2010 - Day Two Hundred Twenty...

Perfect day today, I did little of nothing, so I think that means I did diddly-squat, Which is actually a pretty darn accurate accounting of what I did today. PRETTY MUCH NOTHING!

We did go into Georgetown to the Dairy Queen, then to Beall's where I bought a pair of pants and Jody got a paid of shorts, and then to the Collector's Market to see what was going on there. Then home, naps, TV and then we went back to Georgetown for dinner. El Patron. I had shrimp enchiladas and Jody had the spinach enchiladas.

IT IS HOT HERE! Just wanted to mention that.

The chickens are doing well, they were happy out of their pen when we went to dinner, and they decided it was too early for them to go back in the pen, even if I was bribing them with bread, greens and figs. The really do like the figs! Anyway, they were not at all ready to go to their pens, so we went on to dinner, and I penned them up when we got back.

Should be a pretty calm week, but now having said that, it will be all downhill from here.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, IT'S HOT, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Two Hundred Nineteen...

Part of the day (and part of last night) in photos...sort of...except for the narrative parts...and the parts with no pictures...whatever...

This is a picture of the little swallow that fell (or was pushed) out of the nest last night. We put it in this flower pot by the front door, and it immediately got itself up, hopped up on the rim of the pot, and crashed to earth once again. Jody picked it back up and put it back in the pot. When I went out to put the chickens to bed, it was still in the pot, but when we got up this morning, there was no sign of the fledgling, but the good news is, there was no sign of a body, either. Hopefully it made it and all is well. Okay, at least we can think that, again, since there was no body.

There was another beautiful sunrise this morning when I was out getting the paper and reading the meters. Very nice. There was also a nice sunset the last couple nights, but by the time I spied them, I was already pretty much retired for the evening. LAZY! Whatever...

One of my goals for the day was to get one side of the berm (strip of ground along a dike; a narrow shelf or path or ledge, typically at the top or bottom of a slope; a mound or wall of earth) shredded this morning, before I did much of anything else. Try to get that done before it gets too hot, and I pretty much succeeded. My plan to attack the berm on an angle did not work, and I was not in the mood to have the tractor turn over on top of me, so I just attacked the sides straight on, and just cut the berm at a 90 degree angle. Still was kind of scary (I am not really a brave person), but it worked, and now one side of the berm is cut. The other side of the berm is much steeper, and goes off into what is now a dry tank (stock tank), so I am still pondering on how to get that side of it cut.

When I went out initially, the Mule would not start, but I found that the battery cables were just loose, and after I tightened them, it started right away. I would not have been happy if I had to buy ANOTHER battery. BUT, that Mule is really a lifesaver (okay a foot saver) around here. Of course, the tractor was parked right near where all the cattle had gathered early this morning, so I took the opportunity for this group (partial group) shot. If you look closely kind of in the middle of the frame, the little black and white spot laying down is the newest calf (living up to her name 'Sleepy'), and you can see the white spot on her head. She is as cute as she can be.

Jody and I were heading off to Red Rock this morning, so I could check on the house down there, and put some salt in the water softener. Before we left, I went out to look at the Morning Glories, and just see what I could see. There is a HUGE spider web (goes along with the HUGE SPIDERS around here), that I have finally learned to avoid. The web only goes about half-way down from the top of the arbor, so it is possible to go UNDER the web, kind of like if you were doing the limbo. Whatever... ANYWAY, these spiders around here are REALLY BIG, so I just thought I would show you this one. Scary!

We made it down to Red Rock and back with no real troubles, and everything is going nicely down there. The property is back on the sales market, so I hope there will be some activity on it, it would be really nice to get the property sold. I have really mixed emotions about it, I really love that place, but it is 75 miles away from here (35 miles away from the office) and there is just no need for us to keep it. I do not really want to lease it out again, I would just like to get it sold and move on.

We did, however, make a stop at the Dairy Queen in Taylor for spoilers. The new flavor of the month for Blizzards is (who can remember) but it contained Oreos, brownies and lots of other chocolate things. I am sticking with my root beer freezes, thank you very much.

The sage is blooming up by the road again, and that is supposed to be a sign of rain. The sage is supposed to bloom before a rain, and so far I think that has been pretty accurate, so hopefully we will get some rain in the next few days. We can really use it. We need a couple inches of rain every month so things will not just fry. I would really like to get another cutting of hay before the end of the year, and if we could get some rain, that would be helpful.

Tomorrow, I have a couple goals; get my hair cut and try to find a couple pairs of pants. Nothing earth shattering!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, GIANT SPIDERS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Two Hundred Eighteen...

Okay, it is almost my bedtime. A nice day at work today, but it was a short day because I was teaching a class at the Board of REALTORS. Ethics, a class I really really enjoy, and there were about 30 people in the class, and it is not the end-of-the-month, so they were not ALL there because they were needing to get their licenses renewed. I have been seeing this bicycled parked in the garage at the Board, and whoever belongs to it is really riding in style. I am all about streamers myself!

Jody and I went to the Catfish Parlour tonight for dinner, and that was yummy good. We are on a second wave of fledglings for the swallows all around the house, and the young-uns are falling (or being pushed) out of the next in record numbers. We keep picking them up and putting them where their mamas can find them...so far we are 0 for 3. I hope our averages pick up.

Tomorrow will be a busy day, we are heading down to Red Rock in the morning, I need to put some salt in the water softener. Then we are going to stop and try to find Jody a nice straw hat. Again, IT IS HOT!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, CATFISH, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Two Hundred Seventeen...

A beautiful sunrise this morning, although I am generally not in a position to take a picture to share when the best parts are visible, so I hope you will use your imagination to 'see' how beautiful it was. Of course it was also very warm this morning, so there is the possibility that this was more 'flames on the horizon' and not really a sunrise. Not sure which one it really was, but it shore was purty!

Okay, yes it is still hot here, and today was my day to deliver Meals-On-Wheels, something that I really enjoy doing. HOWEVER, when it is in the upper 90's at 11 o'clock in the morning, a good deal of walking, in-and-outs, stair climbing and general exercise of any sort (while wearing lined dress pants) is just not something that contributes to the general well-being of a person. Sitting in an air-conditioned room with fans and daiquiris all around is something that comes to mind, but it is what it is. Whatever... Anyway, I am still with my four-clients and we all seem to be in a holding pattern for the foreseeable future.

I went and put signs and lock-boxes on a couple properties this afternoon, and that trip encompassed about 50 miles; one was in Manor and the other was in far north Round Rock, and it was interesting to take the drive and get that completed. Life is good indeed!

When I got home, I watched part of the news with Jody, and then it was out to gather up chickens and put them back in their pen (with a little bit of bribery). I am not above bribery (for whatever) and I find that it works quite well in any number of instances. BUT, chickens are easy! This tree is between the bees and the big storage shed (that houses the chicken coop) and I am not sure how much longer it will last. I am trying to decide which way it will fall if-and-when it does, and I am also assuming it will be an event that will be sooner-than-later.

We are having meat loaf and sweet potatoes for dinner tonight, YUMMY! After dinner I will be obliged to watch 'Big Brother' my one televised reality show that I am (I am ashamed to say) addicted to. The seasons of Big Brother have really degraded to a car wreck kind of thing; can't stand to watch it but you can't stand not to, either. I should have a little more self-respect for myself, but obviously I don't.

I will head into the office tomorrow morning, and then be off to teach a class at the Board of REALTORS tomorrow afternoon. A Perfect Day!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, FALLING TREES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Two Hundred Sixteen...

Made it into the office at about the usual time, but really I was a little bit later than usual, and I paid for it with the traffic challenges that I faced. No real idea WHAT the traffic challenges were, they just were. Never saw anything that could account for a challenge, just traffic stopped, and there we all were. Whatever...

Got some things done in the office and then I was off to the Board of REALTORS where they were having photo sessions for the membership. A great benefit, if we can get good photos that can be used in our promotions. At least worth a cool hundred bucks. My appointment was at 11:15, and Carrie and Pat from our office were scheduled around the same times, so we had a big time trying our best not to take things too seriously.

I left there and went to meet Jody to trade in his cell phone. He had an earlier appointment, so it was convenient for us to meet at the AT&T store where our former real estate office assistant (Mark) works. He was very helpful and got us through the maze of paperwork and programs, so it was all good. We also took time for lunch at Chipotle, which is one of Jody's favorites. Unfortunately, Jody's appointment was at the dentist, so he was not able to eat, but he got something in a carry-out which he had later in the day. Everything worked out perfectly!

Back at the office, I got some more stuff done, and left there at about 4:15. Traffic was not too terrible on the way home, but if I happen to be engrossed in a book on CD, I tend to not really pay that much attentions to traffic. That was pretty much the case this afternoon, I am reading a little bit of fluff fiction, and it is very entertaining, and nothing that I have to really concentrate greatly on. NICE!

All is well at the casa, I had big plans to go and shred some more tall grass (it is an area that has a really steep grade, but I figured out how I can do it), but guess what? IT IS TOO HOT! IT IS TOO HOT! I think I will just wait until the weekend, where I can do it earlier in the morning before it gets too hot. I cannot cut the yard grass in the morning because of the dew, but shredding tall grass with the tractor is fair game.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, TALL GRASS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Two Hundred Fifteen...

It is even too hot for the chickens. When I got home from work this afternoon, I took a brief nap while the news was on, and then I changed my clothes and went outside to feed the chickens. Jody had let them out of their pen and they were out wandering around somewhere. Tonight I found them under some of the antique rose bushes that were around Aunt Mary's house years-and-years ago. Five of them came out from under the bushes eagerly, but one of them wanted no part of it. It was all I could do to coax that chicken out from under the rose bush. AND THEN, when I got them all in the pen, they all went in the coop and could have cared less about the bread crumbs and cole slaw mix I had for them. I think it is just too hot. They were in the coop at the water trough, so maybe they know better about what they are doing. I hope so...

It was over 100 degrees here today again, officially 100 and something in Georgetown, but Austin did not officially break the 100 degree mark. I don't care much what anyone says, there is not that much difference between 99 degrees and 102 degrees. It is still HOT.

Free photos being taken at the Board tomorrow, so I will be busy doing some extra fine grooming in the morning. Free face shots is a big deal for real estate brokers!

Jody's cell phone has given up the ghost, so I think we are going to go and trade him up to another phone tomorrow. He already has an appointment in Austin, so that will work out nicely.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, NEW PHONES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Two Hundred Fourteen...

There is a song in my head that I just cannot get out of there (lots of room for roaming). It is a boring little tune, and there is really only one verse and it goes something like this...IT'S HOT! Say that three or four hundred times within just a few hours, and you will get my drift. It has finally reached the 100 degree mark in central Texas, and it does not look like it will be going away any time soon. The forecast for the next seven days is 100-101 for the highs and 77-78 for the lows. Typical. It is not as bad as last year though. That is a catchy little tune in and of itself.

I was in the office almost all of the day today, and only ventured out to go to one appointment. IT IS HOT! Okay, try to get used to that. AND, I did not have anything for lunch other than the snacky stuff that various folks brought into the office from different functions over the weekend. SO, now that I am home Jody is fixing me a meat-loaf sammich for dinner. YUM!

Jody let the chickens loose this afternoon about 3 o'clock, and during the national news I went out to feed them. There was only one chicken in evidence, and I finally found the rest of them up by the road under some low bushes, I am assuming it was cooler for them under that. They are now penned up again, and I will put them to bed about 8:30.

Tomorrow is another quiet day more or less. I thought I had an appointment in the afternoon, but it has been rescheduled for next week. It will be mostly an office week this week, and that is good, it will give me time to get things caught up. I will be teaching a class at the Board on Friday, and that will be fun!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, MEAT LOAF SAMMICHES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!