When Austin Freezes Over

Austin Can Hold its Water

Note the level of Shoal Creek behind Chelle and Jamye in the picture above. They're standing outside Shoal Creek Saloon, one of our favorite watering holes. The picture below was published in the Sunday morning edition of the Austin American Statesman. That's the Shoal Creek Saloon in the background... and Shoal Creek in the foreground. Yeah, it rained a lot on Saturday.

Introducing Loryn Elise O'Neal

The O'Neal family's latest addition arrived the day after Christmas. That's her big sister, Morgan, above holding her the day she got to come home. Below is big sis bonding with Loryn in the hospital.

I look forward to making a trek to Tennessee to see my newly expanded family soon.

2006 Year End Review--In Brief

Well, just after we left off in mid-September with the ACL Fest (which still rocks, by the way!), my parents made a spontaneous trip to Austin to--yes, ladies and gents--purchase a Corvette.

My parents, who live 40 minutes away from the Corvette Capital of the World, flew 2 hours to Austin, Texas to prove they are the Baby Boomers With Expendable Income of legend. Yes, it took a low-mileage, very reasonably priced, C5 Torch Red with Oak Top and Interior Corvette Convertible to get my parents on a plane and into Texas, but we did it by gawd! And we couldn't have been prouder of them--for hopping the plane, for jumping in with both feet, and for doing something for themselves, finally, after 30 years! Congrats, you deserve it!

Shortly thereafter, Jon Michael came for a visit and he and Jono had a wonderful, football-indulged, catch-up weekend. They even got to go see the Longhorns beat up on Baylor. AND we had the opportunity to see the Old 97's play at Stubb's (which is by far--so far--our favorite music joint in Austin). And let's see, that will make for my 4th time seeing them and the guys, well that's like...5th, 6th? Something like that.


THEN, a couple of weeks later, we trekked back to Stubb's with Tracy and Matt to see Broken Social Scene just before heading to the airport to pick up the Crowe's from beautiful Southern California. When they got here--and after I had picked my jaw up off of the floor at the news that they were expecting--we had a great time hosting them around town, eating well, and drinking near-beer over card games at the dining room table. (Did Jono abscond with those photos?) We love you guys! Congratulations!!!

Then the Holidays came flying at us and shortly after Thanksgiving, Kate and young Jackson Standish came for a weekend visit. Oh, we had fun--not only did we eat well and lounge around, but we got Kate hooked on Battlestar Galactica.
Hoorah!

What a face!

Finally Christmas came, as did a new niece in Memphis (photos forthcoming) and Jono's parents for a little R&R. For Jono's mother's 60th birthday, we celebrated at Fonda San Miguel, and basically ate our way across Austin. Queso shall be near-forbidden in 2007...

And with that, we also resolve to not wait so long to post such fun events!
Thanks to all of our family and friends for making 2006 such a great year--here's to 2007!!

Drats!

Tonight's trip to Amy's Ice Creams – where they have the guess-the-movie-quote and win-a-free-Crush'n-for-your-ice-cream-game – was a bust. (Except for the ice cream, of course. Mmmmmm Mexican Vanilla!) You see, Jono's been a victor in this realm before, and tonight, I felt I had it.

"I've sold my soul to a bunch of Swatchdogs and Diet Coke heads," was the quote.

Heathers? I asked our server.
"Hold on," as she ran back to the back to check with (I assume) a manger.
"Nope, sorry."

DRATS.

Au contraire mon frere:
a) it IS from the movie Heathers. AND:
b) the full quote is actually:
"Betty Finn was a true friend and I sold her out for a bunch of Swatchdogs and Diet Cokeheads." You can check out the script here.

SOMEBODY owes me a free Nutter Butter Crush'n!

(Thank you, Internets!)