Volume 17 - Day 97/268, 2025 - Monday

I think it was 37 degrees this morning when I got up, and not any warmer when we started our walk. Heavy jackets, stocking caps, gloves. Maybe another day or two of that, and then it will start to warm up again. I did a little bit more on my taxes this morning after I fed the girls had had two more breakfast tacos from last week. I think there is still one left, not sure. I'm afraid to open the refrigerator to look, they could well be multiplying in there for all I know. I got some good work done in the office and more when I got home this afternoon. I think I am ready for my appointment with the CPA tomorrow, I will stop at the office first and make some copies, and then see what he says. On the way home this afternoon, I needed to get a document notarized, and it took me a while to find a notary. I was also going to stop at Galaxy Bakery, but I remembered they are closed on Mondays. Maybe tomorrow. This is not a criticism of the USPS because they do their jobs better than I could, but, I was missing a check that was supposed to be received on Saturday, and our regular carrier is back from sick leave, so I called and asked her if she could look around. Well, she found the missing piece of mail, and about three more pounds of my mail that had been mis-delivered while she was on leave. Honest mistake, nothing that would have made a terrible problem because I didn't receive it, but it was interesting. In that stuff was a card from Melinda that was mailed on October 1st, and I have it now, so I let her know I got it. Stuff happens. Talking about stuff happening, I went to Golden Chick and had their 10 shrimp combo meal. Crap, it was not as good as their shrimp last year, and I will give it another shot in the next couple weeks.

Volume 17 - Day 96/269, 2025 - Sunday

It is still cold, it did not get out of the 50s today, and it was (I think) in the 40s when we walked this morning. We had an okay walk, not a great walk, but I expect it will be better tomorrow. After our walk, I had intended to make an egg loaf for me and the girls, but they got their regular dog food and I am still eating on breakfast tacos that I got from my meeting on Friday. Two more left. I actually read some of my book this afternoon, in between naps. I rousted myself up about 2 o'clock and went to the grocery, and came back home. I don't buy a lot at the grocery; bread, cranberry turkey salad, milk, dog food, bagels. That is about it. Once I got home, I caved (did not cave) and ordered a pizza and some cheese bread. That will tide me over for at least three days. I have an appointment with the CPA on Tuesday, so I spent a good part of the day finishing up stuff to take to him. I do not expect I will have everything he needs to actually file my 2024 taxes, but I expect he will have enough to give me an estimate of any tax I need to pay before the 15th, and he will have enough to get the extension filed. I will be going in to the office tomorrow, and I will need to go to our storage room to find some documents I need to review in order to file a couple things, again, before the 15th. Nothing too complicated, but the previous years information is already in storage. There is no rain in the foreseeable future, and that is distressing. Speaking of rain (not really), but on the news this evening, there was a segment on Antarctica, and how the glaciers are melting, and we will all be under water in about 50 years. Also, did you know NOBODY owns Antarctica? Interesting. 

Volume 17 - Day 95/270, 2025 - Saturday

It is colder than a fart in a dead eskimo here at the Curious House. Okay, it is 58 degrees right now, it is damp and the wind is blowing, therefore the simile about the fart. We did not walk this morning, even though it was not raining, it was supposed to be raining. And, there was lightning, so nope, not gonna do it. I made use of the time I did not spend walking by doing a couple things around the Curious House, and thenwent down for a quick nap. After that, it did start raining a little bit, so I went and picked up Marian, and we hit three underwhelming estate sales. Even though they were underwhelming, I managed to spend about $30. The best buy was a(nother) clock, at 75% off. It was a pretty good spend of $20, it works, keeps good time, so I am happy. While we were out, we also stopped at the Sun City plant sale, and Marian bought three plants. I bought no plants, because I have no dirt. We have about three inches (that is being generous) of dirt here before you hit limestone, so I prefer seeds to make little things grow, or planters. The morning glories are doing nicely this year, and it is all nature, no nurture. I have done nothing to encourage them this year, but they are doing really well. We fear it is going to be extra hot this summer, and they don't care for that at all. Overnight, we are getting down to the 40s, and the wind chill when we walk will be in the 30s. Dammit. Those temps will likely only last three or four days, just long enough for us to start complaining about it. There will be plenty of time to complain about the heat, so have a seat and just try not to pay too much attention.

Volume 17 - Day 94/271, 2025 - Friday

Well, today was another good day/bad day, and IYKYK. That's all I am going to say about that. I did a half-walk this morning, because I had a doctors appointment at 9:20, and I thought if I got there early, maybe they would take me in early. I had absolutely no idea what was to take place at this appointment, but apparently it was just to do a blood draw. They called my name at 9:23, and I was home, pulling in the driveway at 9:37. I got all the results back this afternoon, and everything was within normal ranges except for my HDL Cholesterol level (the good cholesterol). So, for an old guy of an advanced age, I think that is pretty good, and I doubt I will make substantial changes to anything...maybe take some other vitamins to boost that level, but certainly not change my 13 year-old-kid-with-a-credit-card diet. After the lab visit, I had an 11 o'clock meeting in Austin, then home with a stop to get gas. Val and Paulina came over at 4, and we went to dinner, and now I am home for the night. Paulina is going to Europe for work tomorrow, and she will be gone for a couple weeks, maybe three, I am easily confused. There are three estate sales tomorrow, and they don't look too interesting on-line, but you never know until you get there. Even if there are no treasures to be had, I expect I will find something. We are expecting big storms overnight, hitting about 3 o'clock in the morning. Low temperatures will be in the 40s for the next few days, with highs in the 70s. Weird. Have a great weekend everybody! Just in case of real storms overnight, I thought I would share this photo with you, they may be gone when I wake up in the morning.

Volume 17 - Day 93/272, 2025 - Thursday

Today was kind of an odd day, don't you think! Of course, most of the chatter will be about world wide economies, and some peeps are posting things on my posts that I can't decide if they are trying to insult me or agree with me. So, I am choosing to just ignore comments that I don't get the jist of. We had a nice walk this morning as usual, and I had a 9 o'clock call with Alexandra (not sure where she is), working on details of my trip to Antarctica in November. That was fun, and I made notes! After that, I had lunch with Eileen and Holly, and that was really fun. I am apparently on a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup kick, and I was good. Both grilled cheese sandwiches recently were really good. I got home around 2, and there was an e-mail from Klaus (he's in Spain), and we were working on flights from Austin to Ushuaia (pronounced U-SHWY-AH), via Buenos Aires. Lots of planning to do for a trip that is not happening until November. So, yes, it was an interesting day. A little while ago I was out in the back yard with the girls, and I saw the absolutely most beautiful, brilliantly feathered male cardinal. I tried for a photo, but it was not to be. Just an idea, try to pay attention to stuff when you are outside. The photo accompanying this entry is of a sculpture I saw off MoPac this morning, when I was on my way to lunch. Pretty cool.

Volume 17 - Day 92/273, 2025 - Wednesday

I am very happy to report that the Hummers have returned to the Curious House environs. I have seen Hummers at the feeders everyday for the last three days, so I think that makes it official. We had a good walk this morning, but it was VERY windy. Crazy windy. I watered stuff in the front and back, which contributed to a little bit of rain, not too much more than a trace. But, it was a little rain, and that is a good thing. I went down for a little nap after breakfast, and then I headed in to the office. I had one errand to get done on the way, but that chore ended in failure. Some things are just more trouble than they are worth. I will have to come up with a new tactic within the next 30 days or so. It took almost thirty minutes to make the last mile in to the office. Crazy. They should choose a less busy part of the day to reduce traffic from five lanes to two lanes. I makes people testy to say the least. On the way home, I stopped at Galaxy Bakery and got myself two raspberry scones, so I am set for breakfast tomorrow, maybe Friday, too. I actually think I might check out a couple programs on HBO this evening, and that will pretty much do it for the day.

Volume 17 - Day 91/274, 2025 - Tuesday

Happy April Fools Day, and Happy Birthday to Jody and my mother...they shared birthdays but different years. We had a nice walk this morning, and then went to Monument Cafe for our weekly ROMEO breakfast. AND...today is Total Stranger Tuesday. No problem this morning, and everyone had a nice breakfast, laughs and we solved many of the world's problems. If only everyone else would listen to us we could all sleep much better at night. I stopped at UFCU on the way to breakfast to cash a small check, but apparently the drive through does not open until 9AM. It seems like the drive through used to open at 7AM, but I guess not any more. I really do not like UFCU, but it is too much trouble to move to another bank. I also have my doubts that any other financial institution would be any less problematic. I did not do much of anything else for the rest of the day, but I did go with Linda and Jimmie this afternoon, to Jack Allen's Kitchen for dinner. I had the same thing for dinner that I had for brunch on Sunday. I am not that adventurous when it comes to palate testing. Home now, and about ready to settle in for the night. The girls know that when I put my pants on, I am going somewhere, and they are generally happier when I take my pants off. I can go outside nnd water stuff and/or talk to neighbors in my boxers, no big deal. It is the way I started making friends here at the Curious House, five years ago. Okay, four years and four months ago. I am working on my fifth year. I have a few things on my list to get done tomorrow, but nothing I need to stress over. One interesting thing about this semi-retired gig is, I can just wander around here and there, and I have very few deadlines. I like it!