Rodeo time

Also known as State Fair Light. 

I was really looking forward to taking everyone out to the Rodeo for the BBQ competition.  Even with the unseasonably cold weather and gale force winds, we loaded up and rolled out to the Travis County Expo Center.  It was colder and windier once we got there and Erinn let me know about it.

We hopped from tent to tent.  The first stop fortunately for Simon was the Kids Tent with the petting zoo.

After a heavy lathering of hand sanitizer, we headed across the parking lot over to the BBQ setup where we saw some sweet rigs, like this one:

Plenty of hospitality, but in the end it was too windy to continue.  So we headed to the see the world's smallest cowboy, Whiplash.

Simon and Erinn waiting for Whiplash.

Whiplash is a monkey that rides a dog.  And when I say ride, I use that term loosely.  He's strapped onto the dog.  Whiplash corrals some sheep and gets all the credit.  But honestly, the dog's doing all the work.

I couldn't get a good shot of Whiplash, so here's one the Dallas Morning News took.

Independence Day Parade

We found ourselves downtown last Saturday at the Farmer's Market, but took a detour to watch the Independence Day Parade.  The camera ran out of juice before we left, but it was fun, if not hokey.

Simon:  "You promised me freshly squozen orange juice and here we are, sitting on Congress Ave, waiting for a parade that won't start for another 20 minutes.  This isn't even my regular stroller.  This is the emergency stroller.... I hate this haircut."

Andrew:  "We'll get you some juice and that hair will grow ba- Oh look it's David Thomas!"
Erinn: "Who?"
Andrew:  "You know, he played Tight End.... nevermind, here comes a canon."

Yes, they shot it off.  Several times.

Davy Crockett everyone!

Andrew:  Simon, check out that big Texas flag!
Simon:  Yay runners!
Andrew:  That was a couple weeks ago.  We've moved on.

Happy Texas Independence Day

Celebrated Texas Independence Day early this weekend by visiting two of Texas' treasures, Real Ale Brewery in Blanco and Louie Mueller's in Taylor.

Skipped out of work early on Friday to celebrate our friend Mark's 30th birthday (well 30, plus some change).  His wife Lindsey organized a van down to the Real Ale Brewery an hour south in Blanco.  Perfect weather for it.

 

 

Turns out one of the founding fathers of Real Ale (the guy with the beard on the left) played lacrosse at UT about ten years before me and Mark.

 

Beer fridge, defined.

I will!  And after I've drunk Texas beer, I'll use that toilet under the truck.

On Saturday, Simon, Dad and I took a trip up to Taylor for an early lunch at Louie Mueller's.

Those business cards started out white, or a subtle off white.  Some of them might have even had a watermark before the smoke hit them.

Celebrated with the holy trinity of brisket, sausage and pork ribs and washed it all down with the decidedly Texan Big Red.  

Almost fell asleep on the car ride home from a meat coma.  I waited until we got home to have a nap.

Good weekend.