Holiday Activities

Cowboy Musician
Originally uploaded by sunasak

For the first time in years, I actually did something for Independence Day. Our musician church friends asked Lee to play bass in their annual "Patriotic Band" that entertains at their little town's 4th of July celebration. They live in Point Venture, which is at the end of a peninsula jutting into Lake Travis's north side, down from Lago Vista (this makes no sense unless you live here, but will help Austinites). There are fewer than 700 people here, many of whom are weekenders or summer dwellers, but each year they get together for a pretty good celebration. The band that Lee was a part of consisted of folks ranging from a 14-year-old trumpet player (also recruited from our church) to a very enthusiastic nearly-80 flute player. Lee, at 50, was second youngest, though. Doesn't he make a fine holiday cowboy musician, though? I love that look!

The event was really cute. They had a parade, which mostly consisted of a fire engine, a bunch of old or classic cars, including one convertible with a 50+ lady in a ball gown waving from it, and probably every golf cart owned by every family in the neighborhood. They had them quite filled with balloons and streamers, which must have been fun. Many had dressed-up dogs on them (which then visited us after the parade). When the parade was over, everyone came in to eat lots and lots of hot dogs, chips, veggies and cookies--all provided by the Lions Club. There were clowns and moonwalks for the kids (mostly grandkids--this is an elderly kinda place). It was very small town, but nice. We got t-shirts.

Afterwards, our friends took us out on their "new" boat, which is actually a pretty old pontoon boat they bought with another retired couple at the church. I am also including a photo or two from the boat ride. It would have been a lot more fun any other day than this, because of course everyone in the greater Austin area was also on the lake. It must have been much more crowded over by Lakeway, where there are more people. There was a lot of bumpiness from all the faster boats' wakes. And wow, a LOT of those personal watercraft. We saw a kid hit a wake way too fast and go way up in the air. He then fell off. It was fun to look at all the giant houses along the lake, though, and it felt like a real holiday to do a real holiday activity! These friends are really nice people, so I am glad Lee could help out with their band.


We came home rather overheated, but happy, and took the kids out to dinner (Tuba Boy had worked all day, and Beccano had no interest in joining us, though he might have liked the boat ride).

The heat really messed me up, though, so I have not been feeling well today. Some odd sinus headache thing, or heat illness. Still, I went with Lee as he helped a knitting shop friend move boxes in preparation for leaving town after a sad divorce. I really appreciate Lee's willingness to help people just because I ask him to. And hey, we got two little lamps and a big candle holder out of the deal. And met some nice new people, which can't hurt.


After that, Lee bought some new plants for our next bed, including a phlox that smells great and my first roses. I am so happy about them. They are those really hardy roses that bloom a lot, not fancy ones. And he is also going to plant Beccano's beloved sunflowers. We don't know if they'll make it or not, but it would be nice to have them for fall.

I'll spend most of tomorrow getting ready for the teaching gig next week. I hope to read over all the materials tomorrow and Monday. I have 6 classes scheduled, which means at least SOME income. Hoping the contract job comes through, for which I have a second interview Tuesday at lunch. Cross your fingers.

The last photo you see is a close-up of the new bass, as a favor to those of you who asked to see it!