diet (?) and exercise

I wake up thinking that it's almost eight but it's 7:30. In fact, a little after eight, SuRu calls and says she's running late. So, I sip my coffee. She calls back to say she's ready and I gather up my stuff and go over there. We start off ambling east, nothing particular in mind. We end up deciding to walk to Flight Path which is probably well over two miles from the house. We get there and arrange ourselves outside in front. The day has changed from cloudy to nice. We have a snack (triple espresso and an everything bagel with cream cheese for me).

SuRu and I always take turns going inside. While she's inside I listen to two gals sipping coffees at a nearby table.

"You just plug the numbers into Excel?"

"No, there's a guy who does Visual Basic. He takes the data from Microsoft Project. But the project has to be done in this exact way. It's great, though. You know exactly what's happening. I took a big piece from Austin and gave it to India."

We are eating at this table with a backgammon board built in. There is a lip so it's real unhandy. At one point, SuRu upsets her cup which is on of those glass ones with a foot and it shatters on the ground. Fortunately, the glass doesn't hit anyone. We move the dogs away from the mess and she goes to get some help from the girl with the tattoos who is always working there. The girl helps pick up although she doesn't have the broom we hoped for...she is very sweet and loves Zoey. I guess she never came outside while we were there. (We don't often walk all the way there...we walk around the neighborhood from time to time, though.)

By the way, Flight Path has shut down the back room to conform with parking and square foot regulation. They are taking essays about their importance to the neighborhood for a variance hearing. They are very sanguine about the whole thing...admitting that the neighbors are bothered by cars parking on the street. We feel all noble, having walking there. In fact, when we walk in the neighborhood but drive there we always take a spot away from businesses where there is room for our car without bothering anyone. We are, after all, walking! We do need neighborhood places like Flight Path, though. They have free wireless Internet access, I think, and they are an independent business...to be cherished. And the girl with the black hair and the tattoos is very cool.

We go down North Loop on the way back, by Hog Wild, Room Service, a new radical bookstore called Monkey Wrench and other assorted weird stuff. The area seems to be a homeless hangout. But also an enclave of the most independent of businesses.

I am not all that tired when I get home. The day is nice, I feel good. I do a few things and decide to go on and do my regular workout. I go to the club and do 45+ minutes on the bike while reading a book on New York from the Cities of the Imagination series. For some reason, I've started several different books. Probably trying to decide what to take to on my trip. I do my lower body exercises.

At home, I don't have much time until I have to get ready for the afternoon and evening festivities.

The first event is a house warming for a newly-redecorated unit at Cambridge Towers. This is a place that we've threatened to move to when we 'get old.' (Also, when we get dogless...they don't allow pets.) It is conveniently located near UT and downtown. We will have to divest ourselves of many, many things to do it.

The apartment (condo?) is very cool and nicely decorated. They are small, though. Small kitchen, reasonable bedroom, two baths, a study (could be a small bedroom) and a living/dining that isn't huge with a balcony looking east. We visit with all the folks at the party. We meet this woman who is a hand surgeon. Turns out FFP visited her years and years ago when he had a dog bite on his hand.

I have some sparkling wine (a Riesling sparkler they tell me) and a little cheese and paté. We talk and tour the place. Then we take off and go home to meet Gayle for our other event.

Gayle arrives and we are off for a benefit for Animal Trustees of Austin.