Volume 16 - Day 361/5, 2024 - Thursday

So, the day after Christmas was nothing too exciting. Calm, no hysteria or anything like that. It was very foggy this morning when I got up, and after our walk, my hair was soaking wet. It stayed grey and misty through most of the morning, and the sun did come out about 1 o'clock. I got some work done in the office, and that was good. I had an opportunity to speak with a couple of our Landlords, and a couple tenants, but all was good. I have been feeding the girls mail-order dog food for at least the last four months or so. I started with Farmers Dog and now they are eating Nom Nom. I had a LOT of store bought dog food that I took in to the office, and Carrie and Kerry took some of it. I then headed to the Georgetown Shelter, but they said they no longer accept food. Interesting. SO...Marian and Ronnie got what was left of the dog food, and now I know it won't just spoil sitting in the garage. Right now, I am not planning on going in to the office tomorrow, but I do have one appointment in the late morning. It all depends on how the appointment goes as to whether or not I go in to the office. We shall see. The photo accompanying this entry was taken on this date a year ago, I seem to be falling down on the photo taking.

Volume 16 - Day 360/6, 2024 - Wednesday - Christmas Day

Merry Christmas everybody, I hope you all had a great day. Personally, my day was just the way I wanted it to be, I went for a walk this morning, and then I did not leave the house again until Richard and Marge and I went to Wasabi in Georgetown for dinner. Otherwise, I sat in the big chair with the two girls and watched television and took naps all day. It was not a really great day in central Texas to do anything else, I do not think there was a minute of sunshine today. All grey, gloomy, damp and chilly. That's pretty much it, short and sweet, in and out and nobody gets hurt. More tomorrow.

Volume 16 - Day 359/7, 2024 - Tuesday

There has been a lot of food consumed today. After our walk this morning, we went and enjoyed our ROMEO breakfast. There were five of us today, Rick, Richard, Paul, James and me. Monument Cafe was busy, but we got a table pretty quickly, and we all had a great time. The modus operandi has always been that the Total Stranger Tuesday would feature a lady or two, but today, there was a table full of Highway Patrol men, and since I had not yet been arrested in Georgetown, I decided to test my luck. It was not unanimous that they would be okay with me taking an ussie, but the one hold-out caved, and I got the photo. The other ROMEOs encouraged the men, and applauded when the deed was done. After breakfast, I went down for a nap with the girls, and at Noon:15, Jimmie and Linda picked me up and we went to lunch at the Salty Sow in Austin. I had a good burger, no top bun, and that kind of put me over the top, food consumption wise. We rode around a while after lunch, and made a stop at Trader Joe's in northwest Austin, and then headed home. Just in time for another nap. I have no real plans for tomorrow, except for our morning walk, and that is just fine with me. Nothing to worry about. I will talk to y'all later...

volume 16 - Day 358/8, 2024 - Monday

It was a very nice day today in central Texas. About 46 degrees when I got up and took off for our walk, and the temperature reached 78 degrees. I swear I heard the weather prognosticators say there was a cold front coming through, but every day in the seven day forecast says it will be in the mid to upper 70s. Not bad, this is when the weather in central Texas is really nice. Not so much in July and August. All was good in the office today, and I had an appointment with the pest control company (mice or other vermin in the attic), so I left about 1:15. They did not show up. I called, they did not answer. They can't say they were here and I wasn't, I have cameras, and I know exactly who was at my house today, and none of them were the pest control guys. Whatever. I went out to check the mail a few minutes ago (after 6PM) and there was nothing in the box. As I was walking away, the carriers were just pulling up. We really miss our regular carrier, we all liked her, but she is out with an injury, and just hope she makes it back soon. Tomorrow is going to be a fun day, I think. First a walk, then the ROMEO breakfast, then lunch with Jimmie and Linda at the Salty Sow in Austin. Never been, it should be interesting. Should be well fed by this time tomorrow... Also, I will try to do a better job of taking photos for these journal entries...

Volume 16 - Day 357/9, 2024 - Sunday

It turned out to be a beautiful day in central Texas, and Richard, Paul and I started it out with a nice walk. It was in the mid 40s, and that did not require gloves or a hat. Very nice. After the walk and after I fed the girls and myself, I put the plants back outside, front and back. Then, I started watching Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley, but it did not really keep my attention. So...I went out in the garage and straightened up some stuff, did some this-and-that, and made thing a little better organizing wise. I love working in the garage. A little while later, Linda and Jimmie invited me to go with them to have lunch in Belton at Miller's Smokehouse Barbecue. Very good, I had a sliced brisket sandwich (moist), fries and corn bread. It was way too much food, and lots of fries were left on the tray. On the way back, we stopped at Costco, and I bought nothing, and Linda bought some staples. Interestingly, Pam asked me this morning if I needed anything from Costco, I didn't, because I had just been there a couple days ago. Mike is coming in to town on Saturday, and I spied some Lemon Raspberry Muffins that looked really good, and I may go back before Mike arrives and get a package of them. I did not move either vehicle today, not that there is anything wrong with that. Tomorrow, I will head in to the office for a few things, and then the office is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Back in on Thursday and Friday. 

Volume 16 - Day 356/10, 2024 - Saturday

It was 34 degrees outside when I got up this morning, and when I left for our walk it was 32.7 degrees. The morning glories look like they made it, so that 7/10 of a degree was all they needed, I guess. We had a good walk, and I am the guy that generally gives treats to the dogs we pass along the way. The only dog we passed this morning was this one, but it wasn't too interested in the treat. I do not take rejection well, but I was able to complete the walk. After breakfast, the girls and I went down for a nice nap, and then I got up and did a few things in the garage, and followed through with my decision to do a little shopping. I went to the At Home store in Cedar Park, and bought nothing. Then I went to Target, where I bought dog treats, some candles and a couple books (gifts for Wells). The candles were shown as 'buy one get one at half price,' as were the two books. At 'self-checkout' the discounts were not applied, and it was explained that the offer was for the customers in the Target club, whatever that is. Whatever it i, I am now a member, and all I need is more emails. Ugh. Okay, then I stopped at HEB before going home, and got ice cream, milk and something else, but I don't remember what it was. I was looking for pre-made mixes for the bread maker I got through a TREPAC auction, but I could not find any. I can find it on Amazon, but it looks kind of complicated. Even so, I expect I will buy it after I finish this journal entry. Tomorrow is shaping up to be a quiet day, and that is perfectly okay with me. I will do some straightening up in the garage. I take great comfort in straightening up the garage, and I don't understand how I always seen to un-straighten it over the course of a couple weeks. Whatever.

Volume 16 - Day 355/11, 2024 - Friday

Well, the day did not go as I had planned it, but I guess it all works out the way it is supposed to. Richard and Paul and I had a nice walk this morning, it was in the 40's, much warmer than yesterday, but it was still bundling up kind of weather. I did not go in to Austin today...well, that is not really accurate. I did not go in to the office today. I did go in to take a sign and lock box off a property, and then I had lunch with Eileen. I cannot believe neither one of us remembered to take an ussie. Ugh. I had an errand to get taken care of on the way home, and that was okay. I got home about 4 o'clock, and it was time for the girls to go outside. I went down for a quick nap, and watched the news. So far, this day sounds extra exciting, doesn't it? Well, I guess it really wasn't. Anyway...it is nice winding down this year, and getting ready for the next year. I was surprised last night when one of my neighbors brought me some home made cookies, and I got a couple little gifts from Eileen at lunch, and Wells (Jimmie and Linda's grandson) brought me some pralines from their visit to New Orleans. No estate ales tomorrow, but I think I will find stuff to do. I expect the Curious House will experience its' first freeze of the season; the plants are in, but the faucets are not covered yet, it won't be that cold lang enough to do any damage. Oh yeah, I did a couple loads of laundry before I headed out, and now I have plenty of clean clothes. That's important!

Volume 16 - Day 354/12, 2024 - Thursday

It is the day after our annual company Christmas party, and I am pretty sure everyone had a really good time. I had a nice walk this morning with Paul, Richard and James, and it was chilly. Sweat pants, gloves, stocking cap and a pretty decent jacket. I did a casual prep for going in to the office, and got there at about 10:30. Since today is Thursday, that means it is Cheeseburger Special day at Sandy's, and we were ALL in. Yummy good! There is one more chance before this year comes to an end, and I expect we will take advantage of it. After lunch, I did some this-and-that in the office and took off about 1:30. I stopped at Costco on the way home and got Skinny Pop and some cereal. Nothing else caught my eye, and that is okay. I am not planning on going in to the office tomorrow, but I am having lunch with Eileen, and then I have a couple other errands to get done. There are no estate sales on Saturday, but I expect I will find something to do that will occupy my time. We may well have a freeze overnight Friday into Saturday, but the plants are all already in the house or in the garage. I am pretty sure I have either mice or rats (let's go with mice) in the attic, and I have an appointment with the pest control guy on Monday afternoon. First world problems! The photo accompanying this journal entry is part of the Austin skyline taken from the boat last night. When I moved to Austin in 1985, none of what you see was here. NOTHING. There was a nice little downtown when I arrived, but you cannot see any of what WAS here. Interesting.

Volume 16 - Day 353/13, 2024 - Wednesday

Okay, another day, another dollar. Walk, talk, fix stuff. I did not go in to the office until about 11 o'clock this morning, and I was there for a couple hours. I got home, and did a few things, and then headed back in to Austin for our annual Holiday Boat ride. It was a lot of fun, and I think everyone had a good time. Food was good, views were good, the company was good, and the weather cooperated nicely. It rained early this morning, and a cold front came through, but now it is in the mid-50s, and the humidity has gone way down. I don't think it is going to get close to freezing overnight, but it will be cooler. Hopefully no freezes in the near future, but it will be cooler for the next couple days. I did bring the plants in this morning, just in case. After the boat ride, we went down Guadalupe to 37th street, but now they block the street, so you have to walk instead of driving down the street. It was always fun visiting 37th Street years ago, and I might just have to take another field trip to see it before the end of the season. 

Volume 16 - Day 352/14, 2024 - Tuesday

Tuesday, another day. Paul and James and I had a nice walk, another shorts and t-shirt walk. It was 80 degrees again today, but I think it will be down in the 60s tomorrow, and maybe a few days of temperatures in the 30s overnight. I will bring the plants back in tomorrow afternoon, no sense leaving them outside to freeze. Maybe. Better safe than sorry. Rick and I had our ROMEO breakfast this morning, too, and that means it was a Total Stranger Tuesday. Today was, apparently, a Two-Fer Total Stranger Tuesday, and these to ladies were very nice. Next Tuesday is Christmas Eve, but we are planning to have our usual breakfast, no reason not to. Everything that needed to be done in the office got done, and I headed home about 2:30. I think. The year is winding down, and that is perfectly okay with me. There are a few things I would like to get accomplished still, but not really anything of any significance. For sure I know that I am a really lucky man, and I should spend more time counting my blessings.

Volume 16 - Day 351/15, 2024 - Monday

Well, today was Monday. It was not particularly terrible, but it has created a multiple change of plans. Most of you didn't even know what the original plan was, so there is really no sense in telling you what the changes are. So there! Richard and Paul and I had a nice walk this morning, it was in the mid 60s, and it was nice. Shorts and a t-shirt. Richard has an appointment in the morning, so there is a question about whether he will do half-a-walk, or no walk. It should be another nice morning. I got in to the office earlier than usual, I knew I had stuff to do in the afternoon, so I got in early. I had lunch with Michael and Lynda, and that was very nice, as always. Then back to the office. I did what had to be done, and left the office about 2:30. Paulina and Val were coming over at 4, and I had one errand to get done before I got home. I got to the Curious House with a few minutes to spare. I had a neighbors open house at 7, and I am pretty sure everyone had a nice time. About 16 of our neighbors visited, and I enjoyed it very much. Tomorrow will be the ROMEOs breakfast, and Richard will not be in attendance. I'm not too sure what else will be going on tomorrow, but I think it will be pretty calm. Go outside and look up at the moon, if you get this and it is still dark outside.

Volume 16 - Day 350/16, 2024 - Sunday

It was a warm morning, and we had a little over a quarter-inch of rain over night. The walk was good, and we got most of the worlds problems solved. After the walk, I fed the girls and settled in to watch Sunday Morning. I don't remember any of what was on the program, and I am pretty sure I got up and putzed around the house for a while. I left the house and headed to brunch, where seven of us met and had a good time. We have not all been together in a while, and it was good seeing everyone. I considered vacuuming, but then I reconsidered it. I am not sure what I did, but I assume I did some stuff between naps. I did have a couple turkey/pecan/cranberry flips for dinner, and I am telling you, my world is definitely expanding beyond pimento cheese! At 5:30 I went with Jimmie and Linda and their grandson Wells for ice cream, and then we played a game of Rummikub. Marian brought me a tin of Christmas cookies, and they look delicious. I am supposed to be cutting back on sweets, but I guess there is no time to start like next year! Tomorrow, I will have lunch with Michael and Lynda, and a few of the neighbors will be coming over tomorrow evening. I'm still not going to vacuum. It has been grey and cloudy and dribbly all day, and I don't do that well on days like that. I need sun! The photo accompanying this journal entry looks black and white, but it is actually a color photo. That is just how monotone it has been all day!

Volume 16 - Day 349/17, 2024 - Saturday

It was in the middle 60s when we walked this morning, and Richard and I both wore shorts. Even so, we both had to shed jackets about half-way through the walk. Once I got home, I had some cereal, fed the girls, and then blew some leaves out of the garage. Marian, Marge, Diane and I hit two estate sales, and of course I bought some stuff. Everything I bought was 50% off, so it could have been worse. I think I spent about $35, and that could have been worse, too. Val and Paulina came over about 4 o'clock, and we went in to Georgetown and had dinner at Grumpy George's. Fish & Chips were really good, and I am full right now. We walked around the square for a few minutes, and had our pictures taken with Santa and in front of the big tree. Lots of people on the Square, it was fun. Tomorrow morning I expect we will walk, and then I will meet Candy, Alisha, and Terry for brunch. I'm not sure if there is anything else on the schedule tomorrow afternoon, not that there is anything wrong with that. 

Volume 16 - Day 348/18, 2024 - Friday

I did half-a-walk this morning with Paul and Dick. I had an appointment at the dermatologist at 8 o'clock, and I actually made it. It would have been much easier if I had not done a walk at all, but I was not too stinky for the doctor. Plus, she and her assistant and I get along really well, and we always get a couple inappropriate jokes in before the appointment is over. I stopped at HEB on the way home, looking for nutritious food, and ended up with $67 worth of grapes and chicken salad. I got home and emptied the groceries, and immediately got the girls in the car to head to the beautiful parlor. The Piglet is not always a fan of riding in the car, I am not sure how she can tell the difference between 'just' a ride, and a ride to the vet or the groomer. But, they look great, and you can see the proof in the photo accompanying this journal entry. Callie has never been fond of having her picture taken, but I faked her out, and this one looks pretty decent. It has been dribbly raining all day long. I just went out to check, and there is 0.08" of dribble in the gauge. I got my newspaper renewal in the mail today, $612.29. We do not get a printed newspaper on Saturdays, and we do not get printed newspaper deliveries on various Holidays throughout the year. By my calculations, that means, ideally, we get the newspaper delivered 306 days a year, and that equals $2 per day. I understand that they all want us to go to digital, but I am not a fan of digital, but this renewal might just put me over the edge. Not sure yet. It will be fun going to estate sales tomorrow, I will let you know if I find a few things I did not know I could not live without.

Volume 16 - Day 347/19, 2024 - Thursday

Okay, it was another day today, for which we are all happy. And a special Happy Birthday to my best friend in the world, Mike in Delray Beach! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It was not as cold this morning as it was yesterday morning, when I got up this morning, it was (I think) 37 degrees. We made it up into the 60s today (I think) and tomorrow looks like it will be grey and cloudy. I had a couple errands to get done in the morning, and then it was off to the office. I took off to the blood bank around noon, and then had an errand to run after that. After the errand, I was BACK to the office, then there was an errand to get accomplished on the way home. All that, and all the errands got done. Tomorrow morning I have an appointment at the dermatologist, and then the girls are going to the beautiful parlor after that. I expect it will be even warmer for our walk in the morning, and the photo accompanying this entry is me and a couple of my besties at the blood bank. Always fun!

Volume 16 - Day 346/20, 2024 - Wednesday

All is well that ends well. There have been a couple ups and downs today, and all that will be discussed here are the ups. I didn't do a walk this morning because I had to be in Austin at 9 o'clock. From what I hear, and what I saw on the thermometer, it was a cold walk for Dick and Paul. When I got up, the thermometer was registering right at 32 degrees, and when I left a few hours later, it was up to 33. When I took the girls out this evening, I did not pay attention to the morning glories, but I just went out and looked, and it looks like they survived. I think it is supposed to be a little bit warmer overnight tonight, so hopefully they will do well for a while longer. My appointment this morning was at the Austin Board of REALTORS® for their 2024 Celebration of Leadership. I was ABoR Chair in 2014, and the photo accompanying this entry is of the past Chairpersons that were able to attend. It was nice seeing all these peeps, but it seems some of them have aged better than others. After this, I had another meeting in the same building, and I left for the office about 12:30. I did what needed to be done, and left for home about 2:30. I had another appointment, but made it home all in one piece. It could have been a lot worse!

Volume 16 - Day 345/21, 2024 - Tuesday

Today was kind of another stressful day, but not as bad as yesterday. It will all work out just the way it is supposed to. We had a nice walk this morning, and after that, Paul, Rick and I had a nice ROMEO breakfast. There were two Total Stranger Tuesday opportunities; the first one was not that great, and she reluctantly agreed. The other one, shown here in this journal post, was much more fun, and we all had a good time messing with each other. The lady on the left is Linda, and it was fun. I got in to the office and stayed busy with things for most of the day. I left the office at about 3:30, and had no stops to make on the way home. Once I got home, I got all the plants inside. Front plants in the garage, patio and deck plants in the dining room. I did a good job cutting back on potted plants this year, so it only took me about 20 minutes, total, to get the plants in. It is not 100% certain that it will get below freezing tonight, but just to be safe, I brought them in. Not sure about a walk in the morning, I have an appointment in Austin tomorrow morning in Austin, then another meeting at 11:30, and picking Paulina up from the airport at 2:30. I should be able to make it into the office for about an hour. In the meantime, everybody stay warm!

Volume 16 - Day 344/22, 2024 - Monday

I am spent! Today is Monday, and it was a difficult Monday for me. AND...it really wasn't all that bad, if I put everything into perspective. But...I still feel over it. We had a nice walk this morning, reflecting on Richard's 80th birthday party last night, along with a variety of wordly issues that we solved to our satisfaction. After the walk, I got in to the office, and it was sort of hectic. I just have a couple issues with tenants that I have not come across in the thirty years I have been doing this, so I am at a loss. It will all work out (probably tomorrow), and all parties to the transaction(s) will be happy. Or they had better be happy. I had one errand to get accomplished on my way home, and I did get that accomplished, and I have been conversing with a couple Landlords off-and-on throughout the rest of the day. Hopefully, I am done for the day. The girls and I are all about to hunker down. It was 84 degrees in Austin today, a record. On Wednesday morning, it will be close to freezing for a couple mornings, then another warm-up. I will be bringing plants in tomorrow afternoon, just to be safe. Depending on what weather channel you watch, it may get down to 31 in Georgetown. But, it won't last long, so that is gonna just have to do. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Volume 16 - Day 343/23, 2024 - Sunday

We did get in a nice walk this morning, and that was good. It was not as cool this morning as it has been, and it is forecast to be about 80 degrees tomorrow. Then another cold front, and the possibility of really chilly temperatures after that. I wish Mother Nature would make up her mind. I did very little today, and that was nice. I did work in a couple naps. I was invited to a Tamale Party at Michael and Lynda's this afternoon, and that was very nice. When I got home, I went down for a quick nap, and then fed the girls, and shortly after that, I went to help celebrate Richard's 80th birthday. It was very nice to be there with all his (and Marge's) neighborhood friends, and his son Michael was there from New Orleans, and his brother and sister-in-law from Colorado. It was very nice, and he is very loved by all of us. I am back home now, and getting ready for another week. All should be good, I think, I have a couple meetings on Wednesday, an appointment at the blood bank on Thursday, and an appointment at the dermatologist on Friday. No big deals. 

Volume 16 - Day 342/24, 2024 - Saturday

I was going to wait on this journal entry until after the UT/GA game was over, but it may never be over. They are in overtime right now, and it is SO unlike me to know anything at all about sports stuff. I generally think that, if I root for a team and watch the game, the team I am rooting for might as well just concede defeat. I am pretty sure I am a jinx. We did not walk this morning, because, even though it did NOT rain, it felt and looked like it was going to rain. Not walking was perfectly okay with me. Pam, Marian, Judy and I went to four estate sales, and it WAS raining at the last one. Of course, I did buy some things that I had no idea I needed. Crap, Georgia just won the game, see what I told you? After the estate sales, I had some errands to run, and I got two-thirds of them done. It is still rainy and (too) cold according to me, but it is forecast to be 82 degrees on Monday, but then cooler again for the rest of the week. I still think I will be bringing the plants in on Tuesday afternoon. I have a couple things planned for tomorrow, not so sure about brunch (doesn't look good right now), and there is a Tamale Party early tomorrow afternoon at Michael and Lynda's, and then we will celebrate Richard's 80th birthday later in the afternoon. It will be a fun time, had by all. When I was out running errands, I did see a little bit of the Georgetown Stroll, in the rain, and in the cold. But, it was interesting, and it is too bad the weather kept so many people away.

Volume 16 - Day 341/25, 2024 - Friday

AMAZONESIA. I just made up this word, what do I have to do to copyright it. I think all I have to do is publish it, and then I own it. Your counsel will be appreciated. But I digress. Amazonesia is a malady spreading like the plague across the country. You can easily recognize if you are a victim if you present any of the following symptoms: Not sure what you have ordered from Amazon. Not knowing if everything you have ordered from Amazon has been delivered or not. Surprise upon seeing a package from Amazon on your stoop and wondering what is in the box. Questioning the fact that you have 13 charges from Amazon on your credit card statement and not knowing what any of the charges are for. If you are concerned that you are one of the afflicted, give me a call, we will commiserate together. But make sure you still have some money on your credit card available, and I will need the three digit code on the back of the card, too. Today was a pretty good day, it started out with a very chilly walk. The last time I looked at my thermometer, it was 53 degrees, and that is code for it is bitterly cold outside. It is going to get worse next week, I will need to bring plants in on Tuesday afternoon, but I think it will be warm again in about 10 days. I had three errands to run on the way home this afternoon, and I only completed two of them. One included a visit to a shop on the square in Georgetown, but today is the first day of their Holiday Strolls, so there was no way to get within six blocks of the place. I did manage to get to HEB, where I spent $28, and felt good that I was one of the few people there that was not screaming at someone. 

Volume 16 - Day 340/26, 2024 - Thursday

I got a lot of stuff done today, even though I did not try all that had to get anything done. It was still dribbly this morning when we walked, so I only did a half-walk. I think it will be clear and cold tomorrow, but the rain is supposed to start back tomorrow evening and through the weekend. I finished the book I was reading (listening to), The New Couple in 5B. I did not really care that much for it because I reminded me of two or three other books I had already read. But...towards the end, I'd say the last couple hours, I enjoyed it, it finally was keeping my attention. I'm not sure what I will read next, but I am not reading our book club selection for a while, because book club is not meeting this month...if I read it now I will most likely forget what I have read. It's about 7 o'clock and the mail has still not been delivered. Our regular carrier hurt her hand a while back, and the delivery times are getting worse and worse. But...it is probably still the best value in town. I know for sure I cannot (personally) get a letter somewhere as cheaply as the cost of the stamp. Chill people. I am on another one-man-crusade to bring the peace symbol back. Peace out dude! Who's with me?

Volume 16 - Day 339/27, 2024 - Wednesday

The birthday gluttony continues. Today, I had lunch with Michael and Lynda, and for dinner, I ate the sandwich that I brought home from lunch yesterday. Tomorrow I have lunch with Holly, and that will be the end of the birthday free food fair. There is always time for more people to make an invite, just let me know! As promised, the photo accompanying this entry was taken yesterday, my Total Stranger Tuesday photo. She did not know what was going on to begin with, but she warmed up to it, and she looks like a happy person! We did not walk this morning, there was a bit of drizzle and we have all been caught in downpours in the past, so we punted. Or passed. See how I did that? I had a zoom meeting at 1 o'clock in the office, and Maggie and I made a presentation to one of our clients and leasing or selling their home. It was good, and we all finished the zoom happy. I got home about 3:30 this afternoon, still dribbly rain, and there were plenty of wet road accidents. A mess. Some people think they should speed up when the roads are wet, I prefer to slow down. Overnight, we got a trace of rain in the gauge, and we are now at about 0.14". Not much, but everything has stayed wet all day. Good for the plants. The high temperatures go down to the mid-50s next week, and there is a very slight chance of a freeze in the seven day forecast. Hope not.

Volume 16 - Day 338/28, 2024 - Tuesday

Once again, I have discovered just how lucky I am. Today is my birthday. My 73rd. I have congratulated, sung too, fed, and sent birthday wishes by more people than I can keep up with. Okay, I DO know how many people fed me today. The feedings will continue tomorrow and Thursday. Never forget, if you have friends, you will never be without. Okay. We had a good walk this morning, and then we went to the ROMEO breakfast, me, Rick, Dick and Paul. Today was indeed the Total Stranger Tuesday, but I will share that photo with you tomorrow. I ordered light at breakfast, because I knew there was going to be lunch. At lunch, I ate lightly (I brought home a turkey sandwich and a piece of carrot cake), because I knew there was going to be dinner. Jimmie and Linda took me to dinner, but I did not bring anything home from dinner. I ate it all. While we were at dinner, it did rain a little bit, and when I took the girls outside, there was not eve 1/100" in the gauge. Hardly even a trace, and just enough to get the girls feet wet in the grass. I have a little more work to get done after I finish this journal entry, and then I will call it a night. Tomorrow is going to be another good day, and I am looking forward to it.

Volume 16 - Day 337/29, 2024 - Monday

Okay, it was a busy day...a good walk this morning with Paul and Richard, the some chores around the house. On Monday's I water the inside plants. I also watered stuff outside, because they don't need watering every day any more, the temperatures are no longer in the 90s or 100s. So, I just have to remember not to neglect them. I got in to the office about 9:30...it is the first of the month (okay, the 2nd), and rents are due, tenants are moving out or moving in, it is just a busy time. I got home about 3:30, and did some work from the office in the Curious House, and Marian and Ronnie came over for a few minutes. Kerry in the office (Kay, not Carrie) apparently wanted to make sure I had some Thanksgiving leftovers, or maybe she was just tired of leftovers, so I brought lots of food home from the office. I took all the leftover Halloween candy TO the office this morning, just to remove the temptation. I had another meeting (zoom) this evening starting at 6, and I got home about 8:45. My mailbox was stuffed full when I checked it, and now, I am ready to call it a day. More manana...

Volume 16 - Day 336/30, 2024 - Sunday

Well, I had big plans for the day, but it did not work out the way I had planned. I was chilly this morning, but not as chilly as yesterday, and tomorrow morning will be a little bit warmer. After our walk, I watched most of Sunday Morning, and then I started trying to straighten out the garage. I did not get as far with that project as I wanted, and then it was time to go to the blood bank. I have not ever donated on a weekend, and I just wanted to see what it was like. Not sure if I want to donate again on a weekend, it was WAY too serious for me, much more serious than during the week, where it is a fun place to be. Today I did a double platelets donation, so that was good. Have you ever seen platelets in a bag? It is yellow in the bag. I asked how, if everything I know about inside my body is red, how are platelets yellow, and no one really knew the answer. I looked it up on Google, and apparently platelets have no color, but something else makes them yellow. I guess the same was pee is yellow, according to Wells. Someone needs to explain to me how the human body functions. According to Wells. After I got back from the blood bank, I had good intentions of doing some laundry, but I didn't do that, either. Apparently, I am not particularly motivated to do much of anything at this point, maybe it will get better later in the week. Enjoy the photo of the sunrise this morning, and I will try to be motivated to seek out better photos to accompany these journal entries, too.

Volume 16 - Day 335/31, 2024 - Saturday

Did I mention that I turned the heat on last night? I turned the heat on last night. Just to keep the chill off. It was 37 degrees when we left for our walk this morning, but it was not bad when the sun finally got up. Richard was feeling a little stuffy, so he did half a walk. Paul started late, but he caught up with us, and we solved several of the worlds problems. There was a very nice sunrise this morning, as you can see from the photo accompanying this entry.Steve and Melinda (my friends in Longview) sent me a Little Debbie's Pyramid of cakes and muffins, I am pretty well set for the rest of the year. I did a little bit of this-and-that before I headed off for estate sales. I was solo this morning, and I have to admit, nothing was missed by everyone that did not go. There were three sales, and I did not buy anything, and I did not even see anything that I considered buying. It was not a good day for estate sales. Val and Oliver got back from Las Cruces this afternoon, and they stopped by on their way home. I still have some chicken and mashed potatoes, enough for about a half meal tomorrow. I have an appointment at the blood bank tomorrow, just to shake it up a little bit, and see what goes on over the weekends. My usual day for donating is Fridays, but it will be interesting tomorrow. Here is something you may never have expected to hear me say...I am watching the Texas/TAMU game on tv, and so far, so good. It is interesting that Texas has a pretty good team this year, that has taken me by surprise. From the comments on Facebook, not too many people care for the Aggie coach. Hmmm.

Volume 16 - Day 334/32, 2024 - Friday

Honestly, there were a few unexpected things happening today. Everything started out as usual, Richard was not feeling too great, so the walk was me and Paul. After I fed the girls and had some cereal, we all get in the big chair and took a nap. I got all stirred up and did a few things around the house. With the cooler weather, there is not a lot of stuff to do outside, so that is always welcome. After a while, I did get up and go to HEB, where I was not accosted by any pregnant women. That is a definite relief. As I was getting home from the grocery, Alisha texted me that someone she knew that sold her a car was now working for a VW dealer in Waco and they had ONE Buzz that was available. SO...I called Marian to see if she thought Ronnie wanted to drive to Waco with me to look at it, and he did. We got there at about 5:30, and the Buzz is REALLY a neat vehicle. I was close, but in the end, we could not meet anywhere on the trade in, so we drove home. If it was meant to be, and all that stuff. I expect it might happen, but who knows. For sure, I don't. There are two estate sales tomorrow, and after that, I am not too sure what I will be doing. I am threatening to turn the heat on in the house, it was 37 degrees outside this morning, but about 65 degrees in the house. It is forecast to be a little bit cooler tomorrow morning, but I still haven't turned the heat on. Whatever.

Volume 16 - Day 333/33, 2024 - Thursday...Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I hope you had a great day. I did. I did just what I wanted to do, and it was great. We started with a nice walk, and then after I fed the girls, I went down for a nap. I got up after a while, and did some more of my personal accounting stuff, getting everything ready for filing my taxes next year. After a while, I got up and took a lock box off one property, put a sign up in front of another property, and went in to the office for a little while, and got everything that was on my desk OFF my desk. I am ready for Monday. Once I got back home, I finished putting all my 2024 stuff on my spread sheet, and that is a nice feeling of accomplishment. My Thanksgiving dinner was great; Carrie brought (on Tuesday) me a chicken breast in rice and some mashed potatoes. I actually heated up the chicken breast in the little oven (not the real oven) and cooked some alternative mashed potatoes on the stove. Boiled water, butter and milk in a sauce pan and everything. I cannot remember the last time I used the stove, but I think today was an culinary accomplishment. Plus, I have leftovers for another day or two. It will be cold tomorrow morning for our walk, maybe in the high 30s, and I hope to dress accordingly. I also need to go to the grocery (I am leery of pregnant women), and I may stop by the VW dealer in Georgetown. I thought I was going to creep around the dealership on my way home this afternoon, but they had all the driveways blocked, so there was no creeping. Enjoy the rest of your long weekend!

Volume 16 - Day 332/34, 2024 - Wednesday

The things I did today, the day before Thanksgiving.

 1. I could not sleep, so I was up at 5AM.

 2. Wound a set clocks, this is a Wednesday and Saturday thing.

 3. Took a nice walk with Dick and Paul. It was warm enough that only a light jacket was needed.

 4. Fed the girls, and I ate an Apple Fritter, the fritter was bought six days ago, but it was still good.

 5. I got two months worth of prep for my 2024 taxes done. I may do more later.

 6. I went to HEB and was assaulted by a large (tall) pregnant woman. HEB Security did not arrest either one of us.

 7. I took a nap.

 8. I visited a property and removed the sign and lock box.

 9. I reviewed a lease application and talked with the Landlord to get the applicant approved.

10. I talked with the applicant and let them know they were approved.

11. I went to the bank.

12. I took the photo of the sunset and clouds that is accompanying this entry.

13. I fed the girls, again.

14. I put a chicken pot pie in the oven (not the big one), and am waiting for it to be done.

14. I cannot predict the future, so I don't have any idea what I might do to fill up the rest of the evening.

That is it for now...

Volume 16 - Day 331/35, 2024 - Tuesday

Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place turkey in shallow pan. Bake for one hour. I am pretty sure I learned my lesson four years ago, and I won't be baking anything (period) in the foreseeable future. I have used the oven at the Curious House two or three times. Just not something that is important to me. I am pretty sure that everything I need to eat comes ready-made or served at a Restaurant. Today, Carrie brought me some pre-packaged stuff for Thanksgiving. Apple Tarts, Chicken (they didn't have turkey), dressing, mashed potatoes, and potato chips (my request) from Trader Joe's. I am all set and ready to do nothing. Since I am not going in to the office tomorrow, this is the eve of a five-day weekend. I am ready. It was a quiet day in the office today, and it should be quiet for the rest of this month. Incredible to think that next week will be December, and the year is almost over. It has been a good year, so I am ready to start a new one. I plan to get financial stuff ready for my 2024 income tax over the long weekend, that always gives me a sense of accomplishment. It is cold in the house right now...okay, chilly. We did not get out of the 60s today, going to be 80 tomorrow, and then another cold front or two. I wish the weather would make up its' mind. 

Volume 16 - Day 330/36, 2024 - Monday

It was 84 degrees in central Texas today, it is 52 degrees right now, supposed to drop another 10 degrees overnight, and the high temperature for tomorrow is forecast to be 68 degrees. 85 degrees forecast for Wednesday, and then we don't get out of the 60s for the rest of the seven day forecast. That's why you always carry a sweater or a light jacket in the fake fall. Maybe starting Thursday, it will be real fall. Not sure. However, this is the weather we really like, especially when you are tired of the hundred degree days. We had a nice walk this morning, I expect we will be bundled up again tomorrow morning. I took the white car in for more service this morning, and I picked it up after 5:30 this afternoon. Now, I can't get the radio to play for more than 7 seconds. Why do service people insist on pushing buttons when they have cars in? Why do they need to move the seats? WHY! Now, I will be back tomorrow to find out what button they pushed and get the radio back to normal. Ugh. Otherwise, today was a pretty good day, I have a 10 o'clock appointment tomorrow, and then I have to run some errands in the afternoon. Overall, I am looking forward to the long Holiday weekend. I have not found any turkey dinners that I want to order, so I think I will go to HEB on Wednesday and see what they have in their ready-to-eat meals. I am okay hanging with myself for the weekend, it will be calm and quiet, and I expect there will be some naps involved. I will probably post a few more photos of the morning glories, I expect we will have a frost in the next couple of weeks, and that will be it for them. Enjoy.

Volume 16 - Day 329/37, 2024 - Sunday

It was an in-between day for our walk this morning. Not too cold, not too warm, kind of just right. I started out with a fleece jacket, and I took it off about half-way through the walk. Once I got home, I watched CBS This Morning, took a nap, pulled some weeds, trimmed some plants, pulled some more weeds, went to Costco, sent a couple text messages to a prospective tenant, pulled some more weeds and took another nap. I was showing a property virtually this afternoon, and that was a first for me. The client is in Washington State, and it was fun. It was a pretty good drive to and from, but it was okay. I was a little retentive because of the time difference, but it worked out just fine. I got home and took ANOTHER nap, and then went to get Val and Paulina and we went to dinner at Urban Eat. Drink. Tomorrow morning, I am taking the little white car in for MORE service, and I should have a loaner so I don't have to hang around. The coming week is short and sweet, and that is just fine for me. I will get some book-work done during the long weekend, already trying to get ready for next years taxes. I was much happier with my Wordle results this morning, and that is more in line with my results. The forecast high is 85 on Monday, and 68 on Tuesday. Interesting.

Volume 16 - Day 328/38, 2024 - Saturday

It was chilly this morning, but not as bad as the last couple days. We had a good walk, and then I got back and fed the girls and I had some cereal for breakfast. There were two estate sales this morning, the first one was nothing to get excited about, and neither was the second, but I think everyone bought something at the second one. Once I got home, I went down for a nice nap...a couple hours. I did not go anywhere else all day long, not that there is anything wrong with that. I actually got something accomplished that I thought would be impossible, but I found a file I was looking for from 1999. Crazy that I could still but my hands on it 25 years later. Not too sure what the morning will be, but I am pretty sure there will be a walk, and I have an appointment to show property at 3 o'clock. I may do one or two more things in between, and I am going to dinner with Val and Paulina. Next week is looking to be a calm week, and it will be a short week, with a nice, long weekend. I am looking forward to doing more and more of less and less. I try and remember to do Wordle every day, and I can usually solve it in three tries, maybe four. Today I considered just giving up, but I finally got it in six. I never start with the same word, I usually start with a word I see on tv or hear on the radio. 

Volume 16 - Day 327/39, 2024 - Friday

Muscle memory is an interesting phenomenon. The ability to perform a motor task without conscious thought after repeated practice. It's a type of procedural memory that involves the brain encoding a movement into long-term memory. My experience with muscle memory peaked when I was doing long distance bicycling. I experience a little when we walk in the mornings, because we take the same route every day. I had another experience with it today. Today was a platelet day, and when I got in the chair, the Phlebotomist handed me the squeezy ball. I started squeezing it, and she said, I haven't even done anything yet, you don't have to squeeze. Muscle memory! So, there you have it. It was a double platelets day, and I really like doing that, most of it is because of all the people I interact with when I am there. We did have a good walk this morning, even though I only did a half-walk because I had an appointment in Austin between 8:30 and 9 o'clock. I made it to the appointment, and then got to the office about 10. I left for We Are Blood about noon, and I was driving down North Lamar next to an autonomous (self driving) car. I am not sure if autonomous automatically means self driving or not, so whatever. I see these self driving cars on an almost daily basis, but there is usually a real person in the car in case of emergency. There was no one in this car. Not in the front, not in the back. Maybe it was delivering pizza. Not sure. Only two estate sales tomorrow, but maybe they will be half way decent. Fingers crossed.

Volume 16 - Day 326/40, 2024 - Thursday

Book club just ended, and it is time to compose this journal entry. It was 36 degrees when we took our walk this morning, so our walking attire was a bit updated. Unfortunately, my hair would not cooperate with the stocking cap, and it kept popping of my head. I will have to work on a solution for that, but for now, I won't need the hat for several days. I am feeling somewhat accomplished, because things I have been working on for a while are seemingly working out. Things I have been planning and coming together, and it makes me feel satisfied. Whatever. Book club was fun, but none of us were really too happy with the book, but we did get a chance to sit around, criticize those we do not agree with, and complain about all the crap going on in the world. That was fun. We are not having book club or neighbors dinner in December, and our book for January is Goyhood. Look it up, it should be an easy read. Tomorrow is a blood day, and I have a few errands to get done before the weekend. Two estate sales on Saturday, and I am not sure that they hold much promise. We shall see. 

Volume 16 - Day 325/41, 2024 - Wednesday

Today was a busy day. Today was a lovely, chilly autumn day. Tomorrow is going to be a cold (?) morning, but ultimately a pretty good day. I had a half-walk this morning, because I had an 8 o'clock appointment to get the little white car serviced. I waited on the car to be serviced, and it was a lot longer than I would have expected. AND, I am taking the car back on Monday for more service...but I will (allegedly) be provided with a loaner while the car is in service. I finally got to the office about noon today, and all was good. I got stuff done that needed to be done, and after I got home, I spoke with the insurance lady again, and turned in my application for the Medicare Supplemental plan I have been working on. That has been a chore, but I think the coverage will be much better than the Advantage Plan I currently have, and along with the drug coverage and dental coverage, the premium will be about $220 per month. Much better than the +/- $700 a month I had been quoted, without the dental. Insurance, is this what old people think is interesting? Oh, please, someone help me change the subject. Okay, here's something...tonight was the neighbors dinner, and it was a great time. We went to Juliet's on the Square in Georgetown, and there were twelve of us. Deb was in town to visit with her daughter and grand children, so she joined us, too. It was a fun evening, and we are lucky to nurture the friendships we have made together around the Curious House. 

Volume 16 - Day 324/42, 2024 - Tuesday

Well, the saga of Medicare Advantage Plans vs Medicare Supplemental Plans is ongoing, but I think I am making some progress. You just have to find the right people. One of my colleagues gave me the name of a person that spent 75 minutes with me, over the phone, coming up with the plan(s) that will work for me/ A couple places never even called me back after I spent time filling out their on-line questionnaires and/or answering all their questions. And, if this all works out, my anticipated premiums (not current premiums) for the supplemental plan will be in the area of $155.78 per month as opposed to $666.20 per month that I was quoted yesterday. I'm just waiting on one answer from my doctor and then I will get the application process started. If you are on the verge of signing up for Medicare, start with the Supplemental Plan, not the Advantage Plan. Take my word for it. And...bonus, this agent has the same birthday as my friend Mike in Del Rey Beach. Not the same year (Mike is REALLY OLD), but the same date, December 12th. It was a good day for a walk, and we solved a few of the worlds problems, and then Rick, Richard and I went to enjoy the ROMEO breakfast. Tuesday is Total Stranger Tuesday, too, and the photo accompanying this entry is todays victim, with Richard photo bombing in the background. Tomorrow, I have an appointment to get the little white car serviced, and that should not take too long, and then I will be back in to the office. I am a lucky man, yes I am!

Volume 16 - Day 323/43, 2024 - Monday

Well, overnight we got 0.09" of rain in the gauge. Through the day, we got another 0.55", and that is it until (maybe) Thanksgiving Day. On my way in to the office, the temperature dropped 12 degrees, from 72 degrees to 60 degrees. It got back up to almost (almost, not quite) 80 degrees this afternoon, and the forecast is 81 degrees tomorrow. There was no walk this morning, the only time we don't walk is if there is lightning or rain, so we called it a rain day. The office was kind of quiet this morning, and I am still wrapped up trying to change my Medicare Advantage plan to a Supplemental plan. It is just a time consuming process. I was expecting a call from one company this afternoon at 2:30, but it never happened. Customer service at its' finest, I guess. Tomorrow I expect there will be a good walk, and then the ROMEOs will have a nice breakfast. The cold front this morning did not really do anything, but there is another cold front coming on early Wednesday morning, and the low temperature during walk time is forecast for 39 degrees with 26 mile per hour winds. Crazy weather. Has everyone started their Thanksgiving plans? I intend to make NO PLANS, and I have declined a few invitations. I probably will get myself a turkey dinner (do they make them for two?) from HEB and sit around like a lump for most of the day. That sounds perfect to me.

Volume 16 - Day 322/44, 2024 - Sunday

I've got a package of baby carrots in the refrigerator that I bought about a week ago, am I supposed to throw them away? They're HEB Organic, and the expiration date is November 3rd. Maybe I bought them longer than a week ago. I don't pay much attention to expiration dates, but the news is talking about E.Coli. problems with baby carrots. Not sure what to do...I'll keep them a while longer and see if I can figure it out. It was a nice morning for a walk, and after the walk, I closed the windows in the Curious House. Not because of the heat, but because of the humidity. We have had just a little bit of rain today, but are expecting more overnight and into tomorrow morning. I was not in any particularly hurry to do anything today, so that is what I did...just about nothing. There were a couple naps, and I did make a trip to HEB where I spent almost $100, which is the most I have spent on groceries in a long time. I should be good for a couple week, with the exception of milk and baby carrots. See the opening sentences of this journal entry. There was actually some news on this evening, and now a 90 minute version of 60 minutes. Is it just me or does that not make sense? We keep waiting for the temperatures to cool down, but so far that hasn't happened. The coolest day this week will be a forecast high of 69 degrees, with 80 degrees on this side of it, and 78 degrees on the other side of it. The photo accompanying this entry is of the sunrise this morning, very nice.

Volume 16 - Day 321/45. 2024 - Saturday

It was another chilly morning, and I wore sweat pants and a jacket for our walk. The moon was still great big, and the steam rising off the creek (really it's the south branch of the San Gabriel River) was really pretty. It was a really lovely day, the temperature made it up into the high 70s, and there was not a cloud in the sky. The estate sales were kind of lack luster, I did spend $11 (I think) and I also think that everybody spent something and brought home something. There were two estate sales, and on our way to one we saw a garage sale that looked interesting, and we back tracked to that, and I bought something that I don't know what it is for $3. I may include a photo of it tomorrow, at first I thought it was a Mahjong set, but now I think it might have something to do with Chinese or Japanese calligraphy. Whatever it is, it is really interesting, and the box it is in is really interesting, too. After that, I went down for a nap, and at 1 o'clock, Jimmie, Linda and I went to HEB for some sort of food tasting event ahead of the Holidays. We got tickets stamped to win a door prize, and then we were off to find some lunch somewhere. We went to Dahlia's in Liberty Hill, but they were in between shifts of brunch and lunch and would not seat anyone for about 30 minutes, so we went to Hell or High Water (also in Liberty Hill), and had a good lunch. When we got home, it was back down for an extended nap, and after I finish this journal entry, I may go back down for another nap. I think that is really what weekends are for, so I plan to take full advantage. 

Volume 16 - Day 320/46, 2024 - Friday

It was chilly this morning, and I wore sweat pants for our walk, with a fleece jacket. It warmed up nicely during the day, to about the middle 70s. Tomorrow we will be back up to the 80s, and it will not be a sweat pants morning...close to 60 when we walk. I got in to the office and did what I needed to do, and headed off to a meeting at the Austin Board that started at 11:30. I had actually forgotten about the meeting until I got up this morning and looked at my calendar. After the meeting, I had a couple errands to run on the way home, and had a nice afternoon. I did make a few phone calls to clients, and then took a quick nap. In the late afternoon, I had another quick meeting, but we met out on the back patio, and that was great. The girls were not at all happy about that, and they are still on Daylight Saving Time as far as their dinner is concerned, and the Piglet is VERY vocal about it. After I fed them and had more of the left overs from my Wednesday night dinner, I went down to Linda and Jimmie's to watch another episode of Only Murders in the Building, and then we played a couple games of Rummikub. Tomorrow there are two estate sales, and then there is something going on at HEB that I am going to with Linda and Jimmie. Then, hopefully, naptime. If yo uhaven't already, you need to go outside and look up, it is a glorious full moon.

Volume 16 - Day 319/47, 2024 - Thursday

It was chilly for our walk this morning, and tomorrow morning, I think I will be in sweat pants for the first time in a long time. I LOVE sweat pants. Then we get back up into the 80s by the weekend (I think), but next Thursday there is a chance of a a light frost in the Hill Country. I don't think it will be that chilly here at the Curious House. I got in to the office about 9:30 this morning, and I left at about 12:45. There was a meeting going on in my office, and I did not need to be a part of it, so I took off and bought a new Apple Watch. This watch is supposed to be even better for old people than the other two Apple Watches I already have. The down side to this is, I have to wear the watch while I am sleeping. I am looking forward to seeing how well I am sleeping, how much rem sleep I have, and all kinds of other things. I am not crazy about sleeping with a watch on, though. In case Helen is reading this entry, the full moon in tomorrow, but I will send you reminder, just in case you are not reading this journal entry. Boring traffic congestion photo accompanying this entry, but it is the best I could do. Sorry.

Volume 16 - Day 318/48, 2024 - Wednesday

Hopefully, there will be a cool (haha) front coming through this evening or maybe tomorrow. It will only lower our daily temperatures about 10 degrees, but we will be closer to our normal temperatures, which are the 70s. I was up early again this morning, and got a few things done around the house before heading off for a walk with Dick and Paul. There are too many problems facing the universe right now, so we did not have time to solve all the problems. There is always tomorrow. I did not go in to Austin today, and did some work from home. I had a 1 o'clock appointment at the house, so that was convenient. At about four o'clock this afternoon, I headed in to Austin to attend a Major Investor event for TREPAC, and I got home about 8:30. I am going to get this journal entry done, and then call it a night. It was good to see many good friends and colleagues tonight, some that I have not seen for a couple years. The photo accompanying this entry is me, Melinda, Eileen and Jennifer. I would like it very much if tomorrow were Friday, but it will be Thursday, and that is getting close to Friday. Tomorrow night is our HOA annual meeting, so that will be (I expect) kind of chaotic. I am famous for signing up to speak, but when called on, have very little to say. You just never know if someone is going to piss you off, so better to be prepared. 

Volume 16 - Day 317/49, 2024 - Tuesday

Not a bad day, all things considered. I wish I could sleep longer in the mornings. I started waking up around 4:15 this morning, and I finally got out of bed about 5:15. It just makes me tired in the afternoons, and I just got up from about a ten minute nap that makes me feel somewhat better. Little short naps are good for me. I got a lot of stuff done before our walk this morning; got everything in the front and back watered, including the three new trees in the back. I want to find some kind of root stimulator for the new trees, to make sure they get off to a good start. Marian is checking into this for me, she is looking for her own trees, as well. Breakfast with the ROMEOs was fun this morning, and everyone knows their lines and how the game is played. This lovely lady is this weeks choice for Total Stranger Tuesday. I got in to the office about 10:30 and we got lots of stuff done, and I left about 1:30 to head back to the Curious House. I will not be going in to the office tomorrow, I have a dinner to go to in Austin tomorrow night, so I will stay home. Since I will be home anyway, I made an appointment for some work to get taken care of tomorrow at 1 o'clock, so everything works out. On the way home this afternoon, I got the little white car washed, so it is all pretty again. They have been power washing stuff at the office, so it was kind of splotchy. The ten day forecast is saying there could be a couple days below normal temperatures, and there are two days that could leave a light frost on things. That will definitely be a change!

Volume 16 - Day 316/50, 2024 - Monday - Veteran's Day

We only made it to 84 degrees today, that is 11 degrees above normal. I know I will regret all this grousing when we get below 32 degrees for two days in a row, but I am really ready for some fall like weather. We had a nice walk this morning, and then it was in to the office for me. I left about 12:45, because I had a two o'clock appointment to have the trees I bought yesterday planted. Pictured here are the two peach trees. They are awfully scrawny looking right now (perhaps the scrawniest trees I have ever seen), but I expect that, with my nurturing and high level of care, they will be beautiful by this time next year. We had a row of trees at the farm; apples, peaches plums (I think) and pears. We did get some fruit off them, mostly apples, and I enjoyed tending them. So, we will see how these go. There is also another Mexican Plum, which hopefully pollinate with the plum tree that Michael and Lynda gave me when I moved in to the Curious House. Some things that should be easy are just becoming more difficult. I have to shop around various drug emporiums to see who at the moment has one of my prescription meds in stock, and when I find one, I have to act quickly to get it refilled. SO...what a mess. I can't believe tis, but I did not even mention that I did laundry yesterday, most likely because I tried to put it out of my mind. Now, almost everything I own smells Downy fresh. If everything goes according to plan, the ROMEOs will have a  nice breakfast tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Volume 16 - Day 315/51, 2024 - Sunday

It took extra long for our walk this morning, we kept running in to people we haven't seen in a long time, so it was fun getting a chance to catch up a little bit. There was also a really pretty sunrise, hope you enjoy this pic. I fed the girls and had some cereal, and watched the rest of Sunday Morning, or at least part of it. Some of it didn't keep my attention, so I was up and down. At about 10:30, I went to a nursery in Leander that I had been referred to by Marian. I bought a Mexican Plum and two peach trees, and they will be installed tomorrow. Michael and Lynda gave me what I think is a Mexican Plum about three years ago when I moved in to the Curious House. I took a leaf off the tree and a couple photos of it to the nursery to try to confirm the species. I had hoped it was a self pollinator, but, even though it has bloomed once or twice, there has been no fruit, so hopefully with the addition of the addition of the plum I bought today, I will have some fruit in a year or two. They also said that cross pollination will not hurt, so one way or another... Peach trees do pretty well here, and there is one house in the neighborhood that gets lots of peaches from his tree, so fingers crossed. On the way home, I got gas in the little white car and a few items from the HEB. Then down for a nap. Later on, I went back to the estate sale I went to yesterday, and bought more than I should, but, whatever. Tomorrow should be a relatively quiet day in the office, I need to be home by 2 or 3 to meet the tree planting guy. Always something.