Kayakity Yack

Time to play a little catch up.

I've previously discussed how much Austin is a water town. And it really is true. Today I had the pleasure of touring Town Lake and Barton Springs by kayak. This mode of transport was new to me and it's a great workout. Had a fantastic time and looking forward to trying it again.

Town Lake is not actually a lake and it's actually no longer Town Lake. Lady Bird Johnson passed away last month and while she was alive she did not want Town Lake to be named for her until after her death. Town Lake is now Lady Bird Lake, it doesn't exactly roll off your tongue, but it does pay tribute to the woman who advocated the nature and bike path around the lake and many other environmental causes. The lake itself is just a really slow and wide section of the Colorado River.

Enjoy the post photo of the trip as I don't have a waterproof digital camera!

In other news....

Last weekend I jetted off to Tucson to catch up with some friends who were so kind to host me on my road trip to Austin from Los Angeles. You may remember that Tucson was my only overnight stopping point on the trip. I did not remember my digital camera while I was packing. Shame. While I was there I caught up with my friends and played in the pool. The University of Arizona is in a nice section of town, but for the most part Tucson is unremarkable. (Sorry Tucson). My friends are leaving at the end of the year and none of us will be running back there.

Baxter celebrated his first birthday sometime last month according to his birth records from the adoption center. He celebrated by learning to bark at me when he wants to play and I caught him lifting his leg on my shrubs for the first time. He's a big boy now, about 90 lbs.

As the rain stopped and the temperatures began to rise, I've turned my attention to the inside of the house. I've painted the guest room, kitchen and master bathroom. Previously they were builders grade flat white paint. Now they have some color. I'm painting a few more walls in the living room, but not the sixteenfooter that needs scaffolding. The pros will have to take that on.

Next weekend it's off to Colorado for some white water rafting. I have an abundance of free airline tickets and it's about time I used them. Again, I suspect there will be no photos due to the water.

Guess what I could use for Christmas....