I slept like the proverbial log only getting up because of the “old man’s disease” of having to use the bathroom more than once through the night. When I finally crawled out, it was around 8:00 am. A quick glance out of the window showed that at least the hoary frost was gone. It was still freezing out quite literally and very cold. 

With the usual morning ablutions out of the way, I harnessed up ready for that first walk. I swear Sandy had her legs crossed as she jumped up and down. We hustled out just as Gary was walking past and he detoured to say hello to us and that included making a fuss of the dogs. 

Prior to walking, I had left the dogs on the deck and went about the business of filling the bird feeders. Almost every single one was empty with a lot of seeds lying on the ground. Now I know why those particular bags were so cheap as they have a lot of corn and such that most birds do not eat. Luckily for me (or not), the deer come through at night and clean up most of what is on the ground. 

We went on our way and made a couple of circuits of our immediate vicinity on the first walk. It was cold out but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. The forecast is for it to slowly warm up during the day but still with frost at night for the next couple of nights and then to warm up completely. I can’t wait…. I’ll take the 100 plus degrees of summer heat any day. 

Back in the RV, I fixed breakfast all around. Sandy helped me eat mine and then totally ignored the real breakfast I had prepared for her. Hopefully, she will eat it later and so take her expensive medicine. Her pills that I crush up and try to disguise cost $3:00 apiece so when she does not eat the morning pill, she gets it in the evening but misses out on one of her doses. I sat her down and managed to get her undivided attention and tried to explain the situation to her. All I got was a lot of kisses and a blank look as she wondered what the heck I was talking about. And she still would not eat the bloody pill. 

Giving up on Sandy, I found some household things that needed taking care of and went about the process of doing just that. Then, we sat around for a bit while I made out a grocery list and with it completed, said goodbye to the pups and drove into Dripping Springs.  

My first stop was at Great Cuts, and I got lucky as normally, you have to put your name on the list and then await your turn. Maybe it was the weather being so cold, but my hairdresser led me back to her station and then went to town on what little hair I had left. She did an excellent job and now I am good for at least a month to 6 weeks. 

I wandered around HEB as I usually do with a list that I refer to every now and then. In the meantime, stuff keeps appearing in my cart and I swear I have no idea how it gets there. I paid the bill and found my car and loaded all of the groceries in the Jeep. Oh yes, I had made the normal stop at the beer display and picked up a 24 pack for Daniel and a couple of 6 packs of Brown Ale for me. Shades of England as I drank a lot of Brown Ale over there. 

As beer is wont to do, it got me into trouble on more than one occasion. But then again, that was in my younger days, and I was always in trouble. Now I am too bloody old and useless to get into any sort of trouble. Besides, I don’t hang around in bars anymore. 

I dropped off Daniels beer at the Commons as that is where his 4×4 was standing and he walked over and helped me unload the car, carrying in some of the groceries for me. Such a helpful man. 

We went out for another walk and although it was cold in the wind, it was not as bad as yesterday when it was quite literally, freezing, all day long and the wind was freezing my face. What I needed was a good old-fashioned balaclava for these occasions. I told the dogs that this was the last walk of the day and to make the most of it otherwise they would be hopping around with their legs crossed and morning was a long way off. 

We settled in for the evening watching the usual English Premier League football match and food all around. 

Written Wednesday, January 16, 2024, read my other blog at https://pondblog2011.com