Volume 18 - Day 103/262, 2026 - Monday

This was certainly a busy day! I woke up this morning in Florence, had breakfast at the hotel, and took an Uber to the train station, and we left for Rome at about 9 o'clock. I think. We didn't waste any time once we got to Rome. We checked in to the hotel, and then took off to visit the following: The Vatican, Piazza Novona, Trevi Fountain, The Pantheon, Neptune's Fountain, The Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Spanish Stairs, and the monument to Victor Emanuel. Victor Emanuel III was the King of Italy from 1900 until he abdictated in 1946. He was also the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 until 1941, and King of the Albanians from 1939 until 1943. He was a busy guy. I have hundreds of photos, so if you want to see them, make an appointment when I get back to Texas, and we can look together. Tomorrow will be much less hectic, we will meet in the lobby about 9, have breakfast, and take the train to Naples in the early afternoon. We will be in Naples for three nights, so maybe I will unpack, but probably not.

Volume 18 - Day 102/263, 2026 - Sunday

It has been a really long day today, and I am ready to crawl in to the bed and go to sleep. We left the hotel this morning at about 6:45 (I think), and walked to the train station which is where we caught the bus for our 12 hour tour. AND...it was almost exactly 12 hours! We went to Siena, had lunch at a winery (kind of the Walmart of wineries), then to San Gimignano (where we had what is known as the 'World's Most Famous Gelato' in 2024. It really was good. Then, we went to Pisa, and you know what we did there. After Pisa, we got back on the bus and headed back to Florence. We stopped for dinner after getting back to Florence, and got back to the hotel at about 9 o'clock. We will be up early again tomorrow, meeting in the lobby for breakfast and check-out at 7:15, catching the train to Rome at about 8:30, and then a busy day of seeing the sights and buying even more crap. Having a wonderful time, wish you all were here!

Volume 18 - Day 101/264, 2026 - Saturday

We got up this morning and had breakfast in the hotel, and then we walked around for a while. We met Holly and her sister Lisa for a few minutes, before we headed for the train to Firenze. If you're an Aggie, that is Italian for Florence. Lisa is teaching an art class in Venice, so that is pretty interesting. Oh, and Holly lives in Oregon, not in Washington state as I previously reported. The train to Florence was fun, I think it was about three hours, and I took a nap or two on the way. The sights from a train in Italy are very much the same as in the U.S., it just happens to be a different country. Small cities along the way, towns and villages where ordinary people live, I just enjoy it. We got to Florence around 4 or 4:30, checked in to the hotel, and then wandered around, bought crap, had dinner, and now back in the hotel for the evening. We are going on a 12 hour tour tomorrow, leaving at 7:30, to Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano. We meet at the train station, so we will be leaving the hotel around 6:30 to get there on time. Good night! Oh yeah, I probably took about 250 photos today, so...

Volume 18 - Day 100/265, 2026 - Friday

Against considerable odds, we made it to Venice this morning at about noon. It was not as dramatic as I am making it sound, but before takeoff last night, the Captain reported that they had determined there was ice on the wings, and we needed to de-ice the plane. It was, according to my watch, 46 degrees Fahrenheit, so the probability of ice on the wings was relatively small. Whatever. I probably got more sleep overnight than I really think I did, but it was fitful at best. We landed, and all the new entry rules went into effect today, and all the systems were 'down,' so everything had to be done manually. That all took a while. We finally got through, got on a boat to the hotel, checked in, had about an hour of quiet time, and then we started sight seeing. We are only here overnight, we are taking a train to Florence tomorrow. On the plane, I met a very nice woman from Washington state, as I recall. You all know I am not much for details. But it was nice, she is here with her parents and sister, and hopefully we will meet up again. Paulina and I had dinner at the hotel, and now it is time to go to sleep. Venice is a beautiful place, and there will be lots of pictures to share later. I am attaching a photo of me and Paulina (my travel agent) on the Rialto Bridge. Good night.

Volume 18 - Day 99/266, 2026 - Thursday

It's days like this that I wish I were more technologically competent. Or maybe I just need to invent a pocket-sized IT guy. Right now, I am at JFK waiting for our (me and Paulina) flight to Venice. I was up at 4:30 this morning, Arjun picked us up a little before 8AM, we made it to the airport with no issues, got through TSA with no issues, and had some breakfast. My friend Terry joined us and sat with us for a while, and then we headed for JFK. Even though my phone says I have WIFI on the plane, I cannot figure out how to make it work, which is why I am doing this journal entery now, instead of doing it 'somewhere over the Atlantic' which is what I had meant to do. I am also TOTALLY aware that these are first world problems, and I will suffer through, since air travel is so much more practical than taking a boat to Europe. True dat! SO...we will get on the plane at about 9 o'clock Eastern Time, and get to Venice about noon tomorrow. To be honest, I really have no idea, but I will be in a plane, and whenever the plane lands, that will be fine with me. On the way in, I THINK we flew past Manhattan and Central Park. If the photo with this entry IS NOT Manhattan and Central Park, feel free to keep it to yourself, just leave it be. Otherwise, life is good, Val and Evan and Albert and Amber are taking care of the girls, and I will go places in the next couple of weeks that I have never been before. I always wanted to go to Austria! 

Volume 18 - Day 98/267, 2026 - Wednesday

So...tax extension has been filed and check for 2025 and first quarter of 2026 are in the mail. I went to Target this morning and bought a pair of pants, and I have already taken them back and got a credit on my credit card. I had not really looked at them when I bought them, I was just paying attention to the color. When I got them home, they had some 'bleached lines' on them, that is the only way I know how to describe them. The lady at customer service said that was 'the style,' and I explained to her that it was not 'my style.' Then I bought some socks, and now I am just about ready for my trip. I have a load of clothes in the dryer, and I will get finished packing tomorrow morning. That will be the absolute last thing I do before I leave. It was a nice day today, in the lower 80s, and it is expected to get warmer and wetter as the week goes by. You never know about rain, so I will let the sprinkler run this evening, and turn the system off before I leave. I am expecting tomorrow to be a pretty long day of travel, but I also expect that I will survive the whole thing. I am looking forward to seeing things I have never seen, making new friends, and meeting up with friends from other adventures. It will be good! I got gas in the little white car today, I have no complaints about the price of things, there is no real reason to complain (which is really unlike me), but I just need to remind myself and everyone else, that I am a very lucky man!

Volume 18 - Day 97/268, 2026 - Tuesday

This is a pretty exciting day! It is not everyday that you have a crater named after you, the Carroll Crater on the dark side of the moon! I've been humming Pink Floyd for the last several days, too. Okay, not named after me, exactly, but my middle name is Carroll, so I'll take it. I also share that middle name with my friend Melody, so lots of cool people share that name! It is easy enough to see the exact Carroll that it was named after if you have access to the internet. Carroll Crater is a lunar impact crater located on the surface of the moon. It was officially named yesterday, April 6, 2026, by the crew of the Artemis II mission. Other than finding that out, today was a relatively normal day in the life. Breakfast with the ROMEOs, a stop at the UPS Store, an appointment with the CPA so I now know how much I owe the IRS, then home to take a nap with the girls. I am in the process of gathering stuff up to take with me on my trip with Paulina. We will meet Krisa in Berlin, and I will visit with Lisa and Hanna in Munich. In the meantime, it will be making new friends in Ireland and other points, and seeing how many family photos (ussies) I can photo bomb. It's what I do!

Volume 18 - Day 96/269, 2026 - Monday

I didn't have a lot of chores on my list today, but I did get a few tings done. I trimmed back one of the peach trees in the back yard that was a victim of a late frost, and hopefully that will help the pieces of that tree that are still alive. I also got all the prep done for my appointment with the CPA tomorrow, so I am pretty confident with that. Today was a platelet day, and all the staff at the blood center were wondering where Paulina and Marian were, but they were happy to see me. It is kind of odd to donate solo, but Marian and Paulina will be back to donating soon. Before I got home, I stopped to see how long the wait was for a haircut, and decided I would need to go back, since I was meeting a service man at Val and Paulina's, to see about getting their garage door repaired. I met with that guy, and shortly after that, Val was home, and he took over talking with the repair man. I took off and made a visit to the bank, and then went to get my haircut. The lady that cut my hair was a talker, and I was not particularly in the mood to talk, but it all worked out. I stopped at Cane's on the way back to the Curious House, and I just finished a three finger combo meal. Excellent! Now, I am in for the evening, and I expect I will be in the big chair with a couple girl dogs before long.

Volume 18 - Day 95/270, 2026 - Easter Sunday

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter, it was a lovely day in central Texas, the temperature never got out of the middle 60s, and it was jacket weather this morning! The photo is of the beautiful sunrise this morning, and it was well worth documenting. I met Reuben and Alisha for brunch, and that was fun, I haven't seen them in a couple months, I think. I got home, did a few little things around the Curious House, and went down for naps with the girls. Oliver, Val and Paulina came over for a few minutes, Oliver is headed back to Galveston after being home for the weekend. Val went to Home Depot and got a post to keep my plum tree upright. I think it is a plum tree, I am not sure, but it is something with some small fruits on it. I've had to windows open, but closed in the bedroom, it is too chilly for napping in there with the windows open. Tomorrow will be a platelets day, and Tuesday I have an appointment with the CPA. I am in good shape for the CPA, but there will be a few pieces of information I still have to collect.

Volume 18 - Day 94/271, 2026 - Saturday

One of my favorite things about the Curious House are the windows in my bedroom. I spend a lot of time back there with the girls in the big chair, watching television. I open the blinds all the way up when I get out of bed in the morning, and lower them about two-thirds of the way about 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The windows are west-facing, so there is a lot of sun in the afternoon, which is why I bring the blinds down in the afternoon. I planned to NOT go to estate sales today, and then the rain caused me to coward out and not go to Holly's for Migas and Mimosas. We only got a little over a half-inch of rain, but it rained pretty hard for a while, and I understand it rained much heavier south of Georgetown. So...basically, I did nothing all day but watch tv. I went out a little while ago and did the best I could raking and sweeping and blowing the oak tassels (or catkins) off the front patio and driveway. They have dyed the concrete in many places, but I expect the summer will bleach the concrete back to white during the heat of the summer. The good news is, the sprinklers are off for the near-term, and the bad news is there is not more rain expected in the near term (or the long-tern as far as that goes).

Volume 18 - Day 93/272, 2026 - Friday

No more rain since my entry yesterday, but with any luck, there will be more over the weekend. My phone says we will have some light showers pretty soon, but it doesn't look like anything will fall from the sky any time soon. I took another virtual class today, and it was an elective. There are still two required classes I need to take, and I will hopefully be able to find them offered virtually in the near future. After the class, I went down for a nap with the girls, and Oliver came over for a few minutes. He is home for the Easter weekend, and yesterday when he arrived, it was the first time he had been home since Val and Paulina moved in. After a while Paulina, Oliver and I went in to Georgetown, we intended to go to the Georgetown Welcome Center to get Texas (or Georgetown) magnets to take with us next week. I am not sure if they will be open tomorrow, but they closed at 3PM today. After that, it was salad and pizza for dinner, and it was really good. We are all glad that we discovered the place on Leander Road. I am planning to go visit Holly, Gavin and Mace tomorrow for their spring time open house, hopefully with no rain. We shall see... Georgetown is officially recognized as the "Red Poppy Capital of Texas," designated that by the Texas Legislature in 1990. The recent rain was pretty heavy at times, and kind of beat these poppies down, but they are still pretty, especially en masse!

Volume 18 - Day 92/273, 2026 - Thursday

There was no walk this morning, because it was raining. This is not a usual comment about walking, so it is not straying from my vow yesterday to quit talking about walking. Since this time yesterday, we have received 2.28" of rain, and honestly, that amount was quite unexpected. Thankfully, the rain, pretty strong at times, cleaned the pollen off the solar panels for which I am very appreciative. The sun is out right now, and we will not be expecting any more rain until Saturday, which will be nice if that really happens. Whatever happens, I will try my best to turn off the sprinkler before it is scheduled to run on Saturday. While it was raining this morning, Gina came and picked me up and we went to Trader Joe's. You know, Trader Joe's, the place that I am really not cool enough to visit. I finished shopping quicker than Gina, so I went and sat in the car. While I was checking out, there was quite a commotion in the parking lot. Apparently someone was backing out of a parking place and hit a pedestrian (female). There was more commotion when several emergency vehicles arrived 'on the scene'. By the time we headed home, the rain had ended, and the rest of the day was dry and comfortable, I think the temperature only got up to the low 80s. I am not sure what is going on, but Callie is not feeling well...she might have pulled a muscle or something, she is not jumping up on the chair or the bed, but she is eating just fine. I will watch her overnight and maybe take her to the vet tomorrow, after my virtual class.

Volume 18 - Day 91/274, 2026 - Wednesday

The score is now 3-0, I have been in Austin for three days in a row now, but I will not be driving in tomorrow, in fact, I have nothing t all on my calendar for the next two days. Actually, that's a lie; I am taking a virtual class on Friday, but at least I don't need to go anywhere to take the class, and I don't have to wear pants. Yes, there was a nice walk this morning, I think I might quit remarking about that, and as of tomorrow I will only be reporting if I DO NOT take a walk, or if something extraordinary happens on the walk. You're welcome! Let's all work toward keeping Austin weird; on the way in to Austin this morning, I passed this truck, and was a little bit startled until I figured out it was a dummy in the back seat. Not sure if there was a dummy in the front seat or not, but I did manage to get a few photos during the next several miles. Interesting! I did make it to two meetings, and I was on time for both of them. This afternoon, I had an appointment to get 'cracked,' and I am on a monthly rotation for 'cracking.' If everything works out overnight, we MIGHT get a bit of rain, and I hope this forecast is not an April Fool's joke. I am reading a new book (for the last couple days), called The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives', by Elizabeth Arnott. It is very interesting, and I am going through it pretty quickly. It is about women who were married to serial killers, what they had/have in common and similar characteristics the men they were married to shared. Fiction (I think), but interesting. 

Volume 18 - Day 90/275, 2026 - Tuesday

Yes, of course I had a walk this morning with Paul and Richard. Then we had our ROMEO breakfast, and Bob joined us for the first time. We might have overwhelmed him, but we are hoping he will become one of the regulars. Not only do we solve the problems of the world, but we also eavesdrop on conversations and criticize diners at other tables. Okay, that is me, really, sharing my thoughts with the servers helping the diners at other tables. After breakfast, I got back to the Curious House, and did some more work on my taxes, and I am very happy with my results so far. I am pretty sure I will be ready for my appointment with the CPA a week from today. Late this morning, I drove to Dripping Springs to visit with my friend Betty who is on a six month RV trip across the country, going here and there. She lives in Maumelle, Arkansas, and I think going cross-country at your own pace is probably one of the coolest things you can do. Unless, of course, you do it on a train, but then you could not have lunch with your friends along the way. Tomorrow will be another busy (sort of) day, and the third day in a row that I will go in to Austin. Two meetings in Austin and a chiropractor appointment in Georgetown. 

Volume 18 - Day 89/276, 2026 - Monday

This is pitiful; I had lunch with Michael and Lynda this morning, and book club met at the Curious House this evening, and I did not take a single picture of either event. I think I am losing my touch. Richard and Paul and I had a nice walk this morning, and after that, I went down for a little nap while I watched the morning news shows. I went in to Austin for lunch with Micheal and Lynda, and got lost in the process. Siri wanted me to go to one restaurant location but lunch was at another location. I made it on time though, and spent some time catching up. On the way home, I needed to stop at the bank and then HEB. I got gas in the little white car, and snacks for book club. I will be eating the snacks for at least a couple days, not that there is anything wrong with that. During book club, the girls went over and spent the evening with Val and Paulina, and Paulina even let them get up on her new couch! We are all back at the Curious House now, and pretty soon it will be popcorn and ice cream. No ice cream for the girls! Tomorrow will be the ROMEO breakfast and I think another friend of ours, Bob, is going to join us. After that, I am going to have lunch with my friend Betty, and I am really looking forward to that. I am also working on my income tax, and I have an appointment with the CPA next Tuesday. I will have enough stuff done that he can estimate my tax liability and file an extension. Whatever!

Volume 18 - Day 88/277, 2026 - Sunday

I stayed pretty busy today, starting with a good walk with Richard and Pau. I watched part of Sunday Morning, but lost interest and started cleaning (straightening out) the garage. I almost filled the recycling container with paper bags that I have been saving for too many years. I am not saving them anymore. After that, I went to one of the big box pet stores (not sure which one) and got bird seed and some dog food. I am stocking up on dog food because I will be out of town for a couple weeks in April. After that, Val and I went to an estate sale that I was at yesterday, but the main thing I went back for was already sold, that's just the way things go. I thought it was too expensive yesterday, it would have been better at 50% off, but it was a goner. I watered plants, and then some other neighbors (Albert, Amber and their son Evan) came down, Evan is going to help watch the girls and water plants while I am gone. After that, I went to Costco with Linda and Jimmie, and now I am ready to have some ice cream and pile up for the night. I think the girls are pretty ready to chill out as well.These geraniums are at least three years old, and I have two potts of them, and they seem to be very happy, which makes me smile. I also put some potting soil in the pot with the big ficus, and I will give it a little fertilizer later this week. 

Volume 18 - Day 87/278, 2026 - Saturday

We went to seven estate sales today, and at one of them, across the street from the actual sale, there was a house with an absolutely beautiful stand of red, white and pink amaryllis. Absolutely beautiful. The Curious House boasts a few amaryllis, all procured over the years from Trader Joe's, and they get better every year. I'm happy with them. Before estate sales, Richard and Paul and James and I had a nice walk, and there was some (only some) good conversation. Seven estate sales is a LOT of estate sales, and it was me, Diane and Marian. I am pretty sure everyone bought something, and I spent about $25 and got a few cool things. I am going back to one of the sales tomorrow to check out a couple things that will be half-off. You never know what might happen on the last day of a sale. After the sale, Marian, Paulina and I went to the Georgetown Community Center, where they were having a native plant sale. By the time we got there (1PM) they had sold out of everything and the place was next to empty. I guess it was a competition between estate sales and native plants, and the sales won. I hired a new lawn care guy, and he cut the grass this afternoon, the first time of the season. He did a good job, and I think we will be on a two week rotation. Every two weeks should be plenty. I just got back from the quicky-picky, where I got my lottery tickets for the next few days. One of these days...

Volume 18 - Day 86/279, 2026 - Friday

Today is Val's birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL! The day started with a good walk, and then I got back to the Curious House, had a scone, did a few things in the office, and then I went down for a nap. I didn't do a whole lot for the rest of the day, the girls and I just kind of hung out. I did get a few things in the office done, and got some planning done. I talked to a couple people in Chicago about flights to and from Africa for my trip in September. I think I (Paulina) found better and less expensive flights round trip, so I probably will not use the recommended vendor to book those flights. We have had a cool front come through, so it is 17 degrees cooler right now than it was a five o'clock this afternoon. The cooler weather is only going to last a couple days, but we will take what we can get. I went to dinner tonight with Val and Paulina to celebrate his birthday, and had cake from Upper Crust after dinner. Tomorrow will be seven estate sales, and I am looking forward to that. In the afternoon, there is a native plant sale going on at San Gabriel Park, and I expect I will go to that, just to see what I can find. 

Volume 18 - Day 85/280, 2026 - Thursday

This time tomorrow should be a little bit cooler than it has been lately in central Texas. The weather prognosticator said it is unusual to have 90 degree temperatures in March, and so far there have been five days at 90 degrees or better. I think that is the most 90 degree days in March ever here. Maybe tomorrow it will break, and we will be more seasonable, and I can open the windows again. Maybe. Paul and Richard and I had a nice walk this morning, I need to start walking a little further to get my knee used to it. I had a zoom class this morning for three hours, and then a zoom meeting for one hour this afternoon. Other than that, I did very little of anything today. I did get a few things done in the office between zoom meetings, and I have absolutely nothing on my list of things to get done tomorrow. There are seven estate sales on Saturday, and that might well be a record for us. I plan to finish the current book, The Bean Trees, over the weekend since book club is Monday night and I am the host this month. I have to say, I am not particularly fond of this book, but I will get it finished. I do have a nice little group of Bluebonnets in the front bed, and they are particularly lovely this year. Lots of them on the sides of the highways, always a sign that spring has sprung!

Volume 18 - Day 84/281, 2026 - Wednesday

The day started with a pretty good walk with Richard and Pau, and then, I had an appointment at the Curious House with the landscaper. All I really want is to make, what appears to be, a very complicated estimate a simpler for me to understand estimate. I don't need a lot of this and that, I just want to add some plants and get two peach trees bought and installed. So, I hope to get the revised estimate later this evening or tomorrow, get it approved, and then wait for all the work to happen. I did get a new lawn maintenance person approved, and the grass will get cut on Saturday. Today was a platelets day, and it is pretty crazy that I was the only one that could donate platelets today. For one reason or another, Paulina and Marian were not able to give, so that is unfortunate. Whenever I am disqualified for donating, I take it very personally. Whatever. Tomorrow, I have a couple zoom meetings; one is a three hour continuing education class, and the other is a committee meeting. I haven't looked yet, but Marian says there are a lot of estate sales this weekend, and that is always fun. I'll let you know. You can always count on the rose bushes in the back yard, they are very little maintenance, and they are absolutely stunning. 

Volume 18 - Day 83/282, 2026 - Tuesday

I had a nice walk this morning with Richard, and after the walk, I met with Rick and Richard for our ROMEO breakfast. I got a good bit of office work done, I really don't pay attention to doing the 'worst first,' but I settled down and did a couple things that I have been putting off. It was not as bad as I expected, and now it is done. I also finished the fountain planter on the back patio this afternoon, and I got the three functioning fountains up and going. I am pretty satisfied with the new plantings, and I will just need to keep everything watered. I still can't find the large peach trees that I am coveting, and I am ready to approve a bid for filling in the landscaping in the front and back, we just need to agree on some changes. Unfortunately, that means they are going to be back at the Curious House tomorrow. Also tomorrow, Marian and Paulina and I have appointments to donate platelets, and Val's birthday is Friday, so she has ordered a cake from Upper Crust, AND, I need to pick up another prescription while I am in the neighborhood. 

Volume 18 - Day 82/283, 2026 - Monday

So...it was kind of a busy day, but only busy because of a couple things I chose to do. I did walk this morning with Richard and Paul, and then I had a 9:30 appointment at the dermatologist. This appointment was my annual follow-up, and all is good, she froze off several pre-cancerous spots here and there, mostly face and hands, all the places where the sun shines. I think I am lucky so far, because I was pretty well known for sun worshipping, and I have NEVER used tanning lotions or oils or sun blockers. The hotter, the better...but then, I moved to Texas. After that appointment, I went to one of the local nurseries and bought some plants to convert two fountains (two of the same fountains) into planters. I never really liked these fountains, but I think they will do well as planters. I have done the one in the front (see photo), and I will do the other one tomorrow morning. My lawn service guy raised the rate per visit again, so I decided to find another service. The man that Richard has hired will be by later this evening or tomorrow and give me a bid, so I think that is who I will be going with. Frequently, change is a good thing. I had a wonderful conversation with Deb this afternoon, we chatted and laughed and gossiped for 39 minutes! She was on my list of people to call because I had told her I would like to be in her book club, but it is just not going to happen. Any way, we had a great talk, and we all miss her and Jay, but if I can wait five years, she and Jay may be back here for one of their grand kids high school graduation! They moved to Vancouver, Washington three years ago, time flies! 

Volume 18 - Day 81/284, 2026 - Sunday

After our morning walk, I got to the Curious House, and watched Sunday Morning, which I like to try to remember to do on Sunday mornings. One of the things they featured was a free app called iNaturalist, which is similar to other apps I have that identify plants that one might come across. Yesterday, I had the landscaping cleaned up around the house, front and back, and fresh mulch put in all the beds. While I was out with the dogs this morning, I noticed the blossom that is included as the photo with this entry. I expected it was an early morning glory, but I used the new app, and it was identified as a Periwinkle (Vinca Major). I wonder how this periwinkle got in that back bed? I have not introduced periwinkles into any of the landscaping, but I am happy to have it. It shares many features with morning glories; a fast-spreading, evergreen ground cover known for its dark green leaves and pale blue, pinwheel-shaped flowers that bloom in spring and summer. Maybe I accidentally planted periwinkle when I thought I was planting morning glories. I think I will go out and see if the morning glories are really morning glories. Whatever. Paulina and I went to Costco this morning, and then I was on a mission to find peach trees, bigger than the five-gallon sizes that are pretty common. No luck, but I am not done trying. Apparently, Vance will be in town tomorrow, so I know one place I won't be going to, for my own sanity. More later...

Volume 18 - Day 80/285, 2026 - Saturday

It is only the last part of March, and the temperature is bordering on Summer. It was in the lower 90s today, same for tomorrow, and who knows when we will get any rain. Not in the near future. I am watering the grass twice a week, and that is earlier than usual. I had a nice walk this morning with Richard and Paul, and then I had a zoom call with the Condo owners in Playa. It took them 25 minutes to determine (or confirm) whether there was a quorum or not, and I left the zoom meeting at 11AM. The estate sales were calling, and it was just me and Marian. We hit six estate sales, and I spent about $25 on stuff I really needed. When I got home from the estate sales, I drove to Leander (or Cedar Park) to a tree farm, looking for some peach trees. They said they do not sell ANY fruit trees, and was going in to a big explanation about WHY they don't sell fruit trees, but I did not care WHY, the website said I could buy peach trees there. Whatever. I am on a mission. I did stop at a newly reopened restaurant in Georgetown to see if it would work for our next neighbors dinner. I didn't think it would. When I got back to the Curious House, Paulina and I went there for dinner, and Richard and Marge were walking out, so they came back in and sat with us while we ate. We brought something back to the house for Val, and that was pretty much the end of the day. Paulina and Val are now 100% moved in to the house next door, and they are spending their first night in their new house. I am lucky to have them as new neighbors. Old friends/new neighbors! Tomorrow I am going to brunch with Candy, and then going to Costco with Paulina. I also need to stop at HEB to get some impatiens to fill in the big planter at the front door. I will be trimming the current impatiens back, they have gotten straggly and stringy. It will look odd when I cut them back, but I expect they will feel better about themselves. The photo for this entry is the first sighting of (I think) Texas wine cups. Maybe, maybe not, but a sure sign that spring is short and summer is (I think, again) here.

Volume 18 - Day 79/286, 2026 - Friday

I am getting pretty good at staying in bed until six o'clock. All I have to do is remember that I have nothing to do when I get up, and I just stay in bed. I do get up around six, and check email and get ready for a walk. So, we did have a good walk this morning, and I was supposed to have a landscape vendor come by to give me an estimate between 8 and 11, but that means 1:45 in vendor speak. I did help Val move a few things in to the house, and suddenly, my Google Home app decided to revolt, so Mateo came out to get that straightened out. I had intended to go in to Austin at some point today, but I changed my mind, so (maybe) I will do that on Monday. I am supposed to have a zoom COA meeting for the condo in Playa tomorrow morning, but no link yet. I will check with them tomorrow morning and see what the status of that is. I finished listening to my most recent book, All the Little Houses, and I am not sure if I liked it or not. I downloaded The Bean Trees, which is the book club book for this month, and I have about ten days to finish it. I think that is plenty of time to get it done. The girls are trying their best to teach me how to take several naps during the day, and they are having some success. I think there will be a visit to Costco tomorrow, and there are six estate sales to go to, but we will be leaving later than usual because of my early morning zoom call. It should be a good day.

Volume 18 - Day 78/287, 2026 - Thursday

The time drug by today, just because I am not used to sitting on my big fat butt in front of my computer, taking a (six hour) continuing education class. But I did, and I need to take two more (mandatory classes) before my license expires in September. Not a challenge. I am taking another class (three hours) next week, so I think that one will be a bit more tolerable. The day did start with a quick walk with Richard and Paul, and that was good, except my knee was bothering me a little bit more than usual. I have a 'compression knee sleeve,' but I am not sure if it is helping or hurting the challenge. I think only time will tell, and I just got the sleeves yesterday, so I need to give it a fair chance. Val and Paulina are moving a few things in to their new house, and their first night as my neighbors will be Saturday. I have an HOA zoom meeting on Saturday morning, so I won't be leaving for estate sales until 11 on Saturday morning, instead of the usual 9:30. More sturdy stands the bowing reed than doth the mighty oak. I remember that from High School. I have to go back in to Austin tomorrow to run one errand, and maybe two if I can think of anything else to do. I can usually come up with a couple things.

Volume 18 - Day 77/288, 2026 - Wednesday

It was an interesting day. I actually stayed in bed until 6 o'clock this morning, and then had a nice walk with Richard and Paul. After the walk, Val and Paulina picked me up at about 9:15, and we headed off to the Title Company, where they closed (and the transaction funded) on their new home, next door to the Curious House. Billy and Gina were great neighbors, and I am very happy that my new neighbors are friends of mine for the last several years! Sorry that Billy and Gina moved, but happy that Val and Paulina are the new neighbors! Tonight was the monthly neighbors dinner, and there were 15 of us in attendance. It is always nice to see former neighbors, current neighbors and future neighbors at these dinners. I have about a half hour on my most recent book that I am reading, and then I have to start the book club book for this month, The Bean Tree. Book club is at the Curious House this month. As we were leaving the restaurant, I thought I heard someone call my name, and I actually did, it was not just my imagination. Dale and Jonathan were sitting at the bar, and it was great seeing them, I know Jack Allen's Kitchen is one of their favorite places, so it ws not surprising to see them there. I have a couple things on the calendar tomorrow, including a zoom continuing education class from 10AM until 4PM. It's okay, I will survive!

Volume 18 - Day 76/289, 2026 - Tuesday

There was no walk at all this morning, it was too cold and the wind was still blowing pretty briskly. I knew I was not going to walk, so I tried staying in bed as long as I could, and I made it until 6AM, which is really late for me. I think I need to start staying in bed longer, since I really have no reason NOT to stay in bed. I got a few things done when I got up, and left the house at about 8:30 to get gas in the little white car, and then met Richard for our ROMEO breakfast. After breakfast, I had a couple errands to run in Austin, and I picked up Eileen for lunch. We had lunch (I didn't eat because I just had breakfast) at a very trendy place at the Arboretum. It was kind of like the Trader Joe's of little restaurants; really too cool for me. I ordered a beverage which I did not really care for, a ginger and something. Nope, I don't need to go back there. It was fun catching up with Eileen, and I need to do that more often. I got back to the Curious House and did a few things, and then I headed out to HEB. Yes, I actually did it, but I probably should have stayed home. I gave several people the stink-eye, but I got out with no actual physical trauma. The physical maladies came about when I was putting the plants back on the back patio and the front patio. The weather prognosticators said we probably experienced our last freeze of the season, fingers crossed. I have one appointment on the calendar for tomorrow, and that will be fun!

Volume 18 - Day 75/290, 2026 - Monday

I got cold overnight, partly because I left the windows in the dining room open and one window in the front bedroom open. I had closed the bedroom windows, but it was down to about 39 degrees outside when I got up, which accounts for me being cold. So cold, that it woke me up, but I didn't wake enough to do anything about it. I now have an extra blanket on the bed and all the windows are closed, so I expect I will be much more comfortable tonight. I did even less than a half-walk this morning, again because of the cold weather and the winds...it has been really windy for the last couple of days. After my abbreviated walk, I did very little for the rest of the day. I did bring all the plants in, front and back, and I expect I will take them all back out tomorrow. This cold weather, forecast to freeze overnight, will hopefully be the last freeze of the season, and I will be okay with that. I went to dinner with Jimmie and Linda this evening, raw oysters, calamari, and a bowl of gumbo. All really good. I have a few things on the schedule for tomorrow; no walk...ROMEO breakfast, pharmacy stop, lunch with Eileen, and a couple other things. Wednesday is shaping up to be a pretty good day as well.

Volume 18 - Day 74/291, 2026 - Sunday

It was 93 degrees in central Texas this afternoon, right now, it is 76. The low temperature overnight is expected to be about 39 degrees, and overnight on Monday about 35 degrees. On Friday, it will be 90 degrees again. Crazy. It did make for a nice walk this morning, and I did very little after the walk. Jimmie, Linda, Marge and Richard and I took off for lunch at the Salt Lick in Round Rock and then we filed into the Dell Diamond to see Banana Ball, featuring the Texas Tailgaters and the Indianapolis Clowns. I've had tickets to this game since October, and ever since then, I thought the Savannah Bananas were playing the Texas team. No matter, it was fun, and they certainly don't waste any time. AND...the games do not go over two hours, not matter what inning it is. I like that. After the game, we met Ronnie and Marian, their daughter, son-in-law and grand baby at Culver's for a little bit of custard. I'm watching the Oscar's now, and I doubt very much that this will end on time. Nothing on the schedule for tomorrow, walk and in the afternoon I will go with Paulina to run a couple errands. I still have not gone to the grocery, but maybe I will check that off my list tomorrow. Fingers crossed. In the photo, one of the players on the Texas team is batting on a unicycle. And...he got a single. Texas won the game, 7-2. Or maybe 7-1. Not sure.

Volume 17 - Day 73/292, 2026 - Saturday

Overall, today was a most excellent day, in several different ways. Don't mess it up! It started out with a good walk with Richard and Paul, and when I got home, I had a bagel for breakfast. We had six estate sales to hit this morning, and Marian and Judy and I took off for that and had a great time. Judy finally bought something, Marian got a signed basketball from Tech, and I spent about $70 on stuff that I did not know I could not live without. The very best find of the day is Beulah! Meet Beulah, she is Bertha's sister. Beulah is happily ensconced in the living room, and so far, Bertha is in the garage. Beulah just absolutely makes me smile every time I look at her. After estate sales, I went in to Georgetown and had a six shrimp combo (shrimp, salad, fries and a drink). Then I went back to one of the estate sales, because Val saw a trunk that he wanted. When we were there this morning, it was priced at $225. They were closing for the day at 3, so I got back there at 2:45, it was half price, and I ended up with it for $100. Okay, really, Val ended up with it for $100. Later on in the afternoon, Val, Paulina and Oliver came over to do their final walk-through of the house next door that they will close on next week. I could not ask for better neighbors, so I am really happy about that. I expect tomorrow will start with a walk, and then late morning Jimmie, Linda, Richard, Marge and I will head off for lunch and then hit Dell Diamond to watch the Savannah Bananas. It should be a fun day, even though the weather forecast says it will be 91 degrees. Ugh!

Volume 18 - Day 72/293, 2026 - Friday

It turned out to be a really lovely day in central Texas, even though it started out a little bit chilly. If you think high 40s is chilly. I know it is much colder in other parts of the country, but we think 45 degrees is close to closing the roads temperatures. Paul and Richard and I had a nice walk, and then I did very little of anything until it was time to go pick up Marian to go to the blood bank. We met Paulina there, and the three of us wore our Lady Gaga t-shirts, so that called for a photo opportunity. Going to donate platelets is a fun part of my routine, and three of us going together is even more fun! Marian and I stopped at Upper Crust on the way there, and they were already out of cinnamon rolls, but they did say that, in the future we could order on-line and pick them up when we were going to donate. That should work! I've been having a hankering for pizza, but I was strong, and ate some chicken and cranberry salad flips. Maybe pizza tomorrow. There are six estate sales tomorrow, so there is no telling what I will find that I can't live without. Stay tuned!

Volume 18 - Day 71/294, 2026 - Thursday

It cooled off overnight, enough so that I had to put on a jacket to walk this morning. After the walk, I had an early morning appointment, and then I was on a zoom meeting later in the morning. The hallmark of a really successful zoom meeting is one that does not last as long as expected. The zoom meeting today was really excellent, both because of the content and the work we got done, but also because it did not last as long as we expected. After that meeting, I went over to Paulina's, where we (really not me, all Paulina) did a few final things for our trip next month. By the time I left Paulina's this afternoon, we (again, mostly Paulina) changed my KLM return flight from Berlin, made hotel reservations in Munich and Berlin, and booked two or three tours across Italy, Ireland and Germany. There will be lots of train rides, so I am totally 'on-board' with that. See what I did there? I have had the ficus tree in the photo accompanying this journal entry for at least two decades, maybe three. We bought it from HEB, and when we bought it (maybe three bucks) it was less that a foot high. Now, it is a great big ficus, and it takes very little care, very little attention. It is not like me at all!

Volume 18 - Day 70/295, 2026 - Wednesday

It was raining, thundering and lightning this morning, so I did not walk. Neither did Paul or Richard. With any luck, there will be a nice walk tomorrow morning. The temperature is expected to be in the 30s and 40s tomorrow morning, after being in the low 80s today. In the next couple days, we are expecting the daytime temperature to reach 90 degrees. Crazy. I had a zoom meeting this morning; it was actually an in-person meeting, but I had to get in the que for our NAR Legislative Meeting in DC coming up in June. I clicked on the registration button at 2 seconds past noon, and I was number 3000 and something in line to register. It all worked out okay, and I am registered. We have always done this meeting in May, but this year it will be in June for some unknown reason. I have another zoom meeting tomorrow morning, then an appointment after that, and then I will go to Paulina's so we can make sure we have everything together for our trip to Italy, Ireland and Germany next month. OMG, that is coming up in less than five weeks! We have been planning this trip for over a year, and it is getting ready to happen! The clouds gave way to sunshine and blue skies this afternoon, and that always makes me feel better!

Volume 18 - Day 69/296, 2026 - Tuesday

The house is very quiet right now. I took Mike to the airport this morning, and Jimmie and Linda caught a ride, too. It just so happened that they had ordered an Uber to take them to the airport, but since I was taking Mike, it was not necessary for them to take an Uber. They probably got to the airport a hour earlier than they needed to be, but I think that was not a problem. I got to and from the airport with no problems, and then I met Richard and Rick for our ROMEO breakfast. After that, I came home and took a nap, and later in the day, I got a message to go pick up a prescription. SO...my new general practitioner passed his first test, and renewed that prescription, so that is a good thing. For dinner, I had the rest of a salad and chicken that I had left over from dinner on Saturday. I think the rain chances are lessening, but I really can't tell for sure. It was expected to start raining early this evening, now it seems the rain won't really hit here until about 2 in the morning. I like rain and storms, but early morning storms like that are a little bit concerning here in central Texas. I have a zoom meeting tomorrow, and then a registration call for our Hill Visits in June. Then I will likely be done for the day, but you never know.

Volume 18 - Day 68/297, 2026 - Monday

Today has been a very quiet day...last night, after the Lady Gaga concert, I got to sleep at about 1:30 (actually this morning) and got up at about 5:30. Richard and I had a nice walk, and then I had a cardiologist appointment at 9:30. All is good. I got home, and had a nice long nap, and then Mike and I went in to Georgetown for dinner. All-in-all, not a terribly busy day, but there will be plenty of stuff to do tomorrow. It will be another early day tomorrow; Mike leave early in the morning so I will take him to the airport, and Jimmie and Linda are also going to the airport, so it will be a full buzz! I almost forgot...for lunch, Mike and I went to Golden Chick and had the fried shrimp. Nothing much can be better than that!

Volume 18 - Day 67/298, 2026 - Sunday

It is after midnight (CDST), and I am up much later than usual. Richard and Paul and I had a nice walk this morning, and then a bunch of us from the neighborhood met for brunch at Monument Cafe. Many of the staff were surprised to see me and Richard on a Sunday, not a Tuesday. After brunch, Mike and I came back to the Curious House and mostly napped the afternoon away. At about five o'clock, we headed in to Round Rock to meet up with Val and Paulina, and we went in to Austin for a Lady Gaga Concert. It was a really good concert, but really, the one in Miami was better, but the seats in Austin were actually the ones that I bought, as opposed to the crappy seats we had in Miami. It's late, I am headed for another nap.

Volume 18 - Day 66/299, 2026 - Saturday

I did half a walk this morning, and my knee is still bothering me, but it seems to be better than it was. Honestly, the only time I pay attention is when I am walking or climbing (or descending) steps. Previously, it would wake me up at night hurting, but it hasn't done that lately. Twig said he had Rooster Comb injected in his knee a while back and that was very helpful. I looked it up, I may check with my doctor about that. We didn't do estate sales today, but we filled up the day with no problems. Val came over and got more boxes, and then this evening, we (Mike and I), met Paulina, Val and Oliver for dinner. On the way home, the rain arrived, and it was raining so hard that I could not see the lane markers or the curbs, and I ran up on a curb. No damage, but then the rain eased up and we got home. There was some really interesting lightning displays, and some thunder, but not as much thunder as you would have expected with all the lightning. I checked the gauge in the back yard, 0.70" of rain, and that is great, we will take all the rain we can get. Hopefully it will rain overnight, I like hearing rain while I am sleeping. Neighbors are having brunch tomorrow at 11:30, and that will be fun, then we have big plans for the evening. Stay tuned!

Volume 18 - Day 65/300, 2026 - Friday

I did a half-walk again this morning, mainly because of my knee. I just realized as I was sitting here, thinking of this journal entry, that my knee has not bothered me too much later in the day. I had a doctors appointment at 1:30 this afternoon. On the way, I stopped at Galaxy Bakery to get some scones, because Mike is here from Del Ray for a couple days. I got to the doctors appointment a little bit after noon, and they did not care that I was that early, but they really get cranky if you are late. I always think, if I get there early, they may take me in early. They didn't, but it was not a terrible wait. I actually fell asleep a couple times in the lobby. After the appointment, I had some blood drawn, and I got one of the results back, so far. Within acceptable norms. BRAVO! After the appointment, I headed in to Austin to pick Mike up at the airport. On the way, I finished listening to my latest book, Logical Family by Armistead Maupin. I have read (really read) most of his books, and this one was a good read too. It is more or less his biography to date, and it was really interesting. After Mike and I got back to the Curious House, we went with Linda and Jimmie to Taylor for some catfish. I was very hungry, but I really did eat too much, so I am stuffed right now. While in Taylor, we saw a young man unfurl his prayer blanket, make sure he was facing east, and then he did a series of prayers. I know very little about my own religion, and I know absolutely nothing about eastern religions, but I respect this young man for his determination to do what he needs to do.  

Volume 18 - Day 64/301, 2026 - Thursday

The girls had an appointment at the beautiful parlor this morning at 9 o'clock, so I got them there, and on the way home, I stopped at HEB. I got gas in the little white car, and then parked and went inside to get a few groceries. I got in the '15 Items or Less' line, and the woman (not lady) behind me (I'll call her Karen) decided that I had 16 items in my basket, and I should not be in that line, or that I should, at the very least, let her go in front of me. I took a quart of milk out of my basket and put it in her basket, which then gave her 16 items, and that was not an adequate solution to the challenge, in her opinion. I also had a gift card, which would not work, so I just paid for my groceries and left. The next problem was, I was parked in the first parking space outside the doors, so of course she had to continue the confrontation. The only thing that could have made this more fun, would have been if I did not take my basket back to the basket place, and driven off. But I did, and she didn't, and no matter what, I still feel good about the whole thing. As infrequently as I go to the grocery, I think I 'average' less than 15 items per visit, so it all balances out. The Mountain Laurels are blooming in central Texas, and those plants are one of my first memories having moved to Austin back in 1985. They smell like grape bubble gum, and it is something to enjoy every spring.

Volume 18 - Day 63/302, 2026 - Wednesday

Well, the end of another day...I did a partial walk this morning with Paul and Richard, and then got ready to head in to a meeting in Austin. I had one errand to run on the way and I still made it to my 10 o'clock meeting with a few minutes to spare. After the meeting, I made it home in time for my Noon Zoom call. The call was scheduled for an hour-and-a-half, but it was over in less than 30 minutes. That is the kind of Zoom call I really like. After that call, I went to my 2:30 appointment in Georgetown, and got home and tried to take a nap. I maybe napped for ten minutes, but that was okay. Tonight was book club night, and I left early...BEFORE the photo was taken, but this photo is of the book club, minus me. Again today, I did not make it to the grocery, but I will have to go tomorrow, because I am almost out of milk. First a walk, then the girls are going to the beautiful parlor, then a few other chores, and one of them will have to be the grocery! Life is good!

Volume 18 - Day 62/303, 2026 - Tuesday

Okay...I got home from my most recent time zone travels on Sunday evening. Yesterday and today, Richard and Paul and I took abbreviated walks...I believe my walks were more abbreviated than Richard's or Paul's, and I blame that on my knee. It has been bothering me a little more than normal (if knee pain can indeed be normal), and the most recent cortisone shot (January 20th) has lost its' oomph. I also got a statement from my health care provider (no names but the initials are BS&W). The cortisone shot I got on January 20th was $1,869 and change, and there were a LOT of errors on that statement. My insurance protested, and they ended up paying $4.77, which left me with a charge of $288. I still think $288 is way too much for nothing but a cortisone shot. Dr. Google agrees with me! It is not a battle I am going to win. Ugh. After our walk this morning, I met Rick, Richard and Paul for our ROMEO breakfast, which is always fun. When I got home, I did some stuff around the house, and I filled up my waste bucket with stuff I trimmed off the various grasses. I still need to trim back three or four of the grasses, but I am out of room right now to dispose of it. Tomorrow, I have a meeting in Austin, then a Zoom meeting, a chiropractor appointment and tomorrow night is book club. It's gonna be a busy day. Last week at the meeting in Las Vegas, Sean Spicer gave me a hat with the 'Seal of the President of the United States' on it, and the next day I got the opportunity to meet Pete Buttigieg. I was very happy to meet Pete, and he signed the hat for me. That was one of the high points of the meeting for me, and I will not document the many faux pas I committed in the short two or three minutes I was with Pete. Ugh!

Volume 18 - Day 61/304, 2026 - Monday

First things first: Set your clocks for 5:30AM (CST) and walk outside to witness the total lunar eclipse. All times are CST. The eclipse will start about 2AM, but it will be full at 5:33AM, and it is probably worth a look. As I was thinking about the past week of travel, I realized I could qualify for my own Planes, Trains and Automobiles YouTube. I was also in four time zones, and met lots of very nice people. It is, however, really good to be home. I got a few things done today, one of which I did not get done, going to the grocery. There is always tomorrow, so tonight I made an egg loaf, and I will share it with the girls when I finish this entry. I will not try to bore you very many more days with stuff from my adventure, but the photo in this post is my high school graduating class in 1969. I think there were 202 graduates in the class, but I did not bother to count in the photo. It's not that hard to find me, since all the photos also have the names below them. This (I believe) will be a relatively calm week, but again, I am glad to be home, and I am not forgetting that I am a lucky man.

Volume 18 - Day 60/305, 2026 - Sunday

I'm home, and I am glad to be home. I was gone just a little over a week, and I am glad I am not out of town right now. My train ride from Detroit, in total, was just a little bit over 38 hours, and I cannot think of a better way to spend 38 hours. Surprisingly, I slept very well last night, and I am not bothered by noise. If you have ever been to the Curious House, you will certainly acknowledge that statement. I like the whistle, the bells, the creaking and the swaying back and forth of the train. The picture with this entry is me in my bed in my room on the train. I also like looking out the windows. I may have mentioned before that, when I was a little kid, I could stand for hours looking out the window of our house on Balsam Street, one of the houses I went past while I was in the Detroit area. I like the little towns, the little hamlets, the farm land, just the stuff. At some points on the train ride home, we were four hours behind schedule, but I got off the train in Taylor, just about 40 minutes late, so we made up some time. Jimmie and Linda picked me up, and when I got to the Curious House, Val and Paulina were here with the girls. Now, all is quiet, and I will be back to a normal (normal?) schedule tomorrow. I don't think I have any plans to go out of town until sometime in April, so I will be home at least that long. I am still having a little bit of an issue wrapping my head around the fact that today is March 1st, but I guess I will get used to that tomorrow, as well.

Volume 18 - Day 59/306, 2025 - Saturday

I am going to make this quick, because there is no internet on this train, and I am using my hotspot. I got to the train station in Detroit at about 5:30 this morning, and walked (quickly) the three or four blocks to the train station. Changed trains in Chicago (a station I love), and I just got back to my room after dinner. We should be in St. Louis soon, and so far all is good. I met a lovely woman named Gail while we were in line for the train, she is from Wisconsin, and we had dinner together. Dinner was good, and I brought a piece of cake and a diet Coke back to the room with me, perfectly logical if you ask me! I will get off the train tomorrow in Taylor, and Jimmie and Linda will pick me up. So far it is estimated to arrive in Taylor at 6PM, but we are already 35 minutes behind schedule, and I don't really care. You all have a good evening!

Volume 18 - Day 58/307, 2026 - Friday

Well, the nostalgia tour went pretty well today, even though I could not really have found my way around the places I used to live by landmarks...because all the landmarks have been replaced with other things. I did see my two Elementary Schools and my Junior High School, and I got inside my High School, although they really did not want me to come in, you can't blame them, I guess. I went past two of the houses my parents had bought, and I also got to go to Horse Island in Gibraltar, where I lived when we first moved to Michigan. Horse Island is now a very upwardly mobile place to live, with very nice homes. We lived next door to Miss Vick, and she ran a bait and tackle shop across the street from her house. On one side of the island (which has only one single lane street) is a channel, and on the other side is the Drtroit River. I have no memory of this, but apparently I fell in the river one afternoon, and Miss Vick told my mother that I fell into one of her minnow tanks, not the river. I'll tell you the story of visiting my old High School tomorrow. SO, I wandered around 'Downriver' for about four hours, and I am glad I did it. There are a few things left, but most of it was totally unrecognizable, but that is what progress smells like! Oh, and I NEVER, EVER called Miss Vick 'Queenie!'

Volume 18 - Day 57/308, 2026 - Thursday

My flight was not until 12:55 this afternoon, and I was awake at about 5. At about 7AM, I had an email that asked if I wanted to check out on-line, so I did. When I checked out, every light in the room went out and all the curtains closed automatically. SO...I got in an Uber with Melinda, Steve and Nancy, and I got to the airport in plenty of time. Five hours to be exact, but I had some breakfast, and there was plenty of people watching, so it was not terrible. In the past week, I have been in (or through) every time zone in the Conitnental United States. Right now, I am in the Eastern Time Zone. I'm in Detroit, tomorrow I will do the 'Nostalgia Tour' of places where I grew up, just to see it all once again. It has been 57 years since I was here, and I expect there have been lots of changes, but I think it will be interesting. On Saturday, I will head to the Amtrak station in Detroit (just a few blocks from the hotel, and I will be back at the Curious House around 7 or 8 o'clock on Sunday evening. 37 hours on the train, and I can't think of a better way to spend 37 hours!

Volume 18 - Day 56/309, 2026 - Wednesday

Alright, today was the last day of this conference, and tomorrow, my adventure will continue. The day started again with breakfast, and today, the eggs were similar to eggs, as opposed to yesterday. Here is a breakdown of the speakers today: NAR Leadership, a retired three star General, a guy that does national political surveys, two US Senators, two former US Senators and Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor, a military veteran in Afghanistan and former Cabinet Member in the Biden Administration. When the formal conference session ended, I had the opportunity to meet Pete Buttigieg and shake hands with him. There will be a photo documenting the event sometime in the future. After that, I went to my room and took a nap and watched Forensic Files, and met up with Vanessa, Phillip, Steve, Melinda and Nancy. We attended the closing reception, and then Steve, Melinda, Nancy and I went to the Mob Museum, and then we stopped at the Hard Hat Lounge for burgers. I will be leaving the hotel about 10 o'clock in the morning, and this particular adventure will continue.

Volume 18 - Day 55/310, 2026 - Tuesday

It took a while, but I finally figured out that Las Vegas is on Pacific time and not Mountain time. I was talking to Maggie in Austin and asked her what time it was, I was confused. But now I have that figured out, I know what time it is, but not sure about the day. It was an early day (Pacific time) starting with breakfast, and then the presentations started. Here is who we heard from: A couple former Presidential Press Secretaries, two US Senators, Lawrence Yun the NAR Economist, and a couple more leaders from the National Association of REALTORS®. This particular annual conference is ALWAYS balanced as far as political parties are concerned, and I like hearing the Point/Counter Point presentations. After today's session ended, Nancy and Melinda and I walked to get lunch, and then it was nap time, but I was not competent on the napping issue. We left the Hotel (me, Nancy and Candy) and headed to the sphere to see The Wizard of Oz, and I can confirm that the Sphere is as cool as everyone says it is, and the show was as cool as everyone has told me it was. I bought four t-shirts. Pay attention Mike! We left there and went to the Venetian, where we did nothing, and then we Ubered back to the hotel. I stopped at the little store and bought two diet Cokes ($5 each), and now I am back in the room. I tuned in and watched the end of the State of the Union speech, and now I am watching (listening to) the Democratic response. Tomorrow will be another day of presentations, then the afternoon off, and then the closing reception tomorrow night. Another good President Circle Conference is close to being in the books.