way down to Hruska's and back

Yesterday was perfect in too many ways. I felt as if I slipped into some weird film of an idealized version of my life, not something I knew. The temperatures rose up into the low seventies, the sky was blue with fat white and grey cumulonimbus clouds drifting along like lazy cows. We drove down 71, through the Lost Pines and small hills to La Grange and Ellinger. I like that drive, the four lane highway with a wide grassy median, the roll of the farmland and ranches to either side, the very small towns without even stop lights or Dairy Queens to announce their presence. We wore cowboy hats, and probably looked like weird Austin hipsters. In Hruska's we were in line between the oddest mix of people including some scruffy blue collar workers and the most flaming short gay couple I've seen in ages. A girl had a box of free puppies outside. The sun stayed out all day, and we drove back to Austin so I could take him to the scenic overlook out on Loop 360 where you can see the downtown skyline between the hills. It was so clear yesterday, it felt as if you could see for a hundred miles in any direction.

We also went to IKEA, because he needed a table and I have never seen an IKEA up close. It is bigger than a Wal-Mart and slightly terrifyng in the sheer volume of stuff. I think I could buy a lot of random things that I don't truly need but become enamoured of in very short order. I saw some gorgeous pine bookshelves stained a dark walnut color. It made me want my own house so badly I could cry. I settled for buying weird ice cube trays shapped like puzzle pieces and triangles. I restrained myself from buying a million pillows. I did eat a tasty egg and shrimp sandwich, with lingonberry soda and chocolate mousse. Plus, there's a Swedish food section I'll have to pillage one of these days because it looks like they have a lot of baking supplies. Oh IKEA, you frighten me with your crowds but I like you anyway.

Voice Post: Sovonya taks va sho ya budu vodit na Boerne

Boerne, Blanco and the road to the west

Today was just as brilliant as yesterday, if just a touch cooler. The sky was pristine and blue. When we topped one of the first big hills there on 165, you can see out the far expanse of the hills, and Mike just said "Wow." It made me smile. Everyone should have a good reason to acknowledge the immensity and grandeur of our scenery from time to time. I didn't really get lost, though it took me two passes to find the barbeque place in Boerne because they don't really have a noticeable sign. Eventually we did get there, for a late lunch/early dinner. We were the only people there, given that it was about four in the afternoon, and behind the place there were about a dozen spotted deer in the grass, a couple cardinals, some doves, and late a few white tailed does. It was the most peculiarly peaceful time. My brisket sandwich and cole slaw were excellent. I really don't eat enough barbeque, come to think of it. I have my plastic cup in case anyone doesn't believe I actually drove two hours to eat barbeque in the end of January. On the way home, the sun as setting at our backs and the eastern horizon turned sky blue pink. There were ibexes grazing near the road, at the place along the Blanco river with the herd of horses that I saw last year.

Back in Austin, I watched Mike play Guitar Hero, which has to be a stroke of immense genius given that it taps into two disparate desires: to play video games, and to look cool while you pretend to be a rock star. It's funny. Mike seems pretty good at this, and I made him play songs I like from their catalog.

Mike told me that "Take It Off" by The Donnas makes him think of me. Make of that what you will. I am still chuckling.

Over the past two days I put well over four hundred miles on my car. I never drive this much. Strangely though, it was like having a vacation. If you're going to drive that much, you might as well have someone else in the car to appreciate the world flitting by you. Mike also doesn't care that I sing along with every single song that comes on the stereo, which makes him a good travelling companion. I did discover that he has no idea who Depeche Mode is, something that sort of boggles my mind.