[in the shadowlands]

THIS IS AUSTIN
When I left for the airport before 7 on Saturday morning, it was warm enough to be wearing my just-below-the-knee skirt, peasant top and flip-flops. When I was forced to trek around the O'Hare runway after getting off the little commuter jet for my layover, it was certainly not warm enough for that outfit. No-no-no. It was significantly less than 50 degrees and windy. Somewhere has not gotten the spring memo!

In spite of my chill, I made it into Austin fine. I made a direct, do-not-pass-go beeline to Amy's in the airport from my gate and at a little before 2p I became the first person that day to get the movie quote right, both at that location and one other, earning a free crush-in. (The quote: "I don't know which came first: the music or the misery"). I stood outside and ate my regular coffee with a heath bar crush-in in a waffle cone until Greg, one of Mike's good friends, pulled up. Alas, alack, Michael was working, but Greg and I enjoyed some fine bluegrass as we made our way from the airport to Moore-Hill.

When we arrived, Greg made me wait outside while he went in and told Mike he couldn't find me. Mike didn't buy it, and Greg let me in to greet him. I visited with him for a while, but he had to work until 4 and I decided to go downstairs and work on my take home exam. Yes, one of my teachers kindly did not give us our exam questions until Friday night and the exam was due Tuesday morning. So I had to do the exam in Texas. After Mike got off work, we headed north to J.T.'s parents for dinner. They had right fine brisket. I picked my usual fight concerning the definition of barbeque. I will not relinquish to the Texans! We were roasting pigs in holes before the Revolutionary War! Long before large herds of cattle and western cowboys were dreamt up! Okay, enough about that. We enjoyed the lovely new deck benches and watched J.T.'s girl, Mary Alice, get hit with Frisbees.

After dinner, we headed back to town so I could be delivered to the Hahn home, where I spent Saturday and Sunday nights. We arrived just as a lingerie party was wrapping up. When the bride-to-be was trying on a silk bathrobe for photographs, Mike covered my eyes, before remembering that his were the ones that needed to be covered. The Hahns were sick, but still very hospitable. I attended family worship and got to sleep in the coolest four-poster bed in the guest room, very high off the ground and princess-like. I enjoyed it very much. Their house is so gorgeous, and about to be for sale, if anyone is planning on moving to Austin…

Sunday, I woke up and got ready for church. After I showered and dressed, I helped ball up cookies for Mrs. Hahn that she was bringing for a Sunday School snack. Subsequently, all morning long she told people I made the cookies. What a humble woman! Rev. Hahn had been wavering about whether or not he would preach that morning, but he woke up feeling up to it, so he did. For a while, he threatened to preach with a breathe-right strip, but he ended up taking it off before processing to the front of the church for worship. The service was great, as usual, as was the sermon. I really enjoyed Sunday School and meeting lots of people. Mike and I spent the afternoon relaxing before we went to Evening Prayer. Afterwards, we went to eat at one of Austin's premier vegetarian restaurants, Mother's. I had enchiladas mole… mmmmm.

Monday was the big day. Two interviews. Both went well. More details forthcoming… In between, J.T. introduced me to the evil, evil institution of Half Price Books which will certainly be taking a big chunk of my paycheck in years to come. Mike and I ate dinner at Kinsolving and met his old boss, Amy. He had an RA meeting and I worked on my exam until tea time. It was the last tea time as it has been: Jared is leaving Austin, probably for good. It was a good time, even if I was still working on my exam. During tea time, I decided that the ultimate string trio is cello, violin and mandolin and I started to feel a bit sick. I slept over at Mike's friend Angela's room and woke up early to meet Mike at 7:15 for breakfast. When I woke up, the killer cold had begun. Mike pumped me full of drugs and put me on the airporter with instructions to drink lots of fluids and then I was off. The flights were pure torture with a cold because of the ear, nose, throat connection, but I made it home nonetheless. So I've spent the last few days eating lots of fruit and taking a good deal of Nyquil, which has made for some interesting dreams…