i’m leaving work a little early on thursday to meet my high school girlfriends in pennsylvania. this is not your usual meet up with high school friends, no sireeeebob. we are going to the new kids on the block concert. that’s right. i think they like to be called nkotb now but that’s okay. the four of us went to see them when we were teenagers (actually, there were five of us but that’s a whole different story) so this will definitely be a big trip down memory lane. i promise that i will not be one of those 30-somethings screaming and crying for jon, jordan, joey, donnie, and danny. i’ve known two of the three ladies since kindergarten. we were in the same carpool when we were five years old; i’ve known them for almost 30 years. (that right there just about blew my mind.) we all met the fourth lovely lady in sixth grade when our grade schools combined to one middle school. or maybe it was eighth grade. i’ll verify this weekend. i haven’t seen two of the girls for close to eight or nine years, but have kept in semi-regular contact with one of them. facebook – that frighteningly addictive place – has reconnected us and i’m so thankful for that!
so besides talking about my girlfriends and the fun we will have together this week, i must also share information about our trip to austin. we were only there from thursday evening until sunday afternoon, but managed to eat our way through most of the city. we had tex mex and bbq and breakfast tacos and greek food, a lovely brunch at our hosts’ home, fish tacos and margaritas at the hula hut, and did i mention the bbq? i’m still dreaming of the brisket and blackberry cobbler from the salt lick. if i could make blackberry cobbler like that, i’d quit my job and eat it full time. and possibly sell what i didn’t eat. weighing 500 lbs would be worth it if i could eat that much blackberry cobbler, believe me. if you are ever in the austin area, please please please go to the salt lick and remember to save room for cobbler (thank you to my other dawn for reminding/telling us!).
it all started on thursday night when we went to a local greek restaurant
other than eating and drinking, we also got to meet my friend’s twin boys. those little guys were hilarious and entertaining and lovable and huggable and just so much fun to be around. but holy cow, i don’t know how she does it. she’s an amazing mother and such an inspiration!!!! she put the boys down for their nap, so james, shaunna, and i took off to visit mt. bonnell.
what awaits at the top of top of mt. bonnell
the view of town lake below
we were a little hot from hiking up and down steep steps, so we decided to go to the hula hut for drinks!
james and his mojito:
my delicious strawberry/lime margarita (it was as frosty and wonderful as it looks!):
our pina coladas. with an extra shot of rum. what can i say? we were on vacation! :)
and now, a warning. this next picture may cause you to jump on the next plane to austin or something. this is coy’s picture of our food from the salt lick. i couldn’t be bothered to take pics of this food. i dug right in. (that is *not* my beer cosy). :D
pics from the oasis. i also have a great story about the man hunt that went down that night, but more on that later. for now, enjoy the pictures.
yet another fruity drink (this one was lame compared to the drinks at the hula hut)
and finally, my cowboy boots. i love them so much.
whew! this was a long post! and i still have so much more to tell you!
oh, sorry for the crappy pics – these were all from my iphone except for the salt lick pic, and that was also from a camera phone. i’ll download my real pics later!
to be continued…