Estoy Nueces

Today would be my granddad's 101st birthday. I didn't intend to start writing about him but when I open this diary it gives me the date and I can't see November 17 without thinking about Papa. One year ago almost all of the family was together for his 100th birthday and it was quite a big party. He died on March 31 this year. A life span in three centuries. Still amazes me.

I had a good Austin day. I wished I had gotten up a little earlier and gotten a few things done at home, but I didn't. Staff meeting at work to explore the Floridians that will soon be making their home with us in Austin. I got the biggest laugh of the day. It is weird to me when I make the obvious joke and get such a good laugh. The boss asked us to please make the newcomers feel welcome, show them around, take them out. I asked if we needed to teach them to vote. Rim shot. It brought down the house. Too obvious, I thought, but it worked.

When the meeting ended it was too early to have access to my studio so I went to lunch with my favorite pierced and punk friend at Las Manitas on Congress. We've never gone out to lunch although we've spent lots of time talking at work. He is really a fun young kid. We grew up in Amarillo (a mere decade and a half apart) and always fall back on those familiar topics of conversation. We even lived on the same block in Amarillo--me at the end of my years in college when I was a wild single woman in my twenties, he lived there a few years after me when he was an 11 year old. Do the math.

After lunch I could have begun work but I heard from my friend B! who is only in town for the week. I haven't seen her in two years and I don't expect to get to see her again for a long long time once she leaves so I will do anything she wants to do this week. I dropped work and met her up in Hyde Park at her sister's house and we went and had a Coke at Chili's for a couple of hours. Really fun to talk and catch up. I'm anxious for her to see our house and how we live. She is going to come here on Sunday. Tomorrow night I think we're going out to paint the town like we did when we were roommates. It is a hard choice where to go. Johnny Gimble at the Broken Spoke sounds great but there are good shows at the Continental Club and Saxon Pub and Little Longhorn (and those are my favorite places too).

Tomorrow I get the hair highlighted and cut some way. Hope I don't end up looking like I need to go back to Dallas.