2015 - Day 311/54 - Saturday...

Overnight we had 0.23" of rain, and since I emptied the gauge this morning, we have had another 0.96" of rain, so we are doing pretty well for the month so far. Supposed to be dry tomorrow, but rain again on Wednesday. We need to be more careful about what we ask for. The newspaper feedback section the other day said El Nino was here but now he has transformed into El Adulto!

I apologize to you in advance for this boring journal post. I have spent a really good part of my Saturday ignoring my overwhelming urges to take a nap, and instead, I spent most of the day working on some distance education courses online. It should be noted that most learners take these courses because of the convenience of taking the required number of hours when it is convenient for them. And if it is convenient for them, then it is most likely convenient for a BUNCH of people from here to Timbuktu! And the distance learning provider should have the bandwidth to accommodate all those learners. I was unable to go forward with the instruction for about five hours today. The most annoying part of it was that I was knocked off three times following an audio portion of the class. I had to listen to that incessant babbling of the instructor (probably a very nice guy) three different times, repeating the same stuff over and over and over. It was not that great the first time, but the third time was no charm in this case.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, DISTANCE CRAP, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2015 - Day 310/55 - Friday...

I have no particular knowledge about what you folks may be storing in the butter keeper of your refrigerator door, but when I stay in town, that is where the emergency Milky Way bars are maintained. Life would not be worth living without Milky Way bars, so I am never far from an adequate supply. And, as you probably know, I take things in spells; jelly beans, Milky Way bars, root-beer floats, two-dollar bills, whatever.

The flooding rains failed (miserably) to materialize. I stayed in Austin last night, where there was not even any precipitation, Jody reported that we received 0.28" of rain and enough thunder to last an eternity. How is it exactly that thunder can cause GFCI breakers to trip? I understand how those things work (up to a point), but I don't understand how thunder claps can cause them to trip.

I guess I am not really required to understand it. I don't know how lots of things work, like cell phones, television signals, internal combustion engines (so 2000's) and any number of other things. As a matter of fact, if the truth were to be know, I don't know how most things work, and I don't really care. I know how to (for the most part) work them, but who cares how they work? Not me!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, MILKY WAY BARS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2015 - Day 309/56 - Thursday...

These clouds do not really express the intensity of the storms that we are predicted to have over the next 24 hours or so. There are more crazy predictions of vast rainfall amounts, it is truly difficult to comprehend receiving that much rain is a short period of time. Floods last week, and more anticipated for the next several hours. Watching the 9 o'clock news right now, and they are predicting flash floods and anywhere from 3" to 11" of rain. Schools are already planning to start classes on a delayed schedule, and it is just a waiting game right now. I tried to move the truck from under the shed last night, and the mud from last week just made it impossible to get it out. What a pain in the are.

Our neighbor Jim came over this morning to try to coax the calf from his property back to ours. Tried and failed, tried and failed. Eventually the calf figured it out and he (we think it is a he, you know how that goes, I don't call them till I see them pee) just decided to walk back through the low water breech and he was back home with his mama. He was wondering what all the fuss was about.

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

2015 - Day 308/57 - Wednesday...

On my way out the driveway this morning, I was greeted by our old friend the mama owl. every now and then we will see her (we assume her, because three or four years ago we knew where her nest was, and two or three owlets fell out and the nest and we had to take them to a rescue shelter), but not nearly as regularly as we did a few years ago. So, she glided her way out onto the road this morning and landed on one of the wires following the property line. It has been really foggy the last few days (in the mornings) and this morning was no different. She let me get close enough to take a few photos, but due to the conditions, about the best I could get was this silhouette. I know what it is, she knows, and now you know!

Ugh.

That pretty much sums it all up. Worst part of the day was coming home this afternoon and discovering that the berm on our 'new' tank (about four or five years old now) washed out. There is a gap in the berm about 20 feet across and about ten or fifteen feet deep. Violet had one of Speckles last progeny's in the last couple days, and that new calf went UNDER the fence to our neighbors and there is a LOT of bawling going on back there. Nothing to do about it until in the morning. Nice to have good neighbors.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, LADY OWLS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2015 - Day 307/58 - Tuesday...

As I write this journal entry, the polls have about five minutes before they close. I expect the election workers are already packed up and just waiting for the buzzer to sound. I believe the turnout will be depressingly small, but I also expect that the items that were important to me (and therefore of dire importance to you) will all pass with comfortable high margins. The sad thing (IMHO) gets back to the lack of interest in the elections. Let me just say this about our statewide constitutional amendment elections today; for the most part, BORING! Yes, we as REALTORS® did a good job getting Prop 1 on the statewide ballot, but otherwise, I am not sure why our elected officials did not do their jobs and pass some measures instead of making us take a vote on it. You know the deal, they only had one job to do... And they left it up to us (for the most part) to do their work. I apologize in advance for painting this picture with such a broad brush, but that just happens to be my crusade right now.

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

2015 - Day 306/59 - Monday...

Today belongs to the Lutherans (if you live on or near your own edge of nowhere). Today is Wurstfest (first Monday in November, and thank you Denny I am feeling much better), and the Lutherans in Walburg have the market on the day. If you are a Catholic or a Baptist, it is too bad for you, today is owned by the Lutherans. There was actually traffic backed up on FM 972 from IH-35 to the church. About two miles and it took me about 35 minutes to make the trek. BUT, you have to hand it to the Lutherans, they have this gig down pat; there are Sheriff's directing traffic and I think all the students get extra credit for participation. It is kind of a sad statement that they cannot make change, so they rounded the dinners UP to $10 a plate. Jody and I both agree though, that this year was better than last year. The original Lutherans (the Wurstfest group are break-aways from the originals) will be having their own diversion later in the month, with a chili dinner. Last year was the first time that we know of, nothing spectacular, but we will support them anyway.

Otherwise, it was a pretty good at the edge of nowhere. The painter (accompanied by Mrs. Painter) showed up and they started power washing the house, then caulking and then painting, but I expect the rain will hit before they get started painting, so that will set things back some.

However, progress is being made.

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

2015 - Day 306/60 - Sunday...

Just because I try to put the photo at the top of the post, just to try and attract more viewers (Madonna, Marky Mark, Sandra Bullock, Queen Elizabeth), I just wanted to let you know that the frog reappeared on the water meter when I was out there this afternoon. It is not uncommon for the frog to appear, but it beats the hell out of me how he gets in or out of that meter cavity. I have no idea, but I do not expect to lose any sleep over it, there are plenty of other opportunities for me to lose sleep, and not over a frog.

The first freakin' day of November already, and it is also the first day of Standard Time for the 2015-2016 season. How long does it take for the average senior citizen body to adapt to the time change? So I have to add about (at least) seven days to that number. I was okay with sleeping until 7:30 this morning, but you can't fool me...I actually lost sleep overnight, because every time I woke up, I looked at the clock and then had to calculate what time it REALLY was. Interesting. Is it just me, or do the rest of you stress over petty crap like this?

It was a good Sunday as Sundays go. It rained again this morning (even though it was not supposed to rain), and we have about a tenth of an inch in the gauge. We are about to start with getting the house painted (outside). The gutter man came on Saturday and removed the exiting gutters. The painter came on Saturday as well to drop off some equipment. Power washing is supposed to start tomorrow (a two-day deal), and then the painting is supposed to start. Of course, it is supposed to start raining again on Thursday and go through (at least) Sunday, so we have set an achievable goal to have the house finished painting and new gutters installed by the end of the year.

We shall see.

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