Chili San Antonio

Our plan was to wait for a long weekend and use our volunteer bump voucher from S.W. Airlines to fly to California and see Cleda. When the time came, the flight bargains had gone away. What we could afford was a quick trip to San Antonio on the cheap. While we were there, we missed the once-in-every-200 years-snow-fall in SE Texas. There was no snow in the Alamo City, but it was plenty chilly.

Our hotel was a four block trot to the Riverwalk which was all decked out with Christmas lights. We visited all our favorite haunts including a great German deli; Shilo's for some yummy Sauerbraten and red cabbage.

October in Texas

A lot has happened since my last post in May. I lost one job and found a new one. My new work schedule has kept us close to home for most of the summer, but we managed a visit to the Texas Renfest in October. No, Millie did not R-U-N-N-O-F-T with this medieval Santa. She did make him smile by buying some of his jewelery.

As is our usual custom, we met up with our dear friends Pat & Jerry from Bryan, They were good enough to help us eat and drink way too much.

The Fighting Iris

Chuck & Sally's flowers were an excellent tribute to a strong but gentle lady who passed from this world on May 5th. Aunt Iris who lived for the sake of others her whole life finally took some days off for herself to see some old friends and family. As Sally said in her blog, Iris was a treasure I came to appreciate too late in life. She was on hand to teach me to read my first two words: "On" and "Off". They were on a dial on the stove in Grandma Decker's kitchen. That was an aha moment for her that she must have re-lived thousands of time in her career as an elementary teacher, and I'll bet she never tired of it.

Last week at Sally's house belonged to the kids. The ones like Ari, Charis, and Keira but also us old toots as we remembered ourselves years ago. It was a time of sharing the past as I have never known. Old secrets were opened (not to be disclosed by this reporter) that shocked, amazed, and even comforted those gathered around the table. Being confronted with our own mortality, I think were conscious of the possibility of our stories vanishing with our lives.

I think we wore Cleda out pumping for information about the past. We all wanted to know everything there was to know about the house where she and her family lived. It burned down before most of our generation were born, but we still held it dear in our imagination.

A Weekend in Austin

"Georgia Moves Into A New Apartment" was supposed to be the title of this post. Instead fate stepped in with other plans. It seems the previous tenant of her new digs was too slow moving out, and now Georgia will have to wait until Tuesday to move. Millie and I drove up expecting to spend the weekend sweating under the load heavy furniture and boxes, but instead we had to goof off all weekend Fate can be so cruel.

Saturday we joined thousands of others in downtown Austin at the Pecan Street Art and Music Festival. We had the most fun gawking at the kind of people nobody would ever want for neighbors. The most popular T-shirt read: "Help Keep Austin Weird". Not a tough job, that.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

On April 27 Millie & I went with our friends Pat & Jerry to Minute Maid Park (don't you hate that name?) in Houston to see the Astros pull of an uncharacteristic win over the Brewers. The weather was delightful, but it didn't need to be...they left the roof up over the stadium. Our gratis seats were on the terrace level over the third base line. Millie and I are posing in front of a new display of team photos going back to their days as the Colt 45's. Those poor devils actually had to play outdoors.

Sam's Homecoming Party

Millie's brother, Sam came home to Houston for a visit last week. He wanted to see lots of family and friends, so sister Tina got busy and spread the word.

Friday night there was dinner at Cruz & Jeff's place in Conroe. Cousins Isa and Aurora had their own party while the "grown-ups" yucked it up in the next room as Sam held court. Can any place in the world beat California?

The next day we gathered in Millie's mom's back yard in Houston for barbecue and more friends and family. Cousin Becky gives her full attention.

Here Tina tries to butt in on Sean who is already butting in on Marguerite.

We all had a great time stuffing ourselves, catching up on the news, and laughing over old times. Let's do this again next year!