Volume 12 - Day 166/200, 2020 - Sunday

I set some very modest goals for myself today, and I am happy to report that I exceeded those goals with very little effort. I had a spurt of energy early this morning, but then a tenant decided to take his frustration out on me, and that put me in a bad mood. Later in the day, when he was informed by the HVAC repair guy (Sunday service call) that HE was the problem, he kinda changed his tune, and apologized to me. BUT, it was too late. I had another burst of energy and cleaned out several drawers and cabinets in the laundry room, so that is pretty much done. I only have two garbage cans out on the road, and I have a 4 can capacity, so I am apparently slacking off. But it is hot, and that is all that needs to be said about that. I got the chicken coop cleaned, collected eggs, and a little more this and that, and that is it for today. There has been a crippled raccoon running around, and I had not seen him in a couple weeks, so I figured he died or something caught up with him. I saw him this evening when I was feeding Barney, so he is still around. I don't think he will be around long, though. If the program will not allow me to upload a photo tonight, I think I have a way to trick it...we shall see.

Volume 12 - Day 165/201, 2020 - Saturday

I did very little if anything useful today. I actually cannot think of much I did period today. I went in to Georgetown and dropped some eggs off for Janis, and as long as I was there, I went to Tractor Supply and picked up some flock blocks for the chickens, and some dog food. I did take several naps today, and that was lovely. The folks from Tesla came out to the house yesterday (they actually did), and upgraded my software and installed some new hardware. I now have Full Self Driving capabilities. I haven't tried it out yet, but I will in the next day or two. While going in to Georgetown, the cameras were recalibrating themselves, and that got done with no problems. When I got home, there was another software update, and that was to recalibrate the GPS in the car. It will calibrate itself again the next time I go anywhere, and that is pretty interesting. I wonder if they installed a radar detection device while they were at it? It would have been helpful last week when I got pulled over for speeding, but I still think that was all a scam. The Sheriff's department in Williamson County has plenty of problems right now, so there is not a lot of respect for that department right now. The last two nights, I have been unable to upload photos to go along with these journal entries, so if it allows me to tonight, the photos will be from the last two nights. We shall see...nope, not gonna let me...

Volume 12 - Day 164/202, 2020 - Friday

I am experimenting right now. I am making this journal entry on my lap top, just to see if I will be able to include a photo with this post. OMG, this was another really busy day. The worst part of the day was, the painters did not show up again. Now they are scheduled to be here on Monday, which pushes all the other dominoes back by who knows how much. It is like a house of cards, and one piece falls, they all fall. There were some really good accomplishments today, too. I had a couple really good zoom meetings, some work around the house was done, or at least going forward, and I got the results back from my doctor. All the lab work came back as 'great,' and all the results were 'normal.' Well, that in itself is suspicious. I have seldom had anything about me be referred to as 'normal,' so I asked them to double check that it was my results they were relaying. They double checked and said I just needed to come back in six months unless there was something that came up. SO, I am scheduled again for the middle of December. Having recently accepted the fact that I am not a cook, and I am better off just opening cans, I am happy to say that I can make an egg loaf that even I am happy with. The girls are eager to share as well. Tonight is wine night, tomorrow is Coke float night. Now, let's see if this works...

Crap...I tried two different computers, it will not let me upload an image...

Volume 12 - Day 163/203, 2020 -Thursday

It was a busy day. I got up and watered outside plants, it was a lovely morning, low humidity, temperature was in the 60s when I first went outside. I checked to make sure my first meeting was not until 11, which made for a pretty darned leisurely morning. I had to go to the post office to send a certified letter, but there was still plenty of time for that. First meeting was at 11, then there was another one at one that lasted until three. I had to go in to the office to approve owner statements, and do some power real estate. I got a ticket in the way in (don't say anything Tami), and the whole thing was a set-up. Speed trap. Four Sheriff's cars hiding in various sets of bushes. Whatever. I will take defensive driving, and it won't go on this old guy's record. BUT, it did throw off my schedule. I got in to Austin, got all my work done, and as I was going past City Hall there was an underwhelming display of protesters. I avoided going in earlier because they said the protesters were trying to screw up the commuters, but apparently that was planned for the morning, from 7 to 11 this morning. There was no real problem for me with traffic, but I expect there will be more disruptions this weekend. Tomorrow will be another busy day...

Well, phooey...the program won't let me upload the picture I had planned to use. Sorry...

Volume 12 - Day 162/204, 2020 - Wednesday

I had to keep telling myself to breathe today. It was back to back stuff. First meeting, 9-11:30. Then off to Austin for a 12 o'clock appointment and then a 1 o'clock appointment with my doctor. Jody and I had check-ups every six months, whether we needed to or not. I was an asshat at the doctors appointment today, but it was necessary. There were a lot of issues that I needed to air about our doctors switch from a small, GP practice to the world of corporate medicine. One of the intake questions was 'Have you had difficulty with your medical care in the past twelve months?' I think the question was, 'Are you homeless and cannot afford medical care.' I answered that yes I had difficulty in the past twelve months, to which the looked very surprised. When asked to elaborate, I let them know that the big corporate medical complex in which I was sitting was the problem. Not finances, not my doctor himself, but the lack of empathy and communication. It did not go over well. I asked the guy if he wanted me to just lie to him and give the corporation a fake Yelp review, but he was done with me. Anyway, I unloaded on my doctor, I got it all off my chest, got it all out in the open, and we are still friends. Imagine this, he said my blood pressure was a little high. Ya think? Whatever. The girls were glad when I got home, and then I settled in for my 3 o'clock call that lasted til about 5. It will be another busy day tomorrow...

Volume 12 - Day 161/205, 2020 - Tuesday

It really feels like it should be Friday already. Or something. We hit 100 degrees for the first time this year, and of course we had planned our first office meeting since the Covid and Social Distancing thing started. In order to do proper social distancing, we decided to do it outside under some trees. It was nice, but it was really warm. You did not realize how warm it was until you got back to somewhere where it was cooler. Take my word for it, it was really hot. We all shared some good information, making some decisions about how to show houses when everything is under revision, just how to go about our lives while keeping everyone (our folks and everyone else) safe while doing it. And lunch was good, too! I stopped at HEB on the way home, and I was back home by about three o'clock. I bought NOTHING from HEB, and walked out of there with six or seven bags. You will all be relieved to know that I have reinforced the Blue Bell, so I can calm down. I stayed true to my oath to by nothing that has expiration dates less than two or three years away, and it was all canned stuff for me, except for celery, milk and hummus. That stuff hardly ever lasts here. I love celery and hummus. Oh, and don't forget grapes, I bought grapes. And string cheese. The girls get string cheese bonuses if they go outside and make pee pee. I get string cheese because I buy it. Whatever.

Volume 12 - Day 160/206, 2020 - Monday

Today was a busy day, and after I finished everything else, I cut the grass out in the girls yard. I got up this morning and finished shredding old tax documents (you only need to keep them for seven years), and got the last (of four) garbage containers up to the road. I attended a zoom class that started at 8:30, and it was a good/fun/informative class. There were 33 people in the class, headed by Candy, and we all had a pretty good time and learned a lot. The flooring folks got here and FINISHED. That is one thing done. The yard guys were here, then the pool guys were here, and in between times, I was making sure the girls were in and out, and all the thisses and thats were under control. I am pretty sure that every thing is under control, with the possible exception of me; I could totally be out of control. In case you haven't heard already, it was almost as hot as hell here in central Texas today. 99 degrees officially, with a similar humidity percentage. Tomorrow is supposed to be 104, and we are having a social distancing pic-nic at the office. By lunchtime, it should only be about 95, piece of cake!