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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids

    Champaign to Austin

    3. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    Travel day is never a lot of fun, but this was the first trip in a while without travel delays, unscheduled stops in strange airports, or some other travel screw-up. Champaign to Chicago to Austin. We are here for our annual trip to Joe’s hometown, and will spend our first few days in Georgetown, Tx, where a good high school friend of Joe’s now lives. Than on Tuesday we head into our AirBnb in central Austin and get excited as both kids and their families come in from San Francisco and Chicago. Can’t wait!Les mer

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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids
    1

    Trip to the LBJ sites

    3. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Yesterday, we were with Joe’s friend Ben and his family, went to brunch, enjoyed the town square (which still has a monument to Confederate soldiers), out to the dam and its resulting lake, all without my phone, so no pictures.

    Today we took a road trip, Ben, Joe, and I. It was just great. We left around 9 and headed towards Fredericksburg, which has beoome a tourist destination for its wineries and cutesy main street with lots of Wild West building facades. On the way we took the Willow City Loop, which goes through ranch country with amazing wildflower displays — blue bonnets, Indian Paintbrush, and some white flower we couldn’t identify.

    Lunch in Fredericksburg, and a stroll up and down its main street. Since no one in our group is a shopper, we didn’t last long there. From there we headed to LBJ Country. Our first stop was the Texas White House, with stops nearby at the LBJ birthplace, the one-room school where LBJ started school (and where he came back as president to sign the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, with his teacher from those days at his side), the family cemetery where he and Lady Bird are buried, and a drive all around the huge ranch. The Texas White House is closed because of serious structural issues caused when the family added bathrooms and cut down load-bearing walls with abandon, but we could see it from the outside in its lovely location on the banks of the Pernales River. The plane used by LBJ to fly from Washington to his ranch is still there, with the story being that although this plane was an Air Force One, LBJ nick-named it Air Force Half-One because it was so small (seating for 8 or 9).

    Here I will add the aside that as someone who came of age in the 60s, LBJ was always associated with Viet Nam in my mind. Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today? was a familiar refrain. That image has changed over the years, with many trips to Texas, as I have been reminded of the incredible number of landmark laws that were passed during his presidency, frequently due to nothing other than LBJ’s own sheer force as a politician. The Voting Rights Act, the Environmental Protection Act, Medicare, the Clean Water Act, the list goes on and on.

    Our last stop was at another LBJ National Park site in Johnson City (named for a nephew of LBJ’s grandfather, so the Johnson family was clearly a fixture in this part of Texas). There we saw his boyhood home (complete with outhouse!) and a few longhorn cattle there to delight the visitors, like me, who had never seen one. It is probably a trite observation, but to see that a US president began life in a three room house does make an impact.

    A great day with a ride home through hill country, blue bonnets everywhere. Too tired to go out for dinner, we will just munch on snacks and head off to slumberland.    Les mer

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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids
    111

    Daughter and family arrive!

    4. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We left Georgetown and headed into our Austin rental. About 40 minutes later , the first family (daughter) arrived and we met at Elizabeth’s (a Vietnamese restaurant).

    Since today was forecast to be the only hot day this week, we headed to Barton Springs, a public pool in a natural spring.

    Then eating time again, after an hour spent trying to learn the very complicated rules of Forbidden Desert, a collaborative strategy game. Pizza at Buffalina and doughnuts for dessert at Gordoughs. This is our normal Austin routine. Since we’ve been coming so many years, everyone has a handful of must-go to places.

    Family number two (son) arrives tomorrow. So glad-happy to be with the kids snd grandkids..    Les mer

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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids

    Travel woes with a happy ending.

    5. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    It seemed too good to be true, and then at nine this morning, we learned that son and family were .delayed for at least three hours. Three hours later, their flight was canceled. Nothing to do but keep our fingers crossed.

    For our morning fun, we walked to a great park about five blocks from our house. Then across the river to the amazing Austin Public library. Ben and I wondered if red cities go as all out with their libraries as blue cities.

    We had lunch at La Santa Barbacha food truck. Some of the most delicious Mexican food I’ve ever had. Topped off with a few games of corn hole.

    Then we got the good news that the whole crew of 6 was en route to Austin. By 5:30 we were all at the park and the cousins were running and jumping nonstop. It’s so great to have us all together. Lots of half finished conversations and interruptions, we got to Lucy’s Fried Chicken just in time to get in our order before the kitchen closed and ended the night with frozen bananas at Banarchy.    Les mer

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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids
    1

    Rainy day in Austin

    6. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    With 6 kids and 6 adults, even breakfast is a major operation. Hats off to JJ (age 8) and her dad (our resident chef) for a very nice one. Two of the kids had to work remotely, so the remaining 10 loaded up into two cars and headed for the Capitol. We got to see both the House and Senate in action. The House was getting ready for a marathon session to vote on some health care law with 400 amendments, each of which has to be voted on separately. The Senate was debating something that had to do with charter schools and public funding. Not a lot of inspiring rhetorical flourishes. But it was interesting. And the building itself is gorgeous.

    Next stop was to show the library to the cousins who hadn’t seen it. We had brought our lunch and ate it in the lobby. And then the kids all got to play on computers and read graphic novels.

    Last stop of the day was the Blanton Art Museum. It’s a beautiful building and I especially enjoyed the Latino rooms.

    I’ve probably said this already, but it’s so fun to see the grandkids playing together. They are really having a great time. And we’re all learning how to play the very complicated Forbidden Desert.

    Dinner soon at Easy Tiger.    Les mer

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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids

    Second Rainy Day

    7. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Not exactly what we had in mind, but they need the rain so badly it is hard to even complain a little bit. We spent a big chunk of the day in the Texas History Museum, which focuses on Texas before statehood. Reading the information panels, it seemed like France, Britain and Spain were the puppet masters dictating everything from afar.

    For me the highlight of the museum was the hulk of the 17th century La Belle, a sunken ship that had been the last remaining ship of a French expedition, which had been sent to find the Mississippi River in the gulf. It overshot its mark, the captain was killed, and La Belle sank off the coast of what is now Texas. The ship was found and brought up in the 90s and it is a really fascinating exhibit. Lots and lots of artifacts, and the hull itself sits in the main hall.

    The kids were entertained for a few hours, enjoying the replica of the Alamo and a lot of gunslinging displays. It was still raining as we left, so we had to find a food truck court with covered seating. Food trucks are absolutely the best way to get good food in Austin when you’ve got a bunch of kids and don’t want to wait for hours for seating or make reservations weeks in advance. For lunch, we went to Briscuits, whose specialty is unsurprisingly, brisket on bisquits. Lots of non-brisket options too, and I can attest to their yumminess.

    After lunch, the annual trip to the great-grandparents’ grave, a visit to Joe’s childhood neighborhood, and then a quick stop at a used book store, where all the kids could choose two books each. We had a few hours of chilling back at the rental, which gave us all the energy to head for excellent pizza at Pinthouse Pizza. The more hardy in the group went on to Churro Co., but I took the easy out and headed back to the house with the excuse that baby Tommy needed to get to bed.    Les mer

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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids

    Last Day in Austin

    8. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Since today was our last day in Austin, we got up early and by 10:30 we were at the LBJ library. If you are not familiar with the challenges of getting 6 children between the ages of 8 months and 11 years out the door, that will not sound like an early day, but I assure you, it is. My contributions were minimal and trivial - holding a baby for a few minutes, filling a water bottle, etc. Joe and I had been to some of the LBJ sites out of town, but we always love going to this presidential museum/library. It is chock full of information, recorded phone conversations, film clips, memorabilia, etc. I listened to LBJ speaking with MLK a few months after JFK’s assassination. The Civil Rights folks were very suspicious of LBJ, since his first years of voting in Congress had been squarely on the segregationist side, but he proved his mettle by getting a lot of monumental legislation passed. The kids liked seeing the model White House Oval Office and all except the 4 yo and baby were totally engaged by the movie describing his life. The older ones enjoyed scrutinizing LBJ’s school report cards, too. LBJ would not be a very popular person in today’s Texas, but I believe that history will recognize him as one of our great presidents. Never thought I would say that! And maybe I’m under the influence of the loving spin on his life that you get here at the library. Flawed and inconsistent like all of us, but oh so much more than the Viet Nam war.

    After the library, we took our obligatory trip to the turtle pond on the University of Texas campus, and from there back to the rental for lunch. We then split up, and my group went up to Mt. Bonnell for great views of Lake Austin and then over to Zilker Park. Too cold for a swim, but we had to go back to the playground.

    Dinner at Salt Lick, a BBQ ranch about a half hour out of town, is another one of our sacred traditions. If you are not a meat eater you would not be too happy, but their cole slaw and potato salad are both top notch.

    It would be so great if we all lived closer together, but these reunion trips are very special!    Les mer

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  • Laurie ReynoldsAustin with kids and grandkids

    Easter Sunday - Home Again

    9. april 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Oh, wait, I forgot to add some pictures of our miniature golf trip last night. The kids loved it, even the 4 yo who was doing pretty well! There were 9 of us, so I was the odd guy out, and I volunteered to carry the beer for the grownups (What, BEER in a miniature golf course — that must be why our kids were the only ones under 21).

    Magically, the Easter Bunny had made a special stop in Austin and even hid eggs for the young-uns to hunt for. Then, off to chcurch, one last hug in a park, and the airport beckoned. Everyone went separately, but as we were going through Security we heared an ominous “final call, Love party of 6…” Miraculously, they made it. I am not one of those who likes to cut it close, so here we sit in the Austin airport with another 40 minutes before boarding.

    So many good memories, so much fun for everyone. Too bad we can only swing one Austin trip a year. The tradition started when the kids were still in high school, and has now morphed into an 11-person extravaganza. Actually, it is very easy to find houses for a group our size, because Austin is bachelorette party capital of America!    Les mer

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