Fox and Cinnamon at the Voodoo Museum

Sunday, May 3, 2015

On the mend

River made a flying leap off the couch to retrieve a balloon from the ceiling and fell on his arm, breaking it in two places. So sorry, River! Get back to running, jumping, and playing as soon as possible!

Hanging out: April 29, 2015

Jade's graduated to a booster seat. We offered the infant seat to Sarah and Kirk, who are expecting twins in July, but Sarah said once car seats are more than 6 years old, they aren't safe any more, due to metal/plastic fatigue. I was not aware of this!

Hanging at Crestview Station after dinner at Fuzzy's Tacos, also at Midtown Commons.

Be careful, Papa Tom!

Do you hear that train a coming?

A mama cat stares at us through the fence across the tracks. Her kittens scampered under the ladders to Jade's disappointment.

Thunderstorm!

The storm was so loud it woke us up around 2 a.m. April 27. Thunder! Lightning! Around mid-morning the next day, a storm blew several train cars off elevated tracks in New Orleans. I wonder if it was the same storm system?

Front porch with Papa: April 27, 2015

Papa and Jade shared a taco out front before we recorded our "Happy Birthday" video for Piper

Jade pretended to need a siesta after dinner

We'd love to use the train more often, but . . . .

MetroRail could be more user friendly. Understandably, because the MetroRail shares tracks with freight trains, compromises must be made. Leander is the furthermost point from Austin in the system. No riding the train in from Leander on Friday and back out on Saturday for instance.

And this is downright threatening. Of course, you don't see the sign until after you've parked and are about to board the train. The 3-minute bus ride probably involves at least a 30-minute wait. And the trains only come every 30 minutes. You could have to wait nearly 30 minutes (again) after you arrive at the station. Seriously, this station is only 5 miles from downtown. You could walk the distance in 1.5 hours.

No service at all on Sunday. But you can walk/bike/bus/drive. Potential passengers could do that every day. No need for light rail.

Eight total bikes per train? Then you can go park at the lot that's a convenient bus ride away? I think cyclists could cover the 5 miles to downtown in (I'm guessing) less time than it would take to ride the train. Sigh.

Last fall, Austin voters turned down a $1.4 billion proposition to expand the rail system to run from the new ACC campus (old Highland Mall) near our house, through downtown, to the ACC campus out Riverside, just a few miles shy of the airport. Downtown to the airport might have made sense, assuming service was more frequent and user friendly than what we've currently got. I think Uber and Lyft and other solutions by the people for the people will make mass transit planning passe.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Piper!

We haven't seen Piper since the Asheville Lewises visited in December 2014. Here she sits in the chair that first belonged to Ryder. The chair has held up well for 35 years!

Piper immediately put on Mr. Potato Head's glasses. She has a baby doll just like this one back in Asheville.

Jade leads Piper down the hall.

Papa Tom and the kids show off their gingerbread house. I was still finding candy under the couch into March.

Gingerbread houses are for eating-- right away!

Piper riding the rails with Mom and Dad

Spring! April 23, 2015

Aloe vera in bloom

Fuzzy decided to visit after dark and Jade stepped outside to tell him "hello"

Come on, Scrappy! Wouldn't you like a slice of sweet, juicy apple? Why do I feel like the wicked queen in Snow White?

Earth Day plus one: April 23, 2015

Found a real palm tree to hug across from Gloria's on Sixth Street

View from the patio at Gloria's, El Salvadoran restaurant at 300 West Sixth. There's a horse on the corner. Why not? If I were a better photographer, or knew how to use Photoshop, you could see that the horse has a flashing taillight on the saddle.

Earth Day: April 22, 2015

Well of course one must have Palm Tree Hugger Nachos from Hula Hut for dinner on Earth Day.

Incredible!

The party barge, parked next to Hula Hut

After dinner with Cheryl at Hula Hut, we hung out at her place and were joined by her daughters Loren (recently Dr. Kempf since passing her veterinarian licensing exam) and Megan, an attorney who practices in Austin.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Photo booth at Marty's party: April 18, 2015

The '60s! One more time.

Rainy night on Sixth Street: April 18, 2015

Gushing gutter. We'd better enjoy this now. The hot, dry days of summer will be here soon enough.

Sixth Street glistens.

Sixth Street is temporarily deserted. Throngs ventured back out when the rain stopped.

Marty's 65th birthday party: April 18, 2015

Marty Cirkiel and Tom have been friends for about 40 years. Tom is the first person Marty met when he moved to Austin from Brooklyn. Marty's wife Pam is a real estate agent and she sold Tom our house back in 1984. Marty says this is his "Medicare" birthday since he just became eligible.