Barton Springs

I have read about the 3 acre natural sping fed Barton Springs almost since we moved here and have wanted to go walk around it. Rick and I have been driving downtown a number of times and tried to find the entrance and never could. We were downtown with Scott, tried finding the entrance and couldn't. Later Rick looked it up on a satellite photo and saw the way to get there. We went early in the morning, a few people already there swimming and the water was not warm, maintains an average temp of 68-70*, but we didn't join them (weren't planning to or in swim suits).

We walked around the park, came back and decided to go on the train ride, see what it is about so we can take the ggrrls this summer. It was only 25 min, so not long and I think they will find it great fun.

The little train

Selfie on the train

Looking down on Barton Springs from the top end

Not feeling well

Two weeks ago I messed up my stomach and gut and it's still not working right. My GERD, acid reflux, heartburn, whatever you want to call it, is really acting up. I think I did myself no favors when I went overboard with the apple cider vinegar and kombucha and quit completely taking Pepcid. Now I have quit so much with the vinegar and kombucha, and began again taking Zegerid. I thought I might change up the proton inhibitor, in case the other one quit working.

It seems like something is always hurting me, and I need to quit talking about it all and just Remain Calm and Carry On. Rick is a good example of this.

Sadness

Scott and Jessica were here for a week, and I knew I was going to be sad when they left, and I am. We took them to the airport this morning at 5am to catch their 6:50 flight. I have had them all last week to plan things to do every day, and now they are gone. Oh, well, that's the life of a parent, I suppose. Raise them to be independent and they are.

Chow time

Scott and Jessica have made several HEB runs (HEB seems to be an Owens fav), and eaten at Torchy's twice, but no Rudy's. Until lunch today. Delish, as always.

 Jessica wanted Panera's, which we bought and took to Rudy's. It's a fav place of hers that isn't available in Utah.

This is the huge container with the spigot for pouring your own Rudy's BBQ sauce. This is the first time we have noticed what the bottle says - starts with 23 oz and goes to 48 oz, and then ends up with "a lot." The container is huge, it contains gallons and gallons. Another one of the fun things at Rudy's.

Let's go swimming

Everyday Scott finds time to sun himself out at the pool and also get in.  Yesterday was a beautiful, warm sunny day (supposed to be the best of the week), so I decided to join him in the pool.
I won't deny the water was bracing, but after a moment or two it was nice. I have swam in colder. Richfield canal's water came straight from Magic Reservoir, which came straight from a snow pack in the mountains. THAT was some cold swimming water; plus it was green (at least from all the cow dung, not sure what else turned it green).

Rick and Jessica looked at us like we were loco. Probably correct, but honestly it wasn't that cold. Note Scott's snorkel and he was really using it underwater.

It snowed yesterday in Park City and Scott couldn't resist sending friends some pics of the green grass and sunny, warm day. Bad boy.

Feds releasing hundreds of illegal immigrant rapists, murderers: report

Yay to Obama and Holder. I guess we need more immigrants to do the jobs - such as committing crime - that "Americans just won't do."

Scott and Jessica

Scott's plan was to spend all his time at the pool. I picked him and Jessica up at 1pm; we hit HEB and headed home. The temp did get up to 88 - Scott changed into swim trunks and was soon lying out by the pool, and when he got hot enough, he would get in the pool up to his knees. Finally, he bit the bullet and dove under the water. I do plan on getting in with him.

But, the water is cold.

Green and humid

Austin has been getting a lot of spring rain, so everything is very green and it's quite humid also (my hair knows! No more good Utah hair days). This weekend has been and is supposed to continue being rainy. Yesterday Rick had a lot of outside yard work he wanted to do, but too much rain. I guess Scott will be putting down the black mulch.

I'm not complaining. Austin has been in a drought, so anything that helps fill back up our lakes and takes us off 1 day a week watering will be good. If it's humid and I have to have summer bad hair, at least let it be green and have lots of water.

Correct pronunciations

One night I was reading a "Fancy Nancy" book to Stella and it was talking about some paintings of Claude Monet, which I pronounced Moe-nay. Stella said Nano, that is pronounced Mo-net. I said, no, it's really pronounced Moe-nay. She knows the rules of English pronunciation and I couldn't convince her other. Likewise, I'm sure she was thinking, Silly Nano, do you see an "a" in Mo-net?

Monet is French, but really, this is just the beginning of the odd way we pronounce many of our words. And usually because the words are a compilation of other languages and spellings that we have adopted.

Vacay to Utah

We were to leave Austin at 4:50pm on Wed, March 25. Rick came home at noon, packed and we were ready to head to the airport by 12:30, but went out to eat close by. As we were walking in the sub shop, Rick told me I had a "skunk stripe" on the top of my head. Since we were so early, we ate and hurried home where Rick "painted" my head. I always forget that with my gray, it needs to be colored often.

Made it to the airport in plenty of time, good flight, arrived in Utah and Chris picked us up. We dropped him back at his house, took his jeep, and headed to Paige's.

Lots of fun with them. Saturday we took Stella and Macy for the Ukrainian pics, which turned out nice.

Sunday church, was in Paige's class for her lesson, she is a great teacher. Cathie and Rich came over for dinner. Panini sandwiches. Very simple but delish; as Paige says, call a sandwich a Panini and people think it's something fancy.

Rick was starting to get sick. I don't know what it is about him and Utah - he always manages to get sick, but I actually think this was still that bug in his chest he caught at Christmas and never quite got rid of. Luckily I had the yearly physical exam for him already scheduled for Tues, so when he got home and to the docs, he also got the needed meds. On a side note all his numbers looked good, especially his blood pressure, wonderful.

I took Rick to airport quite early on Mon, so the little ggrrls couldn't go, but I arrived back in time to walk Stella to the bus. She still loves to kiss me goodbye, turning to wave and run back to hug many times. Soon enough she will be embarrassed to see her parents or gparents when her friends are around.

On Wed I went to Squirt's, Gary had already left for Idaho. Thurs Scott came to see Grandmother and brought dinner from Bam Bam's, the bbq place he likes. The owner had learned about bbq by working as a pit master or something at Rudy's here in Austin. It was delish. Back to Paige's on Fri afternoon. Coloring eggs on Sat and the Ukrainian dinner in the afternoon/evening (a fund raiser so Alyona could help the soldiers and the orphanage), really enjoyed the authentic food. Easter on Sun at the Upstills, but all my kids came so I was especially happy. I brought dinner over to Squirt's for mom and stayed and ate with them and then went to the Upstills.

Mon morning around 4 or 5 I woke up sicker than a dog. Very miserable. Gooood thing I didn't fly that day!!

All in all it was quite enjoyable. Just wish flying didn't mess up my head so much. It takes a few days to get that back to normal. It is humid here so I don't get my good Utah hair. Sadness.

Quail at Squirt's

I looked out the window one morning at Squirt's and the front yard had a bunch of beautiful birds around the bird feeders. I determined they were quail. Quite a pretty little thing and so amazing to see. Squirt said they show up each morning to eat.

I think Squirt put out the bird feeders to attract birds so mom can look at them out the big window. I enjoyed watching them also. Oh, that morning it also snowed a little. Nothing stayed, pretty watching it gently fall. It warmed up later in the day.

Ggrrls

I'm searching on my phone and iPad for all the pics I took, but it turns out I must not have taken that many. These all the ggrrls. I seem to be mostly about the little ggrrls, hmmmm.

These are the Easter dresses. Macy didn't wear the pink shrug because it "itched" her. Paige had found Hattie a super cute little white dress, she looked adorable, as Stella and Macy would say. Paige and I both forgot to have them wear the "hat" headbands.

 Bright pink and blue scooter skirts with chevrons and anchors. I thought the skirts would be too short, but they weren't. I should have gone to another Kohl's for Hattie's skirt - she had 24 months, but needed the 18 months. Lazy Nano!!

 Macy dyeing her 2 doz eggs. They weren't allowed to hide these, only the plastic ones. I asked Paige why they couldn't hide these. Answer: she was going to eat them all.

 Stella with her 2 doz. She liked to write with the wax crayon, and pour colors on top of colors to create something different, and sometimes dye each half of the egg a different color.

 One beautiful morning Macy wanted to jump on next door neighbor's trampoline. Paige called and got permission; Hattie of course would have nothing to do with staying in the house when anybody is outside. She loved to run around the edges, getting a little bounce. I remember Scott doing the same thing at this age with our tramp.

Home

I got home last night around 8:30pm. Kristi was supposed to come with me, but early Mon morning I got very sick; we decided it might be best if she didn't come because I didn't know how I would be feeling. Yesterday went fine for the trip home, but this morning I'm not feeling well again.

I don't post when I'm gone as it's too hard with my iPad, so lots of pics will be coming.