It’s been a very quiet morning. Bobby left for Maryland before the crack of dawn (he’ll fly back home tonight) and I’m just finishing up my cup of coffee, make that 2 cups.

As Bobby was ready to head out the door this morning, he reminded me that “we’re going to TX Saturday” and both of our faces were as bright as ever just thinking about our trip home.

I’ve been sort of taking this week in stride letting come what may and have plans to get cracking on the laundry tomorrow and probably won’t pack ‘til Friday evening or Saturday morning.

There were no plans for colored pencils at all this week but yesterday the seams of yearning broke and another picture was started. I’m thinking I’ll have it finished sometime today and I’ll share when the piece is complete. Right now it’s in the yucky stage and really doesn’t want to show its face. So I’ll be nice and wait ‘til it’s all done. I’ll give you a hint; it’s all about fruit again.

I keep thinking I’m all done with fruit for a while but that’s what I’ve been ‘drawn’ (no pun intended) to lately. There have been some other subjects arise and I’m still waiting for the kaleidoscope inspiration to come. Kaleidoscope as in, I would love to draw something that uses every color in the rainbow, something bright and cheery that echo’s “pick me”! Perhaps it will come during our little time away, we’ll see.

Our thoughts have turned towards more vacation time and this time we’re going to go to, drum roll please, TX!!! How did you guess? We’ve been planning another week in TX since we got back to NY from our last visit to TX which was this past November.

We’ve got good excuses though. We need to get back to change the heat over to AC. I know the realtor could do this but we don’t want it set wrong or anything. Hey, it’s our excuse after all. And then we need to turn the water back on for our sprinkler system, don’t know if the realtor could get that figured out, we better get back. Then we need to get the lawn maintenance crew back out on a weekly basis to make sure we are all manicured, not sure if the realtor knows the exact property line for the maintenance crew, we really need to get back. And I won’t mention the few BBQ restaurants we need to visit to see if they still know how to make brisket among others that I won’t mention. We have to get back home!

I’ve been checking flights and I think we’re going to narrow our trip over the weekend and make plans to go back sometime late March.

It appears we’re getting a break in the weather and it looks like my evening flight will depart on schedule. It was such a bummer to learn my early flight was canceled this morning. I was up by 4:45am getting ready for the airport when I learned at 5:30 my flight had been canceled. As a matter of fact, all the early morning flights were canceled and the next flight for me is 5:30pm.

We had more of the pretty white stuff this morning and this was the second day in a row that I was praying for the pretty stuff to stop. Not only was my prayer answered, but have a look at just how pretty it is out my window. I’m sitting here at my computer at the table looking out my sliding glass doors at this beautiful scene. It’s jut not fair for me to talk about and not share the pretty view so here ya go.

I didn’t get out this morning as the airlines called yesterday and changed my early morning flight today and adjusted it for departure at 5:45 pm. I have no idea if I’m even going to get out today as the pretty white stuff is pouring down as I type. There are a couple airlines that have totally cancelled all their flights for the day and I’m waiting to see what US Air is up to. On top of that, I’m flying into (Philadelphia) and they’re being hit with this wintry mix as well. It seems the weather has taken a turn in the frightful direction and if nothing else, I’ll get to sleep in my own bed tonight. And I’m quite certain that sometime between now and Christmas I’ll get a flight.

Don’t have too much time to fool around as I need to get packed and ready for my flight (if I have one). I don’t look to be back here in the blog realm ‘til after we get back home on the 29^th. So here’s wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

On Wednesday evening, November 14, 07 we arrived back in home and what a delight it was to get back home for a week and 1/2. As we were traveling the song “Wide Open Spaces” came to mind and the feeling of being back home started playing tricks on me. As we passed familiar sights my soul leaped for joy and I could not help the rush of sheer joy that washed over me. I felt like a very dried out sponge absorbing every little detail that I possibly could.

By the time Thursday morning rolled around there was no sleeping in for me, I just had to get up to savor the day. I flung open the blinds as fast as I could and began my little cleaning routine. I had the place cleaned in no time and then I was ready to kick back and let the rest of the day unfold.

Our first big meal that day was our favorite BBQ in town. The chopped brisket sandwich was calling me along with their fabulous fried okra. If I close my eyes, I can almost taste it. We also had the cobbler for desert. I’m a peach cobbler kinda gal and Hubby is my apple cobbler guy so that’s what we had, our favorites.

Normally right after a meal at a restaurant Hubby pays the bill and we leave. This time we just sat there taking in the old familiar feel of that place. And I still remember Hubby’s words to me as he said “I’m just taking this all in”. In some weird sort of way, It was during those “taking it in moments” that we began to feel like we were “Home”. Gasp, did I just say that, Hubby and I are definitely feeling pulled between two places to call home. And I told him that if he ever took me back to live that I would be perfectly happy staying there the rest of my life.

I did something while I was there that I’ve never done in my entire life. I got in a truck with a stranger. Please let me explain – Ya know, Hubby still can’t believe I did that, even after my explanation as that is NOT like me at ALL. So here’s the chain of events. Hubby had a dentist appointment in town and it was quite a procedure and was to last 2 hours. So, the day before his appointment, I took my nails off as he was going to drop me off at the mall and I was going to get a fresh set of nails and perhaps get into trouble for the other hour I had on my hands.

Hubby dropped me off at the entrance of the mall and away I went to the nail salon. I signed in and had just a brief wait. My name was called and I was seated right next to another gal who got there moments before me. We struck up conversation immediately and I truly felt a kindred spirit with her. It was as if we knew each other our entire lives and our conversation just flowed mixed with laughter. We finished up about the same time and she asked would I like to join her for lunch. She was not fond of doing the food court and asked if I would like to go across the street to Red Lobster. Sure I said, I have another 45 min. until my husband is finished at the dentist office.

Away we went out of there chatting all the way to her vehicle like two sisters would do. I got into here truck without even the slightest hesitation and we both began to laugh about this. She started the truck, put it in reverse and backed out. We drove towards the mall entrance and stopped at the red light. As the light was turning green, my cell phone rang. It was Hubby calling to say he was on his way. She said “Have him meet us at Red Lobster”. Unfortunately he was not in a Red Lobster mood as his entire mouth was numb from his little procedure and he needed to stop by the drug store to pick up some meds. She turned her truck around and headed back to the mall entrance where Hubby was to pick me up. When her truck came to a stop I got out and then is when she said my name is “Theresa” and I introduced myself to her as well. That all happened so fast and I’m not even sure of her name now. I just know it starts with a “T” and that’s all I remember. I keep thinking about her and wish we would have swapped information so that we could have remained in contact with each other. I’ll say, Theresa and I sure did have a “GOOD TIME” while it lasted.

Thanksgiving morning dawned and we were like two children on Christmas morning waiting on our big turkey meal. We had reservations at the same place we have been going the last two years and this making our 3rd year there. We left the house at noon and we were seated by 12:30 where we enjoyed a wonderful 2 hour Thanksgiving dinner. Below is the only picture I took to my dismay but let me tell ya, that ballroom was fit for a king.

We had beautiful dinner music by talented musicians who played violins, the piano and flute.

Hubby finally got his wii and all I can say is we have had more fun with that wii than any of our other games in the past. We’ve always been Nintendo, Game Cube and the like buffs but now, I can’t even imagine dragging those old games out anymore. Hubby and I have enjoyed tennis, baseball, bowling and golf from the comforts of home and I’ll say I’m having a little TOO much fun. I say that as both of my arms are equally sore and my legs are so sore too. As much as I enjoyed baseball my arm can’t take another game right now, that pitching did a number on me. It’s a good thing I’m ambidextrous as I can switch arms when one hurts too much. Our favorite games at the moment are tennis and golf.

It’s weird that I didn’t take pictures in TX as Hubby would always make sure I had my camera with me. I think we were absorbing more than taking pictures.

Now that we are back home (up north), I feel like we can finally begin to settle down. There is so much to enjoy here and I know we are going to be taking in a lot in the months to come.

Below is a picture I took of downtown yesterday. The holidays are upon us and the town is coming to life with Christmas décor.

On Monday evening after Hubby and I had a nice quiet dinner together he had his second wind and wanted to spend some more time with the kids. His son wanted to play some chess and Sis and Hubby needed to discuss more about Sis’s College and plans. I asked Hubby if he minded if I hang at the hotel as I wanted to get some sleep before our 12 hour trip the next day. Hubby no more than left and I went sound to sleep. He did not surface ‘til sometime after 2:00am. I was so thankful for the extra sleep and he was happy to have the extra quality time with the kids.

The alarm rang sometime around 8:00 Tuesday morning and I began bouncing around filled with all kinds of energy. Hubby was a bit tired but he managed to get right up and at ‘em. We packed the car and went back over to see Sis and Bo. Hubby helped Sis get her new lap top computer (her graduation gift from Hubby and me) registered and we spent a little time there before taking everyone to lunch.

We hit the road around 1:00 PM Tuesday afternoon and I was the designated driver. I drove till sometime around 9:30 PM when all of a sudden we all heard a loud noise in the rear of the truck. I didn’t hit anything in the road but the noise had my nerves on edge. Shortly after the loud noise, I started losing control of the wheel. There was so much play in the steering and Hubby noticed that we were rocking too. He asked if I was getting sleepy but that was not the problem. He then asked me to pull over to the side of the road as he thought it was a flat tire. Sure enough the tire was barely holding any pressure so off we went to a service station, fortunately seconds from where we were. In we pull and I got a little frantic as we were not in a good part of town. The service station had huge bars up to the windows and to make matters worse a bum was there carrying on conversations with himself throwing his arms and body about all the while creeping out both Kristy and me.

Hubby finally got the tire filled with adequate air pressure but he could hear air spewing out so we needed to move fast to another area where we felt safe to change the tire. Hubby thought for sure that the noise we heard earlier was a nail or something freeing itself from the tire, making that loud noise by hitting up in the wheel well. Off we go down the road not even a mile when we come to this ‘Mamma Lou’s Diner’ open 24 hours. I breathed a sigh of relief as we felt safe and Hubby proceeded to change the tire. Fortunately for us, Ford Explorer blessed us with not just any spare tire but the “REAL DEAL” – a tire that could take top interstate speeds just like the other Michelin tires on our truck…another big sigh of relief. The only thing the spare tire needed was a little more air so off we go to another service station in our quest for much needed air pressure. We finally found a station where Hubby whips in to fill the spare. We notice a shady looking character lurking about so Hubby instructed me to lock his door the instant he got out. Hubby was out there braving the night with all kinds of suspicious characters while I was ready at any given moment to free myself from the car to provide assistance if need be. We finally were good to go and we waved good bye to our troubles in Oklahoma City and we were on the road again with a grateful heart. Just 4 more hours left on our trip and between Hubby and me, we made it the rest of the way home a little after 2:00 AM Wednesday morning – safe and sound.

There’s no place like home!