Almost Dad's birthday: January 26, 2013

We celebrated Dad's birthday early on Saturday, January 26, in Shreveport.  Mom, Martha, Dad, Martin, Papa Tom and I all had lunch together and a good visit.  Happy 85 on January 30, Dad!

Dad with three of five children:  myself, Martha, Martin

Friday night with Jade: January 25, 2013

We took Jade to Northwest Park on Friday night.  She pointed to the basket ball court and said "Ball!" and  "Bounce!" and "Basketball!"

Papa Momo pushed Jade high in the sky!

My turn!

We visited Great-grandma Evelyn later that evening.  Jade ran down the hall from Great-grandma Evelyn's apartment to offer a cracker to Gussie the Goose, who lives outside a neighbor's door.

Fiona, Felicia, and Phoenix Finch

The other morning, Papa Tom saw hundreds of finches enjoying berries from our neighbor's tree.  Here's Fiona, scoping out the options.

Felicia found the perfect berry!

Phoenix partakes on the fly!

Fiona Finch finds a berry.

Amon's visit to Austin: January 14-17, 2013

Amon and Rockin' Armadillo

Dada, Jade, music, and Mardi Gras beads

Jade buckled herself into her booster chair with a little help from Dada, then showed off her sparkly shoes.

Jade Fox and Dada

Whose shoes are these?  Choose from Mia, Amon, and Jade.  I'll bet you can guess correctly!

Jade Fox and Dada  (photo by Fox, I think)

Tom and Great-grandma Evelyn's cruise: January 14-19, 2013

Do you know what this is?

Loud!

Great-grandma Evelyn enjoying pizza on the ninth deck of the Carnival cruise ship Triumph.

Puerto Progreso, Mexico

Cozumel, Mexico

Oil platform in the Gulf.
I like the sky ghosts, actually reflections of people inside the room on board ship where Papa Tom took the photo.  

Sunset (or sunrise?) over the Gulf of Mexico

Emma's got talent!

Waiting to sign in for the "America's Got Talent" audition January 12, 2013, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.

While waiting to audition with a producer, contestants could  perform in front of each other and each others' friends and family in the holding area.  Emma regaled the crowd with a heartfelt rendition of "Lean on Me," her audition number.

We arrived before 3 p.m. for registration.  Emma's group wasn't called to audition until after 6 p.m.  In the meantime, Emma made friends with Elizabeth, who'd come in from Houston.  The two of them decided their voices work well together, and performed Adele's "Rumor Has It" for the crowd in the holding area.

Styrofoam recycling at last!

Papa Tom's been saving Styrofoam from meals at the drug study, where he works Sundays,  waiting for the day that another Styrofoam recycling plant would open in Austin.  One finally did!  Papa Tom used a couple of his retirement days to organize all the Styrofoam in the garage and make the 20-mile trip to the landfill.  The Styrofoam is actually recycled there, rather than thrown into the landfill.

All packed up and ready to go!

Thanks, Papa Tom, for helping to save our planet!

Leaving on a jet plane

So hard to say good-bye, and so early in the morning to boot!  LaWanda and Otis  caught a flight at 7:05 a.m. January 3 and made it safely back to Portland.  Thanks so much for a great visit!  We look forward to seeing you soon!

One last holiday celebration: January 2 at Threadgill's

Jade and Otis were mesmerized by the country band playing at Threadgill's

Mia needs a bigger lap!

New Year's Day 2013

DonnaLynn rolled in at about 7:15 a.m., after a work night in the Quarter.  All of the nine arrestees on Bourbon Street were Texans: sigh.  We drove back to Austin on New Year's Day.  Light traffic and a quick trip, thanks to Papa Tom.

New Year's Eve 2012

LaWanda kindly re-enacted blowing out the candle on her German chocolate birthday cake so I could get a photo for the Blog.

This is the birthday candle that DonnaLynn had on hand.

Fireworks in the street outside DonnaLynn's house

Otis was so excited that he ran in circles

Hard to see, but according to my retro phone, it is officially 2013

HAPPY 2013!!!!

Algiers' Point

We rode the ferry from downtown New Orleans to Algiers Point for one last po' boy at the Dry Dock Cafe.

The band playing outside took a bathroom break

Riverboat Nachez and St. Louis Cathedral from Algiers Point

Papa Momo and Otis check out the Mississippi

Back on the ferry

LaWanda's "Heart Will Go On"

The fierce pelican awaits our disembarkment.  We only say that because the New Orleans' basketball team  formerly known as the Hornets is going to be the Pelicans.

LaWanda's birthday celebration continues

Strolled to Louis Armstrong Park at the edge of the Quarter.  Only later did we learn from Donna Lynn that this is a dangerous area.

Hotel guests (?) and others were throwing beads from the balconies on Bourbon Street.  LaWanda caught some.

I caught some too.  We checked out a burger and sandwich grill which had outdoor seating on a balcony overlooking Bourbon Street

After midnight, and time for birthday beignets at Cafe du Monde, which is open 24/7.  DonnaLynn said it was the first place to re-open after Katrina.