It was an easy drive from Inks Lake to Austin. The home we cared for was in the northwest area of Austin. In fact, we could see Lake Travis from our deck.
We arrived late on the afternoon of February 26. Our hosts graciously invited us to stay in their casita the night before they left for their trip. They made chicken on the grill for us for dinner. We had completed a house sit for them before, so it was great to see them again and to catch up.
We were hauling our camper, which would not fit along with our car in their very narrow and steep driveway. A kindly neighbor offered part of her property to us for parking and saved the day. I think the camper was as happy as we were to be parked and sit quietly for a few days!
Our main responsibility for this house sit is caring for Jax, their beloved Border Collie. Jax is the sweetest old boy and we enjoyed walking him each morning and evening. In February, we had a range of weather from t-shirt to puffer temperatures. The neighborhood is located on a mountain drive high above Lake Travis. Our walks through the neighborhood, though, were on relatively flat streets and paths in wooded areas. We passed by quite a few gigantic homes, and rarely saw people…unless we meet them out walking their dogs.
There is a LOT to do in the Austin area. However, after a heavy few weeks of traveling and camping, we chose to spend the majority of our time relaxing. We did drive over for a walk at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave, TX, which was just a short drive from our house.
We also found out at that time that the Eddie Bauer stores were all closing. So, we took a short one-hour road trip to San Marcos to the largest outlet mall in Texas. We did find an Eddie Bauer store and purchased a couple of items. It’s sad to see those stores closing. We have been long-time customers and buying online is okay…but not as fun as going to the store and touching and trying on what you’re buying.
The house sit went very well. Jax was a sweetheart, we were happy, and the house was comfy. On March 15, with the Texas Bluebonnets in full bloom, we hugged Jax goodbye, hooked up the camper, and departed.
