Volume 18 - Day 143/222, 2026 - Saturday

One of my defining judgements about people is whether or not I would go have a beer with them. There are even a few Rs I would not mind having a beer with and getting to know them better (okay, more than a few), and one of them is running for office this year. I think he is a good man, more moderate than many, but he refers to central Texas as 'the Austin swamp.' Well, that is offensive, so I may have to move him to the 'no beer for you' column. I cannot vote for him anyway, but I am stuck being bombarded with political commercials, whether I can vote for them or not. I did vote early for the run-offs, and I only had two things (peeps) to vote for. BUT...I ALWAYS vote. It was just me and Judy hitting the estate sales today. There were three sales, and they were underwhelming, to say the least. I did find two things that I needed, and Judy found two things as well, but there was still nothing really extraordinary about the sales. Nobody has fessed up to receiving my Apple Credit Card by mistake, so this afternoon, I called and told them that I did not receive the latest card. Now the replacement card has been cancelled, and they are sending me another replacement card. I expect someone will fess up and bring me the first replacement card any minute. Whatever. I even looked at the movies showing in Georgetown, and just did not see anything that I am excited about seeing. Tomorrow, I will go with the neighbors (Val, Paulina and Oliver) to the German Restaurant in Walburg for lunch. Always a worthwhile effort, and I may try to convince them to drive out to the farm. There is still one shed out there that I need to clean out...I think there may be some art work in the shed, but I am not sure. Maybe yes, maybe no. I planted this plum tree last fall, and it is knocking itself out with plums. I tried one a couple weeks ago, but it was not really ripe, and it was really sour. Not sure how to tell when they are ripe enough to eat.

Volume 18 - Day 142/223, 2026 - Friday

Since my post last night, we've received 1.35' of rain at the Curious House. Today started out cloudy, but the sun is out now, and it is a beautiful evening in central Texas. Yesterday, the tree people finally made it to the house and gave me a bid to remove some dead limbs from one of the oaks, and today the lighting guy came out and got everything fixed on the outside lights. The tree people just called and wanted to come out on Monday, but Monday is going to be a platelet day, so they will be here on Tuesday. It is not easy finding people that want to work around the house...tree people, lighting people...and I have an appointment with the electricians for next Friday to install some different lights inside the house. After that, I think I will be done with stuff I want done around the house. I still have to plant the cannas that I bought the other day, and I need to see if any of the tulips I planted are showing any signs of life. Let me go look. Nope, I don't see anything happening tulip wise...there is still plenty of time. Tomorrow will be estate sales, there are three sales, so it should not take too long, and I am expecting to come home with at least a couple treasures. I was awake for the start of The Late Show last night, but I fell asleep before it was over, so I expect I missed the best parts. I don't watch too much on CBS, but I am not taking a vow to boycott the channel, but I will take advantage of any opportunity I get to trash talk the channel. Photos from the farm have been popping up on my feed, and I occasionally miss the farm, but then I remember how much work it involved, and I am thankful for the Curious House. I am a lucky man!

Volume 18 - Day 141/224, 2026 - Thursday

We had a little bit of rain overnight, less than a tenth of an inch, but in the last hour or so, we got another 3/4 of an inch, and we are expecting more later this evening. Political advertisements are getting really disgusting here in the Lone Star State, and it makes me laugh. All the Rs are calling each other names, some of which I never even called them. I like their creative thinking. I just hung around the Curious House all day today, I did have an appointment this afternoon, so hopefully I will be able to get some tree trimming done in the near future. I was pretty excited that my Apple Card was to be delivered today, and the USPS Tracking site says it was delivered to a 'parcel locker,' but there was no key in my mail box. I left a note on the cluster box asking anyone that received my package, please let me know and I will come retrieve it. We shall see. I'll give it a day or so. The temperature has certainly dropped along with the drizzle, it is 68 degrees outside, and it feels very nice. I have a whole lot of nothing on the schedule for tomorrow, too, so I think the next several days will be pretty calm. I am NOT one of the millions of people that will be traveling over the coming Holiday, so I am happy for that. Estate sales will be the most stressful thing I attempt. As promised, the photo with this entry is me, Mace and Holly at Mace's congratulatory open house yesterday. I like the trellis effect...

Volume 18 - Day 140/225, 2026 - Wednesday

We got a pretty good rain last night, 1.70", and no one will complain about that. There were also some pretty strong winds, but there were no problems at the Curious House except for a lot of leaves fallen, and a few things blown over. Nothing terrible. We had a nice walk this morning, and after the walk, I did not have a lot of chores on my list, so I took advantage, and did a lot of nothing. Early afternoon, I had been invited to congratulate Mace on his graduation from high school. Should high school be capitalized? Not sure. Anyway, you may have heard me speak of Mace in the past; he founded a non-profit (No Hunger, Inc.) several years ago, and during the celebration this afternoon, he presented a check to the Central Texas Food Bank for $26,000. Mace is an amazing young man, and he has a very bright future ahead of him. He will be attending Tulane in the fall, so everything is looking good. Tonight was our neighbors dinner, and we all had a great time. We were pretty loud, but we had a great time! I enjoy meeting with the neighbors once a month, and already looking forward to next month. I have a couple appointments tomorrow and Friday, but nothing very strenuous. I will include a photo of me, Holly and Mace with my journal entry tomorrow.

Volume 18 - Day 139/226, 2026 - Tuesday

It dribbled a little bit overnight, 0.02", but that was enough for me to call a 'rain day' and not walk. It was a good decision, because I was taking mike to the airport for his 11 o'clock flight. We were about half way to the airport, when he got a notice that his flight had been cancelled. Instead of turning around, we went ahead, Mike was thinking they would get him on another flight pretty soon. SO...his 11 o'clock flight was turned into a 1 o'clock flight, and at last word, he was in Tampa and the airport there was shut down because of weather. I still think he will make it home before the end of the day, but you never know. Oliver and I went to Costco later this morning, and after that, I took a nap, then got up and got my hair cut. It is really short, but it is only hair, it will grow back. After that, I went to HEB and got a few things, and they have cannas for $5, and I think I will get back in the car pretty soon and go get some. I really like cannas, they grow tall and bloom a lot! Perfect for me. We are under a severe thunderstorm watch, so I expect some rain over night, but I have plenty of time for getting to HEB and back. no problemo. I did spy these yellow roses this morning, I really like yellow roses, and they were my fathers' favorite flower.

Volume 18 - Day 138/227, 2026 - Monday

Still no rain, but I expect we will have some before too much longer. Memorial Day is coming up this weekend, and central Texas is known for Memorial Day flooding. We may not have flooding this year, but I am expecting some decent rain totals, they are forecasting 3 to 5 inches of rain for the Georgetown area. Fingers crossed. I went and voted this morning, so the rest of you can just stay home, no big deal. Mike went with me, and after I voted (I was in and out in less than five minutes), we just wandered around for a while, then we got home, we each had a piece of leftover pizza, and then took a nap. We went to Salt Trader's tonight for dinner, me, Mike, Linda, Jimmie, Paulina and Oliver. Mike is flying back to Del Rey Beach tomorrow, and then it will be quiet and dull in the Curious House. With any luck, I have booked the group for the next House Concert in June, and that will be good, it is a Dixieland group, and they are a lot of fun. I already have the September and October groups found, so that is finished. After the expected rains, the high temperatures are supposed to go down to the 80s, and I am happy for the temperatures to be closer to normal; after all, it is still only May. 

Volume 18 - Day 137/228, 2026 - Sunday

It has been cloudy most of the day. I removed all the House Concert fliers from around the neighborhood before our morning walk. One set of fliers was already gone, so I am not sure if that was done by friend or foe. I don't think it matters, because we had a nice turnout for the concert last night, and that is a good thing. The post card I mailed from Vatican City in April was delivered yesterday and it took about a month to go from Italy to Georgetown. At least it got here! We are looking forward to getting some rain, maybe starting tonight, and the predictions are that we could receive between 3 and 5 inches of rain. That would be swell! I did not water plants today, in anticipation of the rain, so now watch, we will get nothing. We all went to dinner tonight at Garbo's, I had a cup of clam chowder and a fried shrimp plate, all very good. Dan and Nancy will be leaving early in the morning, WAY before I get up, I expect. Hopefully they will not have any bad weather for their drive back to Las Cruces. I am not sure what will be happening this week, but I expect it will be calm. It's pretty much guaranteed! The Lesser Finches are happy with their millet, and I am glad to see the occasional hummingbird at the feeders, as well.

Volume 18 - Day 136/229, 2026 - Saturday

The two estate sales we went to today were nothing to get excited about. I spent $2 on a plastic Statue Of Liberty bank that had five pennies in it. I was hoping the pennies were pretty old, but they weren't...they ranged from 1969 to 1977. After the estate sales, Mike and I went in to Georgetown to get some scones for the next few days, and then we stopped at Walgreen's to get Marge a birthday card. We got her a cute card, but then we forgot to give it to her. I'll give it to her tomorrow. Dan barbecued burgers this afternoon, and I had one patty, then I was back at the Curious House waiting on the band to arrive and get set up. Tonight was the first House Concert of the sixth season that I have been living here, and we had a pretty good turnout. I think everyone had a good time, and it is a great way for the neighbors to get together and have a good time. The weather was perfect for the evening, and there was a nice breeze, so that was great. Tomorrow, I am not sure what is on the calendar, but I know there will be a dinner (or late lunch?) in Austin, and that will be another good evening. 

Volume 18 - Day 135/230, 2026 - Friday

Not a lot going on today, we had a nice walk this morning, and James and Dan joined me and Paul and Richard. When we finished walking, Mike and I had some breakfast, and then it was down for after breakfast naps. We sat outside for a while after that, and the weather has been really nice for the last several days. Not particularly hot, kind of cloudy, and I think the humidity has been under control. I discovered that I have misplaced a credit card, and the last time I had it was at lunch yesterday. No one has tried to use it, and I cancelled the card and there is a replacement on the way. I really believe I will find it somewhere, but just in case... A group of us went to Dahlia's in Liberty Hill for dinner tonight, and that was good. I had meat loaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and spinach. There was a lot of food brought home, but I was a member of the clean plate club. I am looking forward to estate sales tomorrow, and then the first House Concert of the Year will be in the driveway tomorrow night. I am a lucky man!

Volume 18 - Day 134/231, 2026 - Thursday

Today was an extra good day! Dan and Nancy got here (okay, next door) yesterday, and Mike got here this morning. We all went in to Georgetown for lunch, and tonight we had pizza and pasta at Frankies. Tomorrow, I think we are going to Dahlia's for dinner, and Saturday is estate sales and the house concert. While we were at Frankie's, Albert came in for his pick-up order, and that was fun. Albert (and Amber and Evan), lives four doors down. It is warm for this time of year, in my opinion, and getting warmer. I have done most of the stuff in the yard that needs to be done, but I need to call a tree guy to come out and trim up the Live Oak in the back yard. It will all be okay. This looks like a short post, but it pretty much covers all the events of the day. More tomorrow

Volume 18 - Day 133/232, 2026 - Wednesday

It was a really busy day today, and it was almost like I am not really retired! Of course, I started with a walk with Richard and Paul, and then I started making phone calls to a few colleagues that had been named as references for another colleague. I only had five calls to make, I spoke with three of them and left messages for two. I got ready to head out to my 11 o'clock meeting, and I got to the meeting with two minutes to spare! After that, I had lunch with Holly and Eileen, and then I headed to the store where I bought some patio furniture several years ago. I was just curious (as in the house) as to the possibility of buying replacement cushions for the front patio couch. I would need three sets of cushions, $400 per set. Nope, I am good with what I still have. Then I headed to an orthopedic doctors office in Georgetown. I tried to make an appointment with that doctor by phone this morning, but I was told I could not see that doctor because I was already seeing another orthopedic doctor in that same broad medical group. In my opinion, I can make an appointment with any doctor I want to...but I did not lose that battle. Ugh. Then I headed to Leander to show a home, and then back to the Curious House. I put $68 worth of gas in the little white car, and that was surprising. Nancy and Dan are in town for the weekend...they lived three houses down from me when I first moved to the Curious House. Mike will arrive tomorrow, and then the party will be starting. Did I mention I bought a Venus Fly Trap a couple weeks ago? Not sure that it has ever caught a fly, but it is interesting to look at.

Volume 18 - Day 132/233, 2026 - Tuesday

It was cool enough when I got up this morning to open up the windows. Last night, as I do most nights, I turned up the air conditioner so it will not come on unless it gets REALLY warm. I think it was sixty when I got up, so I like having the windows open to get some fresh air in the Curious House. After our walk, I met Richard, Paul and Rick for our ROMEO breakfast, and then I stopped at Galaxy Bakery for some scones. When I got back, I decided to plant the tulip bulbs that I brought back from Amsterdam a couple weeks ago. I brought back 40 tulip bulbs, and the box includes a 'Plant Passport,' and a 'Certificate of Inspection,' so everything is kosher. The box also refers to the bulbs as 'A Typical Dutch Gift.' It also says that these bulbs are going to bloom in 4 to 6 weeks, but I have my doubts about that. I expect they will bloom next spring, but I have no idea. I think the tulip people may well be better informed about that than me. I had a zoom meeting this afternoon, scheduled for an hour-and-a-half, but we got our business done in 25 minutes. Sweet! Tomorrow, I will be going in to Austin for a meeting, then a lunch with Eileen and Holly, and then I will show a property for sale later in the afternoon. It's going to be a busy day!

Volume 18 - Day 131/234, 2026 - Monday

Well, the storms that were predicted did not happen. We had a little bit of wind, 0.6" of rain, and LOTS of thunder and lightning. I enjoyed that part, and I particularly enjoy the fact that the girls are not the least bit concerned about thunder and lightning. As I have said in the past, these are the only dogs I have ever had that are not afraid of storms. I walked with Richard and Paul this morning, and then I just hung out a little bit before I went in to Austin to donate platelets. Paulina had to go in to her office, so we met at the blood bank. The place was REALLY cold, and even though I have a blanket, I was so cold I was shaking. It was a double platelets day, so even though I was cold, I like doing it. We have already made our appointments for the next donation. On the way back to the Curious House, I was caught up in traffic, which is not a surprise for 4 o'clock traffic in central Texas. I had dinner with Jimmie and Linda, prime rib night in Georgetown. There are a couple things on the calendar for tomorrow, but it should all be kind of fun. I've worn my Ushuaia t-shirt for two days now, and nobody has made any remarks about it. Ugh.

Volume 18 - Day 130/235, 2026 - Sunday

I am set for photos to accompany this entry and at least the entry for tomorrow. We are looking for heavy storms overnight, beginning at about 9PM at the Curious House, and ending probably around 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. By the time we are ready for our morning walk, there will be no signs of rain. I have put all the potted plants on the ground, and moved a few things here and there, to avoid problems with winds, forecast to be upwards of 60 miles per hour. Hopefully, the fact that I have prepared what I could, it will not be as bad as it could be. It has been a really lovely day in central Texas so far, the temperature peaked in the upper 80s, and part of the storms this evening will be the result of a cold front coming through. I did very little today, so far, and I don't really see that changing for the hours leading to tomorrow. Val and I did go to an estate sale, neither one of us bought anything. I have eaten lots of left-over food collected over the last week. There is plenty of open space in the refrigerator now, so I expect I will start collecting again this week. Tomorrow is going to be a platelet day, and Paulina and I will show up at the blood bank about 1 o'clock. Donating platelets always make me feel good, so I am looking forward to it! The photo accompanying this journal entry is what I paid $7.50 for at an estate sale yesterday. I just had to have it!

Volume 18 - Day 129/236, 2026 - Saturday

Still no rain. I turned the sprinklers back on, they ran this morning, they will run again this evening. They keep pushing the forecasted rain further and further out. No they are saying we could get rain late tomorrow evening. I'm not gonna take the chance, so I will water stuff again tonight. There were four estate sales today, kind of a good number for estate sales. The problem is/was, that the sales were really poor sales. I did finally buy something at the last sale, and spent a total of $7.50. I have to admit that really was a bargain. More later. Today is Oliver's birthday, he is now 19 years old, and we all went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. I really can't recall if I have ever been to a Cheesecake Factory before or not, but I would assume I have, I just can't remember where or when. That happens a lot these days. I turned the air conditioner on this morning, and I expect it will be on for the remainder of the season. That is why there is air conditioning in Texas...to use it. 

Volume 18 - Day 128/237, 2026 - Friday

I think this sunflower is very pretty. I saw it during our walk this morning, and it was NOT there yesterday, so it made a lot of effort to be beautiful this morning. Or maybe I was just not paying attention yesterday, but I don't think that is probable. As an admitted and authenticated coward, I think I did pretty well at the dentist office this morning. Granted, it was just for a cleaning and x-rays and six month check-up stuff, but just the thought of willingly going inside a dentists office makes me very anxious. But, it was mostly all without incident, and I was able to leave under my own power. As long as I had just visited the dentist and got a good report, I decided to stop at the donut shop on the way home. I have not eaten any of the donuts yet, but I know where they are when I get ready for them. Tomorrow there are four estate sales, and that is actually a pretty good number of sales to hit, so that will be fun. I think it has been at least three weeks since I went to an estate sale, so I am looking forward to it. I have the sprinklers turned on, they keep teasing us that we will get some rain, and now they (the prognosticators) have postponed any chance until Sunday. Sorry mothers. 

Volume 18 - Day 127/238, 2026 - Thursday

I am really glad that my watch reports not only the date, but also the day. I do, on occasion, can't remember exactly what day it is. Frequently, I think it is Friday and it is really Tuesday. I look forward to Fridays because I know I will be hitting estate sales on Saturday. It has been a grey and dull day in central Texas today, a little trace of rain now and then, but nothing to really take notice of. I spent most of the day watching television, and did a little of this and a little of that. Nothing exciting, but that is just fine with me. I planted Midnight Perfume Jasmine Seeds in five pots when I got back from my trip, and I am happy to announce that all five pots have sprouts (is that the right word?) coming up. They are supposed to be especially fragrant, so I hope that is true. We may know more in three or four weeks. I have a dentist appointment in the morning, my six month check-up. I am not a fan of dentist offices, but it will all be over soon...then I will be anxiety free for another six months.

Volume 18 - Day 126/239, 2026 - Wednesday

Today was our 'monthly huddle' at the office. I left the Curious House a little after nine, and I got to the meeting a couple minutes after 10. We hung around and talked and groused for a while, and then I took off back to the Curious House. I made a stop at Home Depot to buy a pretty good sized pot for three Plumerias I bought at HEB yesterday. A pink one, a yellow one and a pink and yellow one. I will get them transplanted tomorrow. Tonight was book club night, and we all had mixed comments about the book. Under the Whispering Door. It was kind of an interesting book, in my opinion kind of about purgatory. Hard to say. I am likely not a big thinker, and I expect a lot of the book was totally lost on me. Some people thought parts of the book were funny, kind of comedic, that thought never entered my thought process. I have picked out my next book, in between book club books; The Book of Harlan. It sounds pretty interesting, take a look at the overviews on line if you think about it, it sounds just like the kind of book I like. Margie and Richard and Rick rode with me to book club, and it is pretty close to being my bed time. It was a nice day today, it was warm when we walked this morning, and the temperature has gone down consistently throughout the day. It was about 63 degrees late this afternoon, a nice spring day, but overcast. Hoping for sunshine tomorrow. Diane is not in the picture, since she was taking the picture.

Volume 18 - Day 125/240, 2026 - Tuesday

Warm and humid today, the air conditioner has been going most of the day. After our walk, we met up for our regular ROMEO breakfast. I opted for pancakes and eggs, and that was more than enough. On the way back to the Curious House, I stopped at Galaxy Bakery and got breakfast scones for me and Val and Paulina. Then, it was off to Home Depot to buy a couple shepherd's crooks to hold up a couple limbs on the new plum tree. That little tree is showing off with lots of little plums on it. I asked a nursery man if I needed to cull some of the plums, he said no, so I am propping up a couple limbs. Then, I made a stop at HEB and got a few things, but forgot distilled water. I am now the proud owner of a Venus Fly Trap, and I need to water it with distilled water. I left the Curious House after 5 this evening to go in to Austin for a PAC function...Cinco de Mayo style. It was fun and I got to see lots of friends and colleagues that I have not seen for a while. Food was good, too. On the way home, I stopped at a different HEB, and got the distilled water, so I am all good. PHOTO: Dale, me, Holly and Taylor at the PAC event.

Volume 18 - Day 124/241, 2026 - Monday

I am pretty well set for ice cream for the near future. Gina picked me up this morning and we went to Trader Joe's in Austin. I actually bought a few things outside of just ice cream, so that was a good trip. Once I got home, I did a few things, but concentrated mostly on taking a nap. I fertilized the five trees that were installed and/or transplanted last week, and watered them pretty well. I brought back 40 tulip bulbs from Amsterdam, and I need to get those in the ground in the next day or two. I have been pondering exactly where to plant them, and I think I have figured it out. I have some space in the front beds, so I think I will cram them in there. If they make it, it should make a nice display next spring. James and Richard and Paul and I went out for dinner tonight, and that was fun. I brought enough food home to last for at least one more dinner and probably a lunch, too. Tomorrow, the only thing I have on the list is to have breakfast with the other ROMEOs, which is our usual Tuesday morning thing. Tomorrow evening, I will head in to Austin for a Cinco de Mayo event, and I may actually be out after dark tomorrow! The photo accompanying this entry was taken on our way to Belfast a couple weeks ago. Apparently, thieves are working the cemetery we visited on the way. You can never be too careful!

Volume 18 - Day 123/242, 2026 - Sunday

Meet Bryon, soon to be the second most famous Bryon in the United States. Not sure exactly where in Italy I met Bryon (and parents and siblings), but I was immediately drawn to the entire family. Although small in size, Bryon is very large in presence, as only a true stand-out personality can be. He is kind of shy, but once you get to know him, he will tell you the whole story. I actually vacuumed my bedroom and the bath today, and did laundry and domestic stuff like that. I had a devil of a time getting the bed spread to spin properly in the washer, but finally I did, and the bed is all made up again, and ready for many nights sleep. It was another beautiful day in central Texas, and the temperature got up to the high 70s, but the humidity is very low. I have the windows open, and the air conditioner has been turned off for the last four or five days. There are a few things on the calendar this week, and I will be going in to Austin three of the five days. Tomorrow, I will be visiting Trader Joe's with Gina, to get some desperately needed supplies. Ice cream. Then, a couple other things through the week, nothing that could cause any stress, I hope.

Volume 18 - Day 122/243, 2026 - Saturday

Today (as I predicted) was a beautiful day in central Texas. Right now, it is sunny and about 71 degrees. When I got up this morning, and did the walk with Richard, Paul and James, it was 48 degrees. When I made it to the blood drive, it was a little bit warmer, and I had on a light jacket. The blood drive was very good, we had 27 donors show up, and we have 25 qualified to donate. That was better than the blood banks' goal (23) and a little bit short of my goal (30). BUT...I think we are on a good track for doing this on a quarterly basis, and I came home with some cookies. Today was our third blood drive, and I think everyone is happy with the results. After the blood drive, I came home and napped for a little while, and just within the last hour, Paulina is home from Poland. She was on the same flight today that I was on a week ago today. She has already started unpacking, and half of her suitcase was stuff I bought. The plan, the whole time, was that her checked bag to be mostly empty on the way over, and very full on the way back. It worked! I don't have a lot on my chore list for the next week, and I will not be complaining about that at all. 

Volume 18 - Day 121/244, 2026 - Friday

I'm feeling pressured to vacuum the Curious House, and it is pretty intense. Silly people tell me I can choose to clean one room at a time, and I assume that is something that people less compulsive than me are capable of doing, although I may give it a 'go' at some time in the near future. I bought a few cleaning supplies last week, but I can't really remember where I put them. Likely in some logical 'cleaning type' of a place. Here is something that I bet you have never experienced. Earlier this week, I bought some scones for breakfast, and I had the last one for breakfast this morning. I put it in the microwave for two rounds of 15 seconds each, and retired to the office to do stuff. As I was almost finished, a house fly crawled out from under the scone. Apparently, I had microwaved the fly along with the scone, and I am surprised that the thirty seconds of microwaving did not cause the fly to expire, but the kleenex crush did the trick. Worst case, I expect house flies are mostly protein, so... It did rain off and on all day long today, so I did nothing at all, and only went outside to take the girls out. Gina called me to see if I was at home, and brought me some homemade chicken noodle soup. I have already eaten about half of it, so I have to other half to look forward to in the next couple days. It's delish! I think the rain is over for the next couple of days at least, and tomorrow is our neighborhood blood drive, so I will hang out there for most of the morning. Everything has really benefitted from the rains, and we at the Curious House have received a little less than two inches in the last couple days. No complaints!

Volume 18 - Day 120/245, 2026 - Thursday

We finally did get some rain, but not until this afternoon. It was a platelets day, and I donated double platelets today, and I left the blood bank at about 2PM. I am not in the least ashamed of the fact that I drive like a little old lady when it is raining outside, and the ride home proved that point. It rained 'cats and dogs (see the earlier post about how that phrase originated)' and I am always surprised to see other drivers acting like it is just another day in central Texas. The generally accepted speed on MoPac this afternoon was close to 40 mph, and rain water was flooding the lower parts of the roads. Carefully, I made it back to the Curious House, and so far, my gauge records about 0.27" of the wet stuff. We are expecting more overnight, and tomorrow is supposed to be really wet. I have nothing on the chore list except a note to give the girls their pills, so I think it might be a good day for being lazy. The temperature did not get out of the 60s today, and that is just a little bit lower than it should be this time of year. I started reading a new book today, Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klume. It is our book club book, and one of the book club members said he was not particularly fond of the book, so I was prepared not to like it...BUT NO! I am about a third of the way in to the book, and I am finding it pretty interesting...if you like books about ghosts.

Volume 18 - Day 119/246, 2026 - Wednesday

We had a 'trace' of rain so far today, but there is more expected overnight and for the next couple of days. The only thing I had on my list to get accomplished today was an appointment this afternoon, and so I spent the morning doing a couple things around the house. It was not a typical day, very cloudy and overcast, not the kind of day that is conducive to feeling perky. I did get the grape vines removed from the front bed, and over the weekend I will work on taking control of the morning glories in the back. Tonight was the neighbors dinner, and it was fun. There were ten of us, and we met at a pizza place in Georgetown. Everyone swears by the meat balls, but I had calamari and pizza. I have enough left over for at least two more meals. I am not counting on a walk in the morning, it may be raining, according to the radar forecast. I do have a couple appointments in Austin tomorrow, so I will do my best to avoid the rain. 

Volume 18 - Day 118/247, 2026 - Tuesday

I'm having a hard time not being tired. I am getting plenty of sleep, I just feel tired. I think it is just from the last couple weeks of traveling, but I don't like it. I did do a few things today; I went to the ROMEO breakfast, went to HEB on the way home (I needed some dog food and ice cream), came home and watered new plants, put some rings around the three new trees to keep the mulch from washing out (I hope), planted some seeds in three pots, repotted the sweet potato vine I was given last year, and went to the Neighbors dinner place to confirm our reservations for tomorrow night. In between things, I took a nap for about an hour. I don't have a lot on the list of things to get done for tomorrow, but I am pretty sure I will find something to do to pass the time. Since I am all stocked up with ice cream now, I am relatively confident that there will be some ice cream for me in the near future. It's a hard life!

Volume 18 - Day 117/248, 2026 - Monday

Contrary to what my watch reports, I think I had a pretty good nights sleep last night. My watch says had a low 'sleep score' of 59, and that I should try to get to bed at the proper time this evening, to increase my score. Whatever. As usual (usual for being at the Curious House), I walked with Richard and Paul, and when I got home, I did more catching up. I am pretty close to being caught up, and as usual, I am putting some stuff off to another day. I had to ask James to help me get my printer going this morning, and it was kind of fascinating to hear him interact with AI about how to get the printer and computer to work together. One thing about the AI person, he talks WAY TOO FAST for me to follow the commands, but James was in his comfort zone, and everything is working as intended now. The landscape folks were here at about 9 o'clock, and they got everything done by about 1 o'clock. I did go to Home Depot while they were here, and I brought back some mulch for the flower beds. I also got some new light bulbs for the kitchen; nothing is easy anymore. There are no more incandescent bulbs, so what I got are LED bulbs, and you can set them between 75 and 110 watts, and you can decide what color light you would like. I set these to 75 watts, and they are all set for 'daylight,' and I am very happy with the result. Now I can see what I am doing in the kitchen. I noticed the first morning glory blossom of the season, so I hope you enjoy it.

Volume 18 - Day 116/249, 2026 - Sunday

I hope I am just a victim of jet-lag, because I really do not feel good. I just got up from a nap to take the girls out, and post this entry. My sinuses are providing me no respect at all, and I am not all that in favor of blowing my nose every twenty minutes. I am actually exaggerating, I am blowing my nose every 15 minutes. I did manage to get quite a few things accomplished today; I cleaned and refilled the hummingbird feeders, filled up the dog water bowl in the front of the house, updated the letter board, wound and set the clocks that I stopped before my trip, bought a mop (that was not easy), and Val and I went to Farmer's Nursery in Leander on a quest for two peach trees. I realize that I am being compulsive abut the peach trees, but I would really like a couple producing peach trees. I found two very healthy looking trees, and the man at the nursery said it would take five or six years for them to be the size of the trees in the photo accompanying this entry. I would have thought it would take much longer than that. I expect I still have five or six years in me, so I got them. Tomorrow, the landscapers are expected to work on the front and back beds, so I will have them plant the two trees, and transplant three other trees I have. I also need to go in to Austin to pick up prescriptions, and check a few other things off my list. AND, I hope I feel better tomorrow.

Volume 18 - Day 115/250, 2026 - Saturday

I am back in Texas after my 17 day trip with and without Paulina. I think we went our separate ways on Tuesday, or maybe Wednesday. Paulina went to Berlin for work, and then to Poland to visit her family. I went to Munich to visit Lisa and Hanna that I met when I went to Antarctica. I had a great time visiting with them and seeing lots of the sites in Munich, and yesterday, I took the train from Munich to Berlin. Today, I flew from Berlin to Amsterdam, and then from Amsterdam to Austin. In the Amsterdam airport, I bought some tulip bulbs, certified safe, and now I need to decide what to do with them. They are legal to bring in to the U.S., and I declared them, and there was no issue. I think it is interesting that security staff will freak out if you have a pocket knife when you are boarding a plane, but the airline will give you a very nice knife (not a pocket knife) with your meal. I just think that is interesting. I am making a list of all the things I need to get accomplished tomorrow, as I think it will be a busy Sunday. Right now, my body thinks it is 3AM, but I am going to stay awake until my usual Georgetown time of 9:15 before I go to bed. We will see.

Volume 18 - Day 114/251, 2026 - Friday

This day started out just fine, but kind of took a nose-dive once I got to Berlin. It's really only first world problems, but it has made me a little bit crazy. I got up this morning, packed my carry-on (and I was right, I had room), and then went across the street for coffee and two muffins. I left the hotel at about 10:20 and walked to the train station. About a 20 minute walk. I had walked it yesterday, just so I would know where I was going, so I even took a couple different streets than the directions, and got there just fine. I boarded the train just about 20 minutes before departure, and it was a nice ride (about five hours) from Munich to Berlin. Once I got in the cab to the hotel, it all went south. I asked the cab driver (before I got in) if he accepted credit cards, and he said yes. I showed him where I was going (an airport hotel), and he acted like he knew where he was going, but I don't think he really did. When we got to the hotel, he could not confirm that his credit card machine was working or not, so he asked my name, and said if the charge had not gone through properly, he would come back tomorrow. I told him I would be leaving at 7AM. I was in the room for about 15 minutes, when the phone rang. The front desk said the cab driver was in the lobby and told them my credit card had been declined. UGH! So, we tried using a different credit card, and he still could not get his machine to work, so I paid cash. SO...I expect I will have three credit card charges for the cab ride, AND I paid him in cash, AND the front desk thinks I'm a fraud. First world problems. BUT, now I have had a nice dinner, and I am ready to call it a night. I should be home late afternoon tomorrow, see you all soon.

Volume 18 - Day 113/252, 2026 - Thursday

This morning, I walked to the train station, just so I could get my bearings, and know where I need to go tomorrow. It is about a 20 minute walk, so not a big deal. My train leaves at 12:48, so it will be a leisurely morning. Lisa met me at 11AM, and we walked around the neighborhood for a while, and Hanna joined us at about noon. We covered a lot of territory today, for sure. 19,590 steps! After Hanna met up with us, we walked up the 306 steps of the Alter Peter Tower. Hanna is afraid of heights, but she did it. Personally, I am afraid of steps, but I made it to the top, too. We had pretzels for lunch, and we continued our adventures in Munich. I got back to the hotel at about 3:30 and went down for a nap. We met up again at 6:15 for dinner, long with Pat and Matt, Lisa and Hanna's boyfriends. We had a great dinner, I had Schnitzel with Bratkartoffein, delicious. Then a nice walk back to the hotel, hugs and handshakes all around. This is my last night in Munich, and tomorrow will be (about) a five hour train ride to Berlin, and I will spend the night at an airport hotel, for the start of my journey back to the U.S. I will be back early evening of Saturday, and I have LOTS of photos to show you. Photo: Me, Lisa, Pat, Hanna and Matt.

Volume 18 - Day 112/253, 2026 - Wednesday

Paulina and I were awake at 3:15AM this morning (Ireland time), and headed to the airport at 4:15. I got to meet Paulina's brother (Lucas or maybe Lukas, not sure of the spelling), and Anna, one of the women that works with Paulina. Then we went our separate ways; Paulina headed to Berlin and I headed to Munich. My plane was late taking off, but I made it to Munich and took a cab (Uber was not helpful) to my hotel in Munich. I checked in to my hotel, did a little bit of work, and then Lisa came and we walked around some spots near the city, including the HUGE Nymphenburg Palace and the Palace Park. We didn't go in, but my first impression was that is was as big or bigger than the Louvre. It was plenty big! After that, we went to the Unchner Fruhlingfest (Spring Festival), which is a scaled down version of OktoberFest, only it is April, and that is where we met up with Hanna. We rode 'one of the largest transportable Giant Wheels in Europe, the Willenborg Riesenrad.' It goes to a height approximately 50 meters higher than five Olympic diving towers. It's pretty high. Then it was off to dinner, and then back to the hotel. Public transportation is very good here, and I bought a one-day pass, so we got around just fine. I also got in over 17,000 steps today, so there is that! Overall, it was a great day, so nice to see Lisa and Hanna, who I met on the Expedition to Antarctica. We have just kept in touch and I was too close to Munich not to take a little side trip. Tomorrow, there will be sites to see, and then dinner with Lisa, Hanna and their respective boyfriends. I am really looking forward to another great day! Photo: Me, Lisa and Hanna at the top of the Ferris wheel.

Volume 18 - Day 111/254, 2026 - Tuesday

There are a few things that I cannot comprehend that are going through my little pea brain today. I went on another tour today, eight people on a bus designed for about 65. We headed to Belfast, and made a couple stops along the way. The high point of the tour was the stop at the Titanic Belfast Museum (not sure if it is museum). I think I was told it is the number one tourist destination in Ireland, but not sure, I might have just made that up. Another thing I can't wrap my head around; I apparently did not take a single photo today that I think is interesting enough to include with this post, so you get what you get. You can search names of passengers and crew that were on the Titanic, and there was a William (Thomas) Evans listed as a crewman. I looked him up online, some info shows him as a cabin steward, other information shows him as a 'stoker.' He was about 34 years old when he died, his body was recovered and then buried at sea. The personal effects when he was recovered included an envelope, addressed to his mother in Southampton. My imagination is guiding me, and I will see what other information about him I can find. We have early flights tomrrow, and the alarm is set for 3:45AM, so that means I am done for the day!

Volume 18 - Day 110/255, 2026 - Monday

We got up and out at about 7:15 this morning, as I remember, and had a small breakfast at the hotel. Paulina escorted me to the pick-up point for my ALL DAY tour, and then she headed to her office to get some work done. Here are a few pieces of trivia that I picked up along the way today: Many homes in Ireland have small windows, because when it was overseen by England, they charged a 'daylight tax,' so to overcome that, they made smaller windows or painted the windows so the daylight could not penetrate. Guinness Brewery wanted to purchase the land it is situated on, but the owners would not sell, but they agreed to a 9,000 year lease which is still in effect, at 45 pounds per year. The term 'raining cats and dogs' originated here, because animals (cats, dogs, rats, whatever), would seek warmth and shelter in the thatched roofs, and if it rained hard and long, the thatched roofs would collapse, along with the cats and dogs, so therefore... The tour took us to a few counties, we covered about 700 kilometers, and we did it all in only about 12 hours, not thirteen. Lots of castle ruins, one actual castle, the Cliffs of Moher, small villages, and this and that. Plenty of photos to look back upon in my old age. Paulina and I had dinner, and we are both tired, so it is time to call it a night. Tomorrow is a tour to Northern Ireland, which will include visiting the place (not sure what that means) where the Titanic was built. I smell even more t-shirts.

Volume 18 - Day 109/256, 2026 - Sunday

We were up early this morning, and left Berlin and flew to Dublin. It was not a long flight, a little more than a couple hours. We Ubered downtown and checked in to our hotel at about 3PM, then went for a little walk, bought some t-shirts and a rubber duck, among other things. I am apparently now collecting rubber ducks, although it is not something I was consciously aware of until this moment. We made it back to the hotel, and took a quick nap, and then we went for dinner, meeting with a friend of Paulina's; Angelique. Angelique used to work with Paulina, and she lives about 40 minutes from downtown Dublin. She took public transportation to dinner, which meant that she wore no jewelry. The things you learn to survive in a city. Dinner was in a Pub that looks to have been open longer than anything in the U.S. After dinner, we walked back to the hotel, about five minutes, and now I am done for the day. I am going on a tour tomorrow...13 hours! What in the hell was Paulina thinking when she booked that tour for me. She is blaming the whole thing on Marian in Georgetown, apparently Marian and Ronnie took the same tour at some point. The Cliffs of Moher Tour, returning to the city at approximately 8PM. Holey-Moley!

Volume 18 - Day 108/257, 2026 - Saturday

As a tourist in Berlin, I find it to be a sad and sort of depressing place. I really do understand that is an exaggeration, but as someone who will be here only a few nights, the most seen tourist destinations are about the Berlin Wall, and other spots about the cold war, communism, struggle and strife. Even though we visited many other lovely and interesting places, the unhappy bits are the ones that made the biggest impact on me. Don't get me wrong, there were t-shirts and other souvenirs involved, but I did not want to buy any t-shirts about the wall, I do not want to make a serious time in my life and the lives of others, into something you put on a t-shirt. We will all head to the airport tomorrow morning, Krisa will go back to Poland, and Paulina and I will fly to Dublin, Ireland. I think I will spend about three nights in Dublin, then head to Munich to visit Lisa and Hanna, and then I return the the U.S. on next Saturday. 

Volume 18 - Day 107/258, 2026 - Friday

Today was KIND OF a less hectic day. We got up and went for breakfast croissants and coffee (American for me), and then back to the hotel for a little bit of a rest. We checked out of the hotel at 10AM, and took an Uber to the airport, and our flight left at about 1:15 for Berlin. I tried my very best to sleep during the flight, but that was not to be. Once we got to Berlin, we retrieved Paulina's luggage and met Krisa outside the baggage claim. Krisa and Paulina have been friends for many years, and I met her a few years ago, and have visited with her in Georgetown and Poland, so it is always very nice to hang out with her. We checked in to the Berlin hotel, and after a bit of a rest, we walked to the Brandenburg Gate (also, maybe, referred to as 'Pariser Platz'). Of course, on the way to dinner, there was a souvenir shop, so now I have TWO MORE t-shirts. I had schnitzel for dinner, and there was a lot of it, and then we walked back to the hotel. I think tomorrow will be a jam-packed day, so I am going to sign off for now. Mas manana!

Volume 18 - Day 106/259, 2026 - Thursday

And so, another day is coming to an end, and it has been a fun day for sure. We got up this morning and I had some sort of chocolate croissant and coffee for breakfast. We then headed for the ferry dock, and took the ferry from Naples to Capri. In the movies, I have always heard of it as 'The Isle of Capri,' and I had no preconceived notions at all about the island. I had no idea that people actually lived on the island, I thought it was just a bunch of resort hotels; but that just reinforces that I really never thought of it. As I have found out, it is a very nice island, catering to very nice people, most of whom are some of the luckiest people on the planet. I'm not going to go very far down that rabbit hole, but it was much more than I had expected. The ferry took about an hour each way, and we both took short naps, both ways. We took cabs to various sides of the island, since we only had about three hours before the ferry headed back. When we got back, we had a late lunch (early dinner?), and went back to the hotel for more naps. At 7:30, we headed out because Paulina was on a mission to buy refrigerator magnets, and I was on a mission to just spend some money. That has not been a challenge in the last 8 days, and I expect there will be many more opportunities. Tomorrow, we will have some breakfast, check out of the hotel at 10, and head to the airport. This time tomorrow, we will be in Berlin for a couple days.

Volume 18 - Day 105/260, 2026 - Wednesday

I knocked on Paulina's door this morning at about 7AM (as I recall), and we walked to the tour pickup point, which was close to the train station. We had breakfast there, and the tour guide met us, and we went and made two other stops to pick up participants. I think this bus carried twenty folks, not including the tour guide and the driver, so it was a much more manageable group, and no one was particularly obnioxious. There were people from Paris, Dallas, Canada and some Asian countries, so it was a good group. On the way to Sorrento, we passed Mt. Vesuvius and were close to Pompeii, which is interesting that we were that close to Pompeii but did not stop. I am pretty sure we bought t-shirts at every stop we made today; Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. I have no idea how many photos I took, but I am sure I could have taken photos until the battery in my phone died, there are just so many beautiful sites to be seen. Somewhere between Positano and Amalfi we stopped for lunch, and then when we got to Amalfi, there was suddenly an option to take a boat ride off the coast. I am 100% sure that, if that boat and that body of water were anywhere in the U.S., we would not have left shore. But, we did, and we all made it back and nobody vomited. We did see Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren's home while we were touring by boat, and lots of interesting 'blue caves.' Overall, a good day. We got back to the hotel, rested for a while, then went for dinner at a seafood restaurant. I cannot tell you how many decades it has been since I had a fish dinner, the WHOLE fish, and I had to work around the fish bones. I have to admit, I did pretty well. Tomorrow, I will knock on Paulina's door at 9, and we will take a Ferry to Capri. So far, and very interesting and fun visit to places I have NEVER been before, and will likely never be again.

Volume 18 - Day 104/261, 2026 - Tuesday

Today was not quite as busy as yesterday, but we still got a lot of things done. We were up and had breakfast, then chilled out in our rooms until the noon checkout time. We took a cab to the train station, and the train was delayed 20 minutes (I didn't think that was supposed to happen in Italy), so we hung out in the First Class Lounge for a little while. We got on the train, and made it to Naples with no problems. Looking out the train windows at little communities and villages, I wondered if the residents worried every day about their own challenges, as I worry regularly about my challenges. Don't get me wrong, I am a very lucky man and I know it, I just have challenges, sometimes. Not nearly as many now as I have had in the past. Whatever! The hotel we are staying at is definitely not a budget hotel, but it is interesting that it costs a dime (10 cents in Euros) to use the elevator before 6PM. I cannot think of a single time that I have had to pay to use an elevator. We got checked in, and shortly after we went into the old part of the city, did some sight seeing, and had pizza. Back now at the hotel, and so we are going to meet tomorrow at 7AM for our next adventure. 

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.