Last night we had dinner at the specialty restaurant in the Kings Court. It was an Indian feast with
all the curry. Dario arranged the table by a window overlooking the ocean which was as smooth
as a lake. In fact this was the mildest crossing we ever made in my memory.
Jenny is on a tour of Stonehenge and Salisbury while we chose to stay aboard and do some
housekeeping chores.
The QM2 will be sailing for Hamburg at 1600 hours and will host another sail-away party
at the end of deck 8.
So far, our journey has been excellent although the movies haven't been to our liking. Maybe
the current crop of pictures are too high tech for our generational tastes. Too much flash and
very little storyline.
The lectures have been stimulating. One speaker had spent a few years roaming the Arabian
desert on camels and had many stories to tell about his life among the Arabs in the region.
The other, Nigel West, is a writer of non-fiction spy tales and was quite interesting.
We have one more day at sea before we head into Hamburg on August 24, two days there
then on the 27th we leave for home.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
On Our Way
We arrived in NYC and went straight to our hotel Marco-Lexington where we met Jenny. Had
dinner at the Italian restaurant within and hit the sack shortly after. We were pooped out.
The next morning we took the Premium Limousine Service to the Brooklyn Port Terminal
to board the QM2. It was great seeing the big ship and fortunately we moved quickly through
the boarding routine and went straight to our rooms on deck 8. We had stateroom 8051( the
same one Barri and John had in 2012 crossing). Jenny had 8041, down the passageway.
Today, Friday August 16, the weather is great and last night's rest was comfortable, a calm sea
and freedom of care from the busy schedule of moving out of our house in Sandia Park. As
usual, the meals on board are first rate. We did manage to see Dario, one of our waiters during
the "Round The World Tour". He's a supervisor now and strolls about in a dark suit with a
gold tag on his breast pocket.
Took a brief hike around the deck before lunch. Attended a lecture about Saudi Arabia and
the Arab Spring. As usual, the system on the ship isn't too reliable so this blog may be
disjointed but hang in there to the end.
At dinner last night, I kept thinking about Aubrey and Walter, how they roamed around the
ship and covered so much territory. Maybe we can make another voyage together again
before our time runs out.
Annabelle is in our stateroom resting before this afternoon's lecture and I'm ready to sign off.
Saturday, August 17...Just got word from our broker that the appraisal of our house was well
over the sale price. I thought it would but I'm glad everything is now set for closing on Sept. 16.
Expect to leave for Austin on the 17th,
The sea is quite calm. Very little wind. This afternoon we went through immigration procedures
for England and Germany. All this is managed on board to avoid the hassle of doing it ashore.
Attended a lecture by author Margaret Attwood. Not much of a speaker and am not too impressed
by her literary skills. Of course, she write fiction which is not my cup of tea.
Tonight, passengers are scheduled to meet with the Capt. at the usual cocktail event. We're going
to skip this one since we will see him at a later date on a more informal occasion. Jenny is going.
Saw our old waiters, Chris and Dario, who served us on the 2009 Round the World Cruise. Both
are now Supervisors at the Kings Court.
A portrait of mother and daughter at the center of deck 3 on the way to dinner at the Britannia.
Hopefully, this picture will arrive on your computer.
dinner at the Italian restaurant within and hit the sack shortly after. We were pooped out.
The next morning we took the Premium Limousine Service to the Brooklyn Port Terminal
to board the QM2. It was great seeing the big ship and fortunately we moved quickly through
the boarding routine and went straight to our rooms on deck 8. We had stateroom 8051( the
same one Barri and John had in 2012 crossing). Jenny had 8041, down the passageway.
Today, Friday August 16, the weather is great and last night's rest was comfortable, a calm sea
and freedom of care from the busy schedule of moving out of our house in Sandia Park. As
usual, the meals on board are first rate. We did manage to see Dario, one of our waiters during
the "Round The World Tour". He's a supervisor now and strolls about in a dark suit with a
gold tag on his breast pocket.
Took a brief hike around the deck before lunch. Attended a lecture about Saudi Arabia and
the Arab Spring. As usual, the system on the ship isn't too reliable so this blog may be
disjointed but hang in there to the end.
At dinner last night, I kept thinking about Aubrey and Walter, how they roamed around the
ship and covered so much territory. Maybe we can make another voyage together again
before our time runs out.
Annabelle is in our stateroom resting before this afternoon's lecture and I'm ready to sign off.
Saturday, August 17...Just got word from our broker that the appraisal of our house was well
over the sale price. I thought it would but I'm glad everything is now set for closing on Sept. 16.
Expect to leave for Austin on the 17th,
The sea is quite calm. Very little wind. This afternoon we went through immigration procedures
for England and Germany. All this is managed on board to avoid the hassle of doing it ashore.
Attended a lecture by author Margaret Attwood. Not much of a speaker and am not too impressed
by her literary skills. Of course, she write fiction which is not my cup of tea.
Tonight, passengers are scheduled to meet with the Capt. at the usual cocktail event. We're going
to skip this one since we will see him at a later date on a more informal occasion. Jenny is going.
Saw our old waiters, Chris and Dario, who served us on the 2009 Round the World Cruise. Both
are now Supervisors at the Kings Court.
Hopefully, this picture will arrive on your computer.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
All That Stuff!
When an old person like myself gets ready to move to new quarters he gets the rare chance to review his life from way back when and it offers one the opportunity to see where you've been and what you did. It's all there in the
boxes of pictures, personal papers and bric-a-brac collected throughout a long
and eventful life. Usually, children, other family members or friends have the
task of sorting through all the debris of a person's history after he dies. No one engaged in this thankless task has a clue as to who is in the photo or what
that picture or paper really meant in that life. It is just a thankless task
that must be done and it is a back breaking trek to the city dump. Not so, when
the old person has to venture among the stuff, collected and saved during his
lifetime. These bits and pieces of things are real life memories that become
alive, one piece of paper at a time. One soiled photo of a father, mother or
favorite aunt who died ages ago, but who become alive even for just one moment.
I began looking through all that stuff today and I must confess that I relived
at least 70 years of my past as I lovingly held pieces of my life, each by each.
My eyes watered frequently after looking at an array of photos that were hidden
in card board boxes for years that I knew were there but couldn't summon up the courage to open. My wonderful aunts on my mother's side,in their 1930's outfits, who I loved dearly, and remembered how they watched over and pampered me and cooked such tasty meals whenever we visited. The reports I wrote on my jobs, how hard I worked to please everyone...vanity, all is vanity. Whatever happened to the high school I developed at Lower Brule? That dusty proposal in a cardboard box tells the whole story but no one can know how much it meant to me. All that stuff in the boxes that I sorted through made up the story of my life, however, I alone, can live it again, I alone, can laugh, cry or cringe at each memento. No one who waded through these dusty boxes could know what all that stuff meant. It, in many ways,tells the story of my life. What do I keep and what do I discard? It probably makes little difference to others but it tells me so many things that I can now recall but our new home is too sparse for those dusty boxes and the memories they contain will have to remain with me.
boxes of pictures, personal papers and bric-a-brac collected throughout a long
and eventful life. Usually, children, other family members or friends have the
task of sorting through all the debris of a person's history after he dies. No one engaged in this thankless task has a clue as to who is in the photo or what
that picture or paper really meant in that life. It is just a thankless task
that must be done and it is a back breaking trek to the city dump. Not so, when
the old person has to venture among the stuff, collected and saved during his
lifetime. These bits and pieces of things are real life memories that become
alive, one piece of paper at a time. One soiled photo of a father, mother or
favorite aunt who died ages ago, but who become alive even for just one moment.
I began looking through all that stuff today and I must confess that I relived
at least 70 years of my past as I lovingly held pieces of my life, each by each.
My eyes watered frequently after looking at an array of photos that were hidden
in card board boxes for years that I knew were there but couldn't summon up the courage to open. My wonderful aunts on my mother's side,in their 1930's outfits, who I loved dearly, and remembered how they watched over and pampered me and cooked such tasty meals whenever we visited. The reports I wrote on my jobs, how hard I worked to please everyone...vanity, all is vanity. Whatever happened to the high school I developed at Lower Brule? That dusty proposal in a cardboard box tells the whole story but no one can know how much it meant to me. All that stuff in the boxes that I sorted through made up the story of my life, however, I alone, can live it again, I alone, can laugh, cry or cringe at each memento. No one who waded through these dusty boxes could know what all that stuff meant. It, in many ways,tells the story of my life. What do I keep and what do I discard? It probably makes little difference to others but it tells me so many things that I can now recall but our new home is too sparse for those dusty boxes and the memories they contain will have to remain with me.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Reflections On Leaving Our Mountains
I always new the time would arrive when we had to leave our home in Sandia Park. I never wanted to think about that day but just like every thing in life I've
known, there is an end. Although a person in his 80's should be accustomed to
the conclusion of all things, I hide behind the the wall of denial that all this
is part of wonder of living yet also part of the torture one goes through up to
old age. The death of one's grandparents, parents and sometimes, children. The
homes you close and friends who have gone. The beautiful objects that you collect and admire, that too will fade into the night when the time arrives.
I walked through our home we designed and built to last forever but forever
was a dream too far and my heart only told me that dreams are only part of the
deception that plays out in the stream of years. I gazed at the pieces
of my past, the furniture, old and worn, owned by my aunts, Rose, Min and Ettie and the ancient sewing machine Grandma Bettie worked at while I, a mere child,
watched in awe on tip toes as she made that machine do her bidding. All these
objects will travel to other places, I know not where, but will the new owners
know how much they meant to me and how they stirred the memories of the past? I
fear not.
The mountains will remain unchanged when we leave. We will begin to change as
soon as they're out of sight. Until the end of my run, I will ski the slopes
and hike the trails with Annabelle and hope that these memories remain alive.
known, there is an end. Although a person in his 80's should be accustomed to
the conclusion of all things, I hide behind the the wall of denial that all this
is part of wonder of living yet also part of the torture one goes through up to
old age. The death of one's grandparents, parents and sometimes, children. The
homes you close and friends who have gone. The beautiful objects that you collect and admire, that too will fade into the night when the time arrives.
I walked through our home we designed and built to last forever but forever
was a dream too far and my heart only told me that dreams are only part of the
deception that plays out in the stream of years. I gazed at the pieces
of my past, the furniture, old and worn, owned by my aunts, Rose, Min and Ettie and the ancient sewing machine Grandma Bettie worked at while I, a mere child,
watched in awe on tip toes as she made that machine do her bidding. All these
objects will travel to other places, I know not where, but will the new owners
know how much they meant to me and how they stirred the memories of the past? I
fear not.
The mountains will remain unchanged when we leave. We will begin to change as
soon as they're out of sight. Until the end of my run, I will ski the slopes
and hike the trails with Annabelle and hope that these memories remain alive.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
26 Pine Ridge Road...........For Sale
It is with mixed emotions that we have contracted with a realtor to put our home
for almost 30 years, up for sale. We put a great deal of love and effort into
this place and enjoyed every moment of our time here. From the time when we decided to build, to our detailed planning of the total structure, to hiring the
architect and builder and finally moving in, has been one of our greatest adventures. We have cherished our relationship with the Gravagnes, our neighbors
and have watched their children develop into fine young adults. The skiing in
the winter and the hiking in the mountain so nearby has been a luxury that few
people can enjoy on such a regular basis. It is difficult to let go of such a
satisfying existence but there comes a time when the current chapter is complete
and a new one awaits to be opened. I know it can't be as fulfilling as the stay
here in Sandia Park but what else can one due when old age is a daily reminder and Father Time is feverishly knocking at the door. Take it from this ancient
mariner that it's true," time and tide wait for no man." Don't wait for tomorrow to do the things you want to do or see now. Annabelle and I have always tried to
set short term goals and still prepare for the future. It has worked for us these 40 decades together and we're going to make every effort to stretch this
out just a trifle longer.
We had our first contact, a couple looking for a home for their daughter. They certainly liked our home, darn it!
for almost 30 years, up for sale. We put a great deal of love and effort into
this place and enjoyed every moment of our time here. From the time when we decided to build, to our detailed planning of the total structure, to hiring the
architect and builder and finally moving in, has been one of our greatest adventures. We have cherished our relationship with the Gravagnes, our neighbors
and have watched their children develop into fine young adults. The skiing in
the winter and the hiking in the mountain so nearby has been a luxury that few
people can enjoy on such a regular basis. It is difficult to let go of such a
satisfying existence but there comes a time when the current chapter is complete
and a new one awaits to be opened. I know it can't be as fulfilling as the stay
here in Sandia Park but what else can one due when old age is a daily reminder and Father Time is feverishly knocking at the door. Take it from this ancient
mariner that it's true," time and tide wait for no man." Don't wait for tomorrow to do the things you want to do or see now. Annabelle and I have always tried to
set short term goals and still prepare for the future. It has worked for us these 40 decades together and we're going to make every effort to stretch this
out just a trifle longer.
We had our first contact, a couple looking for a home for their daughter. They certainly liked our home, darn it!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Age and Remembrance
Friends and family have been writing and calling me about my approaching age 88
on May 11. Most all of them want to know how it feels to reach this ripe old age. Of course, I inform them all that it is better than the alternative but
in truth, old age is not that great. I'd rather be as old as my grandchildren,
just starting out in this brave new world. Instead of old memories that seem to
infect much of my daylight hours, I would prefer to think of the things that I
could look forward to in the coming years, worlds that are out there to conquer
just as I used to dream about in my youth. I have few regrets during my long life. I lived through some exciting times; the great depression of the '30s,
World War 2 in which I served for 4 long years, a marriage to Norma of 25 years with 3 wonderful children, gainful employment in responsible positions, including
a High School principalship then a beautiful marriage of 40 years to sweetheart,
Annabelle and be a close friend to her children as well. To top it all off,
I retired at age 54 and have been able to see the world and visit countries that
my father only talked about but never lived to see. Throughout this time, I
managed to accumulate the finances to accommodate all of our aspirations to travel, buy what we need and share some of our good fortune with others. Now
where do we go from here. They say that people who are afraid to die are also
afraid to live. I'm not certain about that since the next few years will be
a challenge to both Annabelle and I as we open the final chapter in this episode.
People also want to know how one knows when one is getting old. For me, the
response is quite simple. Here's how I know that I reached that point in life.
Of course, you will have different markers to tell you when age has crept in.
When I still find the big band sounds of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw still
exciting and I find myself thinking of how I used to do the Lindy Hop at the
high school proms. When I cringe after hearing some of the raucous language
on the TV, after listening in the old days to the mild comments of Jack Benny or
Phil Silvers on the radio. When I remember Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby croon
their melodies, so sweet and tender. When I seek out the old TV classics of
Gary Cooper or Jimmie Stewart or Kirk Douglas and the westerns I enjoyed. Oh! yes, there were the ball players; Di Maggio, Mantle and even Babe Ruth that my
dad took me to see in New York. When we traveled to the city to see Al Jolson,
Eddie Cantor and Will Rogers at the Palace in Manhattan. How I remember the
1939 World's Fair which demonstrated the brand new gadget, television, which
was predicted would be the rave in the distant future.
These memories are so fresh in my mind and I still enjoy these vicarious
experiences.
The other day while strolling through Costco, Annabelle mentioned to me that
a good looking girl just walked by wearing too tight jeans. I hadn't even noticed. Doesn't that tell you all you have to know about the aging process.
(Barri wrote to remind me that "too tight jeans weren't nice". She's probably
right.)
on May 11. Most all of them want to know how it feels to reach this ripe old age. Of course, I inform them all that it is better than the alternative but
in truth, old age is not that great. I'd rather be as old as my grandchildren,
just starting out in this brave new world. Instead of old memories that seem to
infect much of my daylight hours, I would prefer to think of the things that I
could look forward to in the coming years, worlds that are out there to conquer
just as I used to dream about in my youth. I have few regrets during my long life. I lived through some exciting times; the great depression of the '30s,
World War 2 in which I served for 4 long years, a marriage to Norma of 25 years with 3 wonderful children, gainful employment in responsible positions, including
a High School principalship then a beautiful marriage of 40 years to sweetheart,
Annabelle and be a close friend to her children as well. To top it all off,
I retired at age 54 and have been able to see the world and visit countries that
my father only talked about but never lived to see. Throughout this time, I
managed to accumulate the finances to accommodate all of our aspirations to travel, buy what we need and share some of our good fortune with others. Now
where do we go from here. They say that people who are afraid to die are also
afraid to live. I'm not certain about that since the next few years will be
a challenge to both Annabelle and I as we open the final chapter in this episode.
People also want to know how one knows when one is getting old. For me, the
response is quite simple. Here's how I know that I reached that point in life.
Of course, you will have different markers to tell you when age has crept in.
When I still find the big band sounds of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw still
exciting and I find myself thinking of how I used to do the Lindy Hop at the
high school proms. When I cringe after hearing some of the raucous language
on the TV, after listening in the old days to the mild comments of Jack Benny or
Phil Silvers on the radio. When I remember Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby croon
their melodies, so sweet and tender. When I seek out the old TV classics of
Gary Cooper or Jimmie Stewart or Kirk Douglas and the westerns I enjoyed. Oh! yes, there were the ball players; Di Maggio, Mantle and even Babe Ruth that my
dad took me to see in New York. When we traveled to the city to see Al Jolson,
Eddie Cantor and Will Rogers at the Palace in Manhattan. How I remember the
1939 World's Fair which demonstrated the brand new gadget, television, which
was predicted would be the rave in the distant future.
These memories are so fresh in my mind and I still enjoy these vicarious
experiences.
The other day while strolling through Costco, Annabelle mentioned to me that
a good looking girl just walked by wearing too tight jeans. I hadn't even noticed. Doesn't that tell you all you have to know about the aging process.
(Barri wrote to remind me that "too tight jeans weren't nice". She's probably
right.)
Saturday, March 30, 2013
The Great Flood
When we arrived back in Sandia Park, a disaster had occurred prior to our arrival.
Although we weren't sure of the exact day or time, however, the water was still
flowing out of our water heater through the brick flooring to the wine cellar
below. The water was about two feet high and still rising. I quickly shut the
water intake valve to the house and called Roy. He insisted that all was well
the previous Wednesday. After surveying the damage, I called Servpro, the outfit
that deals with house disasters like this and, fortunately they responded with
a team of men in high boots. At the same time, I called multiple plumbing
companies about replacing our now defunct water heater that same evening. It was
Saturday late afternoon one difficult time to round up willing plumbers but after
calling about 7 outfits I managed to get a positive response from one company
who dispatched two men who brought an appropriate tank. They worked until 11pm
to install the heater with the right connections for our solar system. At least
we were able to have hot water that same evening. Servpro worked for an entire
week to bail out the wine seller and dry all the areas. You can imagine the cost
for all this service on a Saturday. Fortunately, my insurance covered most of
the expense, however, it took awhile for on adjuster to make his appearance but
he did a fair appraisal of the situation. This past week, we had a contractor
work on the wine cellar damage and today, Saturday, March 30, the job is over
and we are waiting for the sealant to dry on the concrete below.
It was a difficult two weeks, that began after our long drive from Austin only
to find this situation. We were looking forward to a rest but confronted this
disaster before us. We are now thinking that managing a home of this size may
be too difficult especially since we spend at least 4 months away in Texas.
Despite all the turmoil with The Great Flood, today April 7, we completed our
bottling of 2012 wine. Sadly, it may be our last wine harvest since both of
us are finding the task of growing grapes, harvesting them and finally, the
arduous task of bottling them. I know all of our wine recipients will be
sorry to see us close shop. Right now we are completely exhausted from the
task. An interesting thing happened during the flood cleanout when the workmen
broughtn out some of the debris. They uncovered a stash of wine bottles from
1987 somehow unused. They look intact and in the near future I plan to uncork
one in celebration of our 26 years of wine making. Quite an accomplishment.
The photo below is our now replenished wine racks. The eagle above is on guard.
Although we weren't sure of the exact day or time, however, the water was still
flowing out of our water heater through the brick flooring to the wine cellar
below. The water was about two feet high and still rising. I quickly shut the
water intake valve to the house and called Roy. He insisted that all was well
the previous Wednesday. After surveying the damage, I called Servpro, the outfit
that deals with house disasters like this and, fortunately they responded with
a team of men in high boots. At the same time, I called multiple plumbing
companies about replacing our now defunct water heater that same evening. It was
Saturday late afternoon one difficult time to round up willing plumbers but after
calling about 7 outfits I managed to get a positive response from one company
who dispatched two men who brought an appropriate tank. They worked until 11pm
to install the heater with the right connections for our solar system. At least
we were able to have hot water that same evening. Servpro worked for an entire
week to bail out the wine seller and dry all the areas. You can imagine the cost
for all this service on a Saturday. Fortunately, my insurance covered most of
the expense, however, it took awhile for on adjuster to make his appearance but
he did a fair appraisal of the situation. This past week, we had a contractor
work on the wine cellar damage and today, Saturday, March 30, the job is over
and we are waiting for the sealant to dry on the concrete below.
It was a difficult two weeks, that began after our long drive from Austin only
to find this situation. We were looking forward to a rest but confronted this
disaster before us. We are now thinking that managing a home of this size may
be too difficult especially since we spend at least 4 months away in Texas.
Despite all the turmoil with The Great Flood, today April 7, we completed our
bottling of 2012 wine. Sadly, it may be our last wine harvest since both of
us are finding the task of growing grapes, harvesting them and finally, the
arduous task of bottling them. I know all of our wine recipients will be
sorry to see us close shop. Right now we are completely exhausted from the
task. An interesting thing happened during the flood cleanout when the workmen
broughtn out some of the debris. They uncovered a stash of wine bottles from
1987 somehow unused. They look intact and in the near future I plan to uncork
one in celebration of our 26 years of wine making. Quite an accomplishment.
The photo below is our now replenished wine racks. The eagle above is on guard.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Hamburg Über Alles
To all the loyal followers of Despicable Tours, your patience will be rewarded because Annabelle,
my beautiful Frau and I are boarding the QM2 on August 15 for a journey to Hamburg, Germany
by way of Southampton, UK.
This will be a follow up to our previous visit to Berlin immediately after the fall of the infamous
Wall where half of the local population was making a living by selling small chunks of
Wall where half of the local population was making a living by selling small chunks of
said wall to eager tourists. It was a memorable journey since we were able to spend a few days
in East Berlin exploring different sights previously hidden from tourists especially Potsdam,
which was the venue for one of the major conferences that settled some issues regarding Germany
following WW2.
Today, Sunday March 3, we met Barri near Costco for our walk around Arbor Trail then
Ducked inside for the weekly hot dog. The weather was Spring like and the traffic was fierce
since the kite flying festival was in full swing at Zilker Park.
We are happy to announce to all followers that Jenny will be joining us on the QM2 to Hamburg.
This will be her second trip with Cunard. In 2000, Jenny, Peter and Anna made the crossing
with us on the Elizabeth 2 to the UK. It was a wonderful voyage. Anna was a mere lass of 12,
who was anxious to see all the places made famous by the legendary Sherlock Holmes. It also
included the music of Dave Brubeck and Co.on the cruise.
We are leaving our home in Austin for New Mexico early Friday March 15. Tomorrow we're
having lunch with Pam and Rob who plan to spend some time at the South by Southwest" SXSW"
celebration here in town.
The photo above was taken at Barri's home with Aubrey and Walter while the one of Annabelle, along the trail around Lady Bird Lake.
Our 4 month stay in Austin has been wonderful. Most of the time, the weather has been moderate
with only 2 days of light rain. I'm going to miss our time here especially the chance to visit with
Barri, John and the children.
It's Saturday March 16 and we're halfway home. Stopping in Brownfield, Texas for a night's
sleep. If you're ever out this way, stay at the Holiday Inn Express. It's the best hotel in mid-Texas.
So far the trip has been pleasant, nice weather and little traffic even though the driving has been
tedious, few sights except miles of newly planted cotton fields interspersed with oil pumpers.
Occasionally there are arrays of wind turbines which is a big thing in western Texas.
Today, Sunday March 3, we met Barri near Costco for our walk around Arbor Trail then
Ducked inside for the weekly hot dog. The weather was Spring like and the traffic was fierce
since the kite flying festival was in full swing at Zilker Park.
We are happy to announce to all followers that Jenny will be joining us on the QM2 to Hamburg.
This will be her second trip with Cunard. In 2000, Jenny, Peter and Anna made the crossing
with us on the Elizabeth 2 to the UK. It was a wonderful voyage. Anna was a mere lass of 12,
who was anxious to see all the places made famous by the legendary Sherlock Holmes. It also
We are leaving our home in Austin for New Mexico early Friday March 15. Tomorrow we're
having lunch with Pam and Rob who plan to spend some time at the South by Southwest" SXSW"
celebration here in town.
Our 4 month stay in Austin has been wonderful. Most of the time, the weather has been moderate
with only 2 days of light rain. I'm going to miss our time here especially the chance to visit with
Barri, John and the children.
It's Saturday March 16 and we're halfway home. Stopping in Brownfield, Texas for a night's
sleep. If you're ever out this way, stay at the Holiday Inn Express. It's the best hotel in mid-Texas.
So far the trip has been pleasant, nice weather and little traffic even though the driving has been
tedious, few sights except miles of newly planted cotton fields interspersed with oil pumpers.
Occasionally there are arrays of wind turbines which is a big thing in western Texas.
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