On Tuesday of this week, my daughter texted to ask if we'd like to go to Austin with them on Thursday. Fortunately, my work hours are flexible, and I always have my phone with me. I thoughtfully asked the General if there was any reason we couldn't go to Austin with Andrea and Kevin. She affirmed that we were good.
I document this because the most often accusation the General makes of me is that I never tell her anything. Obviously, that is an unfair accusation because it simply isn't true. She would beg to differ. Yesterday afternoon she asked if I had gotten a report on whatever it was the dermatologist removed from my forehead? I received a text from the doctor's office on Monday that it was benign. When I answered her question with that information, she immediately responded: "You don't tell me anything." The way I see it, I wasn't expecting bad news and since I didn't receive any, I didn't consider it newsworthy.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Except for the stash of $1,000 bills I keep under the mattress, I'm generally open in my communication with the General. I just wrote that to catch the General's attention if she reads today's blog. I don't really have a stash of $1,000 bills under the mattress. Our mattress is a TempurPedic, and I would need the General's help to lift it up. That would make it unworthy as a hiding place. On the other hand, she couldn't take my money without my help.
It is true that I don't tell the General a lot of information that comes my way from other people. A filter inside my head has a category for things that should be confidential and things that can be shared. Personal information shared with me by other people is never repeated. It would be unethical to do so. For that matter, the General understands my boundaries. I'm not expected to "spill the beans."
My daughter subsequently suggested that we could meet them at their home or at the church at 10:00 a.m. I affirmed the church would be great. We didn't want to disappoint the dogs by leaving the minute we got there.
Neither the General nor I asked why we were going to Austin. I didn't suspect they were taking us to look at assisted living places. Andrea and Kevin often invite us to tag along. It is always a welcomed invitation when they do. The only thing I knew with certainty is that they thought we'd enjoy the experience. Otherwise, they wouldn't have invited us.
In the back of my mind, I thought we might be going to a restaurant in East Austin. That has become a favorite stomping ground for Andrea and Kevin. You can only do so much stomping in Dripping Springs before the new wears off and you finding yourself wanting a new experience or at least a different restaurant.
I was very surprised when we pulled into the parking of El Patio on Guadalupe Street near the UT campus. When we first moved to Austin in the mid-1970s, we were introduced to El Patio by the General's boss. He was an extended family member of the Joseph family that owned the restaurant. We frequented the place often over the next several decades. We even attending the closing celebration when the original owners sold the restaurant to another family member.
We arrived at the restaurant before they opened. Kevin, asked if I'd like to stretch my legs. I saw that as a suggestion for me to get out of the car. Andrea had already gotten out of the car. I got out and followed in her direction. She was headed to the entrance of the building on the other side of the parking lot. I was surprised and offered redirection: "Andrea you don't want to go in there. It is a liquor store."
She said that it wasn't. As it turned out, it was no longer a liquor store, but a resale clothing store. We both walked in and looked around. Soon we were joined by Kevin and the General. There was a large display of odd-looking oversized sunglasses. The General headed in that direction.
In short order, the door opened and in came Jenna, our granddaughter. Actually, she was one of several people entering the store at the same time. I did a quick inventory of the crowd and didn't see Marty, Jenna's boyfriend. Then to my surprise, I saw Craig.
Jenna begins her senior year at Sam Houston State University next week and she needed a new ID card as a military dependent. She and Craig had been to Camp Mabry to get a new ID.
When Craig communicated earlier in the week that they were coming to Austin, Andrea came up with the plan to meet at El Patio for lunch and include us. It was absolutely delightful.
All My Best!
Don
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