I changed clothes and set out for the 1.5 hour drive to the town where my grandparents grew up. Geographically, this stop was well out of my way, but I felt a sense of familial duty to visit the town where half of my family began.
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| 1926 - Check out the awesome bow-tie/glasses combo |
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| 1927 - You can totally tell that my grandfather was a cool kid |
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| 1939 - My grandmother |
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| 1941 - My grandfather all grown up |
Before I left Tacoma, I asked my grandfather if there was an address I could visit. He gave me the address of the home he grew up in, although my mother was pretty sure they'd gone by on a previous visit and it wasn't there anymore.
I entered the address into my GPS and it showed up. I drove to the house and took several pictures just in case. So, this may or may not be the house or lot where my grandfather grew up.
After that, I set out in search of a postcard or other souvenir I could send to my grandfather. The "downtown" reminded me quite a bit of Tacoma in that there are quite a few antique shops, a jewelry store, some offices, and that's about it.
Hedging my bets and wanting to find a building that was for sure there when my grandparents were, I found the Cushing Public Library.
And if he and Grandma had stayed in Cushing, they could have frequented the "Cushing Senior Citi-en Center."
After my stop in Cushing, I had a 7.5 hour drive to Austin, TX.
When I arrived at the hotel later in the evening, I got out of the car and headed to the lobby to check in. Along the way, I saw a bunch of wood-chip looking things.
And then the wood-chips began to move.
I jumped and hopped and ducked out of the way into the hotel lobby. While the woman at reception finished a phone call, I discovered this notice:
It reads:
"Dear Guest,
Welcome to 'The Texas Cricket Migration!' Perhaps you noticed a proliferation of our little friends when you checked-in today. Our local entomologists inform us that our Central Texas location and lush vegetation make us a happy haven for our multi-legged friends, the crickets.
It was mating season awhile back, and it seems that after mating, the little 'buggers' decided to vacation in Austin and enjoy the warmth. We plan on having them hop around Central Texas for about six weeks every year.
Experts tell us that the crickets like our location and bright exterior; however, we like to think they are partial to our special hospitality. They walk through our welcoming doors and try everything in their power to spend time with us. Fortunately, the Chinese have said for centuries that the cricket is a sign of good luck and prosperity!
We will do everything in our power to make your stay with us more enjoyable, since we realize that you, our human guest, may not enjoy sharing your hotel with our cricket guests. Our cricket friends love to sing a symphony of the great Texas outdoors . . . free of charge! So, if you are not enjoying the symphony or the company, please contact the front desk, and we will try to help.
And remember! You will be able to tell your friends, children, and grandchildren that you were here for 'THE TEXAS CRICKET MIGRATION!'"
So, my dear friends and family, celebrate the news that I have met and lurched, lunged, and labored not to step on these little creatures.
Up close, they look a whole lot less like this:
And a whole lot more like this::
Still, I plan on letting my conscious be my guide.
Friday will staying in Austin as I will be on the search for the Pharaoh to ask him politely to let my people go.
Odometer Start: 37386
Odometer End: 37915
Miles Driven Today: 529
Miles Driven Total: 4095
Today In/Around: Cushing, OK and Austin, TX
Tomorrow: Austin, TX again
States Visited: 8 (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma)
Plagues Experienced: 2
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