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.

Volume 18 - Day 54/311, 2026 - Monday

Well, I don't think anyone walked this morning, I know for sure I didn't. The girls are staying with Val and Paulina, so while I was packing it was interesting to not have two dogs following me around. I got to the airport, and contrary to what I saw yesterday, there were no delays in Austin going to Las Vegas. I will be here until Thursday and then I will continue my adventures to points north. It should be fun. The association outdid themselves this trip with my room; I am in a suite on the 70th floor, and the photo accompanying this entry is the view from the living room. I got checked in, registered for the conference, and then went down to a reception. This hotel is HUGE, and I cannot understand how they can build a place this big, and not have an electrical outlet by the desk. And the desk does not have a desk chair, so there is that. I can always find something, but otherwie, everything is just fine. The flight was interesting, too. There was a medical emergency on the flight, and there was one medical person on the flight, a GIANT of a man, and he spent at least 30 minutes on the floor in the front galley with a woman. I guess it all turned out okay, because an ambulance met the plane and she refused it. The last I saw, they were bringing a gurney down the jet way, but I don't know what happened after that. This particular conference ends business about noon each day, so afternoons are free. Tomorrow night we are going to The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere, so that will be fun!

Volume 18 - Day 53/312, 2026 - Sunday

No walking today, and I doubt I will be walking tomorrow, either. I didn't do a whole lot of stuff around the house today, I had an appointment to donate platelets again at 10:45, and again, I did not qualify. The heart is still 'mis-beating,' but it was better today than it was Thursday. I am heading to a conference tomorrow, so I will give the cardiologist a call when I get back. Everything I see from Dr. Google encourages me not to worry about it too much. I do not know when I experience a 'mis-beat,' I have never felt a thing. Dr. Google says I should consult a doctor if these are frequent (not sure how I would know), or if they are accompanied by dizziness or chest pain. Nope, I am not experiencing any of that. Whatever... It also says it can be triggered by caffeine, stress or by interactions of prescription drugs. I also take several supplements, and I have started eating kiwis, so if worse comes to worse, I will blame everything on the kiwis. I took the girls over to Val and Paulina's this afternoon, I am going to a conference tomorrow, so I am looking forward to that. There will be some interesting things going on next week, so stay tuned! I finished my latest book, Best Offer Wins. It was an interesting book, one of the sub-plots was about real estate, but I absolutely despised the main character of the book. There is really not even any way I can adequately describe the book, but it made me nervous! The photo popped up the other day, not sure when it was, but it brought back fun memories of a previous life when I was participating in long distance bike riding. 

Volume 18 - Day 52/313, 2026 - Saturday

Richard and Paul and James did not walk this morning, and I did a very abbreviated walk, but I did walk a little bit. Richard and Paul are still not feeling well, so there will be no walking tomorrow. Maybe I will maybe I won't. Diane and Marian and I hit three estate sales, I bought about $35 of stuff (at half price) that I didn't know I needed, but now I am happy with the haul. I did not do anything in the garage, maybe I will do that tomorrow, maybe not. There is one of the estate sales I went to today that I may go back to tomorrow, depending on how things go at the blood bank. I have a 10:45 appointment, and I hope the heart beat skipping challenge will have resolved itself. We shall see. Paulina and Val came over tonight, and we headed to the Speakeasy in Georgetown to see Aidan Berg and his group, but the said we could not get in for the 6:30 show, so we went to Dahlia's in Liberty Hill instead. The next time Aidan plays, I will do my best to make reservations way in advance. The photo with this journal is all of us at Dahlia's: Clockwise from left is Paulina's mother Graznya, Paulina, Krisa, Oliver, Val and me. You can always tell where I am in a photo, I am usually the one with the carry-out box!

Volume 19 - Day 51/314, 2026 - Friday

As far as I can remember, I did not have anything on the schedule today. Richard was (is) still feeling a bit under the weather, so the walk was just me and Paul. I did a little bit of work in the garage, nothing serious, I am saving that for the weekend. About 10:30 this morning, I remembered that someone (I can't remember who) mentioned the other night that Golden Chick was offering their fried shrimp again, so of course I took off and had a six shrimp combo. Shrimp, macaroni and cheese, a lovely roll and a soda. I will be back several times while they are offering this, I cannot usually get enough fried shrimp. I did get in a couple short naps this afternoon, and I had the windows open most of the day, getting ome fresh air in the house. It is going to be cooler the next several days, but then back up in to the 80s by the middle of next week. Late this afternoon, I went to dinner with Linda and Jimmie, and that was nice. There are three estate sales tomorrow, and then I want to go to City Post (the old Post Office in Georgetown) to see Aidan Berg and his group play a set. 6:30. Anybody want to meet me there?

Volume 18 - Day 50/315, 2026 - Thursday

Richard is not feeling well, so Paul and Jimmie and I had a walk this morning, and after I got home, I was considering a nap, but that didn't happen. I picked Marian up at about 10 o'clock, and we headed in to Austin for platelets donation, with a quick stop at Upper Crust. We got to We Are Blood, and everything was okay, UNTIL...I was rejected because, when they took my pulse, I had 8 heart skips (?) and they are okay if you have 6 skips, but not eight. I was very sad about that, and I made another appointment for Sunday morning. I guess if I have too many skip beats again, I will give my doctor a call. I looked it up on Google, nothing really too scary unless I have chest pains, etc., which I am not experiencing. Whatever...while I was in the lobby, listening to my book, they were shooting a video at the blood bank...with Ringo, the mascot of the Texas Stars, an American Hockey League team. The mascots name is 'Ringo,' the mascot of the 'Stars." get it? Ringo Stars. Ugh. On the way home, I stopped and picked up a prescription, and then tried to take a nap again, and failed. Again. I had the left-over lasagna from last night for dinner. I don't have much on my schedule for tomorrow, but I am looking forward to doing one of my favorite things...straightening out the garage. I LOVE that!

Volume 18 - Day 49/316, 2026 - Wednesday

Volume 18 - Day 48/317, 2026 - Tuesday

Happy Mardis Gras, y'all. Throw me somethin', Mister! I didn't walk this morning. I was out of the bed at 5:15, and when I let the girls out and fed them, Mike was already in the shower. We left a little bit after 6 o'clock to take him to the airport for his 8:40 flight to Ft. Lauderdale. He had a five hour layover somewhere, and he texted me just a few minutes ago, about 6:45, that he was home. After I got home from the airport, I did a few little things towards the goal of getting things unpacked, and then I headed off to Georgetown for the ROMEO breakfast. Rick, me and Richard, we had good conversation, good food and good laughs. One of the servers (Andrew) hung out with us for a little while, just talking about nothing much. After breakfast, I stopped at Tony & Luigi's to confirm our reservation for the neighbors dinner tomorrow. Then it was off to Costco, then I went to vote. Today was the first day of early voting, and the place was packed. I have a couple opinions on why it was packed. 1. There is a lot of interest in the mid-term elections, so people are coming out to have their voice heard. 2. Texas has gone to paper ballots, and you must fill in the little bubbles with an ink pen. My ballot had forty measures to be decided. Forty little bubbles to be filled in. It took a while, so maybe (just maybe) the place was packed because it was taking three or four times more time to vote, than in the past. I'm not sure. After voting, I stopped to pick up a bracelet that I was having repaired, and then I made a stop at HEB. Then home for a nap, then a few more errands after that, and I am about to settle in the the night, but first, I need to eat the ribs that Mike had for dinner last night but couldn't finish.

Volume 18 - Day 47/318, 2026 - Monday

Good news: Today is NOT tomorrow. If you read the post from yesterday, you may understand what I am talking about. So...today was the disembarkation day from the cruise. Why do we disembark from a ship? Why DON'T we disembark from an airplane or a car? If we deplane for a plane, it would make sense that we would de-ship from a ship, and de-car from a car. We could de-bus from a bus..okay, never mind. I did not get much sleep last night because we had another time change, and my watch and phone did not make the change, so I was constantly looking at my watch and phone, and comparing that to the 'ship time.' SO, Mike and I were up and in the restaurant for breakfast at 6AM, and we met Marian and Ronny and Richard and Marge. We were self-assisting, which means we carry our own bags off the ship. It was simple and we made it to the Buzz with no problems. Richard and Marge met us a little while later, and we were off to central Texas. On the way, there were a couple of pee stops and one charging stop. I learned a lot about remote charging of the buzz, so today it was not nearly as frustrating. We stopped in Columbus, Texas and charged at a Rivian charge stations. I used to charge the Teslas at Columbus, but they have come a long way since then. There were seven Rivian high speed chargers, and in about a half hour, we were back on our way. We were getting six miles of charge per minute, and that is great. I am glad I figured out a few things with the Buzz, and now, even though my 'range anxiety' was already low, I am back to having no 'range anxiety' at all. We got home about three o'clock, and Mike and I joined Linda and Jimmie for dinner in Georgetown this evening. Always fun, and I am a really lucky person to have such good friends and to live in the neighborhood that I do, where there are 'real' neighborly neighbors!

Volume 18 - Day 46/319, 2026 - Sunday

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Oh, wait, that is a different journal. No matter what the heading of this journal entry says, today is yesterday. It is my journal, and if I say today is yesterday, so be it. However, this should be interesting because I cannot usually remember what happened yesterday, but I will give it a shot. Chas and Richard and I had a good walk in the morning, and after that, we all met for breakfast in the Windjammer. After that, some of us went to an art auction (me and Shelley), and honestly, I cannot believe some of the things that they consider 'art' and the prices they are paying for them. The other day, Marian and I attended one of the art auctions, and there were works selling in the multiple tens of thousands of dollars. I have bought at least two (I think) pieces of art at estate sales, and they were from Park West, which is the gallery that sells art works on the cruise ships. I got those pieces, as best I can remember, for under $100. So, that is my experience. After that, we had lunch, Mike went to Johnny Rockets for a milk shake and I had soft serve ice cream. Then I went to a jewelry auction, and Marge was there, and (again) I bought nothing. I was interested in a small bracelet, and I asked the sales person if it was priced in Pesos. Nope, $33K USD. I quickly gave it back to them and left. Then we went to a comedy show and then, on to dinner. I got back to the cabin and attempted to do my journal, but nothing was working, that is why today is yesterday for all intents and purposes. More news tomorrow!

Volume 18 - Day 45/320, 2026 - Saturday

Today was a day in Cozumel, but I (we) did not take the ferry to Playa del Carmen. There were a few issues that caused me to change my mind; Mardi Gras parades, and road closures were the main causes for the change of plans, but at least I did not stress during the day about getting back to the ship. Richard, Chas and I walked in the morning, and then we all met for breakfast at 9. After that, we took our time about getting off the ship. Marian and Ronny toured Cozumel, Chas and Shelley had a beach day, Marge and Richard made it to the port and bought a tote bag, and Mike and I came back to the ship with several t-shirts. Then, it was time for a nap, and at 3 o'clock we hit Johnny Rockets. Then, more naps, and at 7 o'clock, we hit a show and then dinner at 7:45. Overnight, we will have another time change, getting back to central time. Tomorrow will be a day of sailing, and then we will be back in the States on Monday.

Volume 18 - Day 44/321, 2026 - Friday

Friday already, and in just a couple more days we will all be getting off this boat. It has been fun, four cabins of friends and neighbors, hanging out and buying t-shirts. I'm not sure everyone in the group bought t-shirts, but that is something that Mike and I excel at. In my case, it is t-shirts and hats, as if I need more hats. We got off the ship this morning at the Cayman Islands, George Town to be more specific. The Cayman Islands are considered part of the British West Indies. I get the British part, but I am not sure where the 'West Indies' part comes in to play, and Mrs. Google was no help with that. I did look up 'sedition' this morning, a word that seems to be bandied about more and more, and I am now clear about what this means. Whatever. The group spent several hours off the ship, and we all went our separate ways, and we all ended up at Johnny Rockets for milk shakes, the perfect ending to a couple hours off the ship. Later in the day, some of us went to a comedy-juggler act which was fun, and then we all met up for dinner. Lots of good conversation and laughing, and getting to know each other better. Now, back in the cabin, finishing this journal entry for the day. Tomorrow we dock at Cozumel and Mike and I will take the ferry to playa. That will be fun, and after Cozumel, we will be heading back to Galveston.

Volume 18 - Day 43/322, 2026 - Thursday

Really, it's Thursday? It seems that this week has gone by very quickly. Today, we docked at Falmouth, Jamaica. There is lots of evidence of the hurricane that hit this area in October, and even more when you get outside the port itself. Chas and I walked, we did six laps, not sure how far we went, maybe a little more than two miles. We (Mike and I) spent a couple hours and headed back to the ship. I bought a hat. I need more hats. Chas, Shelley, Marian and Ronny went their ways in port, and we all just did what we wanted. Richard and Marge went on a rum tasting excursion, and they got outside the port to a rum distillery. I am not sure that distillery is the right word, but they went to a place that makes rum, and they had a good tour. We all reconnected on the ship, bits at a time; Ronny and Marian, Mike and I found each other in the early afternoon, Richard and Marge, Mike and I found each other about 5, and we all got back together about 7 to go to one of the shows. Then it was time for dinner, and after dinner, we all headed back to the EFFY place to see what we could score for free. I am back in the cabin, I think everyone else is at a trivia night. I think we dock at Cayman Islands tomorrow, then there will be a day at sea, then Cozumel. When we get to Cozumel, I will catch the ferry to Playa del Carmen, just to go by the condo and have lunch. I am not sure who, if anyone, will go with me to Playa, but it will be fun.

Volume 18 - Day 42/323, 2026 - Wednesday

We sailed today, and it was a full day on ship. Richard, Chas and I walked about two and a half miles, and it is always interesting to walk while on ship. Our routine is to walk at 7:30 and have breakfast at 9. After that, the day is full of this and that. Stand in line here and there for free 'crap,' but of course, I will stand in line for free stuff anytime. As I remember, lunch consisted of ice cream and then a milk shake. After naps, it was time for dinner and then we stood in line for more free stuff. I am the early retiring person of the group, I am perfectly content to go to the cabin and be by myself earlier than the others, and that is (I think) okay with everyone in the group. Tomorrow we will dock somewhere (maybe Falmouth, Jamaica) and it will be fun to hang out in the port for a few hours. It is really windy, I thought we were going to be blown off the 12th deck this morning, but we made it back inside. I did finish my recent book this afternoon, Theo of Golden, and I highly recommend it. I think my next book is going to be Best Offer Wins, It sounds interesting, a little bit kind of about real estate, and an 8 hour listen. What could be better?

Volume 18 - Day 41/324, 2026 - Tuesday

Today, we docked at Costa Maya at about 8 o'clock in the morning. Richard, Chas and I walked about two and a half miles this morning, which is five loops on the fourth level of the ship. There is another track on the twelfth level, but we think that one is more for joggers. We all met for breakfast at 9 o'clock, and we 'disembarked' (see what I did there?) at about 10:30. We wandered around the port for a while, then we took a cab in to Costa Maya and had lunch at the Krazy Lobster restaurant. I have eaten so much on this trip, I had nothing but chips and guacamole for lunch. Later, once we were back on the ship, we met at 5 o'clock at Johnny Rockets for milk shakes. Apparently, I will be having a milk shake (cookies and cream) everyday, and this place makes (maybe) the best cookies and cream milk shake I have ever had. After that, Mike and I walked around for a while, then sat and watched people, before we met Richard and Marge for dinner. I had two wieners, no buns, and a couple small desserts. Then, I made it back to the cabin, and I am watching the news on tv. In case you know my friend Ben, make sure you congratulate him on a successful campaign for 2027 Secretary/Treasurer of Texas REALTORS®. In the photo...other than the natives...Marian, Ronnie, Richard, Marge, Mike, Me, Shelley and Chas.

Volume 18 - Day 40/325, 2026 - Monday

Monday, day three of the cruise. So far, I think we are all having a great time. Tomorrow we dock at Costa Maya, and we have a plan: Richard and I walk at 7:30, we all meet for breakfast at 9, and we get off the boat around 10 or 10:30. We are planning lunch at a place called The Krazy Lobster. Before and after, I expect there will be some retail therapy, and I am always in favor of therapy. Today was a day at sea, and we found plenty of stuff to keep us busy...standing in lines and tripping people that get in our way is right at the top of the list. Forgetting that I ordered cranberry juice instead of diet Coke in my cooler glass always kind of takes me by surprise. We went to a couple sales pitches, then a comedy magician show before dinner. There is nothing but food on this boat, and I will not be losing any weight while I am on this boat, but I will have stories to tell for every pound I gain. I did get a little bit of work done, too, and that never hurts. We have the door to the balcony open, and I am going to leave it open, I like the sound of the waves and I like the rocking of the ship. Overall, I like it, nothing much more to say.

Voolume 18 - Day 39/326, 2026 - Sunday

Today was a day at sea, tomorrow will be a day at sea as well. We all met for breakfast, and then we fought our way through crowds to get a 'free' bag and a couple charms. At some point, I think we will also fight our way through crowds to get more 'free' stuff, I think that is pretty likely. After the sales pitch for the different ports of call, we had a little bit of lunch, and then I headed up to the pool area for ice cream and to watch the belly-flop contest. The winner of the belly-flop was a man (with very little modesty) that weighed in at 410 pounds. Four Hundred Ten. I don't think he did the best flop, but he won the contest. After that it was time for a nap, and then we went to the Super Bowl Tailgate Party. Then dinner, and then we went to a show called Gallery of Dreams, about classic paintings coming to life. One thing for certain is, if you were not deaf when you boarded this ship, you will be deaf when you leave. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is very loud. Tonight we will have a time change, which ought to be plenty confusing, and Richard and I are going to meet in the morning to walk. The only thing we saw in the Gulf today was this ship, and one oil rig. Otherwise, water, water everywhere, the horizon and a few clouds here and there.

olume 18 - Day 38/327, 2026 - Saturday

I am at the point right now where I have to think about what day it is. I know that today is Saturday, but I have to think about it. I got up early this morning and headed to a Ford Dealership in Galveston because they have a high speed charger and it was (supposedly) open 24 hours a day. I got to the place and all the driveways were blocked by their cars, but I did find one driveway between the Ford Dealer and their neighbor a Toyota Dealer, so I was able to access the charger. It was indeed a fast charger, five miles of charge per minute, I am not sure I have ever charged that fast, EVER! I got back to the hotel and Marge, Richard, Mike and I headed down to the 'complimentary' breakfast. With the 'complimentary' breakfast, you cannot have orange juice and coffee. You can have one or the other, but not both. You can walk to the lobby and get a 'free' cup of coffee and carry it back to the restaurant, but... Oh, and there is an $8 amenity fee charged. I asked what the amenities was for $8, and it is to pay for the in-room coffee service. Kind of a scam. And $15 to park the Buzz, and the Buzz thinks they should have paid him to park in their lot. PLUS, because we had two rooms, they charged for two parking fees. I hardly ever actually go and check out of a hotel, but I did this time, and disputed some of the charges. Whatever. We made it to the ship pretty easily, and we met up with all our group and had dinner. We will meet in the morning for breakfast, and see what happens from there. I am glad we are in a group, because that might encourage me to do more than just sitting in the cabin and having free soft serve ice cream and wieners! True dat!

Volume 18 - Day 37/328, 2026 - Friday

It is really sad that I am so technologically inept. This is the second time I have tried to do this journal, and I am certain that it is only because I don't have a clue what I am doing! As I said, I did a half-walk this morning, and then I packed my bag and headed for Galveston. It took us (Mike, Richard and Marge) seven hours to make a four hour trip, again, all my fault. We left at 11:30 and got to the hotel at close to 6:30. The major delay came from trying to charge the Buzz in the wild. I have not got a lot of experience with chargers other than with the Teslas, but everything did work out, and I learned a few things about public chargers. Not that I am going to go into any of that now...so, I think I can write this whole trip off as an education expense. Mike is here from Delray Beach, and two other neighbor couples will meet us tomorrow on the ship. We are doing a nine night cruise, and I am expecting it to be a lot of fun, unless (of course) they run out of wieners and ice cream. Oliver met us for dinner, and it was very good, Gaido's Restaurant, which is well known on the island for their seafood. Very good, and now I am totally stuffed, and we did not order dessert. I will get up early in the morning, take the Buzz and charge, and then come back to the hotel for breakfast, and then we board the ship between noon and 1. I think the most confusing parts of this mini-vacation are over, and it should be 'smooth sailing' from here. More tomorrow.

Volume 18 - Day 36/329, 2026 - Thursday

Richard and Paul and I had a nice walk this morning, and after the walk, I am not really sure what I did. I left the house about noon to go get Mike at the airport, and I had a couple errands to take care of along the way. I am just about finished with the book I am reading, Theo of Golden. I am really enjoying the book, but I fear there will be a twist at the end that I am not really prepared for. I have only an hour-and-a-half left, so I am pretty sure something will be happening before much longer. So far, I really recommend the book, it makes me feel good when it is not making me cry. After Mike and I got home, we both went down for naps, but I am not sure I got much of a nap, maybe five minutes or so...I had two girls in the chair with me and the Piglet was concerned that her dinner was going to be late. Paulina came over after work, and she and Mike and I went in to Georgetown to 600 Degrees for salad and pizza. Val is here having his dinner with pizza we brought back, and now Paulina is fixing the Pizookie that Gina brought me the other day. Everybody, except me, is wrapped up with the Olympics, and I will settle down in a few minutes with a little ice cream. I was awake at 4 o'clock this morning and could not go baack to sleep, so I will be calling it a night pretty soon.

Volume 18 - Day 35/330, 2026 - Wednesday

I expect y'all are tired of me talking about the weather, but it's my journal, deal with it. A little bit colder this morning, somewhere in the 30s I think, and then this afternoon, we hit close to 70 degrees. No predictions of freezes in the next ten days, and that means the plants can stay outside. I had two meetings in Austin this morning, and on the way in, I thought I was totally in control, and stopped for two errands. When I got to my first meeting, I realized it had started 45 minutes before I got there, and then I was twenty minutes late for the second meeting. I stopped for another errand on the way home, and got to my 1:40 meeting in Georgetown with four minutes to spare. On the way home from that meeting, I stopped at HEB for gas in the little white car, and picked up a few things from the grocery. On the way home from there, there was a pretty big traffic jam, so I decided to follow other drivers that seemed to know a short cut, and indeed they did. I have been eating left-overs for a couple days, not that there is anything wrong with that. I still have two of the jumbo chopped pork sandwiches I bought in preparation of the big freeze. I will finish those off in the next couple days. I finished the chicken fried steak I brought home for a recent dinner with Linda and Jimmie, and I have a couple more things that I need to consume in the near future. Is there a category of hoarders that deals with food-stuffs? There is a definite possibility that I could be the premier episode hoarder on that reality tv show: Hoarding-Swallowed Alive. I like it. These two calves showed up in my memories this morning, one of the fond remembrances of the Estate on the Edge of Nowhere. 

Volume 18 - Day 34/331, 2026 - Tuesday

It was warmer for our walk this morning, I wore shorts and a light jacket. It was very windy, however, and I questioned my choice of the light jacket. After the walk, I got ready and met Richard, Paul and Rick for the ROMEO breakfast. There is the possibility that I may try the avocado toast the next time, a lady close to us got that and it looked delicious! After breakfast, I had a couple errands to run, one was to buy a new hose reel at Home Depot. Not sure how it happened, but the hose reel I had destroyed itself during the freeze. I would not in a million years thought that the hose reel would have water in a place that would freeze and fracture. Even though I know it happened, I can't figure out how it happened. There was no pressure on the parts, but whatever. I now have a new hose reel, and I doubt I will be able to fit the old hose reel in the garbage can for pickup. Whatever. After all that, I headed in to Austin to donate some platelets. Just a single today, but I am pretty sure they were happy to get it. Tomorrow I have a couple meetings in Austin. and that will take care of most of the day. The chances of overnight freezes seem to be low for the next several days, and I am thankful for that, I am happy the plants are out, and I expect they are happy, too!