Our new Austin Journey starts on Chicon Street

I have always had a feeling that I was supposed to be born in Austin, so I got here as soon as the universe had me prepared, on my 21st birthday, 1988. I've watched the city change over and over. I've had friends that have been forced out of one area or another of the city due to affordability (tax increases and / or their rents being jacked) and I've recently had the squeeze put on me as well, so you're going to hear a little of my tale.

My time in town has taken me from southeast Austin to northwest Austin and more than a few points in between. Living on Rutland and east William Cannon in the late 80s gave me a taste of what the "edge" of the city was like when I got here, and since then, I've popped around a lot until settling and buying a home in which I have lived the last 18 years in southeast Austin just south of Riverside. Now I have a pretty good idea of what it is like trying to live and raise kids in a city that is by no means fair, balanced, or equal to its residents. Our school zoning situation itself could fill a novel.

It'll look friendlier soon!

We are selling our house in southeast Austin and have found a wonderful home in central east Austin at 2106 Chicon St, just south of Manor Rd. We're renting this time because I'm sick of the responsibility of being my own landlord. Owning is just overwhelming after everything our family has been through. It's time to start taking care of us.

What has been fascinating is that now that we are getting moved into the new place, I have a different sense of "ownership" to this home. The house has been maintained on the inside, but the yard has needed a lot of love. Something about the place speaks to me and I'm starting to want to live here. Like for a long time. And what's also been cool is that the landlord seems to be on my wavelength too, and has asked me to become part of the neighborhood development group, the Blackland Community Development Committee. I'm honored and I'm going to join.

There's so much to say about how we got here and what's happening and I'll try to get to all of that eventually. In the meantime, here's a little bit of photography to show you (and me) what I've been working toward.

The back yard was a mess.

Flattened that.

Here's the video.

Whew! 

After getting the back cut down to normal, I needed to get the brush on the fences and low hanging branches taken care of.

This stuff is encroaching!

We also have a front yard I have started after as well. 

 

 

 

We have some big plans for the place. More on those later. It's a journey!

Tonight is the first meeting of the Blackland Community Development Committee that I'm attending. I'll let you know what happens!