Category Archives: friends

Groupo Fantasma, Light Rock Express, Trinity, Colosseum

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Started a busy weekend with the usual Molly and the Ringwalds – running sound for them. Less than an hour before the show, Crease showed up with new monitors and a new rack-mounted effect. I plugged the new monitors in – all reports are they’re much clearer and a little louder. The effects i left in the box for him to fiddle with.

The rest of the night I hopped back and forth from watching Groupo Fantasma and the Light Rock Express. Maggart was out with his chica at Groupo. And I chatted for a while with Savage Rose at the Big Top. Of course I ran into dozens of other friends.

Saturday was a trip to Trinity and Allen Bartel’s new 13 acre homestead. He’s still working on it and isn’t fully moved in, but that didn’t keep a disheveled mix of bikers, educators, and random Houstonites from drinking most of a keg of Shiner Bock and lighting all kinds of things on fire (fireworks, bonfires, motorcycle tread). And listening to Sean Reefer. We camped there for the evening and headed back in the morning.

Orange Asset TileSunday evening was topped with a first playing of James Civco’s Colosseum – and some grub and wine. Very cool game. And a good preview of the 4-day weekend I will have in the tween of DFW at BGG.Con.

Yesterday was Veterans Day; today random people (esp. government) get the day off. When will they finally move Veterans Day to coincide with election Tuesday?! (last week) What better celebration of veterans could we have than exercising our democratic freedoms?

Game weekend

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KeythedralSaturday: Stayed home and worked around the house.

Sunday: 3-man after the pool party, with mostly young-un stangers.  It was fun.

Monday: James, TG, and Romy over to play Indonesia and then a 2-man game of  Twilight Imperium 2.  Both long, both fun.  Even if I came in last in both – still working on those strategies.

Tuesday: Went to Woody & Rebecca’s with TG and played Keythedral (which I got for my birthday).  I finally won a game.  It was close and everyone enjoyed.   First time to play it with 4 – much more complex dynamic.

James McMurtry @ Gruene Hall

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Last Friday, Tricia (aka Ruth Ann) and I had a one-day road trip to see James McMurtry at Gruene Hall. We first went to my dad’s place on Canyon Lake. Hung out and chatted. The water is very high and the gates are wide open, so we went down the 306 side of the river.

James McMurtry (photo by Cynthia Kinney)We met up with Faithe, who recently moved to San Antonio, at the Grist Mill and had a nice meal. We noticed that James was eating a few tables away. Tricia had a chat with him for a while, and we all said hi before we left. He mentioned we should go down to the river to check it out.

The Guadalupe was flowing over the bridge just down the street, and quite a torrent it was. We headed back and caught the Ded Ringers. We both quite like this young band from Austin. Good songwriters for being so young.

Most of the perimeter and picnic table seating was taken when we went in, so we stood back from the stage near the sound board. Becky (aka Lynn) and several other friends (including James’ girlfriend) showed up during the opening band. Between sets a very tall boot wearer asked us if there was “any reason we were standing here?” It being the implication that we were blocking he and his wife’s lazy asses view in the back of the room.

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Crabbs Prairie, Texas

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Bill, Pond, 40 – by Cotton Ginny

We had a great weekend at Crabbs Prairie thanks to the Earthman’s hospitality. Many friends transited through Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. We cooked, we drank, we played.

Virginia has some photos, and so do I.

And fyi, the convenient store is open there from 5am – 7pm, seven days a week.

My friends seem to know me. Amongst the gifts were good tequila, belgian beer, an Albert Einstein action figure, Jägermeister, Tito’s vodka, and a variety of minutia.

Jamming on guitars on the porch all night and drinking Lone Star was all that was desired of them, and I got that too.

And for everyone who couldn’t make it, we missed you.

Warmth in Houston

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Menil EyeAfter a pre-season tailgate (JohnMarsha, Mary O, TG, and me) at the Texans/Bears (the rain reduced the heat) game Saturday night, then a late-night post-game card playing session, TG and I had brunch with Ericka and new beau.

It was 102°, the hottest it’s been in 4 years. We went to the Menil after eating, and noticed that 90+% of the patrons were wearing flip-flops or sandals. You have to vent that heat!

Magrite, Picaso, Warhol, Egyptian reliefs, much more and air conditioning. The light was good on Sunday, too. It didn’t feel too bad outside, actually. Just hot.

Different Groups of Friends

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Bob Sarah Manuel @ Bob’s 40thQuite a few interesting groups of people this weekend. First Bob’s 40th in Austin. I got to see Manuel, it’s been a while, and got to meet his wife Sarah. Some fun hanging out at Lake Travis and in Austin.

Monday night I went to Niece #2’s birthday party. A mostly parent-free zone with fifteen nine (or so) year olds. A pool. Karaoke. I think I lost some high-frequency hearing.

Tuesday I had lunch with some other high school friends: Diane, Wendy, Suzanne, and Allen (who was two years younger and I don’t think I’ve seen in forever!)

Then Tuesday night I stopped by Privé because Tracey was trying to bartend – many other friends-of-Tracey were there as well.