Now, I know I told you that since moving to Austin, I've been taking care of my infant grandson, Charley, every workday. I also told you that I walk back and forth, about two miles to work. And that I live in a one room, third-floor apartment (without an elevator). What I didn't tell you is that I probably need to have my head examined! For some reason, I convinced myself that I wasn't getting enough exercise or that I had too much time on my hands,
or that my apartment was just too large for one person.
Well, I've solved all those (imagined) problems. I have a new roommate, Leroy. He's a Rat Terrier/Basenji mix, about a year old, I think. No one knows for sure, because he's a rescue dog. His history is a mystery, but his future looks good. He has a few issues, usually related to differing priorities; what I think is important often has little value to him, such as following my instructions or not chewing on furniture. We've been attending doggie manners school and the instructor thinks he's doing great and has the potential to be a therapy dog. I'm glad I found him. He is a good little dog, very intelligent, friendly and loving. And he's Charley's new best buddy.
I love my Austin apartment. It's about a mile from Kate and Dale's place so most days I walk back and forth to work. The route is hilly, and although it travels through several neighborhoods of homes and apartments,
I often see deer and hear almost continuous bird calls. I carry a backpack, usually filled with my lunch, a book and a notebook or two. Sometimes I bring my laptop or camera, and almost always, I fill any leftover space with my dirty laundry. So far, I haven't set foot in my apartment complex's laundry room.
My favorite part of my apartment is the balcony. I'm on the third floor, overlooking the pool and rolling hills off in the distance, where I watch the sunset every evening. The balcony is quite large, with a wide railing and plenty of room for a little garden. I've also, set up a bird feeder and an improvised birdbath on the balcony, to provide a sweet soundtrack to my new life.
As I was heading off on my most recent roadtrip, I mentioned that there were some major changes coming in my life and that I would share the details of those changes after the new year. Well, I'm ashamed to admit that New Year's Day is long gone. So, before another holiday goes by let me fill you in on my new life.
Mother's day is the next holiday approaching and it will have a special meaning to me this year because of a new addition to my family. I ended my last roadtrip in Austin, Texas, last fall, because my daughter Kate, and her husband, Dale were expecting their first child, my first grandchild.
Charley was born in October and since then, I have moved to Austin and am caring for him when his parents are at work. Charley is super cute and a lot of fun. And, at the end of the day, after he has exhausted me, I get to go home to my own apartment.
***Next, more about life in Austin, another new addition and how to care for a jealous camper van.
I stopped at a roadside parking area and joined fellow travelers waiting for the sun to set behind the mountains. We discussed our travels, the majesty and beauty of the mountains, and the ever present wild fires that summer. There had been fires and fire danger warnings in every state I had traveled, starting in Michigan. Everywhere I went, I was surrounded by the beauty of the natural world, but that beauty was tempered by the ever present smoke and danger of wild fires, some naturally occurring, but more often a result of human carelessness.
I left Yellowstone and headed out on a narrow, winding road that seemed to climb forever. I drove on and on, stopping several times to admire the view, until I reached a small campground that seemed to float among the clouds on top of the world.
My campsite was near a beautiful alpine lake and like all campsites it came with grizzly bear warnings. I sat on a boulder near the lake watching the evening sky change the tall grass to golden amber, as a young family hiked up a hillside trail for a weekend backpacking trip.
Being the anti-social person that I am, when I see a crowd. I go the opposite direction. That was my game plan for visiting Yellowstone National Park, last September, and it served me well on a memorable hike. Even in the fall, Yellowstone is crowded, so instead of visiting the most common sites, I took a nature hike along a long boardwalk, in a quiet area of the park. I had the walk to myself, with the exception of a curious badger who lived next to the trail.
