Austin is Bacon my heart!

My new pick city is Austin, TX. What a cool place! You'd never know it's in the middle of a state that considers itself its own country...haha


 

Sammy the dog in his Halloween costume - (being ridden by a cowboy)

I went to visit my longtime pal Paula Jayne Bacon who has lived in Austin for something like 20 years. I've known Paula nearly as long as I've known Robyn! We were tots together. I flew in on Friday morning after Paul dropped me off bright and early at the DSM airport. I actually had to stand in line there for once at security!

Paula and Sammy

My buddy has a lovely home, and the cutest doggy ever. Texas has water problems - or usually the lack of water. So Paula has purchased huge rain barrels that are hooked to the gutters that collect rain off her roof. And - she has a bitchin' composter with a little stainless steel container right by her sink for organics. I'm so jealous. Now that I live in a townhouse, I no longer have a composter. I think I'll check with the landscape committee about getting one. And a nice rain barrel too.

Composter - far left. 2 large and 1 small rain barrels

 Friday night we took in some music - Stevie Ray Vaughn style. We got to the Saxon Pub early enough to get good seats. Because that's how Paula rolls! She's quite organized. I like that. The club owner (at least he said he was...or he was full of shit - we're not sure which), Joe, came around to shoot the breeze. Then he brought us a round of Austin kamikaze shots. Yum!

We got to see Denny Freeman Band. The drummer was a mentor to Stevie Ray, and the bass player was - well a chick. It took me a while to figure that out. I can say stuff like that, because people have mistaken me for a guy too. When I worked for Harry Hjortshoj at his Fina Gas Station - I used to wear uniform shirts and people thought I was his son. Short hair  and no boobs can be a curse sometimes.

The music was really great. Paula says she likes to go to see jazz on Mondays. How cool is that? I love live music. 

The next day, after a hearty breakfast, we set out to conquer Austin. No, not really. It kicked our butts. All week, the Weather Channel told me it was likely to rain. Wrong - beautiful blue sky. We headed to Lady Bird Johnson Lake to see the sites - Stevie's statue and a ghost tree some artist made.



SR Vaughn

Ghost Tree from the bridge
 

We ended up walking over 6 miles that day - and oh the sites we saw - and old hotel, a festival of the dead and don't forget the boot store. I purchased some Frye Boots that feel as soft as buttah! Oh - I how lusted for some hand tooled cowboy boots. They were beautiful. But I couldn't justify a purchase like that. So I went with something more in keeping with my lifestyle.

That night, Paula cooked a tasty pasta dish for us and we watched an old movie - Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I couldn't help but think about the sisterhood our group of friends has. I am blessed to have such friends!

Tiny skeletons in a store



Driskill Hotel, Austin



beautiful boots
 

Sally couldn't make up her mind - even with Paula to help!