meant nothing to me, they were just two more days that were filled with stuff to do. Now, I relish the weekends, and if I can work in another day to do nothing, that is even better. Believe me, I do not work physically hard, but if I could burn calories mentally, I would be kind of thin. maybe. But I like putting my brain in neutral more and more, and the weekends are made for doing nothing much of anything. I do have three things on my 'to do' list for the weekend, but they are not things that will make a difference whether or not I cross them off the list. Just stuff. Today was busy, and it just ended. I have been home for about twenty minutes, after a dinner in Killeen. So, I will welcome time this evening in the big chair with a girl dog in my lap, and that is the important stuff. this particular mural is another that is just a few blocks from our office. It has been seen here and there in other places (magazines, Facebook pages), and it is just an interesting bit of Austin.

Volume 13 - Day 231/134, 2021 - Thursday

This day had a series of highs and lows, but ultimately, the highs won out. The week has been pretty crazy, but I think going into the weekend will level things out, and we will all have a common goal and a level playing field. We will all know what we are working for in the next several weeks, and success will be ours. I cannot believe that I actually wrote those last two sentences, it all sounds really TOO new-age for having come out of my head. Let's all cross our fingers and hum... But, I know exactly what it means! Today was actually a good day, overall. I did my morning walk, and then headed in to the office. I was in Austin by about 9:15, and got ready for my 10 o'clock zoom. That was good, and during the zoom I was busy doing a few other things, and really made some good accomplishments. I left the office about 2 o'clock, and made a stop at Trader Joe's. I am actually feeling more comfortable there, as opposed to the first couple times I was there, I did not feel 'cool' enough to be there. Today, I bought a couple pre-made dinners and some shredded wheat, so I think I am making progress. After I got home, I took a little nap, and then went down and visited with Nancy and Dan. I keep pinching myself to remind myself of how lucky I am, and I am just really happy with the friends I have made at the Curious House. MURAL: This mural is five or six blocks down the street from our office, and I think it is really interesting. I am too old to readily identify the subject, but I am pretty sure I know who it is, and why!

Volume 13 - Day 230/135, 2021 - Wednesday

It has been a really busy week, and I have to keep reminding myself that it is only Wednesday, and I still have a couple days to get some more stuff done. Stuff never ends! I had a 9 o'clock zoom this morning that lasted until just a little bit after 11. Then off to the office, with one stop on the way. Once in the office, I got my desk cleaned off got some more 'stuff' done, and then it was off to the Curious House, with a stop at Costco along the way. Coffee, drugs, dog food, that was the sum of it. A couple phone calls along the way, and then I got some more stuff done when I got home. Here is a question, spurred on by a commercial that was just on showcasing one of those new 'foldable' cell phones. Not a flip phone, the new-fangled foldable phones. What kind of a cell phone case can you get for one of those? I have not seen foldable cell phone cases, but I have to admit, I have not really looked. Today's Austin mural is one that you may have seen on other posts, and it is a really iconic mural in Austin, on 'The Drag' at the University of Texas. It has been painted over with graffiti, restored, the brick work has been demolished and rebuilt which caused the mural to be restored yet again. It just keeps going!

Volume 13 - Day 229/136, 2021 - Tuesday

So far, this has kind of been a week full of Monday's. I grew, over the last 15 or 16 months, to detest the word 'pivot,' but it has once again popped up into the vernacular of 2021. We are facing more issues, and we need to do what needs to be done. That is pretty much all I am going to say (for reference, see the journal entry from yesterday), but suffice it to say, I am about pivoted out. I present to you now, number two in the series of murals around Austin, that will grace the (electronic) pages of this journal through Sunday. This entry is what started the whole thing, and I saw it yesterday morning as I was heading back to the office after visiting with a client. It is interesting, and I am not sure that you can appreciate the magnificence of it via this image. You really need to stand on the sidewalk and look up at it, to see it for what it is. Whatever. I have a mural for tomorrow's entry 'in the can,' and I will need to find several more for the rest of the week. This is central Texas, I am pretty sure I can get it done.

Volume 13 - Day 228/137, 2021 - Monday

I think I will do a theme week this week in my journal. The theme will have nothing at all to do with Covid-19 or Afghanistan. I am going to put my head in the sand and pretend (for the next six days) that both of those topics have been solved and there has been a satisfactory solution to both of them. This week the topic is going to be murals that I see between the Curious House and my office, approximately a distance of 35 miles. The mural today was seen on the southbound side of North Lamar Boulevard, just as I passed under the Amtrak tracks. Interesting to say the least, and there are other murals in close approximation to this one. Austin has always been an interesting place, and, having lived in this area longer than I have lived anywhere in my life, I do not always take time to stop and look around. So...get ready, there will be six more days of murals. I met with a new client this morning, and the property is a UT condo, and that is a totally foreign place to me. Honest to (insert the name of the Deity of your choice here), it was like going back in time and participating in a scene out of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but I was the Ray Walston character and the tenant vacating the property was Sean Penn. The exiting tenant kept saying 'man' when he talked to me, so I played along and said 'dude' as many times as I could logically fit it into the conversations. Okay, to be honest, it was fun, and everything worked out just fine!

Volume 13 - Day 227/138, 2021 - Sunday

Last night was a lot of fun, there ended up being nine people at the wine and wise-cracking Saturday night gathering, and we all had a lot of fun. Yesterday afternoon, my doorbell sent me an e-mail that said its' battery was low, and apparently that also means that it will refuse to announce people at the door. So, I charged that via a USP charger, and all is right with the world. I sometimes amaze myself with my lack of knowledge of all things technical and electronic, but I know just enough to make it through the day! This morning was a walk with Jay, then a nap, then on to brunch where we had a record attendance (and a lot of fun), and then a quick stop at Homo Depot, then a visit to Trader Joe's, then home for another nap. I had been toying with the idea of going to see the new Aretha movie, and I had decided I would even go by myself, if necessary. I put it out to the Water Oaks peeps, and Deb and Jay were interested, so we went. It was a really long movie, more good comments than bad, but I will keep the criticisms to myself since I was not paid a zillion dollars to make the movie. What do I know? The coming week looks to be a kind of slow one, and I am hoping to get a few personal things accomplished. Next week is really calm, not that there is anything wrong with that. Apparently, Austin has received twice the typical amount of rain that would ordinarily be recored for the month of August TODAY, and we, just a few dozen mile not, recorded barely a trace. There is no justice, I will go back out into the garage and turn the sprinklers back on for tomorrow.

Volume 13 - Day 226/139, 2021 - Saturday

I am neither proud nor ashamed of what I report to you in this journal entry. As I see it, once you vacuum your house for the first time, you set yourself up for a never-ending trajectory of vacuuming on a regular basis. I have lived in this house for 226 days, and I vacuumed the house today. I was going to try to go a full year, but for some reason, a reason I cannot fully explain, I decided to vacuum this afternoon. I vacuumed all the wood bits first, and then I took a nap. After I woke up, I vacuumed SOME of the carpeted bits, concentrating mainly on my bedroom. And then I took another nap. I should be good for several more months, but it does put the kibosh on the thought that I need a housekeeper. I think I can take care of it, so there. I am having the Saturday night folks over tonight for wine and wise-cracking, and I am looking forward to that. Tomorrow there will be brunch, maybe a visit to Trader Joe's, maybe a little bit of organizing in the garage, and MAYBE even a movie. That sounds kind of crazy, but I am thinking of it. It is supposed to rain tomorrow, so that may change the plans a bit. 

Volume 13 - Day 225/140, 2021 - Friday (the 13th)

I have frozen balls. I doubt, however, that I have any glasses that they will fit in. My friends Nancy and Dan have a refrigerator that produces 'craft ice.' so they gifted me with the devices that they used to make round ice balls, before they got their new refrigerator. It is kind of fun, but like I said, these balls are so swollen, I fear I have no glasses that they will fit into. Okay, I have a couple tupperware glasses, but come to think of it, I have not seen those glasses recently. They may not have made the move. Maybe, maybe not. For a Friday the 13th, this day did not suck at all. I started the day with a walk with Jay, and then I settled in for my weekly 8:30AM zoom meeting with my TREPAC peeps. After that, I got cleaned up and headed in to the office. When I got there, Carrie's dad was hanging out in Carrie's car, I guess he was afraid to go inside or we might try to hire him. He is visiting until Monday, and I am pretty sure Carrie will keep him busy. I headed home about 2:30, and stopped off at the Tax Office to apply for new car tags. I have specialized plates, and those plates are being phased out, so I checked out the vanity plates that are available, and finally found the perfect one, and that is all thanks to Tosalyn. Right now, I have a new sticker and temporary tags on the car. I may actually have the plates in a month or so! Fingers crossed. I got home, let the dogs out, and then went and ran one errand, and I am in for the night. Oh, and let me repeat, I have frozen balls, and YOU ALL have dirty minds!

Volume 13 - Day 224/141, 2021 - Thursday

I'm not going to deny it, I am too old to be getting up at four o'clock in the morning. I will also not deny that I am too old for a lot of things that I do, but that does not seem to be tempering my behaviors. I will NOT be tempered! So, the girls were a little bit confused that I was out of bed so early. They were not really that interested in going outside, but they did it, and I made coffee and took my morning doses. I got in the car right on schedule for the 75 mile drive to New Braunfels to attend the Region 7 & 13 Association and Industry Update. There were nine association boards represented, and the sharing of information and concerns was great. Breakfast before the meeting was at 7:30, and I made it with plenty of time to share, and the meeting adjourned at about 1:15. I headed back to Austin, and made it to the office just about six minutes late for my 2 o'clock zoom call. The call ended just a bit before 3 o'clock, and then I took a couple phone calls, and took off for the Curious House. For dinner, I had a frozen dinner with a 'best by' date in the previous decade. Not really that bad. I think I may turn in a little early tonight, and I doubt the girls will offer any resistance. There seems to be a really poor selection on the 3,500 channels I receive on the television, so I think I will try and find something gross and disgusting. Just another typical Thursday night!

Volume 13 - Day 223/142, 2021 - Wednesday

I probably do not need to convince anyone of this, but I am really old. REALLY old. I will turn seventy (70!) in about three-and-a half months, so I applied for Social Security benefits this morning. You can apply for benefits within four months of the time you want to start receiving benefits, so I did that today. Even though I am old (REALLY old), I think I am doing pretty okay. As far as I know. I only have the predictable aches and pains, and I can tell you a couple days before it will rain. But otherwise, I think I am doing okay. But then I also just realized that it will be Friday the 13th two days from now. OMG! FARM REPORT: It is interesting that I don't go to the farm, and I am totally okay with that. I have filled up that time with naps, and I am really okay with that, too. I spoke with my neighbor Jim earlier this week, and they baled hay last week, and I got 95 bales on the first cutting, which is not too shabby. I am getting up really early tomorrow morning, I have to leave the house by about 5:30 to get to a meeting in New Braunfels by 7:30. It sounds bad now, but it will all work out okay. Friday is looking like a pretty open day, and there is an estate sale on the horizon, where I might buy more stuff that I have absolutely no need for.

Volume 13 - Day 222/143, 2021 - Tuesday

Last night, the Piglet was mesmerized with something on the television. I was not a fleeting mesmerization, it was a prolonged one. I don't remember what I was watching, but she stayed tuned in through the program and a couple sets of commercials. She generally only pays real attention to the television when there is a dog or some kind of commercial featuring dogs being broadcast, but last night, she was all about the television. I hope it was not an installment of Forensic Files, and that she is subconsciously plotting my untimely demise. Stay tuned! I finished my most recent book this afternoon, The Dictionary of Lost Words, and although I felt a few times this morning that I was fixin' to cry, I got through it with no tears. Actually a good tome, based on facts, that covered a period from the last two decades of the 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century. I recommend it, and even if you might be a bit offended by some of the words, I doubt that the possible offenders have been heard by you before. I had a REALLY GOOD zoom meeting this afternoon, and then was a bit disappointed to find that the fence work that was supposed to have been done today, was not. Not even a phone call, nothing. I will wait until tomorrow to check-in and see if I am even still on the schedule.

Volume 13 - Day 221/144, 2021 - Monday

I do not proclaim this on a frequent basis, but I proclaim that my dinner tonight was a balanced one. Two peaches and two donuts. BALANCED! At brunch yesterday, Candy brought me two peaches and an apple. I have not yet had the apple, but I had both the peaches tonight. They were delicious, but I have to admit, the peach depicted in the photo accompanying this journal entry was the better of the two. On the way home from brunch yesterday, I stopped at Round Rock Donuts and got donuts for me and a couple of the neighbors. The donuts were equally delicious, and there was not difference at all between the two of them. Today was a pretty nice day; I got up and did my walk with Jay, and then I did a few little chores around the house before heading in to the office. I watered plants in the front of the house, and trimmed dead growth off three or four of the front shrubs. The dead bits were hold-overs from the snowpocalypse earlier this year, and there is greenery sprouting up from the roots, and they now look relatively healthy and happy. I still got in to the office at a reasonable time, and got my desk cleaned off and readied for the week, and life continues to be a good one...

Volume 13 - Day 220/145, 2021 - Sunday

Today was another pretty good day...well, better than pretty good actually. Started out with my walk with Jay. On Sunday's, we generally go off the usual routes, and we go down where they are putting in new streets and infrastructure for the extension of the subdivision. It is interesting to watch how the work progresses, and all the different pieces that make up that infrastructure. What I assume are sewer lines are going in, and the concrete bits are really big. I assume they are sewer lines, because I think they are WAY TOO BIG for any other kind of line. I also think they are too big for sewer lines, too, but what do I know. We did come upon this (I guess it is a sewer line thing) that will (again, I assume) be at ground level at some point in the future. It is DEEP, and interesting. I can remember being very curious about this kind of stuff when I was a kid, so I guess it is something that I am still curious about. After the walk, there may have been a little nap, not sure, but then I met Candy for brunch. After that, I went in to Georgetown and visited an antique shop, where I bought nothing. Then there was another nap, then a trip to Home Depot, where I bought nothing again, and on the way to HEB I got sidetracked by an estate sale sign, and I did buy $11 worth of stuff I had no need for at all. Then onward to HEB for a few things, then home and a tv dinner! It doesn't get much better than that!

Volume 13 - Day 219/146, 2021 - Saturday

Today was one of the funnest days I have had in a long time! I slept kind of late this morning, I did not roll over until 6:45. I have a date with Jay every morning at 7 to go walking, so I jumped up and got ready for that. When the walk was finished, I am not sure what I did, but I think it involved a nap. About 9:30, Dan and Nancy texted, and they came down and fertilized plants and trimmed plants and we did a bunch of stuff in the yard. When they left, I took another nap, and when I woke up, I got the small fountain that I brought from the farm (and from the Myrick house and the Barton Spring Road house) and set it up on the back patio. I took a picture of it, and did not really realize that you could see my reflection (glad I was wearing underwear) in the gazing ball. I was apparently very intent on taking the photo. After another nap, I bathed and got dressed and went over to Jay and Deb's house for the weekly wine and convo meet-up. Generally the weekly meet-ups are held on the driveways, but it is hot, and we have been vaxed, so we meet inside. It is always fun, and a good time is had by all. Next week will be my turn, and I may need to dust for that, maybe not. I don't want to get too carried away!

Volume 13 - Day 218/147, 2021 - Friday

What a nice day this way! I had my weekly early morning zoom meeting with the TREPAC Leadership Team, and it was a good meeting of accomplishments for the past week. This Leadership Team is one of the hardest working group of TR staff and volunteers that one person could ever work with, and there is nothing they would not do to get the job done, while having fun at the same time. I am one really lucky man. After some power real estate and a quick trip to an estate sale, I headed home to the Curious House this afternoon, and got in a quick nap. I had been invited to dinner with my friends Nancy and Dan (three houses down) and that was really nice. I took a couple bottles of wine with me, and I am not sure if I was the only one drinking the red wine, but if I was, the bottle is now empty! Dinner was delicious, and the salad that Nancy made was really great. It was an interesting combination of cole slaw, tomatoes and avocado. I think I will try that in the future, it was freaking delicious. We sat out on their patio before and after dinner, and it was really lovely. Not too hot, and the comforting sound of the bug zapper frying the little winged demons. It is a great neighborhood that I have been lucky enough to move to, and I could not be more pleased with the decision I made. Nancy showed me the craft ice that her new refrigerator refrigerator makes, and I walked away with her hand-me-down craft ice makers that she used before she got the new refrigerator. I think the round craft ice is really fun! I wish I still drank scotch on the rocks, or something that would be more appreciative of the craft ice than the diet sodas I consume regularly!

Volume 13 - Day 217/148, 2021 - Thursday

This is crazy, how did it get to be Thursday already? Okay, cutting to the chase, and to make a long story less boring, my Covid test came back negative. I am not surprised about that, but there is always a little nagging  doubt that maybe you are, maybe you aren't. So, let's all hug and breathe on each other! Getting the test this morning was cumbersome, but it is over, and a story for another time. After getting the test, they called me in about three hours and give me the results. By that time, I was in the office, and I had run a couple errands on the way in to the office, one of which was to stop at Sandy's to pick up the usual Thursday lunch; cheeseburger combo with a root beer. After eating, I got down to some power real estate, and cleared off my desk. After a quick trip to the Curious House and a few minutes of a nap, I was back in to Austin to attend a TREPAC function at the new soccer stadium, Q2. I have no idea why it is referred to as Q2, but it is, so don't blame me, I am just repeating it. Here is documented evidence os same, with Dawn, me, Becky, Sonya and Holly, all TREPAC Trustees. A fun time was had by all, and I brought home a donut and an eclair. Sugar high, here I come!

Volume 13 - Day 216/149, 2021 - Wednesday

UGH! It seems that I have (recently) been in the same vicinity as someone that has tested positive for the Covids. UGH! So, I went online today trying to get an appointment for a rapid test. It was just about the same as trying to get an appointment for the vaccine. Remember that? I could not find anyplace with appointments available, so I went on line to find local stores that were selling the over-the-counter home test. CVS. On-line is said they had them available in the store, but when you get there, it is 'nope, we have been out of those for several days, but we have ordered more.' While I was there, I went over to the kiosk and made an appointment for tomorrow, so that will be fine. I have no real concerns that I will test positive, and I certainly have not lost my senses of smell and taste. I just think it is smart to do it, just to be safe. I will report back to you all tomorrow night. I worked from the house (the Curious House) today, and got a few errands done, and took a class from 1 til 5. I took off in search of the test thing about six o'clock. All is good. Interestingly this morning, there was a fire engine and an EMS vehicle at one of the houses down the street, it seems one of the neighbors (who I have never met) has Covid FOR THE SECOND TIME... Apparently if your oxygen levels go below 90, the hospitalize you. His level was 92, so they sent him home. Whatever. I think we are all going to be in a time machine and go back to 2020. What do you think?

Volume 13 - Day 215/150, 2021 - Tuesday

No more rain so far today, and it may be over for the near term, but we are not complaining. We have (I think) already had more rain in three days than we usually have in the entire month of August. It has been a really mild year for temperatures here, of course, that is not considering the February challenges. Only three days so far with temperatures over 100 degrees, and there were years where we had (maybe) 100 days over 100 degrees. I know there were at least 90 days over 100 degrees about five years ago. It was brutal, but we survived and the grid did not collapse. Not so sure if we will be able to repeat that claim if we start getting really hot daytime temperatures. I am going to be working from home tomorrow. I have a 9 o'clock appointment, an 11:30 appointment, and then I am taking a class tomorrow afternoon from 1 until 5. It will all work out okay. I will be up early in the morning, as usual, and do my 30 to 45 minute walk with Jay. It is nice just walking and saying hello to the neighbors that are all doing the same thing. There were lots of clouds today, and the photo accompanying this post is looking north towards downtown while driving home from the office. Pretty, pretty, pretty...

Volume 13 - Day 214/151, 2021 - Monday

I had totally forgotten about hotel food. I am certainly not any sort of gourmand, and I make it very clear that I am not particularly adventurous when it comes to gastronomic pleasures. I think Burger King is a little bit better than MacDonald's, and that is just about as far as my criticisms go. So...the only real complaint I have about the food at this particular hotel is that it was served cold. Maybe that is too harsh. The food was served tepid. Room temperature. It has been grey and cloudy (tepid?) all day today, and we actually got a pretty good rain throughout the day, and there is more rain predicted for the overnight. Sitting here at my desk, I thought I heard the Piglet growling, and it was actually rumblings of thunder. The morning temperature is expected to be in the lower 70s, and that is kind of unheard of here in central Texas in August. I am pretty sure we are still in for some major hot weather, but so far this year, it has been very moderate. I left very early this morning just to make sure I was in town before my meeting started, and I think it will be an early night!

Volume 13 - Day 213/152, 2021 - Sunday

I didn't come from a broken home, it was somewhat dysfunctional, but not broken, but I do have a couple wicked step-sisters. And the photo accompanying this journal entry is documentation of one of them. Don't let that cute little innocent smile fool you, she is mean. And she hits! BUT...I suppose that is just another indication that some things are returning to normal. For how long, I am not sure, but we will take whatever we can get at this point. Tonight, there was a dinner meeting of the Texas REALTORS® Executive Board, of which I am a member. So, I got there a little bit early, talked and gossiped with several colleagues that I have not seen in months and months, and then had a nice dinner. It is easy to get back in to the groove of camaraderie, good fun and hard work. I thrive on that! Earlier today, I had brunch with Sharon and Candy, then came home and took a nap, did a few things around the house, and then got ready to go in to Austin. Tomorrow will be an early day, I need to be in Austin at 8AM. Good night!