To Texas and Back

I've been to Austin visiting with my son all week and we had a great time. All four of my step-grandkids were there for the whole week. We made chicken fried rice and chicken fried steak (not on the same day). We also made some fabulous beef & chicken quesadillas, which I'd never made before, but will definitely do again. And I showed my grandson Brandon how to explode a marshmallow in the microwave (on a smore). He was quite impressed.

We went to the Alamo Draft House to watch "Get Smart" and eat their amazing food, which they serve while you are watching the movie!! They removed every other row of seats from the theater and put a long wooden bar in their place so you can eat while you enjoy the show. Then they come and take your order and deliver your food just like a real restaurant. And speaking of shows, if you haven't seen "Get Smart" it's really good. I was such a fan of the old TV show and I was very glad that they retained so much of the original craziness and slap stick, but also added new updated special effects.

We celebrated the 14th birthday of the twins, Joy & Josi, with a slumber party. If your 14 year old twins want to invite more 14 year old friends over to spend the night, just say "NO!" Trust me on this. Actually, they weren't so bad once we got past the drama of who was dating whom. Plus, I wasn't the one who had to stay up until 5 a.m. to chaperone.

So, we stayed up too late and slept too late and played Apples to Apples and I finished reading three Lawrence Block novels from Half Price Books. We watched every episode of "Sports Night" (all two seasons worth) and decried the fact that such a wonderfully written and acted program was cancelled. We watched "Elizabeth" and "the Other Boleyn Sister" with Kayla and had no end of discussions about life in 16th Century England and the general mistreatment of women. We watched about a thousand episodes of "Sponge Bob." How many times a day does this show come on???

On Saturday, Todd and I made a trip to Waco and hooked up with some friends that I worked with over 20 years ago. Freddie and Pat were two of my employees when I managed a movie theater in Waco in the early 80's. They were part-time movie projectionists, part-time popcorn and/or ticket salesmen, and part-time baby sitters for Todd & Jen. What a fun time we had reminiscing.

Then I had to come back home, which means I had to fly from Austin to Houston, which is never a good thing. We were delayed for an hour and a half in Austin because the weather in Houston was so bad nobody could fly in or out. Thankfully, that meant that my connecting flight from Houston to Charleston, WV, was also delayed, so it was still there when I got there. I still had to walk 25 miles to the gate, and ride a bus part of the way, but at least I didn't miss the plane, which they said would leave at 10:15 p.m. from gate 60, but which actually left at 8:45 p.m. from gate 64. Never turn your back on those TV monitors because they change by the minute.

Alas, here I am back at home and back at my computer. Maybe my next trip will be to El Paso to see the little grandboys!! I miss all of you in Austin and Waco, and all of you in El Paso. Here are some hugs and kisses from Grammy - xoxoxoxo