2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Eight; Wednesday...

Well, as long as we are on the subject of things we do not see very often, here is one for you. Rain on the windshield of the car on my way to work! We are getting a little bit used to rain again, at least we recognize it for what it is. It is just kind of like the earth has shifted on its' axis and we are now in Seattle. We were in the Mojave in the summer, Seattle for the winter. We are terribly confused, but we are not complaining.

Today was the last Board meeting of the year for the Austin Board of REALTORS. After the meeting, we attended the Past Presidents Luncheon, and it was very nice to see so many of our past executives. There were lots of stories (and some tales, too) in that room, and it was a really nice luncheon.

Tomorrow is our office Holiday Luncheon, when we honor and thank those that have contributed to our successes over the years. It is hard to believe that our little business in going on its' 13th year, and still going. It is due in large part to the people we surround ourselves with, and we want to make sure they are aware of it, and to say Thank You! Stay tuned for photos!

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

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Seven; Tuesday...

Well this is something you do not see everyday. This is our cat, Missy. Jody found her abandoned and eating out of a trash can back in 1995 or 1996. She had been a mama, but we never could find her litter. When we took her to the vet for a checkup, there were BB's in her from being used as target practice, and various other issues. We have had her all these many years, and she is definitely Jody's cat. When we first got her, we had one dog and two other cats. That dog is just a fond memory as are the other two cats. We have a different rescued dog now, but just this one cat. She does not really play well with others. She has become more adventurous though. Even considering she is blind in one eye and deaf in both ears (we assume) she prowls around the house every now and then. Most of the visitors to the house are not even aware that we have a cat, she pretty much hides all the time. SO, it was a real occasion to be able to get a picture of her for this journal.

I attended a breakfast meeting this morning with State Senator Kirk Watson, and there are some interesting things going on politically speaking. The next several years are going to be interesting to say the least. Stay tuned...

Tomorrow is a Board of Directors meeting, and that will be the final meeting of the year. Everything will be a new beginning in just a few weeks. Wish us all luck.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, KITTY'S, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Six; Monday...

These were the clouds this morning as I was on my way into the office. I kind of remember these as 'buttermilk' clouds from when I was growing up. Pretty...

I don't really think it is always true what they say about Mondays. Sometimes it is, but it could also be true about Wednesdays or Thursdays as well. AND, crap, it is not always true what they say about Fridays and Saturdays, either. So, basically, what we are left with is a crap shoot on how the days are going to roll out. AND, today happened to be a pretty darned good one.

Got a couple management properties into the portfolio, and it looks like there will be four more this week. Not a bad week if I do say so myself.

Tonight was the TREPAC Appreciation Party at The Highball in South Austin. It was really a lot of fun, and probably about 50 to 75 TREPAC Investors attended. Really nice.

Are there beavers in this area? I swear I saw a beaver crossing the road tonight on my way home. I got out of the car with my camera and chased it for a while and took two pictures, but they did not turn out at all. ANYWAY, whatever it was, it was squat, dark and waddled, and it looked like a beaver. Of course, with that description, it could also have been me on a bad night. Whatever!

Tomorrow I will have breakfast with State Senator Kirk Watson at the Board of REALTORS. That will be a nice event, I have met him two or three times.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BEAVERS?, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Five; Sunday...

A nice ending to a really nice weekend. Got some work done while at home, so I am ahead of the curve to start my week. I have no reason to believe that I will stay caught up at all for this week; but the week after this one should be calm and quiet.

I got lots of things done around the house this weekend. Got the bees fed (they have not been that hungry during the cooler weather), and got the garage swept out. Got firewood loaded in the wagon for the coming week, and cleaned off the desk in the office.

Did I mention that we headed into Georgetown? Jody needed a battery for his truck, so we headed in by way of Berry Creek Park. Jody carries mule treats in the truck so he can stop by every now and then to feed the boys that are residents of the park. I think they recognize his truck, too.

We got to 'the largest retailer in the world' to buy the battery, and it was truly a case of the dumbing down of the world. As long as all you want is to find something to buy and carry it to the register, the help can be helpful. But if it requires thinking and logic, we are all doomed. How can this be? Whatever...

AND, as long as we were in the neighborhood, we stopped at Dairy Queen for spoilers. Perfect!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, MULE FACE, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Four; Saturday...

Good day today, although it has been cloudy and overcast, with a wind from the north which makes it feel a LOT colder than it really is. It has been in the middle 50's, but it feels MUCH colder.

After breakfast and chores (not necessarily in that order) Jody and I went into Taylor to get cattle feed and I put gas in the truck. $86 worth of gas. That is really a lot of gas, especially when the price of gas is going down. A far cry from when I fill up the car every two or three weeks. Anyway...

We got feed and headed back home. Once we got there, I took feed out to the cattle and moved them to the west pasture. I also put out fresh salt and mineral blocks for them, and a fresh molasses tub. The newest little boy is a week old today, and he seems to be doing just fine. A true Sagittarian! He was out there running around and having a big time with his mama and the other cattle. Life is good.

After naps, Jody and I headed into Georgetown and a visit to the Dairy Queen. Just as we were pulling in, I had a call from an 800-number. The computer from one of my credit cards was calling, and wanted to ask me about 'suspicious activity' on my card. I pushed the proper buttons, and was connected to someone somewhere (I expect not on the contiguous 48 States) and was asked about recent purchases I had made. We went through a little bit of identity verification (not giving away too much on my part) and was told someone was using my credit card number at a Rite-Aid in South Carolina. Hard to do when I just used the card to buy gas this morning in Taylor, Texas. I guess that is what tipped them off, plus the fact that whoever it was did not actually have my card, just using the number. One purchase for a hundred dollars or so had been rejected, but another for a couple hundred dollars had been approved. Interesting how computers can spot questionable transactions. SO, that is now a dead credit card, and they will send another one in a couple days. Life goes on...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BAD GUYS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Three; Friday...

Yippee-Skippee! It's Friday, and you know how I love Friday! Today was a good, productive and quietish kind of day in the office. I was able to get quite a bit of work done, and even went to lunch with Chris on a quest for wieners. There used to be a trailer on South Lamar that specialized in wieners, but we got there and the trailer was gone. That's the trouble with trailers, they can just pull up the stakes and leave. That kind of sounds like a country song, 'The Trouble With Trailers'.

This is a picture of one of the Bassets, we used to see each other quite frequently on my drives to and from the office, but with the really extreme heat of last summer, they got out of the habit of running after cars. I was worried for a while that I would only see one of them, but they both seem to be back and are out more often now, chasing cars. I always stop and talk to them, and get a good sniffing from the male one. The female one is not as friendly, and is more cautious. But the boy Basset is a pretty good guy. I am not sure if they recognize the car or not, but they seem like they are happy to have someone to talk to.

Jody and I are going into town this evening for a party at Carrie's house. I am going to surprise her and take her a dozen blue eggs. We shall see how she likes them. It will also be fun to see folks that we have not seen since last year, too.

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

2011 - Day Three Hundred Forty Two; Thursday...

Well, well, well. The temperatures are not expected to get below freezing tonight, so I am not going out to turn off the water in the pastures. I think everything will be okay.

We have at least two of the new girls laying now, twice this week we have had two brown eggs and two blue eggs. A good sign. It won't be long before we have ten eggs a day, four brown and six blue. Need eggs? The blue ones are really MUCH SMALLER than the brown eggs, and I was not expecting that at all. AND, they are not the color blue I had imagined, but they are different, that is for sure. They are more of a teal color, and I guess I was expecting more of a robins-egg blue. Well, the color may change as they get older, and they may lay bigger eggs when they mature a little more as well. We shall see...

Tomorrow is Friday, and I do not have anything on the schedule. Well, okay, there are two things on the schedule; a birthday lunch for Amy (I hope I get details) and a party to attend tomorrow night. Both of those will be lots of fun, and we are especially looking forward to seeing people tomorrow night that we have not seen for a good while.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, BLUE EGGS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!