Prior to leaving on this trip, in our typical last-minute style, Jody and Joya determined that, rather than try to bring a keyboard on this trip, they would both learn to play guitar.  Further, since we then had Hank Alrich, a bonafide guitar expert, in our midst, we embarked on a guitar-acquisition quest which ended when Hank ordered us a "Big Baby" Taylor.  The catch was that the guitar would not arrive anywhere until after we left; so Hank had it sent to his daughter Mylie in Austin Texas, where she owns a dance studio.  One of our purposes for being in Austin was to meet Mylie and pick up this guitar.  Mylie had time between lessons to meet us for lunch, along with her sister Maressa, who was visiting at the time.  Mylie and Maressa are Hank and Lanis' daughters, and we have loved all the other members of the Alrich/Le Baron family and rightly assumed we would love Mylie as well.  We met her at her dance studio and watched her teach for a bit.  She teaches a variety of dance styles, and competes at the National level in West Coast Swing.  We all went for some Tex-Mex, where we grilled Mylie about who she is and what she likes to do; she is a delightful, hard-working person who loves dance so much that's what she does during her time off for fun.  We really enjoyed our brief visit with her, and look forward seeing her again.  And yes, we did pick up the guitar.

This was Fat Tuesday, the last day of Mardi Gras, and Austin has a "French Quarter" on 6th street that celebrates Mardi Gras in Texas style.  Since we had originally planned on making it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, observing Austin's celebration seemed ideal.  After we left Mylie, we headed downtown.  We got there early -- around 4:00 PM -- so we parked the van and walked up to the capitol building, where we toured it.  Fine architecture and a very impressive building.  We watched the tail end of the Texas Senate session from the gallery, and the girls frolicked on the walkways outside.  One of the passing legislators commented "It's nice to see SOMEONE having a good time at this place today". 

After leaving the capitol, we went down to the festivities.  Things were still slow, so we sought out a Cajun restaurant with the proper atmosphere.  We found "Jazz-Z", and had some good Cajun food.  When we emerged after 8:00 PM, Mardi Gras was in full swing, although a riot 2 nights before caused the parade to be cancelled.  We had seen "Mardi Gras Beads" for sale all day, and even purchased and wore them.  We found out that evening what the beads were used for, aside from celebratory ornamentation.  Young women, perhaps influenced by excessive drinking, would bare their breasts while hoards of roving young men encouraged and photographed them.  After each exposure, the men would throw bead strands to them.  Some women apparently were attempting to acquire a significant collection, since they would mount someone's shoulders and repeatedly flash themselves to the crowd; when the bead throwing stopped, they would turn another direction and flash again.  It was quite bizarre, but fascinating.  We watched for awhile, but wanted to be out of there before it got too late and the participants too inebriated, so we left about 10 PM, discussing what we had seen, the motives and morals therein.

Below, our little Mardi Gras Queens show off their bounty; please note that they purchased, rather than 'earned', their beads.

February 28 - Errands in Austin