Month: February 2024

While we haven’t been blogging of late, we are staying busy at our repeat housesit in Des Moines for Bebe. We’ve been going to doctor’s appointments (Bob), getting dental work done and going to PT (Beth), getting our Iowa drivers licenses, getting work done on the car, and we even had an unexpected trip to the vet with Bebe (minor issue and all good now). Bob has also had some quick visits with family and was able to spend time with his mom on her birthday this week. Whew!

The weather has been gorgeous, so we have been getting some walks in as well, mostly exploring the neighborhood. Today though, we made a quick 10 minute drive to Raccoon River Park to check out a non-concrete trail that had been recommended to us. We walked 3.2 miles around an asphalt and crushed rock path around Blue Heron Lake in the park.

The park was very nice with many different types of facilities.

Bob has been holding down the fort in our housesit in Des Moines while I was in Austin, but as of about 9:30 last night we’re back together. We are caring for the adorable Bebe in the Waukee area of Des Moines that we had housesat for back in December. This time, we’re here until March 3 while her humans are spending some warm time in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Before all the Super Bowl game hoopla got started, Bob and I walked some of the paths through our temporary neighborhood. It’s a great, quiet neighborhood with a lot of impressive homes.

It’s been a great trip back to Austin. It would have been better if Bob were here too, but it’s been fun to catch up with old friends, check out the changes to the city, and care for some sweet cats in a great old Austin neighborhood. I leave about midday tomorrow and will connect back up with Bob tomorrow evening at the Des Moines airport.

Here’s a last look at this visit to Austin.

There are a number of things that I love about our former home of Austin, Texas, but nothing more (excluding friends of course) than the 10.1 mile trail around Lady Bird Lake, also known as Town Lake (actually a dammed section of the Colorado River but not the famous one). I walked it today on a beautiful 70F degree sunny day in February.

The trail and the buildings around the trail have changed quite a bit since Bob and I first started running here and are continuing to change to meet the needs of the ever growing population. Bob and I have been blessed to walk and run on trails around the world, but this trail will always hold a special place in my heart, as it transformed me from non-athlete to long distance runner.

See below for views of the trail and downtown Austin.