Loving Texas Hill Country

We had an amazing, exhausting, exhilarating, and HOT trip to Texas.  Below are my travel notes and highlights.  Plus some pictures. 

Day 1

• Flight--Jet Blue let me load first, with scooter and crutch; we eventually find Gommie, Pop, and the cousins at the airport; cousins have grown and are excited and chatty (my team is a bit tired since being up at 3:30 CST but happy to finally be there.)
• lunch at Hoover's--a great first Texas meal--chicken fried steak, pinto beans, cowboy beans (have ground beef), potato salad, mashed potatoes, greens, green beans, candied yams, these amazing cinnamon sweet potato biscuits, buttermilk pie, coconut custard, and an incredible blackberry cobbler!!!
• Buc-ee's, "the cleanest bathrooms in Texas" and one of my favorite tourist spots--great (and tacky) Texas souvenirs and snacks, great photo ops, and iced tea in huge cups.  Sis got a cowboy hat for the trip and some Buc-ee nuggets, of course.
• reunion in SA--we meet up with Aunt Banana and Uncle Soccer at our hotel--we're all together!  
• Emily Morgan hotel--she might have been the infamous/famous Yellow Rose who distracted Santa Anna, but the 1930s building is Gothic Revival and like the Flatiron building in NYC; we have a great room overlooking the Alamo complex.
• evening walk by Alamo, which was closed, and protected by a Texas Ranger; Mama and I got a tamarind snow cone like the one we enjoyed in SA the week of Banana's wedding; I had forgotten how gorgeous the trees are in the hill country
• Riverwalk--it hadn't changed much; there was even a marker for the old Kangaroo Court restaurant, where we used to get great cheesecake; the same boats cruise the river; I had forgotten some of the 19th-century architecture and, again, those trees.
• dinner at Schilo's, a German place off Alamo Plaza--German pretzels and beer cheese, schnitzel, German (think IKEA) meatballs and mashed potatoes, red cabbage, German potato salad
• Menger Hotel--Mama, Sis, Banana and I swazu through the hotel on the way back, admiring the elaborate 19th-century architecture and the famous bar visited by Generals Grant and Lee for the Mexican-American war and also by Teddy Roosevelt; barbed wire was first demonstrated outside in the square

Day 2

• Missions!  Well, we chose a hot day to see the missions, but then everyday was a hot day.  I remember visiting all 5 of the missions in college, perhaps once I had my car; I think I went with my roommates.  I know I'd also visited some of them with beloved Aunt Sis, but now they are a National Park (though, NOT the Alamo.)
• Mission San Jose:  the main mission, where the visitor center is, was our major mission stop; I had thought we'd see all 5, but with the heat, my ankle, and interest, we focused on this one.  It has great walls and living quarters for the indigenous Coathiltecans with a well and a few bakery ovens still around, ruins of the convento where priests lived, and of course the church, with its elaborately-carved door (for which there was a whole legend, about pomegranates, etc, all symbols of pilgrimage and salvation) and side chapel to the Virgin of Guadalupe.  We came across several images of Guadalupe, including paintings in several chapels, a cement yard ornament, some souvenirs, and projected on the cathedral in a light show.  I remember seeing her on candles and car ornaments when I was a kid and, after class last semester, I have a much better understanding of her role in Mexican culture.  I forgot to mention it, just like I forget to notice in--we missed the Rose Window on my first walk around the mission; it's not stained glass but an elaborately carved window frame.  Beautiful!  I'm glad I went back to see it.  
• lunch at the new Liberty Bar:  The classics department would take speakers to Liberty Bar after lectures of the SW chapter of the AIA.  It was in a leaning-over, wooden building on Josephine Street, complete with tilted floor.  I don't remember the entrees, but I loved the coconut custard!  Which is like flan, but denser and with no sauce.  And it was exactly the same!  The restaurant is in a new place, an old convent; still has lots of charm and character.  We had a great meal--Minguichi queso (with feta, goat cheese, cream cheese, parmesan, and bell peppers), ceviche, Ensalada Emiliano (a bean on arugula with feta salad, so tasty), a sauteed tenderloin and peppers Puntas Nortenos, grilled potato slices with garlic aioli, and a chicken alfredo with shaved brussel sprouts.  And of course, that custard, plus geranium cream with blackberry sauce and shortbread cookies, and rum and sour cherry ice cream!  There was also a tasty Karkade hibiscus and mint tea with ginger and white grape juice, and an amazing limeade.  
• Mission Espada--we were hot and tired but I wanted to see the bell tower.  So we split off, our four plus Gommie and Banana.  The locusts were singing their "it's hot" song.  It was so hot.  But the garden at Espada was beautiful and the inside of the chapel, so peaceful.  I'm glad we stopped.  
• Concepion--we waved at it as we drove by (well, I hopped out for a picture.)  
• San Antonio architecture--I forgot how much I like the various buildings of SA--the big Gothic revival buildings like our hotel, the Spanish-inspired architecture like the McNay, the Victorian gingerbread houses, all the 1920s-era craftsmen cottages, and the one-story stucco houses with porches and slanted roofs.  I took a great class in college about American architecture and went around photographing buildings, including the Scottish Rite temple, the red stoned Bexar County courthouse, the interior of the Majestic theater, and one with Islamic influences.  I saw some of those buildings again.
• Tejas Rodeo!  Yes, we went to a real Saturday night rodeo in Texas.  I'd been to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and swear I'd seen Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing from the back of a circling pick up truck.  I'd also been to see a rodeo my cousins competed in.  But the kids and Mama had never been.  It was very Texas--very kitschy Texas--with windmills and rough wooden buildings, neon, and even a mechanical bull!  We sat in bleachers around a covered sand arena, eating great festival snacks.  And my beloved wife brought me Frito Chili pie!!!  I love Frito chili pie. There was also sausage on a stick, nachos, chicken fingers, etc.  The rodeo itself was fun and very local.  There was precision drill team work (with flags!), bull riding, calf-roping, and cloverleaf barrel racing.  Such talent on horseback, even if we never saw anyone stay on a bull for 8 seconds.  When Sis rode the mechanical bull afterwards, she stayed on for more than a minute!!  (Boy cousin tried--on a slower speed--and was so cute!) There was dancing afterwards, with a local band.  Girl Cousin and Aunt Banana danced and then Banana danced with Pop.  Bud and I danced out in the yard, too shy to be observed.  
• The landscape as we went out to the rodeo was beautiful Texas hill country--barbed wire fences, scruffy fields, clumps of beautiful live oaks and cedars and pecans, lots of wildflowers (thought not THE famous ones.)  There was a stalky purple flower that almost looked like a bluebonnet; kinda looked like thistle, too.  I realized later it was horsemint.  There were also some small sunflowers, some primroses, and other plants I can't identify.  Plus tons of flowering crepe myrtles in whites and pinks and purples.  Beautiful.

Day 3

• The Alamo!  You can't imagine how small the Alamo is until you see it in person.  It's about the size of a McDonald's front, barely two stories.  And it's just right there, in front of a small plaza, across the street from stores and hotels.  Which is funny because the church used to be inside a mission like at San Jose.  You can still see the outlines and some of the walls of the old mission.  Inside, it's a plain white stucco church with flags and some labels, envisioned as a shrine to Texas liberty and the sacrifices at the Alamo, but not in quite the same TEXAS way it used to be (they've toned down the mythology--the line in the sand and Deaf Smith and the women survivors; it's not exactly states' right and anti-Mexico; I like that they've balanced the history of it responsibly, like in the movie, which really went through the whole Spain/Mexico timeline.)  We saw that one person from CT died at the Alamo--William Gordon Cummings Jr (I think.)  But less focus on bullet holes and where people died.  Outside of the small church, we walked around the yard with the gorgeous huge trees, so beautiful.  I liked the exhibit in the other building, with the Bowie knife and rifles and uniforms and the like.  And we met up with some of the Australians who were in the rodeo the night before!  So I got to tell them how great it was.  
• Whataburger, pronounced "water burger."  Yes, with the orange and white stripes.  I didn't go much as a kid--there weren't really any in suburban Houston.  But I've been since then.  Chicken bites, Texas toast, fries, sweet tea (now mixed with unsweet because I can't handle full sweet!), burgers.  And the GRAVY!  Yep, we had this for lunch.  With a Dr. Pepper float!!!!  So, so good.  Mama and I used to stop at Whataburger on the way to see Aunt Sis--they're tasty and everywhere and open 24 hours a day.  And you can't get Texas toast in Connecticut.  
• Natural Bridge Caverns:  I remember going a few times as a child and then once in college in my geology class (when part of the caves had flooded and then we hiked Enchanged rock afterwards.) But I didn't go into the cave this time--with my ankle it wasn't going to work.  So I sat with Pop.  Bud joined us because he wasn't feeling well.  But everyone else went and saw the Hall of the Mountain King, the "fried egg,"  the bat guano, and all the stalagtites and mites; they didn't turn off the lights in the cave though.  So Pop, Bud, and I enjoyed the breeze and the trees, and two little humingbirds flitting around, and a long stick bug right by us.  Bud practiced juggling Koosh balls.   The crew liked the sights but thought it was steep and hot and humid.
• THUNDERSTORM  I woke up to thunder a little after midnight.  And I immediately race to our wall of windows looking south over SA.  What a view!  Lightning flashes constantly, thunder too.  Hard rain.  For more than an hour or two.  I even saw the strikes a few times even though the main storm was out of my sight; and because it was dark, I couldn't see the dark sky.  It was just a regular summer storm, nothing major, but it was more lightning that I've ever even seen in CT.  And we saw some of it again the next day.  But watching it that night with Mama was extra special.  

Day 4

• I spent most of the day with Bud, who still wasn't feeling well; we think it was a small bug.  He was better after a day of rest.  
• Mama, Sis, Aunt Banana and girl cousin went horseback riding in Bandera along the Medina river.  The rain delayed their ride, so they had time to check out a bunch of the tack shops; yep, there was more than one.  Sis got a beaded rope halter for Patience; she also tried roping a calf model (Sis said the roping in a rodeo wouldn't be her thing, just the riding.)  They rode in the afternoon, having a great time along the river and the main road in town.  Mama's horse liked to eat; Sis had good control of her pony, Concho.  The leader rode a white mule.
• I stepped out for a bit with Gommie, when Bud was feeling better.  I grabbed a good sandwich at the local chain Jimmy John's--good bread!  Across the street was Rocket Fizz, a shop filled with regional sodas from all over the country.  There was Ranch soda, which I'd heard of but would not try.  I got a Jasmine ginger tea soda I get here in CT; I know not adventuresome.  Mom got a couple of coconut and lime ones.  And I got Mama the Sprecher's root beer which we liked in Chicago.  I got Bud some Dr Brown's cel-ray, which he likes.  A nice distraction.
• When Mama and Sis got back, I left Mama with Bud, and Sis and I went to the Riverwalk with everybody else.  We rode one of the touristy river boat cruises; I even got a touristy paper flower garland like we used to see at Fiesta, which I wore the rest of the night.  I actually enjoyed the cruise, which I must have taken as a little girl.  We heard about the Coathuitlecan peoples living there when Spaniards arrive, the old Mexican village at La Villita, the aqueduct system, the witness tree of Ben Milam's sniper during the Texas rebellion, the 19th-century warehouses and hotels and restaurants and institute for boys, the saving of the river in the early 20th century as well as the flood, and the World's Fair in the 1960s.  Beautiful.
• Boudro's: We ate on the Riverwalk at a old standard.  We had grilled vegetables, black beans, fresh bread, and Sis and I had rosemary chicken; we took home some gumbo for Mama.  For dessert, coconut flan and creme brulee.

Day 5 

• Bud felt better!
• We were headed to the SA Zoo in Brackenridge Park and randomly stopped for breakfast, at two places side by side, doughnuts and breakfast tacos. Mama and Gommie got some award-winning breakfast tacos which were very good.  The rest of us hit the doughnuts--citrus lavender, chocolate brownie, unicorn, orange cake, maple bacon (Sis's favorite!), blackberry, blueberry--and this great strong Mexican coffee with tons of cinnamon. Serendipitous.
• Oh, my dear old San Antonio Zoo!  I went as a child and so often with Aunt Sis, sometimes after watching cousin John juggle in the park.  There were koalas then and those melt-a-molds that made blue koalas!  It's built in the same quarry as Trinity, now on the other side of the highway.  It looked good--the trees were bigger and the zoo had been updated (you could spot some of the old habitats.)  It was hell on my scooter, though, and oh so hot.  But we stayed a long time.  I got henna--I can't pass that up.  We did the butterflies--and they had so many blue morpho butterflies!!  And at least one landed on my hat!  As Mama noted, it was the very first time we went in a butterfly exhibit that wasn't really hotter than the outside; it was the same temperature!  (That's not what happens in NY or CT or MA.)  I loved watching them flit around and brush past me; I wish the kiddos didn't get competitive or disappointed that the butterflies didn't land on them.  I even loaned girl cousin my flower garland, which I'd brought for fun.  Maybe I just sweat better. And we rode the carousel--I rode a panda (because the kid in front of us beat me to the manatee!)  I love carousels.  We finally made it to the KOALA BEARS!!!  And they moved, both of them.  One considered its lunch; the other scratched its ear.  So cute.  Mama had seen them once before in San Diego.  But it was a first for the kids.  I used to watch them a long time, when they were always at the zoo (they're in a special exhibit for the summer.)  It's why we went to the zoo.  Because otherwise, it was too hot and humid.  So hot.  Too hot.  But henna, carousel ride, butterflies, and koalas made it pretty awesome nonetheless.
• Alamo Heights--after the zoo, our four went to wander my old area, stopping first at beloved Aunt Sis's old house at 826 Cambridge Oval.  The yard was totally different--a little cactus garden that she would have loved--and the house was so well cared for.  I recognized it, of course, but it didn't look like hers anymore.  No windchimes or little statues on the porch.  No gravel driveway.  No overgrown plants.  A new garage.  But I could picture Otto the dachsund on the porch and cousin John outside and Aunt and Uncle on the porch.  And all the cats.  Good memories, not many tears.  Then we drove around to see the pizza place EZs which was next to a Bookstop back then and was our Friday night hangout, the McNay villa and now museum where I took a museum studies class and often visited with Aunt, the Witte (where those AIA meetings were), SAMA in the old brewery where I had my first museum internship, the so incorrectly named ghetto and gucci HEBs.  We didn't see Earl Abel's; I think it had moved.  But we did drive through the Olmos Dam area to get to the other side of 281N.
• Taco Cabana--the very first!  With its brick patio and vinyl walls and tiny order counter.  We got bean and cheeses, steak and peppers, iced tea, chicken quesadillas.  Oh the bean and cheeses. Oh, good old TCs.  Bud really liked his steak tacos.
• Trinity--my, how I was so happy those four years at Trinity.  A perfect fit.  I enjoyed my classes, liked my friends, enjoyed my service fraternity APO; it was just great.  And it was fun to be back, even if it was a bit different and really too hot to walk around.  The fountain has moved and a few of the buildings redone.  But there was the tower, the Magic Stones, the "Mom" sculpture, the fabulous collage in the library about the world's civilizations (and the columns were yarn-bombed and there was a Starbucks in there!), the (relocated) fountain, the Esplanade, the red brick, the beautiful trees (not bigger!), the various buildings I'd taken classes in, the Coates student center, and the relocated bookstore where we bought some souvenirs.  Okay, it was their least favorite part, but only because it was so hot.
• Mi Tierra's in El Mercado--is it the best Mexican food or the best restaurant in SA?  Nope.  But it holds lots of memories.  Aunt Sis and I went to El Mercado, where there are little shops selling Mexican crafts and Texas souvenirs; and so we went and picked up some things, including cascarones, those Fiesta-time confetti eggs.  The restaurant itself is crazy decorated--lights and colors and decorations everywhere, like nothing you've ever seen, with a long bakery counter filled with buns and topped with grainy sugar pralines that I remember.  There are roaming mariachi bands, which we paid to play a song for us, in the room with the mural of famous Mexicans, including Frida, Selena, Henry Cisneros and sons, Roy Benavides (purple heart recipient from El Campo), the restaurant founders, and many many more.  The food is average Tex-Mex, which is to say a lot of cheese, but way better than what we get up north.  The cheese enchiladas even had the right meat sauce (yes, I got the combo with the taco, tamale, enchilada, beans, and rice.)  We had nachos with everything and then soapapillas and tres leches cake for dessert.  It was a lovely, memorable night, just like I'd hoped.  Because you just can't forget Mi Tierra's.  
• Walking out through El Mercado, with the colorful paper flags flying, we cracked some cascarones on each other.  The I got the kids, the kids got Pop and then got me.  Loved it.
• We went home in separate cars, so that my crew plus Gommie could stop by the projection and light show on the facade of San Fernando Cathedral.  We couldn't find parking and only Bud and I got out to see the little show about SA history.  If it had been less hot and we had been less tired, it would have been fun to take everyone.  There was mariachi music, polkas, and "Ashokan Farewell" during the Civil War part.  And so ended our time in SA.

Day 6

• We made a morning HEB run, the big, amazing Texas grocery chain where Uncle Soccer works.  It's about the size of a Target, probably bigger, and has everything--we even got water shirts and those sunscreen shirts.  Plus premade lunch and tons of snacks, like kimchi pork rinds!  (Talk about mixing cultures.)  I didn't know it would be such a production to go to . . . .
• SCHLITTERBAHN all day!  Yep, the huge Texas waterpark that started as a few slides next to Landa resort and has now taken over New Braunfels.  I'd been a few times as a kid--even split a swim suit on the water slide and later had heat exhaustion--and liked it (balanced with being scared of the dark water and the snake I saw hanging from the tree above the river.) I liked eating at Oma's Haus (gone, but home to my first Boston Cream Pie!) and also breakfast at New Braunfels Smokehaus (with slanted floor.)  And Nagelin's bakery!  Which I saw in a movie some years back and it looks the same.  We stayed at the park way longer than I expected and so didn't get to see anything else, but it was worth it.  The kids did some of the rides and shutes while I rode the lazy Kristal River in an innertube all day.  All day.  I bet I went around, straw hat and long-sleeved sun shirt and all, about 100+ times.  I think I even fell asleep more than once.  I liked the rapids and the slow parts, watching the sun on the water, watching the trees nearby, just the feeling of floating and having nothing to do.  Best parenting day ever.  I got out a few times to eat and drink and go to the restroom.  But that's it.  Me and the lazy river, with or without someone (and I pretty much traveled around with everybody at least once), all day.  I had the most fun with Mama, who liked the water more than she expected.
• We ate more Whataburger on the way to our new hotel, a tiny room in a suites near Aunt Sis's house, where we crashed. 

Day 7

• It was a slow morning and we didn't get to Aunt Banana's house til almost 11, which made it too late to really do anything before our boat rental.  Probably just what we needed, truthfully.  So we watched soccer, played games, admired the house, and just generally hung out.
• That night, we headed to Just for Fun boat rentals on Lake Travis, where we had a pontoon boat waiting, for four hours.  We had drinks and snacks, and all the swim gear from the day before.  The lake is human-made, a thin, deep ravine with very expensive houses high on the sides (with little trams from house to dock.)  The breeze was lovely and I always love a boat ride.  And we got out to swim twice, at the shore of an island.  Though it was clear, the bushes (which grew during the drought) under the water freaked me out.  I managed to enjoy floating as long as everyone helped me avoid the bushes.  I like it better than salt water for sure.  A nice refreshing evening.
• Rudy's barbecue take out for dinner--brisket, ribs, beans, potato salad, white bread.  Great!
• And then, the kids had a sleepover and  . . . Mama and I went back to the room and packed before falling asleep (this is when I first noticed that I had a cold, when my throat began to be so sore.)

Day 8 

• Last full day in Texas.
• Bullock Museum and the La Belle:  I hadn't been to the Bullock before but had been hearing about it and the La Belle from Gommie for years.  The museum was new and huge and spacious, with good balance--straightforward acknowledgement about slavery and the Native Americans who were devastated by the Europeans--and clear labels (though the path through was not clear nor linear; you already needed to have a pretty good grasp on TX history.)  The La Belle, excavated from my mom's bay, is impressive, with wooden timbers and rope and 1.5 million surviving artifacts (mostly military, but also supplies for settlement; and some skeletons.)  Reminded me of some of the Viking ships we've seen.  Mom asked if it was the oldest shipwreck on view in the US and I think it is. We took a break in the cafe--good Texas chili (no beans, lots of spice, though a little tomato) and good salsa (though it was pureed and possibly from roasted or sun dried tomatoes.)  The shop was great, too.  But by the end of it, I was done, between my ankle and my cold and the knowledge that the trip was ending.
• We hung out at Banana's house some more, with Bud introducing everyone to BTS choreography and videos.  We had pizza, which Banana and I fetched while having a good chat.  We also got a giant cookie and some treats to celebrate everyone's birthday.
• And then we all said goodbye.  The trip was everything we could have hoped--family time and a lot of Texan culture.

Day 9: Departure

It Takes Patience

Allow me to introduce our horse, Patience.  She's an approximately 8-year-old quarter horse mare, with some debate about whether she is a Paint (Sabino, specifically, with white splashes on her belly) or a chestnut. 



She's exactly 14.2 hands high, which makes her a big pony or a small horse.  She has two really distinctive marks:  a horse-head brand on her thigh and a unicorn-shaped white splash on her belly (I can't remember which sides, left or right, for either of these.)

She comes to us via Sis's old riding school from a horse farm in Vermont, where she lived outside on a mountain.  Now she's at a new barn, where she mainly lives outside in a paddock either by herself or with another mare.  She isn't so fond of male horses; she kicked one at the old barn who had bitten her (both were okay in the end.)  There is a "fan club" trio of male horses who watch her at the new barn, their heads swiveling in unison at the young mare; even the donkeys like watching her.  As Sis's old riding coach said, "You horse has a nice ass!" 

She is very patient in the aisle when she's being groomed and harnessed or unharnessed; we wonder if that's how she got her name.  She throws her head when the saddle goes on before a ride and yawns a few times when the bit comes out afterwards.  She has been feistier recently, perhaps because of the fan club, and even tossed Sis off for the first time on Saturday when she was startled by the truck of a neighbor of the farm.

Sis loves her completely (her yawns, her fluff, her scent, her soft nose, her wiggly lips, etc etc etc) and especially loves taking pictures of her derpy (silly or dopey) side.  And Mama and I are becoming horse lovers, too.  Mama is even thinking of riding.

How could we not love that face?

Changes

The beginning of school was long my new year beginning, not January.  When I was not in school, I still always liked the beginning of fall and feeling rejuvenated by the change in temperatures.  We're back to the new year being in September, with kids in the house.  And this year has seen many changes.

First, neither Bud nor I am taking piano anymore; he, because he lost interest, and me, because I couldn't justify the expense anymore.

Sis has also dropped speedskating.  Her foot is still a bit tender from when a 1000 lb horse stepped on it!  And I think she realized that she didn't like competing, which was the main point.

Mama has started playing the ukelele, a present from me on our 21st anniversary.  She's been strumming along to "I Lava You" from the Pixar short.  It's sweet--and she's gotten good fast.  She's dabbled at playing piano, guitar, and violin over the years, but this one has stuck.

And . . . and I've saved the biggest for last:  we bought a horse!  It's a convoluted story.  There was conflict and disruption at the barn, as the current owner was trying to retire and sell the place and it fell through with much acrimony.  As part of the proceedings, the prospective buyer bought several horses, including Sis's favorite horse, Patience.  And then, as the deal fell through, the new owner of the horses was going to take away Patience.  With all the chaos, and with the sadness of Murphy's departure so fresh, we bought the horse.  We worried that it sends the wrong message--that you can buy your way out of pain.  But we think it will be outweighed by all the hard work, discipline, sacrifice, persistence, etc.  Hopefully. 

We are boarding the horse--Patience, an 8-year-old chestnut mare (Quarterhorse, apparently), who is so named because she stands very still and patient in the aisle while being groomed and bridled--at the farm where Sis has been riding these last years.  They will care for the horse Monday through Saturday, with three meals a day, one blanket change, turn out, stall cleaning.  And on Sundays, we will do most of that.  But horses have to be ridden, so Sis will be there several days a week to ride her.  One of Sis's friends at the barn will be leasing her (and paying us) and so will ride her as well; she comes from a horsey family and will also help us.  Because Mama and I know nothing.  Sis knows a lot, but owning is different than leasing and it's a large learning curve.  We all went to visit Patience on Sunday and there was some concern that she might be a tad constipated--which can be very fatal in horses, quickly--but soon enough she wasn't.  I've never been so happy to see a pile of poo in my life!! 

Otherwise, Sis taught us all how to brush her--with three different brushes (curry brush, hard brush, and finishing brush)--and then took her for a walk.  Sis also washed her, tended her hooves, and picked the stall.  She's a very gentle, beautiful horse.  The farm owner said it would be the easiest horse purchase we'd ever make!  (Oh, goodness--the implications in that sentence!!)  Bud was a little apprehensive--horses are huge, even if Patience is barely a horse side-wise just a bit of a hand over a pony--but he'll settle in.  And Mama loves Patience.  She was talking to her and has been researching horses.  She'll even ride.  I'm not sure I will, but I like being around Patience nonetheless.

So that was this week's up-side.  The down-side was that I went to the ER on Monday night with severe abdominal pain yet again.  This time they didn't expect GI issues, but gynecological.  Perhaps a cyst or endometriosis.  It hurt like hell--almost like a partial obstruction--but no evidence of such; the ultrasounds didn't turn up anything.  I have a colonoscopy this week.  I think it's scar tissue from the four abdominal surgeries I've had; I can feel the baseball-sized tissue behind my belly button, but it isn't anything but scarring they've all told me (which if we remove would just, Catch-22, make more, apparently.)  We'll see.  I feel much better now, relieved it wasn't anything else.  But I would like more answers. 

All in all, it's a new beginning all around here.  I love fall.

Back in the Saddle

I'll start this post by saying Sis is just fine.

Last Thursday, she had horseback riding as usual, on her beloved pony Murphy ("her" is relative; we partially lease him.)  She was out in the back paddock cantering (faster than a trot) and Murphy spied a wild turkey in the woods.  I guess Murphy doesn't like turkeys because he spooked and jumped sideways, but Sis continued her forward trajectory right over his neck.  She landed on her right side on the ground.  She says she didn't hit her head but did bend back a finger.  

When I showed up after the lesson, knowing none of this, the first thing she said was, "I fell off, but it's not Murphy's fault!"

In fact, she had the presence of mind to immediately grab his reins so he didn't spook again or try to eat grass (horses can choke if they eat with their bridles in place), something that is drilled into them. People came immediately to check on her and she got right back up on him.  So brave!

Of course, we don't blame Murphy.  These things happen--and she wears an expensive helmet because of it.  I teased her, "Did you think I was going to go out and shoot the pony like in Gone with the Wind?"  She was horrified and now doesn't want to see one of my favorite movies of all times.  (And that's not even a big part of the film, but I digress.)

Anyway, she started having headaches that evening and so we consulted with Goo, my brother-in-law who is now a doctor at a hospital nearby, and he said to watch her; nobody wanted us to go to the ER at night if we didn't have to.

But it did happen the day that it was announced that NFL player Aaron Hernandez had advanced brain damage (CTE) at the time of his suicide.  From multiple concussions.  So we were pretty vigilant.

We let her go to school the next day, but by Friday evening we were at the pediatrician's office because her head hurt when she moved too much.  No obvious concussion, but the doctor put her on limited activity for a week--no horses, no skating, no PE in school; we'll go back if it gets worse or doesn't go away (it hasn't completely gone away yet.)  By the way, did you know that cocoon treatments for concussions--no activity, dark rooms, not even much mental stimulation (like music or audiobooks)--is on the way out?  I didn't either.  Apparently it doesn't actually help children. The doctor was even more concerned about the aching middle finger on her right (not writing) hand and sent us for x-rays on Saturday morning.

Not broken!  Just sprained.

WHEW.  

I know missing all of her activities is a hardship, but, considering how awful it could have been, well,  I'd say we are lucky.   And my dad always says that it's better to be lucky than good!

As a horse-loving friend said to her, "Silly Murphy!"

Proud Parents and Grandparents

I am all aglow from the events of the last week.

And not just because of the heat wave which engulfs us and is sending the kids home early today (the temperature in the classrooms is up over 100F, definitely no learning going on.)

No, I'm a very proud mom after a weekend of the school play, a horse show, and the sixth-grade award ceremony.

"It's Showtime!"
And best yet, all the grandparents and their uncle Goo were here to celebrate all of these with us.

The play, oh the play.  The kids--all the kids--were marvelous in Madagascar Jr., a musical retelling of the popular animated movie.  Bud played "Rico," the kung-fu fighting, sushi-loving penguin.  I loved watching him perform, from his slides onto the middle of the stage, his quick kung-fu moves, to his singing "Sea Shanty."  I really liked how he waddled and moved his head around like a real penguin. For me, he just lit up the stage.

Sis was a police officer, appearing mostly in the first few scenes and then the end, looking intimidating in her navy blue (real) police officer shirt and hat.  She does stern well and was believable with that walkie-talkie.  But oh, we had a shock to see her in eyeliner and blush.  She became a teenager right in front of us.  Kinda surprising.  But it all totally worked in the part.  And she didn't have to dance (which she does not like to do on stage.)

I was the snack coordinator again, meaning I oversaw the procurement and distribution of water and snacks to the cast during all three shows.  It's a bit of organizational work, but not much compared to people in charge of costumes, props, choreography, etc.  And we get to go backstage, which other parents not working do not.  I saw the show twice, checking the cafeteria before and after, and during intermission, and then worked the cafeteria snacks on Saturday.  It was pretty hot the last two performances, but we had enough water and watermelon, which is their favorite.  Mama, Gommie, and Pop also helped us out--fetching coolers and ice, helping bring in snacks.

After the show on Friday, we all headed to a local diner with much of the cast, loudly celebrating while wolfing down dinner.  Everyone was exhilarated and exhausted.  Saturday night, it was me, Mama, Gommie and our Beloved Babysitter and her boyfriend.  So special that they came!  She brought the kiddos flowers and then we all went to a diner together afterwards.  We love to see her and were interested to finally meet her chef boyfriend.

After Sunday's show, there was a cast party after the last performance.  The kids signed each other's t-shirts and posters between a chicken dinner and cake.  They also got the cast cards that audience members could leave for them.  We all wrote cards for Sis and Bud, and I also wrote cards to all my Girl Scouts and a few of the other cast members.  I just wanted them to know how much I really enjoyed the show and all their hard work.  It was a nice little party, after an amazing weekend.  And I couldn't be prouder.

Ride 'em, Horse Girl
In the midst of all that, Sis had a horse show on Saturday which we did not want to miss.  Even tired, she loves to ride "her" horse, Murphy.  So, Gommie, Pop, Mama, and I spent a hot day in the field watching those beautiful beasts and their composed riders.  Sis got a first place for jumping (because she made her diagonals correctly) and three third places for Walk-Trot-Canter equitation and pleasure (her dear Murphy was being a bit stubborn.)  I can't really tell what makes for a good ride; I just like watching.  Gommie was especially interested in how the whole horse show worked--the different events, the different commands ("the class is closed," "riders reverse at the wall," posting vs. half-seat, pleasure vs equitation--I understand it all, just barely.)  But we were all a bit relieved to get out of the heat after her events were over.  Still, I love watching her ride.  Almost as much as she loves horses!

Though, the kids did manage to go swimming with Gommie and Pop after eating some SmashBurgers!  And then it was off to the next performance . . . .  

And the Award Goes to  . . . .
It was a very hot night in the school auditorium, where I had been since Thursday (for the final dress rehearsal, I chaperoned with Gommie), but we were all happy to gather in our hot-weather finest for the celebration of the kids leaving elementary school.  I guess you could call it graduation or commencement, but they don't.  Sis wore her dress pants and white gauzy shirt, Bud was in a light blue Oxford--basic dress up clothes for them both (like for chorus or orchestra.)  We took a lot of pictures, in many combinations, getting a few great ones with grandparents and many of their school friends.  We didn't quite know what to expect from the ceremony, didn't really know what awards there were.  It started with a basic presentation of certificates for their involvement in the play, chorus, art, orchestra, etc., all of which were just passed out in an envelope.  We did know about the Presidential Awards, which the kids hoped to earn--the Gold award was for a 3.5 GPA and over 60 on various STAR tests.  I thought they qualified, but we didn't know until they were both called--the second set of twins to earn the Presidential Gold Award that night (the other set, in their class, also has two moms!)   They just beamed with pride and I was sniffly.  (I laughed that we should switch their last names so they could be called earlier in the round up!)  Then the Character Education Awards.  Someone had told Sis they thought she should get one--and she did!  Wow!  And then Bud won a prestigious Citizenship Award named after a local detective, that came with $100 (all the kids oohed and aahed)!  (He got it with another young lady, one of our friends and a former Girl Scout.)  Wow again!  So proud of them--academics and character!!!  Proud of all of our kids, especially their gifted-and-talented classmates and my Girl Scouts (current and former.)  It really was fun to celebrate them.  Which we did with more cake in the cafeteria, more pictures all over, and then a trip to the local ice cream shop with a bunch of their classmates.  I got a hot fudge sundae because I was proud of Mama and me, too.  Ma had even said we were good parents, which was a wonderful first.  My folks say it a lot, but it means so much each time; I was really glad that my dad made the trip, which was a last-minute decision.   And I'm glad they were all able to be with us, surrounding the kiddos with love and support during this exciting time.

And so now, they'll be home early because of the heat.  Gommie and Pop are off to who-knows-where, but we'll see them later.  The kids are essentially done with class--tomorrow is their 6th-grade picnic and then they have two half-days (hope the heat dismissal doesn't change that.)  Then they really are done!  Middle Schoolers!

It's all bittersweet.  I love their teachers and the supportive environment of the school.  They've had good times here and grown and learned so much.  I have, too.  But just as we moved from home to preschool, preschool to half-day kindergarten, half-day to full day, the small elementary school to the upper grades at the larger elementary school, we'll all be okay moving to middle school.  And I think, after a bit, we'll all be good, thanks to the love and support of family and community.

Giddy Up!

My troop:  13
Moms:  8
Other Girl Scouts:  300
Horses:  114
Days of rain:  3
Memories:  innumerable

I survived our Girl Scout weekend at Rocking Horse Ranch (RHR)!  I had thought, prepared, and stressed about this weekend for more than a year.  There was the initial decision, all the paperwork, lots of money, and then worries about it all being successful.  I take being a leader seriously and feel very responsible for the girls in my troop.  Thankfully, most of the moms were there so I had lots of help keeping track of girls.  See, because they are almost 12 (some of them are already), we let them have a lot of freedom with only occasional checking in, as long as they had a buddy with them at all times. And it worked.  There was only one drama episode (that I know of) and one tiny injury (a scrape on a water slide.)  This is success, indeed.  Plus, they loved it.

I'm hard pressed to remember what happened when.  So, I'll summarize.

• Horses:  Of course, we were at the ranch to ride.  Each troop had two separate trail rides, on Saturday and Sunday each.  But first we had a stable tour, learning about feeding and riding regimens.  It's not easy to take care and keep track of 114 horses, including one that was 55 years old!  Sis had so much fun wandering the stables, sniffing her favorite horse smells.  She really was in her happy place all weekend.  And she rode five times!  Girls could ride standby if there was space on a trail ride, and so she and a few friends hopped on three extra times.  She rode Outlaw, Bravo, Brady, and then Lil' Red twice.  One of the wranglers was especially encouraging to her, liking her spirit.  See, the riding was "Western," which is a different saddle and a completely different way of steering the horse.  Sis has been riding "English"--and was wearing her usual riding gear, including her own helmet, boots, and stable jacket--but when the wrangler asked if she would be posting (a part of English riding), she said, "No, I'm riding Western!"  He was tickled.  And he thought she was doing really well for her first Western rides.  She rode intermediate everytime (she can't go from standstill to canter immediately and so couldn't ride advanced, though she tried.)  None of them cared that it rained during a few of the rides; the rides are only cancelled if there is thunder. All of the girls, and most of the moms (minus me and another couple), rode at least twice, even with the rain. A few of the girls even got to see the horses sent out to pasture at the end of the riding day.  They close the roads and parking lot and escort the untacked horses out in groups.  We lined the drive and petted the horses as they went by.  It really was a beautiful sight.  Sis loved it and would have loved to just live in the stables.  I enjoyed being out at the stables and even had a discussion with the blacksmith (Gommie, I could hear your voice in my conversation with him!), who gave me a few used horseshoes, which I gave to the girls who got up early for the Sunday ride.  Sis is going to hang hers up.  (Side note:  the only unpleasant bit all weekend--even including the drama bit with two of our girls--was a dishonest and unfair GS leader who tried to save 15 spaces for her troop in front of our girls at that early-morning standby.  I had pointed out to her that it was unfair, but she insisted and wouldn't give way.  I'm not great at confrontation and so recruited two of my other moms who were much more aggressive, even yelling.  The dishonest woman changed her story several times--first her troop was just waking up and getting changed, then they were on their way, then they had been there before everyone but just playing in the puddles and not standing in line; also, at first they were leaving at two (then her daughter said, "Mom, you said we were leaving at 6!") and then at noon and would miss their ride--one of my moms called her on her lies.  The head wrangler basically promised all a spot--and the leader still had her girls physically cut mine off (they were bigger.) It really was quite appalling.  She knew she was wrong, but people who know they are in the wrong often dig in much harder than anyone else.  And they don't give in to reason or sympathy.  One of the moms was surprised that, being an out lesbian, I wasn't better at conflict.  I told her that perhaps that was why--I have never seen a person's mind change via a quick conversation in a heated moment, especially not with yelling or any risk of embarrassment on the line.  It takes time and willingness and courage to change your mind.  And it is relatively rare.  Thankfully, all's well that ended well.  And it was a good teachable moment for Sis.)
• Western theme:  I should have guessed that a so-called "ranch" would be western-themed, but I was a little taken aback by all the wagon wheels and horse shoes, faux Indian items (tipis, really?), and cowboy stuff.  Sure, in Texas, we go overboard sometimes with the cowboy-and-Indian stuff, but this was amazing.  It was like the Buc-ee's rest stops, but more so!  There was country music piped in 24/7, even custom pool dividers made to look like TNT barrels, a singing cowboy in spurs, and a caricatured cowboy/miner at a theme lunch.  And, perhaps as a Texan, I was a little bothered by how it was all just window dressing.  I wouldn't quite call it cultural appropriation, but there was something slightly problematic about it all for me, just a vague sense that it was all overdone.  But then, in Texas, I think it's often overdone as well--I know we romanticize the Old West--and that's historically dishonest.  
• Besides horses, the girls swam, went mountain tubing (down a giant slide), bungee jumping on a trampoline, shot rifles and bows, played on a merry-go-round in a playground, went on paddle boats, participated in pie eating contests and trivia contests, sang karaoke, saw a magic show, went to a dance party.  It really was a wonderful array of activities.  And if it hadn't been raining, there would have been more time on the lake; as it was, our campfire was canceled.
• And then there were SWAPS!  I love swaps, which I believe I've said in the past.  And I had happily organized our crafts for RHR--we had a lasso, a bandana, a campfire, and I even made clothespin horses for the girls in our troop.  Most of them had never been to a swap meet before and so I helped get them started with the only phrase you need, "Do you want to swap?"  Of course, Girl Scouts can't say no--"be a sister to every Girl Scout"--and so you trade.  But I do advise taking a lanyard or zipper bag for the trades and a separate baggie to keep the ones you don't want to trade away.  Otherwise, you can trade swaps you don't want to keep or have duplicates of back and forth.  There were so many great ones--sleeping bags, owls, bows and arrows, archery targets, beaches-in-a-bag, pet rocks, pet clouds, tic-tac-toe games in a bag, pies on bottle caps, s'mores, etc etc etc.  I will admit to becoming overzealous; I probably should have left it to the girls, but I had fun swapping, too.  Sis didn't tell me to move along, she said, because she could see how much fun I was having.  And I really was.
• Food.  Yep, lots of food.  Think Cracker Barrel or Golden Corral.  Standard Americana fare.  Better than average.  Copious amounts.  Lots of choice.  But, the moms in my group just couldn't stop talking about food and eating.  It was tiresome--"Oh, this is good.  Isn't this good?  Aren't you surprised at how good this is?  I love salad, I could eat just salad.  I would be full for a whole day on this salad. I could be full for a whole day on this meal. I only need one meal a day.  I never eat this much.  I'm only eating because it's here. We'll have to exercise all of this off.  It's a good thing we don't always eat like this.  I'm giving myself an eating vacation. Look, unlimited soda.  I never drink soda. This is good soda.  I'll just drink this soda now.  I usually only drink water.  I don't drink anything with sugar.  I don't usually eat beef.  I only eat beef occasionally.  This is good beef and I just thought I'd treat myself.  I can't eat any more.  I'm still full from yesterday.  I'll just have one more ice cream.  I won't need to eat again."  STOP.  Mercy, American women often have such complicated and unhealthy relationships with food.  We barely spoke of anything else while we ate.  It was unpleasant.  But the girls loved it.  Sis had french fries, fried chicken, hamburgers, and lots of hot chocolate.  I doubt she had a vegetable all weekend!  And that's fine.  It was a vacation.  
• In the end, it was just a marvelous weekend.  The girls and moms had a delightful time.  And even though I'm not much into games or sports and I do tend to worry and be a stickler for rules, I had a great time, too.

I can't seem to embed the photos in the text.

Weekend Sports Warriors

It was a weekend of activity for us.  Sis had her first horse show of the season on Saturday, a home show which was kind of a dress rehearsal for the rest of competition.  She rode Steeler, which made her happy; through, really, riding any of them--Tucker, Pooh, Murphy, Brooke, Levi--would make her happy.  In fact, I'm convinced that she'd be just as glad to be around them as ride them.  Horse love is strong with that one.  She earned third and fourth places in equitation (don't ask, I don't know) and then first and second places in pole jumping.  She was very pleased, even commenting that she had one of each color now (which is what I said about swim meet ribbons decades ago!)   She stayed afterwards to help with clean up and to hang out with the other riders.  She loves it all.

On Sunday, Bud had a kung fu performance at a local college's dragon festival.  It was outside, which was a bit of a surprise, but it was at least a beautiful day (it had rained Saturday, so Sis's horse thing was inside.)  Bud performed his fist, broad sword, nine chain, and straight sword forms.  There was some trouble with the mats on the concrete--they kept slipping, making the kids recalibrate their forms to adapt.  We were afraid someone was going to be injured during a jump.  Bud landed funny on a cartwheel and hurt his ankle some, but he is better this morning.  He loves kung fu.  And we love watching him.  Any performance is a great learning experience, even one that is less than ideal.  He isn't competing this May, because of the school play, so now he can enjoy the sport instead of stressing over form for a few weeks.  He'll like that.

Happy Trails

Today, we visited the local horse riding academy.  Sis has been going to Girl Scout camp with a horseback riding academy for three years; now, she's taking weekly lessons.  We arrived at the barn and she knew all of the horses by name, both of the dogs, and some of the staff.  She glowed from ear to ear, so excited--more so after she donned her new boots and riding pants!  She's going to love taking lessons.  We're so proud of her--first, ice skating, now horseback riding.  This weekend, sailing lessons (with Mama); next week, rock climbing camp!  Sis tries many new things and pushes her limits--she's just so amazing.