Austin

I'm here - Max really does exist. They weren't just sending me photos of someone else's kid from flickr.

And he really is adorable. At times I swear he has looked like my Grandmother, Murner. Something about his eyes and how he moves his mouth. Lissa found out she was pregnant just before Murner died and whispered the news to her. Hard to know if she understood or heard her, but knowing that she was alive when Max was growing feels like a part of her was here to see the next generation begin. And some part of her seems to be living on in him.

Some things in Austin that aren't in Seattle: Crickets. Short trees. BIG, wide roads. Crickets. Sonic. Hyde Park buttermilk fries. BIG, wide trucks.

I had the laziest stewardesses on the flight from San Jose to Seattle. I was way, way in the back of the plane and I swear one of them took a nap the last 2 hours. They did an initial beverage service, then settled into some empty seats in the rows next to me, covered themselves in blankets, read books, magazines, and napped. I kid you not, people were walking to the back of the plane to ask for a glass of water or cup of coffee. Then, as we were waiting for the folks in front of us to exit the plane, they were talking about how they made money on this flight - on commissions or something - and were comparing their biggest commission checks to other flight attendants they knew. I know they were selling a lot of chips - because people were walking to the back of the plane to ask for them. But there was something kind of sad about it. Like finding the wizard behind the curtain.

Well, before I sign off, if you've never heard Flight of the Conchords, you've got to check them out. Here's one of their pieces on You Tube. There are lots of other ones there, too.