On the Trail Again

You probably heard this old Texan, Willie Nelson, singing his classic refrain, On the Road Again. Well this

morning with the weather a delightful 65 temp, we headed to the mountain for a short stroll. It's difficult

getting used to the altitude and upward hiking but we managed to do a mile. Annabelle also got behind the

wheel for the first time in 4 months and did just fine since we returned home with our 4Runner in one piece.

The photo is a rose amongst apricot blossoms. We decided

to enjoy our apricot tree before old man frost kills the fruit,

a very common occurrence in the East Mountains where

the last frost date is May 31. However, the weather may

surprise us this year and grant us a few apricots.

Welcome to Emma Scoon, new baby girl, daughter to Max and Megan,

who arrived Thursday. We are proud great grandparents and wish

the new Scoon a long, happy and healthy life. I guess she is probably

part of the new Y generation.

Growing old has its pitfalls, one of which, is forgetting where you put things. Case in point. As usual, I couldn't

find my reading glasses this morning and, as usual, Annabelle began her lecture about my keeping them in one place where I would always find them. Since I had been to the hardware store and the Triangle Grocery yesterday, I might have left them there so I called , to no avail. Then, the search began, both of us scoured

inside and outside the house and in every conceivable nook and cranny but with no luck. Despair set in and

I promised myself that I would never let go of the next pair of glasses. It then dawned on me that the one

place we failed to look, Annabelle's purse. You guessed it, there at the bottom, was my missing specs and I

let out a Whoopee! and rushed to Annabelle who was now busy baking bread. She looked at me and with

a look that spelled out relief and a touch of disbelief, said that I probably put my glasses near her purse so

she dropped them in thinking it was hers. We looked at each other, gradually smiled, then began to laugh

louder and louder until we embraced and shook our heads. Growing old has its pitfalls but humorous moments as well.

I received notice from Cunard that our final payment for the July 6 cruise is due by April 7. I still have several

other tasks to complete before the trip plans are finalized. I am thinking about leaving London Heathrow on

August 8 with a short layover in Iceland before heading for New York and on to New Mexico.

Back at the Ranch

We left Austin before the crack of dawn without breakfast since we expected to eat at Mama's in LLano.

No luck here because Mama had closed shop so we continued on our way. Our goal was Brownfield, Texas about 350 miles down the road. The weather was kind to us and the road was clear all the way. At Brown field we stayed in a Holiday Inn Express which turned out to be an excellent choice. The room was clean and quiet and the service, very good. The hotel is operated by an Iranian group tied to the former Shah and settled in the

US after the Iranian Revolution about two decades back. We've found out in our travels that many Iranian

exiles went into the hotel operations and have become very successful. After breakfast on March 16 and drove

into a heavy morning fog which tested our nerves. I started out the day thinking that the weather would clear

as soon as the sun came out. No luck, the fog remained with us for the entire morning with less than 50 feet

visibility on a narrow 2 lane road. Large trucks were moving in great speed on the oncoming lane which made

the journey quite scary. Needless to say, both of us were sitting on the edge of our seats straining to see what

was coming next. If we take this trip by car next time I think we'll divide it in three days. The day cleared up

and the rest of our journey was uneventful to our relief and we sat back and watched the miles skip by though

New Mexico where the landscape on the way is moonlike. We arrived home at 3pm and promptly collapsed.k

Getting home was nice, however, there was so much to do here that I began to feel that our lifestyle in Austin

at the condo was so simple that we have to make a sea change in our lives to keep happy and healthy.

Keeping track of all our things and obligations as well as the maintenance of a large home is too much for

our age and although we're still in reasonably good condition, the strain is beginning to show and it is clear

that our plan to divest ourselves of many things including our place in New Mexico should take place this

year. Even Annabelle, who loves the garden and rural living realizes that she can no longer keep up with the

demands of running a complicated household. Now, back to the taxes, car registration, piles of unread mail,

remaining bills, etc., etc. tasks that we used to take in stride, seem so overwhelming at this stage. To readers

of Despicable Tours, listen carefully, don't wait for old age to do the things you always dreamed of, although

it is wonderful to reach the 80s, you soon discover that even simple tasks become difficult,and

memory, a burden.

Father,Son and Wholly Spirit

Just received some photos from Pat who

took them at Barri's and John's BBQ last

weekend and couldn't resist the pun.

Today, Monday, March 12 it was foggy

all morning and we could hardly make out

the Frost Bank building which is directly

opposite our apartment.

We exercised at the gym for an hour until the fog cleared then headed to Costco for a final

Austin hot dog and a walk around the Arbor Trail. Today, Tuesday March 13, and Granddaughter, Aubrey stopped by to say goodbye. Spent a delightful hour talking

about many things including her next steps in school. We are so proud of Aubrey, her

success in school not only in academics but also in athletics. College should be a breeze

for her since she has already developed the routine for study and the skill to use time to

her advantage. Go Aubrey!

Today, March 14, our final day in Austin and I guess we couldn't resist a trip to Costco

for a slice of combination pizza and a walk around the Arbor Trail. What do you know,

received a call from Barri who wanted to meet us for one last goodbye. She brought

Walter and while they munched on pizza and hot dog we slobbered our farewells.

Walter has matured since we saw him last year. He's much taller and leaner but not

meaner. As a proud grandfather, I am so pleased to have been on the scene to see both

grandkids grow up so well, polite and well behaved just the way most kids used to be

when I was young so many years ago. Hasta La Vista Austin!

Yellow Rose of Texas

Roses on the Pfluger walking bridge with 360 Condos

in the background on the left.

All Texans wear this color

Spring is in the air in Austin with flowering trees and and plants beginning to show their

color. It's going to be difficult getting back to Sandia Park where Roy tells us that there

are two feet of snow on our driveway at home. Despite the great time we've had in Texas

this winter, it's time to head for New Mexico. Our return date is on March 15, next week.

It rained today (March 9) but we went to Barton Creek Mall where Annabelle had her hair

cut while I shopped at Penny's. Bought a windbreaker for the upcoming trip to England

and the Baltic. The jacket has the UT color with the Longhorn symbol.(above right)

When we returned from the Mall, during rest time at the condo, I turned on the iPad

and we listened to Sinatra belting out some of his old tunes. Somehow, I always get

to thinking of the ole days when Frankie does his thing. He's gone now but he generates

so many memories of our past experiences. This time it was our adventures in sailing

on the Annabelle 1, 2 and the Amber on the Sea of Cortes. Those ten years of sailing

near our casa on the Caracol Peninsula were great. The time that a pod of Humpback

Whales surfaced near the Amber, no more than 20 feet away on all sides or the large

shark circling our boat several times checking us out. Great adventures in our younger

years. Of course, the bare boat chartering around the Virgin Islands and off the coast

of Vancouver when we were followed by a large group of Orcas and the time we were

sailing with our friends the Rices' off the San Diego Coast when a Nuclear Sub surfaced

off our bow on its return to its base in the San Diego Naval Base.

The South by Southwest Festival began friday and Austin is alive with people and music.

This event will last until next week but we plan to sneak out of town on Thursday morn.

So far I've managed to pack most of the essentials for the 2 day journey under the stare

of Annabelle who thinks my early planning efforts are off the wall. Maybe she is right,

however, despite her cold stare as I move things down to the car, I rarely leave things

behind or miss an appointment. I guess this is part of my concern about getting things

right and on time.

Just discovered a new ap for my Ipad, No Fear Shakespeare, which allows you to follow

a play in today's English on one page while reading the old English script on the other.

This will be a great help when we watch Richard 3rd on our trip to the Globe in July.

The Vulgar Boatmen

Picture on left added

March 4, 2012

I haven't included a picture on this post but as soon as the two individuals, Aubrey and Walter,

get in range of my trusted iphone camera, I'll hang it up there on top. It supports the Title today, February 20, Presidents' Day, when school was at recess and the students were free to have a day's respite. Our grandkids, on the other hand, were recruited to clean Unit 1303 at the Condo. They dutifully did the job in a superb Bowie High School fashion and clearly

earned their pay. As for the Title, you may have heard the Song of the Volga Boatmen in

your travels through music land and if you did, then close your eyes to visualize both of

them toiling as you belt out the refrain, Aya Och Nem, Aya Och Nem.................................

If you're curious about this song, check the Internet for the version sung by the Red Army

Chorus. Duz Vidania, Comrades!

We received 2 visitors this past week. Pete drove up from Corpus Christi where he has

been helping Amber get settled in her new apartment. It was a 3hr+ drive and he only

stayed for lunch and a short walk. (see above) Darrell arrived on Wednesday and is staying

for 2 weeks near Pat's apt. Both of them joined us at the Violet Crown where the Oscar

winning movie "The Artist" was showing. I thought the performance was interesting but

occasionally difficult to get your mind around, however, the novelty of viewing a silent

type movie in this day and age probably made it a good candidate.

Darrell is leaving for home in NYC early tomorrow after a two week visit to Austin. It

was a nice visit and we were able to spend some quality time with him. Yesterday, Sunday,

John and Barri made a delicious BBQ at Isaac Pryor. Besides the Trapps, Darrell, Pat and

H&A, Melanie and her daughter, Adrienne, were there as well. I remember the days

when Adrienne and Aubrey were toddlers and now, both are beautiful young ladies all set

to challenge the future. Today, Darrell and Pat stopped at the Condo for a final Au Revoir.

As usual, we drifted in and out of memories about years passed; people and places he

recalls with animated expressions and gestures. Darrell has a remarkable talent for recalling events in years gone by, probably sharpened by his talent as a pianist, whose skill

in memorization of scores is essential. As he left, he wished us a nice cruise to England this

summer, winking as he referred to" our secret". I countered, that if he had tuned into Despicable Tours three months ago he would have been so informed, and all the wiser.

Just saw Hugo in 3D at the Violet Crown and thought it was very cleverly made. The story

was interesting although a little stretched out in time. Perhaps too much film devoted to

chases through the train station. The 3D and big screen made the story come alive and

the young actor playing Hugo was realistic. Annabelle and I thought he resembled

grandson, Walter, although Walter is better looking.

Getting ready for our cruise to the UK, we are heading to B.D. Riley on 6th street for their

fish and chips. We might even down a half pint of Guiness on draught to wash it down.

Austin is a mecca for all types of restaurants and many of them are within a mile or two of

360 Condominiums. This is a great convenience for us oldsters who are getting a bit

wobbly.

The Globe and The Swan

A swan and goose who have become friends on Lady Bird

Lake. Swan is on the right. Both are cleaning their

feathers.

February 13, was the first day that the Shakespeare Globe Theater put it's tickets on sale

for the July performances and I hurried to my computer to arrange for tickets to Richard 3rd.

Believe it or not, tickets to all the July performances were almost sold out. I guess having

the Olympics this year put a great surge on ticket purchases. However, I did manage to

nail down 6 for our team. Luckily, they were good seats. Riding on my lucky streak, I also

made reservations at the Swan, the restaurant attached to the Globe. (thus my reference to

the swan in my title.) How clever! I did manage to screw up the restaurant reservation, at

first, by hitting the wrong key on the computer. Instead of setting the date as July 18 which

was the date of Richard 3rd, I punched in Feb. 13, which was our current date. In a few

minutes, my laptop was humming and Justine at the Swan sent me an E-mail correcting

my faux pas. Now everything is right on track again. Amazing how quickly you can mess

up things with a premature SEND on the keyboard.

Saturday, Feb. 18, and it is raining in Austin. We worked out in the gym this morning.

Quite a few condo neighbors were also huffing and puffing with us although most of them

are young enough to be our grandkids. While they run at warp speed on the treadmills,

we trudge along, holding on tight to avoid a sudden catastrophic event. In the afternoon,

we went to the Violet Crown, the movie house nearby and saw The Descendants, a very

unusual film starring George Clooney. Aside from a basket full of foul language, which

is appropriate to the story, it was an excellent portrayal of a family visited by an unfortunate

happening that ultimately solidifies their relationship. It describes the frailties of

poor humans and how we manage to deal with problems that are often self-inflicted. In

the end the story seems to convey the message that we choose the course that is most

important for our own happiness as well as consideration for the happiness of others.

After we returned to our apartment, received a phone call from son, Darrell. He is arriving

on Feb. 22. The TV has been televising Whitney Houston's funeral and Dar and I discussed

rational behind the great public interest in her life. I thought she was an excellent vocalist

but thought that the outpouring of grief was somewhat overdone. Darrell, on the other hand,

felt that the public measured her worth more than just a singer but as a very dedicated

performer who gave every moment to her craft and as a performer himself, knew of

the constant effort, 24/7, she took to please the audience. What do you think?

Heron today, gone tomorrow

This is a great green heron on Lady Bird Lake.

Lauren and Chuck E-mailed the other day that they have completed purchase of property in

Panama on which they plan to build a home, Chuck is designing. At the same time, they have purchased a cabin in Monte Rio, California that they'll occupy when visiting the USA.

Lauren writes, "from feeling untethered and aimless just last year, to having 2 big projects

in front of us, is an enormous and welcome change." If I know the two of them, they'll

meet the challenge and reach their objectives with plenty of room to spare. In the meantime,

we'll have to decide which of their homesteads to visit first.

Saturday, Feb. 11 and a bright sunny but cold day in downtown Austin. We took our usual

stroll around Lady Bird Lake bundled up. Barri is on a business trip to the west coast but

is due back this evening. The Condo group is having its Valentine's Day party tomorrow

and a local liquor dealer is providing hooch for all, however, I don't think we'll partake.

We arise so early in the AM that when 7PM rolls around both of us are played out and

ready to hit the sack.

I have been spending much time thinking about my early years, way back as a youth growing

up in Hempstead, about the friends I had, both male and female. I can even recall their names.

I guess that becomes one of the easier activities one is able to pursue when your body

starts to refuse commands that your brain prescribes. I often think of Stan Abrams, Stan Small

and Sid Donow, buddies of mine who were always around to laugh and joke. Strange,

how I seem to miss them at this point in my life more than 70 years later. Then there's

Arlette Sager, who lived across the street and Lucille Moskowitz, my first sweetheart, I think.

I'll never know why I didn't keep in touch with them through the intervening years. I wonder

if they are still alive and think of me. Age 87, gives you plenty of time to dwell in your

reverie, like the songs that you recall from the past. So much has happened, all the schools you

attended, the big war, my marriage as a 22 year old, three children, my working life and all the

rest, experiences that now come back to me in old age. Where did all the years go? I often

wonder if I made the right choices in my early life and now, as an old man, I have the luxury of time to replay life in thoughts, some of which can bring a smile, while others, slow beads of water down my cheeks. How I wish I could see the old friends once again and renew those

carefree days of my youth.