7 Quick Takes: Where I Was All Week

We spent the past three days in Austin, my husband at a conference and me just roaming around. While I had planned on doing a lot of writing while I was there, it didn’t happen. I would sit down to write and neither the laptop, my iPad, or my phone couldn’t hold onto the internet connection at the hotel or anywhere else. I decided to take the hint and just get out to meet people.

What did I do while I was there?

(Thanks to Jen for hosting)

1.

I had breakfast with three guys from Indianapolis who were in town just for the barbecue. They were laughing and cutting up, and I didn’t want to eat alone, so I asked to join them. Best decision of the day! They were hilarious, and glad to have someone to ask about Texas. Since Texas is one of my favorite things to talk about, we were a happy group.

I learned that they had been friends for 15 years, and all worked together. Their 12 hours a day, 7 days on/7days off schedule gave them a lot of free time, so every three months they went on a road trip together. They pick a food, research where to find the best of it and set off to discover who does it best. This trip was barbecue. They’d spent two days in Texas, and were heading out to Memphis. Their last trip was for pie, and the one before that was burgers. I called friend that afternoon and said, “I figured out how what we’re doing once the kids are grown.” We’re already making plans.

2.

I zipped down to San Antonio on Wednesday morning to pre-record some radio programs for the Guadalupe Radio Network (Catholic Radio in the San Antonio area.) I love doing radio. It’s one of my favorite things ever. When the station manager said he thought I needed to be on the air more often I thought, “Darn skippy I do!”

As soon as I know the air date, I’ll let you know.

3.

I had lunches and dinners with three of the ladies from the Edel Conference. I love them. They’re absolutely wonderful women who make me want to move to Austin just so that I can hang out with them more often.

4.

I had breakfast on Thursday with a family from Oklahoma. I helped their 3-year-old carry her plate, and they invited me to join them. They had five children and had come down to Austin to see their great-grandmother receive an award from the State of Texas. Their family has been farming and ranching on the same land for 250 years, and the state gave them a plaque to post on their gate that says so.

They were a fun family, and when I told them about the food tourists of the day before ….well, I don’t know when I’ve seen a woman get that excited before when a wedding wasn’t involved.

5.

We had dinner at The Salty Sow – candied pork belly, fries that were fried in duck fat, and Mexican vanilla creme brulee. Forget eating my way across the country. I just want to eat there a few hundred more times.

6.

I danced with a homeless blind man on the corner of Congress in Austin. We were waiting for the light and he was singing and tapping his cane. I said, “You have a beautiful voice.”

“Then why aren’t you dancing?” he asked me.

“Because you’re not dancing with me.”

He laughed and changed his song to reggae, reached out for my hand and we danced right there. When the light changed, we linked arms and I helped/danced with him across the street.

7.

I don’t have a number 7, so please enjoy this video about the truth of being a housewife