Long Road Home

We had a fantastic weekend!
Friday night, we celebrated Ryan’s birthday with our friends. We rounded up a group of folks and met at Riscky’s BBQ down in the Stockyards. We had a great group and much fun was had by all. We especially enjoyed the fried corn nuggets…mmmmm. We also got to try a new beer they had called Shiner Commemorative. It was pretty good! Our friend Danny even got the wait staff to sing Ryan happy birthday and bring out a little cake. It was great! Afterward some of us went over to Billy Bob’s to hear our buddy Bobby Duncan play. It was Bobby’s first show headlining at Billy Bob’s so they put him on the small stage…never again! The crowd was great! And he sounded fantastic. Ryan and I started going to hear Bobby about five years ago. Our friend Walt produced his first record and had him sing a couple of songs as a guest at a show at Love and War in Texas in Grapevine. After that, we were hooked. We’ve watched him grow from one man with a guitar to a full band, and successful young musician. Really neat to be there to watch someone grow up like that. Anyways, we danced the night away in our new boots, and a few in our group even went and watched the live bull riding. After the concert, we took our friend who had never been to the Stockyards over to the White Elephant just so he could say he’d been there. Didn’t stay but maybe fifteen minutes then headed home. Had a fantastic night!
Saturday morning, we slept until about 9:30, then got up and got ready for our hair appointments. Both of us went and got our hair cut trying to get ready for family pictures we are taking next week. Afterward we went home and started packing for Hawaii. Got a few things done around the house then headed to Arlington to celebrate Ryan’s birthday with our families. We left about 3:30 and immediately hit traffic…what logical person would try to head to Arlington on the opening night of the new Cowboy Stadium…luckily it wasn’t all that bad after we got off of 183. We met my mom and Trisha’s boys at Larry and Rita’s then all headed off to Pappasito’s for dinner. We sat outside and it was wonderful. What a perfect night to be outside. Absolutely beautiful. The boys were very well behaved, ate well, then we all went back to L&R’s to play, open presents and have dessert. Ryan got a big mocajete to make guacamole in, a gigantic beach towel, a hand mixer and a Snuggie! He had a wonderful birthday :o)
Sunday morning we woke up late and missed church. Ugh. That means we’ll miss a couple weeks in a row. Boo. We cleaned up around the house then headed off to his work picnic at the Double D Ranch in Mesquite. It really was a neat place. They had a petting zoo (which consisted of four goats), pony rides, trail rides, paddle boats (which we took advantage of), karoke, a wet bounce house slide thing, a dry bounce house, relay races, and ladder golf. We avoided most everything except for the paddle boats and the ladder golf. It was really quite fun! You take to golf balls, drill a hole through their centers and attach them with a foot long piece of rope. Then you toss them (kinda like horse shoes or washers) and try to get them to land on one of three rungs on a pbc pipe ladder like contraption. We played teams with one of Ryan’s coworkers and her husband. Brian is really competitive and was not happy when he and Carrie lost…especially to two people who haven’t ever played (or at least I hadn’t). Anywho, everyone else started heading inside for dinner, but the four of us all just left…we’d made our appearance, got our picture taken, talked to several people…now we could go! Ryan and I stopped and grabbed a bite at Denny’s then went to the Kohl’s across the street. Picked up a few last minute things for Hawaii then headed back to Irving. Stopped at the grocery store and got essentials for the week, and on the way home saw the Toronto Blue Jays pulling into the Four Seasons. We really really wanted to go and watch them get off the bus, shake their hands, etc, but we were tired and had cold stuff in the car…next time.
This week is going by pretty quick. Monday night we met Jen and Erik up at Gloria’s by the Galleria for dinner. Their little one is due in about a month so we wanted to see them before they become a family of three. We had a Ranger game in the lineup this week, but I just don’t think it is going to happen…just too much to do before Saturday. This probably will be my last post until the 22nd or so unless I can track down a laptop while on the Big Island. So have a great week-two weeks everyone. Stay safe! If you are on facebook, I’ll mobile upload a few pictures from my phone while we are there.

Fort Worth ever cross your mind?

Ryan and I had such a wonderful weekend. Friday night we went to a friend’s fifth year cancer survival anniversary party upstairs at the White Elephant. There were about 50-100 people there, open bar, and catered by Lonesome Dove. I’ve never eaten at the Lonesome Dove, but have heard great things about it. My favorite was an appetizer…shaved beef tenderloin on a cracker with a dollop of Boursin…wow! And the entertainment…Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros, Tina Mitchell Wilkins, Marion Brackney, Brad Hines, Bobby Duncan and Chris Lugo as well as several other very talented folks. By the time we left, it was pretty late, and they had reserved a bunch of rooms at the Hyatt Place down in the Stockyards, so Ryan and I decided to just stay there. We sat up and visited with everyone until the wee hours of the morning. We woke up the next morning, loaded up the car, said our goodbyes then headed back to Irving. We hit traffic on the way so decided to stop and eat. Exited Rufe Snow and low and behold, a DON PABLO’S!!!! We had thought they had all closed. Apparently not my friends! YEAH!!! Brandy butter is still available somewhere in the world!!! But we didn’t eat there…not then. Wanted something faster so we could get home. So we ate Grandy’s…which I don’t think I have had in 10 years or more! It wasn’t as good as I remember, but the rolls still were a tasty treat! We got home, I got a bunch of laundry done, the house cleaned up, then back to Fort Worth we went for our friend Melissa’s 30th birthday! Her family threw it for her at the Rahr Brewery (it is just south of downtown Fort Worth, not far from JPS). What a neat place. There was a little gazebo in a big warehouse where they served four of their beers. My favorite was the Blind Salamander. I think Ryan liked their Summer Wheat. They have special dinners there where they pair their beers with foods. I think we might try to wrestle up a group of people to go. We visited for a couple hours then headed off.
Sunday afternoon we headed to the Ranger game. Adam joined us. We didn’t sit in our normal seats in the shade, but on the 2nd level in left field…full on sun. And for those of you who haven’t seen me in a while…I am quite pale. I wore a tank top and shorts, and layers and layers of sunscreen…after all, I do need to build up a bit of tan for Hawaii you know. Got home and looks like I did a pretty decent job. I wasn’t red at all yesterday or today! Yahoo! Ryan on the other hand wasn’t as thorough in his application of sunscreen…his legs are red and white polka dotted now :o)
We also went up to our friends Clark and Marti’s in Highland Village this weekend. They had all of the Mystiqueros, Bill Worrell, the Meachems, and some others over for a private concert with Johnny and Bill, swimming, food, etc. It was wonderful. So amazing that we get to peek into the world of such talented people.
All in all put about 250 miles on the Nissan this weekend. I have such an appreciation for traveling musicians now. I very much enjoy my sit still at home and rest time…