Road trip -- August 2018

I am listening to Roy Orbison's "station" on Pandora via Google Home, as I write this.  I love the memories this music provides, well, most of them.  The music definitely provides a beautiful background for the memories of our road trip

Bob and I headed out for Ft. Stockton the morning of August 21st, my brother's birthday.  We had decided to go somewhere a little different than the normal drive around Central Texas.  We were celebrating his cataract surgery and the fact that he could, once again, see clearly.  Trees actually have leaves!!  Chrys and Karen would check on Bella, so off we went--headed to West Texas.

Bob loves to take the road less traveled, so we  headed north on  Hwy 183, and then NW on Hwy 29.  The drive beautiful, but NW when we wanted West?  My ,mind was having a little trouble with the direction, but Bob was quite sure of where we were headed.  We started off with talk radio on, but soon turned it off so that we could talk. Of course, we settled all the world's problems, and thought of ways we could help others.  The normal everyday talk!   Once we settled all the problems, we got
quiet, so I asked him to turn on our play list.  He showed me how to do it, so I could learn this valuable tidbit.  :-)

We listened to all our favorite 0ld artists, and memories surfaced.  We spoke of  the various artists and what we remembered of them.  Roy Orbison  held the greatest focus.  We talked of the wreck that took Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ricky Valens'  lives.  I told him of how I cried when I heard the news.  That day was and is called the day that music died.  Waylon Jennings, a member of Holly's band, gave up his seat on that fateful flight.  He lived to become great in his own right, and played Luchenbach with Willie and the boys. The music kept us mesmerized until we found ourselves near Ft. Stockton, on I 10W.  Wow, how time flew! The plateaus or mesas, what ever you want to call the mountains along I 10W are amazing.  In one state one can drive from the beaches, through hills, piney forests, mountains in the panhandle, and the vastly different mountains and deserts of West Texas.  I am very pleased and proud to call Texas home.

                                                            
                                                                   Plateaus/Mesas from I 10.


Once in Ft. Stockton, we settled on a motel and then headed out to find "lupper," Bob's word for
a late lunch or early dinner.  We settled on DQ and had a sandwich---no ice cream!  Once we ate we headed for the original fort area. This historic fort is located on the east side of town.  The site still contains three of the original buildings of Officer's Row, the original limestone Guard House, the original parade ground, and two reconstructed Enlisted Men's Barracks.  This piece of history was home to the famed Buffalo Soldiers, beginning in 1867.  It had been abandoned in 1861, due to the Civil War.

                                                                     
                                   Reconstructed Building






















             Copies of original photos of the Buffalo Soldiers



Once we left the Fort area, we headed to the Annie Riggs Memorial Museum.  This was a hotel originally built by a group of business men in 1899, and it was run by Annie Riggs, a pioneer woman in the truest sense of the word.  It is an adobe building with Victorian detailing.Walking in one is met by  pictures of the stern faced sheriffs of the time period.  Sheriff A.J. Royal's desk is used for signing in and whispers of his 1894 murder--a very bloody chapter in Pecos County history.  There are thirteen rooms in all, and they house so many artifacts of that time period.  I took so many pictures, but the one that amuses me the most is the one of a butter maker that was hung on a wagon and,while the wagon was being used, it swung so much it churned the butter!  There were also several type writers, and one looked as if it could type a full page of a news paper. A flour bin hung in one of the original cabinets.  WOW!  And, of course a picture of Annie Riggs, a true pioneer.

                                         

To say I enjoyed this short but sweet trip is an understatement.  I love history, and my fear is that our young people are not getting enough of it.  The counties of Texas each have a history of their very own.  Do we take the time to look and learn?  Hopefully, some are.

The Meandering of a Curious Mind

     Over the past week I have read much about the need to seek after our dreams, truly seek, and the need to sew seeds for harvest.  These scripture readings come at a time when my mind it whirling, seeking the will of God.  My dream is to write a book...  I do believe that I have sown seeds, seeds of love, hope, prosperity, and friendship, and I am patiently waiting for the harvest.  My dream,  on the other hand, must have "work" applied.  One can dream all day about a desire, but nothing will come of it unless he/she puts forth effort to make it happen.  My daughter Jamie has reminded me of this for years.  Yes, I said years!!!
     I began reading a book by Charles Krauthammer earlier this week.  I am finding it amazing, but I also find it to be perplexing, because of the style.  My mind was reeling until I realized that what I am reading are his articles.  Hmmmm  How much have I written over the years that could be assembled into a book?  Much of my life and the lives of my family members has been written, and the writings could possibly be positioned into the format of a "tell all" book.  NOT!!  It could be a mystery of sorts or, even, a comic book.  After all, the characters would be Claudette, Jamie, Johnny, Jason, Chrystal, Booger, David, Grandma Ila, Grandmas Elsie, Richard, Tony, David, and me.  How much better could it get?  Not to forget Bob and his children and all the friends we have amassed.  No one would be exempt; all could be the target of a section created just for them.  Hey, I am beginning to like this idea!  And, on top of all these characters, I have had thousands of students!  Ah, yes!!!  My wheels are turning...  No one would be exempt from his or her own "chapter" of sorts.
     This book idea is becoming an all encompassing non-fiction reflection.  I can not wait to get started.  This is fair warning, if you do not want to be included, say so now or forever hold your piece.  Watch out world!

Earlier today, I was going through some things, and I came across this folder I used while teaching. It contained a piece I had written years ago.  I hope it brings a smile to Richard's face.  We have since said good-bye to both Tony and Susan.

                               

                                                   The Joys and Laughter of Family

     Sitting on this oh so cool southern veranda has been exhilarating, and there were times in the past when it would not have been possible.  My brothers Richard and Tony are  here, along with their wives Charley and Susan.  Tony is here for rehab after his second hip replacement, and Richard and I came from Bossier and Austin to Nacogdoches to spend time with the 'old man" and, hopefully, cheer

 him up.  It is so peaceful sitting here on this cool, sunny autumn day.  A gentle breeze has been playfully shifting the branches on the tall East Texas Pines that line the drive, as honey bees flirt with the hibiscus type shrubs.  Every now and then one will fly into our circle and linger by an ear or shoulder before flying off to join his swarming buddies.

     The drive from Austin's hills this morning to the rolling mounds of East Texas, as my children jokingly call them, was so awe inspiring.  I never tire of seeing God's handiwork, and today was no exception.  I fell in love with a small ranching community called Crockett and have its image ingrained in my mind.  The ranch land surrounding it is beautiful, green, and lush.  When I stopped for coffee, its people were outgoing and friendly.

     Entering Nacogdoches, I made a  wrong turn and ended up lost for about twenty minutes.  I called Richard, and he talked me through my maze and into the parking lot of the Rehab Center.  The banter that followed hugs was the normal ditzy blonde getting lost, in of all places- Nacanowhere , and was par for the course in the Tewell family.  One of us is always the brunt of jokes: reality makes for better jokes!  

     Then it started!  Remember when...  Richard has a unique gift.  He remembers very little of life until he was about eleven.  Perhaps it is his way of coping, or maybe it is selective memory.  Either way, Tony or I could tell him just about anything, and he would not know truth from fiction.  Have we used it?  You be the judge.

     "Remember when David woke up telling Mom he was sick, and I told her he had a test, so she sent him to school?"  Tony is laughing so hard, tears are running down his face, as he manages to say, "And, the nuns called Mom because he had a temperature of 102."

     "What about the time you fell from the tree branch and landed in the pig slop?" I chuckle.  "See, what goes around comes around. "

     "Well, what about the time you stuck your foot in the spokes of the bike and sprained your ankle, and a bee stung your big toe after Mom wrapped your ankle and propped it up on a chair?  What pay back was that?"   We all laughed.

     "Remember when Richard was lying on the grass near the end of the other complex, and Mom runs across the grass screaming, "Richard, Richard," and when she gets to him he opens one eye and says, "shhhh , we're playing cowboys and Indians, and I'm supposed to be dead."  Mom nearly passed out.  Tony is laughing so hard by now, he needs to take a drink of water and catch his breath.  It is good to see him laughing.

     The stories fly fast and furious, as one after another we recall one laughable moment and jump to another.  Even Richard has stories to tell!  The morning passes very quickly. The nurse brings Tony's lunch and medication, so we get up to leave to find something to eat.  Susan and I ride with Richard and Charley, so that we can continue to enjoy one another's company.  During our drive to Black Eyed Pea, Susan tells us how good it is to see Tony laugh.  It has been a rough two weeks.  Tony's middle son Jay had been relocated to heaven, and Tony's physical pain had been unbearable.  He had really been beaten down the past two weeks.  Laughter is good...

     The food at Blacked Eyed Pea is great and the joking continues. This time the joking is with the restaurant staff...they are so friendly.  Good food and great staff!  Try it sometime.

     We head back to the center and pulling into the parking lot, I see Tony sitting there talking with a lady seated toward the other end of the veranda.  She, too, is wheel chair bound.  That brother of mine never meets a stranger.  "Wish I had his gift of gab," as Mom used to say.

     We start in again laughing and joking--one trying to out do the other.  This lasts through most of the afternoon, and then the mood shifts.  The remember whens become painful. 

    "Remember when David called to tell Mom he wasn't coming home because he wanted to stay at Aunt Veronica's for good?"  He said, "Aunt Veronica doesn't eat tomato soup all the time."

     "Remember when you boarded the bus for Pennsylvania?  Why did  you have to go?"

     "Bill didn't appreciate my getting upset with him when he pushed Mom down the steps, so off I went to live with a couple I had never seen before."   Tony's last words that day had been, "Viya Con Dios."

     We were silent for a few minutes.  Some memories are better left alone.  We talked of other things.  We settled world problems and fixed our government's ails, and before we knew it, we were once again laughing.

     We spoke of playing cops and robbers with Mom and Richard behind the sofa and with Tony and me on the staircase, being snowed in and digging tunnels across to the other complex, dressing Richard as a little girl and passing him off as a cousin, and spending  holidays with family and friends.  Life, with its ups and downs, is great!  A whole lifetime has passed as we sit here in the late evening of a perfect November day.

     Rose, a nurses aide, comes out and sits next to me, and she starts telling us about the bats that live in the center column.  "Bats," I say.  "Guess it is time for me to leave."  Everyone chuckles but me.  I'm remembering the bat that got into the trash can near my bed, while I huddled beneath the covers in that dark, dark room at Rancho del Cielo, Mexico.  Nope, I  don't need bats!

     Rose tells Tony about the fresh pot of coffee she has brewed, and I'm thinking it really is time to call it a night.  By the time I find a hotel, it will be nearly ten, and it has been a long day.

     Richard heads off in one direction, heading home, and I in another looking for a hotel.  It has been a wonderful day.  Mom would be proud.  "There is nothing quite like family," she would say, "and the memories they share."

     "Wonder what we can get Richard to believe next time", I smile to myself.

Musings : Luckenbach, Texas

Musings : Luckenbach, Texas:     Yesterday, Tuesday,  Bob and I took a day trip to Luckenbach.  The reason for the trip was...my bucket list.  I had never been, and have...

Luckenbach, Texas

    Yesterday, Tuesday,  Bob and I took a day trip to Luckenbach.  The reason for the trip was...my bucket list.  I had never been, and have wanted to do so for years.  I did not realize how close this historic little town  is to our home.

     We made several stops on the way: the jeweler's to pick up my pinky ring that had to be made smaller, the gas station to fill up on gas, and the bank in Liberty Hill.  It was a drizzly day, but not cold.  Bob and I took long drives when we first started dating.  We took one drive several years ago that took nearly eight hours, round trip.  I believe we drove through every county in central Texas that day.  We enjoyed just being together, talking, and taking in the sights.  But, this day, we had a destination in mind.

     Of course, he had to take the longer way...  He enjoys this!  Me, I just wanted to get there.  LOL
We were talking and laughing and listening to music the whole two hour trip.  We have come to a time in our lives where laughing is a real pleasure!  And, to spend two hours doing this is a big treat.

     We got to Luckenbach, home of Willie and the Boys, around 12:30.  I had been told not expect much because there isn't much there, but the ambiance of that place is like a vast metroplex. The little store that at one time was the post office is now the only place open during the week, but walking into it and seeing the old wooden floor that has been repaired, at times, with slabs taken from walls of another old building and license plates from all over adds to the "flavor" of the town.  At times the license plates have actually been cut to make "signs."   Little trinkets for sale are mementoes of a more precious time.

     I grew up on country music!  My mother raised me right...  So, those who spent week ends there were  names I knew vividly.  A gentleman in the room behind the store was picking and singing.  He sounded great!  We learned that he opened for Willie and others years ago.  I believe his name is Billy.

     I looked for a book or pamphlet to give me some history on the town.  I was given a piece of paper with history written on it.  Why has no one thought to write a book on this amazing little burg?  The post office/general store/beer joint was opened in 1886.  The town itself was named after Albert Luckenbach, the fiancé of Minna Engel.  Her father August Engel was a prolific fellow who also founded another little town, not too far away, named Albert.  At one time the town boasted a blacksmith shop, steam powered cotton gin, and a consolidated school.

     The town went up for sale when Benno Engel retired as post master.  It was bought by Hondo Crouch, who was a story unto himself, and Luckenbach became "A Texas state of mind."  He along with many of his friends began the legendary historic place that housed Texas country/American country music for many, many years.  The music and the legends live on, and one can still meet with others on the famous dance floor found in  the midst of Central Texas.

     I definitely want to go back, possibly in the summer.  I want to learn more about the Engels, Luckenbach, Hondo, and others that have made Luckenbach "A Texas State of Mind."  The history, alone, causes me to anxiously await our next road trip!

Musings : My Drive 11/28/12

Musings : My Drive 11/28/12: Coming home from bible study tonight, I was pleasantly reminded of the articles I used to write concerning my drive to work.  I loved those ...

Summer of 2017

This has been a most unusual summer ... the type that seems to be becoming the norm, though.  We had a tragedy in the family again. Brook's husband was killed in an accident, early one morning.  It was very early, and he was on his way to work.  Apparently, he fell asleep at the wheel.  Derrick was such a devoted father and husband; one can only wonder why the Lord needed him, at such a young age.  I was actually on my way to Brook's birthday party, when I got the call. Is there ever a good place to receive such a call?  I continued on...

Bob, Chrystal, the little ones and I went back for the funeral the next week.  Derrick was well loved by his fellow workers and those from the community.  I hurt for Brook...  She was trying so hard to hold it together.  I am so thankful she has family and friends who are helping her walk this painful road.

Not long before Awana was over for the summer, I met a young man and his adoptive family.  Jaron is from Haiti.  A bashful young man  with a heartwarming smile!  He was in need of some help getting ready for school next year.  He will be a freshman and has not had all he needs to be prepared for his first year of high school.  I am tutoring him, and I am really hoping he is getting all he needs from our hour and a half, 3 days a week.  I love seeing the lights go on in his eyes!  His passion is soccer, and his favorite player is Neymar.  Jaron can tell you anything you might want to know about Neymar.  He has followed him, closely, for more than 5 years.  He did his research paper on this soccer player from Barcelona.  I think I need to assign a topic for the next one.  One where Jaron will have to dig a little deeper for information.  Yes, I still want my students to work!

I had a birthday celebration that lasted for days.  Can you imagine anyone celebrating getting "old" for nearly a week?  I had lunch with Jamie, her boys, Chrys, and her little ones on Friday.  I was able to do that because VBS students were at the pool until nearly two.  Carson had come in for the week end, and they stopped by as they were traveling to visit his dad.  Claudette came in on Saturday.  Jamie and Claudette stayed here with Bob and I.  Saturday evening, the girls, Domenick, the little ones, Bob, and I went to PF Chang's for dinner.  I love their food!  We had a great time.  Afterwards, we went to Chrystal's for cake.  Oh, my...  so, so good!

Sunday Jamie headed out to pick up the boys, so she could head back to Keller.  Bob, Claudette, and I headed to Sunday School and church.  Lunch afterwards was fun.  I enjoy spending time with the Griffins, Karen, and the Smiths.  Laughter is like a medicine, and that we did.

Monday, one of my dearest friends from the valley came.  Paula and I always manage to have fun.  Her reason for coming was to teach me to make tamales.  Some of you may be laughing, but I never learned.  Needless to say, we had a great time.  More laughing and joking ensued for the next three days.

I have been praying for the Lord to give me eyes to see what He sees.  He has been answering that prayer.  The pain of our fellow men does not go unnoticed by our heavenly Father.  He knows the pain: the deaths of loved ones, the illnesses striking both young and old, job losses, individuals needing to make moves that were unexpected, the need for more believers to become His hands and feet on this earth, and our reluctance to do so.  He sees it all.  I have asked for a double portion of the energy and stamina of our former executive pastor, Pastor Derrick Norris.  I am hopeful the Lord will begin to answer that prayer, too.  I want to be used by God.  I want to be his hands and feet.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.