Houston

I just got back.  Lynn and I drove there together yesterday, because I had work there and she had other business, and we both wanted to spend the night with Stacy and Shubh, whom I think I've mentioned here before -- Shubh is the most incredible cook that I know, and I know a lot of great ones -- and a sleepover at that house means the most mouth-watering steaks you have ever had.  Anywhere.

So we left on Thursday about 4:30pm.  I was unhappy with my walk that day; I'd taken Banks on just a mile first thing in the morning, with the intention of doing the remaining four over lunch, but two work crises interrupted that walk, with the result being, once again, probably a total of three miles instead of five. Nothing could be done about it, so it was on to Houston. 

And those steaks....oh my God, as good as anything I've ever had a Ruth's Chris, Three Forks or Austin Land and Cattle.  And not only the steak, but some kind of potato/bacon/garlic concoction, which complemented the meat perfectly.  I had thirds.  On top of all that I had, oh, four or five glasses of wine, an excellent cabernet.  And then pecan pie for dessert.  These people love to cook, love to entertain, and do it effortlessly. 

The downside of this? I am so constipated it is not even funny.  As we drove back, I told Lynn it was shaping up to be one of those days where I was just going to have to skip the walk and do ten tomorrow.  I was totally ready to do that, but I got home around 7:50, and suddently I didn't just need to walk, I wanted to walk.  It was cold, and Banks was feisty and actually led me most of the way, all the way to I-35 on St. Ed's, around a cul-de-sac a couple of times, then around a big apartment complex, then to St. Ed's, where I discovered, after all this time, a great way to make the soccer field more interesting and challenging, by following a very narrow, very steep path up to the street above it, then coming back down the stairs and continuing around the loop.  We did that three times. 

I'm here to tell you it didn't work miracles.  I deserve every bit of this discomfort.

I'm going to walk seven miles tomorrow, to make up for Thursday.