Wednesday
We’re off to see the two houses we’ve narrowed it down to.  Long Canyon & Westlake. We’ll see if we put an offer down.  It’s a very scary step.  With both houses we’d need to put in a pool.  More later, with photos. Then I’m going shopping for cowboy boots!  Cannot wait.  Cowboy boots and a hat!  Hee haw!

Got the boots, and The Suitor and I found our dream home.  We’ll see what happens.  I can’t stop thinking about it.  Though, it will be hard to make friends, because making friends means leaving our house.  I could honestly just hang out on the floor and be happy there.  We had lunch at Huts, rated best burger in Austin.  Now we’re packing up our things and heading over to The Driskill Hotel for a night. Then we’re here all day tomorrow, then back to NYC.  Friday night I’m photographing an event for the NY Junior League.  Perhaps now I’ll become a member in NY, then transfer over to Austin.  And then Saturday, I’ll finally see my friends, and break the news that we really might just be moving to The Lonestar State.  I hope that doesn’t have anything to do with Lonely.

Tuesday
We slept in until noon, left the house by one, then did the only thing we seem to be doing here: we ate.  Although we go while on Long Island, visiting some of my family, we went here too, because, well, we drove around the arboretum, and our eyes lit up once we saw The Cheesecake Factory sign. We just couldn’t help ourselves.  Then food coma again.  Then The Suitor drove in circles, claiming “I hate this!” in a whine because we were lost again.  He has no sense of direction. I have no sense to care.  Mostly I just laugh about it. At night we hit 6th street. I love piano bars, so I was thrilled to find they had TWO!  Bring on the ever cliched Neil Diamond, baby.

Monday
Houses, houses, everywhere.  And when there weren’t, there were model homes and land lots a plenty.  Today we saw more houses, but this time near Lake Travis.  There’s a Panorama area that felt like what I imagine driving in Maui feels like.  Windy narrow roads, majestic water and rolling hill views, and homes made of glass overlooking it all.  Before visiting Austin, when I first thought of Texas, I thought of perky blondes, western films with swinging doors, spurs, and horses drinking from troughs.  A corner pharmacy with a glass jar of old-fashioned candy sticks.  Okay, I didn’t think all of that–some of it was from an episode of Little House on The Prairie–but the blonde big part was true enough.  I didn’t see big jewelry, hair, or hat; I saw blonde wood floors.  “Bamboo,” our Realtor said shaking her head.   After a full day of looking (and LOVING something in Westlake and something in Long Canyon), we escaped to Eddie V’s for more food coma.  I hit a wall, so now I’m lying down, ready for bed way early.

Up early tomorrow, thinking of a day trip to San Antonio  (and we’re not going to the Alamo, as we hear we’ll get suckered into watching some 45-minute video.  Besides, I won’t be able to think of anything but Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.  I’ll walk around singing “Deep in the heart of Texas…” and clap each time.  Oh, and while on the topic, or not at all, everyone in Texas seems to be dang proud of being Texan.  Big bumper stickers, flags outside homes, decals on cars, etched glass on pantry doors.  The silhouette of the state above a fireplace.  I don’t own anything but one I (heart) NY t-shirt.

Sunday
Saxon Pub.  8:30pm.  Resentments.  We’re hitting it tonight, as was suggested in the comment section.  If you’re in the Austin area, please come sit with us.  I’ll be wearing something warm.  We want to move to Austin for the warmth.  It’s 31 degrees today.  I didn’t pack anything to suit this weather.  Alas, another reason to shop.  I will hit By George at some point.  In the meanwhile, house hunting is so much fun.  More later.  Much more.  Now I’m off to Maudie’s Cafe (which seemed commercialized for us) for tex-mex.  Fish tacos are my sport.  We had some serious sushi beneath Chinatown at Musashino, rated #1 sushi in Austin.

Saturday
We house hunted from 10am to 5pm, then booked it over to Rudy’s for “moist brisket” on wax paper, baby backs, creamed corn, slaw, baked beans, and Diet Dr. Pepper fountain drinks (why don’t movie theatres in NY offer this option?).  We went hoping to share a little  bite, save our appetites for later.  We couldn’t help ourselves.  Rudy’s is a pit, boasting “The Worst Barbecue in Texas.”  It’s picnic tables, and meat piled onto wax paper.  No plates, not even the paper variety.  It’s EXACTLY what you want in barbecue.  They give you white bread to make your own meat sandwiches.  The three of us (The Suitor, Mr. Weather, and I) figured, “just give us the whole loaf to go with our cow.”  Moist brisket.  We’re bringing home a few pounds of it with us.    Then we napped because really that’s all you can do after a meat sundae (in honor of my sister).  After the napping, we bundled up and headed downtown to Malaga’s tapas and wine bar.  After a winter white wine flight, a sauvignon  blanc, and marinated olives, we headed across the street to some “trendy” 216 (or some number) bar with lots of seating areas, depending on your mood.  Gold-digger.