Well… It could happen anywhere I suppose. So, it’s not necessarily indicative of Texas, Austin, or even our neighborhood. I think, it’s more likely however – when you live next to a high school. Everyday the little buggers, bless their fricken hearts, tramp through our apartment complex to the delight of.. of.. well no one actually.

And they spread their teen cheer amongst the masses, sometimes in indelible marking black felt pen.

I came out to find lovely poetic phrases all over the complex.. the dumpsters, the speed limit signs, my truck!

Originally this said “F… Studio”. Don’t know what that is. Perhaps it’s a hip-hop group, perhaps it’s someone’s boyfriend or girlfriend, who totally dissed them in geometry class. Or, maybe it’s someone who hates art class. (Small wonder based on this artistic piece).

I tested this product called “graffiti gone” on the IO in studio and stood back to see and this is what was left, so I took a pic. Anyway, it’s all buffed and waxed out now. But – I did gather some stares on the way to the detailer. Some of them admiringly.

Alright. It’s like something biblical. These locusts have arrived in the form of crickets.

Now, as far as critters go – at least they are not like – flying cockroaches. That would just be just plain gross!

So, aside from the crickety chirp chirp it’s kinda eeby-jeeby that you see them everywhere. In the livingroom (Uno the cat likes those) on your shoulder, on the ceiling at Denny’s. The worst ones are the ones under the car tires. They are so crowded under lights in the parking lots it sounds like, chirp chirp, crunch crunch, chirp, crunch. They are Everywhere.

One was on the floorboard of the car (another reason to not leave the top down – even when there’s no immenent threat of rain). Now – while I’m not freaky-squeamish about these things (like “I” would be of a spider, for example) I have no desire to pick them up and rub noses with them (like “I” would with a kitten, for example).

So as it crawled across the floor of the car, I told my friend Ethan (aka Iva Passion) to grab it and throw it out.

Now, Iva is apparently freaky-squeamish about such things (like “I” would be of a snake, for example). So, after doing a dance, nearly across the hood of my truck, and waiving her hands like she were trying to dry a fresh coat of nail polish, she refused. Flatly.

Of course, the only thing to do was brush-scrape it out of the car. But the little bugger was insistent on riding along with us and so he scrambled up under the dash before I could sweep him away.

Well. Except for the constant fear that he might come out at the most inopportune time – like when I’m making a lane change in front of a semi truck – and crawl up my leg resulting in a scream they’d hear all the way back in California from Texas – I thought problem taken care of.

Then the next day, as I was driving and it was hot (like it is QUITE often here), I turned on the air conditioning (like we do ALOT here). Apparently Jimmeny (Yes. I named him), didn’t quite much care for the temperature adjustment and let go full song. It would appear that Jimmeny has quite the set of legs on him (I think this noise comes from rubbing them together, versus actual ‘singing’ but I do refer to it as ‘song’).

And, for the next week, whether I was listening to disco, rock, or NPR it had to be cranked with the bass up. With each increment of volume, Jimmeny cranked up his leg dance/song. It would appear he was in competition with me (and I was losing).

Now. Short of water-torture, or finger-nail-removal-via-plyers, I now have experienced hell. Whether day or night (I thought they only sang at night? Or at least I hope the Texas Crickets don’t tell the California Crickets that you can sing at noon just as easily (and loudly) as you can at midnight) Jimmeny gave us music. And, loud.

One thing is the birds are going to get so fat that they won’t be able to take off in flight. I watched one eat at least ten of these crickety appetizers as I was sitting next to the lawn. I think the one bird I observed ate Jimmeny’s parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and all his siblings. Wow. Birds can eat – but I digress.

Alas. Jimmeny’s story has a sad ending. The other day, when I decided I could no longer tolerate the heat – cricket be damned – I was turning on the AC. And.. silence (well – at least only the sound of Donna Summer at high decible – if that could be called silence).

What happened to Jimmeny?

As I stepped out of the car, upon my seat, was the flattest (and deadest) cricket you have EVER seen. Wow. Poor Jimmeny.

I have now discovered the anti-cricket solution. My ass. Apparently I should patent it as an extermination alternative. I could get rich! But, for now – I’m just happy to have my serene car environment back.

If there’s going to any annoying music in the car – it’ll be because I’m singing Barbara Streisand at full hilt – not some annoying and loud insect. I think thats why I’m at the top of the food and singing chain.

Sorry Jimmeny.

So my beautiful truck, won’t pass the Texas State inspection. It seems impossible, since it only passed California’s inspection a couple of months ago – which is stricter.

Yet twice now they’ve said ‘no way jose’ to the CO2 readings. I’m not sure what the cause could be. One would have to have a job in order to take it to the shop to lookee see – mechanics are funny that way about being paid.

So in the meantime I wait. (I have two interviews tomorrow. Yippee). And, today at at the stoplight it died. So when I restarted it – huge plume of black smoke. Oops. I think if you can ‘SEE’ the emissions, that’s a bad thing.

So, for now, I’m not driving it. It’s parked until I can afford to have it looked at. But, I’m still convinced it’s Robs maniacal cross country near 100 mile an hour driving style that contributed to this. So, that’s my story – and I’m believin it. Hope you all are well.

Kelly’s here from California. We’ve been doing all sorts of fun things. Including – watching the bats. More about that next time.

But we’ve just come back from San Antonio and are broiling. Yes, it’s hot here in Texas – but Rob’s AC in his car as crapped out (again) so. We be HOT.

We had an iced latte the other day at Cafe Caffine and here is a pic. You can’t really tell how BIG it was. Wow. Everything is bigger in Texas.

There can be no doubt. The Republican Party is PRO WAR. They had the opportunity last night to cast a vote to help end the war.

It is clear that doing what is best for your party now supercedes what is best for America.

It’s shameful that we have such a large number of the legislature who, still, remain loyal to a President whose main legacy will be being known as the worst President in modern American history. Why do these folks continue to hold on to a policy that is long past failed? Partisanship. Pure. Simple. No other explanation.

Throw them out. For every Congressional representative – every Senator. Throw them out. This is the time for each and everyone to re-energize democracy and remind these career politicians for whom they work.

I hope Americans wake up and remove from office each person who voted to continue this war.

So the wait begins for our things to arrive from California and in the meantime we are exploring Austin. We had fried pickles for lunch today – which were freakishly delicious. We placed 2 orders. Yum.

And here’s a shot of Rob trying to figure the puzzle that is the moving truck and Kelly who paused to smile for the camera. We hope our things arrive in a couple of days. Our fear is that they will come Monday when I’m not here in Austin (Back in California) and Rob has an interview. Yikes!

And one more shot from the road, although I have to make one more journey so, there may be more. I hope you are doing well. Drop me a line and let me know! Take care!

So we were preparing for the sequel. Part 2 of a three part play. We have Uno who is not necessarily thrilled about the whole cage thing. He’s not thrilled about the whole ride in the car thing. He’s not thrilled about 33 hour confinement thing .. well.. you’re starting to get the picture right?

And, we have Drew, aka Poodle who will be singing songs, telling jokes, cleaning bugs from the windshield and all around merriment provider to keep Rob awake during his turns behind the wheel.

We start out at 8pm after a visit to Rocki and John’s for a final farewell BBQ. What good food and few tears! Which is great because already it has turned into the longest goodbye recorded in human history.

My poor family. I feel so bad that they’ve had to endure, yet one more ‘good bye’. But this time we mean it. At least, until part III but off we go.

We did well for the first 12 hours. Hour 12 brought a melt down of epic proportions. I tumbled from the backseat which I was laying across, onto the floor of the SUV. Not amused, Rob nearly got a egg-mcmuffin across his cheek. But we were back in no time singing showtunes (the only kind Poodle knows) and then we finally reached West Texas. After El Paso it was primarily open open open spaces. There was a tremendous storm though that was so close you could reach out a glass and catch water. It was right next to us and it provided miles of amazement. Rainbows, dark skies and lightening like we’ve not seen before, but all parallel to our path.

We made it and only in the last hour did it appear that we might be plotting each others demise. Even Uno who had been surprisingly happy (happy? well ‘not distressed’) up until now seemed as though he were plotting his leap at our throat once the gate was open.

But we’re recovering now. We’re tired. In fact, I’m writing this just prior to going to bed and can hardly keep my eyes open. But – we’ll catch up with you soon.