Estoy Nueces

We had a good Christmas and got home yesterday. The traffic going up wasn't too bad--it was the WIND that was really a struggle. Fortunately, not for me, I left all the driving up to Mark. Coming back we faced more traffic and it was a little more stop and go at times.

But Christmas was relaxing and good. We enjoyed Christmas Eve at my sister's with a great meal and fun visiting with all my family. We watched some of A Christmas Story and drank wine and laughed a lot. Mom and Dad didn't stay the night. I didn't blame them. If I could have slept in my own bed, I would have done it.

Christmas morning was coffee, more visiting, and gifts, of course. My favorite was a gift from the boys... A framed photo of the two of them, both smiling. Really handsome. When I get it digitized I may put it on here. It just made me cry to see such a sweet snapshot of a wonderful time in their lives.

We just snacked all through the day (I've gained three pounds!) and played games. We played poker with the boys and learned how to play Texas Hold 'Em. I got pretty good at knowing when to "hold 'em and when to fold 'em" but I never got very good at knowing how and when to deal. I would like to play more, I love cards. Then we played Trivial Pursuit, the 90s version I gave Connor. It was fun to have all 8 of us playing. It was hard, but everyone was sure I had it rigged when a question came up that started "He recorded The IRS Tapes..." and I was hollering "Willie!" before they'd finished the question.

Christmas afternoon we finally packed up and went to see our best man. He had the supposed "non-girlfriend" at the apartment with him (yes, I think it is more serious than he will admit). We only stayed long enough for him to open our present (a cool day of the dead aloha shirt). We went on then to Mark's Mom's in Richardson. It was a very pleasant visit there. We had a great dinner, some nice wine, we played chicken foot and visited some more.

We ended up spending the night. I was glad we did, I just wish I could know ahead of time. As of leaving Austin, Mark was pretty set on coming back on Christmas night, but I'm glad we stayed.

We left yesterday morning and stopped by the outlet stores for a minute and then came on home. It was very nice to be here. Nicer still to have a good three-hour nap.

Last night, well-rested, I went to see Mark play. I almost talked myself out of it, but I'm glad I went. Good people watching. Met a nice couple that I've seen before at other places. They had never been there before so they were enjoying the people watching, too. There was a big black gentleman in a "short suit." I've never seen anything like it (at least not in public). It was a nicely starched short sleeve pin-striped shirt with a handkerchief in the pocket. And matching shorts! With a cuff and everything. They looked like a pajama set more than something you'd wear in the real world. He had them on along with a fancy hat and enough gold to sink him if he ended up in the river. Gold rings on every finger, some with more than one. Gold earrings, gold teeth. A gold watch or bracelet with a big diamond star (like three inches across) glistening. And gold chains,ohmigod, gold chains. There must have been twenty at least, many with large gold medallions. It was a brilliant sight to see! A girl came in toward the end, too, that was an eye-opener. She had her baseball t-shirt all cut in the back so that the front and the sleeves were there but the back was just strings tied across the back, exposing her blue bra and back to the world. Along with her dreds, it was eye-catching, to say the least. I also enjoyed watching a few people behind me play cards during the show. I need to find someone to play cards with! I love cards. They were playing some form of gin, I think. It looked like gin and they were "knocking" but they were only dealt three cards to start.

So today we settle back into "normal" life a little. Coffee and computers to start the day. My favorite thing. Mark had suggested we go to the stores and exchange a couple of things today, but now it looks like we will put that off a day or so. He has some work at his workplace to do and I do, too. I'd like to put mine off, but it has to be done today and I might as well get it all done so I can be out until Friday. I need to put together the countdown for tomorrow night, logs for Thursday and Friday (and Saturday and Sunday?) and clean that filthy office. Mark gave me a cool table leaf that will serve as a shelf I need. That will be a good start.

It feels good to be back at a keyboard again, too. I need to find more things to write.