May 24 2011
Was having a really good French Toast breakfast at the Lazy Lizard Lounge restaurant at the hotel when 20 worn and dirty Carson National Forest “Hotshot” firefighters came in from an overnight battle with a wildfire outside Silver City. They were enjoying a well-deserved and government-paid buffet before heading back to their home station in Taos, NM. Just thought that was interesting.
May 24 2011
For the final leg of my two+ week adventure in New Mexico and Texas I will be leaving Deming, NM after breakfast and should arrive in San Diego sometime in the late afternoon/early evening. Google Maps says 630 miles and 10 hours.
May 23 2011
After arriving at my hotel in Deming, I ventured out to discover something about this small town that might be worth writing home about. Turns out that in 1881 Deming was the location for laying of the Silver Spike connecting the country’s second transcontinental railroad. Too bad that the woman at the visitor’s center was ironically visitor un-friendly and that the old steam locomotive they have on display was hidden behind very non-photogenic chicken wire fencing. Still, a reason to visit Deming.
May 23 2011
For my first day of driving back home to San Diego, I will be heading out from Cedar Park, TX and should be arriving in Deming, NM in the late evening. 677 miles and 11 hours according to Google Maps. Sad to be driving away, but glad to be heading home.
May 22 2011
For my last night in Texas, I went to dinner with Brenda and Tom at a nearby Z’Texas here in Austin. Had one last really good steak before I leave.
May 22 2011
Went to the Apple Store at The Domain in Austin with Brenda to check out the new store layout. Every display item now has a fastened-down iPad next to it for customers to access information, call for assistance or actually make purchases.
May 21 2011
Spent the late afternoon, evening and into the night in downtown Austin with Brenda, her mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Walked around downtown and watched the bats fly from the Congress Avenue Bridge after sundown before having a late appetizer dinner at the Intercontinental’s Stephen F’s Bar and Terrace with Brenda just down the street form the capitol building.
May 20 2011
Spent the evening with Brenda out at the Biergarten in Walburg, TX. It was mariachi night, but they still had the German oompa house band play a few sets as well. Had me a tasty wienerschnitzel plate with a good old König Pilsner beer.
May 20 2011
Went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on opening day with Brenda. Fun movie, glad to see Captain Jack, Barbosa and Mr. Gibbs again, but just didn’t like it as much as I enjoyed first three. Wonderful scenery, special effects and piratey stuff, but it felt very disjointed in the beginning and it didn’t seem to have the heart that the others did. Also missed some of the secondary characters from the first three like Pintel and Rigetti. Still, am glad I went to see it. Love pirate movies, especially of the Caribbean type.
May 19 2011
Got to see my first Texas bullfrog tonight when moving my car. Didn’t seem to mind me much sneaking up on it from behind to take its picture. Even the frogs are neighborly.
May 19 2011
On a drizzly afternoon, Brenda and I drove over to a nearby Cheddar’s in Austin to have lunch. We split a really good Monte Christo sandwich and she added a salad while I had a cup of very good potato soup with cheese and bacon bits. My lemonade was healthy.
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.
