Volume 14 - Day 181/184, 2022 - Thursday

Who knew? The NRA has a history of being for gun control. In 1934, the NRA supported the National Firearms Act, which served to regulate and tax firearms that were considered used by gangsters at the time. They also supported the Gun Control Act of 1968, which expanded on the system to license firearm dealers and prohibit criminals and those with mental impairments from owning firearms. Hmmm. I wonder what changed their minds. For sure, they need to do a better job on their demographics, and save their money for (hopefully) upcoming civil lawsuits. You can sometimes tell the value of an organization by the fee to get in the door. In the case of the NRA, you can get in the door for $30. Cheap attracts cheap. Okay, I am going to step down now. Can you believe tomorrow is July? We are already half-way through with this year. I am working from home tomorrow, and I plan to take full advantage of the extra time off. I have lots of vendors scheduled to arrive tomorrow, and I hope everything falls into place as I have it planned out. Fingers crossed!

Volume 14 - Day 180/185, 2022 - Wednesday

The term 'fast-food' refers to the length of time it takes for a consumer to purchase a meal. Made with speed and consistency, fast food restaurants with their drive-thru service have become a favorite method of a meal if you are in a hurry. I really have no reason to be in a hurry, and I don't eat a lot of fast-food. But I do eat a lot of junk. Junk food is easy. Today, I went to HEB and bought $39 worth of stuff. Three ready to eat salads, two turkey and Swiss cheese sandwiches, milk, three peaches, and some other stuff I can't remember right now. My intention had been to have shredded wheat for dinner (one of my favorites), but at the last minute, Jay called and invited me down to share dinner with them. Saved by the cell phone! I will have the cereal tomorrow night. It is quick and easy! I was in a Regional REALTOR® meeting today, and there was a lot of information shared, and I got to see a lot of my friends and colleagues that I have not seen in a while. This photo is of Nancy and me. Last year, Nancy was my assistant and I could boss her around, this year, Nancy is my boss and I am charged with schlepping her luggage. My how things change!

Volume 14 - Day 179/186, 2022 - Tuesday

We all need weed! Cannabis was the first product ever sold online. In the early 70s, students at Stanford used their ARPANET accounts at Stanford University's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory to connect students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in order to arrange a cannabis sale. The guy in this photo was outside City Hall this afternoon with his sign. He could fold it to say 'weed!' WE ALL NEED WEED! If things get any worse, I may go hang with him for a while. Keep Austin Weird for sure. I appreciate the energy! A good walk this morning, then Jay, Jack and I went to breakfast. Dick is in Buffalo Grove, and we shared selfies back and forth. Fun times. There is generally no good news to be shared, but I continue to watch. There is always something going on, not much of it uplifting. My decision is to do what I can to make myself happy, and if I am happy, maybe it will affect someone else. It can't hurt. We got 0.36" of rain overnight, and I wish there had been more. Tomorrow I have a meeting (in person) from 10 til 2, and then I will head in to the office. Thursday will be a little bit busy, I have a couple appointments, and I am planning to work from home on Friday, so that will give me a four-day weekend. That will be extra nice!

Volume 14 - Day 178/187, 2022 - Monday

Inseam is the distance from the base of your zipper or crotch to the bottom of your leg opening. I was cleaning and organizing some drawers in the bedroom over the weekend, and I found some shorts I bought last year and had never worn. I wore a pair today and took all the tags off (I thought), but missed this one. Apparently nobody pays any attention to me. I have walked around for hours with my zipper down, on multiple occasions, and no one has paid any attention. That is just another reason to be depressed and to seriously consider becoming a hermit. I looked up the criteria of becoming a hermit, and Mrs. Google reports that I would most likely not be happy as a hermit. So, instead, I decided to rearrange the furniture in the living room to accommodate a television. With a television in the living room, I will try my best to stay out of the bedroom unless I am getting ready to go to sleep. PLUS, if I ever have guests, we can watch television in the living room instead of the bedroom. It is all a work in progress, but Mike in Florida has been offering decorating ideas via telephone and text messages. We shall see how it all works out. For now, I am satisfied. I'll let you know if I still am tomorrow.

Volume 14 - Day 177/188, 2022 - Sunday

Even though most superheroes have superpowers, Batman does not. He relies on his martial arts skills, detective skills, physical strength, intellect, wealth, technology, and will to face the criminals in Gotham City. First introduced in 1939, Batman developed a fan base that spawned his own comic book in 1940. It looks like he should be about 83 years old today. It also appears that Batman is comfortable on a leash, and that she (yes, this Batman is a girl) is fond of a good walk in the mornings. It was a good day. I made an egg loaf for breakfast, watered all the new landscaping, did a few small things around the house, including a couple loads of laundry. I did take a trip to Tractor Supply (for bird seed) and Dairy Queen, where I bought $36 worth of crap. Two medium Blizzards and two boxes of Heath Bar Dilly Bars. The cashier was a trainee, so he charged me for the Blizzards and two Dilly Bars. When they brought the order, it included the two Dilly Bars, but I had already put the two BOXES of Dilly Bars in the cooler I had with me. Nobody wanted to admit the mistake, and I had to BEG them to void the one transaction and charge me correctly. UGH. I honestly fear karma at this point in time, and you all need to be thankful for that. UGH. I also pulled a few weeds, uncovered a sprinkler head, and trimmed so suckers on a crepe Myrtle and the live oak in the front. Not bad for an old guy.

Volume 14 - Day 176/189, 2022 - Saturday

57% of Americans say they know some of their neighbors, and 26% say they know most of them. Americans over the age of 65 are more likely to say they know most of their neighbors. 23% of adults under thirty say they don't know any of their neighbors, compared to just 4% among those 65 and older. Help me out here. What exactly is considered a neighbor. Is it the folks living on each side of you and directly across the street? Is it EVERYONE on your street? I'm not sure, but I think I could qualify as saying I know most of my neighbors. Since I have lived in the Curious House, both sets of neighbors next door to me have changed. I would say I know them casually at best, but I do know their names. I am better acquainted with neighbors that live further down the street and on cross streets...let's say, four or five houses away. I think that is mainly because they are closer to my age. What brought this subject up is the photo that is attached to this entry. I have looked at this bird feeder outside my bathroom window since I have lived here, and it has NEVER had any bird seed in it. This neighbor (Rick) has not even taken the hose bib covers off that protected his hose bibs from the freezing weather last winter. I don't care, and I am not criticizing, I just think it is interesting. Whatever. I will make sure the bird feeder in my back yard is filled tomorrow.

Volume 14 - Day 175/190, 2022 - Friday

You might need to mark this date on your calendars. I am practically speechless. I have no words...

Volume 14 - Day 174/191, 2022 - Thursday

Establishing a wildflower meadow isn't difficult, but it takes some planning and preparation. Most wildflowers like full sun and well-drained soil. One of our Landlords sent me an e-mail last night, he had a quick visit to Austin and drove past his investment property. He thought the house looked abandoned and was overgrown with weeds. I drove past the house on the way in to the office this morning, and it looks to me like the tenant is trying to establish a wildflower meadow. Since they do not require a lot of moisture and like full sun, I guess it is not a terrible idea. After the wildflowers go to seed, I will check back and see if he has mowed, hoping for another good year of blooms next year. Time will tell. It is Thursday, and that means Sandy's for cheeseburger specials. Dee-Lish! I got my desk cleaned off, and headed home about 2 o'clock. We are experiencing the hottest June ever here in central Texas, and it was 104 degrees in Austin today. Last night, on my way home from Austin at 9:30, it was still 95 degrees. Very hot. UGH! I am calling tomorrow a day off, and it will be a long weekend for me. 

Volume 14 - Day 173/192, 2022 - Wednesday

People are more afraid of public speaking than death, spiders, heights and the dark. What you say to an audience isn't nearly as important as how you say it. Effective presentations are part voice, part non-verbal communication, and a very small part (7%) content. I was back in my happy place today, speaking in front of a bunch of agents about TREPAC. I am not at all nervous speaking in front of people. I find it really easy to work a room, and to relate to people in the audience. Years ago, I did a monthly gig on the noon news for a local station. That made me a nervous wreck, I think it was because I was not in charge. When you are in front of people, you can correct a mistake, or pause, or speak in a whisper to get the attention of the crowd. I just did not relate to television. I did, however, take the opportunity to insert the words 'duct tape' into every five minute interview. No relevance, see yesterday's post. I was in and out of Austin twice today. Once for a 9 o'clock function, then to the office, then home, then back to the office and then on to a 6 o'clock function. It was, overall, a good day. Tomorrow is Thursday (that much I know), and that means cheese burger specials from Sandy's.

Volume 14 - Day 172/193, 2022 - Tuesday

Spider webs were used as bandages in ancient times. One-quarter of all your bones are located in your feet. A cloud can weigh more than a million pounds. The average person will spend six months of their life waiting for red lights to turn green. None of these facts are relevant to anything, and none of any of this post is really worth the time you will spend perusing it. Total drivel. I took a walk this morning. Who cares? I took the girls to the vet (totally traumatic) to get their heart worm check, and a re-stock of their monthly pills. Big Whoop. I went to the office, I did not really need to, but I did. I had an appointment at 5:30. Somebody cares about that, but only two people, so the percentages of interest are miniscule. I got home late to discover that the girls had not peed on their pee pads in the closet. That is definitely a win for me, but the dogs really don't have a conscience. I'm watching PBS right now, and the guy named Nielsen doesn't even give a crap about that. Nope, nothing really matters, nothing is really worth worrying about. Take it easy, it'll all be okay. How do you like the picture that is accompanying this post? I like it, but it has nothing to do with the verbiage of this post. get over it.

Volume 14 - Day 171/194, 2022 - Monday

Texas has experienced 98 degree or higher temperatures every month of the year. The record high temperature in Texas from May through September is 116 degrees. The temperature has been above normal every day of the month of June, and many of those days have seen temperatures over 100 degrees. The next seven days are all expected to be over 100 degrees. Believe me, I am just as tired of it as you are reading about it. The mornings are good for walks, though. Dick and Marge are heading back to their home outside Chicago tomorrow, so today was the last walk for Dick. They will return at the end of October, and we will all miss them. This was our selfie this morning; Jay, Dick and me. As Monday's go, I have had better. Nothing personal, but there are a lot of things going on that make me wonder how much longer I can tolerate Texas. It seems my philosophies and those of our state leaders are not complimentary to one another. I will give it a little more time, but I am about to be pushed over the edge. Maybe I just need to sleep on it, I'll let you know in November.

Volume 14 - Day 170/195, 2022 - Father's Day

Plumeria (called Frangipani in Australia, and whenever I can remember it) are tropical flowering plants with over 300 species, native to Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. And the Curious House. They are related to the Oleander, and their milky sap is poisonous and may irritate the skin and eyes. I didn't know that! I have been trying to grow Plumeria for at least ten years, and some years are better than others. I have had really tall plumeria, but they suffered greatly during the snowmageddon of 2021. Or was it 2020? I really don't remember, but I think it was 2021. That was just last year, and that seems odd. Whatever. This year, I transplanted all the plumeria that I had left into one pot, and they are more bushy than tree like. They seem to be doing nicely, and there are some buds on one of them. One (and only one) bloomed last year, and I am hoping for more this year. When they bloom, the fragrance reminds me of buttered popcorn, I don't know if that reference is common or just my own observation. Some of the survivors were gifts from Mike in Florida, and I may try and get more from him next spring. Otherwise, this father's day was relatively uneventful for me. Candy and Sharon came over this morning for brunch, and I made a nice egg loaf. It was a record day for plate use, and it was the first time I actually sat at the table and ate in the dining room. In the 18 months I have lived in the Curious House, I have used the same plate, glass, fork and knife. I have never used the dishwasher. I have used the oven twice (maybe three times). I'm just a simple man. And a lucky man.

Volume 14 - Day 169/196, 2022 - Saturday

Squirt guns are a type of toy gun that shoots jets of water. The primary purpose is to soak another person, such as in a water fight. For years, the United States and Canada have required squirt guns to be made of clear or tinted transparent plastic to make them harder to mistake for actual firearms. Tonight was a combo book club and wine night, hosted at Diane's house. Book club first...this months book was about the mafia in New England, so, Diane went with a gangster theme. Squirt guns all around. I was the preferred target, as well as the largest target, and it was a lot of fun! Good times. I did a lot of small chores and achieved a few small and indifferent successes. I have nothing on my chore list left for tomorrow, and that is quite okay with me. Morning walks are good, and naps are good too. I'll talk to you again tomorrow...

Volume 14 - Dy 168/197, 2022 - Friday

Who knows who Eric Yuan is? He's the guy that came up with 'Zoom.' It started in 2012 because Yuan did not like to travel to meetings, but it really took off in 2020. We all know why. Locked-down? Let's zoom! I am pretty comfortable reporting that I have participated on hundreds of zoom meetings over the past 27 months or so. A thousand would probably be an exaggeration, so let's just stick with hundreds. Most Friday mornings, I am on a call with my fellow TREPAC Leadership folks. We are supposed to start at 8:30, but most of us sign on early just to gossip about stuff. Sometimes the gossip is the best part of the call, but we always get our work done, and that is the important part. The photo accompanying this entry is from this mornings call. We really are a family, and you should be very cautious if you think you can mess with one of us. I cleaned that sentence up, you're welcome! We will take you down! Another hot day, I finally got in touch with the vet to get the girls pills refilled, but they need a heart worm test before I can get the pills. So...I had an appointment at 3:30 this afternoon to get them tested and to get the pills. BUT...um, it is kind of difficult to give them a heart worm test if you don't HAVE any heart worm tests. I assume it is another supply chain issue. Kind of like toilet tissue, baby formula, sanitary wipes and tampons. Whatever.The good news is, HEB has not had chocolate syrup for months, but it is back in stock. Still no lemon cookies, and Trader Joe's still does not have the potato chips I like. First world problems, I know. 

Volume 14 - Day 167/198, 2022 - Thursday

The girls are a Maltese and a miniature Schnauzer. This morning they were on the bed together, looking extra cute. As you know, Callie (the Schnauzer) avoids cameras as much as possible. Lexie (the Maltese) is the original cover girl. I did not know there was such a thing as a 'Mauzer,' but there is. A mix between a Maltese and a Schnauzer. Mauzer. Designer dogs. They are known for their cute looks and playful nature. Designer dogs. Whatever. Thursday. Looking forward to Friday, and looking forward to the long, holiday weekend two weeks from now. I had a nice lunch this afternoon with Michael and Lynda...they just returned from Europe and they had a great time! Lots of family! I had dinner tonight with Jimmie and Linda, and that was very nice, too. That pretty much puts a cap on my social engagements for the week. I don't think I have anything on the calendar for tomorrow, there are no interesting estate sales over the weekend, so I smell a bunch of naps and chill time. IF you can chill in 100 degree temperatures.

Volume 14 - Day 166/199, 2022 - Wednesday

I think, if I understand this correctly, that in February of 2019, 2.5 million people were on the road heading for evacuation routes, which led to 100 miles of traffic on Interstate 45 in Texas. Congestion lasted for 48 hours, leaving motorists stranded for as long as 24 hours along the 300-mile route from Galveston to Dallas. That is, allegedly, the worst traffic jam EVER in the United States. Well, guess what, traffic is back, and I experienced it this morning for the first time in a long time. There was absolutely no REAL reason for the back-up, but the reality is, there was a car stopped in the left hand lane, and there were two police cars stopped behind it with their flashers on. As I got to the scene of the problem, I thought it was interesting that they did not just push the car onto the shoulder, and let us all get on our way. Too much like right, I guess. Other than that, it was an okay day. I did go and give the wild flower growing out of a crack in the sidewalk some water. I hope I didn't jinx it. The temperature did not reach 100 today, so we ended the most recent streak at nine consecutive days (confirmed), and the next seven day forecast calls for every day to be at 100 or above. It is just hot. But, we have air conditioning, so it is not all bad.

Volume 14 - Day 165/200, 2022 - Tuesday

per-se-ver-ance noun Persistence in doing something despite difficulty, failure, or opposition, or delay in achieving success. "His perseverance with the technique illustrates his single-mindedness." The action or condition or an instance of persevering. Steadfastness. Today, we experienced our ninth (or tenth, the meteorologists don't agree, or I am not paying attention) consecutive day of temperatures of 100 degrees or more. At the Curious House, we had received 0.29" of rain this month. Occasionally, I will do a walk-before-the-walk. About a quarter-mile, just down the two immediate street that the Curious House calls home. I did that this morning, and came across this little wild flower, growing up out of a crack in the sidewalk. No one waters this little guy, no one cares for it, but it is still thriving. Persistence. I have done a few things in my life that no one thought I could, and I think we all have made accomplishments in spite of all the circumstances surrounding us. Never give up. One of my most gratifying accomplishments has been to take time to look around. Tp have slowed down occasionally to see the struggles of others, and to (maybe) given them a little encouragement. Granted, I don't do it as often as I should, but maybe I can start to do it more often. Maybe I will take a little bit of water down to this little, beautiful wild flower tomorrow, and say 'atta girl!'

Volume 14 - Day 164/201, 2022 - Monday

Well, as Monday's go, this one sucked! Not for me overall, but have you seen the news. I'm just sayin'. I was part of the Austin Board of REALTORS® Mayoral Candidate Interview Panel, and it was nice to be back in the building. My computer remembered the logins and passwords, and I got to park in my parking place, a parking place I have not parked in for a few years. The view from the Board Room is always worth a look, and worth a share as well. On my way home this afternoon, I did stop at the grocery, and bought almost $100 worth of stuff, and that should keep me for a while, and will keep the girls for a while, too. I have a bigger supply of dog food than I have people food. I think it is because I fear there will be a shortage of dog food, so I need to keep stockpiling it. I could get by for two or three weeks on the people food I have, and longer than that if I have wine for three meals a day. 

Volume 14 - Day 163/202, 2022 - Sunday

57.8 degrees Celsius, or, 136 degrees Fahrenheit (there are at least two different ways to spell Ferenheit) is the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth. It was recorded on September 12, 1922 in Al 'Aziziyah in Libya. We came close to breaking that record today in central Texas. This outside thermometer on the pack patio registered 103 degrees about thirty minutes after I took this photo. It was a hot walk this morning, and brunch was cancelled, so the only  time I went outside (after the walk) was to water plants and to take the girls outside. There were a couple places I thought about going, but, on second thought, I found it really not necessary. So I stayed home all day. No chores to get completed, naps and television. I watched a couple old movies (Paint Your Wagon for one), and ate whatever I could find in the kitchen. Tomorrow, I will go in to the office, I have a meeting from 1 til 3:30 (or so), and on the way home, I may stop at the grocery and maybe Target. Life is calm right now, and hot. And not wet. 

Volume 14 - Day 162/203, 2022 - Saturday

Toads can play dead, or puff themselves up to appear bigger if they feel threatened by predators. Toads do not have teeth, so they do not chew their food, instead swallowing it whole. They are usually nocturnal. They burrow beneath the earth in the day and come out at night to feed on insects. Summer toads outside the Curious House. The Piglet is fascinated. We didn't have toads last year, but we have a couple residents this year. I think the Piglet is more afraid of them than they are of her, but fascination is really the best way to describe her attraction to them. Marge and I went to three estate sales this morning, Marge spent six dollars, and I spent twenty dollars. I had a bit of a confrontation with a 'Karen' in Sun City, because I was trying to park in front of her mailbox. It was 9:30 in the morning, and the mail comes at, what, three o'clock in the afternoon. I just had fun calling her Karen and moved the car. My first in-person Karen confrontation, but it was not that much fun since I don't think she knew why I was calling her Karen. It is still too hot, it is still too dry, and I am still a lucky guy that lives in the Curious House. Sicily has been cancelled, I'm thinking a Canadian rail trip, or maybe Iceland. You never know.

Volume 14 - Day 161/204, 2022 - Friday

Over the past ten years or so, I have no idea if I have participated in less than five but more than two personality trait Surveys. For at least the last two, my results have remained relatively consistent. High D and High I. Really high. High for dominance, high for influence. All red, all yellow, all the time. Apparently, I can convince people that it was all their idea. Maybe. Whatever. Today was the second day of our in-person meetings in Austin, and it has been a couple of long days. I will be snoozing a little bit extra over the weekend. When have had one session a week for the last three weeks, and today was the final session. Yesterday was committee meetings and Trustee meetings. A great group of Trustees from across the state. It is still hot, there is still no rain in the forecasts. The forecasts for the next seven days range from high temperatures at 101 to 107, and zero percent chance of rain. We are all just hoping that the electricity stays on. I think I have figured out the reason for my black eye, but if you have a real interest in my thought process, let me know and maybe I will tell you.

Volume 14 - Day 160/205, 2022 - Thursday

Jurassic World Dominion is the sixth and final installment to the Jurassic era, uniting two generations. In the new adventure taking place four years after Isla Nublar (?) was destroyed, the dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans. General release of the film is tomorrow, June 10th, but we had a sneak preview of it this evening at 7PM. It's a long movie, about two-and-a-half hours. There were a lot of whispers: "I have to pee." I did not care for the film in the beginning, but it got better toward the end. Any way, it is always fun to hang out with a bunch of my peeps from all across Texas. Congratulations to the Austin Board of REALTORS® for executing this great event, and for making it look easy. It's a lot of hard work that makes stuff look easy. This photo is me, some dinosaur, Linda and Jimmie. Everyone had a blast. It will be another early day tomorrow, I hope I don't wake up with another black eye. I looked it up, and Mrs. Google's opinion is that I either had a stroke or I didn't. If you don't hear from me in a couple days, you might want to check on me. I would not put it past the piglet to turn me into some kind of pate'.

Volume 14 - Day 159/206, 2022 - Wednesday

Red nose day funds critical programs that keep children safe, healthy, educated and empowered in the U.S. and around the world. It was May 26th this year, but you can bookmark to see when it is next year. The funds include the assurance that children affected by the war in Ukraine are cared for in both the immediate aftermath of conflict and in the long term. I bought a passel of these red noses this year, and I just bring them out when I think there are some peeps that I can talk into a photo op. There was not too much convincing necessary to these three of my favorite peeps that I met up with for a meeting this afternoon. Melinda, Nancy, me and Ben. There will be more meetings over the next two days, from morning til night, but it will all be worth it. No walking for me for the next two days, but I will be back at it Saturday morning. It is still hot. It is still dry. It is still Texas.

Volume 14 - Day 158/207, 2022 - Tuesday

We're having a heat wave. Is it a tropical heatwave? Have you got that song stuck in your head now? Heat waves, also called heatwaves, are periods of prolonged abnormally high surface temperatures relative to those you would normally expact. Heat waves can span several days or several weeks and are significant causes of weather-related mortality. affecting developed and developing countries alike. If you're in central Texas, go to familyeldercare.org, and support their EMERGENCY fan drive. There are lots of disadvantaged folks in our area that cannot afford air conditioning, and they could use a fan. Do it now, you can come back to this journal entry after. If you are not in central Texas, find someplace that benefits those that need some help, and donate some cash. Thanks. My friend Cass painted these two pictures of the girls, and I think they are great. She dropped them off at my office this morning, and I am very proud of them. It is going to get even hotter over the weekend. 106 on Saturday, 105 on Sunday. If you are planning to visit, expect me to be nekkid, so that should change your mind about visiting. Mission accomplished!

Volume 14 - Day 157/208, 2022 - Monday

The Texas drought is the main culprit of our spring heat wave, maybe. More than half of Texas is in extreme drought conditions, and a quarter of the state is in exceptional drought. Fasten your seat belts, you are going to hear a lot about heat and drought over the next couple weeks, at least. Forecasts for the next seven days predict high temperatures anywhere from 101 to 104 degrees. It's hot! The mornings are pleasant, and there was a good breeze this morning, so we had a nice walk. This photo was taken this morning, the clouds with the sun coming through was very handsome, so I thought I would share it with you. I had some errands to run this morning, and I got in to the office about 10:30, did a bit of work, participated in a zoom call, did some more work, left for home about 2:15, met one of the guys that did the yard work earlier this year, and got four new plants put in the ground. A good day. Tomorrow and Wednesday should be relatively quiet days, but Thursday and Friday will be busy days. Overall, life is good, and I remain the lucky guy.

Volume 14 - Day 156/209, 2022 - Sunday

1954 was a simpler time. Most auto manufacturers didn't offer a choice of sub-compact. compact, mid-size of super-size cars. It was kind of a one-size-fits-all approach. 1954 was the first year (I think) that Oldsmobile produced the Rocket 88. It was also the year of the 'Quadri-Jet.' Marge and I were out cruising around late Friday afternoon, and we passed this old Olds. When we returned, I stopped to take a couple pictures. When I was a kid (I was born in '51), my dad had a '54 Olds Rocket 88. I can remember being on the drive way in Southgate, Michigan, and tracing the 'world' insignia on the trunk of the car with my finger. Our car was beige and green, and I don't think the purple color of this car was a stock color. Just thought I would share. It is going to get hot in Central Texas this week. Every day of the next week is expected to be 100 degrees or more. We all hope the power grid is ready. I did very little today, although I was in and out of the car four or five times for various errands. Brunch, nursery, home, grocery, home, nursery, home. I still have two things on my chore list, but they will wait til another day.

Volume 14 - Day 155/210, 2022 - Saturday

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. but it was raining when I woke up this morning. Not a lot, but it was rain. And lightning. Enough of each, that the walk was called off, and I went back to sleep for a while. All told, we got 0.29" of rain, and we will accept that gladly. Eventually, I got up and fed the dogs and then headed out for a couple estate sales with Marge and Diane. Nothing too exciting, I spent $8 (double of what I spent yesterday), and that was okay. There is hardly anything that I need, very little that I want, so it is okay that I don't find too many things that I cannot live without. When I got home, I went down for a series of naps. There was no watering needed since we got rain, but there will be watering to do tomorrow. Other than brunch and maybe a trip to the grocery, I have nothing on my list of chores to get done tomorrow. I am trying something new; making a list of things I need from the grocery. So far, my list includes milk and celery. Even though I consider myself a list maker, it appears that I am a failure at making a grocery list. I'll let you know how that works out.

Volume 14 - Day 154/211, 2022 - Friday

There is a theory that Jimmy Don Perkins, a short-order cook in a Lamesa, Texas cafe invented Chicken Fried Steak when he mistook two separate orders; one for chicken and one for fried steak. That was in 1911. The delicacy is still going strong. I bring this up because, I had dinner tonight with Paulina, Val and Oliver, and two of us had chicken fried steak. Today was not a bad day, it was cool this morning when we walked, and then there was one zoom call. There was supposed to be two calls, but the 8:30 call was cancelled. After the call, I went to the battery store for an uncommon battery (size 377), then to Home Depot, and then Marge and I went to two estate sales. The estate sales were nothing to brag about, but there are two more that we will go to tomorrow. I did spend $4, and Marge spent $5. Not too bad. We had a brief little rain this morning, 0.02" in the gauge, but at this point, we will take what we can get. 

Volume 14 - Day 153/212, 2022 - Thursday

The Queen (Elizabeth II) succeeded to the Throne on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI. She was in Kenya at the time, and became the first Sovereign in over 200 years to accede while abroad. The Queen's grandmother, Queen Mary, was 81 years old at the time, and was the first Queen to see a grandchild ascend to the throne. So...the Queen is celebrating her 70th anniversary this week. Many times, when I mention Jody's wife or mother-in-law, they are surprised that Jody had been married. His wife was Helen, and she died in the middle 80's, I think. Jody's mother-in-law (Wilma) outlived Helen, and she and Jody had a very nice relationship. Wilma had died before Jody and I met. The photo that accompanies this journal entry is a souvenir that I believe Wilma brought back from attending the Coronation of QEII in 1952. It was HOT this morning when we walked, but when I went back outside with the dogs before leaving for Austin, a cold front had come through, the temperature dropped about 10 degrees, and the humidity dropped substantially. It was lovely. Right now, it is about 87 degrees, which is close to what it was overnight here in central Texas. I'm working from home tomorrow, that is the plan anyway. I thought my 10 o'clock zoom call was scheduled to end at 1:30, but I just looked and it is over at noon. SO...maybe I will drive in, maybe not. We will see how it goes. 

Volume 14 - Day 152/213, 2022 - Wednesday

In one hour, the earth receives 173,000 Terawatts (TWh) of energy from the sun. In 2017, humanity (that means all the earthlings) consumed 160,000 Terawatts of energy. This total energy consumed by humanity (see above) in 2017 includes not just energy used to generate electricity but also energy used. There are two different ways of generating electricity from sunlight. One is to concentrate the Sun's energy using mirrors onto a small area, using the heat generated to produce steam to turn a turbine which generates electricity. The other is to use arrays of photovoltaic cells (solar panels) to generate electricity directly from sunlight, and stored in a battery. That was a long road just to tell you that I am pretty happy with the $8 outdoor garden lights I have bought from Home Depot. So far, I have no complaints about them, and the total I spent is about a gazillion dollars less than I would have spent with wired garden lights or hiring an electrician to do the job properly. PLUS, I could do it with no help from anyone else, especially somebody's thirteen year old grandkid. Whatever. We had a trace of rain this morning, which meant we could do our morning walk in-between the drops of rain. In to the office, met with a couple folks, back home with no issues, and nobody got hurt. I will run a couple errands tomorrow, go in to the office, and I am thinking I will do my zoom meetings on Friday from home. Life is good.