"..the work we done was hard. At night we'd sleep 'cause we was tahrd...." -- Loretta Lynn

 Few but Loretta Lynn could make that work. As a lifelong country music fan, I think the 1960s and '70s were best for lyrics. Between her feminist ain't-gonna-take-bullshit anthems and Gary Stewart's cheatin' songs, there was a lot of human truth from Merle Haggard to George Jones to Conway Twitty. Lo-retta was their equal, along with Tammy and a few others. Rest well darlin'. You earned it a long time ago.

We have found a park but the walk is much farther than in Vienna. There are some closer green spaces we've yet to explore but we miss the convenience of just going across the street. That said, our "across the street" brings access to closer stores but also more traffic. Our street can get busy and, like a lot of US neighborhoods, some folks need to slow the fuck down. 

Things are coming more into focus. We've gotten our rail/bus passes for the month but the rules are different. Travel here is a bit more expensive in that you buy passes for a certain zone or however many zones you want. You can add a zone for a daytrip, like if we want to cross the Mersey on a ferry. But for now, to just explore, we're in one zone that allows down to the city center and up to some 'burbs. We have found what is basically the Stephansplatz for the area, near the Cavern Club and other iconic Liverpool sites all music fans come to see.

The standout thing so far is the sheer friendliness of the people. It's like the first time you go into a Baptist church and EVERYBODY wants to hep yew and Lord we are SOOO glad to see yew and what kin we dew to hep yew be comfortable and yew are jest soo kah-yewt and puh-leeze come back. Except these folks aren't lyin' sonsabitches and they mean it. They are friendly, helpful and curious. Language barrier aside, the Austrians were "figure it out" but could be helpful if you attempted some German. Here it's "Oh God they look confused. How can we help?"

The graffiti here is minimal. Litter exists but no more than your average DFW suburb. The schools all let out at the same time, girls in skirts and boys in jackets and ties. They meander to the stores for soft drinks and ice cream on the way home like I used to do. Rain or shine, they walk or bike home. Just as in Vienna, school buses are rare or non-existent -- mainly because the school district isn't spread out all over hell and half of Texas. 

The local food is pretty good, though some grocery options are as limited as in Austria. There is more of a nod here to green vegetables (I can get asparagus) but peas. Peas come with everything and you get a choice of whole or mashed and please make it stop. We've yet to try some of the local ethnic spots but we will in the coming week or so.

Our choice of Liverpool was because of location. I have a close childhood friend who is a teacher in Dublin, just a ferry ride away. We are by rail connected easily to Scotland and London and will soon be taking our trips to both. This city is historic, has amenities and is affordable. Our building is all Airbnb and by the end of our three months, we will be the grizzled veterans of the neighborhood. I understand the objections to Airbnbs pricing locals out of housing and in many areas (New Orleans) I agree. We are not in a tourist area and local real estate folks are actively competing for renters. Hello aging society.

I have missed my daughter's wedding celebration and my 50th high school class reunion in the past two weeks. What kinda dad misses his daughter's wedding (well, not wedding but the pawty)?  But my feeling like a shitheel is, I guess, balanced by being Out Here. I know Kristen gets it and would, positions reversed, do the same thing. The opportunity is too good to deny.  She's my girl and, well, that's another reason why.

Have I mentioned how lucky I am?