Volume 14 - Day 273/92, 2022 - Friday

Samhainophobia is a fear of Halloween. People with this specific phobia feel anxious when they think about or experience anything to do with Halloween. Many people with this phobia have gone through a past traumatic situation to Halloween. In Ireland, people started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away Jack's wandering soul. When Irish immigrants moved to the U.S., they began carving jack-o-lantern's from pumpkins, as pumpkins were native to the region. As with everything, Halloween is (as of this last day of September) is still a month away, but the original Hocus Pocus was shown last night on tv. I did not see the movie when it was released MANY years ago, but I did rent it (yep) about a decade ago and watched. I was disappointed about two things. First, I was disappointed that I did not care for the movie, and second, I was disappointed that I did not like the movie. I really wanted to like it. At any rate, I watched it again last night, and thought it was better than I remembered. That makes the thought of Hocus Pocus 2 more tenable, so I will try to catch it when it is released. Maybe. Not a particularly bad day today, but there were moments. In all the years I have been involved in real estate, today was the first time I have been told that movers could not move furniture out of a home because of the lock box on the door. Always something new. Oh, and just to be clear, I am not through with Halloween stuff, and am just trying to pace myself.

Volume 14 - Day 272/93, 2022 - Thursday

Phlebotomy is the process of making a puncture in a vein, usually in the arm, with a cannula for the purpose of drawing blood. The procedure itself is known as a venipuncture, which is also used for intravenous therapy. Harvard reported that roughly 25% of adults have trypanophobia, which is an irrational, extreme aversion to blood or needles. They added that this phobia may have caused 16% of the population to skip vaccinations. All this time, I thought they were puncturing my veins with a needle. Mrs. Google defines cannula as a thin tube inserted into a vein or body cavity to administer medicine, drain off fluid, or insert surgical instruments. Sounds kind of like a needle to me. Bottom line, I showed up at the pathology lab this morning for my blood draw. When I got there, not particularly, there was only one old person in front of me. By the time I left, about 20 minutes later, the place a chocker block full of old people. Rumor has it there was a line waiting to get in at 7 o'clock when they opened. Then it was off to the city. I stopped at the pharmacy to pick up next months supply of drugs, then to the office. In the office, it felt like the fourth Monday in a row, but everything worked out by the end of my day. Pretty nice weather, a little warm still in the afternoons, but lovely in the mornings. Can you believe it is almost October? Wowza. Pretty soon it will be 2023, and who knows what that will bring.

Volume 14 - Day 271/94, 2022 - Wednesday

Okay, I was wrong. Again. I admit it. I was not at all happy about my 'virtual' six month check up with my doctor. It is really not so much that...it is the corporate mentality of the mega place my doctor is now affiliated with. He has been my doctor for 15 or 20 years, and, up until about 30 months ago, he was a GP with a small office, an assistant and a bookkeeper. Now, it is all corporate. Patient portal. On-line everything. But...on the call (like zoom), it was just me and him, and there was no rushing. Kind of like old times, except he was at home and I was in my office.We shall see. I should go and have a blood draw tomorrow at even another corporate place, but I guess I will get over it. After the appointment, I had another appointment, and then back to the office. I left the office about noon-30, and then showed a couple houses at 3:30. Book club met at the Curious House tonight, and that was fun. Four of us at the house, and Dick and Marge in Chicago via zoom. A couple things on my chore list for tomorrow, and then it will all be downhill to the weekend!

Volume 14 - Day 270/95, 2022 - Tuesday

Well, it is here, the cooler weather. I actually wore a vest this morning on our walk, but by the time we made it home, I was glistening just a little bit. It is certainly a welcome relief, and hopefully it will hang around. Jay did not join me and Jack for breakfast this morning, but it was good. Jack and I did not run out of things to talk about. I had an early call from a friend of mine that needs a place to move, his landlord (of seven years) is selling the house and he has thirty days to move. It will be close, but it should be doable. After I got in to the office, it seemed like there was a lot of stuff that needed doing, but I got it all done and left at 2 o'clock to go show property. This time of year in central Texas is really nice, after what seemed like an interminably long, hot summer. After I got home, I hung out for a while, and then Jimmie and Linda and I went out and got ice cream, and then just drove around for a while in the lovely, not so humid early evening. Just enjoying it, and that was nice.

Volume 14 - Day 269/96, 2022 - Monday

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston published a study that showed virtual doctor visits can replace office visits for patients without compromising health care quality. Most patients surveyed in the study reported there was no difference in the overall quality of the visit. Somebody from my megalopolis health care provider (my doctors office) called me today to talk to me about my appointment on Wednesday. She said she could not talk to me until I provided here with my full name and lots of personal (secret) information. I told her that she had called me, and I don't give out that kind of information to people who called me. We had that discussion for about five minutes, and I told her if she wanted to tell me something about my appointment, she could e-mail me. I just argued with her because I could. She sent me a message via my 'patient portal,' and it seems I will be having a virtual doctor appointment on Wednesday. That might work out better, because I am not a fan of the corporation that my primary care physician joined about two years ago. We shall see. The humidity in central Texas has taken a plunge, and the temperature overnight is supposed to go down to 60. I may have to wear a jacket tomorrow for our walk. Probably. 

Volume 14 - Day 268/97, 2022 - Sunday

I might have shamed the morning glories in the backyard into blooming by complaining about their lack of blooms in this journal last week. Yesterday, there was at least one bloom I spotted, and today there were three or four. Shame or bribery to get my way, I am good with either one of those. I am ready for the alleged cooler weather that is supposed to appear in the next day or two. It has been too hot for too long. The problem is, if it gets chilly for a week or two, we will all be complaining about that. It is what we do. But, bring it on, and will take it for at least a week. Generally speaking, the first bit of cool weather in central Texas is considered 'fake fall,' and does not last too long. I predict (every year) that the real cool weather will arrive the second weekend in October, and that usually sticks around for a while. I got a few things checked off my list of chores today, but not all of them, and I really do not even care. I did do some work out in the garage, and that is always something I can fall back on if I find myself wandering around the house with my thumb up my butt. Overall, the weekend was nice, calm, quiet, peaceful, relaxing. I kind of think the upcoming week will be a lot more of the same. I will let you know.

Volume 14 - Day267/98, 2022 - Saturday

Dreams about painting a ceiling states your emotions and emotional gratification. You need to lighten up and enjoy the experience. You are feeling the weight of life's daily demands piled onto you. Your dream denotes your competency, integrity, strengths and weaknesses. Your life is well balanced. On the other hand...it can mean you are extravagance, and you feel you are self-destructing. Perhaps it is a relationship that you need to let go of. The dream stands for purification and insight. You will be involved in some legal matter. It is a message of your desire to be more emotionally adventurous. Something creative is happening. You are in the middle of some emotional turmoil. The dream expresses happiness and tranquility in the home. Seemingly small beginnings will have the greatest potential of growth. Okay, that seems somewhat confusing and contradictory. All I know is, last night I dreamed I was painting the ceiling in a house (the whole house) with a bottle of white shoe polish. I know whose house it was, and the bottle of white shoe polish lasted almost until all the ceilings of the house had been painted. Odd. But, it was a good day today, all things considered. I did not

get very many things crossed off my 'to done' list, but there is always tomorrow. I am looking forward to the cooler climes expected next week. If you have any other ideas about this particular dream, I am open to ideas.

Volume 14 - Day 266/99, 2022 - Friday

It's the political season, and charges of lying are flying. Is there a difference between little lies and big lies? One study published in the Journal of Basic and Applied Psychology found that the average American lies three times in a 10 minute conversation. In another study, college students said they lie between 1 and 2 times per day. Sometimes we lie to avoid social conflict (dinner sounds great, I'll call you), or to keep from hurting someone's feelings (no, that dress does not make you look fat). Bigger lies are generally intended to protect our own self image. When our own ideal self is contradicted, we lie to build ourselves up. Most common lies: I'm fine, nothing's wrong. I was stuck in traffic. You look great (I hear that a lot!). I only had one beer. My phone died. I never got the message. I'll call you right back. It was on sale. I'm on the way. It's just what I wanted, thanks. You haven't changed a bit. I didn't touch it. I'll try to make it. I would never lie to you. The subject of this post came to me this morning when Jay and I were walking. I had heard a book review many years ago, and the book was about...what happens when all the lies you have told in your life start to really happen. I had a flat. No, I have another engagement. I'm sick, I can't come in to work today. I think it is an interesting concept, and if anyone of my tens of followers can tell me the name of the book, I will be forever in your debt. Or not. Maybe.

Volume 14 - Day 265/100, 2022 - Thursday

It is officially fall. During the autumnal equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the northern and southern hemispheres get the same amount of rays. The alignment officially occurs at 8:30PM today for those of us in the central time zone. Central Texas will receive about 12 hours and 8 minutes of daylight. And it is 100 degrees on the first day of fall. Officially, I think Austin only hit 99 degrees, but I may be wrong. Anyway, it is too hot to be fall. We are supposed to cool down some late in the weekend, and the low temperatures next Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be in the low to mid 60s. I may have to put on long sleeves for my walk. Other than the heat, it was a pretty normal day here, if there is such a thing as normal. I got to the office, did some stuff, responded to some business inquiries, had a peach for lunch, and then headed south to shoot some video for our next meeting in October. I think it is in October, anyway. At Kalahari. I have never been there, but in addition to the water slides, they apparently have a conference center. It should be fun. The next to the last time I was on a water slide, I got stuck in the middle and had to scooch my way down. It was a little bit embarrassing, but only if you could see the

scooching part.

Volume 14 - Day 264/101, 2022 - Wednesday

The Texas REALTOR® Leadership Program educates participants and shows them how to use their talents to make a difference in their professional and personal areas of interest. I participated in one of the programs many, MANY years ago at the Austin Board of REALTORS®. Today, I was asked to participate in a panel discussion of other volunteer servants that serve our members on various committees. I wish I knew what I was giving the side eye to when this photo was taken. Photo credit Alisha. Since I took my TRLP class oh those many years ago, I have come to the realization that I have no actual talents, and that I overcome that with my use of profanity. Everybody has a skill, that is mine. It was a good day all around, and I got some office work done and ran a few errands between doing a little this and that. Tomorrow is the first day of fall, and I am tired of the hundred degree temperatures. I heard on the radio this afternoon that we are expecting a 'cold' front on Sunday in to Monday, which should drop the temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees. That will be a welcome relief!

Volume 14 - Day 263/102, 2022 - Tuesday

Why do women never have to take a DNA test to see if the baby is theirs? Canadians think the Titanic was a real event and not just a movie. How dumb can they be? Goodbye America, hello New York City! My son does not like chicken, he's a veterinarian! Okay, so I was trying to come up with a topic for this journal entry, so I asked Mrs. Google for the stupidest things on the Internet. I was overwhelmed by the choices. I have decided that I have no talent, I am not smart, and I am not that interesting. So...the only thing I have left, and perhaps the only thing I am good at, is profanity. It works for me. There is not a lot of profanity on the Internet, at least, not when searching for stupid things. I may have cornered the market. But it's okay. everybody has to be good at something. I do recognize stupid, and I feel bad that folks can't take a pill and fix that. Isn't there a pill for everything? There should be. I know for sure the girls are not stupid, and they certainly know how to work me for exactly what they want. Oh, and by the way, one of the benefits of no-fat milk is, it never expires or goes bad. I am currently finishing off a bottle of milk with a Best By date of September 8th. Who's stupid now?

Volume 14 - Day 262/103, 2022 - Monday

Morning glory is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the Convolvulaceae family. They prefer full sun throughout the day. Usually, they are perennial plants in frost free areas, and some species tolerate winter cold. They can be recognized by their funnel shaped, radially symmetrical corola; it has five sepals, five fused petals, five epipetalous stamens (stamens fused to the petals) and a two-part syncarpous and superior gynoecium. Look it up yourself. They can be blue, purple, red, white and yellow. I planted mine this spring, some from two inch pots, some seeds, and I have had (maybe) twelve or fifteen blooms. Then the heat came. I watered them religiously (I'm agnostic, so that might be part of the problem), and the recent rains have really helped them go crazy. But no blooms. They are trailing up the trellis I fabricated, but still no blooms. Hopefully that will change some when the weather cools off, in a month or so. Even though we do have some freezing weather here, I have always counted on their ability to seed themselves, but if there are no blooms, there are no seeds. Crap.

Volume 14 - Day 261/104, 2022 - Sunday

Why does home look a little bit strange when you get back from a trip or a vacation? A memory starts as a perception stored in your brain. With repetition, it (the memory of your surroundings) grows stronger. At home, the constant repetition generates a sense of comfort, as you don't need to think much. When you are away for a while, the memory becomes less acute. I don't think the house looks strange when I get back from a trip, but I am always glad to be home, and to sleep in my own bed, and to spring the girls from the kennel. Again, I don't know if they like or dislike being in the kennel. When they are there, I occasionally logon to watch them in 'Tiny Town,' and they do not look stressed or uncomfortable. Whatever. We are all home, and we all had a couple naps this afternoon. I was outside watering plants just a few minutes ago, and it is a lovely evening in central Texas. Relatively low humidity, mid 80s. A nice evening. We are expecting temperatures over 100 degrees on Thursday, which may or may not be the first day of fall.

Volume 14 - Day 260/105, 2022 - Saturday

This pretty concludes my work and attendance at this years Texas REALTORS® conference. this last day started with a regional caucuses early this morning, followed with working our trade show, and then a 50 year anniversary celebration of TREPAC. 1972-2022. A lot of hard work has gone to make TREPAC the largest and most successful PAC in Texas, and I am proud to be a part of it. Our celebration tonight started with dinner at the 81 Club at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth. After dinner we went across the courtyard to Billy Bob's and had a great time. When I got on the bus to go back to the hotel, the line to get in (it was not an exclusive TREPAC event) was at least three blocks long. I am glad to be back in the hotel, and ready to call it a night and drive back to Georgetown tomorrow morning. I will probably get home and unpack, and then go and retrieve the girls.

Volume 14 - Day 259/106, 2022 - Friday

Okay. Another day. Kinda long day. First meeting at 8 this morning, it is now 10:53, and I just got back to the room. Honestly, I would not want to have missed any of it for anything. Education Committee meeting, Budget Committee meeting, Orientation Committee meeting, Trustee meeting, GA Forum, and the installation of incoming 2023 TR Chair, Marcus. Before we went to the Installation, my TREPAC peeps met up and had this photo taken. One going out, one just coming in, and three continuing on. It's late, I'm tired, good night! Oh yeah, I finally wore the shirt I bought in Las Cruces!

Volume 14 - Day 258/107, 2022 - Thursday

What is a nominating committee? The term nominating committee refers to a committee that acts as part of an organization's corporate governance. A nominating committee evaluates an organization's leadership (in this example), and examines the skills and characteristics required of the nominated candidates. Today was a long and very rewarding day. It began very early this morning and our PAC nominating committee worked until about 4:30 or 5, making the best decisions we could with the knowledge we had to move the very best Trustee candidates forward. It was long, but it was a terrific exercise, and I believe all members of the committee were at the top of their games, and took the responsibility very seriously. After that work, there were a couple other meetings to attend: A reception and then a dinner with TREPAC Major Investors. It is late, and it will be another early day tomorrow, and I am done for the day. The photo accompanying this entry represents or group at the end of the day. Done.

Volume 14 - Day 257/108, 2022 - Wednesday

Fort Worth is a city in north central Texas. In the late 19th century, it became an important trading post for cowboys at the end of the Chisholm Trail. Today, it's a modern city, with international art institutions like the Kimball Art Museum. The Fort Worth Stockyards are home to rodeos, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors pioneers. No dreams last night, thank goodness! I drove to Fort Worth today, not in any hurry, and got here about 3:30. Not a bad drive at all, I listened to a new book the whole way, and stopped to charge and got in a little nap in the middle. I got checked in to the conference, and then met with my PAC Leadership peeps at 6 o'clock to go over all our stuff for the next several days. A lot of hard work goes in to making everything look easy, and I will be back home on Sunday.

Volume 14 - Day 256/109, 2022 - Tuesday

In dreams, snakes can be primal, sexual creatures, but also oppressors. They can, in venomous snakes, represent death by stealth. They can, however, also mean rebirth through the shedding of one's skin, or relate to health and spiritual problems. And, according to Freud, they may even represent the phallus. Oh Lord, I am pretty sure my dream last night is not based on the primal or phallic. I have been wrong before, though. So, in the dream, I had moved to an older home...not sure if it was a home or a duplex, but it kind of reminded me of one of my first apartments. I remember walking down a long hall, and the windows had roll up shades on them. Somehow, I was then outside, and there was a snake weaving in and out of the spaces on the cyclone fence. A cyclone fence is the kind of fence we had when I was a kid. Anyway, the snake wasn't trying to harm me, and I interacted with the snake for a little while (talked to it), and then I woke up. Okay, I am crazy. SO...I had an electrician out today to see if they can figure out what is going on with my electricity. A guy from Pedernales was out here too. Bottom line, six more circuit breakers fried, HVAC is not working (hopefully it is just a transformer at the furnace). I am not a happy person right now. It is 9:15 and the electrician just left. I have electricity and wifi again, but no AC. I am just going to leave it at, I am not happy. That is not what was supposed to happen.

Volume 14 - Day 255/110, 2022 - Monday

Dreams are a universal human experience that can be described as a state of consciousness characterized by sensory, cognitive and emotional occurrences during sleep. I have always known I experience interesting dreams. I'm an interesting person, so it is only logical that I have interesting dreams. Sometimes I remember my dreams, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I can only remember i my dreams were happy or disturbing. Last night, I had a dream that I think is worth sharing, and if you have any knowledge of what this dreams means to my subconscious, please let me know. In my dream, I bought a pad of paper, that was packaged in a plastic folder, and included with the pad of paper was a variety (three or four) of ink pens with various colors of ink. I know for sure the colors included red, blue, green and grey, maybe others. It seems that this particular package had been bought and returned to the store several times, beginning in 2009, as I recall. Every time the pad was sold, the buyer would write a comment (about a paragraph in length) in the pad, and then return it to the store, where it was sold again. I cannot remember any of the comments, but I do remember that many of the messages contained drawings or little sketches. I don't know if I returned the pad to the store, because I woke up. Now that I am thinking of it, I wonder if the dream has anything to do with this journal that I have been keeping for lo these many years. Hmmm.

Volume 14 - Day 254/111, 2022 - Sunday

The moon can sometimes appear in the sky during the daytime because it is the closest object to earth, and because its orbital cycle means that sometimes it is brighter in the day than at night. Should the words moon and earth be capitalized. Inquiring minds want to know. The photo accompanying this journal entry was taken from my bedroom window this morning about 6:20, just as I was getting up out of bed. I thought it was a pretty nice something to see. Walked with Jay this morning, then went to brunch, then went to visit a couple properties, and back home. I thought the Emmys were on tonight, but Mike let me know it is not until tomorrow night. Now I have to totally rework my evening entertainment schedule. Tomorrow and Tuesday are going to be busy days, and I may need to take a nap in the middle. Otherwise, all is good, and I will try to be more interesting tomorrow.

Volume 14 - Day 253/112, 2022 - Saturday

Fatigue and pain at the injection site are the most commonly reported side effects of the Corona virus vaccine, and overall, most symptoms are mild and temporary. Serious side effects are rare, but may occur. I have found these side effects to be true for me, but after my most recent vaccination (yesterday), I think I have not been too adversely affected. I do find that I have issues with the words affect and effect, and sometime I am confused as to which one is the proper word to use at the time. Whatever. After the walk and estate sales this morning, Jay and I installed insulation on the two garage doors at the Curious House. After we did that, I was done, and I basically went done and passed out for an hour and a half. I was really tired, really sore, and was afraid I was experiencing some negative effects, but after a two hour nap, I was better and made the rest of the night with no issues. At seven o'clock this evening we had the third house concert of the year, and it was fun. A good group of neighbors, some we had never met, and that is the whole purpose of the concerts. Now, I am done for the day. Good night.

Volume 14 - Day 252/113, 2022 - Friday

Well, I got my FIFTH 'rona shot today, and a flu shot. FIFTH. Plus, I got a new Vax Record Card. The first one got filled up back in April. The covid vaccine shot was nothing, I didn't even feel it, but the flu shot hurt. The guy giving me the shots (in the same arm) said most people say the flu shot hurts. I am hoping that I don't feel bad tomorrow, because I have some plans. I was a little bit leery about getting the shots, because historically (or hysterically) I tend to be really tired the day after the shot. Not terrible, but just tired out. Today was a pretty good day, and it was really busy putting out signs and lock boxes. Tomorrow should be a pretty busy day, and I have a couple things planned for Sunday too.But, it will all be good. Our days are getting a little bit cooler...this week the highs have been in the mid-90s, and overnight lows are supposed to be in the high 60s. That'll be very nice. 

Volume 14 - Day 251/114, 2022 - Thursday

Well, there is not a lot to be said that has not already been said hundreds of times today. Today is the day Queen Elizabeth passed away. I wonder if the new Prime Minister is going to be charged with the heinous act? Apparently, her audience with the Queen two days ago did her in. And who would have ever imagined this? I actually unfriended someone on Facebook today that was gloating over the fact that the Queen had died. Very odd behavior, and that comment is coming from me, the KING of bad behavior. It's true! Otherwise, it was not a bad day at all. I watered plants in the front this evening, will water those in the back later on or maybe in the morning, and I will turn the sprinklers back on so they will run on Saturday. 

Volume 14 - Day 250/115, 2022 - Wednesday

Do you think a book you are reading can affect your life? Mrs. Google say yes, books can make a huge difference in your life. By reading, you can get experiences and meet personalities which would otherwise be difficult and maybe even impossible. Books are a collection of thoughts that we can read and re-read. Books are a storehouse of ideas and dreams that someone else has lived or felt, and we can get that just by reading. That is really not the question I was wanting answered, but I think I really already know the answer. I finished reading my most recent book (The Book Thief) while I was driving in to the office this morning. It is a pretty emotional book (to me, anyway), and of course I was crying, which provided immeasurable entertainment to the folks on either side of me while I was at a dead stop on MoPac. But I digress. I think sad books make me sad. I think emotionally draining books drain me emotionally. I think happy books make me happy. I also think these artificial states-of-mind hang around with me for at least a few days. I'm glad I figured this out, so I can work on a work-around. Whatever. The good news is, I might have figured something out. Clouds today. Thunder. Lightning. No rain.

Volume 14 - Day 249/116, 2022 - Tuesday

I have mentioned my Meyer Lemon tree in the past. I was in Home Depot one afternoon, and I forget what department I was in (but it wasn't the nursery section), and someone had left a Meyer Lemon on a shelf. Rejected. Abandoned. Unwanted. Ugh! I felt sorry for it (I think all things have feelings and emotions), so I put it in my basket and gave it a home. Today, I counted twelve lemons on it, the tree (plant) is not more than three or four feet high, but it is doing pretty well. The lemons are almost fist size, and I am waiting for them to turn yellow. I have been assured on many occasions that they will indeed turn yellow. I do not use lemons very much, and I am pretty sure I will give them away, if they ever ripen. It is interesting to watch the progress, though. A good walk this morning, then off to breakfast with the local ROMEOs, then in to the office. I got a good bit of stuff done, but I had a one o'clock and a three o'clock appointment at the house, so I had to make tracks. Overall, things are good, tomorrow will not be quite as hectic. Hoping for a slight chance of rain overnight, we shall see how that works out.

Volume 14 - Day 248/117, 2022 - Monday - LABOR DAY

Omaha Steaks. Apparently, there is no need for a 'best by' date on these, because there isn't one. I am still going through the freezer and refrigerator, eating the oldest stuff first. This particular thing, Breaded Boneless Breast of Chicken with Rib-Meat, Broccoli and Cheese, was given to me by Dan and Nancy before they moved, and it was perfectly good. Established in Omaha, Nebraska in 1917 as a humble custom butcher shop (their words not mine), Omaha Steaks is a fifth-generation, family owned company. It started out as the table Meat Supply Company. I have often considered ordering stuff from Omaha Steaks, but I can't be counted on to remember that there is stuff to eat in the freezer. I had a nice walk with Jay this morning, it was 66 degrees when we left the house. A short nap, then more working in the garage. I have two empty sets of rolling shelves in the garage, and I have offered them to three different sets of people, and no takers. If there is a community wide garage sale in the fall (there was one in the middle of the summer and I refused to participate), I will try to sell them there, with a WHOLE LOT of other stuff that I have since moved into the attic. Almost a half inch of rain overnight, but the chances of rain in the coming seven days is pretty small. Not complaining.

Volume 14 - Day 247/118, 2022 - Sunday

This is my second post with information about Little Free Libraries. Little Free Libraries are free, book-sharing boxes where anyone may take a book or share a book. They function on the honor system. You don't need to share a book to take one. There was a new Little Free Library placed in the neighborhood where Jay and I walk in the mornings, at the front of the amenity center. Amenity center is a rather grandiose name for a parking lot, a pool, a vacant club house and a dog park. But I digress. I placed two books in the new Little Free Library this morning, as I was on my way in to the office. Before that, I was working out in the garage, putting storage boxes up in the attic of the garage. It appears I have an issue with my right eye. I did a good amount of straining to carry some of the heavier boxes into the attic, and as I was getting ready to go in to the office, I discovered I has (apparently) broken a blood vessel in that eye. A couple months ago, I woke up with a black eye, that same eye. I might need to have all that stuff looked at. BUT...I made it into the office, posted rents, and made it to my 1 o'clock appointment. I have another appointment tomorrow afternoon, and plan to do some more work in the garage before I go. It is supposed to rain again overnight and through the day tomorrow, so we will

play it by ear!

Volume 14 - Day 246/119, 2022 - Saturday

Raindrops are shaped more like hamburger buns than globes. As the drops fall, the bottom flattens out and the top remains kind of round. Do you like the way it smells after it Rains? Petrichor is the word that describes the scent of rain. Technically, it describes an oil released from the earth. The word is derived from the Greek words 'petra' (stones of the earth), and 'ichor' (blood of the gods). The basic chemistry of the process is related to decomposed organic materials fused with soil, rock, and minerals, in a chemical brew. Sorry to spoil that for you. I spent the day doing NOTHING. I did go out in the garage a couple times, considering how to consolidate things and lesses the load of it all. I am still thinking. I watched a couple movies, took a couple naps, ate some sliced ham (no bread) that had an expiration date of sometime in 2021. I am fine. It has rained off and on today, so I am happy about that. The only time I went out of the house was to go and get the mail. I do have a few plans for tomorrow, and that will take me out of the house for a while. I have an appointment with a client, and will go in to the office and post rents. On Monday I will be off to visit another property and get it ready for the MLS on Tuesday.

Volume 14 - Day 245/120, 2022 - Friday

Founded as the triweekly Democratic Statesman in 1871, the newspaper was originally allied with the state Democratic party during reconstruction. It became a daily paper in 1873. It absorbed the Austin Tribune in 1914. It also had its fingers in the Austin Statesman and Tribune, the Austin Evening Statesman, the Austin American, until it ultimately became the Austin American-Statesman in 1973. I have subscribed since I moved to Austin in 1985. I mention this history, just to inform you that, in my opinion, it has taken the local newspaper 151 years to be mis-handled and a poor read. My newspaper is NOT delivered at least two or three times per month, sometimes that many times per week. I went a full week with no delivery, I assume because the carrier was ill. No paper twice this wee, they no longer publish on Saturdays or Holidays. So that will make four times in seven days that I have not had a paper delivered. I understand this is just a ploy to eliminate print delivery and force us all to go to the on-line edition, but if I don't get the paper, I frequently forget to log-on to the paper. I am (apparently) hard to please. BUT, I am looking forward to the Holiday weekend, and it is only just beginning.

Volume 14 - Day 244/121, 2022 - Thursday

Top sirloin is a cut of steak that offers good flavor in a thick cut, good for grilling. It doesn't have much marbling, but it has enough to provide good flavor for a steak. Lots of protein in a top sirloin. Yummy. I could never be accused of being a chef, but I do make a good wiener. Instead, tonight I grilled a steak on the stove using one of Jody's cast iron skillets with hash marks (I think) in it, so it looks like it was grilled on a grill. There is plenty of grease splatter evidence on the stove, and, if I do say so myself, it was pretty darned good, although it was a little more rare that I would have liked it. I'm more of a medium guy. Just to be clear, on the off chance that I wake up dead tomorrow, remind the coroner to check the steak bits in my stomach. Plus, there was no expiration date on the steak, and I am pretty sure it was something Dan and Nancy gave me, so that could make it a couple years old, and at best, six or eight months old. But, I repeat, it was good. Nothing much more exciting happened today, but on the good side, nothing bad happened, either.