Today we headed into Austin to check out some of the sites. We were here a few years ago on our trip, but the weather was not great. Today was awesome – almost too hot.
Getting settled in
We spent our first day in Austin getting settled in. We are actually staying in a townhome on Lake Travis, about 45 minutes from Austin.
Austin or Bust
We left bright and early this morning for Austin, a 14 hour drive from home.
Lake Life – in December!
The weather was awesome this week, so Mary Connor found a lake house at Sun Valley Lake for Gary and Kathie to stay at for a couple of nights. Mary, us and the Reagens came out for a day to enjoy the warm weather.
Thanksgiving 2020
For Thanksgiving this year we headed south to the Connors’. The weather was awesome and they had a beautiful setup in their driveway.
Weekend Wrap-Up
Colorado Trip
My uncle Tom, who lives in Colorado Springs, has not been doing well. His mental and physical health have been declining and I had the opportunity to go visit with him for a few days at the end of last week. Susan stayed home on kid duty and I spent my days visiting with Tom, making time for a hike each day.
Cincinnati Fun
We haven’t been to Cincinnati in a year and we have been working hard this summer to find a time to go. A good window presented itself and we made the trip, staying just a few days in Cincinnati. We mostly hung out with my family, except for visiting with the Herrels.
Driving to Cincinnati
After a slight delay, we are headed to Cincinnati! We delayed our trip one day because Elliot started developing a rash. We weren’t sure what it was, but after a few hours we could determine that it was poison ivy.
The big kids like to rotate who sits in the back and are committed to making sure they switch at the right time. Here they are, doing the rotation.
Gulf Shores Vacation
Back in the Spring, just before the pandemic started, we booked a vacation to Gulf Shores, AL, with the Reagens. A few months later, it didn’t feel quite as comfortable, but we decided to make the trip anyways. The Reagens were not able to come because they wanted to be closer to Nate’s dad, who has not been doing well since the end of June. Vacation was definitely not the same without the Reagens, but we did our best to have a good time.
Overnight in Memphis
Today we started our drive to Gulf Shores and spent the night in Memphis. I was in Memphis a few years ago for a conference and looked forward to spending the night in the city again. We arrived in Memphis at around 7, stopped at our hotel, and then headed to the Lorraine Motel, the site of Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination and current National Civil Rights Museum. We picked up some BBQ nearby and took in the experience, which felt more significant due to the current upheaval that is affecting the world. After that we headed to the Beale St. area, just to drive around.