Christmas 2019

Christmas came and Christmas went! It was one of the best ones in recent years.

Tim flew in from Albuquerque on the Saturday before Christmas - December 21. And then on Monday the 23rd, around noon, Chris, Kelsey and the grands arrived. Everything kicked into high gear from that moment on.

We had our Christmas meal on Christmas Eve - roast beef and gravy, potatoes, carrots, green bean casserole, pasta salad and hot rolls. I had planned on a different salad, for a change, but Tim and Dan were horrified that I didn't have our family's traditional pasta salad on the menu, so I gave in and went with the pasta. The dessert choices were apple cobbler, ice cream and pecan pie.

Christmas morning began with opening presents at 7:00 a.m.

Everyone was pleased and grateful for their gifts, but the one who was most surprised and pleased was Clara. She received an electric violin, and she was speechless when she opened it. 

She gave us the joy of a short "concert" on Christmas evening.

One of Robert's favorite gifts was a game called Beyblade Burst, which involves customizable spinning tops, battling it out in a small plastic stadium.  Robert spent nearly all day switching out parts in an effort to build the BEST top for the battle and convincing others to take on the challenge.

This family is a game-playing family, so we had fun playing one of Chris and Kelsey's new games, Tsuro. We had a Bingo tournament - yeah, not really a big hit. And, that evening, we played Charades. It was Clara and Robert's first time to play Charades, and they really got into it and had fun. This one might have to become a family Christmas tradition!

It seemed everyone had just gotten here, when it was time to start saying good-bye. The day after Christmas Chris went back home to Houston so he could get back to work, and Kelsey and the kids headed to Pecos to visit her family. Tim stayed with us until Saturday, the 28th, when I drove him to Austin to catch his flight back to Albuquerque. 

Now the house is quiet again, and I'm slowly trying to get back to life as usual. It's New Year's Eve today, and we'll be going out to dinner with Kay and Andy this evening. I'm really looking forward to that time together. With all the activity of the holidays, we haven't seen much of each other.

Meet-Up with Friends in Waco

Until yesterday we have been having warm, beautiful fall weather. Yesterday, however, dawned with a vengeance, throwing sheets of rain at us, and chilling us with 40 degree temperatures and wind. But this weather didn't keep me from a pre-arranged meet-up with friends in Waco.

 Bob Hagan (JDHS class of 66) and Sue Dean Hagan (JDHS class of 67 - whom I have known since 3rd grade), who live in Washington state, have been visiting Texas kinfolk, and wanted to come to Waco to see Magnolia Market at "the Silos." This is the beautiful home decor market operated by Chip and Joanna Gaines, who have put Waco on the map with their TV series, Fixer Upper.

Driving up there in the morning was challenging, with terrible visibility because of the weather. But I got there safely and on time. After touring Magnolia Market, we spent a long time together, lunching at a nearby BBQ spot and catching up on the events of the past 50-plus years.

After lunch we stopped by the old historic suspension bridge, built in 1870 to drive cattle over the Brazos River on their way up the Chisholm Trail. Lining the street, on both sides of the bridge are beautiful bronze statues of longhorn cattle, the trail boss on his horse and some cowboys.

Sadly, that cold north wind brought our sightseeing to an end rather quickly, and we parted ways around 2:00. The drive home was much easier, for the heavy rains had stopped.

Thanks for thinking of me and arranging this meet-up, Sue and Bob, and may you have a wonderful Christmas and a safe trip back home.