God blessed Texas (week 8, I think)

MUCH better week this week!! This is due in no small part to the arrival of my dad and stepmom, who flew down Friday to spend a few days with us on our #2021LemonadeTour. So wonderful to see them again; with the exception of a few hours in December, we hadn’t spent any time together since August! Much too long!!

We didn’t have stellar weather for our weekend in Austin (70s but cloudy and some rain), but the sun peeked out long enough Saturday for the girls to swim at Barton Springs and for us to walk along the Ann & Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail near Lady Bird Lake. (Tourist notes: Lunch at Chuy’s and a stroll around the Texas Capitol also get two thumbs up.) On Sunday, we hit the University of Texas-Austin campus and rented scooters and bikes to fly through the Congress Avenue Historic District. We had lunch at Eureka and popped into the Driskill Hotel for some photos. I had wanted to take Dad and Karen to the Tipsy Alchemist for one of their fabulous craft cocktails, but all of Rainey Street was ridiculously packed—no parking to be found and not a super family-friendly vibe. Some other time!

Back at the Gatehouse, the weather finally got warm enough for us to kayak and play tennis; however, the pools and hot tubs are still out of commission. The girls have been biding their time, learning to shoot pool and feeding the many many deer on the grounds. So tiny and so tame!

Last night was Dad and Karen’s last night in Texas, and they treated us to Rudy’s BBQ. Then we drove out to The Oasis for some cocktails, dessert and the best sunset on Lake Travis. Stunning! Always hard to say goodbye, but before we know it, it’ll be summer and we’ll be together celebrating Karen’s retirement (only 11 Thursdays left!) and my dad’s 70^th birthday. See you in June!

Speaking of summer, I’m sitting in the Gatehouse by myself tonight (Tony took the girls to an arcade) and thinking of our “exit strategy.” Before signing off on a hard money loan, Tony always makes sure his borrower has at least one exit strategy—that is, a plan to refinance or a way get out of a property if things don’t go as planned. Well, much of this trip hasn’t gone exactly as planned, but I’m definitely not ready to go home yet. The girls are saying they are a little homesick, so we might adjust our timetable slightly and check back in to Castle Rock Court in time for Mother’s Day. But there’s still so much to see and do! So many places still on my bucket list! How will we fit it all in?

I’m reminded of a conversation I had with Bella as we were leaving Colonial Williamsburg—something to the effect of, “We won’t get to see and do everything on this trip. It’s just a little sampling of everything, like a buffet.” And then I remember the best buffet I ever had was in Vegas, and I’m like, “Ooooh! Vegas!” And so the cycle continues.

For the moment, I’m just going to enjoy being warm and in Texas, in a quiet house where I can listen to country music and eat queso for dinner. Nothing else I need to do and nowhere else I need to be. Simply glorious. There’s lots more vacation planning to do, yes, and more houses and hotels and tours and tickets to book. But not tonight. My wish is that you all have a moment of peace and contentment for yourselves this week.