Volume 18 - Day 185/180, 2026 - Saturday, The Fourth of July

Happy Birthday U.S.A.! I enjoyed this calm and peaceful Fourth of July. There was a nice walk this morning, and the plants, front and back, are needing watering on almost a daily basis. We have not had any rain for a couple weeks. And I don't think there is any in the next ten days, either. I hope I am wrong. I took off to pick up three racks of ribs and some cobblers this morning, and this afternoon I had dinner with VPO. The girls have a few rib bones to enjoy at some point, and I am pretty sure they will enjoy those. The rest of the day was spent napping and watching some television with the girls. I do not have any challenges sitting with the girls, and I think they are happy to have me around. I expect there will be some fireworks to watch from the back deck this evening, there have been every year that I have been in the Curious House. There is not a lot on the calendar for next week, Paulina, Marian and I are scheduled to donate platelets on Monday, and I really like doing that. The flags in the photo are from the farm, Jody gave me the flag pole as an anniversary gift years ago, and I still have a fondness for flags.

Volume 18 - Day 184/181, 2026 - Friday

After walking with Paul and James this morning, I sat on the front patio for a while and read the newspaper and had a cup of coffee. P&O (no V) came and visited for a little while, and then they took off for breakfast. And yes, I still get a physical newspaper. I came very close to getting my haircut later this morning, and on the way there, I looked in the mirror and decided I really did not need a haircut. As long as I was in the car, I decided to make a stop at Target, and while I was at Target, I decided that if I bought a few more pairs of boxers, I could delay doing laundry for a while longer. I call that thinking outside the washer and dryer. VP (no O) and I headed off to Belton at 4PM, with the purpose of going to the Belton Rodeo. We stopped at Schoepf's BBQ for dinner, and then headed to the Cadence Bank Center, where the rodeo was held. We stood in line in the sun for about 30 minutes, I guess they did not open the doors until 6PM. The rodeo started at 7, and there was a lot of patriotic chat by the emcee, and then they got down to business. It has taken me this long to attend my first (and last) rodeo. I felt sorry for all the animals; the sheep, the calves, the horses, and even the cowboys themselves. But, being the snob that I am, I am really not one to judge, and I will leave it at I simply will not be quick to attend another rodeo. One of the better parts, was a 'skit' with a bad man and a heroine named Cow Patty. By the photo accompanying this journal entry, you can get the general drift of the action.

Volume 18 - Day 183/182, 2026 - Thursday

If you are wondering about mail delivery tomorrow, don't ask the Googles. In the same search, the Googles say NO mail tomorrow, and scroll down and the Googles say YES, there will be normal mail delivery tomorrow. I am pretty sure I will know the true answer by this time tomorrow. Gina and I made a pilgrimage to Trader Joe's this morning, we go about every three or four weeks. I spend a LOT less money when we go to Trader Joe's, mainly because they don't sell dog food. At least, I don't recall seeing any dog food there. When I go to HEB, I easily spend about $60 on dog food, while covers about two weeks, maybe a little bit longer. SO, I do have some treasures from Trader Joe's; grapes, blue corn chips, water melon and cantaloupe slices. That will likely hold me over the weekend. I expect I will visit Target tomorrow, because Target is where I get the dog treats for my morning walks. That is about it for today. I had no photos from today, so I looked back a year ago, and it was raining. Really raining. The rain a year ago caused a lot of damage, serious injuries and some loss of life. Just looking at the photo makes me feel a little bit cooler. No rain in our forecast, just more hot. I cannot even walk to the mail box without glistening. Don't forget, tomorrow is Rodeo night!

Volume 18 - Day 182/183, 2025 - Wednesday

I did a solo walk this morning, and I took a different (and shorter) route than usual. I thought it would be about the same walking distance, but nope. After the walk, I did a few things around the Curious House, and then I headed in to Austin. It was kind of like the old days...all lanes, north and south bound on the Interstate were stopped. I never did see what the problem was, which is typical, but I got to my meeting on time. On the way, I picked up a prescription, too. I got home about noon:30, and I had an appointment with ADT between 1 and 5. The guy got here, fixed the doorbell camera, and installed two more cameras. I am pretty well covered now. My new hoses were delivered, and the old hoses are in the rubbish can, just in time for tomorrows pickup. I did manage to break the hose reel, which is something I do every time I get new hoses. I will get a new hose reel tomorrow. I am spending more time in the big chair in the bedroom with the girls, and I like looking out all the windows. The hummers have been pretty entertaining, and every now and then, they have a mini-war over the feeders, proving that not everything I watch is on television.

Volume 18 - Day 181/184, 2026 - Tuesday

Oh, Lort! I was having a perfectly okay day until I tried to login to my account at the Credit Union. When I did that, a note popped up that said (something like) we have f***ed with all our accounts, so you will need to login with your password. Well, my password had been saved IN the computers and the iPhone, and I was doing something wrong, but NOW I have a NEW password at the credit union. Maybe I wasn't having a perfectly okay day, because I just now remembered the 45 minutes I spent on the phone with ADT, trying to add a couple upgrades to my service. BUT, having taken all my aggressions out on ADT, I was a perfectly friendly person the rest of the day, so that was kind of a win/win in my opinion. I met Maggie at a property this afternoon, and that was fun. On the way home, I decided to go take a look at the swim beach in Georgetown. Who knew there was a swim beach in Georgetown? I didn't, but I found it, it is about 14 miles from the Curious House, and the beach is pea gravel, but with sandals and a blanket, you can pretend you are somewhere in Europe. I (think) I did see some beaches in Europe that were pea gravel and not sand, but I could be wrong. But, whatever, you can go to a beach in Georgetown, and you won't track sand into your car or the house. Another win/win!

Volume 18 - Day 180/185, 2026 - Monday

Just in case you want to know, tonight is the full moon. I should probably start spending more time on the front patio, that is why I expanded it five years ago. It has always been comfortable, and I think it is more so now. I rearranged the furniture with help from Val, Paulina and Oliver, and the bronze sculpture (formerly the top part of a fountain) I bought yesterday, is now ensconced in the corner, and I think it is ABFAB! I need to check, but I don't think you can see it from the street unless you are really looking, and that is perfectly fine with me. It is heavy, very heavy. It took three men and a two-wheeler to get it onto the patio, and I plan for it to remain there for quite some time. You might be able to zoom in on the photo, but if you can't and you want to see the details of the piece, let me know and I will send you a photo. Otherwise, today was a good day, I went nowhere, and tomorrow I will be planning a visit to HEB. On Wednesday I will go in to Austin for a meeting and to pick up a prescription, and on Thursday, Gina and I are going to Trader Joe's. Friday, believe it or not, I am going with PVO (I'm tired of typing their full names, so they are now collectively known as PVO) to the rodeo in Belton. I have never been to a rodeo before, so this will be a totally new experience. Always go for the new experience!

Volume 18 - Day 179/186, 2026 - Sunday

When Paulina and Oliver got home from church this morning, we all piled up (Paulina, Val and Oliver) in the car and headed to Marble Falls to have lunch at the Blue Bonnet Cafe. The last time Paulina and I were there (three weeks ago), I had liver and onions. Yummy good. Today I had catfish, fried okra, candied carrots and french fries. You can't beat it. I was the only person that did not bring pie home, but I still have carrot cake from Upper Crust that I got last Monday when we donated platelets. It's fine! After we left the restaurant, we stopped at the Mexican import place again. When we were walking in the place, Carrie, Susan, Terri and another lady (from Memphis and I can't remember her name), were walking out. It was like old home week in Marble Falls!  Once we all got home, I think it was nap city all around! I had to go check out a property late this afternoon (Paulina went with me), and when we got home, we rearranged the furniture on the front patio. There is always something to do, whether it needs to be done or not. I have NOTHING on the calendar for tomorrow, and I like that very much. I was kind of excited that the coming weekend will be a 'long weekend,' but then I remembered that every day now is a long weekend day. I like it!

Volume 18 - Day 178/187, 2026 - Saturday

There were three estate sales today, Marian and Judy and I got to the first one, there was a line, and we decided not to even stop. There is no reason to stand in line at an estate sale in 90 degree sunny weather. Marian and I had previewed the sale from photos on line, and nothing jumped out at us that we were in particular need of. We did hit the other two sales, and we all came away with stuff we could not live without, so that made it a good estate sale day! After the sale, I did a few things around the Curious House, getting ready for the Curious House Concert tonight. I think it was a great concert, and everyone seemed to enjoy the jazz group (Swing Shift of Austin) and the popsicles. I learned tonight that 'popsicle' is a trademarked word, and I most likely should not have been using that word so carelessly. Whatever. The photo is of the group, most of them anyway. After the photo was taken, two or three other neighbors joined the group, and it was a lot of fun. There was a good breeze, I did not get one mosquito bite, and there was plenty of shade. Tomorrow will be a trip to Marble Falls, and I will fill you all in on that tomorrow night. Maybe.

Volume 18 - Day 177/188, 2026 - Friday

On this date in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the country, ruling that state-level bans on same-sex marriage violated the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. By 2015, Jody and I had already been legally married for a couple years, but I can remember exactly where I was when I heard that news. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen in my lifetime, and I cried in a professional setting that could not understand if I was crying happy tears or sad tears. Back to today... I walked this morning and prepared for my doctors appointment, which did not happen. The appointment, which I thought was my regular six-month check up, was only for a blood and urine test. If I had actually been aware of that, I would have spent a few minutes studying for the urine test. Whatever. The results that have been returned so far, show everything to be within 'acceptable ranges,' and I continue to be 'unremarkable.' And boring. After that disappointing appointment, Marian and I went to two estate sales that were just Thursday and Friday sales. I bought the little print that is included with this entry for $7. Tomorrow there are three more sales, and maybe I will find a few more things that I cannot live without. Oh, and the Curious House Concert is tomorrow night, and I think that will be fun. More later.

Volume 18 - Day 176/189, 2026 - Thursday

It is way past my bedtime, but I will tell you more about that a few sentences from here. I walked with Paul this morning, that is the first time I walked in a while, so that was good. My knee is not really getting any better, and I will find out more about that tomorrow at my doctors appointment. There are a couple things (I think) that could avoid a knee replacement, one of which may include a trip to Germany. Cheaper than a replacement, much more fun, and a much quicker recovery time. I did visit the chiropractor this afternoon, and then Oliver and I went to Costco. I got a few things, including a pistachio cheese cake, which I took to our neighbors dinner tonight. Gina and Billy hosted the dinner at their home, which is beautiful, and Gina is a wonderful cook, and none of us left hungry. When Gina and Billy lived next door, I was the recipient of food frequently, and I brought steak, chicken and cheesecake home with me this evening. Gina and Billy have three pooches, so there was a lot of petting, snuggling and baby talk as well as the great food. We are skipping July for neighbors dinners, and Marian and Ronny are in charge of coordinating for August. Really...we are already making plans for August. I think book club is skipping July as well, but I will really need to check my calendar to be sure.

Volume 18 - Day 175/190, 2026 - Wednesday

Evidence that I trimmed the crape myrtle limbs off the garage roof, because if you don't have a picture to prove it, it didn't really happen. And geraniums, I trimmed to dead-heads off the geraniums. I will trim a few more over the weekend, but I will need someone to hold the ladder for me. I am not totally stupid! I got a few things done in the Curious House this morning before I left for my committee meeting, the most significant of which was getting the damage claim filed with the totally useless insurance company the man that hit me uses. I won't mention the name of that company (again), but the name rhymes with State Farm. Again. SO...we will see where we go from here. I was required to send 11 photos of the Buzz, the VIN number, a shot of the odometer, and a couple other things. Ugh. Someone from that insurance company should be doing this, I did not cause the challenge. I DO cause lots of challenges, but I did not cause this one. I got in to Austin in plenty of time to chill before the meeting started, and it was another day of good works for our REALTOR® association. Once I got home, it was mainly nap time, and tree trimming. I trimmed the limbs today so I can put them in the can for pickup tomorrow. Tomorrow I will also check for estate sales over the weekend, I have an appointment with the chiropractor, and a visit to Costco. Fun times! 

Volume 18 - Day 174/191, 2026 - Tuesday

I didn't realize it was Tuesday until Tuesday was almost over. I will try to remember that tomorrow is Wednesday, but there are no guarantees. I left to go in to Austin this morning at 7 o'clock to get to my 8:30 meeting. The photo accompanying this entry is the view from the third floor of the Austin Board of REALTORS® where the meeting was held, and where I will be (again) for most of the day tomorrow. Volunteer servants doing their servant thing! It was good working with my colleagues, making good decisions for all our members. I got home this afternoon at about 4:30, and the girls had convinced themselves that they were never, EVER going to be fed again. For them, today was a lot like the days when I was still doing business and would be gone for most of the day. They don't want to get back in to that routine, and I don't want to do that, either. I like the life of a retired person. Thursday I have a chiropractor appointment and the neighborhood dinner Thursday night at Gina's house. I am bringing apple pie from Costco. Friday, I have an appointment with my 'new' GP, my first real doctors visit with him, and I have a couple pages of questions and concerns. He may not want to be my GP after that appointment, we shall see. 

Volume 18 - Day 173/192, 2026 - Monday

When Paul and I walked past the little pond in the subdivision, this heron was in the water. When I got on the sidewalk to take a picture, it flew up in to this tree, which was still a good setting for the photo. Thanks. I did a lot of busy work this morning, and ran errands. I watered the plants front and back and made a quick trip to HEB. I had a $100 Gift Card, which I spent and more. I also went to Georgetown Donuts (my favorite) and got a half dozen donuts. At noon, I picked up Marian and we headed in to Austin to donate platelets. I made two stops on the way; I picked up prescriptions and we made a stop at Upper Crust Bakery. I have cinnamon rolls for a couple breakfasts and two pieces of carrot cake. Interestingly, I have not consumed the cupcakes I bought yesterday at GOGO'S TREATERY, so I would say I am pretty well set with sweet things for at least the next ten days. Paulina met us at the blood bank, and we all donated platelets. Our next visit will be on July 6th, and we all like doing that. Tomorrow, I will not be walking, I have an 8:30 meeting at the Austin Board, and breakfast is provided, so all the bakery goods will stay in the refrigerator for a while. Good grief!

Volume 18 - Day 172/193, 2026 - Sunday

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there, and also Happy Summer Solstice day, the longest day of this year! I walked this morning with James and Paul, and then I did some grown up things in the office at the Curious House. Went through the mail for the last week, paid a few bills on-line, and sorted through some things. I went out into the garage this morning, and found a GFCI had tripped, and some of the stuff in the beer fridge freezer had thawed. Some of it was not totally thawed, and I put that in the refrigerator part. The items that were totally thawed will be put out in the trash on Thursday. Those things are still in the freezer, I don't want the garage to start stinking until Thursday. I still have not completely unpacked the carry-on, there is plenty of time to do that next week. I had a two o'clock appointment in FAR south Austin, and that drive was about forty miles each way. The client was a man I represented over twenty years ago when he bought his home, and it was nice to see him again. He told me I had not changed a bit, and that was a little bit concerning. After that appointment, I had dinner with Val, Paulina and Oliver at the Cheesecake Factory at the Arboretum, and now I am ready to be finished with this day. Tomorrow will be a platelets day, and I need to pick up prescriptions and maybe hit Upper Crust for cinnamon rolls. We shall see. Marian will ride with me, and we will meet Paulina at the blood bank, so the three of us are back in the groove. I may even do a little bit of grocery shopping tomorrow. Maybe.

Volume 18 - Day 171/194, 2026 - Saturday

I am back home again from my past week's escapades, and I am pretty sure the girls would like me to leave again so they can become more spoiled with Val, Paulina and Oliver. I got off the train in Temple so we could stop at GoGo's Treatery for FroYo, cupcakes and macaroons. All very yummy. I took a couple naps on the train, and I apparently slept through the stop in Cleburne, when I woke up, I was surprised to find that we were in McGregor. Whatever. I emptied 3.96" of rain from my gauge, and I will record that shortly. I have unpacked the necessities, and I will do the rest tomorrow, but for now, I am ready to go pile up in the big chair with the girls. I was happy to see this rainbow on the way home, that was a welcomed surprise, and for a while, there was a double rainbow, but it did not photograph very well.

Volume 18 - Day 170/195, 2026 - Friday

Happy JuneTeenth everybody! I was going to include the ussie of me and Richard for this entry, but I thought the contrast of the sad buildings and the St. Louis Arch in the background was more in keeping with why I ride trains here and there. Sadly, I am a little bit disappointed in this leg of my return home. The parts I am in control of are just fine, like looking out the window of my room and seeing the real country. The parts I cannot control are the alleged rudeness of the staff on this leg of the trip. Maybe it is just my imagination. In addition, my room is cold enough to hang meat, and the solution was 'there's a blanket up there.' Not good enough. Whatever. I just got back from dinner, salmon and red wine (I know), and now I am in the room for the night. We are in St. Louis, and I think this stop will be about a half hour. I am not sure where we will be when I wake up in the morning, but I am looking forward to getting home. I think I will be in Taylor about 6:30 or so tomorrow, not exactly sure. I think Paulina and Oliver are going to pick me up, and then we will have catfish for dinner in Taylor. I have work to get done over the weekend so Eileen won't be mad at me, and I have a listing appointment on Sunday. Life goes on! 

Volume 18 - Day 169/196, 2026 - Thursday

A lot of times, people do not really understand why I take the train home from conferences and meetings, and this is a perfect example. We are outside (on this side) of Martinsburg, somewhere, and we are on the other side of Point of Rocks, also somewhere. The train I am on stopped to let another train pass, and what better view could I have asked for? I just got back to my room after dinner, met a nice lady traveling with her husband and 10 month old child from Richmond, and that is what my idea of train travel is. I was in the First Class Lounge in DC for a few hours, and never once heard the baby cry. Fingers crossed. It was a fun day today, I went with Taylor, EIleen and Brandy to the Smithsonian Castle, and I have to admit that I was somewhat disappointed, very likely because I did not know what to expect there. I got back to the hotel, checked out, and headed for the train station. The train left two hours late, but again, I take the train because I am not in a hurry. I expect to get to Chicago tomorrow morning, change trains, and head for Austin tomorrow afternoon. I have space in the room if anyone wants to join me!

Volume 18 - Day 167/198, 2026 - Wednesday

Another day of good meetings, good information, and good friends. I acrtually stayed in bed until about 8:30 this morning, so there was nothing to be in a hurry to do, no really early meetings, and that was appreciated. Brandy, Holly and I went to the NAR building, and I am lucky to be able to do that every year. The rooftop of the building has a great view of the Capitol, and it is always a great place for photos. Needless to say, we all took advantage of it. We got back to the hotel a little bit before noon, and hung out in the bar for a while, and then I went to my room and took a nap. The last meeting of the day, our Regional Caucus, started at 4PM, and that is my last meeting of this trip. Steve, Melinda, Nancy and I went to Drunk Shakespeare at a small playhouse not far from the hotel, and most people in the audience thought it was hilarious, but I am apparently too old for that particular humor, which I think is interesting. I am usually all about inappropriate humor, but this just did not do it for me. Tomorrow, Eileen, Taylor and I are going to the Smithsonian Castle, and then I will head for Union Station to begin my journey home. I really enjoy train travel, and I expect to totally enjoy the trip home. The journal entry tomorrow will be from the train, en route from Washington, DC to Chicago, where I will change trains. Stay tuned.

Volume 18 - Day 167/198, 2026 - Tuesday

So, today was another busy day, and honestly, I cannot really remember all the things I did today. I do remember the highlights, though. Lunch at the Old Ebbitt Grill, and the quest for the best calamari continues. A nice nap was one of the highlights, and then there was a reception for PAC investors. More importantly, it was another opportunity to see friends and colleagues from here and there. This year is kind of odd, because there have been lots of issues getting to DC this year. My flight on Sunday was delayed, other flights were cancelled, and attendees are still arriving. One friend missed his connecting flight in Atlanta, and the airline DROVE him to the plane, and he boarded from the tarmac. Interesting. Tonight, a bunch of us had dinner at a Spanish restaurant not far from the White House. Again, everything is more difficult in DC than I remember from all the Legislative meetings I have attended. The photo accompanying this entry was taken yesterday at the trade show; Brandy, Holly, me and Eileen along with the mascots from the Washington baseball treams. I think. 

Volume 18 - Day 166/199, 2026 - Monday

I profess that I am likely the luckiest man in the world. I am in DC, attending the NAR Legislative Meetings, and I am surrounded by friends and colleagues. It makes me question my decision that this would be my last conference, but maybe I will change my mind. I was up early to go get my 'credentials,' and the opening session began at 8:30. I had asked to meet Doris Kearns Goodwin, someone I had previously met when she spoke at a meeting I attended in Marco Island, Florida. I carried her bags on that trip, and when I found out she was our opening speaker, I wormed my way to meet her backstage after her presentation. I have better photos of the two of us than the one posted with this journal entry, but in this photo, we were laughing and kidding, possibly over the fact that she is the reason that Winston Churchill's tits are included in the painting in the rotunda in the Curious House. It's true, and if you want more information about that, you are welcome to ask. Whatever! After that, there was a lot of networking, and lots of scooping things up in my bag at the trade show, then lunch at The Hamilton, (where we had the VERY BEST calamari I have ever had). Then, it was time for a nap, and the next function was at 5PM. I met Eileen and Holly at 4:30, and we made it to the convention center, and then there was dinner at Joe's Seafood. Somethings are just kind of a tradition at some of our conferences. After dinner, we hooked up for one more drink (diet Pepsi for me), and now I am back in my room to complete this entry before midnight. Again, I am a lucky man, and I don't know how I have cultivated all these friendships over the years.

Volume 18 - Day 165/200, 2026 - Sunday

Okay, I am here. Paulina took me to the airport, we left about 10 o'clock for my 12:20 flight. I did not have much for breakfast, so I had a $28 club sandwich, which was not too terrible. The flight to DC was delayed, the airline said that TSA was grounding flights into Reagan because of weather in the area. When we arrived, about an hour late, there was no apparent weather conditions that would have caused any issues, but I am just a passenger. Whatever. I made it to the hotel, checked in to my room, then met Steve, Melinda, Nancy and Brenda at the International Committee reception. That translates to 'free food!' I am back in my room, and honestly, I am tired. Tomorrow will be a busy day, and it will start early and go late into the evening. It has been a great afternoon, and I have aeen lots of friends from Texas and across the states, and that is what all these conferences are about. 

Volume 18 - Day 164/201, 2026 - Saturday

The estate sale today was a huge disappointment, but I did manage to buy a couple things. I spent $6.50. After I got home, I went down for a quick nap, and Paulina and I went to Marble Falls to check out the Mexican import place. She bought a few things, and I bought a little pillow. Then, we went IN to Marble Falls (the import place is outside Marble Falls), and had lunch at the Bluebonnet Cafe. I had liver and onions for lunch, with fried okra and spinach. Probably the least offensive food I have had in a while. On the way back, we stopped at the import place again, I have my eye on something, more about that later. I am just about done with my prep for going out of town tomorrow, I have to change the feeders for the humming birds, and vacuuming is also on the list, but I might not have time for that. Ugh! The next several days will be filled with meetings and seminars, and I will take the train home, that is the part I am looking most forward too. Of course, I will also see lots of friends from Texas and across the country, but I am in the winding down mode of my volunteer service. Time to quiet down! The photo did not come out too great, since I had it in 'portrait' mode. Oh, well. Pretend there is a neon sign behind us saying Bluebonnet Cafe. 

Volume 18 - Day 163/202, 2026 - Friday

Well, hell. I did four loads of clothes today, and at (kind of) the same time, I was also taking a class. Whenever we had a break, I was doing something in the laundry room. For the second time, I have had issues washing the quilt/spread/blanket thing that is on my bed. Today, I washed that with nothing but two pillow cases, and I eventually had to stop the washer, try to distribute the girth of the spread, and put it back on just the spin cycle. I finally got it as 'spun' as I could, and ended up putting it in the dryer, still loaded with water. Apparently, the reason I do not frequently do laundry is, that I am just not that good at it. I swear I have washed that quilt/spread/blanket thing before and did not have that problem, but, whatever. I am good for about another month, so if you smell something, it is likely me. After the class, I made a trip to the Post Office, then back to the Curious House, and then a quick trip to HEB. I am going out of town on Sunday, and I am in the process of marking things off my packing list, and throwing things in the vicinity of my carry-on and my back pack. I am getting better at not packing a lot of stuff, and I am kind of happy about that. We shall see how it all works out.

Volume 18 - Day 162/203, 2026 - Thursday

I have never seen a traffic jam caused by porta-potties. Apparently there were too many potties on this trailer, and three or four of them flew off the trailer onto the expressway. Okay, well, I am not sure that happened at all, but now that I have your attention... I did my four hour class today, and I have another one tomorrow. After tomorrow, I will have all the REQUIRED education to renew my real estate license, plus several that I just took because I had nothing better to do. After the class, I took the Buzz to the VW dealer in Georgetown for a damage estimate. Less that I expected, just about $2,300. Now I am having a contentious time with the insurance company. Not my insurance company, the insurance company of the man that ran into the Buzz last Saturday. I won't mention any names, but the company name rhymes with State Farm. I am not a fan. Whatever. After the class tomorrow, I may go to HEB for just a few things, and I need to do laundry and a couple other things around the house before I head out of town on Sunday. And, I expect there will be a couple other things I will need to do, like seeing if I can fit into any of my conference clothes. 

Volume 18 - Day 161/204, 2026 - Wednesday

After our walk this morning, I got ready to drive in to Austin for a ten o'clock meeting. Traffic was typical, I encountered an invisible wreck, and it took about 30 minutes to go four miles on MoPac. It must have been an invisible wreck, because when traffic started moving, there was nothing I could see that caused the slowdown. I got to my meeting, and I was only four minutes late. I always leave early because you never know what will happen along the way. I ran a few errands on the way home, and one very fun thing I did was to take a big jar of coins to the bank to cash them in. I have been putting coins in the jar for a LONG time, and some of the things I found in the jar were pretty interesting; three or four foreign coins, fourteen dollars worth of two-dollar bills, and a note that Jody had written. Jody's note said 53 nickels, 2.65. 107 dimes, 10.70. 75 quarters, 18.75, and 315 pennies, 3.15. To say the least, I was really surprised to find that note. Tomorrow I will call the Volkswagen dealer and ask them what time to body shop is open, so I can go get an estimate for the Buzz repairs. I am taking a four hour virtual class tomorrow and Friday, so maybe I can get the Buzz to the repair place after 2PM. Probably.

Volume 18 - Day 160/205, 2026 - Tuesday

Today was a busy day for a Tuesday. Besides our early morning walk, I had two zoom meetings, an in person meeting and a couple errands to get done. The two zoom meetings were nicely spaced so there was an hour between the first one and the second one. I did get a couple errands completed before my three o'clock appointment, so that meant it was nap time. A couple times! Dick and Marge are heading back to Chicago (Buffalo Grove) for the summer, so we had a Bon Voyage dinner for them tonight. There were 23 of the neighbors attending, and it was great. The server in the restaurant was a little bit stretched, but otherwise, we had a great time talking and having a great time. I am pretty sure we are all happy to have such a great group of friends, and it shows every day!

Volume 18 - Day 159/206, 2026 - Monday

I did a couple of errands this morning before I went to pick up Marian, and we drove in to Austin for our platelet donation. Of course, it goes without saying that we stopped at Upper Crust Bakery on the way, just to pick up a few things to sustain us for the week coming. While we were standing in line, my friend Teresa came over, and there were hugs all around. Marian does not know much about that past life, but now she has a few bits of information. Teresa was my first broker when I got my real estate license, back in 1995. There has been a lot of water running under that bridge! Teresa was there with Omar, who I did not recognize at first. Omar and I are both on a committee at the Austin Board, so that was interesting to see him this morning. We made it to the blood bank, and we were in and out with no big issues, nothing exciting happening! There is a lot to be thankful for if there are 'no big issues' while we are donating platelets! While blood and platelets were flowing out of my arm, I was listening to the book we are reading this month for book club, Vera Wongs Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man). It is certainly an easy read (listen), and I don't need to think too much about it while I am listening! I got home and went down for a nap, which is also a good thing, and now I am done for the day. I do need to go and check the mail, but that will be it for me.

Volume 18 - Day 158/207, 2026 - Sunday

Up until about 6:30 this evening, I had nothing to eat today with any nutritional value. For breakfast, I had a scone. Not terrible. For lunch, I don't even remember what I had, but I know there were some M&Ms involved. Paulina and I went to see The Bird Cage this afternoon, it is hard to believe that the first time I saw it was 30 years ago. While we were doing estate sales yesterday, Marian said she and her daughter Lexi were going today. Val, Paulina and I watched La Cage aux Folles at the Curious House last week, so it was fitting that we go see The Bird Cage today. We saw Marian and Lexi, and after the movie, we did the selfie that is accompanying this journal entry. My resolution to boycott CBS has been tweaked a little bit. I will NOT watch ANY CBS news programming, but I will watch the shows I like on Thursday evenings, and I am watching the Tony Awards right now. Sue me. So far, the Tony's have been really good, but CBS had nothing to do with that. Whatever. When we got home this afternoon, I fed the girls and for dinner I had the chicken and rice that Paulina brought me at some point last week. Yummy good. Tomorrow is a platelet day, and it will be me and Marian, and that will be a good day.

Volume 18 - Day 157/208, 2026 - Saturday

Overnight we collected 1.57" of rain, and that is excellent. It was an estate sale day, me, Diane, Marian and Paulina. While were were stopped at a red light, the guy behind us said his foot slipped off the brake pedal, and he hit us in the back. The force seemed like more than a 'creep,' so maybe he uses both feet and when his left foot slipped off the brake, his right foot was on the accelerator. Who knows. There is not a lot of damage to the Buzz, but I expect the whole back piece under the tail gate will have to be replaced, and a little piece of the tailgate will have to be repaired/painted. I don't know dollar wise, but likely several thousand dollars. We (that means I) had not intended to call the Police, but one saw the incident and pulled in behind us. I have been watching TOO MANY YouTube videos lately, so when the officer got out, I immediately asked him if I was being detained, and that I knew my rights, particularly my first and fourth Amendment rights, so don't mess with me. He went along with it, the other guy and I exchanged information, and we went on to the sales. I am pretty sure we all bought something, in fact, I bought quite a few things, and it was a good day of estate sales, all things considered. Now I just need to get the stuff out of the Buzz and spread it around in the house! After the sales, I had one errand to run, and then Paulina and I drove to Temple to visit a friend's 'Treatery!' FroYo, macaroons, cupcakes, everything you need for a good a lunch! We brought stuff home, too. There is not a lot of chores on my list for tomorrow, but I am pretty sure I can do something to make it interesting.

Volume 18 - Day 156/209, 2026 - Friday

Today turned out to be a day for running errands and getting little things done. Paulina came over for coffee this morning, and then I went to the post office to mail a package, I stopped at a restaurant in Round Rock to make reservations, and then I was off to Austin to pick up one of my prescriptions. On the way home, I stopped at Inner Space Caverns, and inquired about doing fund raisers there, and maybe a dinner in the caverns. They wanted no part of that, even though the web site intimates that they do those kinds of things. Whatever, it is their loss. It has rained off and on a few times today, we had a nice, but rapid, downpour about four o'clock, and we have close to a quarter-inch since this morning. I went to dinner this afternoon with Jimmie and Linda, and that was fun, I have not seen them in about a week. I have had two deliveries of bird seed, one yesterday and one today. A total of 40 pounds of bird seed, that I do not remember ordering. Interesting. I think this photo was taken three or four years ago, not exactly sure, scuba diving in Playa or Tulum. It was great, not sure I will do more scuba diving. Maybe, maybe not.

Volume 18 - Day 155/210, 2026 - Thursday

I'm torn, although I really shouldn't be. I am enamored with clouds. The fluffy, really pretty ones. I don't care for overcast skies. The clouds that make the days grey and gloomy. Today was a grey and gloomy kind of day, and we even had a little bit (0.08") of rain, so no complaints about that. And the bad clouds gave way this afternoon to some pretty clouds, and I am happy about that. The girls went to the beautiful parlor this morning, and they absolutely hate that, and it exhausts them. They are back, and they have been asleep most of the afternoon. I have been taking them every three months, but this last time was too long, the girls looked a little bit like strays, so their next appointment is in two months. That will probably be too quickly, but we will figure it out. After I brought the girls home, I went to HEB and bought a few things, nothing to get excited about. I finished the book I was reading about Hitler, BLITZED - Drugs in the Third Reich. I really didn't care for the book too much, and I was aware of all the challenges he had with drugs, but I did not know of the extent that all (or most) of the victories were the result of speed and pain pills. SO, I will be on to my next book in a couple days, much more light reading, and book club is in a couple weeks. I will be going in to Austin tomorrow to pick up a prescription, and maybe I will find a couple other things to do while I am there... We shall see.

Volume 18 - Day 154/211, 2026 - Wednesday

I slept very nicely last night, and I was glad about that. My watch tells me that I slept OK, just ok, but I think I had a good nights sleep. Before bedtime, we had a surprise storm, mostly wind, some really good thunder and only 0.01" of rain. The wind blew a bunch of plants on the back patio over, and the terra cotta pot that the rubber tree was in broke into several pieces. Honestly, the wind was crazy, and it totally took me by surprise. The rubber tree is now inhabiting a brand new pot, so all is good. Paulina worked from home today, and she had never been to Dairy Queen before, and now she has! We both got a milk shake, and we were both happy with our choices. I have officially cancelled my trip to South Africa in September. I worried about it for several days, but with the health challenges in Africa (so far not where I would have been) and all the political crap going on everywhere, I just decided this was not the time to go. I still have time, I may be able to get somewhere before the end of the year, just not sure where. I expect I will make it to Playa a couple times at least, and I have a HUGE credit with American Airlines, since I had already booked my flights to Africa. Tomorrow I will take the girls to the beautiful, and I have signed up for another on-line class, so we will see if this one actually happens. 

Volume 18 - Day 153/212, 2026 - Tuesday

I did get a few things accomplished today. On the way to breakfast, I stopped at Home Depot and bought a new pot for some geraniums I bought the other day. I also got a hanging basket of purslane, and by taking the hanger off, it fits in to a wire chicken I have in the back. I got to breakfast a little bit early this morning, so I sat in the little white car and listened to the book I have downloaded. I have about an hour left, and as I was listening, I zoomed in on the photo that is accompanying this entry, an interesting view of the Williamson COunty Courthouse. The ROMEOs met for breakfast, and after that I stopped at Galaxy Bakery and got some scones, and then I stopped at Georgetown Donuts for a couple apple fritters. That should hold me for the rest of the week. I got the plants all planted and used the leaf blower to clean up both the front and back patios and the back deck. Everything is now ready just in case we get a little bit of rain overnight. I am still eating on the pizza I bought last week (or the week before?), and I will either eat it all before Thursday morning or it will find a new home in the trash can. There is a chance we will get a little bit of rain this evening, and there is a chance of rain every day in the upcoming forecast. 

Volume 18 - Day 152/213, 2026 - Monday

It seems I have turned Mondays into my weekends. I used to get household chores done over the weekends, but now I get them done on Mondays. I have better things to do on my weekends! Today, I moved the plumerias onto the driveway so they get more direct sun. The plumeria that I have had for (maybe) a decade (I think more, actually) did not bloom at all last year, and I bought three more small plumerias at HEB about a month ago. They are all out on the drive now, along with the jasmines that I have started from seeds. We will see how things go, I am 100% positive I will need to be more attentive to watering with them out in the full sun. It gets REALLY hot in central Texas. The girls got their monthly pills today, right on schedule! My week just keeps getting better and better, too. The virtual class I signed up for was cancelled, nothing I did, and a meeting on Wednesday has been cancelled as well. I have a LOT of nothing to do this week, and that totally works for me. 

Volume 18 - Day 151/214, 2026 - Sunday

I went to brunch this morning with Val, Paulina and Terry. Original Pancake House, can't beat it! I can't comprehend that Terry had never been there before, all the brunches we have had there, I thought for sure he had been there. Well, he has now! On the way home, we stopped at McIntyre's Nursery, a small nursery that has been there before any of the big boxes. I got a few more geraniums and a few vincas. I didn't really want vincas, but there is not a petunia to be had in central Texas. Then it was nap time. I went back to an estate sale I had been to yesterday, there were a couple things that I liked, and everything was 50% off, but I didn't buy anything. I was tempted to stop at HEB on the way home, but I didn't do that, either. I don't have a lot on my list for tomorrow, I am going to take a one-hour virtual class, and I will need to do watering outside. We are getting to summer, so that means more watering. I spend much of my time trying to figure out if I am going forward with my trip to Africa in September. It's the ebola thing. I have about ten days to make up my mind, I may change plans and go somewhere else, and maybe go to Africa next year. Or the year after. Whatever. Callie did not have a care in the world when I took this picture of her this evening. A sleeping dog is a happy dog. I am lucky to have two happy dogs. They are going to the beautiful parlor on Thursday, so they may not be too happy with that.

Volume 18 - Day 150/215, 2026 - Saturday

Judy and I went to SEVEN estate sales this morning, and I bought a few things at at least three of them, some of it at full price. Fabulous things, that are now accessorizing various rooms in the Curious House. I think I will be going back to one of the sales tomorrow, but that is yet to be seen. After the estate sales, it was time to go down for a nap, but that didn't work as I had planned. Later on, Mike texted me that the original La Cage aux Folles was coming on at 7 o'clock, our time. Perfect! I've seen it a couple times, but always worth seeing again. Val and Paulina come over to watch with me, and, I didn't know it, but it was subtitled. Okay with me, and we all enjoyed it. The girls have been out, and now I am getting ready for Some Like it Hot! This is one of the better tv nights, and I am enjoying it a lot. Before estate sales tomorrow, I am doing brunch, and I am ready for a pancake!

Volume 18 - Day 149/216, 2026 - Friday

It's that time of year again, the time when the sun rises and casts really nice shadows of old men taking a walk in the neighborhood. I spent most of the day staying out of the way of the electricians that were here (this was the third time) making some changes inside the Curious House. Not sure what my next project will be, but I expect there will be one, eventually. The girls stayed out of the way, too, and had a play day with Val and Paulina. Then, Val, Paulina and I went to dinner, and all three of us had fried catfish. A good dinner with good friends. The rest of the evening will be spent doing little of nothing, but there will be ice cream before the night ends. Tomorrow will be estate sales, there are seven, and I think it will be just me and Judy, everyone else has other plans or commitments. Hopefully, there will be lots of treasures that I am not aware that I even need, fingers crossed!

Volume 18 - Day 148/217, 2026 - Thursday

There was not a lot going on today, of course, the day started with a walk, and then I really can't think of anything I did. I am still eating pizza from the other night, and this afternoon, I took Oliver to the airport for his trip to visit his grandparents. On the way home, I stopped at HEB where they did indeed have cottage cheese and pulled chicken. I am adding a little of these two items to their morning and evening food, just to see if they like it. They had no problems with the cottage cheese tonight, and I have no doubt that they will turn their noses up at the chicken. I need to fill in some geraniums and petunias, and I looked at HEB but did not see what I wanted, so I think I will head to Home Depot after I finish this entry to see what I can find. I have electricians coming tomorrow, and I think they will be here for most of the day, so the supplemental geraniums and petunias will give me something to do.My Apple credit card arrived today, and as soon as they said it was delivered I headed off the to cluster box to make sure. I feel whole again, and I am not planning to use that card until the first of June...just because! I took this photo of Rocky this morning, and I am keeping my eyes open for Bullwinkle. Moose and Squirrel!

Volume 18 - Day 147/218, 2026 - Wednesday

If you like thunder, lightning and rain, you should have been in bed with me overnight! A fantastic light and sound show, and a good rain, too! I emptied 1.67" of rain out of the guage at the Curious House, and that puts us at 7.66" for the month of May. Pretty Damn Good! We have virtually no rain in the seven day forecast, but we are glad for what we have received, so far. It was 63 degrees outside when I got up this morning, and that was my cue to open the windows and get some fresh air in the house. I closed them at about 1 o'clock this afternoon, so that was great. Paulina was in charge of a blood drive at her office today, and they had 30 donations, and I think that is great! I went and got cracked this afternoon, and on the way home, I stopped at Aldi for cottage cheese and pulled chicken. They apparently do not sell cottage cheese, and the pulled chicken I could find was seasoned, and I did not want seasoned. The cottage cheese and the pulled chicken was for the girls, not me. I want to use that as a little bit extra to put on their morning and evening feedings. Tomorrow I expect I will go to HEB to see what I can find. I know they have cottage cheese! I don't have much else on my calendar for tomorrow, I will be taking Oliver to the airport at 3 o'clock, he will be going to visit his grandparents in Poland for a couple weeks. This deep red flower is in a (formerly) hanging basket that I have had for at least the last four years. I don't really remember ever seeing these deep red blooms, but I think they are really pretty.

Volume 18 - Day 146/219, 2026 - Tuesday

Just more evidence that I am fiscally out of touch with reality. I hav been craving pizza, and there was an ad for a (undisclosed) pizza place in a local coupon book. I went on line to see what I wanted to order, but decided I would run some errands and go to the pizza place in person to order the pizza. I was not in a hurry, so why not. I made a stop at the bank, got gas in the little white car, and then headed to the pizza place. I ordered two (yes, two) medium, thick crust pizzas and a 16 piece cheese bread thing. $60.53. OMG! As they were picking me up off the floor, they applied some coupons to the order, and it ended up being close to $40. Still...that seems high for what I ordered. I guess if I average it out, it would come out to about $8 a day (I think I can eat on this for five days), so maybe it was not as bad as I thought. Whatever. The tree trimmers came out this morning, even though they were an hour and fifteen minutes late. They did a good job, but (maybe) they lifted the canopy a little higher than I would have like, but again, they did a good job. Apple says they have mailed me ANOTHER card, so I don't expect I will be able to leave the house again until it arrives. 

Volume 18 - Day 145/220, 2026 - Monday MEMORIAL DAY

Overall, it has been a quiet Holiday here around the Curious House. We got no rain overnight (I am very disappointed), but we have had a little bit this afternoon, and it is still sprinkling a bit outside. All things considered, I am glad it is sprinkling OUTSIDE and not INSIDE. So far, 0.12", and no one will complain about that. The prognosticators are saying we could get another inch or two in the next couple days, so I have my fingers crossed. Paulina and I went in to Austin this morning to donate platelets, and we stopped at Upper Crust Bakery on the way. I brought home a couple cinnamon rolls and a piece of carrot cake. I am pretty sure Paulina did the same. It was a single platelet day for me and a double platelet day for Paulina. I don't want the rain to stop, but I hope it will not be a a deluge tomorrow morning, because the tree trimming people are supposed to be here at 9 to trim some dead limbs off the live oak in the back yard. It is kind of a conflict. The Apple Credit Card mystery has been solved. Apple said the card was delivered on last Thursday, I did not receive it. My mail comes to a cluster box, so I figured someone else had it in their box. I put a note on the mail box, so I cancelled THAT card on Saturday afternoon. This afternoon, one of the neighbors told me they put a package on my porch, and there was the card. SO, that card has been cancelled, now I am waiting on the NEXT Apple card to be delivered. Maybe one day this week. We shall see.

Volume 18 - Day 144/221, 2026 - Sunday

Today was a most excellent day. I started planting the ten cannas I bought last week, and eventually Paulina and val came over and took pity on me, and finished planting. I did not think I was doing that badly, actually, but if anyone volunteers to dig holes for me, I am all over that like a hobo on a ham sandwich. At about noon, Paulina, Val and I went to Walburg and had lunch at the German restaurant, and, as usual, that was great. After lunch, we headed off to the farm, and met up with my farm neighbors, Jim and Patsy. It was excellent to see them, and I should actually make an effort to go out and visit with them more often. I still have stuff in one of the storage buildings at the farm, and I have not looked inside that building in about five years. I am pretty sure that building has been 'looted' by someone, because some things I thought should have been there are not. My fault, I have not paid any attention in years, so there is nothing I can complain about. We took the long way home from the farm, stopped at Berry Springs Park and talked to the donkeys, and finally made it home. Again, it was a great day, and I have a piece of Black Forest Cake in the refrigerator. I should go to HEB this evening, but I may just wait until tomorrow, although tomorrow will be a platelet day. This photo is me, Jim, Patsy, Paulina and Val. A Great Day!

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.