NEW YEAR'S

VALENTINE'S
Valentine's Day. Very important to create special memories so I make reservations at the Driskill Hotel in downtown. One of the most opulent hotels in the US, it is where LBJ first met Lady Bird Johnson. He awaited the results of all his election races at the hotel and it served as the headquarters for the White House Press Corps during his presidential tenure.
Yeah, it's very highbrow. It was like the movies where the waiter comes up with the towel on his arm to pour the wine and describes the dishes as they come one by one.
I don't remember the cost, I think I might have blocked it out.
I included the winter pics because it was very cold and we don't get a lot of snow, and because I needed some filler pics for this section.

MARTHA BIRTHDAY
Next small grouping is Marti's birthday, which I totally missed due to unexpected work orders. Also some pics taken much earlier in the year, of mainly me, at a small group game night. Bunko, which I'd never played before. It was...interesting.

ZILKER PARK
Summer, the hottest and dryest on record for Austin. We moved here for water activities, (partially), and now there's no water. It's also the worst drought on record for this part of Texas. So we went to the Key's for fun this year. (not totally true, we had a great weekend with friends on the Comal river. But you know what I mean). lol Zilker Park is a big part of the Austin locations and we hadn't really 'done' it yet so we spend a day there. Lot of botanical gardens and trails, and some good trails down to Ladybird lake, close to Barton Springs, which is also on our 'to do' list.

SHIRLEY'S BIRTHDAY

LAKE PFLUGERVILLE
Martha insists that we have to have a new double tube for the river, says everyone has it now. She was totally right. The comal river tubing was full of these and they are way better for carrying supplies, (beer and water, iced down), and has a cup holder for each person. This is us testing it at Lake Pflugerville before the Comal weekend. Temperature: a mild 103 degrees.

LAURIE VISIT
Laurie, once a frequent visitor at Moss Manor, isn't able to visit as often this year, but we are glad to see her when she can. This was just a weekend visit and I believe it was to accessorize before Florida.

KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD
We missed the bat fest this year but it was just too hot to stand on Congress Street bridge with almost no shade or cover. But we did manage to hold up, (more or less), for the first annual Keep Austin Weird music festival featuring local talent. I got my orange 'keep austin weird' cap here. Left it at a restaurant in Key West. I loved that hat.

CHARLIE HODGE AND MATT CHICKEN WING
Charlie Hodge, and Matt, the Chicken Wing, Sadler were radio personalities on a local classis rock radio station. He had a huge following, personified the Austin culture, and, although frequently on the edge of crude, was VERY funny. I listened to the show whenever I was driving to job sites between 10:00 and 2:00.
However, a New York holding company decided we didn't really want a midday talk show. What we really wanted to hear was more AC/DC. Any rock I want is on my iPod. Now I don't listen to that radio station.
However, Charlie and the Wing are still around, doing podcasts and live shows at the Cap City comedy club. This is after one performance at the comedy club a week before he was terminated.

STATE CAPITAL
I think we both assumed we would go to the state capital the first year we were here. We go downtown a lot to 6th street, and you can see it looking down on the entire downtown area from the top of a hill.
We finally began to feel guilty after four years of putting it off. Parking wasn't bad and wandering around without a tour group was free.

BARTON SPRINGS
The celebrated Barton Springs at last! Barton Springs are located in Austin's Zilker Park not far from the UT campus. Don't ever try to tell someone in Austin that Barton Springs is a relatively minor water feature! Austinites love and revere Barton Springs like no other spot. This is not your ordinary swimming pool. You might see a salamander (they are a protected type of salamander found only here) swimming with you, and the water stays a miraculously cool 68 degrees year round.
And, although I knew the springs were cold, it was still a huge shock when I jumped from the 100 plus summer, into the icy water!
Among the many walking and biking trails, there is one that goes down to a kayak rental outfit on Lady Bird trail for kayaking on the lake.

AMBER & DAVE VISIT
Always like to visit with Amber and Dave but it's a lot harder since we've moved. Kids and work and distance, etc. But Marti and Amber are BFF's, so they find a way. This is the first overnight since '10, so we go back to 6th Street, but this time without getting overly intoxicated. Went to Esther's Follies and the Velvetta Room, which is open mike night, really not the best comedy. But it's free if you just came from Esther's.
And of course the main event of the visit was the professional portraits Amber shot for us, gratis. Thanks Amber and Dave! We had a great time. We didn't get to spend much time at Christmas, but we'll get together again soon hopefully.

PECAN FESTIVAL
Our annual Pecan Festival event, with street performers, booths hawking their wares, local musical talent, and of course, lots of food and drink.
The first five pics are a small creek area off 6th Street. The walkways and rails suggest the possibility of a nature walk area, very picturesque. Maybe even a mini-riverwalk similiar to San Antonio. It would take some development, and water diverted in from somewhere, but the 6th Street area near I35 could definitely benefit from some re-vitalization.

Then it's a couple of blocks farther down 6th Street to the Festival and activities.

MAMMA JAMMA
These are from a bicycle marathon for raising money and awareness of breast cancer. Marti has become quite the cycle enthusiast in recent months and is doing her first one of these cycling events. She ends up doing a 50 mile course which is double what she first thought about trying. Yea!

MARIE'S BIRTHDAY
November, getting close to the holidays. Which means it's time for Marie to have a birthday get together. Last year it was a surprise party but Raul didn't think he could pull it off this time.

THANKSGIVING DAY
Turkey Day! Day of thanksgiving to God for all of His many blessings!
This year we are spending Thanksgiving with Stephanie and Richard, and with Rob and his crew, Matt and Kim.
Stephanie was here for Thanksgiving our first year with Laurie, so it's really great to see her again. Rob, Matt, and Kim were here last year so it's their second one too!
Great day, great meal, (many thanks to Martha and Steph), great to be with family on Thanksgiving.

JILL AND JONAS
Last event for this page is a reception party for Jill and Jonas, who were married a few days prior. Congrats to the happy couple. Jonas asked me what advice I would give to have a successful and happy marriage, (who me? jk. We're going strong). I told him if they have a fight, "she wins.If she doesn't win, you will definitely lose"!) And again, jk. ;-))

Click here for slideshow