2010 - Day Three Hundred Forty One...

What a great day this was. It has taken me a while, but I am pretty darned motivated and working towards balance. Legs crossed, fingers in the correct position, now...'OMMMMMMMMMMM'. Groovy. I should also probably try doing some yoga. I don't think you really need to be taught yoga, and think if you can just find a quiet place, close your eyes and erase everything from your mind, that ought to do it. Kind of like business meetings except without the fluorescent lights. What do you think?

I am delighted with the good work I am getting done (or supervising others to do for me). I have always said creativity comes in having the idea, not in the execution of the work of art. If I can think it, I can always try to get someone else to turn it into reality. Works for me!

I had the honor of going to CostCo this afternoon, to do shopping for a break we are sponsoring tomorrow morning. I picked one heck of a time to start a diet, but I am doing pretty well all things considered. After all, it was my birthday last week, and there was cake. And the week before that it was Thanksgiving, and there is still pie in the refrigerator out in the garage. And I have not been 100% strict, but I have done pretty well. Just vetoing the trips to the drive-through will give me a certain amount of benefit. ANYWAY, my car is full of chocolate bits and all manner of things with carbohydrates. Honestly though, once I make up my mind to do something, I am pretty dedicated.

On the way home, the Basset was sitting out in the road again waiting for me. I worry that he will get hit by someone that does not know his/their routines. ANYWAY, this seemed like another good photo-op, so I took several photos of him, none of which I was able to get when he was looking at me. SO, I opened my car door to get a better shot, and then I thought the owners might think I was trying to kidnap the dog, so I went on. I have talked with the owners several times, so they pretty much know my routine with the Basset Boy Dog!

I got home, fed the chickens, boiled some eggs for lunches, stoked the fire in the stove, brought more firewood into the garage an then went out to put the girls to bed for the night. Jody got six eggs today, so they are still doing well, and they are certainly happy for all we can tell. They do not seem to mind the cold weather at all, and they certainly never complained about the heat. Resilience! Just a note in passing, the morning glories are down but they are not out! They are still putting on a nice show, even if they are a little bit pale!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, GLORIOUS DAYS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Three Hundred Forty...

Yesterday had a glorious sunrise, this evening there was a glorious sunset. That is only one of the great things about living here in the country, nothing much gets in your way. There are a couple two-story buildings here and there, but nothing too close. Bartlett itself might have a main street, but you can go around to the back of the buildings and see for several miles. Nature is a good thing.

I had a good and productive day in the office, I am working very hard to get things ready for the fresh New Year. I have big hopes for 2011, and I am going to do my best to make sure good things happen. Why does it take us all until the 'new year' to get motivated? Maybe because we have become discouraged and suffered through a few set-backs. Well, I think I need to try and remember that more in the future. We are what we make of ourselves, and we have no one to blame but ourselves if things do not work out right the first time.

One of my accomplishments was getting my flu shot this morning. It was nice to visit with the Doc, Rene and Lisa. I was just a 'walk-in' flu shot person, they had no idea I was coming in, that is one of the things I like about my doctor and his staff. If you need a recommendation for a GREAT GP, let me know!

I left the office about 3:15ish, and traffic was somewhat backed up on IH-35 heading north. One thing I have learned in the couple years I have been going back and forth on IH-35 is, you do not try to finesse the traffic situation. Tom from my office called me and warned me about the traffic even before I got on the Interstate, but I got on anyway, and I made it home in about an hour and fifteen minutes. If I had tried to go around it, I would have been trapped in traffic light purgatory. So, I have just learned to 'deal' with it.

When I got home, Jody said he retrieved five eggs from the girls today, and they were happy to see me when I went out to feed them. Then there was the sunset, and when O went outside to photograph the sunset, I heard the pool filter gurgling, so I am not running water into the pool. Always something.

The rest of this week looks like a winner, and I am happy with the progress that is being made!

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

2010 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Nine...

After a brief mention of this glorious sunrise this morning, this entry will be devoted mostly to things cow. Yes, you heard (or herd) me correctly, this entry will be ALMOST entirely devoted to things that go Moo. But first, the sunrise... I got up this morning pretty darned early for a weekend day, and it had cooled off pretty intensely overnight. It was in the forties, but there was a pretty brisk wind out of the north and my new birthday present barn coat was a handy thing to have. The lights were still glowing on the fence towards the road, and that was really cheery, so that was fun. I waited to let the girls out, and just read meters. Eventually, dawn broke and this sunrise was blooming. Wonderful!

Okay, then I went out and tried to straighten up from the chaos I had caused yesterday when I was 'cleaning' out the front shed. Basically, I was moving trash from one place to another, and basically I moved it again this morning, from the front of the shed to the trash cans and out to the road to be picked up tomorrow morning. I let the chickens into their pen, and kept up.

My friends Jim and Pam were scheduled to arrive around 10 o'clock to help me gather up cattle into the barn, and then Jody and Tonya were expected to arrive from Cedar Creek sometime after 10. I had everything planned out. Well, you know what that means, nothing goes as planned. Jody and Tonya got here about 9:30, and I had accomplished nothing as far as the cattle were concerned. HOWEVER, I did make some head-way today about cattle psychology. I have a better understanding of cattle now, and hope to use that to my advantage in the future.

Whatever...it took us about an hour to get four calves loaded up onto the trailer. I had previously (about 15 minutes before) decided that I would keep the black and white bull calf since Jody had brought along his tools to 'band' him. He is now in the process of becoming a steer, so when John and Susan find a place for 'The Chairman', Mr. Speckles will still have a steer to play with. This is a picture of the Chairman, a very nice looking steer, and he will be a good steer, wonderfully gentle, pleasant to look at and basically a really happy cow.

SO, now we are left with ten cattle; Mr. Speckles the bull, his harem or seven cows and the two bull steers, 'Chairman Moo' and 'Sleepy'. Sleepy got his name because I moved all the cattle to another pasture one day, and he got left behind, he was asleep in the tall grass and did not even know he was missing. This is a photo of the NEW STEER, 'Sleepy' who is most likely thinking he did not care at all for that brief adventure in the cattle trailer earlier in the morning. And he has this nagging feeling that all things south are no longer correct. He just really cannot put his finger on it right now. ANYWAY...

This will be a nice week work-wise, and I am looking forward to it. Nothing traumatic in store (and I wish I had not said that). Have a great week!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, STEER CALVES, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Eight...

A wonderful week-end day. Stayed in bed until after 7 o'clock, which in and of itself is kind of a record. Jody and I got the day started by reading the paper and having coffee. No breakfast, we were really full from dinner last night. I may not have even mentioned that we went to dinner last night at Montana Mike's in Georgetown (in celebration of my birthday) and we both had prime rib, which is TOTALLY on our diets. When we got home, however, the cake we had (compliments of my office) was not on the diet, but we had it anyway, and we are having more tonight. So there! Just in case you care, this is a picture of the water meter I check everyday.

Anyway, the first thing on the list was to try and reach the folks in the corporate maze of BestBuy. We are getting a new washer and dryer, and it is caught up in the delivery/installation/conversion to propane purgatory of the BestBuy oligarchy. We may have gotten everyone to see it our way, maybe not. BUT, they all tell us that they will concede to our desires, and deliver the product on Thursday. THEN, they will send someone out to install the conversion kit and hook the dryer up to the propane source. It is very complicated, so try not to ask too many questions.

After that, we headed out to the big storage shed to begin the miraculous conversion from chaos to organization. After a trip into Georgetown (stopping at Dairy Queen for spoilers of course, also not on the diets) for organizing supplies, we actually made very commendable progress, and we are both proud of the accomplishments. Another three or four days, and the main floor of the shed will actually be (okay, this is actually a MAY BE) organized. At any rate, it is 250% better that it was when we started this morning. Now all we have to do is to figure out what we should do with all the garbage we want to throw away, but cannot fit into the garbage cans. We shall prevail in this quest, I have confidence.

I also moved the cattle to the other pasture this afternoon, and they are happy to be there. We are being shed four calves tomorrow, three are going to be sold, one (that has already been sold) is going to live in Cedar Creek. That will leave us with only the steer calf that is also spoken for. No real hurry for the steer calf to go anywhere, he (it) won't be hurting anyone, and it will give Mr. Speckles someone to play with. Jody (the other Jody, the one from Cedar Creek) and Tonya and their son Patrick will be coming out in the morning to get the calves, and my friend Jim (who owns the other calf) will all be here in the morning around 10 o'clock. I still have a pretty good bit of stuff to do between now and then, but I am pretty much done for the night.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, WATER METERS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2010 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Seven...

WELL...it has certainly been a day for me to remember for a long, long time. It started out innocently enough, with me heading off to town to attend the Austin Board of REALTORS Installation Brunch. It is really difficult to believe that it has already been a year since the first Installation I attended as a new Director at the Board.

At 8:30 this morning, I was at the Austin Country Club drinking a delicious Mimosa, and saying hello to many of my colleagues, on both a local and state level. It was a wonderful function, and when friends would come up to me and wish me a Happy Birthday, I would make a joke about the Board sponsoring this party for my birthday.

The brunch was going nicely, and we got to the awards portion of the event. The last award presented was Chairman John Horton's Special Presentation. I have had the privilege and honor to serve on the Board this year with John as the Chair, and as he was describing the award and the recipient of the award, I started getting an odd feeling, and the associates and friends at our table started kicking each other under the table. Okay, so cut to the chase...I was awarded the Austin Board of REALTORS Chairman's Award for Outstanding Service in 2010.

Dumbstruck. Speechless. Undeserving. These are just a few of the adjectives that immediately come to my mind when I think of the events of the day. Some others include: Overwhelmed. Proud. Tired. Grateful. Blessed.

What a nice birthday. I am truly humbled, but tomorrow will be another day, and no sense in looking at the past, there is only tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that...

I hope you enjoy the photo above of my friends and colleagues at our table.

I had a terrific birthday. Thanks.

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

2010 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Six...

Alright (see) when I was standing in line in the freezing cold of that long ago Georgetown morning, I also bought the CHEAPEST laptop computer I could find. AND, I am now trying it out as a replacement for my older desk top, that has developed a myriad of frustrating issues in the past several months. SO, this is the trial run of the new laptop. We will see how it goes. There are already a few things that are more convenient with this computer, not the least of which is the size and the amount of extra space I have at my desk. There are also (already) a few things that I will not yet complain about, but will try my best to get used to.

I had an inspiring day at the office, a day filled with resolutions to nagging issues I have been coping with. I am really excited about some decisions I made, and am looking forward to getting some things implemented before the New Year. I think 2011 will be a good year, and I am looking forward to it with renewed vigor. Whatever...

Well, there was a temporary delay just then, I had to download a program that re-sizes photos that I post on this journal. BUT, I am really happy that I could figure this part of the process out. I continually short change myself when it comes to being able to figure out computer stuff, but in reality, I think I can pretty much get from one point to another successfully. Truth be known, it is really much simpler for me NOT to have to read the books, and even simpler for me to get someone else to do the set-ups and things for me. I admit that...

SO, with all the new attitudes, I am a pretty darn happy camper. Several accomplishments made, chickens fed, chickens put to bed. It is a warmer overnight expected, so that is also something to put in the plus column.

Tomorrow will be a pretty fun day; 8:30 Board Installation at the Austin Country Club (I do not know if I have ever been there, if I have it has not been frequently), and then the afternoon to play catch up for the weekend.

Who can complain? Not me! Life is excellent! Enjoy...

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

2010 - Day Three Hundred Thirty Five...

I am having a little bit of trouble keeping up with the days. I know today is Wednesday, but I have to keep reminding myself of that fact. And a week ago tomorrow was Thanksgiving, right? Seems like it was a month ago. Time is flying, and sometimes it seems to stand still. Whatever... ANYWAY, this photo is kind of what I wanted to do for the milestone day yesterday, but I was too lazy to get up off my big-fat-chair and go to the HEB to find the candles for the 'in-store' photo shoot. It seems to all be about convenience these days, doesn't it?

This is a photo of our Christmas cactus that is just now beginning to bloom. I don't remember if I got this cactus last year or the year before, but it is a beauty, and I bought it at CostCo, I remember that much. It is covered up with buds, and it is really going to be spectacular when it gets into full bloom.

Okay, just for the record, I need to confess to (sometimes) being a bad chicken daddy. I did not open the girls door from the coop this morning, because it was extra cold. I waited until I was leaving for work, thinking it would be a little bit warmer. When I got out there, I discovered I had not closed the door last night and totally forgot to put the girls to bed. So, they went all night exposed to who-knows-what, but they made it with no obvious problems. Good chickens, strong chickens.

I had a few meetings at the Board today, and this if how I felt. Pretty darn awesome. Why fight it? No real need, that is for sure.

Tomorrow is my Meals-On-Wheels day, and I am looking forward to that. I really like delivering to clients, some of whom have been on my route for many years. I have really good relationships with many of them, and that is very rewarding.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, COLD CHICKENS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!