Monday, May 28, 2007

A Memorial Weekend to Remember

Doug and Kristen have been here this weekend. Doug is, of course, Jamie's brother, and Kristen, Doug's ladyfriend.

It's been a really fun weekend, and I think we've done a good job of playing tour guide. I also have come to realize, in driving around town, how I have an anecdote for almost every 200 yards of vast stretches across town.

Saturday we took Doug and Kristen to the Alamo Drafthouse to see Pirates III. (Eh.) On Saturday night we took them out to "Esther's Follies", which I assume is an experience replicated somewhere in the Bay Area from which they hail, but, anyhow... it was fun and I think they liked it.

Sunday we rolled to Green Pastures for the Sunday brunch, which was amazing. Including the "Milk Punch", which should really be called "Satan's Secret Sledgehammer". Smooth, delicious, sweet, and then all of a sudden-like, you realize you'd best hand over the keys and let Jamie drive. Much like a pirate, I like my rum.

We tidied the house, hit the grocery, and by 5:00 we had a few people trickling in for a cook-out that wound up lasting until 12:00. Lots of folks came and went. A good time was had. Unfortunately, I also got a Wii this week, which meant Doug and I stayed up very, very late making disturbing Mii's and talking comics.

Got up today and Doug and Kristen suffered through Ryan's unofficial tour of Austin (which involved pointing out places that had caught on fire, and one place where I had caught on fire).

We wound up passing my old neighborhood where I grew up, so I decided to detour and pass my old house. The current owner was out in the yard, so I jumped out of the car to say "Hi". The guy happily welcomed us in to the house to see what became of the house where a young league had once spent many an hour pouring over his X-Men and Batman comics.

It was really, really weird going back in. (a) whomever lived in the house since we moved out in 89 has put in really nice fixtures, redone the kitchen, put down nice tile and put in wood floors in the foyer and all through the upstairs. (b) Hello flashback city. There was the corner Jason used to hide behind to leap out and terrify me. Here were the windows I totally forgot were at the top of the living room. And as much as had changed, it wasn't hard at all to see it as it was in my mind's eye. Except for the expansive backyard which now is filled with a pool.

Oh, and that damn hill in the front yard? That you had to mow at an angle? It's been cut up into tiers and turned into nice planters. However, the tree in the front yard, that was struck by lightning? I think it's gone. Or else it wasn't ever where I remember it sitting.

We also toured the Capitol, ran down by Lake Travis, zipped past the re-born Oasis restaurant (it's going to be pretty cool when they finish), and ate dinner/lunch at Hoover's off Manor. At Hoover's we saw a wheelchair bound Harry Knowles and at the Capitol we saw Rick Perry wandering out of the front doors and headed toward the governor's mansion. If he weren't on his cell phone, I totally would have flagged him down and made him welcome Doug and Kristen to the state.

I don't know how much Doug and Kristen got out of it, but we saw Austin from Slaughter Lane to Windy Point, and that's kind of cool. Austin's a small town, even when it's not, and even when it's growing.

12 comments:

Steven said...

When I saw Harry at SXSW I noted his wheel-chair-ed status. Is this a recent thing? Is he sick? Or is it just, uh, corpulence?

The League said...

I'd seen him a few years back getting out of a car using crutches. I assume that his, uhmm.. enthusiasm for Austin's cuisine has not helped any issues he's having with the knee or leg in question.

J.S. said...

The sad truth is that The League never actually grew up in Austin. He was released, fully formed, from his hypersleep bubble at age 18 with pseudo memory implants of an Austin childhood. They were supposed to give him a solid emotional foundation from which he could move on to lead a normal, well-adjusted adult life. Obviously, they failed horribly.

Anonymous said...

This has got to be the lamest blog ever.

The League said...

Mom, that is so not cool.

RHPT said...

Apparently, Anonymous has never read any of my failed attempts at blogging.

Anonymous said...

The only thing sadder than posting anonymously on the supposed "lamest blog ever" is that it was done so by a man in his mid to late 20's, still in the gear he slept in while it is almost noon, posting while eating cereal in his parents house, where, oh by the way, he still lives.

Thanks you brave anonymous internet critique guy for letting us know how much cooler your life is, and for lowering yourself for just a moment to let us know our place in the blogosphere. Now get back to that bowl of cereal and your X-box and remember to fake like you looked for a job a few hours so the folks won't kick you out.

Peabo

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I think they went to the tiered front lawn landscaping on the sloping hill for ease of mowing (or laziness). Perhaps they had no teenage son on which to pawn off the mowing job.

I remember the sloping hill was home to many a slidign wipeout or launching pad to many an attempted flying Judo kick. They should have kept it as it was. I think those trees must be the original trees, because they are pretty decent size now, and I am not sure they could have grown that much if they had been planted in the last 7-10 years.

Peabo

The League said...

I'm totally embracing my title as "lamest blog ever". I think that could be my new thing.

Anonymous said...

If you were referring to me, I am just reading your blog this morning (Wednesday). Anyway, I am jealous, would love to see our old house, which is my favorite of the 6 we have lived in. I understand through M.K. that it is very nice. Glad that you got to see it. These are the 3rd owners since we moved, the 2nd owners are the ones that did the remodeling an put in the pool. Glad to hear that your weekend with Kristin and Doug was great!
Karebear

J.S. said...

I am totally fascinated by anonymous. Does he think the blog is lame b/c of the comic book content? Because there's not enough comic book content? Is he one of Mel's arch enemies (and this option has endless possibilities)? Is he/she just a random naysayer, a modern day Eeyore of some sort?

Anonymous said...

austin ruled, man. i'm still dreaming of those cheese grits...and did you see our gay toothbrush photo? we had a great time, despite (or perhaps because of) ryan's "hysteria and hyperbole." hope to see you guys soon. perhaps we can entertain you in berkeley, where hippies abound and restaurants have dishes entitled "i am precious" and "i am eternally inspired." (i am serious.)