After brunch fun (December 5, 2021)

We played the corn hole game outside the 2020 Market in the Rivery.

The Horns, Brandy, and Fox hung out while everyone else played.

Shorts, T-shirts, and a Christmas tree. Because. We're in Central Texas.

With the grands.  Note that I'm in at least 1" heels.  They're growing up and past me!

Otis, Micah, and Danny

 

Brunch with the Horns (December 5, 2021)

Everyone but Tom and Amon, who were at work, met at 2020 Market in Georgetown for brunch.  Mya and Fox both wanted to sit beside popular cousin Danny. 

Beautiful day!  So good to see the Horns again.  Danny is majoring in linguistic forensics with a projected 2022 graduation. She's moving into her first apartment this weekend with shopping at IKEA set for after brunch. Warm enough for open garage doors, also a COVID protection precaution.  Omicron variant on the horizon....
 

Beto's rally for Governor (Saturday, December 4)

We attended Beto O'Rourke's Austin kickoff campaign rally on Saturday night, meeting Brandy there.  She'd been there early to help with the VIP event.  We met Beto after the rally.  Future Texas governor?  Brandy's working hard for that future.  Thank you, Brandy!  I'll play a smaller part, writing letters maybe.  Knocking on doors and making cold calls is not me.

Just before the rally, we met Sarah Howell and a friend at the bird statue in the Square.

During the entire rally, the opposition circled the block next to Republic Square.  The sign on the bumper said the naysaying was paid for by supporters for Governor Abbott.

Biden was a target too.

 

Lunch at Amon's while he's at work (Saturday, December 4)

Everyone arrived Friday night after delays.  Apparently the pilot's seat on the plane from Portland was broken so the Portland Lewises arrived several hours late, after the seat was repaired.  As Micah said, "Couldn't he sit on a bucket?" The Asheville Lewises' plane was about 2 hours late.  Before they arrived, I picked up their food order from Walmart and put food away at their Air B&B on West St. Johns.  We all met at Amon and Fox's on Saturday for sandwiches and cookies. Amon was at work and didn't know we would be there. Micah and Otis had spent the night there.

Amon and Fox's martial arts living room was a hit!

Chin up challenge!

Next!

Reaching the bar!  Tossing the ball!

About to test how well the bar is anchored in the cross beam.

The bar stayed put and Piper was next.

Time for hide and seek, the ever-popular Nerf gun, and video games.

 Brandy's ready for Beto O'Rourke's rally at Republic Square in downtown Austin tonight.  She's one his ambassadors and will be there several hours early to help with the pre-rally VIP event, the rally, then photos after the rally.

Hours before everyone arrives (December 3, 2021)

Life must go on.  Yet another Friday lime dip for Sunkist and TC.  Mama Rainbow and Sonny are with their adopters.  Surge is with his new foster.
 

Last minute! (December 1-3, 2021)

Oh my!  Two days out. Will we ever get everything in order before everyone arrives on December 3?

Why yes!  Go us!  Miraculous change!

My office with one day to go.  Where oh where to put all the stuff???

Before: Still some space in one of the master bedroom closets.  Not any more!

Still so much to do before everyone arrives December 3! (November 27, 2021)

Only 5 days before everyone arrives and the closets and drawers throughout the house are full.  As is the tool shed.  And the garage.  And the space under the house. Too much stuff! And we've already given a ton away. Where oh where to hide all these things until we have more time to sort???  At least my study walls are painted.

Papa's still sorting through his space too.  Argh!

The kitchen on November 27.  The boxes are full of items I had to remove from the sun room aka cattery when Rainbow and her family arrived with ringworm.  The spores can live in furniture, carpets, and drapes for up to 20 months.  And ringworm is transmissible to humans. Only cleanable surfaces remain in the cattery except for kitten towels, which I wash in hot soapy water daily, and their scratching posts, which I spray with bleach water daily.  I spend about an hour every morning wiping every surface with bleach water.  A lot of surface in that 11' x 17' room! 

The kitchen on November 29, after spending 12 hours rearranging the utility room and giving away more items so all those boxes would fit.  
 

Cats again. Because they're so cute! (November 19-27, 2021)

Lime dip punk fur!  Starting November 9, the kitties get Tuesday/Friday lime dips in an effort to rid them of the ringworm fungus.  So pesky and persistent!

Sunkist's punk fur.  No gel needed.

Sunny knows how to hang out.

I wish I could speak "cat" to understand Sunny's interesting opinion.

You're gonna need a bigger box!

Surge with his prize.

Contemplative TC.

Surge likes to lie in wait in the empty litter bag then pounce on unwary siblings who mosey past.
 

Mozart's light show break (November 18, 2021)

Ok, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet.  But Cheryl and I partook of early holiday spirit at Mozart's annual light show.  Flashing lights!  Live music!  A beautiful night.

I especially liked the "Twinkle, twinkle little star" screen next to the marina.  Reminds me of Support Texas Adoptee Rights (STAR).
 

More repairs (November 18, 2021)

 The bottom of the sideboard was bowed and needs repair.  Papa has a plan!  But it will be the bottomless sideboard until after everyone visits December 3-12.  Papa has to focus on finishing the deck for now.

Kittens! (November 15-18, 2021)

Surge at 76 days old.  No potential adopters have inquired about him yet.  He and his siblings all still have ringworm fungus spores.  Much harder to find homes for them even though Austin Pets Alive waives the $100 adoption fee for ringworm kitties.

Sunkist was adopted on November 10 as a birthday present for the adopter's son.  But because there's an immuno-compromised child in the home, I'm caring for Sunkist until she's ringworm free.

Sunny's adopted too.  Again, we're fighting ringworm.  Argh!

TC is Fox's kitten and king of the scratching post!

Sunkist's turn!

 

Ginormous homes going up in the 'hood (November 14, 2021)

New construction at our corner is being offered for $2 million with the contractor retaining the right to change the price, probably upward.

Side view of 1201 Alguno Road.  A studio/office is above the double garage.

Around the corner from us on Grover, a builder is constructing four single-family homes with garage apartments/studios.  The lots are about 200' long, backing up to a creek, and in the flood plain.  That's why the slabs/piers are so high.

A fifth home on Grover is slated for tear down.

 

Painting my study 13 years after the remodel (started November 12, 2021)

Before the 2008 remodel, there was a second window on the south wall, now gone due to adding the kitchen and sun room.  I never painted the bare sheetrock.  Perhaps it's time?  The walls were Army green when this was Amon's room from age 8 when Tom and I married in 1995 until age 18.  I painted the walls candlelight pink in 2005, converting Amon's room to the Princess room complete with a canopy bed.  Remember?  

The new colors are Valspar's Purple Gala and Twilight Mist.

The hole in the wall was covered with Micah's framed fish drawing for years.  We must have repaired it once before, long ago, because the spare piece of sheetrock stored in the closet fits like the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle.  I have no memory of how the hole got there in the first place or how the repair failed.  But the repair is painted candlelight pink, so the hole must have happened after Amon moved out.

Four days later, the painting is finished.  Now to put the room back together!  Or together for the first time.