In the air and on the road (December 4, 2018)

Piper, River, and Mya in the concourse, flying from Asheville to Atlanta to Portland

Mt. Hood's majestic, snowy welcome from our jet window as we began our descent into Portland

Ramzi's Mt. Shasta campsite on his drive up from Los Angeles

Headed for Portland (December 4, 2018)

Packed a lawyer, guns, and money to address any eventuality encountered on the trip (check out Warren Zevon's "Lawyers, Guns, and Money" on YouTube)

The coffee robot at Austin's airport looks surprisingly human.  I wonder if he makes good coffee too?

Of course TSA inspected the Nerf gun suitcase.  Good job!  I wonder if some fun was had in the inspection room before the suitcase was sent on its way?

Mason and Otis (November 2018)

Micah and Leila took Leila's son Mason and Otis to a Blazers game recently.  Looking forward to seeing you guys in a few days!

Got one last photo of the "Otis Lewis" photo on the wall at Threadgill's on Riverside.  The restaurant closed November 30, due to high rent.  When LaWanda was pregnant with Otis, yet unnamed, we all had a meal at Threadgill's.  Micah and LaWanda saw the "Otis Lewis" photo on the wall at our table and decided to name their son "Otis."  I had my last lunch there on Wednesday, November 27.  Had hoped to get a better photo of the photo, but three EMTs were sitting at the table.  They were kind enough to move over for a second but I didn't want to make a big production out of it so ended up with a blurry photo with glare on the glass. Sigh.  

Onward to Christmas! (November 30, 2018)

More than 30 years ago (I was pregnant with Amon), Sharon Reed and I worked together at the Williamson County Sun in Georgetown.  We got back together in G'town to see a live production of Winter Wonderland at the remodeled Palace Theatre.  Oh, how things have changed.  On Friday nights, the boys (then about 9, 6, and 1) and I used to have dinner at the now-closed Mexican restaurant in the same building followed by a movie at the Palace.

Hanging out with Roy, Camille, Camille's boyfriend Paul (November 23 and November 27)

Camille and Paul work in the music business in Denver, Colorado.  They were in town to visit Camille's Dad Roy.  All three had dinner at our house on Black Friday.

Paul and Camille came back on Tuesday morning to make a brunch of hash browns and tofu scramble.

Joining us for brunch were Roy and friends Barbara, Greg, and Henry.  The political perspectives at the table were interesting.  We had Sierra Club members, two Millennials, a retired engineer, a retired CPA . . . . 

Meeting Anjanette, Jake, and Jake's parents at Chuy's (Sunday, November 25, 2018)

Earlier in the week, at Costco, Fox had chosen some Ferrero Rocher hazlenut chocolates to take to her Mom for Thanksgiving. We met Anjanette, Jake, and Jake's parents at Chuy's on Sunday for Fox to say "hi" and deliver the chocolates.

Cool jump starter (Friday, November 23, 2018)

Okay, I'm probably way behind the times but I am very impressed with this cool jump starter.  Too bad we needed it!  When the Zoomer wouldn't start, Sarah loaned us this gadget from the trunk of her car.  Tom connected it to the Zoomer's battery terminals and the Zoomer revved right up.  A lot handier than trying to get the pickup up into the yard next to the Zoomer's hood, or pushing the Zoomer down the driveway and into the street hood-to-hood with the pickup.  Unfortunately we needed a new alternator. Can't complain too much.  The original alternator lasted nearly 9 years.

School's out for Thanksgiving week (November 19-23, 2018)

Amon had work every day but Thanksgiving, so we got to play with Fox all week.  She painted Tinkerbell at Cafe Monet.

We shopped at Target for red shoes to go with her Thanksgiving dress.

We practiced cursive writing and drawing Barbie.

She wrote "The Four Happy Cousins," a book with photos about our August trip to visit the Asheville Lewises.  Having it printed via Shutterfly to share with all the cousins.

Thanksgiving Day in Austin (November 22, 2018)

Fox found a pretty Thanksgiving dress at Costco when we were shopping for smoked turkey and pumpkin cheesecake.

Trying our hand at Jenga

After Amon and Fox went home, we stopped by Sarah and Kirk's for some Thanksgiving cheer

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