Tag: Texas

Transplanting a Yellow Rose of Texas

On By DGThomaIn WritingLeave a comment

More years ago, than I care to share, I was born in Vernon TX.  And other than a short stint in my 20s; I have lived in and loved Texas.  But things change…. And now I am married to a man born in New York.

When I was an adolescent girl, my cousins and I had an ongoing but friendly feud about which was better, Texas or Oklahoma,  It was always in good humor, but I was and am a devoted Texan!  Go Rangers, Astros, Red Raiders, Texans, Cowboys and Hook em Horns.!   Not that I am a sports fan, but Texas is Texas, you know? 

But the maternal instinct has trumped the innate Texan deep in my heart.  We are moving to Oklahoma. My first great grandchild, my granddaughter and my daughter are in Oklahoma.   Now not only am I consorting with a New Yorker, who grew up overseas, I am moving into competitor territory.

You know they say keep your friends close and your enemies closer.  The question is, can a yellow rose of Texas thrive in Oklahoma?  I think with tender loving care, I will flourish and bloom!  After all the state flower of Oklahoma is the Oklahoma rose.

A Saturday of Surprises

On By DGThomaIn News and Reviews, Writing1 Comment

I was scheduled to work Saturday a few weeks ago.  Well I scheduled myself, but there were a lot of things I needed to get done.   I planned to sleep in a bit, maybe even until 7:30 AM.  Weekdays, the alarm goes off at 5:00 AM.  I also planned to drop by the Farmer’s Market on my way out of town.  From our suburb outside Austin, TX to my office is normally a 60-90 minute commute.  On Saturdays, if we leave early enough we can make it 45 minutes.  A stop by the market would still get me to work relatively early.

I did sleep until 7:30 AM and was in the kitchen by 8:00 AM, trying to decide what I wanted for breakfast.  My phone beeped to alert me, I had a text.  One of my co-workers, already at the office informed me the water was off and everyone was going home.  I resisted the temptation to text “Woo hoo!” and simply replied “Thanks!”

With unexpected free time, I stirred up a vegetable frittata, steamed new potatoes from my garden and had a delicious breakfast.  After breakfast, I managed to talk both my husband and son into going with me to the Farmer’s Market downtown.

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Elgin Farmers’ Market

It’s not a large venue.  There were about 15 vendor stalls, live local musicians, and a decent number of people milling about.  Saturday morning, the crowd,  smaller than normal due in part to an early morning rain shower, still provided quite a few shoppers.  We arrived around 10:45 AM, just in time for a drawing.  A vendor approached us and insisted we drop our names in the bucket.  I appointed my husband our representative.  He often wins these things but I rarely do.

I continued to shop while he signed up for the raffle.  He surprised me by entering all three of our names.  A little late, but not too long after 11:00 AM someone announced the drawing was about to begin.  No matter what the prize, the anticipation of waiting for your name to be called is exhilarating.  The “grand prize” was a gift certificate for handmade goat milk soaps and lotions from Sweet Life.  Everyone had an eye on that one.  First name called?  My son. Several people nearby whispered, “Maybe he isn’t here,” but he hurried to the grandstand, calling “Here I am!”   Screenshot 2016-06-15 15.04.44

Now everyone was interested in the drawing.  We all moved closer and circled the grandstand.  Several more prizes were awarded, before they announced the next prize was an olive tree.  “That’s what I want,” I told my husband.  I don’t know why, but it seemed really cool.  Winner?  My husband; still exciting because I suspected I would be the actual recipient.

More names were drawn and prizes awarded.  The next prize? Two glitter tattoos.  Immediately, I whispered, “that’s what I’m going to win.”   Yes, absolutely they called my name.  I looked around for a little girl I could donate to, but alas they all already sported a glittery tattoo.

I only claimed one of my tattoos, I didn’t want to be greedy after all.  I left with a pretty Celtic knot plastered on my calf.  I thanked my benefactor and had to smile as I walked away.  She shouted to me, “Sometimes, they will last up to two weeks.”

Two weeks later, I can still see the outline.   Wonderful day of surprises!

 

A Calm Mind is a Precious Gift

On By DGThomaIn 2016, Exercise, Family, News and Reviews, WritingLeave a comment

The Bastrop State Park is a quick 20-minute drive from my home.  I love to visit the park, picnicking, cooking on the grill or hiking and running the trails.  My memories are peppered with hours spent in the park.

In September 2011 a roaring fire swept through Bastrop County in Central Texas.  The fiery inferno didn’t spare the state park. The resulting devastation affected ninety-six percent of the park as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blaze.   Ultimately, it charred 32,000 acres.

The recovery has been amazing and the many volunteers who work tirelessly to revitalize it are inspiring.

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Last Sunday, we arrived at the park for our first visit of the new year. As I tightened my laces, my spirit stirred.  The sandy trail, flowed beneath my sneakers, grabbing  for traction, keeping me sure-footed as  I navigated the rocky trail.

The rustle of the dry leaves falling from the trees whispered, reminiscent of a Texas rattlesnake.

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Fallen trees lay tangled, a jigsaw of trunks etched on the ground by spring flooding.  We passed a young hiker garbed in a pink dress and knee high cowboy boots.  She grasped her father’s hand wide eyed as her brother warned us “to watch out for those ants up ahead”.  He punctuated his words with his walking stick, the stick twice his size.

Regal pine trees crooned a melody, their branches, the wind’s violin.  Small white flowers sprinkled across our path an embryo that would soon be plump juicy berries, ripe and tart.20160228_115141

Trudging up slopes I flew down the other side, shedding inhibitions.  I felt free to stumble, laugh, fall and get back up to do it again.  Leaping mud puddles in a single bound, I conquered makeshift bridges and eluded poisonous tendrils of vines alongside the trail.

Fire damage and destruction faded.  Sparks of green climbed over and under fallen and damaged trees.

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Seven miles of fun later, wonderfully spent but also energized, I sat.  Warmed by the sun, I enjoyed the song of a bird, the notes carried on the breeze.  Marveling at the unexpected joy of a soul unburdened, my soul and body were restored.  What a precious gift!

Never say Never……

On By DGThomaIn Exercise, Family, Friends, WritingLeave a comment

Everyone is guilty of saying I will never…    I’ve begun many sentences with it myself.

A few of my favorites are:

  • “I will never wear tennis shoes with a dress just to get in a walk during my work day.” This one I do often!
  • “I will never be one of those parents/grandparents who…, well lots of things.” There are too many of these to list.
  • And, “I will never run 13.1 miles!” This time I don’t mind being proven wrong.

In 2001, my husband signed up for and trained for the 3M half marathon.  I thought he was crazy to even consider it, but I knew he would finish it once he’d committed.

He trained for several months and never missed a scheduled run.   We lived in the Texas panhandle and rain, sleet or snow never kept him from completing a training run.  He is much more disciplined than me.  When we met, I was a runner, and he a cyclist.  I jogged occasional laps on the track and around the neighborhood; he rode for 60 miles on the weekend.  I learned to ride but rode only once or twice a year.  He fell in love with running.

So before sunrise early February 4, 2001, I dropped my husband at the start line.  I ate breakfast and headed downtown to watch him finish. Runners crossed the finish line celebrating their victories.   I turned to my friend and vowed, “I could never run 13 miles and why would anyone want to run that far?”

Fifteen years later, having completed 15 half marathons and 17 full marathons, I stood in the predawn chill ready to run the 3M half marathon.    As I waited along with 5400+ runners, I shivered in the cool morning breeze and remembered that declaration.  I could never have envisioned myself running more than 2-3 miles at a time back then.

Almost awake!
Almost awake!

On this day, I was running with my good friend, Shirley and our goal was simply to finish.  Shirley has lost over one hundred pounds and is determined to keep it off.  She ran her first half marathon in San Antonio in December 2015 and as we crossed the finish line, she asked, “When’s the next one?”  So here we are lining up to make the trek from North Austin to the State Capitol downtown.  Shirley trained for the run using the run/walk method.  In San Antonio, we ran one minute and walked one minute throughout the course.  Our plan today was to do the same.

When we crossed the start line, we were both running strong.  As the alarm sounded for our walk break, Shirley said, “I’m feeling good.  I want to keep going.”  So we kept going.  Eleven minutes later I looked up and saw the first mile sign.  Pointing to the sign I asked, “Have you ever run a mile without a break?”

When she answered no, I replied, “Well now you have!”  Both our eyes were glistening when we passed the one-mile mark.

At mile 7, we waited in line for a “porta potty”.  That stop cost us 10 minutes but sometimes you have to listen to mother nature!

As we ran through the University of Texas I was in front of Shirley.  Suddenly, I heard a group of runners singing.  Shirley was talking to a nearby runner and mentioned it was her birthday the next day.  A spontaneous rendition of Happy Birthday rang out as we passed by the UT stadium.

We completed the course and shaved 10 minutes off our San Antonio time.  Even with the delay of our bathroom break we were faster.   Amazing!

First thing Monday morning Shirley was standing at my desk with a handful of ½ marathon flyers, asking “Which one is next?”

So while we decide on the next one, we’ve already signed up for 3M 2017!

It's Over!
It’s Over!

 

Commuting in Central Texas

On By DGThomaIn Travel, Writing1 Comment

I may be wrong, but I don’t think we have mass transportation figured out in Central Texas.  We love our SUV’s and Ford F150 pickup trucks.  They line our highways and tollways, with only a few random “Smart” cars sprinkled in like the toy prize in a Cracker Jacks box.

Austin, TX has a light rail system but it doesn’t run to my suburban area. A commuter bus service picks up and drops off near my home.  I’ve often thought I might enjoy catching the bus into town.  I envisioned writing or reading a book for the 1 to 1 ½ trip to the office.  I was unsure of the bus route, so didn’t know if it would be convenient.

I never got around to checking the route or the schedule but each time I saw the commuter bus moving through traffic, I remembered I wanted to find  out more.

So when our vehicle decided to stop running, mid-commute on Friday, we checked it into the auto hospital and decided it was time to take the commuter bus.  It’s odd.  When we travel to other cities, we ride buses, subways, trains and take taxis.  It’s never an issue and we are completely comfortable.  But something about having to catch the last bus home became worrisome.  The published route and fares were listed on the website, but there were few specifics.  The bus stop was a short ¾ mile from my office and less than ¼ mile from my husband’s office.  The last bus left Austin at 6:20 PM.  We gave ourselves over an hour to get to the stop so we had have plenty of time.  We were unsure if the bus accepted cash or tokens.

A quick call to the Capitol Metro office and answered my questions.  The representative assured me payment could be cash as long as the change was exact and the total fare was 4.75 per person.  The website listed the price as 3.50, so I was glad I’d checked.

My husband and I arrived at the stop by 5:30 PM, well before departure.  We bought a bottle of water from a downtown grocer so we would have exact change.  A Starbucks sat on one corner and a Which Wich on the opposite; but we sat on a bench outside, around the corner from the bus stop to watch for the 990 commuter to arrive.  Dusk settled as professional workers heading home gave way to Austin night life spilling across the sidewalk.

A few minutes after 6:00 PM, we relocated to the stop in hopes our bus might arrive early.  It was a bit nippy but not too uncomfortable as we waited.  After thirty minutes, a plethora of city buses lumbered past but no 990 commuter bus among them.

Around 6:40 PM our bus finally arrived.  Four of us waited to board by the time it slowed and stopped.  On board we began inserting dollars into the machine.  The driver stopped us when we had deposited 7.00 dollars.  The fare really was only 3.50 each.  What a nice surprise!

We stopped four times before we reached our destination.  The bus picked up and dropped off a few passengers before our journey ended.  Commuting on the bus wasn’t quite what I had pictured.  My fantasy, of a slow lumbering train ride, soft comfortable seats with low lighting wasn’t completely accurate.  The ride was nice, if a little bumpy.  We arrived in a reasonable time frame and it was comfortable.  Would I ride it again?  Yes…. But not every day just yet!

Winding down the Old and Quietly Ushering in the New

On By DGThomaIn Family, News and Reviews, Travel, Writing2 Comments

My anniversary is the first week in January and instead of exchanging gifts, my husband and I often take a weekend trip.  We are usually in need of a bit of recuperation.  Although fun, holiday travel can take a toll.   Our hectic schedule begins with Thanksgiving and culminates with our anniversary weekend.

I love to travel but am always grateful to return home.  This year our holiday plans included multiple trips, and I wanted to avoid piling on more miles when planning our anniversary.

I debated planning a special meal instead of a weekend trip, but decided to search online for day trips.  A few familiar options popped up, but, there was one I had not heard of , the 9E Ranch.  Intrigued, I read the following blurb:

“On a 320-acre ranch, this rustic cabin resort lies 13.4 miles from both downtown Bastrop and Smithville.

The 4 antiques-filled cabins are individually decorated and come with full kitchens and country views. Some add sleeper lofts, claw-foot tubs, air-conditioning, decks or wood-burning stoves.

Paths and hiking trails crisscross the property. Breakfast muffins and coffee are complimentary.”

The description sounded perfect for a quiet restful weekend!  I checked the website for a vacancy and found The Eagles’ Nest Log Cabin was available.  I booked the cabin and on Friday afternoon, we headed for the 9E Ranch.

We arrived at the ranch half an hour after we left home.  The entrance was easy enough to find but I recommend using GPS.  It is well marked but in the dusk it wasn’t as obvious as I expected.  As we drove through the gate, we shook, rattled and rolled down the hard-packed dirt road.

9E

It was a typical ranch road as expected on a working ranch. When we pulled up to the cabin, a smile spread across my face.  The scene was idyllic.  Thankfully, we had packed light, bringing few bags.  The air was chilly and damp, so minimal luggage made unloading easy. DSC00388

Inside, I was instantly charmed.  The view was lovely.  The stately pine trees meandered across the grassy slope tossing pine needles in their wake.  Huddled at the bottom of the hill a small herd of longhorn cattle strolled.

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We stowed our bags and settled on the sofa as the evening dusk faded to cast delightful light show across the horizon.  Later, we sat at the little wooden table and ate a light meal.  Tuna and fruit on a bed of greens and a tray of cheese with crackers on the side made a light and tasty meal!  The rest of the evening we sat quietly reading, talking and just looking at  the skyline.

On Saturday we drove to Smithville to visit a few antique stores and enjoy a fun lunch at Pocket’s Grille.  At Pockets, the burger bar is the trunk of a 1961 Ford Galaxy.  I ordered fish tacos and it was a delicious choice.  Ron opted for a burger. We both cleaned our plates.  After lunch, we headed back to our cabin.  With the drizzle now a rain, we stayed inside the rest of the day.  We had planned to take long walks on the trails and view the animals that roam the ranch.

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Instead we stayed indoors, wrapped in a quilt while we played Trivial Pursuit and watched the night sky come to life.  We left the Eagles’ Nest cabin around noon on Sunday, refreshed and rested.  It was the perfect getaway and I can hardly wait to return.

Rainy Days and Halloween……

On By DGThomaIn Food, Friends, Humor/Light Hearted, Writing1 Comment

I decided a few weeks before Halloween to throw a party for my staff.  They love celebrating and most of them enjoy dressing up for Halloween.  I sent an invitation for 2:00 PM Friday, October 30th promising punch, cookies and a costume contest.

Invitation

Immediately I went into hyper mode in an effort to plan the perfect party.  We’d have a variety of Halloween themed punches, the perfect baked, decorated cookies and lots of decorations.

I spent the next couple of weeks making lists and jotting notes.  I searched for the best cookies, polling everyone for opinions.  I surfed the web and combed Pinterest for ghoulish recipes.

Settling on wormy orange punch, witches brew and blood (orange) punch, I purchased cauldrons, ladles, spider webs and more.  On Thursday night, I worked late but still managed to pick up fresh vegetables, fruit and a few other last minute supplies.  I made sure we had enough to feed an army even though I only needed enough for 15 people.  I enlisted help from family, picking up the cookies, baking treats, making dip and putting up with my insanity.

Over the course of the week, I brought supplies and decorations to the office to minimize chaos on Friday.  All of Austin and the surrounding areas woke up to a deluge of rain on Friday, October 30th.  Relieved that most of the party paraphernalia was already stored at my office, we loaded the car with the final touches and began the hour long commute.

Five miles from the house, I realized that the frozen juice cubes for the punch were still in the freezer.  Since the National Weather Center had issued flood warnings, it didn’t seem realistic to return home for ice cubes.  At about mile 10 I discovered the fruit tray and the vegetable tray were also at home in the refrigerator along with the vegetable dip.  No problem.  I would just call my son and see if he would bring it in around lunch.  Surely the sun would be out by then.

At mile 20, the radio informed us that there was a confirmed tornado on the ground about 30 miles away and the rain wasn’t expected to end anytime soon. I wasn’t going to ask anyone to get out in this mess.  No problem.  I’d just walk across the street for frozen fruit to drop in the punch and we could live without the vegetables.

At work, reports of flooding replaced any thoughts of the party while I tried to get in touch with any employees not already at work.  Now I was trying to contact my son to be sure he was paying attention to the rapidly changing weather conditions.

At 8:45 AM, I received an ‘Extreme Alert’ via my phone:

“Tornado Warning in this area til 9:15 AM CDT.  Take shelter now.”

Well, herding hundreds of costumed people down three flights of stairs to the bottom of the parking garage quickly became priority.  We are all fine and the storm passed without significant damage for us and I realized that we had everything we needed.

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When 2:00 PM finally arrived, it was still raining.  The party was fun and everyone was relieved to forget about storms for just a little while.

 

Rainbows and Lollipops

On By DGThomaIn Friends, Musings, Writing2 Comments

Normally, I am happy and contented and suffer only occasional bouts of frustration.  I mean, we all have to deal with reality checks at times.

I spend more than a little effort trying to do the right thing because I believe karma can be powerful, both good and bad.  Generally good triumphs over evil and doing the right thing pays off.  Of course, not always.

Let’s face it, sometimes when you bend to smell the flowers, you get a nose covered in fertilizer.  The past few weeks have really been busy and everything has been overly complicated.  It’s that time of year when numerous projects are wrapping up, while others are just beginning.  Everything and everyone has been clamoring for my attention (at least from my totally unbiased perspective).  But as a co-worker said, “Sometimes you’ve got to laugh and keep on going.”

We’ve been working long hours…..

Leaving at 6:30 AM for the office

 

Returning home late from the office.

Returning home late from the office.

As you can see, I’m definitely not getting enough sunshine!

I thought I was internalizing my grumpiness pretty well, but I may not have been as successful as I thought.

A good friend stopped by my office with a gift.  She said this can be for now or later, you decide.  Well of course I chose to open it immediately.  It was a present after all.  What was inside, made me smile and tear up a little.  Underneath a plump stuffed gray elephant lay a book, titled, “You’re Here for a Reason”, by Nancy Tillman.  20151028_190401

I’m very fortunate to have a caring and generous friend to remind me what is important.  The rest of the story……

My friend is very close to her great nieces.  They were out shopping and she has bought me gifts before when they were with her.  They are all between 4 – 8 years old.  They showed her the book and said, “If someone is having a really bad day, this is the bestest book to read.”  Of course she bought it immediately and that is why it ended up on my desk last night.

I will cherish it always and any time I’m feeling down, I think I know just what I want to read.

Colorado River, Good Food and Laundromats

On By DGThomaIn Food, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, News and Reviews, Writing3 Comments

I find myself becoming more conservative as I age.  That’s a fact.  I’m not frugal in all things, but if I can save a few dollars without much effort I usually take advantage.

So when we went to our local dry cleaners to drop off a couple of comforters, I balked at the 100 dollar price quote.  One comforter was labeled as dry clean only but the other was marked machine washable.  Knowing there was no way the bulky comforter would fit in my home washing machine, I left the dry clean comforter with the experts and set off to find a commercial laundromat to wash the other one.

The closest laundromat with machines large enough to handle a comforter was in Bastrop, TX about 20 miles from my home.  Bastrop is a small town in Central Texas with a downtown that has maintained many of its historic buildings.  The Colorado River flowing through town, just off Main Street makes it a lovely place to visit, even if you are looking for a laundromat.

20150822_151920   Dining Room

We decided to eat lunch before we tackled our laundry project and found ourselves at Neighbors, a local restaurant overlooking the banks of the Colorado River.  It had been awhile since we visited this restaurant and I’d forgotten the pleasant atmosphere.  The Colorado River peeked through the trees as we enjoyed the cool air inside.  20150822_140232

We started off with Garlic Knots which are exactly like they sound, yummy yeast rolls twisted into knots with just the right amount of butter and garlic.  I would have taken a picture, but they disappeared too fast!

Neighbors is famous for its pizza, but we chose to forgo the usual and try something different.  We opted for The City Slicker Salad, a meatball sandwich and a meat calzone.  The salad came topped with apples, walnuts and goat cheese and was served with a lemon poppy seed dressing.  Delicious!  Ron tackled the calzone, stuffed with pepperoni, sausage and cheese.Rich had the meatball sandwich which speaks for itself.  It’s meatballs after all!  It was a wonderfully relaxing and delicious meal.

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After such a wonderful meal I wasn’t nearly so excited about the laundromat!  Putting it off a while longer, we ducked into Best Buy for a quick errand and then found ourselves at Baskin Robbins.  I mean there is always room for ice cream, right!  Honestly, I don’t often eat dessert, but Baskin Robbins can almost always tempt me.

Finally out of excuses, we pulled up in front of the laundromat.  It’s been years since I lived without a washer and dryer.  The few times I find myself at the laundromat I am always grateful that I don’t have to be there very often.  Digging for quarters, we shoved the comforter into the oversized machine and settled in for a half hour watching laundromat activity.  This laundromat has a television, arcade games and booths.  It’s quite interesting watching people come and go and feed the machines.  Finally the washer cycle completed and we moved the comforter to the dryer.  Thirty minutes later, the dryer was done, the comforter was folded and we were headed back home.

3.00 for the washer, 1.50 for the dryer  saved me 45.00 dollars.  Happy and contented, I dozed comfortably all the way home.

Where Oh Where has the Cool Weather Gone?

On By DGThomaIn Exercise, Writing1 Comment

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The past couple of weeks the temperatures in Austin Texas hovered just under 100 degrees finally tipping the scales to peak at 100 degrees for more than 8 days straight.  The thought of slogging through the humid soupy air isn’t very motivating.

As the heat climbs, exercising outdoors becomes dangerous.  In Austin, the trails and roads are filled with all of us crazy runners, walkers and cyclist at all hours of the day.

Savvy athletes know you should always carry water if you will be out for any length of time in the Texas heat.  Even so I have occasionally found myself in the heat sans water bottle.  It usually happens when I intend to go a short distance and turn around but get caught up in the run and forget.  I’m certainly no expert on how to prevent or treat heat illnesses but running in Austin for 12 years, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks on keeping your cool.20150609_192313

If you run in the downtown area, the Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail has water fountains placed strategically along the course.  Much of the trail is shaded with large trees hanging over the path. I enjoy the shade on the trail, but it does get too crowded at times.  Dodging strollers, cyclist and pets often drives me to the pavement for my runs.

If like me you prefer to run the roads instead of the trail, downtown Austin offers wide sidewalks on many streets.  Drivers are accustomed to runners in the crosswalk, on the shoulder or occasionally in the bike lane.  Less traveled side streets commonly offer tree lined sidewalks which provide some shade.

If you find yourself in need of water, there is a public water fountain near Colorado on Cesar Chavez.  About a mile down Congress from Cesar Chavez you can access a replica water fountain located on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol Building.  The fountain was restored in the early 1950’s and has a foot pedal to pump fresh water to quench your thirst.  Warning!  Be prepared to get wet as you push your face under the falling stream for a sip.

Fountain

There are a few businesses who provide access to water for runners as well.  I personally know of a dry cleaner who leaves a hose out for runners so they can get a drink from his outdoor faucet.  I have also befriended a gas station attendant who has invited us to share the fountain in his garage any time we are out for a run.

On the UT campus there are public areas that offer cold water fountains for a brief respite for overheated runners.  In addition, Pease Park and Butler Park both have water fountains to refill water bottles.  I’m sure there are many other water sources but these are some of my “go to sources”  if I find my water bottle nearing empty on a hot day.

All things considered, if you have to train in the heat, Austin Texas is a great place to do it.