Volume 15 - Day 273/92, 2023 - Saturday

It was kind of a busy day today. There was a walk, there was a visit from the house keeper, there were four estate sales, the girls went to the beautiful parlor, I took a nap, did a little bit of this and that here and there around the house, I tried to find some fast food for lunch, and I went to three or four places and refused to wait in the lines. Traffic (both vehicular and pedestrian) was crazy, so I ended up eating turkey wieners at home. I am still having cravings for chicken fingers and/or pizza, or a nasty burger, or all three at once. Instead, I had chicken wieners. I watched a couple movies that were pretty interesting, then I went and got the girls, and then there was the house concert. Next month will finish the third season of house concerts. Tonight was Academy Award Winners, next month will be Texas Swing. There were some new people tonight, and so I think the notices on the mailboxes is working. I am happy about that. I have every intention of taking photos for the journal, and I always (almost always) forget. Tonight Paul reminded me that we need a picture, and by that time, six or eight people had already left. Linda took this photo, she is the shadow at the bottom of the photo. I think tonight was one of the better concerts, everybody was happy, the humidity was not obnoxious, there was a lovely breeze, and there was a LOT of good conversation. I think everybody enjoyed it, and that is all that matters. Tomorrow is another day!

Volume 15 - Day 272/93, 2023 - Friday

Yes, it is still hot. Yes, I did a walk this morning. Yes, I went in to the office. Yes, I bought PowerBall tickets. Yes, the sprinklers are on, and I hope they run as intended overnight. Yes, I got my hair(s) cut this afternoon. That is the interesting thing. I got to my appointment five or ten minutes early, and there was a lady just getting finished up. I started the usual banter with Johnna, which took the lady a little bit surprised, but she came around and started participating. She got finished, paid for her service, and left. I got my hair washed, and my haircut started. The lady came back (about 15 minutes later), and asked if she had told Johnna about when she was at confession in her church, and she lied to the priest while she was in the confessional. She had a kind of wonderment in her voice as she described it, because she was convinced that, because she was lying (is that how you spell that?) to the priest, she fully expected to be struck down, but nothing happened. With that, I was dumbstruck, so I was silent. We were both silent, and then she turned around and left. We were very quiet, fearing that she was maybe listening outside the door, but she wasn't. Interesting. Oh, and go outside and look up, it is the last super moon of the year. I think.

Volume 15 - Day 271/94, 2023 - Thursday

It's weekend eve, and it is also full moon eve. Personally, I am more interested in the weekend part. I woke up a little achy this morning, which I am attributing to my flu shot and my most recent COVID vaccination. I'll blame just about anything but me. Paul and I had a good walk this morning, and the really BIG NEWS is that we can use our lawn sprinklers again, one day a week, starting tomorrow. I turned on Dick and Margie's sprinklers (Friday), Jay and Deb's sprinklers (Tuesday), and mine (Saturday). I had decided this morning that I was going to go onto a every-other-day hand watering cycle, and being able to run the sprinklers will certainly help that become a reality. It will be much the same tomorrow (no watering), and tomorrow night is book club night. I started reading (listening to) another book this morning that I was really, REALLY unhappy for the first several chapters. It is starting to grow on me, but I am still holding back recommendations. If watching the news is not enough, I have decided that my Apple Watch is judging me. Please. Stop it. I know all the stuff, I don't need my watch telling me what to do, too. Whatever.

Volume 15 - Day 270/95, 2023 - Wednesday

As of about 3:15 this afternoon, I have had seven COVID boosters since all this stuff started back in 2020. I also got my old age flu shot this afternoon as well. And...even though my personal doctor is not sure about it, I will most likely get the RSV shot in a week or two. If there is a vaccine, I will be in line to take it. Still hot. Still humid. Still no rain. We had a good walk this morning, and when we walk, I carry dog treats with me. It is always interesting which people refuse (is that too strong of a word) letting their dog have a treat, but other dogs recognize us from a block away. This particular dog is unleashed about a block away and makes a mad dash for his treat. His name is Thor, and it is always fun seeing him. Photo courtesy of Peter. Overall, not a bad day, I finished my book, I was happy with it from the very beginning, and I have not yet downloaded my next book, but I have picked it out, Enough. It should be pretty good. I think I may need to start watering tomorrow, doggone it. I may go to an every-other-day schedule, since it is not over 100 degrees every day. I hope that will work. By the way, I did not even feel the shots this afternoon, but the familiar muscle soreness kind of thing is setting in. It'll all be okay.

Volume 15 - Day 269/96, 2023 - Tuesday

I am proud to report that today was a good day. A good walk this morning with Jack and Paul, a good ROMEO breakfast, a good day in the office, a good day clearing up some stuff at the kennel (I have been interviewing homes-away-from-home for the girls), and then back home. The weeds in the front and side beds were out of control (I let them get that way because I am lazy), and I had all the weeds pulled and got mulch added. It looks great, I hope it does not all wash away when (not if, when) we get some more rain. That should be in about ten days. Not this coming Friday, but the Friday after that. By that time, I will be in Playa for a week, and the girls will be couch-surfing between Val, Paulina and Ollie's house, and the kennel. I have even discovered a way to reduce their kennel time by a day? Perfect. Did I mention that I got my 2022 Income Tax filed today? Yep. Overall a good day. And here is the icing on the cake: I know I had a picture of a morning glory on this journal a couple weeks ago, but I saw this one this morning, and I could not resist. The heat and lack of rain has taken a toll on them, but they really like the rain, so I wanted to share. This makes four blooms in the last three months or so. You have to appreciate whatever you get!

Volume 15 - Day 268/97, 2023

Well, there was a pretty good storm last night. The lightning show was really interesting, and we were lucky here at the Curious House, nothing broke. The hail was coming down sideways, and I was relatively sure that some of the windows in the house were going to shatter. Honestly, there is no real damage that I can find. A little south and east of us did not do so well, hail measured at 3.75 inches did a lot of damage. Imagine a hard, softball size piece of hail coming down at over 100 miles per hour. That will leave a mark. There is talk that it will be the most expensive hail storm in central Texas history. The photos are really impressive, and again, I am a really lucky person. I did not walk this morning, everything was late, and by the time the walk started, I was back in the house, in the big chair with two dogs all over me, watching the news on tv. Tomorrow is another day. The office was pretty quiet, I had a couple errands to run on the way home, and I got all that done with no issues. It is still really hot and humid, and there is a cold front supposed to come through overnight. Or maybe it was last night? I can't keep up. It had better cool down soon, or I will get even grumpier! The Texas Sage is doing its' job, though. Texas Sage blooms when it rains, sometimes a day or two before and a predictor, but it is always beautiful. Enjoy!

Volume 15 - Day 267/98, 2023 - Sunday

We are getting ready to have a storm here, lots of lightning, nothing else yet, but we all hope it doesn't disappoint us. I was down at Linda and Jimmie's, watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I expect I could watch it, but I get all wrapped up, and cannot quit. I think I have Amazon Prime...I have Amazon Prime, so I think that means I have the kind of Amazon Prime that let's me watch those programs. I will have to try harder to figure it all out. When I woke up this morning, I was not particularly motivated to do anything, I just did not feel like if. After the walk, I did a few things around the house, and then I had a burst of energy. I went to brunch with Candy and Alisha, and then I went back to one of the estate sales I went to yesterday. What I went back for was gone, but I got some things that I did not even know I needed. You just never know what you need. Later in the day, I made appointments for my next Covid booster and Flu shots. Wednesday at 3 o'clock. The coming week should be kind of quiet, just the way I like things, and I hope it all falls into place the way it looks. I will let you know if we get any good rain.

Volume 15 - Day 266/99, 2023 - Saturday

Well, crap. The weekend is half over. I got up this morning, and did some chores here and there, before I walked the neighborhood with Paul. Our walk was a little bit delayed, because Michael (Dick and Margie's son), was at their house moving some of his stuff out of the garage. Well, as the Gladys Kravitz of the neighborhood, I had to stop and chat. I have met Michael a few times, knew who he was, so we just talked a while. We were just surprised to see a car in the driveway, but it was all innocent. The walk was good, but too hot and too humid. Just a little while after finishing the walk, Marian, Diane, Pam and I hit four estate sales. The last one might be worth going back to tomorrow, you never know. I did find a few treasures at the sales, and as far as I am concerned, it was a win. Apparently, I can never have enough monkeys. I was nekkid for most of the day, since I was doing laundry. When I do laundry, I DO laundry. All the laundry. The only thing in the house that is still dirty is me and the dogs. Brunch tomorrow, then a few more chores to get finished. Hopefully we will get some rain on Monday, and maybe even a little bit cooler weather next week. It will certainly be welcome.

Volume 15 - Day 265/100, 2023 - Friday

Okay, it is officially the weekend. A good walk this morning, me, Jack, Paul and Peter. It was hot. I think today is the first day of fall, but apparently Texas did not get the memo. It was calm in the office, and I got home this afternoon and went down for a nap. For dinner, I had leftover catfish from dinner Tuesday night, and there is still some left. I got all the beds in the front and back watered, and then I went to Dos Mangos for some ice cream. I think I will have a good nights sleep tonight, I am a little bit tired. While I was watering in the back this evening, I spied this Morning Glory. There have not been any blooms at all in the last few months, it has just been too hot. The foliage is filling out better now where it had all died back, but I think that is a result of the rain water last week, not the city water. I believe that plants react to rain water better than city water, and I think it is because of a different pH in rainwater. I think I read that somewhere, I am not smart enough to make something like that up. Four estate sales tomorrow, I have to do laundry over the weekend, Linda and Jimmie want to go look at the 3D printed houses in the Wolf Ranch area. It is all pretty much a work in progress for the weekend, don't want to make it too structured!

Volume 15 - Day 264/101, 2023 - Thursday

Okay, another 100 degree day today...I told y'all we have been experiencing 'fake fall,' and indeed it has been. Maybe cooler weather next week, and maybe some rain next week. We had a good walk this morning, me and Jack, and Paul caught up with us a little bit late. I had no meetings or zoom calls today, so things were not nearly as pressing in the office. I started a new book today, Red, White and Royal Blue, and so far it is pretty interesting. It has a gay theme, and it is also political, so two of my favorite subjects. I think it has been made into a series on one of the streaming networks, and I will check that out at another time. Tonight was our monthly neighbors dinner, we went to Whiskey Cake in Round Rock, and it was good. There were eleven of us, and it was fun. For dessert, we had the Whiskey Cake, and it was really good, with fresh whipped creme. Yummy. Judy has ribs, so I brought rib bones home for the girls, and they were quite excited. I got everything in the front and back watered, so I am about ready to just slow down and sit in the big chair with a Diet Coke in one hand and the TV remote in the other. What could be better, what more could a person want?

Volume 15 - Day 263/102, 2023 - Wednesday

I have a new plan. The plan is to water the front beds and the back beds in the evenings. I used to water the front in the morning, and the back at night. This way, I will have more time to do other stuff in the mornings, and (maybe) feel a bit less busy. Yeah, that's it, busy. This morning we did our walk, and then I took a little time to do a few things, before I headed in to the Board of REALTORS® for their premier Diversity Summit. Good information in a good format. Then it was off to the office, where it was like a bunch of gnats swarming around all of us, and we kept swatting at them but we couldn't smash them. It finally got to the point where things quieted down, and I headed home. There were no errands to be done on the way, so I got home, ready to get a couple other things done. Tomorrow is trash day (no thanks, I have my own), so I trimmed back some plants this afternoon, and put a couple other out of their misery. The heat of the summer has just taken a real toll on potted plants, so we will see if the ones I cut back make a nice recovery. Tomorrow night will be the neighbors dinner, we are going someplace I have never been, Whiskey Cake, and that will be fun. Everyone that has been there says it is good, so we will check it out. They are threatening 100 degree temperatures again for the next several days, and maybe a little bit more rain net week. Fingers crossed for the rain.

 

Volume 15 - Day 262/103, 2023 - Tuesday

I miscalculated my timing this morning; I had a 9 o'clock appointment in Austin, and I needed to leave the Curious House not later than 7:45. I realized that in the middle of our morning walk (just me and Jack), so I abbreviated my walk in the middle. The walk usually ends about the time I needed to leave, but abbreviating the walk worked out just fine. I actually got the the appointment about twenty minutes early, but you NEVER know what the traffic conditions will be like between here and there. After the 9 o'clock, I have an 11 o'clock zoom and a 1:15 conference call. The call lasted much longer than I had expected, but I was able to leave the office about 2:30. I was meeting Linda and Jimmie at 4 for a ride out to the farm and dinner. We lolly-gagged here and there, and had dinner in Walburg at Dale's Essenhaus. I had catfish, collard greens and navy beans. Yummy. Too much food, and I have three BIG pieces of catfish and the rest of the collard greens in the refrigerator. On the way back, we stopped at Berry Springs Park, and talked to the burros. It is not often that you can squeeze two asses into one photo! There were lots of reminiscences about stuff Jody and I used to do, where we used to do it. It was a long walk down the memories in my head. Tomorrow will be a bit slower, I am attending a four hour Diversity Program at the Austin Board, then maybe to the office, maybe not. We shall see.

Volume 15 - Day 261/104, 2023 - Monday

It was cooler this morning (66 degrees), but it was extra humid. We did our walk, and then I got home and did all my daily chores, and left for the office about 8:45. All was good in the office, and I touched everything that needed to be touched, and left prety close to 2 o'clock. I drove by two properties, just to lay eyes on them, and I have to admit, I was disappointed with the progress at the second one. Things happen slower and slower and slower. I had to stop at Costco, and between Costco and the Curious House, I finished listening to my most recent book. 32 hours of listening. It was exhausting. Well written, but extracting an emotional toll. If you want to read (or listen to) a really well done and exceptionally depressing book, let me know and I will share the information with you. Linda and Jimmie asked me to go to dinner with them tonight, 600 Degree Pizza in Georgetown. Very good. The neighborhood dinner is coming up on Thursday, and that will be fun to hang with the neighbors. After the recent rains, some of the native wildflowers are popping up. At the farm, we had 'rain lilies' or 'blood lilies' that came up profusely after a good rain. They were lovely, and they were much more prolific than the ones here. I don't know the name of these, but they are delicate and beautiful, so I hope you enjoy them.

Volume 15 - Day 260/105, 2023 - Sunday

It was right about 70 degrees (with 100% humidity) this morning when Paul and I went for our walk. After the walk, I did some chore things around the house before I met Alisha and Reuben for brunch. I had a list of things to get accomplished before 3PM, and I got it all done. I had budgeted myself an hour for the visit to HEB, and it took most of that time. I went up and down the aisles, it was really the first time I did any serious shopping since the new store opened. I spent over $150, and more than 30% of that was on dog food. I think the girls need a variety of food, because I know I would get bored if I ate the same thing every morning and every night. I thought the movie I wanted to watch (Bells Are Ringing) started at 3 o'clock, but it actually started at 2:45. I missed about the first ten minutes, but I have seen this movie about 15 times, so it was no tragedy. There are a LOT of good songs in the movie, starring Judy Holliday and Dean Martin. There is more of a personal story for me with this movie, and you can ask me about it sometime, if you want to. After that was Summer Stock with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. I will always watch a Judy Garland movie if I can, and Sunday afternoons are perfect for that. It is actually not oppressively hot outside, so I went out and sat on the back patio and watched the sun fade and listened to my book. I will finish that book tomorrow, and I will wait a couple days before starting a new one. The photo accompanying this entry is a frog. Can you see it? It was barely in the street this morning during our walk, so I scooped him up and put him out of harms way. There was some life left in him, and I hope he recovered.

Volume 15 - Day 259/106, 2023 - Saturday

Over the last several days, there have been just over 2.5" of rain at the Curious House. Lovely. I don't think there is any more in the near-term forecast, but this should do us for a little while. I hope even the Highland Lakes have risen an inch or two. Fingers crossed. After the walk this morning, I crossed a few chores off my list, and Judy, Pam, Diane and I hit two garage sales. I think we all walked away with a treasure or two. I had a ticket to go see A Haunting in Venice, but there was a severe weather warning, and I decided I would rather be at home than in a movie auditorium if there was a bad storm. I got home, took a nap, and woke up and the worst of the weather had passed. I made it to the movie, and I have to admit it was pretty good. Apparently, Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot is receiving very good review. It was an interesting and visually very beautiful film. I wish it had made me yearn to visit Venice, but all I could think of was the toxic levels of mold and mildew. Dammit! Plans for tomorrow are sparse; a walk, brunch, maybe Costco (maybe not), and a couple boorish things around the house. So glad I have been granted a break from trying to keep the landscape alive, at least that that has not already died. Hopefully, the recent rains will mark a climate change for the better. Lovely clouds are still lingering...

Volume 15 - Day 258/107, 2023 - Friday

We have a little more rain at the Curious House...0.52" since this morning, and there is a pretty fair chance (50/50) that we will have some more, maybe overnight, but more likely early Saturday morning. It might disturb my estate sale plans, but that is not terrible; rain and saving money, all rolled up into one. I got in to the office about 9:30 this morning, after Jack, Paul and I had a nice walk. I had an 11:30 meeting (see photo), and it was a really quiet day, so I went home after that. I should have stopped at the post office on the way home, but I forgot about it, so I will have to do it in the morning. Once I got home, I leaned back in the big chair with a couple girl dogs, watched a couple movies (when I was not taking a nap), and paid little attention to anything else. The girls and I had a nice bit for dinner, and I am preparing myself for a quiet night. The photo with this entry is the view after my 11:30 meeting adjourned. This is the Board Room at the Austin Board of REALTORS®, a room that I spent a lot of time in since we opened it on January 1, 2015. Always g

ood times.

Volume 15 - Day 278/108, 2023 - Thursday

Welcome to Weekend Eve! I don't want to sound selfish or grouchy or anything; in the last 24 hours, we have received 1.25" of rain at the Curious House. That is great, but other parts of Austin, where I was driving home in the middle of it, got LOTS of rain this afternoon, and the roads and streets are dry the nearer I got to the Curious House. There are still chances of rain for the next two or three days, so I have my fingers crossed. Since today is Thursday, we maintained the office tradition (which is hit-and-miss at best), and had Cheeseburger Specials from Sandy's on Barton Springs Road. Very yummy. In the late afternoon, I headed to a TREPAC event at a place called Brewtorium in North Austin. I stayed for a respectable (almost) thirty minutes, and then I headed home, in the torrential rain. The further north I got, the less the rain was, until alas, there was nothing in Georgetown. Tomorrow has a meeting or two on the calendar, and then it will be the weekend. I am looking very forward to that. I bought my ticket to A Haunting in Venice, and as of this morning, mine was the only pre-sold ticket. I may have the whole auditorium to myself. The photo accompanying this journal entry is me and Eileen at the TREPAC event tonight. Hearts, hearts, hearts!

Volume 15 - Day 256/109, 2023 - Wednesday

RAIN! Well, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but when I went out to water this morning (5AM), it was sprinkling. It did not last, and when we started our walk, there was no evidence of wet. There was no accumulation in my rain gauge, so it was an official 'trace.' On the way in to the office this morning, there was actual rain, but it was kind of spotty. but it was rain, as you can see with the photo that is accompanying this journal entry. It was all over by about 10 o'clock this morning, but there is some chat about more rain overnight, and into the weekend. My radar app looks like it could rain this evening, and it would be all over by about 9:30. Better than even chances at least. My real hope is that we get some rain and I won't have to water for three or four days, that would be lovely!The cloud cover and the tiny bits of rain kept the temperatures down to the low 90's today, and we can't complain about that. I am already planning for the weekend, and I think I will be going to a movie, A Haunting in Venice looks promising, and there are plenty of showtimes at the Georgetown theater. Anybody want to join me? 

Volume 15 - Day 255/110, 2023 - Tuesday

Walk. Hot. ROMEO breakfast. Drive to Austin. Office. Lunch Appointment. Process Invoices. Say no. Say yes. Present applications. Drive to Curious House. Stop at Post Office. Let girls out. Take a nap. Feed girls. Feed self. Watch news. Eat cookies. Watch Wheel of Fortune. Add 'learn how to use filter on iPhone.

Volume 15 - Day 254/111, 2023 - Monday

Today was a pretty good day, a nice walk, and nicer than usual because the temperatures were more moderate, and the humidity was lower than usual. In fact, on the way to the office, I put the top down on the little white car. There was a pretty good bit of work to do in the office today, but I was able to leave and head back to the Curious House about 2 o'clock. I had plans for dinner with Jimmie and Linda, and we went back to Bon Air in Austin for boiled shrimp, and I also had a beef kabob. Very good. After dinner, we drove around the neighborhood for a few minutes, and we saw Terri and John at their new house, so we stopped and talked with them for a while.Their house is going to be great. After that, I took the girls outside while I watered stuff in the back yard. When I was in San Antonio the last several days, my friend Nessie brought me some baby dolls to add to my collection. They are still out in the garage, acclimating to their new surroundings, and I expect I will bring them in the house over the weekend. I need to find suitable space for them. 

Volume 15 - Day 253/112, 2023 - Sunday

I was up a little bit early this morning, got most of my stuff packed before going to the Board of Directors meeting. I went to the lobby for something to eat, and sat with Joel, Avis and Harry while I ate a bowl of eggs, bacon and potatoes. I got the the meeting early just to hang around, and the meeting was over about 11:45. The business of the association is over for this meeting. I left for home about 12:30, and I stopped again at Buc-ees in New Braunfels for a charge, and listened to more of my book. I picked up the girls from Pauline, Val and Oliver's (who take great pride in spoiling them), and I think I was home by 4. There was an alert on the thermostat that said I needed to change the battery, which would have been fine, but I could not figure out how to open it the change the battery. The owner's manual was no help at all, but Mrs. Google came through like a champ. All is good now on the home front. New subject...People who mispronounce the word 'REALTOR®' make REALTORS® crazy. I looked this up before, when I used to guide classes, and this is the answer to the question, Why can't people pronounce the word REALTOR®? Because it has two consonants in a row. There you have it. The photo accompanying this entry is a group shot of the TREPAC Major Investor event last night. Time to put this and myself to bed. Good night! Oh, one more thing...the wifi at the hotel SUCKED...it is SO nice to be back home with decent wifi.

Volume 15 - Day 252/113, 2023 - Saturday

Today was a pretty easy day. I had an 8:30 meeting, and then I was off until late afternoon. First thing this morning was our Regional Caucus. Interestingly, we were told today that this would be our LAST Regional Caucus, and that going forward, all the Regions would hold a combined caucus. Not exactly sure how that will work, since Texas is a big place, and we have, not only geographic differences, we also have differences that are not shared by other Regions. We shall see. Then there was the trade show, where I collected several pairs of sun glasses. After the trade show, I went with friends to a bunch of estate sales. Estate sales here (San Antonio) are a LOT different than in Georgetown. I found a few treasures, so that was a success. Also, Vanessa (aka Nessie) delivered some items that I had bought from her a while back. I have a BUNCH more creepy babies at the Curious House. This evening was the TREPAC event, and it was the first time I put the condo into a fundraising auction. I was concerned that it would not be a very popular item, but it sold for over $3,000. Four days and three nights in Playa, sold to one of my favorite people, Holly. Now, it is time to call it a day. The photo accompanying this entry is Holly and me, having a great time just hanging!

Volume 15 - Day 251/114, 2023 - Friday

Okay, my day is done, and it has been a busy and a good day. My first meeting was at 8:30 this morning, and it ended about 9:30 this evening...and I left early! The day is still going on for some of my colleagues! Coffee and Convo, Leasing Forum, Leasing and Property Management Meeting, Legislative Recap, Political Involvement Luncheon, another Legislative Recap, Governmental Affairs Forum, and the installation of our new Texas REALTORS® Chairman. Busy, busy, busy. There was a lot of fun combined with all the meetings and forums, and there have been a lot of photos taken, many with my new 'fake face,' which means a normal, happy face, instead of the usual photos I am in with my tongue hanging out, or just 'making' a face. So, there are lots of double photos: fake face and real face. I have had some concerns about which photo to post with this journal entry, and I have decided to use this one, so you can all get the benefit of my new sombrero. Enjoy! 

Volume 15 - Day 250/115, 2023 - Thursday

It has been a full day, and it is time to go to bed. I got up this morning, got all my routine stuff done, but there was no walk for me. Too much to get done. I made it in to the office about 10:30, and left for San Antonio about 11:30. Even though I did not really need to charge, I stopped at Buccee's in New Braunfels and charged the car, and took a quick little nap while I was there, listening to my book. I made it to San Antonio at about 2 o'clock, got registered, and have been to a couple meetings and a reception or two. My first meeting on Friday is at 8:30, so I am done for this day.

Volume 15 - Day 249/116, 2023 - Wednesday

The house is very, VERY quiet right now. Kind of unnatural. The girls are bunking with Paulina, Val and Ollie, where they will be totally spoiled for the next four nights. I am driving to San Antonio tomorrow for a few days of meetings with the Texas REALTORS®. I will get all my usual, obsessive stuff done tonight and tomorrow morning, and then I will not pay attention to that stuff for a couple day. I won't even be walking tomorrow, I am reserving that time for packing. There was nothing too much out of the ordinary today, it has been a long time since I shared photos of wrecks, but there have been plenty of them. This one put a little strain on travel time this morning, even though there was nothing on the highway, it was all on the service road. As long as we were going slowly, why not take a photo? In the morning, after I leave the Curious House, I have a couple errands to run, one of which will be to get the car washed. It should be a pretty calm day, I am listening to a book, which I appreciate the writing style but not that crazy about the content, and I will end the day with friends and colleagues in the Alamo City. Stay tuned!

Volume 15 - Day 248/117, 2023 - Tuesday

It was hot and humid this morning for our walk; me, Jack and Paul. While composing this journal entry, the weather prognosticator just said the coming forecast is getting more and more awful. Worser and worser. There is also a 'tease' that we might get a little bit of rain next week, and next Thursday, the forecast high temperature is 95 degrees. Fingers crossed! The ROMEO breakfast did not happen, the restaurant was closed because of a gas leak. The neighboring businesses were open, so apparently they were not afraid of the building exploding. Since there was no breakfast, I got into the office earlier than usual for a Tuesday, and there was plenty of stuff to do, and I got everything I needed to do, done. On the way home this afternoon, I had a couple errands to run, and then I got home and chilled out for a little while. The wonders of air conditioning. I just looked at my calendar for tomorrow, and there are plenty of blanks there, so it looks like it will be an okay day. The Piglet does not know it yet, but I am about to take her into the bathroom and wash her face. She hates that, but she has a short memory, and gets over it quickly. When I took the girls out for the last time last night, they were both going a little berserk, and I finally figured it out; there had been an opossum in the back yard, and it retreated to the stone wall, where it just taunted them both until it retreated to one of the neighbors. Freak city!

Volume 15 - Day 247/118, 2023 - Monday (Labor Day)

Happy Extra Day Off, Y'all! Not as if too many of us actually took the day off, but, whatever. Peter, Paul and I took a nice walk this morning, and it was HOT and MUGGY. Not that I want to keep talking about the weather, but it was. After the walk, I did a few things around the house, and then I headed in to Austin to check stuff out, by way of Georgetown Donuts and HEB for some gas for the little white car. Traffic was not at all bad, and I made it in to the office with no issues. On the way back to the Curious House, I stopped at a battery place in Round Rock, to get a battery for a little clock I got yesterday at the estate sale, and then I stopped at Aldi, just to check it out, more than anything. I am conflicted. The three HEBs within five miles of the Curious House are HUGE. Not just big and overwhelming, they are HUGE. I am intimidated by them. I don't buy hundreds of dollars with of grocery items every week, so I just buy a few things, mostly milk, dog food and some prepared meals. Walking from the parking lot to the dairy section in these stores is about a twenty minute excursion. SO...I decided to check out Aldi, a small grocery in Georgetown. It's a chain, but it is small. They have skim milk (positive), and some prepared foods (positive). It is interesting that, there seems to be no organization to where stuff is in the store. There is cereal on several different aisles, same with cookies, canned beans, just random stock in random places. A bit confusing. PLUS, and this is not a really big deal, but you have to rent the shopping carts. You put a quarter in to get a cart, then you get your quarter back when you return the cart and chain it up to the other carts. Okay. But who carries change these days? AND...they don't have any kind of bags without the purchase of the bags. I am conflicted, and I doubt that I will get any sleep tonight.

Volume 15, Day 246/119, 2023 - Sunday

I had a burst of energy this morning, after my walk with Paul. It did not include pulling any weeds in the front and side beds, and I will cross that off my list, because I have the name and phone number of someone to hire to do it. I figure all my daily watering is keeping all the weeds alive, and that is my part, and I am doing it very well. Before Paulina, Val and Ollie picked me up for brunch this morning, I did two more loads of laundry (a remarkable accomplishment for me), spot vacuumed a few places, remade the bed, took care of a lot emails that I had been putting off, and a few other various things. I felt quite satisfied with my performance. We went to Blue Corn Harvest in Georgetown for brunch, and we always have a good time when we get together. After brunch, we went BACK to the estate sale I went to TWICE yesterday, and the painting I had my eye on was gone when we got there. Just as well, I will need to start hanging art from the ceiling soon. After the estate sale, we went to Costco, where Paulina added her name to my account, and we all acted like a bunch of kids in a candy store. I had every intention of taking a photo of the four of us for this journal entry, and I even mentioned it to Val, but, as usual, I forgot about it. Apparently, I was as unexciting exactly a year ago, today, and the photo accompanying this entry is from 365 days ago.

Volume 15 - Day 245/120, 2023 - Saturday

Every morning when I am watering stuff in the front beds, these little bumblers are busy pollinating this and that. I don't know exactly what kind of bees they are, but they are big and plump, black and yellow. I get right in there with them to water stuff, and so far they have not bothered me and I have not bothered them. There was only one state sale today, and Pam and I were joined by one of the Judy's (there are multiples), and we had a great time. We all walked away with something(s), and it was fun. The rest of the day was calm and cool, and I did not do much of anything, although I did manage to get one contract finished...after LOTS of negotiating, but it is done, and that is another good thing for the day. I am authoring this journal entry a little bit early because there is a Don Knotts movie on at 7, so that will be it for the rest of the evening.

Volume 15 - Day 244/121, 2023 - Friday

Welcome to September, y'all. My mood was much more pleasant today, compared to yesterday, even though A). the internet was down when I got up and B). My Keurig coffee pod exploded while it was brewing, and my first sip of coffee was all coffee grounds. Blechhh. I was just a little bit stressed yesterday, but both days ended up well, don't forget, I am a lucky man. There were four of us walking this morning, and it was less humid, less hot, but there was still evidence of glistening before it was all over. As the first day of the month, it was a little bit busy in the office, and that was good. I did make it out at about 1:30, and there was a 'one day' estate sale in Georgetown, and I got to it about 15 minutes before they closed. I got one thing for free (cat sculpture, made in England, with a chipped ear), and half a set of bookends, bronze cast, named the Jester. $5. I looked it up when I got home, and it is a pretty well known piece, and it was cast in 1925. A pair would sell for $100-$150, so I am really happy with my $5 purchase. I like it a lot. There is one more sale tomorrow, and I have a few things on my list of chores, nothing that requires thought or muscle, so it should all be okay.