Springtime in Texas is truly something else. We got into San Anglo late Tuesday night, rested up Wednesday and then drove to San Antonio on Thursday. We got there in the midst of their annual fiesta celebrating another celebration called the Battle of the Flowers. It's a gigantic parade with vendors, thousands and thousands of people everywhere, bands, restaurants and of course the Alamo. And the food. Good grief.
The San Antonio River Walk is extraordinary. Our favorite restaurant is a place called Boudro's. On Thursday I had their Shrimp and Grits which was outstanding... and the best bread pudding evah. I had steak the next night.
We went to a dueling piano bar called Howl at the Moon that night. The pianists put on quite a show. The next day was more shopping and gawking. My pins aren't the best since my knees gave out and even with the replacements, to walk as much as I did those two days was quite a chore.
We left San Antonio on Saturday and stopped at Fredericksburg on the way back to San Angelo. The girls went shopping while my son-in-law Wayne, my daughter's boyfriend, Rick, and I went to the Pacific War Museum. Adm. Nimitz is from Fredericksburg and there are three museums that cover his life and WWII. We just saw the Pacific War Museum but it was extremely interesting.
We also stopped at the Wildseed Farms and saw acres and acres of red poppies and bought some flower seeds. Now if the deer will only let them grow.
Red poppies almost as far as the eye could see. It went on for several hundred yards beyond the camera range. They had all sorts of beautiful garden plants.
We went to church on Sunday morning and afterwards, off we went to the gun range. It's Texas, doncha know.
Danielle bought her Sig Sauer and her Glock. Her boyfriend, Rick, is also an E6 and a big Sig Sauer guy, he had five of them. I shot them all. It was like 9mm heaven. Okay, he also had a Sig .45 1911 which I adored (got me thinking about another pistol acquisition!). Another Sgt. from their unit met us at the range and brought his collection of firearms with him.Throw in a shotgun, an AR15, a WWII M1 Garand (made in 1944), a 22 cal. MP5 and another 22 cal. single action cowboy revolver and my day was complete.
Unfortunately I started a head cold Monday night and by Tuesday night it was in full bloom. We left Wednesday morning at 0436 and the day was a blur. Little sleep for almost a week and the cold meds kept me groggy. Then three flights to get home fraught with delays because of bad weather. We got home at 1800 and I dropped onto the couch at 1830; woke up at 2130. Back to bed at 2330. Felt better this morning.
It was a truly great vacation. The weather was great, mid to upper 80's every day and it only rained at night. Hardly a cloud in the sky. Just beautiful. We got back to dreary Syracuse - clouds and low 50's. Had to put my sweats back on this morning after a week of shorts and t-shirts.
As I mentioned in the previous post, Danielle is leaving the Army next January and is trying to join a National Guard unit in Kentucky. Rick is also pondering whether or not he will stay. They are both Arab linguists, their MOS is no longer in demand (actually overstaffed in the Army's estimation) and positions are being cut. From what they are going through, it appears that the Army is trying to get rid of them. Both Danielle and Rick have 8 years of service with two deployments to Afghanistan apiece. Rick has a Purple Heart. These are the people you'd think the Army wants to keep.
The San Antonio River Walk is extraordinary. Our favorite restaurant is a place called Boudro's. On Thursday I had their Shrimp and Grits which was outstanding... and the best bread pudding evah. I had steak the next night.
Boudro's is on the right bank of the canal.
We left San Antonio on Saturday and stopped at Fredericksburg on the way back to San Angelo. The girls went shopping while my son-in-law Wayne, my daughter's boyfriend, Rick, and I went to the Pacific War Museum. Adm. Nimitz is from Fredericksburg and there are three museums that cover his life and WWII. We just saw the Pacific War Museum but it was extremely interesting.
We also stopped at the Wildseed Farms and saw acres and acres of red poppies and bought some flower seeds. Now if the deer will only let them grow.
We went to church on Sunday morning and afterwards, off we went to the gun range. It's Texas, doncha know.
Danielle bought her Sig Sauer and her Glock. Her boyfriend, Rick, is also an E6 and a big Sig Sauer guy, he had five of them. I shot them all. It was like 9mm heaven. Okay, he also had a Sig .45 1911 which I adored (got me thinking about another pistol acquisition!). Another Sgt. from their unit met us at the range and brought his collection of firearms with him.Throw in a shotgun, an AR15, a WWII M1 Garand (made in 1944), a 22 cal. MP5 and another 22 cal. single action cowboy revolver and my day was complete.
Rick made his own steel plate targets; goes "ping" when ya hit 'em and the 6" plate dances.
Unfortunately I started a head cold Monday night and by Tuesday night it was in full bloom. We left Wednesday morning at 0436 and the day was a blur. Little sleep for almost a week and the cold meds kept me groggy. Then three flights to get home fraught with delays because of bad weather. We got home at 1800 and I dropped onto the couch at 1830; woke up at 2130. Back to bed at 2330. Felt better this morning.
It was a truly great vacation. The weather was great, mid to upper 80's every day and it only rained at night. Hardly a cloud in the sky. Just beautiful. We got back to dreary Syracuse - clouds and low 50's. Had to put my sweats back on this morning after a week of shorts and t-shirts.
As I mentioned in the previous post, Danielle is leaving the Army next January and is trying to join a National Guard unit in Kentucky. Rick is also pondering whether or not he will stay. They are both Arab linguists, their MOS is no longer in demand (actually overstaffed in the Army's estimation) and positions are being cut. From what they are going through, it appears that the Army is trying to get rid of them. Both Danielle and Rick have 8 years of service with two deployments to Afghanistan apiece. Rick has a Purple Heart. These are the people you'd think the Army wants to keep.
3 comments:
Good, good. You were getting a bit crabby holed up back there. You had to get out. At least you are doing it in style! Yeah, I know the thing about pointing fingers, and right back at me. But let's not change the subject. Stay warm, dry, wet, well fed, and in good company. Then head back in time, ready for the dry powder you have stored.
Well done.
Doom - thanks buddy. Still under the weather a little from this cold but feeling much more relaxed. Miss our girl though...
As I tell my mother, so I tell you... wouldn't miss us if we stayed right there. Not... at... all. "Dang kids never listen!" :p It's a sucky catch-22, it's life, but at least you get to fix it, once in a while, for a while.
I'm not sure if chicken soup would help, or a whisky (or some other poisons) with honey, cayenne, cinnamon (or I prefer allspice) and a spot of cider vinegar? Those, for me, usually only help at the first sign... or thereabouts.
Post a Comment