40 years in the House of Light and Joy (October 2024)

 Papa bought the house in October 1984. See the asbestos siding? He was delighted to find ship lap underneath, in perfect condition. See the elm tree in the front yard? Insects killed it and it almost killed Papa!  He was headed up the walk when it dropped a gigantic branch a few feet in front of him! What you can't see is the gravel driveway. Nobody in the neighborhood had paved driveways.

The back of the 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1200 square foot house. Tom and Roy (then his roommate) added the third bedroom on the left. See how there was no deck? The picture window is now the open doorway between the living room and the kitchen.

The classic 1948 kitchen space is now where our master bathroom is.

We voted after four tries! (October 23, 2024)

 We visited the Shriner polling place twice on Monday, and once on Tuesday, as well as the polling place at the Northwest Recreation Center. We wondered if we should opt for mail-in ballots. Not just anyone in Texas can use them. You must be absentee; 65 or over; sick or disabled; within 3 weeks of a pregnancy due date; or in jail but eligible to vote. 

Wednesday, October 23, was our lucky day. We arrived just before the lunchtime crowd. I'm shading my face because the doctor said no sun for 6 months as a way to prevent the scar from darkening. Not trying to be the mystery voter. Anyway, my cap identifies me as a Cloninger Cellars fan so maybe not so secret. That was a California winery that has closed since our visit about 20 (?) years ago.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre Day (October 11, 2024)

 Anjanette, Fox, and me with Leatherface. Mayor Watson declared October 11 as Texas Chainsaw Massacre Day, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the film's release. It is credited with starting the Texas film industry. Micah assured me that a chainsaw without the chain can't cut you. He says you can hear the difference. If Leatherface was chasing me with a chainsaw, I wouldn't pause to listen for the sound. But I WOULD kick off my red stilettos so I could run away faster. 

The inviting two-story home in Kingsland, Texas is a popular restaurant and bar called Hooper's (after filmmaker Tobe Hooper) but it has a terrifying past. In the 1974 original movie, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” this was the home of Leatherface and his mentally disturbed family. I used to drive past the house in Round Rock, where we lived when Ryder and Micah were born. The house was moved to Kingsland to make way for ... a subdivision? A highway? Don't know. It was a farmhouse.

Fox and Anjanette with Teri McMinn, who played "Pam," the girl on the meat hook. I had to be told. I've never seen the film. But it's Fox's favorite horror film and Anjanette is a fan too.

The original van from the film, refurbished. Franklin (taxidermied? a mannequin?) was inside in his wheelchair.

Leatherface served "pulled pork" sandwiches. We hope!

Beka and Miles visited from Chula Vista, CA (October 4, 2024)

 Shoot!  We didn't get a family photo of Beka, Miles, Sarah, Jim, Jake, Jan, Jim, and us. But we did get a photo of the delicious brisket, sausage, and sides from famous Franklin Barbecue. Pre-orders are picked up in the green trailer outside the restaurant, thank goodness. The line was l-o-n-g to get inside! Jan brought homemade banana pudding, the perfect dessert to top off an incredible dinner. Oh! The bumper sticker in the window says "I brake for brisket." I was afraid it was going to say "road kill."

Beautiful autumn art from Mya (October 2024)

You'll notice the swinging cats are enjoying a book by Mya's favorite author, Stephen King. I wonder which one? Pet Sematary?

 

Cats and bees (September 2024)

Oh happy day for Zephyr, TC aka Big Boy, and Colette. Zephyr's favorite Temptations treats (called "cat crack" by Brandy due to Mylo's insistence on them) now come sprinkled throughout cat food. All our regulars plus Georgie the Stray love this more than Friskies. 
 

Fall flowers at the apiary. Nectar and pollen after a long, hot, dry summer.

Testimony at the Texas Capitol (September 18, 2024)

 The Senate Health and Human Services Committee took testimony related to access to medical care. Our point was that adopted persons who don't have their family medical history are possibly not being monitored or treated for conditions that run in the family. The first step in having your medical history is knowing who your family is, information contained on your original birth certificate which is sealed upon adoption. In Texas, adopted persons must either present a court order to Vital Statistics or be able to name their birth parents to get their original birth certificate. 

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Friday, September 20, 2024)

Fox went with us to see Danny as Puck in "A Midsummer's Night Dream" put on at the Waco Civic Theatre.

Fox, 13, and Danny, 24, are about the same height now!

 Sometimes you just have to stretch after a show!

Zany election season (September 10, 2024)

 

"They're eating our pets, . . ." A wacky statement from the Trump-Harris debate inspired this sign in front of a neighborhood church. 

Max gets a new windshield (September 9, 2024)

Andrew's ready for Max. How do you handle a big, awkward windshield?

A second guy shows up! We kept having to reschedule replacement because of rainy days. The cracks ran across the driver's vision. So nice to see clearly again.

Still harvesting (September 5, 2024)

So many serrano peppers! We use them in chicken and in Papa's famous black beans.

 Home-grown tomatoes! And peppers!

COVID days (September 5-10 or so)

Yep, Tom tested positive on September 5, after we got our COVID boosters. Any time he has symptoms he has to test, given that he works with clients at the drug study.

The next day, we received a wonderful surprise package from Mya. Here are TC aka Big Boy and Colette vacationing on a French Quarter balcony. Thanks, Mya!

Mya made Papa a basil plant pot at her summer pottery class. Thanks, Mya!

My turn!  I guess COVID is with us now. Luckily Papa and I had nothing worse than allergy-like symptoms. But we still had to stay away from others. We used HEB's grocery pick up for the first, ane probably last, time. Very convenient but I like to choose my tomatoes, etc.

 

Happy 24, Danny! (August 24, 2024)

Danny celebrated his golden birthday on August 24. We started with birthday cake in the Stephen F. Austin Hotel bar, followed by dinner at the Roaring Fork. Then two improv shows at the Hideout, just around the corner.
 

Al, Joyce, and Danny in the very Texan Stephen F. Austin Hotel lobby. The hotel, first known as "The Texas," opened in 1924 as the first high-rise hotel on Congress Avenue. Only the Capitol was taller at the time.

Time to sell the Krugerrands (August 21, 2024)

Originally minted in 1967, the 22-karat South African Krugerrand coin is one troy ounce of pure gold. Dad gave one each to Tom and me shortly before he passed away in 2020. Thanks, Dad! 

Because the coins look a lot like Mardi Gras doubloons, I feared that when Tom and I died, the Krugerrands would be thrown out with the Mardi Gras beads. So when gold reached its all-time high of $2,531.70 on August 20, we decided to sell. 

With the end of the gold standard in 1971, the price of gold rose from the set price of $35/ounce to $850/ounce by 1980. The price rose and fell with world events. In 1990, it was $400/ounce and fell to $280/ounce in early 2000. Value spiked to $1,899/ounce following 911, then dropped as low as $555/ounce before spiking again with the onset of the COVID pandemic, to $1,686/ounce.

Very long way of saying it seemed selling at the all time high was a good idea. 
 

Leeloo (Sunday, August 18, 2024)

Amon and Fox brought Leeloo over. Such a good girl! She no longer jumps on you to greet you. She's learned to stay and sit. Amon's teaching her other commands. He had her off leash in a parking lot near their house, working with her, when she spotted a deer and chased it. Amon couldn't catch her. But guess what? She was waiting for him outside their front door. Good girl!
 

When your broken nose leans to the left....(August 15, 2024)

You get to have it "recentered," aka rebroken and straightened. Ugh!  Had to wear the splint for a week and sleep with my head at a 45-degree angle. 
 

Kebabalicious and East Austin Comedy Club instead (August 9, 2024)

Papa didn't get to celebrate his 73rd at the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye, as planned. But we enjoyed great food at one of our favorites, Kebabalicious. This was the first time I'd seen a shared kids and seniors menu.

We caught a show at the East Austin Comedy Club after dinner.

Papa was wished a happy birthday by the comedians and audience too.
 

Scotland? Not this year (August 6, 2024)

Due to Hurricane Debby, flight all along the East Coast were canceled. We were supposed to fly from Austin to Newark, then Newark to Edinburgh. Dear friend Roy dropped us off at ABIA. We were all checked in and found out our flight from Austin to Newark had been canceled. They booked us on a flight to Houston with a connection to Newark. But the Houston to Newark flight was delayed and we wouldn't get there in time for our Edinburgh flight. When they told us we could probably get to Edinburgh in two days, we opted to cancel our trip for a refund. Good thing, because about an hour later we found out the Newark to Edinburgh flight was canceled. 
 

United pulled our baggage off the aircraft and locked it up for us in baggage claim. We were disappointed about Scotland but grateful to have found out before leaving Austin. Much better than crisscross applesauce on the Newark airport floor for a couple of days waiting for a flight to Edinburgh or back to Austin.

We weren't the only ones with canceled flights. I guess if we'd made it to Newark we could have pivoted and done NYC instead of Scotland. Dear Roy kindly came back to get us.

8 days out (August 2, 2024)

We met our friend Greg Pratas for breakfast tacos to celebrate his birthday. Still looking rough but so much better 8 days after. The human body is amazing at healing itself.
 

Time to go home (July 30, 2024)

 

St. Mary's bell tower poking through the mist behind Fox, Willoughby, and Mya. 

Leaving on a jet plane from the San Francisco airport. Thanks so much for a wonderful time, Ryder, Brandy, Mya, River, Piper, Willoughby, and Mylo!