I'm Back...

Although no one has told me so...

I know you've been missing me.

Well, it's like this.

I have a beloved group of friends with whom I play bridge.

There are 8 of us, so we play 8 months of the year,

and we are hostess 1 month of the year.

September was my month.

Now most people won't admit that they obsess over their 

hostess duties, but I don't hesitate to do so.

I even missed choir Wednesday night, cause I was home...

obsessing.

But, it paid off.  I am successfully done for the year!

Here's what the table looked like:

 

The plates are so fun.

   They feature vintage European hotel logos.

And yes, vintage "cracks!"

The flatware is also different.  In the early 1900s hotels

mixed their flatware patterns for an eclectic look.

So the pattern of each piece is different.

I ordered all of this years ago and love using it!  

We start at 10 A.M. with breakfast goodies and coffee.

These were delicious Danishes from Whole Foods

on my warming tray which did not warm!

Very good anyway. 

Now let me show you what my sweet Susan did for me!

She offered to help, so I asked her to plant

something in this urn for me.  (It was sitting there empty!)

What she did was a knockout!

But...while she was here checking out the size of the urn,

she spotted all my other empty containers.

She comes back with her little HHR loaded with gorgeous

plants.  Just look!

I was thrilled beyond words!

I felt like I had an outdoor showplace!

 

Susan is also responsible for this:

 I love love love this!!!!!!

(In case you're curious, the picture of Madeline and me

was taken on Congress Ave. in Austin.  Someone had 

painted the "I love you so much" on a wall.  Our

entire family has now had his or her picture made there!

Thank you, unknown graffiti artist!)

 

I got this new little piece--

Nifty, huh?

 

Now all this took place last Thursday.

Then on Friday night the husbands are included.

We had 16, or 4 tables of bridge.

 

Since Jack has been gone, my partner has been 

my dear friend, Charlotte Irwin.

It just so happened that Charlotte's birthday was nigh,

so we had birthday party bridge for her!

 

I think a great time was had by all--including me!

It was such a blessed weekend.  

Over and out for another year! 

 

 

I Need To Hurry and Tell You About My C/C Summer

Cause one of these days summer just might be over.

I won't keep you in suspense.

That C/C stands for Colorado/Cousin summer.

My first venture into CO was to celebrate July 4th

with my bank travel club.  We went to wonderful Vail and

stayed here:

 The beautiful and historic Lodge at Vail.

My room overlooked the gondola:

And had a Keurig coffee maker!

(Single travelers get good at self portraits!)  

On my first night walking around the town I met some new friends.

These three Afghan hounds and their owner will become

very important on parade day!

Aren't they gorgeous?  Did you know I love big dogs?

Does the sun shine???
 

We went to Lion's Head on the 3rd.

At the top of the gondola:

The best fish and chips ever at The Tavern:

And beautiful flowers everywhere:

So now it's the 4th, and here's where my cousin comes in.

Sarah and her family have a home in Conifer, CO,

about two hours' drive from Vail.

They came to watch the giant 4th of July parade!!!

Fortunately they have been to some small town parades in

their lifetime.  More than I have, actually.

This parade was...well, I don't know how to express it.

Perhaps this was the high point!

And my choice for low point!  I'm not sure this Statue of Liberty

should not be charged with unlawful impersonation!

  

But...if the parade was not magnificent, our seats certainly were.

My hound friends and their owner got seats at the crack

of dawn and shared them with us!

 This is Sarah, Dick, Emily, and James

 And here are the real stars of the parade--the hounds!

Everyone who passed by stopped to admire and pet them.

They've been coming to this parade for years.

Bless their hearts.

  

After the parade we drove to a nearby park and had a 

fabulous picnic lunch, prepared by Sarah's son-in-law James!

Just look!

(Oh, Sarah will want me to tell you.  She cut up the fruit.)

This was one of the best meals I had in CO!
 

Here I am after Sarah and family left--

riding the gondola visible from my window.

Just me and my Chacos.  Yes, I'm undeniably cool.

Then we had dinner here--owned by John Elway:

Shedding a little tear now.  

Sarah sent me some great pics from her camera,

but I made her an album and included them so now I don't 

have them.

I'll just have to conclude with a couple of mine that

tickled my funny bone.

 

 But...this is just Part 1!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my C/C summer!

Four Golden Girls Take the Hill Country

My friends Sally and Steve own a gorgeous historic home

in San Marcos.

It is filled with exquisite antiques which Sally purchased in

Belgium.

When Jack was sick, Sally, Joan, and Barbara

set up a plan whereby we would meet for lunch once a month.

It was a great break for me from the grinding routine of caregiving.
(I forgot one month, and when Sally called me from
the restaurant, I cried my eyes out.)

So...for this August we decided we would spend a few days

in San Marcos and have our lunch there! 

We divvied up the lovely bedrooms.
Sally's:

 and Sally's bathroom:

Barbara's:

and Barbara's bathroom:

This is the only picture I got from Joan's bedroom:

And none from mine, even though I got the best of all!
Mine was the attic room--very exciting!
I loved climbing the stairs every night into my own little
 (actually big!) corner of my own little world!
(In case you don't remember, HERE you can read about
what a loner independent spirit I am!)

Here are some more glimpses of the beauty of this home.

The living room:

Beautiful furnishings:

 

Here's Joan in the lovely sunroom in which we love to lounge!

And here are amazing sights we were blessed to see out the
back windows!

Be sure to click to make larger!
  A mother deer and two babies live in the back yard!

Speaking of sights, this is what greeted us one morning!

 That's Barbara on the fabulous front porch wearing one
of the wall decorations!
(See the historic marker on the wall behind?)

Now we agreed that when it comes to eating,
 "What happens in San Marcos, (and Gruene and Wimberley)
 stays in San Marcos, Gruene, and Wimberley!"
However, I just must show you a couple of items.

First, the world's most delicious cinnamon rolls.

I am not kidding or exaggerating!

These are worth a trip to San Marcos!  We LOVED them!!!

Second, I've been searching my world over for this:

Shay (Mix and Match Mama) had said this is the best 
ice cream ever!
I had driven all over Arlington and been unable to find it.
When we stopped at HEB in San Marcos I looked.
No Lemon Bliss.
The next day we stopped at a CVS in Wimberley 
where there was...
a Blue Bell delivery truck!
I raced in and
 tracked down the two nice delivery guys.  They told me 
that this is a seasonal item, in limited production, 
but that there just happened to be two pints left at a Pac 'n Sac
 less than five minutes away!
So...off we raced before someone else got them.
I bought both, then we had to go all the way back home
 to put them in the freezer.
It was so worth it!
I shared the first pint.  Sally twisted my arm into
 eating all of the second by my own little big self!!!
  I'll be looking forward to next summer for
Lemon Bliss!
I hope I don't have to drive to Wimberley for it!

We shopped, we talked, we laughed, we played cards, 
and we ATE the best food at all the best places!
Sally is definitely the "hostess with the mostest!"
And she sure knows the best restaurants in her neck of the woods! 

I'm so thankful for friends who helped bring me through
the rough times and 
who now help me create and enjoy the good times.


 

How Can This Not Be My Favorite Day?

Because today I saw the tomb where Jesus lay, and...

The round stone below is not the one that was rolled over
the door of the tomb of Jesus.
It is just a representation of how the stone
 might have looked. 

  And thank you, Sandy, for taking a picture of me
stepping from the sacred place where Jesus was buried.

We observed the ordinance of The Lord's Supper (communion)
 in this beautiful garden.

 
 We drank from small olive wood cups, which we were able
to bring home as a treasured souvenir.

(Just a little aside about those olive wood cups--
On the way to the airport in Tel Aviv, Yuval prepared us for
going through the departure process.
He told us that we would be asked if we had been given 
anything while in Israel.
We were to say that we had been given the cups and a map,
because the agents would know the tour company
would give us something.
There were three ladies from our group ahead of me in line,
and by the time I started to answer, "A cup and a map,"
the agent got all frustrated and said,
"I know!  Anything other than the cup and the map!"
But we made it through!) 

While we were in Israel, I would look at my fellow
travelers and say, "How are we going to describe
this place when we are asked how our trip was?"
I answered myself more than once that we would need a whole
 new vocabulary to do it justice. 
So...I feel I cannot adequately describe the awe
of seeing this place.


Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior.
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes.
He arose a victor from the vast domain,
And He lives forever with His Saints to reign!
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah, Christ arose!