AUSTIN, Texas, November 10, 2005 — So I stayed up too late but after some coffee and getting to the tennis court (where it's at least slightly cool), I felt great. We didn't make a foursome today so we played California for three sets and I played single side twice and it's lots of fun for me. I went to the gym after and did ten minutes on the recumbent bike and a few things with weights.

When I got home, I figured we didn't have anything to do. (Actually we had tickets to an exhibition UT Women's Basketball game tonight but if we get to one game a season we figure we're doing well.) FFP had been itching to go

to the San Marcos outlet malls. I'm not much of a shopper, but if you are going to make an excursion like that then Thursday during the day isn't bad. We showered up and I grabbed a little bit to eat and we took off down, shudder, IH35. And in spite of the fact that it wasn't rush hour or even lunch hour, there was a lot of traffic. But FFP was driving and I was reading the newspaper so it was fine.

There are actually two outlet malls at San Marcos and we started out in the sort of poor relation one. (Tanger) as opposed to the (it seems to me) more upscale one (Prime). We bought FFP's dad some audio tapes in a Borders outlet and then went to a few men's shops. We strike it rich (from FFP's point of view) in Claiborne for Men. He ends up closing out purchases three times and then noticing something else and ends up with a black suit, a black T-Shirt and three long-sleeved shirts. I get a belt and some Thinsulate gloves. The total bill is $200 or so and he is really happy with his clothes and my $17 belt and $8 gloves are pretty good deals. (I buy belts in men's stores because I like simple styles and you can just get your waist size.) He was hoping to find high end boxer shorts, socks he likes (Cole Hahn probably had them but we didn't have time to check) and some fragrance for cheap (the only one he found he liked was still very pricey), but he is thrilled with what he got and the prices. I was all shopped out pretty quickly. We cruise slowly around seeing where we could shop in the future . We pick up a coffee, stop by a restroom and head back into the teeth of rush hour. But it is fine until we get near the river. We meant to go over to Mopac but missed the exit, but we get home with only a few miles of stop and go.

On the way down, we had a call from our friend Al from Dallas. He was coming this way and thought we might have dinner. We were up with that and got a reservation at Zoot.

We got home and checked up on things, picked out an old (1993) Burgundy (Joseph Drouhin Chambertain) and an older (1988) Bordeaux (Cos D'Estrounel) and got ready to go to Zoot. The friend we are having dinner with is someone who appreciates wine. Just returned from France in fact. He called and had made it as far as his hotel.

Our friend struggled to find our house with all the construction but eventually did. He called when he was close by and I was standing out there and watched two drivers go south (which is currently illegal in front of my house as only one lane is open) and was terrified one would run head-on into him. FFP drove us all to the restaurant. We were only seven minutes late for the reservation. I had already called and told them we'd be a little late, of course. We saw a whole table of friends when we got there and someone else we know came over to say 'hi.'

We settled in, looked over the menu and discussed various dishes with staff and got them to open our wine. I ended up ordering Seared Hudson Valley foie gras with apple crumb cake and pear soup and Duck breast with squash gnocchi, haricots verts, sage brown butter and chorizo. It was delicious. The wines came out stupid to start with (although the Burgundy emerged with a good nose) as if having been trapped for a decade or two in the bottle had held them back from their rightful wonders. But they gradually develop into wonderful dinner companions. The Burgundy all fruity and flowery and the Bordeaux smoky and dark and boisterous. They are prime examples of their ilk, allegedly. Much sniffing, swishing and discussion was expended on them. We ordered one cheese plate and then another to share and keep enjoying the rest of the wine. I drank more than my share of course since I wasn't driving.

Although the portions were small, the food was rich and there was the wine all that wine I drank. We went to sleep quickly after our guest left after having a coffee and enduring trip pictures. I woke up once in the wee hours and decided that two Ibuprofin and two Aloe Vera gel caps would ensure a restful sleep and a bright morning. I wasn't wrong.

I bought myself Christmas presents today. I wanted four things I had decided. Tennis shoes, a backpack tennis bag, a case of tennis balls and money to convert old 8MM and Super 8MM film to VHS and then digital. I bought the shoes and bag online. I'll pick up the balls at Costco and I found a site that has a pretty good deal on the last thing. Now I'll just get FFP those high end boxer shorts and some socks and we will have our Christmas presents. I don't know what Christmas has to do with it. We don't deny ourselves much. But I was just moved to make a list. I guess I've been playing too much tennis given my list. Truthfully there isn't very much I want in this life.

FFP and I are developing a celebration for ourselves in a few weeks. We are going to commemorate our first date, thirty years ago. We went to the Armadillo World Headquarters and you can't duplicate that. (We saw Marcia Ball play and we tried inviting her to dinner, but she won't be in town. We may actually do a dinner with her later.) The next day back in 1975, after our first date, we had our second and we went to Matt's El Rancho. It still exists but not in the 1975 location. Back then it occupied some land on the south side of First Street (now Cesar Chavez) where San Jacinto meets it. Guess what's there now? The Austin Four Seasons hotel. So, naturally, we decided to entertain two other couples there for the anniversary of our first date. FFP managed to score a comped room for us to stay the night there, too.

Yeah, it was a wonderful day. Seems I've been having lots of them. But am I appreciating it all? Well, yes, I am, pretty much.