Volume 16 - Day 168/198, 2024 - Sunday

I got more than everything on my chore list accomplished today; pulled weeds, washed the floor in the garage, and a whole bunch of this-and-that. I am going to take the hummingbird feeders in tonight, clean them, and then put them out again later in the week. I have no idea why the hummers are ignoring me this year, but I will keep trying different things and maybe I will find something that works. This doll is one of my treasures from the estate sales yesterday. I paid $7.50 for her (I am assuming it is a her), and I like her very much. She has no hair, and her head was stuffed with bubble wrap. The bubble wrap was keeping her eyes in place, but I have come up with another temporary fix for that. I am becoming more discriminating with my purchases particularly clocks, dolls and bells. I'm still open to Statue of Liberty souvenirs, and most other things, but I am pushing back on a few things. It was warm today, but we escaped the 100 degree mark. With the disturbance in the Gulf, we are crossing our fingers that we get some rain, but also hope there will be no harm as a result.

Volume 16 - Day 167/199, 2024 - Saturday

Richard and Margie headed off to Chicago for the summer, so he will not be walking with us anymore until sometime in October. So...Paul and I were on our own this morning. It was a nice walk, although it was really warm and really humid. We came upon this guy about half way through the walk. He was working to catch a bullsnake, and he finally got it, and posed for the picture accompanying this journal entry. I don't know the mans name, but his son (Noah) was with him, and wanted nothing to do with the snake. A Texas Bullsnake is a large, nonvenomous, colubrid ( a snake of a very large family which includes the majority of harmless snakes). It is a subspecies of the gopher snake. The bullsnake is one of the largest/longest snakes of North America, reaching lengths up to eight feet. You're welcome, class dismissed! For sure, it was a long snake, and the captor re-homed the above mentioned snake, and all is right with the world. I think bullsnakes also prey on rattlesnakes, and are overall categorized as 'good snakes.' After the walk, we made it to four estate sales, five if you count the one we went to twice as two. After estate sales, I took a nap, and then at 3 o'clock I settled in for a Continuing Education class. It was a three hour class, and there was a lot of good information provided to help with all the form updates and changes that will go into effect in about ten days. Preparation is key!

Volume 16 - Day 166/200, 2024 - Friday

It's Friday, and Friday is my second favorite F word. We started the day with our morning walk, and Richard and Margie are heading to Chicago tomorrow, and they will return sometime in late October. We will all miss them, and will welcome them back with open arms when they return. After the walk, i fed the girls and had some oat cereal, then it was in to the office. I got what needed to be done, done, and then I went to Michael and Lynda's for a very nice lunch. Thanks for the invitation! Back to the office, got more stuff done, and then headed home about 2:30. I made a stop at Deep Eddy Carpets, where I had ordered some rug pads. I ordered five of them because I was tired of having the girls fling the little rugs all over when they run back and forth. What a difference the pads make. It is (I started to say 'still,' but we are just beginning the summer heat) very warm, and supposed to be hotter over the weekend. We have four estate sales to hit tomorrow, and late in the day, I am even taking a CE class about all the new updated forms being mandated in the next couple months. I usually don't have anything going on from 3-6PM on a Saturday, anyway, so I might as well take a class!

Volume 16 - Day 165/201, 2024 - Thursday

On our first dives last month, Paulina, Oliver and I met a couple whose names were Lincoln and Brande. Lincoln had a camera (GoPro?), and I asked him if he would share some of the photos with us. He said 'of course,' and I got his text this morning. This photo shows me, the guide, Oliver and Paulina resting on the bottom of the Caribbean, somewhere around Playa. Scuba is really a lot of fun, and I am glad I did it last year. We have another trip planned later this year, and have already reserved time for more dives. Yes, there was a walk this morning, and that was good. I had a leisurely morning after the walk, and I got in to the office about 9:30. I got done the things that needed to be done, and I had an appointment for give platelets at 1PM. I was declined last Monday because my hemoglobin was too low. I have been eating all the right iron building foods and even an iron supplement for the last few days, and today I was declined again. I think my hemoglobin was even worse today.  I have another appointment for next Friday, and if it is still low, I will need to make an appointment with my GP to see what the hell is going on. Today was a lot less harried than yesterday, and as I (kind of) predicted, everything worked out the way it was supposed to. I'm pretty sure it always does.

Volume 16 - Day 164/202, 2024 - Wednesday

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days. Not really, but it landed somewhere in the middle, heavy on the worst side. Not really even that, either. There were some definite low points, but it will all work out the way it is supposed to. We had a little rain overnight, and there was a little threat of rain while we were walking this morning. I had intended to work from home today, I had two zoom calls and thought I could make the best use of my time at home. I forgot about owner statements that needed to be approved, so in I went. I did my first zoom call in the office, and then I headed home for the second one. In the middle, towards the end of the day, is when things took a turn south. Again, it will all work out, just first world problems. Tonight was our Neighbors Dinner, and there were 13 in attendance. It was great seeing everyone, and lots of good conversation and story telling. 

Volume 16 - Day 163/203, 2024 - Tuesday

Yes, there was a nice walk this morning. Do you know I carry dog treats with me in the mornings, and many of the dogs recognize me during the walks. I generally have six treats in my pocket, and I gave away five of them this morning. Not every dog we see gets a treat...some of them don't like the treats, some of the hoomans don't want me giving their dogs a treat. I always ask permission first, and that is not a bad way to get to know the hoomans, too. Today is Total Stranger Tuesday, but there were no likely candidates for the honor this morning, so I decided to acknowledge Richard's last ROMEO breakfast until they get back from Chicago in October. Friday will be his last morning walk, too, so there will likely be another photo. We did have a good breakfast, and then it was in to the office. On the way to breakfast, I stopped for two bottles of iron supplements (buy one, get one free), and got gas in the little white car. I had a three o'clock appointment, and that appointment time changed two or three times, before it was finally decided that we would meet at 12:30. As I was waiting, I got a text and an email that the appointment was at 1 o'clock. Then I also got reminders about the three o'clock appointment. Whatever. On my way home, I stopped at HEB and got the stuff that was not available yesterday at ALDI. Watermelon, baked chicken, not sure what all else I got, but I should be good by my Thursday appointment. I have two zoom meetings tomorrow, and our neighbors dinner is tomorrow night. Still no evidence of hummers at my feeders. Not sure where I am going wrong. Photo credit: Princess Leah at Monument Cafe, me, Paul and Richard.

Volume 16 - Day 162/204, 2024 - Monday

ALDI: How do I hate thee, let me count the ways. I don't carry change in my pocket, and at the register, they refused to give me change for a dollar. I get it that they don't want to open the register willy-nilly, but it is their rule, not mine. I finally got change, got my cart, but there were only a couple things that I was there for, and they did not have the most important stuff. I went to ALDI because I thought, since it is a small facility, I could be in and out, no problem. Nope. Whatever. I was supposed to give platelets today, but I should probably re-think giving on a Monday, when I spent the weekend eating nothing but ice cream and pie.  Now I am on a binge to get my hemoglobin (a protein produced by bone marrow that is stored in red blood cells) count back up to an acceptable level. I made another appointment for Thursday, so I will let you know if it works. Additionally, today was a crazy day, and even though I had no real confrontations with anyone, I feel like I am at the point that I should quit interacting with people. It is not a good feeling, and I will most likely feel better about the whole thing tomorrow. Maybe.