Lost a limb off one of the big oaks in yesterday’s storm. I’m a little sad. We’ve been babying those trees since the last big drought hit them hard. There is good news, however, you really have to look to see where the limb fell. So, it’s all for the best.

I’m still reveling in the miracle of the eyes. The removal of the cataracts that dulled my vision, made reading impossible and driving at night difficult. Some days it just makes me want to swoon with how beautiful the world is in all its colors and light.

The project bug bit again yesterday. I think it was the cool weather that did the trick. I resurfaced the bottom of the old water trough in preparation for getting it back into water feature service. And I took down the delipidated wooden gates that flanked the opening into the back lots…

I had a late night of music and roadie work. I’m getting good at wrapping cables with a little thumb flip to keep them straight.

I have no accomplishments to brag on today, except one. It’s looks as though on November 16 our family will grow by two.

It’s sort of strange. The more I do around the house the more there is to do. Which, I guess, is just part of owning a home. There are things to do.

Pro tip. Going from a dark to light paint will cause coverage problems. The dark paint like’s being seen. My gate was black. Now it’s battleship gray. I have lots of touch up to do.

I have come down from the mountains. The return started early yesterday around 7 a.m. Mountain Time. Ended about 10:30 p.m. Central. It was a drive of two parts. Pagosa Springs to Ozona in the company of a friend. Ozona to Johnson City in the company of myself.

I stood on the Great Divide yesterday. One foot in the east, one foot in the west, straddling our big country. I was at Wolf Creek Pass, elevation 10,858.

Went to a multigenerational birthday party this past Saturday. I was a guest of the musician hired to sing songs to the patriarch. He was turning 90.

Lucky. I was late for an appointment yesterday morning in Fredericksburg. As I rushed down the road, several police cars passed me. I discovered why when I got to Hye. Big wreck.

Football weekend. My longtime friend Tom and I made the trip into Houston yesterday. We’re ready to watch our Houston Cougars take on the Kansas Jayhawks.

I no longer remember when I started this project. But somewhere along the way I decided to put in a new flower bed along the north fence of the front yard.

Went for a walk with the butterflies yesterday. The American Snout butterfly is migrating and the park next door to my house is full of them, particularly along the path and brush beside Town Creek.

The rains came. The grass is greening. The sage is in bloom. I am rested. My spirit feels full, and I still find it hard to believe I am not lying in bed today recovering from surgery.

Gatekeepers. They’re important. And you can’t really get anywhere without going through one. Last week I encountered two of them.

Two days later and I’m still stunned at my Friday turn of events. For an entire week I had worked non-stop to schedule what I thought was a life saving surgery and make sure I had the best hands possible doing the work.

A bit of good fortune came my way. During yesterday’s video consolation with a Houston doctor, I was told I didn’t require surgery.

Here we are at the end of what has proven to be a long week. One more consultation this morning with another doctor. This one in Houston. Then it’s decision time.

Walked outside this morning to the sweet smell of wet earth. It’s been a long time, my love. But there it was and with it came all the promise that rain brings.