The Poop Deck

After a full day of work on Saturday (can you hear me whining?), I drove to Galveston to visit my friend Kory. We met in New Orleans doing Blue Roofs following Hurricane Katrina. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina but with both of us traipsing the country with FEMA, we've stumbled into each other many times since 2005. Kory scored a sweet condo in Galveston, on the bay only 2 floors below Beyonce. Not kidding. After settling into my private bedroom suite with floor to ceiling windows, we hit the Seawall (main strip) to check out the Saturday night action. Three bars into it, I was unimpressed. We first hit Landry's, then The Spot, then The Poop Deck.

Aside from the name, The Poop Deck has its own strange appeal. We walked up a crickety old staircase to a door without a handle into an old smoky saloon type room. It would actually be the perfect spot on a sunny afternoon because the deck is lined with boat chairs and overlooks the main drag and the bay. However, the old locals smoked us out that night.

After a cold drink at The Poop Deck, Kory finally concinced me the Holiday Inn bar was the place to be. I initially resisted the idea of a hotel bar, but given our track record that night, I was game for anything. Kory was right - so right. The Holiday Inn bar was happening! There was a live band and the place was packed out. We met a fun group guys from Dallas as soon as we walked in the door and after a couple hours of dancing, we closed the place down.

The Domain

Jill and I started the night at Arbor Cinemas. We saw Rachel Getting Married. Jill loved it, I hated it - not hate so much as a lack of appreciation. I found it slow and uncompelling. Common in our group of friends - none of us like the same type of movies. But from there, the night improved. We met Cindy at Kona's Grill in the new imfamous Domain. I hadn't made it to the new upscale shopping and dining area, but we made it for reverse happy hour martinis and sushi.


I also learned that Cindy was a two time 'Miss Corpus Christi' winner. Still the beauty queen, you go girl.

Thankful to be home for Thanksgiving

It is so completely wonderful that I was able to be home for Thanksgiving. I love the holidays and Thanksgiving is such a part of the lead up to Christmas, my very favorite time of year. As usual, Katie, Lisa, Mom and I sat at the table for a while after we finished eating - talking and laughing and being goofy.


I had to get in on the fun with Mom and Katie. Poor left out Lisa is taking the picture. She is so abused.

As is also usual, Dad is in the kitchen doing dishes. 'It's so therapeutic' (the wine probably helps). I like to dry dishes... but only with a glass of wine in hand.


Grandpa's looking well after a quadruple bypass. He's well on his way to skydiving (ha!) and we love having him for all the holidays.

The sistas with the Jackeroo!! It's hard being so loved.

Taverna's

Girls night out! Cindy, Katie, Michelle, Jill, and I met at Taverna's on 2nd St & Lavaca for dinner. We started with drinks at the bar while we waited an hour for our table at this happening downtown spot.

After dinner, we headed to Fado's for a drink and stumbled onto the Aussies. What a fun chance encounter. Sammy and Tuffy love Austin, perhaps more than I've ever known anyone to love a place. They went on and on about the lovely Texas women and great music in Austin.

Kickin' back at Fado's.

Look at these beautiful women!! Katie, Jill, and Cindy smile for the camera.

Crown & Anchor

From front left around the table to the front right: Becky, Dr. Hodges (Einstein?), Susan, Sarah Kelly, Pam, Dr. Lawler, Mike, Dan, me, John

Dennis and Lee popped by later

During our days at UT, we all frequented the Crown & Anchor pub following Seminar on Thursday afternoons. Sarah Kelly is finishing off her PhD in Atlanta while Mike is finishing his PhD in Fort Collins. Lee returned from Raleigh less than a year ago. In honor of their visit, a bunch of us from the past 7 years met to catch up and rehash old times. After several pitchers at Crown, we moved up the street to Trudy's.

The next night, we did it up on 4th St with a few others (Greg, Kristen, Bob, and someone else I didn't remember). It was absolutely surreal having everyone all together again.

Saxon Pub

Tuesday night I met up with more Aussies!! Tuffy and Sammy were in Austin for a week. I tried to suggest places to go, but after a previous visit, they were quite familiar with the local vibe and told me what was up. After Tuffy's birthday dinner at Z'Tejas, we headed to Saxon Pub to see 'The Band of Heathens'. Despite their name, the music was awesome, some of the best I've heard in Austin.


Here's me with Sammy, Lucy, and Tuffy drinking the local brew, Fireman's Four.


Dan joined us for dinner and the band as well.

After the show at Saxon, we headed to Momo's on W 6th St, where Sammy and I did a little two-stepping, then onto their favorite hot spot, The Continental Club, where a jive band had the floor jamming with some professional looking swingers. I bailed about 1 am as I had to work at 7:30 the next morning, but best part is the guys could stumble across the street to their favorite Austin Motel at the end of the night. By the way, we're talking nothing but class with hunting wall paper and yellow velvet bedspreads.

A couple days later, these anti-gun Aussies met up with my dad in San Antonio to shoot 'em up at the range. They tried a couple hand guns but preferred shooting at clay pigeons with the rifle.

FEMA Days

Ah yes Rick, you're making the blog not only in name but also in picture! Ha!! So this is the character that I'm forced to spend all my days staring down. What a lot of trouble I didn't bargain for. He's among the most sarcastic people I've met which is saying a lot given my past 1.5 years in Australia. He certainly keeps me entertained. And when he's sick of me...

I get the 'wall of silence'. He gives me this 'shut up' look and sticks his headphones in. Don't get any ideas, anyone else.

Dawnlyn and I go way back. She and I worked together in Biloxi following Katrina, found each other in D.C., and now sit kiddie corner from each other. This 'grandma' knows how to get down with the best of them.


FEMA has a funny little phrase to be 'FEMA flexible' because things are constantly changing. This poster sports a new phrase, one we found quite humorous.

Vivo's

I've been making the rounds, catching up with all my Austin friends. Erin was an extra special coordination as she's since married and moved to Houston, but she was in town for work so I stole her for the night. Erin introduced me to Vivo's, a mexican restaurant on the east side of I-35. I'd never been there during my previous 5 years in Austin and wow, was I missing out. The margaritas are the best in Austin, and the food is unique and quality. I've been back once a week ever week since we went. And you have to love a place that gives all the women roses when you leave.

Trulucks

A FEMA gaggle ventured out for a nice meal at Trulucks. Here we have Dawnlyn, Rob, Jamie, Dan, Leland, Adam and me. Trulucks is a very upscale steak and seafood restaurant in downtown Austin and let me tell you, we did it up right. We only spent double to triple our daily per diem, each.

Dawnlyn had the lobster and oooh was it good!


Look at this dessert - it's an entire carrot cake - for one! Nah, we all ate off of it, then I kept eating off of it for the next week or so. It was hands down the best restaurant carrot cake of all time. Mom, yours still takes the cake.

Dawnlyn, nicknamed the MacGyver of desserts, was in heaven with her chocolate bag of truffled dessert. Outta this world! After stuffing ourselves completely, we ventured down to The Gingerman for a beer on the patio.

2008 Presidential Election

Nov 4, 2008 marked a monumental day in US History when Barack Obama became President Elect of our country with a landslide victory over McCain (349 to 147 by latest counts). After meeting up with Andrea downtown for drinks, I headed to South Austin to watch the election results roll in with Dan and some of his friends. I was amazed at how early the results were called.


How exciting that there's a new puppy headed to the White House with the Obama family. I wonder if it'll be a chewer.


McCain delivered a very gracious concession speech.

W 6th St

Katie came to Austin for the fourth consecutive weekend. Man, I am such a draw!! She brought her friend Autumn and the three of us did it up. We had a great dinner at PF Chang's, then went to West 6th St, the now happening spot in Austin. We started at Molotov, worked our way across the street to The Ranch, and ended up dancing at the Red Room. We met a few people out that I found highly entertaining.

A shot of Autumn and Katie in the beginning of what turned into a late night. Because of Daylight Savings, the bars were open until 3AM. After walking back to the hotel and quickly walking Jack, we ended up hitting the sack around 4AM. Sunday was reserved for sleeping in right from the beginning, so all was well.

We got up the next day and took Jack for a great romp around Town Lake and the dog park. After a satisfying brunch at Austin institution Kerbey Lane, we did some afternoon shopping. My dad had flown up to Indiana to help my grandpa drive down to his winter home in Texas, so they were passing through Austin around dinner time (after stopping to see Lisa in Waco). We picked up some BBQ and welcomed them back to Texas in style at my hotel before everyone drove back to San Antonio (except for Jack and me).

Happy Halloween

A full shot of my punk witch costume, which made its debut in Austin on Halloween.

The alternative was this aviator get up but when people weren't sure what it was, I decided the witch would be better.

About 10 of us met up at Shady Grove for dinner, then headed to West 6th St for drinks. Michelle and I hammed it up for the camera.

Here's Banana Man Mark with Nun Michelle. She was planning to be a monkey/chimp but changed costumes at the last minute.

Dan came as a Tour de France cyclist which was so appropriate given all his bicycle riding, building, and adventures.

Hamburglar Donny with Pirate Tanesha

I feel bad that I can't remember their names - they were friends of Tanesha's and very nice.

The complete look of an old-fashioned cyclist.

Rob and Donny loved the Oscar the Grouch costume. He didn't seem too grouchy. Tanesha hooked us up with this great hidden Red Room at Union Park. The DJ was slamming and it was a perfect place for dancing.

We walked along the main section of 6th St on the way back to the hotel around 1:30 (had to work at 7:30 the next morning - ouch!). Wow, it was completely packed out, wall to wall people fully costumed. It reminded me of Mardi Gras in New Orleans or New Years in Vegas. It was pretty great to be down there in the midst of the insanity.

People, people everywhere!!

Town Lake

Does Jack look like a happy boy or what?! Our favorite twice to three times daily activity is powering around Town Lake chasing squirrels. There are about 10 miles of various hike and bike trails around the water - all with different surface types (gravel, sand, paved, etc), some through the trees and others along the water's edge.

Jack likes to greet all the other dogs and stop for a drink in the dog park area at Auditorium Shores. There's a good sized off leash area for dogs right in the middle of downtown!

There are 5 bridges along the Town Lake trails - this is the 1st Ave bridge with the dog park ahead on the right.


Jack and I clock between 5-8 miles a day on various routes. I generally have my balance tested and shoulder yanked out of place 5-8 times per walk in Jack's quest for squirrels.

Mex Marts at Trudy's

Here I am with Pam and Meg at Trudy's North Star bringing back the mexican martini tradition! We used to drink these between classes in grad school. How we've matured - now meeting for after work drinks.

Since I moved to Australia, Pam bought a house and traveled to Antarctica via South America, and Meg has a 17 month old son Westin running around the house with she and Rusty. We had plenty to catch up on!