January 15, 2000

clarksville

Long walk in Clarksville to kick off the day. We usually park on 13th, around the corner from Jeffrey's.

This day we wander back and forth, weaving in and out and taking a couple of streets that run dead end overlooking Lamar and the Capitol. The one by the castle. It overlooks the sad failed concrete foundations and walls of something that got stranded in the last bust or something.

The picture you see today is of a mural you could have seen on this day's walk. But no more. It's gone. It was in the path of the Lamar business building boom.

We stopped for snacks and drinks at Sweetish Hill. A young guy read the newspaper in his BMW while kind of blocking the drive and waiting for his lady friend to come out. His front left fender was crumpled. Probably someone just got sick of his act. Even after the gal got back in his car with the pastries, he sat there with other cars and pedestrians easing around him, reading the want ads like he owned the world.

We decided to head back to SuRu's SUV via "Louie's Street." It's Winflo and Brownlee actually? Anyway a poodle named Louie used to live there but his family moved. Amazingly when we got to the end of the street which bumps into the West Austin Park, there was a poodle in the park and it was Louie! His dad had driven him from their new neighborhood to the park to play.

We didn't get home until about noon from the walkies. I showered up and then piddled with the idea of organizing myself by looking through junk in the guest room closet and putting away Christmas ornaments.

Around 4PM we headed out to a party we'd been invited to. Forrest instantly wheeled into the driveway across the street when he saw that our neighbors had a sign out that they were selling Backstreet Boys tickets. No, we don't even know what they sound like. Forrest had scored some for a client. He couldn't believe the neighbor was selling some. Who are these guys? I don't care, actually.

The party. It was in the hills. If you are rich in this town, you either live in that area or on Niles Road or something. I wish we had made Dellzillions...but only so we could have still lived here and busted the prototype! (Ah, yes, actually I'm still glad I have my soul. And every single thing I need. Even if I couldn't break that stereotype of where the rich live.) Anyway...onward to the hills.

These people give a great party. The valet parkers whisked our car away. A waiter showed up to take a drink order. We admired the Chinese food display, the kitchen, said 'hi' to all the Word of Mouth Catering people we know. Settled in at a table on the deck with a retired lawyer we know from other venues. Had a nice talk with him. Talked to one of Austin's high profile rich people about having a bad fall on the hike and bike (his hip broken) and his rescuers having trouble getting them to send an ambulance without an address. ("He's right here near the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue!")

After I'd had two gin and tonics and the help is only too glad to fill again, I tell Forrest to remind me I've had two! The party gets fuller and fuller and we decide to cycle on out and give room to the people still arriving halfway through the times given. We say 'bye' to the hostess, dutifully manning the door, and go to the Westlake Barnes and Noble. (Someday we have to learn to go to book stores without buying things.)

Home again, we watch our newly purchased DVD of 'Shakespeare in Love' and then listen to our new Marian McPartland CD. (I didn't know about her until about two days ago. Unlike the Backstreet Boys...I am sorry I didn't!)

"Le bon critique est celui qui raconte les adventures de son âme au milieu des chefs-d'œuvres."

"A good critic is one who tellls the story of his mind's adventures among the masterpieces."

Anatole France, La Vie littéraire