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Ate December 2014

Alright Hecklers Anonymous. I know I have been delinquent missing Pearl Harbor day and all so I need to catch you up, time is at a premium & the tea is getting cold.

TEA? WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?

A change of pace or the occasional downshift is seldom a bad thing Weedhopper. Besides, thinning the estate's vast mint crop is seldom a problem. AND coupled with a few sumac berries used by the Native American Indians gives the brew a jolt of vitamin C & a sharp taste not unlike the cranberry.

But moving along …

Returned to station after a booking of Bill’s Escort service yesterday afternoon. Virginia had a function in Austin, needed insulating arm candy, so she flew in & we were there. We drove down Saturday AM for the evening shindig & fans, what a party. I don’t have much time as today is a Holy Day of Obligation so Mass is on the agenda. December 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. You can google it on your own time in the browser of your choice.

Austin

Anyway, we arrived in Austin after an uneventful ride down I-35. We played music experimenting with the bluetooth & beats pill technology for upcoming excurions. Think of it as a short little shakedown cruise.

Locating & checking into the 5-star hotel, we had just enough time for a late lunch of ceviche at a nearby eating joint before checking off the next objective which was to locate a church for 5:00 Mass & the Saturday vigil figuring chances of getting up early Sunday would be … remote ?

Saint Louis of France was a bit tricky to find. But again in the interest of time follow the link on your dime. There was a very interesting story in the extended bulletin/newsletter about the details of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Of course I had HEARD of the feast/Holiday but during the Homily Father Misko explained further that the feast was 12 December.

VA read the account & shared it over breakfast the next morning & I think I will very likely also attend Mass that day as well. As the Father said, Our Lady of Guadalupe is intended to be the Patron Saint of the Americas not just Mexico or South America as commonly practiced.

It made perfect sense to me. Growing up back east, I don’t recall ever hearing of this as part of my religious training but now living closer to Mexico & awareness of the general overall ‘dumbing down’ conspiracy, it started to make more sense.

WHAT ABOUT THE PARTY?

See what I mean? I am 100% certain SOMEONE there posted crap on facebook. Here is the unadulterated skinny…

It was the best party in such category ever.

WHAT WAS THE CATEGORY?

OK. How about the best seasonal, informal, lawn party held outdoors in the evening.

ARE YOU KIDDING?

Do we ‘KID’ about parties here? NO, I Am NOT KIDDING.

Multiple fire pits, all going & stoked, the entire perimeter of the large backyard ringed with different multi-colored strings of Christmas lights (not one bulb burned out), two food stations serving everything from fresh oysters on half-shells (delish), shrimp to Mexican delicacies.

WOW!!

Hold on. There’s more.

WHAT?

Yes. You heard me. There was a band crammed into a tiny room just off the kitchen rocking nicely & in a very appropriate manner. I am here to tell you Fans, this was NOT the FIRST rodeo for these party Pros.

AND there was a dedicated, full time waiter on the staff, white shirt & vest, serving up drinks rapidly at the bar on the glassed-in patio overlooking the pool & yard. Yes, Don & I got to know each other pretty well as a large bottle of Makers was prominently displayed & REAL Coke. NOT DIET Coke, NOT Pepsi (go rot in Hades) … real Coke.

Wine, multiple craft & exotic microbrews some local to the Austin area in addition to some other distilled spirits of little consequence & unworthy of mention here now due to the time thing.

The people were beautiful & the ones we spoke to were all nice & even intelligent. But we left early so read on ...

VA first mentioned exiting the scene as things were beginning to tilt & it wasn’t just the slight slope of the backyard. We agreed that it was probably best to depart BEFORE it was too late, things got embarrassing OR we had trouble finding the breadcrumbs back to the hotel but that’s another story.

Abbreviated, the Garmin GPS lady had us making numerous U-turns thus far AND we always seemed five (5) minutes away from everywhere.

Besides, it is so gauche to wake up the next morning wondering where the other shoe is, where the strange undergarment came from or how the knot got on one's head.

Assembling such ‘clues’ from the night before went out in the forties. NOT the 1940’s but WHEN we were 40-ish. It just isn’t fun or funny anymore.

So this day finds me MULTI-tasking, I am painting a project this morning & the last color coat is about dry by now. The Blues station is growling in the background, a little fire going in the fireplace more for the psychological effect rather than actually warming the castle and my day is pretty well set.

Next time a little more on Austin observations before heading North on Sunday ...

Nice talking to you & thanks for calling.

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