Thanksgiving in Shreveport (Saturday, November 17, 2018)

Happy Thanksgiving from Colton, Destry, Caroline, Blake, Donna, Tom, Martha, Craig, and me.  Dad and Martin ate lunch with us but left before the selfie was taken. Fox did not want to be in the photo.  Blake surprised us, flying in from California.

Fox and Dad

Fox with Great-aunt Donna

Happy Birthday, Caroline!  Caroline's birthday is November 27, one day after Donna's.

Destry did the turkey carving honors.

Martha, Donna, and Colton

Our room at the Ramada Inn had no heat.  At about 1 in the morning, we moved to a heated room.  Fox slept through the move and was surprised when she woke up in the morning.  Thank goodness for the luggage cart!

Fox and Zephyr (week before Thanksgiving)

Fox has gone violet!  I think the color is beautiful with her eyes.

Could Zephyr be any less interested in having yet another photo taken?

Au revoir, Threadgill's! (November 13, 2018)

One more time: chicken fried steak, fried okra, Texas caviar, sweet potato fries.  Threadgill's on Riverside is going to close on November 30.  The venerable music venue will probably be the site of high-rise condos within a year or two.

The photos will be auctioned off on December 8, when we're in Portland.  Friend Roy has said he'll attend for us and try to get the photo of drummer Otis Lewis, for whom our very own Otis Lewis is named.

Cozy cat house for Einar (November 13, 2018)

Due to the freeze warning, we set up Einarr's cat house with a heating pad.  Yes, we are devoted.  The pad automatically clicks off after about 2 hours, so we dutifully turn it back on for him through the day and into the night.

Einarr in motion

Snow flurries in Austin (November 14, 2018)

We harvested the last of our bell peppers on November 13, thanks to a freeze warning.  Good thing!  There were snow flurries in downtown Austin on November 14.

Days with Zephyr

Zephyr's a talker.  She visits with Papa Tom through the kitchen window.

She talks to me from Fox's room, through my office window.

Taking it easy in my office, in the Princess chair.

She's also an explorer.  We thought she was stuck in the neighbor's elm tree, so Papa Tom offered her a 2" x 4" bridge.  She tested the bridge, then opted to scramble down the trunk.

Happy Birthday, Martha!

Happy birthday, Martha! You were born on November 8, 1960, the day JFK was elected. We lived in Talara, Peru, and called you Martita at first, then "Tita" until you started school.  So many happy memories!

"Rhapsody in View" by the Centenary College Choir (November 3, 2018)

Joyce, Emma, and Al in the reception area of First Baptist Church before the performance.

Yes, choir members changed clothes during intermission.  Dad, Emma, Martha, and me after the performance.

Traffic jam in Canton, Texas: who knew? (November 3, 2018)

Very surprised to be stuck in half-hour traffic jam in Canton, Texas, on my way to Shreveport on Saturday, November 3, 2018.  Had no clue about "First Monday Market Days" in which people from miles around flood the town to shop at a gigantic flea market.  Grumpily noted that it was Saturday, not Monday.  First Monday indeed!

Wagon load of Christmas decorations

Christian teachings blasted over a PA system.

So much to see, so little time!

Happy Halloween from Asheville to Austin to Portland (October 31, 2018)

Piper Clown, Wednesday, T-Rex River, Stevie Nicks, Uncle Fester

The Personal Demon and Zombie Hunter makeup the Grim Reaper 

Batman (Leila's son Mason), Otis Clown, Kitty Cat (Leila's daughter Ava)

Uncle Micah