Cafe Hitch-hike

2019-12-28

Texas Trek

Mr. Mister's song still whisper to me. Been wandering through Austin, Highway 290, and Houston for my Texas trek. I am so glad I waited 2 holidays to return. I had a big cry when I arrive and again towards the end. Oh, at least when I cry here, it is usually warm, loving tears that recall beautiful times and people that have either passed from this earthly plane (like Grandma and Uncle Joe) or just passed as the years progressed (like memories of grilling fajitas --skirt steak over charcoal-- with Uncle Rico, or swimming in Barton Springs during the hot summers).

There's the time after Thanksgiving 2010 where my family story was verified. The stories Grandma told me were true after all. As I flew out of Austin-Bergstrom airport, I cried as I saw the darkened Hill Country from the plane circling eastward. I wasn't sad. We really did live here before The Alamo as my Grandma said, and I couldn't say or do anything else that expressed the depth of that realization.

Anyhow, this trip wasn't much different. Highlights included:

**Celebrating a friend's retirement and birthday!! He worked hard all these years, and now he is getting the payoff to say the least.

**A beautiful night with my mom, aunt, and 2 uncles. Maybe my mom and aunt, whose relationship could be better, needed a neutral third party and space where they could just talk as women rather through sibling rivalry.

**Hanging out with family members close to me in age. We will be the leaders of what is left of our core family unit. We will need to be able to cooperate with each other to guide each other and those younger than us in the days to come.

**Exploring Bastrop County and a state park. Hoo-hoo, I haven't lost my touch for getting the feel for a place and its people! Marley the Mini-dachsund/ Spirit Puppy was also there and enjoyed herself. She made dog and human acquaintances like she usually does, and enjoyed a hearty hike with me. To prepare, we had sausage and BBQ from The Gas Station.

**A snarl with my sister led to me leaving Houston much earlier than expected, but that was fine. I was able to have the great time with my family as a result, so maybe some accidents needed to happen.

**The family was so happy to see me. In the past, they were into their own thing at times bit it was different. We lost major loved ones, we had a recent death of a young woman... they were very happy to see me, and I felt they saw me as a little girl, teen, the working co-ed, the niece who gave Joe's eulogy, and now present-day me. I could feel the passing of time in them too, and like me, the time, people, and moment felt so much more precious and less replaceable.

Travelling and connecting is what I do. I connect dots and sometimes people. I am a disrupter, but I can also facilitate and provide a neutral space. I still can provide perspective, too.

I started coming here for the holidays 20 years ago. It felt more precious to me although it always was.

I have to finish my second can of Lone Star Beer, pee, and let Marley do the same before we board. This has been quite the adventure. This has. Been quite the adventure.

downwind | upstream