travel | MegaGood

I have always thought that lyric was matched up with the wrong season. Because have you been outside lately? The summer is clearly more wonderful than December.

Have you been to western Colorado this time of year? Also wonderful.

Justin is from Colorado, and we have visited several times since we have been together. His parents have moved away from Summit county, where they lived when Justin was little. Now they are in western Colorado outside of Silt. We were at their place six years ago for a brief visit, and decided that we wanted to go back this summer.

I averaged about 250 photos a day over a 4 day weekend, so this was obviously a happy visit. There is no way we are waiting six more years before our next trip back.

My favorite part of the trip was just hanging out in the backyard. The Boley’s live surrounded by ranches, so the view is to die for. Here is a taste of Rancho Bolo:

Dad-in-law's fun ride.

Boley Backyard.

The deck. The drinks.

Mercutio Boley. Raised by Justin, spoiled by Donna and Eric. He is a happy boy.

Dinner on the deck.

Backyard beauty.

Donna's garden. I am jealous.

Although the scenery was a high point of the trip, you can't really beat the company. I am lucky to have in-laws that are so awesome.

The rest of the trips photos are here if you are curious.

Texans are never confused as to what state they are in. There are more Texan flags flying than the Union’s. And if you can’t see a flag, there is a five-pointed star within your sight lines.

I spy something red, white, and Texan.

Texans are loyal to the state first and the union second. Makes me wonder how it might be if more states were like this. And I pictured the Indiana flag flying everywhere you could fit a flag pole. Can you imagine if Indiana seceded from the Union? I’m sorry, but it is just a hilarious thought. The Texas secession doesn’t require any imagination.

My trip was not really to see Texas, but to see Justin’s high school friend, Jer, married outside of Austin. So we didn’t do a lot of exploring, but what I did see of Austin was great. It is kind of the “cool kid’s” city in Texas I suppose. I wouldn’t mind going back sometime because the food and music situation still needs to be investigated. I will be there again in June for a conference, so I might just get my wish. And it was WARM…during the day at least. And there were trees with leaves, green grass, and flowers blooming. I heard it snowed in Chicago…so Austin was a perfect escape for the weekend.

I don't know what he is reacting to here, but I love it

The wedding we attended was held on the bride’s family property in the middle of nowhere outside of Austin. It was absolutely the most beautiful wedding I have been to…besides mine of course. I was the unofficial photographer for the candid shots. They had a professional photographer there for all the “real” shots that you get at a wedding, so mine just supplemented. I will not post them all, but if you are curious, click on the flower girl photo below to see the whole album.

On our way home we spent 10 hours at the airport. We missed a nice brunch on the lawn of the Four Seasons to “make our plane.” Little did we know that the plane was BROKEN. Duuurrrrrrrrrrrr.

Things to do for 10 hours at the airport:

Play “would you rather”: “Would you rather that Schween’s body looked like a dungeness crab with a cat head or that Porpus’s head was attached to a chinchilla body?” The answer is clear in this case.
Go check out the nest making abilities of the bird outside the window opposite from gate 14. Provide voice-over for said bird. Repeat.
Browse the gift shops. Make fun of the rattlesnake snow globes and tiny Texas vanity license plates printed with common names. Remark that you wish they had a Bort license plate. Then move to a gift shop in another part of the terminal to see if it is different. It’s not.
Spend nearly 100 dollars on 20 dollars worth of crappy food. Forget napkins. Wear the stains like a good bedraggled traveller.
Nap on the hard floor in the sun. Use magazines and husband as pillow. Get nap face from dirty airport carpet.
Go to the bathroom about 10 million times. Try using different stalls for variety. Wash hands until they bleed from dryness because you put your stupid lotion in the stupid checked luggage.
In the ninth hour, begin photographing the frightening buffet at “Wok n Roll” and the herd of armadillos at the gift shop. Argue about armadillos. Are they rodents? You’re sure? I don’t think they are. Why don’t we have an iPhone? (Update: Armadillos are not rodents. They are “the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths.” How lonely for them.)