Bob and I cleared out some leftovers from the frig for breakfast; we have to make room for tomorrow's football feast. After some quick putting practice I drove into Elgin, returned the movies (another Twilight Zone moment when I almost returned Blockbuster movies to Movie Gallery!) and stopped in HEB to get the needed items for my menu tomorrow. I got a paper while I was at it. Back home I made a frozen PB&J pie. Then I got out my iron (is that 3 times in the last week?) and pressed my pants suit that has been smashed in the closet for a year. I also dug out my winter coat since the wind from the looming cold front has already kicked up by noon. I called Glenda to tell her the games were scheduled for 2:00 and 5:30 tomorrow. We're looking forward to junk food and football.
I read the paper for a bit. By this time we needed to get ready and go. So we had a bowl of chili to tide us over and then got about as dressed up as dedicated RVers do (we both had shoes on that hurt for the first time in quite a while:-) Around 2:45 we headed down to Bee Caves in southwest Austin to my Photo I camera class. Bob and I got beverages from the Flagship Randall's grocery store that is in the same shopping center as my photo class. This was another Twilight Zone place. When we lived in Jester Estates in west Austin back when we were working stiffs, I grocery shopped at this Randall's some 12-15 years ago. Not only that, the LWS classes that I was a moderator for with EDS were just down the road and we would bring the class participants to the Jason's Deli in this same shopping center. Way too many memories for one day!
There were 8 to 10 people in the photo class--quite an eclectic group. The guy behind me was nice and somewhat chatty. He worked for a cabinet shop installing custom kitchen cabinets. He bought his digital 10x optical camera a year ago and was just now getting around to taking the class. He uses his camera to shoot before and after pictures of his cabinetry as a marketing tool.
The class instructor was very knowledgeable about photography in general and I absorbed some good things that I can use as tricks. I'm looking forward to next week's class that will focus (no pun intended) on digital cameras specifically. His class ran over so I cut out early so we wouldn't be late for Jean's retirement party. We were only 10 or 15 minutes from downtown Austin. The only other time I have been to Castle Hill Cafe was when the gals (Mom, Carla, Aunt Annie, Michelle and Linda) came down to Austin for a shopping weekend. That was 13 or 14 years ago so it was another Twilight Zone moment.
It was fun to see EDS co-workers I hadn't seen for quite some time and to meet Jean's family members and friends that I've heard so much about. After a year's absence I got to see Becci, Allyson and Lonna for the second time in two weeks (Jean too:-) And what a delight to see David, Carol, Jeff and Brenda. I wish I could have talked more with Carol and David, but alas we were at separate tables. The food and wine were grand and the company delightful! Jean came by our table and brought me a surprise bundle of old postcards from the 1940's and 1950's; mostly west Texas with a few Austin. We had fun passing them around and laughing at the old scenes. What a treasure trove!
Bob chose the Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Crawfish Jambalaya Risotto for his entree. My choice was the Roasted Pork Tenderloin Cubano. Of special note to Bob's cousin Bernie, is the 'saffron-chorizo grits (to die for!)
Everything was delicious and they just kept bringing out more food. The Mocha Toffee Torte got my vote for dessert but they were all good. And you know I tried them all!
Of course there had to be some speechifying seeing as how this was an 'official' EDS function. Stories from the past came pouring out with photos included. I won't embarrass Jean in this public forum by repeating any of the funny tales. I'll just say that laughter was abundant. After dinner she opened some great gifts. I only hope one of my first real live attempts at using my new camera went well enough to capture her doggie T-shirts that say "Who's Your Bitch?"
It was a fine evening and another in a series of Twilight Zone memories. Who knows when all of our paths will cross again? Bob and I were home by 10:30. The wind is howling and it is a chilly 54 degrees inside The Beauty.
It's 12:45 a.m. and 39.8 degrees.