May 19 2011
After picking up some coffee and donuts at Shipley’s, Brenda and I took her dog Musashi to her school so her students could pet him through the outside fence. They all even sang a song about him that Brenda had taught them. 24 little Pre-K kids all yelling and reaching for “Musi” at the same time.
May 18 2011
Went out for a nice walk along Brushy Creek with Brenda, just like we did the last time I came out for a visit, after which we picked up pizza from Yaghi’s Pizzeria.
May 17 2011
Been in Texas for four days and I finally went to Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q with Brenda for some beef brisket. Just as delicious as I remembered it.
May 16 2011
Had a great time catching up with my old California buddy, Jeff, at a local Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers here in Cedar Park. Really tasty burgers and fries, although not quite as good as In-In-Out. Sat and talked for almost four hours, although it seemed like only one. Stayed until they locked up the joint at 10:00 pm. We covered friends, Disney, movies, kids, parenting, marriage, pets, work, finances, poop jokes, technology, podcasts, the future, my island girls…the regular gamut of catching up stuff.
May 16 2011
After a morning stop at Starbucks for coffee and donuts, I returned to Brenda’s school, this time to don my official Mr. Peter the Photographer hat and take some group shots of Brenda’s pre-school class. Obviously none of those shots will be posted here, but it was a lot of fun seeing a room full of little kids chattering away and staring at the strange man walking around their classroom. At one point they told me what they learned about not making promises, one student made me a drawing of something I can’t decipher and I also got to participate in one of the learning lessons. I failed.
May 16 2011
Had lunch with Brenda at a Which Wich sandwich shop. Interesting concept. Make the guest do all of the upfront work, which actually does save time. Pick a sandwich from an overhead menu (in my case tuna), grab a corresponding sandwich bag, fill it out with the bread and extras you want, add your name at the bottom and then turn it in and pay for it. It gets returned to you inside the bag you handed over. Really good sandwiches, too. I would go back. Turns out there are three locations in San Diego.
May 15 2011
Finally go to see the bats fly out from under the Congress Avenue bridge here in Austin. There are over 1.5 million of them that emerge every late evening this time of year to hunt insects. Unfortunately it was already kind of dark for picture taking, but I tried.
May 15 2011
Had sort of had a dinner of drinks and appetizers with Brenda at the Hyatt’s Marker 10 lounge overlooking Lady Bird Lake across from downtown Austin. There are no rivers in Texas. Only lakes.
May 15 2011
For my first Austin breakfast I picked up McDonald’s for the first time in I don’t know how long. Wasn’t great but wasn’t bad either. Definitely won’t be doing that every day, though.
May 14 2011
After finally arriving at Brenda’s house, we went to run some errands and then ended the night with a delicious steak dinner at Logan’s Roadhouse. It’s good to be visiting my friend in Austin again.
May 14 2011
My long drive today from Albuquerque, NM to Cedar Park, TX, just outside of Austin.
May 13 2011
Had dinner at the kitchen table at Buca di Beppo’s in Albuquerque before spending the night in the Marriott in preparation for tomorrow’s long trip into the heart of Texas. Cedar Park, just outside of Austin, to be exact.
May 13 2011
Had one last lunch at my brother’s office before packing and heading out for Albuquerque later this afternoon. There we will stay in a hotel overnight so my mom can fly out easier the next day and I can shave about an hour off my drive to Austin.
May 13 2011
Finally got the deer photos I was hoping for this whole time in Los Alamos. Spotted one this morning, then saw two more while I was waiting to get closer. I patiently tracked them from our yard to the neighbor’s for about half an hour and eventually two of them started walking toward me. And I got my shots.
May 12 2011
Went to Sopahn’s middle school band concert with my mom, Tommy, Alex and Sopahn’s mom, Marvel. They did renditions of Star Wars, the Peter Gunn theme, a mash-up of Queen songs and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
