Austin space

After stuffing ourselves with ice cream we continued west, over to Austin and then to hill country a little way beyond, to visit Jim.  When we first met Jim in Berkeley he was better known as "Claire's grandpa", but since then has ditched the freezing Chicago weather and retired to Texas.  We last saw him at Thanksgiving so it was high time to make another visit.

Lago Vista, where he lives, is a fabulous lake community, where Jim has found himself a friendship group of similar retirees who...basically do whatever they want in the glorious Texan sunshine; golfing, boating, shooting pool, dining out, etc.  Cocktail hour usually starts around 11am, and he has a hot tub if the evenings get chilly.

He was quick to remind me that Friday night is karaoke night.  I left Hannah and Pete in the hot tub and joined Jim and his girlfriend Jean at their local drinking hole, where the large book of available songs had one heading: country.  But after a lot of nagging and some more drinks (always the way with karaoke, no?) I decided to introduce some British punk into the situation and climbed on stage to belt out Should I Stay Or Should I Go? by The Clash.  "You should go," was the consensus from the crowd.

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out, taking a trip into Austin, trying new cocktails, eating barbecue, playing bocce ball, hot tubbing some more...all the things I aspire to do every day.  We returned to the metropolis of Houston thoroughly relaxed, ready to tackle the next week of high-stakes work in the oil business.  Well, one of us.  I'm about to look up secondhand hot tub prices.

There are loads of these little Bambis around where Jim lives.  So cute!  Only a few months until they're a good enough size for the barbecue.

A highly competitive game of bocce.

Me at karaoke.  It's strange, because when I was up there I could have sworn I looked like Mick Jagger and sounded like Freddy Mercury.

Jim puts me to shame.

Down in the huge Zilker Park in Austin.

Waterlily at the same place.

Contemplating the wonders of nature.  Or taking a breather because it was so hot!

Jean and Jim, taking us out to the famous Salt Lick BBQ.

 

The kitchen.

Some barbecue sauce with that, sir?

Our order of "small plates" arrives.

Finishing off with a peach cobbler.

 A saunter around Jim's neighbourhood.  So busy here!

Lunch on the lake.

The view from the restaurant.

Something to keep us going on the road back to Houston.