What Happens in Bandera......

Doesn't actually stay in Bandera. It follows us home on our hips! But what's one week of junk food and lazy pajama days? The fun was worth every delightful calorie!

These happy faces are about to do the annual squeal at the corner of my street. It's become a tradition that we look forward to. It also reveals our excitement about the trip ahead.

You can't drive six hours to Bandera without stopping for a little food. We started out well, treating ourselves to soup and salad. It went downhill from there.

We finally did our hair and applied makeup and ventured out of the condo. We went to browse the many shops in Fredericksburg. The drive there was so scenic through the Hill Country.

With a condo this pretty there is no need to leave. It rained every day we were there and we were content. It's perfect for pajama days.

Since it was warmer this trip, we didn't use the fireplace. Except for posing for pictures, that is.

Cheryl and my daughters treated me to a birthday trip to Fredericksburg ten years ago and we all had our pictures made in this very shop with goofy glasses on. How appropriate to do it again. We three are stylin'.

We strolled down Memory Lane when we visited this 5 & Dime store. Each aisle and cabinet fixtures had displays like the ones from our past. It made me want to dab a little Evening in Paris on my wrists.

This calico cat spent the week near our balcony where we sloppy ladies sometimes, accidentally, dropped delicious chunks of chicken or burgers. It literally broke my heart to check out, knowing she would be waiting for a Cheeto to somehow come flying over the railing.

The craziness began with our matching pink and green camo jammies with a matching cap. Patty's sister-in-law sewed the letters spelling Bandera down one leg. The camo seemed fitting since deer are constantly grazing around the condo. Then, Cheryl surprised us with the hats. Oh, did we laugh when we were decked out!

I realize we don't look like big bad hunters in this garb. I realize, too, that hats just might not be the right fit on me.

Mike, the assistant manager, was gracious enough to take our group picture without busting a gut. I asked him if we looked weird. "No, not weird. It's just that, uh, we, uh, don't see things like this much." Really?

Mike was such a good sport that we decided to push him to the limit. I know he felt honored to have three seniors flocked around him. He probably would have preferred college seniors.

Eating again. Actually, we stayed in the condo more than we ate out. Easier that way - no makeup, getting dressed, or messing with hair.

I made a simple dinner for us our last night there and encountered a scorpion on the kitchen floor. I ran to the balcony to alert Cheryl and Patty of my find. We finally decided on a weapon to use and it was handed to me! Why me? I smashed the awful thing and felt like a hero.

The restaurant overlooked this river with the strange looking trees and swampy looking water. But the total effect was pretty.

This charming lady dressed in her vintage attire waited on us at an antique store. She just looked so at home in that setting that I had to get a picture. Afterwards, we holed up in the condo with Spades, Yahtzee, and a DVD and enjoyed our last full day in Bandera. We never laughed so much. We never got tired of the company or the quiet surroundings. We never felt so blessed.

Weekend Getaway

Patty and I took off again for the weekend and our first stop was to see the birthday girl. My mother turned 84 years young on Friday. We brought chicken salad for lunch and a pecan roll for her to have with coffee the next morning. We ditched the buns we'd brought for the chicken salad when we saw Mother pull her rolls from the oven. They made a mighty good sandwich!
We watched Mother mix up more bread for her weekend company and wondered how a woman her age could mix such a thick amount of dough without coming up for air. She's definitely amazing.

My thoughts on this day were also on Chezzy who passed away on my mother's birthday 17 years ago. Each anniversary is sad, but this one held a greater emptiness knowing that Angela has now lived her life as long with him as without him. But no matter what the milestone, the impact he made on each of us is lasting and just as precious today as it's always been. He was a very loved man and one who returned that love in abundance.
After visiting with Mother, Patty and I headed farther east where we were booked in a lovely suite with plenty of room to move around. Besides taking it easy, we took in several antique stores.
When friends get away for the weekend there are only a few staples needed to get us by. This is the inside of our refrigerator. Very sparse for a reason.
Notice the kitchen counter. Peanut M&Ms and a coffeemaker. The stove and microwave were never touched, which is the whole purpose of the trip.

The only thing unpleasant about this trip was the bar right outside our window. There were some lively parties at all hours - lots of noise, laughter, squealing, and loud motorcycles. It started out quietly the first night when I asked Patty, "do you hear voices?"

"Yes," she said.

"Good," I responded.

A Weekend Getaway

Every once in awhile you just have to pack a bag, grab a friend, and get out of Dodge. Friends understand the need for the occasional getaway. After all, how often do women get a day off? I mean, really get a day off? No cooking, no cleaning, no washing, no going to work. Even if the house is clean and the laundry is done, we have to eat. So, yes, a girls getaway is a must. A couple of days with hotel maids, waiters and waitresses is good for the soul.Patty and I headed to East Texas with our eyes on the pottery store in Marshall. It wasn't what we expected. I'd heard a lot about it and envisioned aisle upon aisle stacked with every kind of pottery from place settings to home decor to garden paradise. It wasn't that extensive but we had a wonderful lunch in Marshall and learned of another pottery and home decor store in Longview. We headed there and struck gold. We browsed for a long time and found many pretty things.

Shopping works up an appetite and we had dinner at a delightful local Mexican restaurant before heading to the hotel for the night.

We found the portion we wanted on the senior menu. I told the waiter we were ordering from it and to please ask us for ID. He did as requested and laid it on thick about how he would have to confirm our age before putting the order through. We tipped him well.

Back at the hotel, I showered and crawled into my bed and could not keep my eyes open. And I didn't have to. There was no kitchen to clean.

Next getaway: Antiques. Somehow that fits.

9 Days, 9 States, Family Fun

Robin and I returned home from a wonderful vacation two days ago. We took a long scenic drive to visit Angela, Clayton, Ashton, Juliet, and Callan. We had a great time touring the newly remodeled cottage in the mountains, and loving on the three grandchildren I don't get to see often enough. We were treated to dinner, both at restaurants and at home with Angela's vegan cooking skills honed to perfection. We were offered the master suite and bath with a vase of fresh beautiful peonies. And Angela kicked us out one evening with a gift certificate for a nice cozy dinner for two, sans precious grandchildren.

I'd complain about all the fighting over who gets to sit by Memaw if it weren't so darned sweet.

Our visit with Clayton was too brief since he had to return to the real world and work. But we enjoyed visiting with him and seeing all the sights as he drove us around.

I was thrilled to finally get to meet Erin, one of Angela's dearest friends. As a bonus, I got to meet Karen, Erin's mother. We thought it'd be fun to plan a mother/daughter retreat at the cottage someday. Beautiful ladies.

Little Callan on the drums. Those golden curls and blue eyes just melt the heart. I could hear the sweet sounds of "Memaw, Memaw" every morning when he awoke. Yes, I felt special.

See? I'm actually standing in that beautiful cottage! How I longed to walk those rooms and it was well worth the wait. Saying goodbye to these three little ones was hard.

I am so stinkin' proud of this handsome foursome! I asked if I could take them home with me. Ashton jumped at the offer, saying he'd get to spend time with cousins Jude and Thomas. Juliet politely declined. She's a Mama's Girl and couldn't imagine leaving her side.

We took our time driving home and ended up putting over 2500 miles on Robin's truck. We both love road trips and prefer back roads to interstate. There's so much to see and enjoy. My senses were filled with mountains, water, and lush green foliage. The last time we tried a trip of this length I ended up in the hospital and we both felt cheated. Fortunately, no emergency rooms on this trip.

The above picture is of a natural bridge in Arkansas. It's in a very remote part of a mountain, complete with scary curves in the road. But it was an interesting sight.

This is an old moonshine stile. As I recall, some of my distant relatives knew a lot about this piece of machinery.

We browsed several wood carving shops, purchased rocks and mining bags to pan for our own gold and gems, and some pottery shops and flea markets. We saw two shops whose names were an interesting play on words:

A dog grooming salon - Doggie Style (hmmm, that does conger up the intended image)

A flea market and antiques mall - Fleas & Tiques (I'm guessing that those fleas and tiques could be handled at Doggie Style)

Thank you, Angela and Clayton, for a wonderful time. We so enjoyed your company, hospitality, and those three sweet kids!

Cruisin' the High Seas

Patty and I have returned from a glorious week at sea. We did very little but had a ball doing it.

This is one of the cuter towel animals we found in our cabin nightly. This bunny is all ready for bed. Robin asked me to get him the book that shows how to make them, so the grandchildren better get ready for some interesting towel critters.

M&Ms: don't leave home without them. Patty - being the good friend she is - packed a large bag of these babies for me. I reluctantly gave the rest to our cabin steward on the last day of our cruise.

This is how we spent most of our days, and always fit in a nap or two. We did a lot of reading, crossword puzzles, and more reading. We each completed three books and started on a fourth one. No shows. No pool or hot tub. No formal nights. We didn't even eat in our assigned dining room once! This trip wasn't about entertainment. It was purely relaxation and escape.

We stopped for a little refreshment after browsing the shops on Grand Cayman Island. We were surprised to see we had visitors. A few chickens and roosters pranced back and forth around us, and often blaring out a cock-a-doodle-do when we least expected it.

These pictures are for my high school friend Jan T. and her husband, Ronnie. They love Jimmy Buffitt and attend all his concerts. Well, not just attend. They go there in their beautiful RV and camp out in the parking lot. They set up their Jimmy Buffitt props and have their own little Margaritaville going on there. They have a fun time and are the life of the party.

This is the one in Grand Cayman. I bet Jan's mouth is watering and her ears are itching.

One of our rooster pals who has hearty lungs and a prissy walk.

We were happy to see this shop in Jamaica. Patty loves these Brazilian flip-flops. The price was more attractive than what we've seen online. We walked out of there with a few. After we paid for them, of course.

Another towel animal, this time a dog wearing Patty's sunglasses.

Our shopping treasures! Perfumes, purses, jewelry, and flip-flops. What else is there? This is Patty's bed and the shopping continued after this picture was taken.

This is my bed with my goodies. Dig that gorgeous Guess purse! Patty bought it for me in a Guess store in Cayman Islands. We actually fit in some shopping among all the room service and naps.

OK, the moment of truth. Cheryl, my BB, the cruise was a hoax. Patty and I actually went to Bandera for some R&R. You really believe that, don't you? Would I ever go there without you? I captured this sign in Huntsville on our way back. It's obvious why I had to take this picture. We can still look forward to planning a Bandera Paradise trip for October!

No, Patty doesn't look happy after packing her luggage to go home. Now, we have to make our own coffee! And cook! And clean our own house!

In port at Cozumel. The ship docked next to ours provided a little shade on our balcony.

Room service visited our cabin at least twice a day, but we did venture out to the buffet, snack bar, and pizzeria. Neither of us packed for the evening dinner in the dining room because we just didn't want to mess with it.

Thank you, Patty, for treating me to a trip I will never forget. It is a time in my life when I needed to escape, to rest, to let go. Being lazy never felt so good!