Getting Better

We are well and we seem to be over Covid.  It's difficult to really determine when we can get back to normal operation of running errands and such without infecting the world.  Our main concern is exposing my Mother.  There is a ton of information out there and none of it is written in stone.  I tested positive yesterday again but from what I read that really doesn't mean I can still spread it.  At least the place I read it from says that.  It seems those rapid tests can detect the virus but can't tell if you're still infectious.  So we will stay isolated through next Sunday most likely.  Any groceries that we will need by then will be done via order and pick up.   

We are seeing more of just how unhinged the leftists are.  They try to rationalize their beliefs yet can't see how dumb their arguments are.  Several people I follow on You tube and Instagram have made statements that if we don't have the same beliefs they have they don't want us to be part of their community.  No big deal.  I wasn't there for you political or religious beliefs but they decided to make their 'statements.'  I don't follow them anymore.  I am sure there may be more.  I was there only for dog training tips etc.  There are plenty of others.  Do they really think their twisted logic will sway my beliefs?  

After a week of Covid and more scorching temps here my yard looks really bad.  It's literally toast.  I missed my water day, I just wasn't up to it.  With the temps ranging up to 104 nearly every day last week, missing a water day has hurt.  I did keep the garden alive though.  They say we may get rain today.  That would be more than welcome.  But I won't believe it until I see it.  I feel a little overwhelmed with all the outdoor work I need to accomplish and haven't due to covid and the high heat.  The residual effects of covid (tire very quickly) are still evident.  Took the dogs for a walk for the first time in over a week and it took it out of me.  The dogs were happy though.  Broke my streak at 71 days straight.  My 82 day record remains intact.  The streak starts over today.

Happy Trails

Quick Update

The pup did well at the vet.  They removed the tooth so no further issues with a repaired tooth.  Sent her home with pain pills and antibiotics and we also got her some anti-anxiety meds for the upcoming fireworks.  We don't know how she is going to react but all indications are she will be very frightened.  Better to have them on hand and not need them than to find out we did need them after the fact.   

I missed wishing everyone a Happy Fathers day in my last post and I apologize.  I was not feeling up to snuff.  I had started feeling a little off  Sunday eating lunch with all the kids and grandkids.  By Monday morning I was pretty bad.  'K', the two  daughters in law and Son#2 also were feeling out of sorts by then.  I tested for Covid Tuesday and results were negative.  Feeling even worse I tested again Wednesday morning, Bingo.  It turned very quick.  Both of us have been pretty under the weather and as of today no real change.  I finally lost smell and taste today.  Taste has returned mostly.  Hopefully that is a sign this is ending.  Son#2 and his wife not sick but no one tested positive.  Got no help from my doctor's office with a message to the portal they encourage us to use.  Not even a response.  Just asked for advice or should we come in.  Nothing.  Aggravating.  I may have a conversation with him about that when I see him next month.  It's a major hassle to change doctors and he is very good.  It's just that his staff answers all the messages and they have huge turnover.  Not a good combo.

So we are riding it out on the couch most all day and my focus is off enough to not want to engage in any reading.  Surprised I can get this far with this post lol.  

Oh and happy Fathers day :)

Happy Trails

Vet, Tomatoes, and Eye Update

We took the new pup (Abby) to the vet last Friday.  I was anxious to get her in so we could get her flea and tick meds.  I had found a flea on me the other day and you sure don't want them to get a foothold inside.  We had a couple concerns too.  Her breath is pretty bad and I was suspecting a bad tooth or something else.  Also she seems to be a little overweight, which can be really hard on dog, especially with the excessive heat and her long black floof.  Yes, she is overweight.  Last January the previous owner told us she weighed 11.5 lbs.  Friday she tipped the scales at 13.2 lbs.  That's a huge increase on such a small pup.  The Vet wants us to get her back to 11 lbs.  She also has a bad tooth.  The wide tooth on the back is cracked and food is getting in there causing the bad breath and possible other issues.  So 'K' is getting ready to take her back to the Vet this morning for a teeth cleaning.  X-rays on the tooth to check the root.  It may have to be removed if the crack is down into the root.  Yeah this was/is a very expensive Vet visit. Who knows of that tooth bothers her at all, dogs are great at hiding pain.  Maybe getting it fixed up will help with some of her timidity.  I don't know, we just want her to be happy and well.  She is growing so much(presonality) and is actually playing with Snickers.  Neither seem to know how to play with another dog but they can make their own way.  I know Snickers is smitten.  And she follows him around and is learning the ropes around here by watching him.  She even protects us from the Amazon guys.  

As for me, I have another appointment for my previous cataract surgery next month.  They have been very disappointed with my progress or lack of on my right eye.  It has actually gotten worse over the last three check ups.  Everything is still out of focus.  They have determined that I have developed scar tissue around the area of the new lens.  This scar tissue is pushing on the lens causing it to be out of focus.  They will make some cuts all around that new lens in the scar tissue and even where there is none in order for it to fall back where it needs to be.  Hoping this works well and I can finally move along with getting the prescription readers and my drivers license adjusted.

Tomato plants have really slowed production but look very healthy.  I blame the excessive heat we have been having and continue into this week.  I tried canning a few using a method I found on You Tube.  I takes whole lot more tomatoes than I had to make it worth the time.  Next year Tomato plant numbers will double hopefully.  I think I will be pulling up potatoes around July 4.  They say 100 days and that should be right.  The greenery is turning yellow which is to be expected.

This was a lot of tomatoes, maybe 20 and I got 2.75 pints.  Ugh.

It's been fun watching her grow and play and see some of her personality

Happy Trails

Appraisal Protest

I protested my property appraisal (online) and they offered a 5K reduction.  Surprised I got that much.  I have nothing to fight them with when everything in the neighborhood is selling fast and is very overpriced IMO.  So that affects any comparables they use to come up with my appraisal.  

I have fought them numerous times in the early years of living out here but I had plenty of ammo being it was a newly constructed house, I had the documentation of actual costs.  I won every time.  Even one appeal that flabbergasted the appraiser.  I knew then I wouldn't have much to go on any other time.  'K' tried once and lost so we didn't fight it any more, until this year with it's exorbitant values.  Unfortunately we live in a highly desirable neighborhood and with all the migration things don't stay on the market long at all, even at these inflated prices.  I'm sure the prices still look attractive to folks from Cali.  I accepted.  Otherwise I would have had to go downtown to the appeal board with no real evidence.  

I sure hope the state legislature does more this next session regarding elimination of the property tax.  They always talk about it but never do anything.  There has been some movement in that area this past year.  The one thing they would try that would most likely pass would only lower the tax a few hundred dollars.  Far short of eliminating it.  But it's a start.

Happy Trails

Stressed Habitat and Stressed Wildlife

The lack of rain is very telling in the habitat where I live.  I manage to keep some of my grass and plants alive by abundant watering.  This is nothing new to this part of Texas, or any part for that matter.  However we are very near the Great Chihuahua Desert.  Most of it is in Mexico but it reaches well up into Texas.  I happen to live on the edge of it and the Texas Hill Country, practically on the Balcones Escarpment.  So we get some strange weather at times due to the varied landscape.  

Currently we are in a drought, again.  Droughts happen regularly here.  Some last a couple months.  The last big one lasted 3 years.  Yes it does rain during those droughts, but it isn't enough to bust a drought.  Is this the start of another multi year drought?  I have no idea and I haven't heard any predictions.  

Most all of our water comes from an underground aquifer.  The Edwards Aquifer is a natural underground water supply.  No one really knows how much water is in it.  Some say it is unlimited, others are always shouting warnings about it going dry.  Various Springs and streams have gone dry in the past.  

Now, we are undergoing a great migration of people from other states.  It's very rare to meet anyone that is a native anymore.  Most all are foreigners.  This increased population is added stress on the water situation.  Plus all the growth decreases the habitat and it's ability to do what nature intended, like refresh the aquifer.  I am not an alarmist about this.  Just pointing out the harsh realities of a lack of rain on the environment, the habitat and the wildlife.  They suffer more than we do.  We might lose some grass or a shrub or maybe even a tree.  In the big picture, that is nothing.  

We are seeing some effects with the wildlife earlier this year than most others.  The deer here are always scavenging on yards.  If you have expensive flowers etc. they most likely have been well manicured at no charge.  I haven't needed to cut my grass in the front more than once.  And there is plenty of fertilizer left in your yard.  So much you have to check your feet before you come inside.  I have made the mistake recently.  I will spare you any deer poop pictures.

A couple mornings ago it was still dark but I am letting the dogs out to do their business in my fenced back yard.  I open the door and Snickers is out like a shot as always.  I spot a doe out the door.  That almost never happens.  Once or twice I forget to close a gate and a few have gotten in.  A couple more jumped the fence to avoid dogs on the street.  Watching them jump the fence is pretty cool, it's 4.5'.  Sometimes it takes me getting around to one side to open a gate and herd them through.  They will still run into the fence until they figure it.  It's hard to watch them run full steam into a fence.  But Snickers was out and on the chase.  Back and forth, back and forth,  No way am I catching him to stop the chase.  All I can do is herd the doe toward the fence and hope she figures out how she got in is the same way out, by jumping.  Finally she cleared it after at least four trips.  What a way to start a morning without my coffee.  

I check around and the deer had hit my garden.  Just trimmed a few tomato plants and potato plants.  No real damage.  Glad she didn't jump that two foot fence.  Not sure if it's the condition of the habitat that tempted her to jump but she could have done much much worse.  I think it was just a chance thing.  I hope.

Sorry it took me so long to say 'a deer ate my garden.'  It just got away from me.  :)

Happy Trails

June 6, Do You Remember?

Busy Monday already.  I get up at 6AM  but am usually awake before then.  I want to get out walking the dogs by 7AM before it has a chance to heat up, and drink the first cup of coffee.  Then there are few other chores, fix breakfast, check and water the garden, water the other decorative plants, check and refill the water for the deer.  Read my emails/news, oh and feed the dogs.  Today we had the AC guys out to do routine maintenance after postponing me twice before due to beiing over loaded with emergencies.  They are very thorough but also always try to upsell me on upgrades.  Ain't happening.  I usually tell them that before they start so it cuts down on the BS.  'K' had to rush to her annual exam at the docs too.  Finally get to sit down and post this at 10:48 AM.

The new pup is getting more confident and at ease with us.  Still a long way to go.  I think she is a pretty timid dog anyway and we will have to over come that along with the anxiety of a new place and new people.  She made good progress this weekend. We will schedule her a vet appointment as soon as possible to get her some flea/tick/heartworm meds.    

Today is June 6, day of the Normandy invasion.  I plan to sit and watch the entire Band of Brothers series today and not much else.  'K' plans on joining me.  I have great appreciation for those that took part in this monumental event.  Watching this is my small tribute to them, remembering their sacrifices and accomplishments that so many fail to do now days.  My emotions and thoughts will run the gamut especially with the mess we are in these days.  

Don't want to sound like a broken record but HEAT is what's happening here.  We are in the midst of a 2 week heat wave that  has broken several high temps this past week.  Sunday we hot 102 again with more predicted for the entire week.  No, I don't believe in global warming.  So don't go there please.  Things we can't control happen is all I will say.  It's funny to think July may be cooler than June, but I'm hoping even though it is usually hotter but not this hot.

We tested negative for COVID so we are out of restrictions.  First time we have tested.  The others are getting better.  Grandson only felt bad one day and was back bouncing off the walls.

Happy Trails

Catching Up With Memorial Day Eventa

This is a bit of a backtrack post.  I just had to post about my new pup and it got so long I didn't want to add any more.  So here is the rest.

We invited the kids (and grandkids) to the house Memorial day for hot dogs and just visiting.  All went pretty well.  All the noise was a bit overwhelming for Abby (the new pup).  Son#1 had taken sick late last week and his Daughter was spending a few nights with a friend so they weren't able to come.  His wife and son came without them.  But we partied on.  Just before everyone left we found out Son#1 tested positive for Covid.  Ugh.  His wife started showing signs the next day and so did the Grandson.  Double ugh.  So I guess we have been exposed.  It's as close as we have come to being exposed that we are aware of.  We are both fine so far as of today, Thursday.  I had to google how long we would have to wait to know if we are clear, I had forgotten.  Ten days.  I have the follow up eye appointment on day 10 and 'K' has a doctor appointment on day 11.  I really hate to miss that appointment.  I want to move on with this eye issue instead of delaying it another month.  So we wait.

The new pup, Abby really likes going for our walks.  It's about the only time she really perks up and is not afraid of everything.  She seems to have regressed a little yesterday.  Stays in the crate most of the time, bit she is comfortable there.  When I take her out to go outside to give her a chance to do her business, she seems very scared and refuses to go and runs back to the door.  I put her on a leash and she seems more confident but still is pretty scared.  So I do everything with the leash when we are outside.  This may take longer than we had hoped.  Snickers has been very good with her, in fact excellent.  But if he walks by the front of her crate she bares her teeth.  He just walks away but he is curious but not intrusive.  We stay positive. 

Happy Trails