AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12, 2006 — I am eager to escape the hotel. So I am up and showered, groomed and dressed. And I took most of my things out to the car and checked around the room looking for things I'd forgotten. I went to get some coffee and Dad was getting some breakfast. He was quite ready to go, too. We waited for my aunt and uncle to get up, though, and sat with them while they ate something and talked. Then we packed up the rest and achieved Houston suburb escape velocity. Retracing the steps to Austin I made a stop in Ellinger for gas and sailed into our drive before eleven. My neighborhood looked so welcoming, even with the horrible utility construction. The houses, some nice, some a little ratty. The stores along Burnet, not chains but the Greek grocery, the local bakery, a new South American restaurant, another independent coffee shop. Ah, yes. The not suburbs.

It's good to be home. I put away most of my stuff and FFP suggests we go downtown for some brunch.

Second Street isn't suburbia either. It's all bright and clean but Taverna and the little shops and even the DWR showroom shout out urban and cool and not suburbia.

I'm not sure why it's so different. But I know I'll sacrifice to live in my current house or downtown in a condo. And not in suburbia. I guess it's a good thing I don't have kids who need to live in a place with good schools and scouting programs and all that.