Happy 20, sweet Danny!

The last time we were together, on February 2, you sang "Amazing Grace" so beautifully for my Dad, your great-grandfather. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The very last time we were together, also February 2, was when your Mom, P. Tom, Ollie, and I helped you move to your new dorm room at Centenary, on the wing where only French was spoken. I missed your get together with P. Tom in Austin at the end of February, because I was in Shreveport prepping my Dad's house to sell.  We've missed you and look forward to having dinner with you on your birthday tomorrow, August 24th.

 

Happy 32 to Michael Craig on August 28th!

Dad and Craig at the Gilliams around Christmas 2019.

 

Happy 69, Tom! (celebrating a day early on August 8, 2020)

I joined the August birthday boys Tom, Greg, and Roy at La Mancha's on August 8th for beer, chips, and nachos. We hadn't been inside a restaurant since mid-March. We sat six feet apart, wore masks except when actually eating or drinking.  We're two weeks out now (writing this on August 23) and none of us has contracted COVID 19.

This is how it's done.  As usual, Greg refused to be photographed.

 

Hanging out at Micah's house (August 1, 2020)

Micah's kitten Moto and Otis's kitten Vix, one day in

Per my request, Micah tried to take a photo of the humans with the kittens and puppy.  What was I thinking?  Hiss!  Bat! Leap and run! Maybe we can PhotoShop Moto in.

Vix and Moto

Blurry Vix

The chase is on. May I recommend "The Other Guys," starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg? We laughed so hard.

A man and his kitten

The Kitten Lodge

Vix is already at home in the Lodge

 

Home at last! (July 31, 2020)

Beautiful night to grill and visit around the fire pit.  See Popcorn in Renee's lap?  He's about the same age as the kittens.  Otis, Vix, and I arrived on Friday; I left on Sunday.  Micah picked us up and dropped me off at the airport.  I didn't see anyone except Micah, Renee, and Otis while there.  

Micah, Otis, Renee, and Popcorn

Vix meets Moto, Micah's kitten who's about the same age as Vix

 

Homeward bound (July 31, 2020)

Vix and her Twix (courtesy of Southwest, my favorite airline) are all checked in to fly with us.  I flew with Otis and Vix as unaccompanied minors cannot travel with pets.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was clean and safe.  And nearly empty.

I was surprised to find some airport restaurants open but with all the COVID 19 barriers you see in restaurants outside the airport.

Otis's favorite: the window seat.  Because SW kept middle seats open, Otis and I had the row to ourselves.  We were able to put Vix's carrier in the middle seat after takeoff.  She was a champion!  Barely mewed at all, even though she'd had no food since midnight or water since we put her in the carrier.

 

Summertime in Austin (July 2020)

Fortnite!

When it's too hot outside to shoot hoops

Several days a week, Amon dropped Fox off on his way to work

Crazy Eights, snacks, and headphones

Going for the Sandy at the end of Grease look

Not quite Sandy, but maybe Shirley Temple?

Huh?

July 29th.  The last day together before Otis and Vix fly to Portland on July 31.

 

Happy 67! (July 26, 2020)

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes and gifts and words of wisdom that make it worth being another year older.

Thanks, Martin, for the very cool lava lamp. Reliving 1967 at 67. Whoo hoo!

 

July harvest

Ripening cherry tomatoes

Argiope aurantia (gilded silver face) is a common yellow garden spider.  They are not aggressive unless disturbed.  Their bite is comparable to a bee sting.  They destroy their circular web each night and respin it in the morning.

Our tomatoes and a home-grown water melon from Jan and Jim Roberts.  So fragrant, sweet, and delicious! Thanks again, Jan and Jim!

 

Dart Bowl closes forever (July 14, 2020)

Our neighborhood bowling alley Dart Bowl closed July 14.  Micah worked there during high school, I think before there was automatic pin setting?  One of his jobs was to decorate pins for birthday parties.  He gave me this one for my birthday.

"Happy birthday, Mom."  Aw!

 

Dog days of summer, starring cats! (July 2020)

Who is this interloper?

Zephyr, czarina of the scratching post

Taco Cat is spelled the same frontwards and backwards.

Vix wants to help Fox write her chapter book.

I see you.

Four-note cat

Meanwhile, in Portland, Moto loves to play with Micah's face

Otis hopes Zephyr and Vix can be friends.

 

Surrounded by life (end of June 2020)

We plant dill each year for the Eastern Swallowtail caterpillars to munch on.  We didn't have many this year, so I was very happy to spot one of the butterflies on a zenia.

We all enjoy the comfy chair next to the kitchen window.

Vix is hanging out

 

Quick social distancing visit with the Olsons and the Howells (June 29, 2020)

We had an hour or so with the Olsons and Howells before the Olsons flew back to Seattle at the end of June.  Hi Beka!  Hi Miles! (looking out the window).

No hugs, but we could pet Kerbey, the Howells' new dog.

 

Summer marches on (June 24-28, 2020)

Otis sleeps hard after four days of basketball camp.

After hardly driving since mid-March, I wondered if it was time for a Zoomer oil change. So weird!  The day I checked, the mileage was at 104,437, the exact mileage noted for the next oil change!  See below.

One of the tobacco worms (tomato plant eating caterpillars) became a tobacco moth, soon to be rehomed miles away at the Bull Creek watershed.

Yep, it's time: 104,437 miles