Volume 17 - Day 346/19, 2025 - Friday

I GOT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS! No, really! billy and Gina gave me a dancing and singing hippopotamus for Christmas! I love it, but the Piglet hates it, which is okay with me. She cannot have the hippopotamus out of her sight, and it is kind of interesting to watch. It was a good morning for a walk, and it was shorts weather, too. I think tomorrow will be a shorts morning as well. I had one meeting to attend this morning, and that was interesting. I did nothing of any consequence after getting back to the Curious House, and that was okay, too. Paulina, Krisa and Maja made it safely to Poland, and the photo they shared did not show them any worse for wear. I saw Jimmie and Linda for a few minutes, and I think they are heading to Nac either tomorrow or Sunday, and they will be back on Monday. Lots of peeps are taking short trips here-and-there, it is that time of the year. Today is Mikey's birthday, so if you talk to him, be sure to wish him a happy birthday! Three estate sales tomorrow for us to check out, and I am on the prowl for treasure.

Volume 17 - Day 345/20, 2025 - Thursday

Well, today was a busier day than I have experienced lately. I only did half of the walk this morning, because I was expected at a meeting in Austin at 10 o'clock. I got to the meeting at about 9:45, all was good, and then I found out there was NO meeting at 10 o'clock, but there was a meeting at 11:30. It was comforting to know that I was not the only person that believed there was a 10 o'clock meeting, but I really would have appreciated getting the change memo. Whatever. I was ready for anything: I put on real socks, long pants, and a sport coat. Bonus: The socks were brand new, and I have had them for years, a time long, long ago when socks were a thing for me, and I bought and was given socks for any occasion, and no occasion.So, how long has Stein Mart been gone? I miss Stein Mart, for many reasons, one being that you could go in there and walk out with lots of goodies, and still have money left. The on-line Stein Mart just does not do it for me. Whatever. Once I got home from my non-meeting and the real meeting, I fed the girls and then headed out to dinner with Jonathan and Dale, and that was fun. I have one meeting tomorrow, and that will be it for the week. Good!

Volume 17 - Day 344/21, 2025 - Wednesday

I am about half-way through the book I have been reading, and I do not recommend that anyone read it. Nobody's Girl by Virginia Giuffre. The book is well written, nothing wrong with that. The subject matter is disgusting and sad. To think that things like this can happen to people by people in power is worse than horrifying. There have certainly been plenty of women who have made similar accusations, and all we really need to do is believe them and prosecute everyone that participated. I will finish the book, and if you are curious, it is your decision, not mine. You have been warned. It was a little bit warmer this morning, so I wore shorts for our walk. The sun cast long shadows on me and Richard, and I always like seeing and sharing that. Apparently we are also in the middle of some interesting meteor showers, the Geminid Meteor showers. You can see up to 100 meteors per hour, peaking on Saturday and Sunday, and nightly after 9PM, and best from midnight until 2AM. I will be asleep, but let me know if you see anything. Don't call! I have a meeting tomorrow, and after that I will be taking Paulina, Krisa and Maja to the airport, all headed back to Poland. I think Val and Oliver will leave sometime next week. I will have another meeting on Friday, and there are two estate sales on Saturday. 

Volume 17 - Day 343/22, 2025 - Tuesday

The photo accompanying this entry is one of the things I miss about the farm. Jody and I did not do a lot of decorating, we kind of quit after 9/11, but I always did put lights up by the road. I always liked looking at the lights at the gate, I thought it was really pretty. Plus, I always preferred multi-colored lights, as opposed to all clear lights or lights of all one color. That preference remains at the Curious House, maybe I will include a pick of that in another entry. It was cold, relatively speaking, this morning, but it did not freeze at the Curious House. We had a good breakfast with the ROMEOs this morning, and after breakfast, I went back in to Austin to get an errand done that I should have done yesterday, but forgot. I intended to stop on the way home to get my haircut, but I forgot that, too. SO...after a nap, I did go and get my haircut, and that is one more thing I can cross off me chore list. I think it will be warmer overnight, and I put the back patio plants back outside, and I might put the front plants outside when I complete this entry. Maybe.

Volume 17 - Day 342/23, 2025 - Monday

Call me stupid (all together...YOU'RE STOOPID!), but donating platelets twice a month is something that I really look forward to, and something I really am happy to do. It was chilly for our walk this morning, but it did not get to freezing or below. I did not bring plants in last night, but I brought everything in this morning before walking. It MAY get to freezing or below overnight tonight, and then it should warm up for the foreseeable future. Nothing even close to freeing in the forecast through Christmas day. After platelets, I got back to the Curious House, and I continued eating food that has been (mostly) brought over to me by neighbors. I think I still have three or four more days of food before I need to buy anything at the grocery. After walking tomorrow, I will join the ROMEO breakfast, and then (maybe) go back in to Austin for something I should have done today when I was there. Everything will work out, no problems. Since it was platelet day, I include a photo of the donation for your enjoyment. While I was there, there was a man who decided to 'live stream' his whole blood donation. It was the first time he had ever donated, and I was full of sarcasm and questionable comments, which should not be surprising to anyone. 

Volume 17 - Day 341/24, 2025 - Sunday

We are at that time of year in central Texas, when it can be 75 degrees yesterday, and only 55 degrees today. That also means it will be in the 30s tomorrow when I get up and get ready for my walk with Paul and Richard. I wore shorts for the walk this morning, but not tomorrow. I am being very daring right now, I am not bringing the plants back inside or in the garage. I am betting it won't actually freeze this week, but we may get close. I may not be able to take the stress and change my mind tomorrow, stay tuned. I had a nice brunch this morning, and made a stop at HEB on the way home. That is about the most productive I have been, and I am totally fine with that. I did do a few things in the office, cleared the desk, and I am ready for the new week. Tomorrow will be a platelet donation day, and that makes me feel good. I have a couple things to do Thursday, including taking Paulina, Krisa and Maja to the airport. A meeting on Friday, and that will pretty much make another week. Life is good! I harvested the lemons today, and took them to Paulina. They will be on their way to Poland on Thursday, and Paulina's mom will enjoy them.

Volume 17 - Day 240/25, 2025 - Saturday

Well, it has been kind of a long day, and it is only about 7:30, and it feels like it should be about 10 o'clock. It gets dark too early, and I am not used to that. We all had a nice walk this morning, and then shortly after that, it was time to hit the estate sales. We did three estate sales, I bought something at two of them (half-price), and got home in time for a nap. I briefly considered getting up and doing something more productive, but that thought left me quickly. I went twice to check the mail, and it had arrived on the second attempt. Val and Paulina came over with Krisa and Maja, and we all went to dinner in Georgetown, and then walked around the square for a while. It was an absolutely glorious day weather-wise in central Texas today, blue skies, sunshine and the temperature in the low 70s. Not sure what the weather has in store for the coming days, but it will all be okay. Nothing in particular on the calendar for the next several days, but, as usual, I will find something to fill the time. For now, it is time to get in the big chair with the girls and flip through the channels!

Volume 17 - Day 339/26, 2025 - Friday

I did a lot of this-and-that today, including going to Trader Joe's (not once but) twice! Gina was a good sport and went with me both times, and I expect I will be back there tomorrow morning soon after they open the doors (8AM). I am on a mission. Don't ask, it is just one example of my OCD. Whatever. I also walked this morning with Paul and Richard, and found time for a nap or two. I was on the phone for quite a while, trying to get some billing issues settled, and got all but two items on my chore list completed. It has been another chilly, grey day, but things are supposed to improve tomorrow, and warm up over the next several days. That will be good, even if all that gets better is that the sun will shine. I think that makes everything better. We will also have three estate sales to hit tomorrow, and I have not been to an estate sale in about a month. That will be fun. I am attaching a photo from my Antarctica trip to this entry, since I did not take a photo of anything today. We will see what the day brings tomorrow.

Volume 17 - Day 338/27, 2025 - Thursday

I have lived in central Texas for a little over 40 years, and in that time, I have visited the Capitol dozens, if not hundreds, of times. Yesterday was the first time I ever used the north entrance, and I was totally disoriented once I got in. BUT, I soon figured it out, and got my business taken care of, in and out, nobody got hurt! It was 'kind of' raining this morning, so we did not walk, and I don't think anyone was particularly dismayed about that. Honestly, I don't think any of us are that keen on our daily walks, but we do it because we need to do it, and because we get to moan and groan and solve the problems of the world. I don't expect it will be rainy tomorrow, so we will be taking a morning walk. I had a nice lunch this morning with Michael and Lynda, and it was nice seeing them. I had a 1:30 appointment in Georgetown, and I made it back with a few minutes to spare. I made a few stops on the way home, and Jimmie and Linda and I took off for dinner at 3:30. I am making a trip to Trader Joe's tomorrow with Gina, so let me know if you need anything, I am taking requests!

Volume 17 - Day 337/28, 2025 - Wednesday

Well, in case there was any doubt, yes, today is my birthday. 74. It's alright, nothing particularly unsettling about it to me, just (really) another day. I need to remind all of you that I consider myself to be a really lucky man, and I wish more people could be as lucky as I am. We did get a walk in this morning, and then I had a meeting to get to in Austin. I fear I may be becoming one of those people that lives in the suburbs, and has discovered that Austin no longer has the appeal it did when I first moved to central Texas in 1985. But...the burbs are quite acceptable, and I am quite content to be here. I took the birthday cake from last night to the 10 o'clock meeting, and left there with kolaches and bundt cake cupcakes. I continued to collect food and wishes as the day went on, and this evening I went to dinner with Jimmie and Linda. When I got home, Billy and Gina brought me more food over, so I think I am set through the end of the year with food in the refrigerator. It is kind of dribbly outside, and I think that is expected to continue for the near term. If it is still going on tomorrow morning, I expect we will not walk, which will be just fine with me. I am having lunch with Michael and Lynda tomorrow, and then I have a 1:30 appointment back in Georgetown. The photo accompanying this entry is the cover of the birthday card from Jimmie and Linda, probably the best birthday card I have received in a while. What could be better than Death by Puppies?

Volume 17 - Day 336/29, 2025 - Tuesday

So...today was a chilly and busy day. It was 32 degrees when I got out of bed this morning, and it was not any warmer when Richard, Paul and I took off for our walk. After the walk, the three of us, plus Rick, met for the ROMEO breakfast. Between breakfast and getting back to the Curious House, I ran SIX errands, but they are all done now! Then it was down for a nap, and then the doorbell rang (which always sets the girls off), and it was the guy there to fix the outside lights. That took him about 45 minutes, and it was another instance of squirrels chewing through the wires. I don't have a solution to that problem, so I expect I will be doing that once or twice a season for the long term. Tonight was our neighborhood Drinking Liberally group, and we all had a good time. Tonight, the group turned in to an early birthday celebration for me and Richard (whose birthday is Monday). Great fun, great neighbors. I have a couple appointments in Austin tomorrow, so that will take up a good part of the day. Lunch with Carrie and dinner with Jimmie and Linda. I am a lucky man!

Volume 17 - Day 335/30, 2025 - Monday

I wimped out as soon as I got out of bed this morning, and I turned on the heat. It was, I think, in the low 40s outside, and the low 60s inside the house. I actually got cold enough to wake up overnight, but I did not do anything about it until it was time to get up. It has been grey and overcast all day, with little dribblies of rain, and we are expecting a light freeze overnight. Then it is expected to warm up again, and no more freezing forecast for a couple weeks. After our walk, I brought all the plants in from the back, then I took the little white car in for more service. I got a call that one of the tires needed to be replaced, tires that I just bought last year, and has about 16,000 miles on it. BUT, it is out of warranty, because...and I just really can't get in to it right now. Needless to say, it is not logical to me, but it seems to be perfectly logical to the dealership that sold me the tires. Whatever. In between times, I started my search for a new doctor, and I have an appointment with one on the 15th. I brought all the plants in from the front, and one it too big to bring in, so I have it covered with a sheet, and there is a heat lamp under it, so that should keep it from freezing. At least, that is the plan. I think the lemons are pretty close to being harvested, and I only got three this year, hopefully more next year.