Back in East Texas

Well mlove and the old SF sojourner got back to our home in Big Sandy on Friday the fourth of January. I wanted to watch the Longhorns play Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Years day before we left South Fork. I’m sure glad we did. That was a great game if you’re a UT fan. When mlove and I make the trip together, we generally take two days. This trip we decided to stay at the Big Texan Steak Ranch and Motel in Amarillo. They are pet friendly and Skipper had already said he would not sleep in the truck, (Actually mlove said that). Also, we were towing our CRV and they have plenty of parking so we wouldn’t need to unhook from the truck. Upon entering our room, we immediately noticed that it smelled like cigarette smoke. We assumed that their pet friendly rooms were also smoking rooms. We were tired and decided that we could deal with the smell for one night. When checking out the next morning, I did inquire about the room we had as also being a smoking room. I found out that they only have one pet friendly room that is non smoking. Live and learn. We will either make reservations a little earlier next time, or choose another PF motel that is also NS! I smoked cigarettes and a pipe for over thirty years. I finally quit cold turkey in 2002 and haven’t had any tobacco products since. I can testify that I have apologized to mlove on numerous occasions for subjecting her to my second hand smoke and smells for all those years. When you are a smoker, you don’t realize how offensive the smell is to a non smoker.

Following breakfast, we left the next morning and headed home. Made a stop along the way at the bakery in Muenster for a dozen baklavas. I love those Greek pastries. My Aunt Dutchie made them and always brought some when they came to visit in the summers when I was a kid. It was the only time that we had them. The ones in Muenster are about as close as I’ve found to matching Aunt Dutchie’s. Along the way we talked to our grandson, Logan and we decided to meet at the Jalapeno Tree in Mineola for supper. I don’t even bother with a menu. (I’ll take the queso shrimp, fried and substitute refried for charro, unsweet ice tea with lemon please.) We finally got home around 8 PM, tired but full. Thank you Lord for giving us another safe trip.

I have talked and texted one of my neighbors in South Fork several times since we left. They live in Happy, Texas and have a house across the street from our cabin in South Fork. He made a trip back to Happy to take care of some things on the same day we left South Fork for home. He was back in South Fork four days later. Since we left they have had several snow storms and all total have about a foot of snow on the ground. He and his wife have been snow shoeing around the neighborhood and it is reported that she enjoyed it. (That might just be the cabin fever talking though…LOL) I think they are planning to head back to Happy sometime after the 20th of January, and like us, probably won’t make it back to South Fork until the end of May or first of June. Sure looking forward to seeing them again. God has truly blessed us with the best neighbors that a person could ask for.