So we were driving back from Arlington to Austin the other day.  At the advice of our friends Doug and Jen, we came home the “back way,” through Glen rose, down 281.  We managed to get a table at the Koffe Kup Restaurant in Hico.   Well, I must say it was a pretty good  burger, but the SIZE of the thing.  Note the look on my daughter’s face when she saw it!

Yum Yum.

Ok, you have to see the burger my Dad just ate. OMG.

I was at my college homecoming game this weekend (I was asked to present to the computer science students there, and even though it was only 17 years since I graduated, I decide to attend homecoming with the wife and kid).  Not sure if we won the homecoming game or not, but as we were driving down to Dallas to see some family I did listen to the first half of the UT / OSU game, and got to watch the second half.  Man, both teams played very well.  

But alas, Pokes, the Longhorns won.   You put up a good fight. 

Is it significant that I didn’t know the final score of my alma mater’s homecoming game?  I’ll let you decide – we’re the Fighting ROOS.  Yes, the Ausin College Kangaroos.

Gulp.

This weekend my wife and I met up with ten of our friends in Kansas City to ultimately go see #17 ranked OSU play #3 ranked Missouri.  We were all hopeful for an upset, but knew it would be tough.

This pretty much sums it up:

Despite one of the worst (possible) calls I’ve ever seen – OSU going for it on their own 20 with a 4th and 18 by way of fake punt – missing by two yards, we had a great time made all the merrier (we are from Texas after all) by the fact that Texas beat #1 OU while we were driving to the game – to take over the #1 ranking no less!

The boys:

Kirk, Jeff, Dave, Joe (me), Tim and Matt

The ladies:

Teri, Jenn, Sean, Mel, Brooke, Heather and Elizabeth (my wife)

 There were several great things about the trip, besides all the great football, comraderie, and getting to see old friends:

1. To my knowledge, we kept our adult dignity intact, and no one puked
2. Jen and Tim Miller, our hosts, put on one HELLUVA tailgating party and the BBQ the next day was world class (too bad the Dallas Cowboys lost, but heck, ribs are ribs!)
3. Somehow or another, we ended up with ROCKSTAR parking – the likes of which I’ve only ever seen when travelling with Kirk Reynolds – we accidentally made it into the major donor lot at the Missouri stadium and for some reason were allowed to stay – hence the tiger in all the pictures!

It was a blast seeing everyone and special thanks to Jen and Tim for hosting us in their lovely house in Kansas City!  We gotta do this again sometime soon.

So we’ve been in Austin almost three months now, and every week it seems like I am liking it more.

Yes, it was 106 degrees yesterday.

But other than that, I live close to work, in a great neighborhood, I am loving the job and I am getting in shape.

Part of the reason I am getting in shape is the awesome nature hike right in my neighborhood.  Just walk down the street about ten houses and you’re in a hill country paradise – four plus miles of rocky hills, scrub flats, streams and rivers nestled right up against Lake Austin.

I call the whole loop (about 4.5 miles) the “Death Hike” – the first time I did it I was around 220 pounds, it was 90 degrees, took me pretty much two hours, I had to stop to rest three times and it still almost killed me.  Now I am a little better prepared for what to expect, a little lighter (just under 200 pounds last I checked), and in a little better shape.  A trip around the loop now takes me about eighty five minutes, I don’t have to stop to rest, and I run up most of the hills (the notorious heart rate hill below notwithstanding).

Along the way there are some awesome waterfalls, great hill country views (you can see Mansfield Dam, for example) and lots of sun and shade.

If you look closely, you can spot the heart rate monitor strapped under my shirt – heart rate hill can definitely max out your heart rate if you go fast enough.  For now, I am happy just making it up the hill without stopping.  That picture above is only about 1/3 of the hill, it twists and turns twice more as you make your ascent.  It may not look like much but I assure you it’s a chore.

Come visit and I will take you on the Death Hike in 100 degree weather, and you’ll love Austin!

All of our stuff just got delivered yesterday.  One whole semi-truck full!  This is like my fifth full move, and I hope it is my last.  We got all the boxes inside, but just barely.  Now starts the laborious task of unpacking.

Ever notice that no matter how well you supervise your move, the packers always seem to put that one box you’re looking for somewhere out of sight?

For example, I found ten boxes of wine last night, but not the box with the kitchen gadgets.  No wine without an opener huh?

D’oh!  I hate moving.

What a great track. I never met these guys when I was working around the Texas music scene, but I would love to see them live sometime. They are from Austin.  http://www.spoontheband.com/

I used to play with (sometimes), record (lots), and help promote (frequently) these guys when they were Uncle Pete’s Parade (with a different singer and drummer), Bindle (with the current singer but a different drummer), and…well, I can’t even remember all the name changes.  Nevertheless, Matt, Tony and Daniel rawk out and have a groove that you just have to hear to appreciate.  Don’t miss Goodwin, or you’ll be sorry.  These guys are always in my ipod.