Pragmatist
Pragmatist

Austin and more
Mon May 05 2003

Austin was quite a change from El Paso. There were TREES! Well, El Paso had trees, too, but they were the desert variety and not tall, stately green things. The weather was quite different too.

While the air was so dry in El Paso, it could be distinctly humid in Austin, which was quite uncomfortable in the summer! I got nosebleeds in El Paso because of the dryness, and I learned to sweat! in Austin. I had heard it said that "ladies glow, gentlemen perspire, and farmers sweat." Well, I guess my farm background came to the fore in Austin. But it was a beautiful city.

My beautiful child is growing and healthy, and learning how to wake up Mama and Papa in the mornings. He would stand up in his crib then jump up and down in his crib and push on the top railing so as to make his crib slide across the floor. That, and the thump-thump-thump of his jumping up and down was better than any alarm clock invented.

I wonder what would have happened if he had been able to jump-push his crib over to the window. Well, that didn't happen. Stan got some I-bolts and wire and fastened the crib to two walls. OK, so the jumping up and down just rattled the walls, but at least he couldn't go anywhere.

Stan was working part time at a student hangout that served sandwiches and a variety of non-alcoholic drinks. Also, some bakery pies that weren't really very good, and ice cream. I tried to make a little money by turning my kitchen into a bakery. I made cherry and apple tarts for the shop, and they went like hotcakes. I was really getting into the business of baking when the Department of Health shut me down. I had to go bake at the shop instead of at home. That took care of my little home business because the shop didn't have room to create a kitchen where I could turn out my luscious little tarts. I had a recipe for a lemon cake that would have gone over big, too, but I guess it just wasn't meant for me to become a famous baker.

Finally, the bridge club aka Faculty Wives Club started, so I got dressed up, plopped Stephen with Irene, and went and played bridge once a week. We had, also, a small bridge club going at the apartments, and I would play once in a while in the evening while Stan was home, and I didn't have to rely on a baby sitter. Papa turned out to be reliable.

Next...the couple in the building behind us.

6 Comments
  • From:
    Yetzirah (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon May 05 2003
    Don't EVEN get me started about the health department. Your kitchen was probably cleaner than 8 out of 10 restaurants in Austin!
    Oy,.... the stumbling blocks that get put in the way of a little honest pin money just make me crazy!
  • From:
    CovertOps (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon May 05 2003
    Dang! That was such a pity that the Dept of Health meddled and wouldn't let you sell things baked in your home. It would have been awesome if you were able to make a fortune from cooking. You could still do it on the sly, couldn't you? Our office cleaning lady bakes goodies for sale and takes orders for birthday cakes. So far there has been no objections from our employer, probably because they know she doesn't make much and there are no violations of any laws or rules. Reading of your baked goodies makes my mouth water!
    What I learned was something different: Horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies glisten.
    I'm a Horse. I'm born in the Chinese Year of the Horse, i.e. 1978.
    FYI, I don't read or write Chinese that well because I didn't take it as an additional subject in school. We have vernacular schools over here, which use mother tongues (Mandarin for Chinese students, Tamil for Indian students, and Kadazan/Iban/Bidayuh for students in Borneo) as the medium of instruction as well as mainstream 'National' schools, which use Malay. I went to a national school, where most kids conversed with each other in English or Malay. So yes, you're right I didn't have anyone to practice Chinese with, but it was also because I didn't have the motivation to learn Chinese because it was so difficult and English was infinitely easier and more attractive to me.
    Thanks for the e-mail address! I'm glad I met you!
    Love,
    E.L.
  • From:
    Sezrah (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon May 05 2003
    you must have some incredible photo albums, pragmatist :)


    sez
  • From:
    Kelpie (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon May 05 2003
    Hi Chaya :)
    I've just been catching up with your story, interesting and entertaining as always :) I'm going away for 9 days, to visit my Mother, so I'll catch up again when I get back,
    Take care, (((hugs))) and Hooroo for now, Kelpie.
  • From:
    Ozone (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue May 06 2003
    It sounds to me that you are having entirely too much fun there in Austin. I have never been to Austin but I hear it is a very nice place. I have been to San Antonio and if the humidity in Austin is anything like that in San Antonio...I know what you are talking about.

    Something tells me that you are as good a baker as you claim :)
  • From:
    FishCreekBride (Legacy)
    On:
    Fri May 09 2003
    I agree with other comments. I have no doubt your kitchen was cleaner than the restaurant. I'd love to try some of your special baked goods. YUMMY! I hope you were able to visit San Antonio while in Austin. I LOVE going to San Antonio. But it is HOT! So is Austin! Back then not everybody had air conditioning.