Monthly Archives: February 2013

Weekly Photo Challenge: Home

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If you want a home close to the Texas Capitol building, here are a few possibilities.

The Texas Governor’s Mansion, across the street from the Texas Capitol on the south side.

Texas Governor's Mansion

Texas Governor’s Mansion


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And across the street from the Texas Capitol on the west side is the Westgate Tower condo building. Built in 1966, it was the first residential high-rise building in Austin. It was controversial then and still a little bit controversial today, as it’s been designated as an historic landmark.

A condo building across the street from the Texas Capitol

Westgate Tower


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Across the street from the Capitol grounds on the north side is this small apartment building, right in the middle of the state office complex. It’s probably more affordable than the Westgate Tower condos, but that’s just a guess on my part.

a small apartment building in the Austin state office complex

Conveniently located


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If you want a home on the Texas Capitol grounds, you could live in a squirrel nest.

A squirrel nest

It’s all about location, location, location

This is the tree with the squirrel nest. Talk about a high-rise.

A tall tree with a squirrel's nest

A squirrel’s eye view of the Texas Capitol

Weekly Photo Challenge: Home

The Short Straw

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This is a rerun, but still applicable. Why don’t any commercials have women buying gifts for their men? And if you have any ideas about what to buy men for Valentine’s Day, you’ll let me know, right?
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Men get the short straw when it comes to a lot of “special” days, don’t you think?

Take Valentine’s Day. Pretty much everyone knows the stereotype gift of what the man is supposed to buy for the woman: chocolate candy and flowers. And what is the woman supposed to buy for the man, stereotypically speaking, that is?

Right. No one knows.

Then there are birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas. A man can’t hardly turn around before it’s time to figure out the next perfect present. And they are all supposed to be perfect, right? I can’t say that I have the answers to these questions. In fact, I don’t have the answer to all these questions. I can say that couples should look to their common interests for gift ideas. Hubby and I both like baseball.

You know the stereotype anniversary gift story: the man buys a woman what he wants to receive: golf clubs, new tools, a wax job (for the car!), sports magazines. I thought, “What a great idea!” Here’s how I’ve applied that structure. And it’s not a stereotype if I’m the only woman doing it. (Just how many of something does it take for a stereotype to get started?)

Anyway, the traditional gift for the 5th wedding anniversay is wood. The modern gift is silverware (if I can believe everything — or anything — I read on the Internet). I gave my lucky hubby a baseball book that I wanted to read: Wait Until Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

The traditional gift for the 10th wedding anniversay is tin or aluminum and the modern gift is diamond jewelry. I gave my lucky hubby a baseball book that I wanted to read: Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig by Jonathan Eig.

The traditional gift for the 15th wedding anniversay is crystal; the modern gift is watches. I gave my lucky hubby a baseball book that I wanted to read: Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game by John Thorn.

Of course, I let him read them first. After all, they are his gifts. I’m still trying to figure out perfect gifts to get him for his birthday, Valentine’s and Christmas. Hey! We both like football. Now that gives me an idea ….