Volume 15 - Day 243/122, 2023 - Thursday

I checked with the Google Gods, so I know this is true. Potatoes are vegetables. Yep. So...my new craze of vegetable 'chips' and vegetable 'straws' seems to be somewhat anti-climactic. I am also pretty sure that potatoes are different than tomatoes and spinach. Yes, that was on Google as well. Potatoes are a 'starchy' vegetable, but that does not make them bad, necessarily. All I know is, I like the texture and the taste of 'vegetable' chips, those made of tomatoes and spinach (and other veggies), and I do not associate the lack of salt from the 'vegetable chips' with the guilt I feel when I eat a bunch of potato chips. Done with this for now. Not a bad Thursday, the windows at the Curious House were cleaned today, and it really did make a difference. This is the first time in my life (and that is a while) that I have paid to have my home windows washed. While they were here, they also cleaned the solar panels on the roof. That has made a real difference in the energy production. Production took a big jump today, and I am happy about that. It is interesting how many people will start a conversation with you when you paint the dormant grass in your front yard. Lots of comments, lots of interest, lots of laughs!

Volume 15 - Day 242/123, 2023 - Wednesday

I thought it was Thursday most of the day today. It was lovely when I first went outside this morning, 74 degrees and lower humidity. I don't think those moderate temps will last for long, though. Usually, in my mind, September is our warmest (hottest) month, although the weather prognosticators don't agree with that opinion. We are winding up August, and I will  be enjoying a three-day-weekend coming up. I really appreciate weekends now, and that is a relatively new pleasure. I have worked almost my entire working life in businesses that were 7 days a week, 24 hour a day jobs. I guess it all finally caught up with me. Tonight was book club night, and I was the host. Harlem Shuffle. There were eight of us, including Dick and Marge that attended by zoom. Next months book is one I have already read and heartily endorse, Remarkably Bright Creatures. Tomorrow, I am having the windows at the Curious House washed, inside and out. AND, they are cleaning the solar panels on the roof. 

Volume 15 - Day 241/124, 2023 - Tuesday

It's Tuesday, and it seems like it has been a long time since Monday. Today was a good day...watering, breakfasting with the ROMEOs, had a meeting with the CPA, then to the office, then home. I even did a load of laundry this morning before I left for breakfast. There was nothing that needed to be folded or that needed immediate attention after drying, so I just left it until I got home this afternoon. Now many of my clothes smell like some kind of air freshener. Most people I get close to would not complain about that! Tonight, I went to dinner with Linda and Jimmie, we went back to Bon Air in Austin, where they have peel 'em and eat 'em shrimp for 39 cents a piece, and I also had a really good brat and an order of fries. Very, very good, I recommend it. Then, they had never been to Amy's Ice Cream, so we stopped there at the Arboretum, and that was a big hit with the three of us. On the way home, there was a FAQ session, and many of my inner-most secrets were revealed. Okay, that's a lie, because I don't really have any secrets, and that is just the way I like it. Tomorrow is the full moon, so pay attention!

Volume 15 - Day 240/125, 2023 - Monday

Not a bad Monday, started with a nice walk with Peter and Paul. I'm asking that they now introduce me as Mary, so we could be...well, you figure that out. At one point, Paul and I broke into song, and Peter just tried to act like he was not with us. I am killing myself laughing every time I look at the front yard. We have not been able to water the grass (using the irrigation systems) since about the middle of July, and there is no relief in site. So...I had the grass painted today. There is more than one way to get around the dead grass look, and again, every time I look out the window, I laugh out loud. Not sure what the HOA is going to say, probably nothing, but I think it would be hilarious if someone complained. One of the neighbors has already jokingly threatened to report me to the city for using too much water. Tomorrow will be a walk again, a few chores here and there, dinner with Jimmie and Linda tomorrow night, and Book Club on Wednesday. I am a lucky, LUCKY man!

Volume 15 - Day 239/126, 2023 - Sunday

There were three of us walking this morning, me, Paul and Jack. I got home, did some chores, took a nap, and then went off and took care of some things that needed taking care of. I went and ordered some frames for a couple new pieces, went to Costco, got gas in the little white car, and did a little bit of grocery shopping. I was back home and down for another series of naps by 12:30. Tonight was the neighborhood dinner night, and there were 15 of us there. Lots of fun, lots of good conversation, and lots of good friends becoming better friends. There were photos, but so far none have reached my inbox, but I will share if I get them. When we walked out, there was a double rainbow, and that was nice. We did get some much anticipated rain.Much anticipation, not much rain. Four-hundredths of an inch in my gauge, so again, lots of anticipation, but not much rain. The temperature has gone down considerably though, 77 degrees the last time I looked. I don't know when the last time it was that cool at 9 o'clock at night. Very nice.

Volume 15 - Day 238/127, 2023 - Saturday

You might remember me mentioning my friend Terri (Terri Number one, because there are three Terri's in the area, all spelled differently), the lady we see frequently when we are walking in the mornings. Tragically, her house burned down last year, I think around Thanksgiving. The process of rebuilding is going very slowly; the slab was supposed to have been poured in July, and still not done. This past week, they were putting rebar into the foundation prep, and sparks from cutting the rebar set the grass on fire, it burned all her grass in the back, crossed the fence line and burned grass behind her neighbor. There was no water because the water is turned off to pour the foundation, but the neighbors gathered up three extinguishers, so it was contained. OMG! Paul and I had a nice walk this morning, and then I got home, fed the girls and took a quick nap. Then Pam and Diane and I took off and hit three estate sales. We all bought something, and I think I may have actually bought something at all three sales. It was, overall, a pretty darned good day. No mention of the weather, you're welcome.

Volume 15 - Day 237/128, 2023 - Friday

I have used this little weather station as a journal photo a couple times recently, and not until this evening did I notice that it had not switched times when Daylight Saving Time started. BUT...I don't care who you are, it is too hot to be 8:09PM. Jut too hot. I left early this morning and left all my overnight guests at the Curious House. I had a ten o'clock meeting, and I needed to get in to the office first. All worked out just fine, it did not take me too long to get to the office, and all was good. I made it in plenty of time for my 10 o'clock, and my 1:30. I left the office about 2:30, got home and took a few minutes for a nap, and then I met Paulina and Oliver for dinner. Very nice, and I learned a couple things I can do on my phone that Oliver taught me, so that was just extra cool. Estate sales tomorrow, a few things on my chore list, but I think it will be just a chill out in the heat kind of day.

Volume 15 - Day 236/129, 2023 - Thursday

I like Thursdays, mostly because Thursday is the day before Friday. Today is an extra good Thursday, for a variety of reasons, one of which is the fact that the Curious House opened its' doors to friends overnighting. What fun! I worked from home today, a zoom call, some finishing up stuff, and then a nice nap, mid-day. Nancy and Marilyn got here right around 5 o'clock, and we went in to Georgetown for dinner. A quick tour of Georgetown after dinner, which included a drive by the 3D printed homes. Again, I (we) were turned away by security, but Marilyn got a couple photos. It is the largest community of 3D printed homes in the world, I think, and the concept is an interesting one. Ben got here about 9:30, and a lot of time was spent laughing and being totally inappropriate. Being inappropriate is one of my natural skills, and since I have very few skills, I defer to being totally inappropriate and vulgar. I am good at both of those things, and there is no more appreciative audience that the folks that are visiting tonight!

Volume 15 - Day 235/130, 2023 - Wednesday

I am working my way towards more water conservation. We have not been able to use the lawn sprinkler systems here at the Curious House since about the middle of July. As you can see from the photo, the grass is 'dormant.' Dormant is a better word than dead, but I really think that, once we get some rain, it will come back. The area between the sidewalk and the street has always been a little bit difficult to irrigate, so I had the grass taken out, the sprinklers capped off, weed barrier put down and River Rock installed. I think it looks much cleaner, much more beige than the dead grass. I am accepting ideas for some xeriscaping that will be more appropriate for the traditional homes in the neighborhood, not the kind of xeriscaping you would find outside a stucco house in Arizona. We will see what happens. There was a whole group of us walking this morning, Paul is back from his eleven day visit to his son in Colorado, and Peter joined us, as did Jack. A fun group. It was a good day for dog cookies, too, I think there were five pups getting cookies this morning, and that is always a good way to start a day. I'm working from home tomorrow, so the day will be a little easier, not that most of my days aren't easy. 

Volume 15 - Day 234/131, 2023 - Tuesday

We did not hit 100 degrees today, so that streak has ended. The 100+ temperatures have not ended however, and the next seven days shows the forecast to be over 100 degrees each day. Those lucky bastards in south Austin actually got a little bit of rain today, I don't think it was a LOT, but anything is happily embraced. Not a drop here at the Curious House. This morning, there was a hot walk, then a good ROMEO breakfast. It was just me and Jack on both the walk and for breakfast. No issue. I got in to the office about 10:30 and had a pretty darned productive day. A couple errands on the way home, and I am pretty much settled in for the night. Although we had no rain here, we have had some pretty nice winds...knocked over a few plants on the back patio, messed up chair cushions in the front and in the back. Watering is still going on day and night, and I just hope we will be finished with the water restrictions at least by October. Maybe not. I will be in San Antonio for four or five days in September, and I need to figure out how I am going to keep things alive during that absence. While I was in Chicago, only two days, it really took a toll on the plants in the beds. Crazy!

Volume 15 - Day 233/132, 2023 - Monday

This photo could easily have been the photo accompanying the post I did not do on yesterday. In almost 15 years of this journal, I have only forgotten to post a few times, and I am always amazed when it happens. Recapping the day, I did a walk, did a little bit of shopping, and went on a 40 mile search for barbecue. That is a long story, too long for this entry. And, how many ways are there to spell barbecue? Too many, and none of them seem correct. I never did get the barbecue yesterday, either. Today, it started with watering things in the front yard, walking, heading in to the office, put a sign and lock box on a property, put the listing in MLS, finished listening to Harlem Shuffle, bought the barbecue, had a barbecue sandwich, took a ten minute nap. I am having overnight company on Thursday, and that is going to be a blast...just wait til you see the pics! Tomorrow is a day much of the same, and I am not going to mention how hot it is here (106 today), and how badly we need the rain. On Saturday, the lawn chemical people did their monthly application, and noted on the invoice 'Your lawn requires 1.75 inches of water per week.' Well, no shit, Sherlock. You would expect that they would know we are under a irrigation ban, and we have not been able to use our lawn sprinklers for about five weeks. Whatever. I will chat with you all again tomorrow. Maybe. If I remember to take my Prevagen.

Volume 15 - Day 232/133, 2023 - Sunday

Don't freak out, nothing fun or interesting happened yesterday. Plus I forgot to post. Work with it.

Volume 15 - Day 231/134, 2023 - Saturday

I did not mention yesterday that, I was taking a phone call outside the office yesterday (I get kind of loud sometimes), and I was sitting on the curb. I talked with the prospective client about 30 minutes, and when the phone call ended, I could hardly get up. I have no idea what I did, but my back was killing me all day long. After a good nights sleep, it was better, but not great. I did not walk this morning, neither did anyone else, but my back has been improving steadily, and I expect I will be able to get up out of a chair like an ordinary person by Monday. Notice I did not say anything about striving to be a normal person... Just sayin'. I did make it to three estate sales today...after I hit the Georgetown Donut shop. Earlier in the week, I read about the Florence Marketplace, so I took a quick drive there to check it out. I say this chimney on the way there, and thought it would make a good photo to accompany this journal entry. I am fascinated that a home or cabin can burn or otherwise vanish, and the chimney will be all that remains. This is at least the second photo of a chimney I have posted in this journal in the last many years. I think it make for an interesting photo. Once I got home, I cleaned the other two humming bird feeders, and then went down for a nap. Or two. I gnoshed on some this and that (no donuts yet), and now I am thinking about the possibilities of watering the stuff in the back yard. The chances of rain in the coming week are trending downward, and that sucks. We can't even get a decent tropical depression in the Gulf this year.

Volume 15 - Day 230/135, 2023 - Friday

Jack and I had another nice walk this morning, it MIGHT have been a little bit cooler, but it is hard to tell when it is already close to 90 degrees at seven o'clock in the morning. I was not in any particular hurry to get in to the office this morning, so it was a calm and casual morning. I got in to the office about 10 o'clock, got a bunch of stuff done, and left to get my haircut at about 1:30. There was one stop on the way home, and I got in to the Curious House about 3. I did a little bit of this and a little bit of that and even took a little nap with two girls up in the big chair with me. I bought some chicken fingers at HEB on Wednesday afternoon, and I have three left, which will tide me over for at least one more meal. I don't have too many things planned for the weekend; two estate sales and I am planning to take some stuff to Goodwill. I need to clear out some stuff. I have four closets full of clothes, and that is three closets too many. Let's give equal time to the neighborhood cats, shall we? Last night it was pretty much all about the Piglet, so tonight I am sharing a photo of one of the cats I see frequently on my morning walk. There are two orange cats at on house, and I talk to them when I see them, and this one will come around and let me pet it most days. There you have it.

Volume 15 - Day 229/136, 2023 - Thursday

Jack and I had a nice walk this morning, the temperature was not as accommodating as it was yesterday, but it was okay. Just okay. It could have been better. The official temperature in Austin today was 110 degrees (F). Enough about that. Today was also my day to give blood, and I always like that. You could tell that schools are back in session, I was almost late fore my 9:30 appointment, but I walked in to the lobby with one minute to spare. After donating, I went and walked a property, and then headed in to the office. Today is Thursday, which means cheeseburger specials at Sandy's. I like Thursdays. I got home at about 3:30 this afternoon, there were no stops along the way, but traffic was still an issue. I took about a 10 minute nap before it was time to geed the girls and watch the news. I got a new carry-on suitcase via Amazon delivered. The suitcase I took to Chicago (packing light) was just about an inch too big to fit in the overhead, but I did it anyway. It was really not a problem until we were opening the overhead and the suitcase jammed the door, and when encouraged to un-jam, the suitcase trim broke. That was not terrible, but the way it broke made it kind of lethal and sharp. I cut myself on it, and I had to caution everyone that touched it to be careful. That piece is going to be recycled. Ugh. My intention is to QUIT taking so much crap when I travel, so we will see how that works out. The photo accompanying this entry is one of the the Piglet with one of her new squeaky toys. They are all up on the bed in one of the spare bedrooms, and I am not sure exactly how she (or maybe Callie) retrieved it.

Volume 15 - Day 228/137, 2023 - Wednesday

I am sorry to report that, this evening I am not nearly as tired as I was last night, and I have not yet self-medicated to enhance my sleep experience. When I woke up this morning, I thought I might take a look at the last nights post, and even I laughed about it. Sorry, it was fun, but I am much more clear-headed right now. Some of you might remember that, about a week or so ago, I made mention of the fact that the Piglet's squeaky toys could well be a contributing factor to my early demise. A few of you also made mention of the fact that it would be fun to send me a box of squeaky toys, apparently to hasten that permanent condition. Well, last night, when I returned from my quick trip to Chicago, there was indeed a box waiting for me that contained a BUNCH of squeaky toys. The Piglet has not seen them yet, and I have my suspicions of the conspirator, but no one has yet claimed responsibility. I will keep you informed. I was up early, no walk, and I was off to retrieve the girls from the kennel at about 6:30. They were happy (I think) to be home, and we are all back in to our daily routines, no harm done. Then I was off to the Board of REALTORS® for a great two-hour event, the last 75 minutes by Marki Lemons, letting us know (no scare tactics) how AI may or may not affect us all. I have met Marki a few times, and it was fun to see her again, and to talk just a little bit of trash with her. Then off to the office, where I touched everything on my desk, got stuff done, left about 2:30, made a stop at HEB, and then back to the Curious House. It was a full day, it has been a full last five days, and I think things may calm down for the immediate future. Stay tuned.

Volume 15 - Day 227/138, 2023 - Tuesday

And so I say goodby (adieu) to Chicago thi afternoon. I was a pretty long day. Breakfast at 7AM, meetings start at 8 and go until about noon, and the two more training seminars start then and go until 3:20. Shortly after that, John Rosshirt and I was in line for a taxi, and we had no trouble getting to the airport and getting to our gate. We were about an hour early, and that was just fine for me. I actually got home about9:30, watered stuff in the back yard, did a little bit of self-medicating, and I am typing very slowly right now, very similar to how I did it back in the late 1900s. And a good time is being had by all, which is much easier to do since I am the only all that is important at this writing. I think I have expounded enough for one journal entry, and I had better quit before I tell something that is actually true and verifiable. That could leave a mark.

Volume 15 - Day 226/139, 2013 - Monday

One day done, one more day of learning and networking, and then I will be home. Today's session was good, informative, interesting, and sometimes entertaining. Lots of good information shared, and more expected tomorrow. It rained like crazy here today, and it was good to see it. I just wish we could get a rain like this closer to the Curious House. Dick and Marge came in from Buffalo Grove and it was great to see them. They walked from the train station (I think about six blocks, I'm not sure) in the rain to the hotel. They got pretty well soaked...they had one umbrella between them, and Richard was worse than Marge. We took an Uber from the Hotel to an Italian restaurant that has been in the same family for 52 years. They both knew members of the family for years, and it was not anything like a restaurant that caters to tourists. We sat at the 'mafia table,' where Don Margie could have her back to the wall and see everyone that walked through the front door. Great fun! We spent two-and-a-half hours laughing and kidding around, and it was the highlight of my visit to Chicago. We all miss them, and look forward to them getting back to Texas in late October. 

Volume 15 - Day 225/140, 2023 - Sunday

I'm pretty sure it is Sunday, it seems like Saturday was a really long time ago. I was up early this morning, getting a lot of stuff done. It really doesn't matter if you are going somewhere for three days or three weeks, the prep time is all the same. I got up kind of early this morning, there were lots of things to do, and then I was off to the airport and a flight to Chicago. Two flights, really, through Nashville, but no plane change. There were five of us that were 'through' passengers, all going to Chicago for a couple of days of training with the National Association of REALTORS®. I got to the hotel, but there was no room at the end...the first time in a long time that I needed to wait on a room to be ready. So much for my nap. We had a reception tonight, and I am back in the room, calling it a night, and hoping to sleep well. I usually don't on the first night out of town.

Volume 15 - Day 224/141, 2023 - Saturday

On this date in 2013, it was a Monday. Who gets married on a Monday? There was not really a line at City Hall, and we were married by a Republican Justice of the Peace in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Blink and it has been ten years past.

Volume 15 - Day 223/142, 2023 - Friday

Ten years ago today...it was a Sunday, and Jody and I were in Glastonbury, CT. We were being hosted by our very good friends Bruce and Melody Hyllen-Davey. We were joined by many of our good friends from Texas and Florida, and some of our friends were there with us in spirit. It was the day before our wedding, and we were all having a blast. I have been through the photos on my phone, and I don't have a single photo of all of us together as a group. I am inviting you to add a photo or two to this entry, just so we can all remember the fun we were having. There had been a decision (federally) that same sex marriage was now legal. I can remember the exact place I was, and the circumstances surrounding it, when I heard that news. I was in a public place, and I cried like a baby. I never expected that, in my lifetime, I would have been legally able to marry the love of my life. I can also remember, very vividly, the evening (some weeks or months later, not sure) while Jody and I were watching the evening news at the farm, getting down on my knee and proposing marriage to him. We had already exchanged rings, tokens of our love for each other, years before. I never doubted his love for me, but I am not sure what he thought of actually getting married to me at that moment. I do not believe that he was ever sorry for accepting my proposal, and I certainly was not. More tomorrow...

Volume 15 - Day 222/143, 2023 - Thursday

So, here's a question: How many plastic bags of plastic grocery bags does one need before it turns in to the hoarding of plastic grocery bags. Well, I don't have the answer to that question, but I discarded A LOT of plastic grocery bags today. I don't think they are recyclable, but if you think otherwise, let me know. Speaking of OCD, or as I like to say CDO, which puts it in alphabetical order, as it should be...I finished this book of word searches today. I started this book (154 searches) on January 23rd, 2022, and did the whole thing with my pink Barbie pen. I have several more books that have not yet been started, but I may take a break and do something else while I ponder the problems of the world while sitting on the throne. Or maybe not. The weather prognosticator just mentioned that our long awaited El Nino may not happen as we had hoped for. What that does do, however, is to make the possibilities of hurricanes coming up the Gulf more likely. Whatever it takes to get us some rain, we will take it. No damage, just rain. Tomorrow is one of those cluster days, I have three zoom meetings before noon. Clusters.

Volume 15 - Day 221/144, 2023 - Wednesday

My elderly curmudgeonness is festering up to the surface. This morning when I walked outside with the dogs, I could smell the smoke from the Cedar Park fires. At the Curious House, we have been in Stage 3 water restrictions for a while, and will be for at least another 3 weeks. All the areas around have been asking for water conservation, and we are doing what we can. Stopping bathing is a sacrifice I am willing to make. So, I was surprised this morning, during our walk, to see two men from the water department opening up fire hydrants. On my way to the office, I saw them down the street, and I stopped (very politely) to ask them the purpose of letting the water flow. The response was, does your drinking water taste good. Well, you may or may not know that, I do not drink much water, especially tap water, because, well, you know what fish do in water. He explained that they occasionally need to 'bleed the dead water' from the lines, so that our drinking water would be properly palatable. My words, not theirs. In my humble opinion, it is another case of poor planning on the part of the city. Does dead water kill grass? Could it not be directed to some sort of containing truck to be used for another purpose? I never heard of dead water. According to the Googles, there is such a thing as dead water, but not in fire hydrants. Okay, so, whatever...that is it for this post.

Volume 15 - Day 220/145, 2023 - Tuesday

Admittedly, some of these journal entries are more interesting than others, and, unfortunately, this one is not one of them. I don't think. You never know where these words will lead, but here goes. I was up early again this morning, out in the front yard hand-watering stuff. Paul, Jack and I had a good walk, and then we met at 9 o'clock for the ROMEOs breakfast. We sat around and talked for a while after we finished, and then I headed in to the office. There was just a little bitty bit of trauma with some property repairs, but everything worked out in the end, and I was back home by right at 4 o'clock. I did make a quick stop at HEB, I am on a new phase of eating vegetable chips...made with tomatoes and spinach. They don't taste like either one, and they are kind of puffed up...chips and straws. I don't think they are quite as good as the ones I had in Mexico, but they are good. Still hot, no rain in sight, 32 days in a row over 100 degrees, wild fires here and there. This morning, however, during the walk, it was only in the 80's and there was a good breeze. We make the best of what we are handed, and the clouds were really pretty. 

Volume 15 - Day 219/146, 2023 - Monday

I am pondering the fact that my fascination with all things homicidal may be the result more of nurture and not nature. I can vividly remember my mother buying the True Detective magazines (and probably others), and I would be fascinated with them. On one of my recent morning walks, I queried why in those magazines, the publishers would 'black out' the photos of people in the magazines. Just because you could not see the peoples eyes did not really make the people unrecognizable. Just because Clark Kent took off his glasses did not make him unrecognizable. If I passed by Superman on the street, I would likely say 'hi, Clark.' Whatever. I was up kind of early this morning, about 5:30, and I got everything in the front watered before walking. There were four of us walking this morning, and then I had an appointment for the 20K mile service for the little white car. I got there about 8:45 (for the 9 o'clock appointment), and got to the office about 12:15. I think everyone in the office thought I was not going to come in, but I surprised them. I got my disk cleared off, and made it home by close to 4 o'clock. Napping is right up near the top of my list of favorite things to do. 105 degrees here today, not only is it hot, but there are lots of wild fires all around. Nothing too close to the Curious House, and I am thankful for that. A zoom meeting for tomorrow has been cancelled, so I just picked up about a two hour swath of time, I always like that. 

Volume 15 - Day 218/147, 2023 - Sunday

I'm doing my part to curb global food waste. I have spent the weekend eating everything in the house before those food stuffs expire. And, if you know me at all, I don't believe best buy dates are really of any consequence. Right now, I am working on a package of turkey wieners that have an expiration date of sometime in October, 2022. I ate some last night, and I plan to consume more tonight. I'm still punching the keyboard (as I write this journal entry), so I guess I will survive. It was just me and Paul again this morning for our walk, and it was a good walk. I watched Sunday Morning on CBS (Jane Pauly is not really aging that well), and then went to do some errands. I stopped and got a couple cranberry muffins, made arrangements for the girls to stay in the kennel when I am out of town next week, and then went to Walgreen's. I got a letter from them that said one of my prescriptions had been voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer. The letter provided some information about trading it in for another brand, but there were conflicts in the letter, and I have to wait for the new prescription, and to get my money back for the recalled product. Whatever. When I got home, I did a BIG load of laundry (everything I own is now clean), and started a Debbie Reynolds marathon on TBS. Three movies down and at least two more to go before I go comatose. And now if you will all excuse, I have some weenies to microwave.

Volume 15 - Day 217/148, 2023 - Saturday

This morning glory was my reward for the day. It has been well over a month since there has been a bloom, and I was very happy to see it. The vines used to be lush, full and beautifully green, but the drought has taken a toll. We will all survive this, and the morning glories will survive it all as well. Paul and I had a good walk this morning, and that was really the most strenuous thing I did all day. I had three things on my chore list, and I got them crossed off before noon. Tomorrow I will do laundry, and maybe vacuum a little bit...I don't want to over-commit. I did not take a car out of the garage, and I am not sure if I will tomorrow or not. I thought about going to a movie, but there is nothing playing that I care to see. We are under heat alerts, the next seven day high temperatures range from 107 to 109. There are wild fires all around, and some people are being evacuated from their homes, but so far, nothing in the area of the Curious House. I got a bid today for removing the grass between the sidewalk and the street, and replacing the grass with Austin river rock. Then I have to submit that to the HOA. I still have to get three neighbors to initial my request, but I should have that all done by tomorrow. Whatever...

Volume 15 - Day 216/149, 2023 - Friday

Have I told you about the voles? Meadow voles can be found all over the world and throughout Texas. They are ofter on your property to feed on plants and vegetation. They have a preference for grasses, herbaceous plants, bulbs and tubers during the summer and bark and tree roots in the winter. That pretty much explains what happened to the amaryllis that used to be in the back flower beds. I NEVER heard of voles in my life, but I am apparently now one of their favorite people in the neighborhood. I used to have a bird feeder in the back yard, but between the birds and the squirrels, there were always a lot of seeds that were thrown out onto the ground. The girls would eat the seeds, and then they would poop the seeds. SO...I moved the feeder to the front yard, and now the seeds are flung onto the front patio, that the voles consider a seed buffet. Whatever. I have been walking with friends in the neighborhood for at least two years (somebody verify that for me), and I never saw these little vermin til this year. they are not afraid of people, they just sit there and graze as we walk past. Interesting. It's Friday, and I like Friday's. No estate sales this weekend, and I don't know if there is anything much on my chore list, but I may try to take in another couple movies. TBD.

Volume 15 - Day 215/150, 2023 - Thursday

Busy day! A nice walk started it all off, with Paul and Jack. In to the office, touched a bunch of stuff on my desk and got it all taken care of. Entered a new listing, got that all loaded up, did a property management meeting with Kay-Kay and Laura, and a visit in the office with a couple clients. THEN...I had leftover pizza from Tuesday, and left for home early. I got home, did a couple things, and then went BACK in to Austin for a 5:30 Dare-E-Oke TREPAC event at the Austin Board of REALTORS®. It was fun seeing lots of friends, and it was the first time I had a real chance to visit with Teresa in quite some time. Teresa was my first broker, and I was full of questions. I learned a LOT from Teresa, and I still practice things she taught me on a daily basis. Who knew Teresa was that much taller than me, or maybe I am just going through my shrink cycle. Not sure. I did an Irish-exit from the event, and got back home to pay some attention to the girl dogs. All is good, another good day, and just more emphasis that I am a lucky man. Tomorrow will be another busy day, lots of stuff to do.

Volume 15 - Day 214/151, 2023 - Wednesday

I had a lovely lunch meeting this afternoon with some really good friends and dedicated volunteer servants. We all had a big time catching up and plotting for the future; Teresa, Tony, David, Holly, becky and the Soul Patch Guy. After that it was back to the office, getting a little bit more stuff done, and then heading out to put a sign and lock box on a property. Of course, there was a good walk first thing this morning, following watering stuff in the front yard. There was a lot of good discourse with Paul and Peter, but I think we may have come up a little short of solving all the worlds problems. We tried. Still hot, still no rain in sight, but I expect we will survive all this. Tomorrow, the plan is to go in to the office late because I have a function to attend starting at 5:30. I may go in in the morning, come home, and then go back. Time will tell. 

Volume 15 - Day 213/152, 2023 - Tuesday

I will finish the KFC stuff I bought last Friday (I think it was Friday) tomorrow. I started on a quart of milk with a best buy date of July 14th this afternoon. I am working on a People magazine dated April 17th. I am apparently not that up-to-date on many things, and I guess that will just have to do. I will probably get through the magazines at some point. Yes, it is still hot. Yes, I am doing hand watering; front in the mornings, back in the evenings. I bought water bags for the trees the other day, just to give some of them a chance to survive. I am without photos for this journal entry, so you can look at this water bag with awe and amazement. Okay, I changed my mind. When I was in Mexico, I met two couples from Germany, and one couple was Olaf and Marie. I got an email from Olaf today, with some of the photos he took while we were snorkeling. I'll post one of Olaf's photos to this journal entry. I will finish Grace and Frankie tonight or tomorrow, and then I will investigate something else to binge watch on Netflix. For now, I think I will just retire to the big chair, and watch

Finding Your Roots.