Tag: Travel

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.

DSC00378

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.

DSC00373

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.

A Crazy May

On By DGThomaIn Family, Travel, Writing2 Comments

What a crazy May we have had.  At least the last part of May has been crazy hectic by my standards.  On Saturday, May 23rd, we left Austin, TX for Tulsa, OK to celebrate my granddaughter’s birthday.  The rain began as we arrived and increased in intensity quickly.

We checked into a hotel.  My daughter was due to fly in to Tulsa around 10:00 PM and our plan was to touch base on Sunday morning.  The heavy rain quickly turned into a dangerous situation, flooding a few areas around town and many of the outlying towns.

Local television stations ceased regular programming and provided constant updates of the flooding situation, including water rescues.  I was also monitoring the flooding situation in Wichita Falls, TX.  I have family in the area and was concerned with their situations.

By 9:00 PM, my daughter had telephoned to say she had been diverted to Wichita, Kansas due to weather conditions in Tulsa.  The main concern was the danger of wind shears.

Around the same time, my phone rang.  My sister was calling to say she was also in Tulsa.  She had come to visit a friend and contacted my daughter to let her know she was in town.  What an oddity to find ourselves miles from our homes, and both in Tulsa in the midst of storms and flooding.20150525_180516

My daughter finally made it in around midnight; my sister and I were safe in our hotels and the rain continued.   On Sunday, a little tired but excited to be together, we had a wonderful birthday celebration for my granddaughter which turned into a slumber party.  My sister and I stayed Sunday night with my daughter and had a wonderful time playing games, laughing and just having fun.  Early Monday morning we left Tulsa for Austin.  The weather cooperated until we neared Waco, TX.  I received a weather alert and text about the same time.  Apparently there was rotation 15 miles ahead and coming our direction.  My friend’s text basically said if you are in Waco take cover unless you’re at Twin Peaks, then keep driving!20150525_160803

With the radio warning we should seek cover immediately, we ducked into a Hastings.  Of course I would find a book store to take refuge!  When the rain lessened and the warning changed from a tornado warning to a severe thunderstorm warning, we decided to try to head home.  When we headed for Interstate 35, we discovered the access roads were underwater and raging.  Trying to avoid the flood waters, we turned away from the interstate and headed through a neighborhood, driving through a downpour and hoping we were moving uphill.  My son pulled out his phone and switched his maps to a topographic map to guide us to higher ground.

We made it safely back on the interstate a few miles down the road.  All the way home we were watching emergency vehicles working accidents, closing roads and rescuing underwater vehicles.

20150525_173554

When we finally made it home, we were relieved to find our roads passable although there was water running across the roads and the ditches were rushing with muddy water.  We pulled into the drive, opened the front door and discovered we had no power.  Since it was just before dusk, it wasn’t quite too dark to see.

A call to the electric company provided an update.  Electricity should be back on by 6:00 AM tomorrow morning.  Absolutely unprepared to return home to no power, we made a quick trip to Wal-Mart for flashlights, batteries, food, etc.

By 6:00 AM the power outage was predicted to last until 6:00 PM.  While we waited for the sunshine to rise and peek through the windows, we slept in.  We had to conserve our phone usage, live without internet or computers and try to keep our food from spoiling.

We had a forced night of relaxation, the water never made it over the porch and our drive didn’t wash out until three days later, but that’s a story for another day.  We were very fortunate.  It seemed we were able to avoid floods, tornados and lightning storms.  My heart and condolences go out to all the flood victims and I am extremely grateful we were spared.

Meanderings…..

On By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Humor/Light Hearted, Travel, Writing2 Comments

My husband has been in search of a classic older pickup for years.  Recently he has become a bit more serious in his search.  His criteria is a bit loose.  Somewhere in the 1963 to 1972 range, preferably a Chevrolet, but he would consider a Ford.

We had an appointment in San Antonio on Saturday afternoon and while we were there we planned to look at a 1971 lilac pickup.  Yes, it was painted lilac, but it was the right price range and the right year model.  Then he discovered a 1969 blue Chevy in Waco.  The ad for the Waco pickup said, runs good and well it wasn’t purple.  So even though Waco is about 100 miles north and slightly East of Austin and San Antonio is approximately 80 miles south and slightly west of Austin, we decided we had time to see both vehicles.20150513_200720

We arrived at the dealer in a small town just outside of Waco a few minutes before it opened.  We wandered over to a Walgreens to kill time.  As we were passing the dealer we were glancing at the cars on the lot, when my son said, “Hey that Jeep has a bench seat on it.”  Literally, someone had welded an actual bench on the back of a Jeep.  Hmm, you don’t see that every day.

In Walgreen’s we roamed over to the clearance aisle, past the “as seen on TV aisle” and on to the toy and candy sections.  I took a minute to check out all the pens and pencils.  I love shopping for new pens and pencils but I managed to resist purchasing anything except an extra-large bag of M&M’s and some birthday and graduation cards!

Back at the car lot, we parked.  While my son and husband got out to look at the truck, I waited in the car.  I watched a pretty blond “girl” inside the building.  She was wearing cut off shorts, a black tank topped with an unbuttoned white shirt.  She stepped up to a mirror, gave her boobs an upward push while pulling downward on her tank top.  Smiling I watched her fluff her hair and saunter out to the pickup.  I’m sure she is very good at her job and knows a lot about cars, but she couldn’t quite get the hood to open and it wouldn’t start……   She wasn’t able to open the passenger door but she did have a beautiful smile.  After a few minutes, one of her male associates came to assist but still the pickup didn’t start.

About 30 minutes and more patience than I would have had, my husband and son finally said thank you and stepped away.  I asked if they were sure the vehicle had gas and was informed that yes, the plastic tank sitting in the bed of the pickup had plenty of gas.  Uh, oh my!  We left that pickup behind.

Bluebonnets in Bloom
Bluebonnets in Bloom

To get to San Antonio we took Highway 190 over to 281 which is a lined with beautiful Texas wild flowers and is much less congested than Interstate 35.  Along the route there is sign after sign proclaiming numerous ranches.  We briefly debated what is required to call your home a ranch.  Just outside of Kempner, TX a sign proclaimed miniature donkeys for sale.  When I commented, “Look, we don’t have one of those!”  My husband and son said in unison, “No!  And we don’t need one!”

As we passed through Burnet, TX we spotted a sign for a farmer’s market.  It was a small market with probably ten vendors, but it looked like it might be worth stopping in.  We started browsing the stalls when we noticed the wind was picking up.  Just as we stepped in front of the Texas Herb Company and Crafty Threads, a huge gust of wind lifted the canopy and flipped it upside down behind the tables.  Handmade soaps and other craft items were scattered all over the ground.  Everyone rushed up to help.  No one was injured and the table was righted with crafts stacked atop.  I was amazed no one was injured by all the flying products and was heartened how quickly everyone rushed to help. Still willing to try shopping, we wandered to the Sage Creek Farms booth where we bought a lovely mahogany rolling pin.  It turned out to be a successful stop after all.

When we got to Marble Falls we started searching for somewhere to eat.  I spotted a food trailer that looked promising.  Lee’s Food Trailer sported ads for a philly sandwich, gyros, catfish dinners and more.  It seemed as if I wouldn’t have any trouble finding a non-meat food option.

I had the Falafel gyro, my husband had the beef and lamb gyro.  My son had a classic philly sandwich.  Lee’s did not disappoint.  Everything was delicious!  As we drove away completely satiated, my husband proclaimed, you know if you ever wanted to double back there to eat, I would go!  High praise indeed.

20150509_121317 20150509_121357 20150509_120952 20150509_121415 20150509_121909

Somewhere along the backroads of Texas, I discussed my funeral plans.  All my nephews should be prepared.  I requested they all show up with 1980’s shorts, tanks and sweatbands as I am laid to rest in my running clothes.  Seemed fitting to me!  I also learned that if you are going to honk at someone, you should always use the Chicago honk or just don’t bother.  You should hold the horn down for at least 2 minutes.

We arrived in San Antonio finally, laughing and talking.  After our appointment, we checked in on the lilac truck only to find out it was not on the market anymore.

So we have to start over on the pickup search  but since it was mother’s day weekend, I was treated to a buffet at India Taj Palace where they have tasty dishes and serve warm from the grill naan bread made after you arrive and carried immediately to your table.

It was a wonderful day of meandering!  I look forward to many more days just like it.

You are not traveling alone…

On By DGThomaIn Friends, Musings, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

Today will be my 44th post.  I began posting weekly in May 2014 and have posted each week since.  For those of you who joined me, thank you.  I love to read your posts and spend time with you through your writings or photographs.Peaceful Waters

The past week has been a busy whirlwind of activities, some good and some not so much. I wasn’t able to write this week, so I searched my snippets to see if I might stumble across  a ready made post.  No luck.

I found a poem of sorts I had written for someone special and the last line was “Please remember each time you look at it, you are not traveling alone”.    The line referred to a ring I had given as a gift.

The Culture Monk, a blog I follow,  posted today about community.  As I read the post I thought about that line. I realized community was exactly what I was describing.

My interpretation of community is an ever changing sea of people and environments. Since December 19th, I  traveled from Austin, TX to New York City, NY; back to Austin Travelsand immediately on to Tulsa, OK.  I returned to Austin for a few days before being called to Wichita Falls, TX where I spent the last week.  Now I am back in Austin and am scheduled to be in San Antonio, TX this weekend.

What a profound community I have experienced!  One thing I know for certain.  I am not traveling alone.  During my travels, I was entertained by people, moved by others and exchanged smiles with many.

I received hugs, handshakes and words of encouragement.  So I offer to you to “Remember you are never traveling alone”.  There is always someone nearby with a smile or a story.

Rocking the Streets of San Antonio Texas

On By DGThomaIn Exercise, Family, Friends, Travel, Writing2 Comments

The Humana Rock and Roll Marathon was the weekend of December 6th through December 7th in San Antonio, Texas.  This is the 7th year l  have participated in the San Antonio Rock and Roll marathon. I signed up months ago before this became the year of broken bones.  In August, I broke my toe and the healing outlasted my patience!    Not to be left out, my husband Ron fell and broke his wrist a few weeks ago.  And then, just because we are a little insane we signed up for the Remix challenge which means we ran a 10K on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday.

San Antonio is a beautiful, magical city and one of my favorite places to visit.  The expo in the downtown convention center was as entertaining and chaotic as always.  I never seem to leave without purchasing something.  This time it was new socks and some GU gel blocks.  Leaving the expo, we stopped to enjoy the twinkling Christmas lights along the Riverwalk and the Tower of the Americas.  It was lovely in the soft evening light.

San Antonio Christmas LIghts

We didn’t stay in a downtown hotel for this trip, so we had to get up a little earlier to ensure we could find parking.  On Saturday, the 10K didn’t start until 9:00 AM and there were only 2500 or so competitors.  The parking was easier to find and it turns out it was considerably cheaper.  Sunday morning, the official start was 7:30 AM, so we left the comfort of our warm beds a bit early to head back to our parking garage from the previous day.  Supply and demand was definitely in play as we had to pay double the fee we had paid on Saturday.

I should clarify that I am not an elite athlete and I enjoy the fun and camaraderie found by those of us crossing the start line 30 minutes after the sprinters in the first corral.  When you run slower you can see all sorts of sights along the course.

Sunday morning, we all lined up; the elves, the tutu wearing competitors, the old, the young, and all other 12,000 plus runners, walkers and wheel chair participants.  The music was pounding and the weather was just a little chilly.

As expected, I crossed the starting line about 30 minutes after the gun sounded.  The course was a bit downhill in the beginning, heading from the Alamodome toward downtown.  As we passed the Alamo, many runners, stopped for selfies with the façade and spirits of the Alamo.  Leaving downtown took us through Trinity University and hills.  The spectators lined the road through Trinity, cheering us up the hills.  The enthusiasm was wonderful, but it didn’t really make up for all those hills.

The course in a Rock and Roll marathon is always alive with music and excitement.  It is also lined with coaches, family members and complete strangers.  Sunday was no exception.  Signs along the course proclaimed, “Worst parade ever”; “Run like a Zombie is chasing you” and my favorite, “I’m proud of you complete stranger.”

I think my favorite coach along the course was the gladiator wielding his sword, his face encased in a metal helmet in the parking lot of a Cross fit gym shouting encouragement as we passed.  My most memorable athlete was the young man I passed at mile 12, limping to the finish line, carrying his shoes and socks because of blisters on his feet.  Dedicated or stubborn I’m not sure but he finished!

At the end, I was so relieved it was over!   It was the slowest I’ve ever finished a half marathon, but I felt quite proud to have survived. Heavy Medals

We ended our San Antonio trip with a wonderful meal at Canyon Café, a southwestern grill in the Quarry Market.  I am never disappointed with the food or service.  It was a great meal to end a great trip.

Memories of A Middle Child

On By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Writing4 Comments

Growing up in a family of 5 children is lovely and maddening.  As family position goes, I am right in the middle. To my older sister and brother, I was the baby.  To my two younger sisters, I was one of the big kids.  Honestly I was probably more the baby since we three older siblings were so close in age.  My oldest sister was born on July 6th, 18 months later in January my brother was born.  Queue forward to July 6th 18 months after my brother was born; I was born.  Yes I was born on my sister’s third birthday.  How I love to remind her, I am wonderful gift!

Whichever I am, one of the oldest or the baby, I was very shy and terribly dependent on my mother when I was young.  So when my grandparents invited me to spend a week with them in Rush Springs, OK, no one thought I would go.  Especially not my mother, who assured me no one, would be able to come pick me up before the next weekend.

Hello world!
Hello world!

But I did go and I had the time of my young life.  For just one week, I went from being the middle child with four siblings to becoming an only child.  For one entire week, I had my grandparents completely to myself and was allowed to wander around the farm on my own.  I named each chicken and watched them pecking the ground for hours.  I climbed the apple tree and I talked to my grandparents.  I felt like a princess.

My two favorite memories of the week were the weekly trip to the grocery store and my grandmother making lemon pudding.

The grocery store was unlike any grocery store you would find today.  It was a small locally owned store crowded with shelves of canned goods, dry goods and fresh produce.  But my most vivid memory was the “drawing”.  We had been wandering the narrow aisles, mostly window shopping, but a few things made their way into the cart.

Suddenly, it got quiet in the store and Mr. Teal, the grocery store owner called out, “Who wants a ticket.  One dollar for a chance at this week’s basket of groceries.”  A current of excitement moved through the crowd.  Understanding my grandparents were extremely conservative with their money, I was shocked when my grandfather was one of the first people to pay a dollar for a ticket.

What a wondrous thing it was.  It was my first experience with the pure joy of chance and anticipation.  For only a dollar, there was a chance to take all those groceries home for free.  Mr. Teal drew numbers from a cup and called a few numbers.  I watched my grandfather’s face.  With the complete faith of youth, I waited for him to go collect the groceries.  Of course our number wasn’t drawn and we left without the groceries.

Even though I was disappointed when we didn’t win, I remember vividly, how I felt waiting with my grandparents for the “drawing.”  It still makes me smile.

My other favorite memory was of my grandmother making a lemon pudding in the large country kitchen.  She stirred fresh milk into a sugary mixture in a pot on the stove-top.  She was making a pudding and I asked if she was making a banana pudding.  My mother often made wonderful banana pudding with vanilla wafers.  She said she was making a lemon pudding and we were going to put lemon cookies on top!  Then she explained she always put sugar cookies on vanilla pudding and lemon cookies on lemon pudding!  I have no idea why that was so remarkable to me but I always thought it was extremely creative!

There were so many good memories from than that week but these two memories transport me back to my grandparents farm and a wonderful week with two of my favorite people.

Pinot’s Palette – Painting and so much more!

On By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Humor/Light Hearted, WritingLeave a comment

I’ve wanted to try one of those instructor led classes where you paint a picture in a couple of hours that is advertised as something “you aren’t embarrassed to hang on your wall”.  I just haven’t made the effort to find out more information.

Thankfully, it wasn’t left up to me to follow through.  My granddaughter, Jillian recently surprised me with registration to a class at Pinot’s Palette .  She registered us for a class to paint a picture called “Rain Kisses”.  I was completely on board for the class but I assured her, my picture wouldn’t look anything like the example in the email.

All I had to do was make flight arrangements and pack a bag.  It was lovely that she made the effort to plan a weekend together for just the two of us.  Jillian picked me up at the airport and after a wonderful lunch, we headed to the store to pick up snacks for our class.  Our beverage of choice was sparkling water.  They do offer a stocked bar, but we are too young for alcohol.  Okay, at least Jillian is too young.   We made it to the class and were immediately greeted by lively music and a smiling hostess/artist.  We were directed to our seats where our names had been written in chalk by our canvases.   Our paints were already out and a canvas sat on an easel waiting for our creativity to complete it.  Jillian and I discussed grabbing our snacks early on, but I suggested we wait until half-time.  Jillian indulgently explained it’s a painting class, there is no half-time.

The instructor was wonderful and did a great job guiding us through the process.  Our first step was to paint the entire canvas gray.  I believe I excelled at this point.

In the Beginning

We laughed and joked and had an amazing time.  There were two young ladies sitting beside us discussing the female figure and how one of her legs was raised as she kissed her guy under the umbrella.  One of them said, who was it that started that leg thing?  Wasn’t it in Princess Diaries?  I smiled and said, “Actually, I believe it was Doris Day.”  The girl smiled tolerantly and said, “Well yes, but we were talking about the 90’s.”  I’m thinking she had never heard of Doris Day.  Jillian on the other hand smiled and nodded her agreement.  I should add that her favorite animation at around the age of three was Betty Boop!

The instructors are actual artists.  They lead you through the process step by step and while it isn’t without a bit of effort and maybe some skill, it was much easier than I anticipated.

Since we were going to be out late, (after 10:00 PM) I suggested to Jillian we go for breakfast instead of a late dinner.  We chose the  Village Inn for our late night breakfast of omelets, waffles, chocolate chip pancakes and hash browns.  It was delicious and we had leftovers for breakfast the next morning.

As we ate and discussed our mutual pictures, I pointed out that Jillian had painted a much better “booty” for her guy than I had.  Laughing at/with me, she informed me I was a “hoot!”

20141016_212417

Friday was spent running errands and getting ready for a garage sale on Saturday. After purchasing a new shelving unit we spent several hours working on putting it together.  Normally I’m pretty good at assembling modular furniture but this shelf was becoming quite a challenge.  Maybe I was tired but I put the top piece on backwards and had to start over about halfway through the assembly.  Finally I was ready to put the doors on only to discover the bottom was backwards, so maybe the sides were the actual problem, but we took it back apart and started over again.  By now our hands were sore from the screwdriver and we couldn’t get the small screws to the doors to turn.  Giving up temporarily we went to bed leaving the shelf to be tackled another day.

Early Saturday morning we went to my daughter’s to start the garage sale.  It was a beautiful day for a sale and while we didn’t have a landslide of customers, we had a wonderful morning together and a freshly organized and cleaned garage!  We also met some lovely people.

Saturday night was shelving unit round two.  After a nice dinner with my son-in-law and daughter, Jillian and I went shopping for an electric screwdriver.  What we came away with was a nice soft handled manual version with various sized ends.  It is absolutely amazing what a night’s rest, good food and the right tool can accomplish.  Jillian and Nana 1, shelving unit 0!  It went together like peanut butter and jelly.

Blue 2

The weekend flew by and Sunday morning arrived way too soon.  I am amazed at how much Jillian has grown up and what a caring responsible young lady she has become.  I was encouraged that she is still my sweet little girl.  She drove me to the airport in her sleep shirt and fuzzy Minnie Mouse sleep pants with the sound of Boston’s Greatest Hits playing in the background.

20141019_090402

Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon – Part 2

On By DGThomaIn Family, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

CCF10052014 (2)

The Seattle marathon started June 21, 2014 at 7:00 AM sharp on a cool Saturday morning.  After grabbing coffee and a bagel from our hotel, we walked the few blocks to the start line.  The temperature was in the low 60’s; perfect running weather for me.

As I waited outside the portable toilets, commonly known as Port-a-Potties, I met a fellow runner from Seattle.  We visited and spent about 15 minutes discussing the best angle to take a picture of the space needle when you are directly below it.  As we said goodbye and left to find our corrals, she asked where I lived.  I responded, “Texas.”  Laughing she said, “I could tell you weren’t local, you have a strong accent.”  I laughed too and said, “I was just about to say I knew you were local because you have an accent!”  Smiling, we both headed to our corrals where we lined up with more than 14,500 eager athletes.

One of my favorite parts of running a marathon is meeting new people and making new friends.   After you’ve run a few marathons, you start seeing familiar faces.

Lining up in Seattle, I stood near a group of Team and Training (TNT) participants from the San Francisco area.     TNT is an organization, that in exchange for training and support, you raise money towards cures for blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.  As an alumni participant I am always watching for the bright purple shirts.  Participants are always so upbeat and energetic.

The starting gun sounded at 7:00 AM and the first wave of runners were off.  Since I was in a corral several blocks from the start line, my start was about 30 minutes after the elite lead runners.

My plan was to run 4 minutes and walk 1 minute, a method developed by Jeff Galloway.   I finally made it to the start line, and John Bingham, also known as the Penguin, started us on our way after announcing this would be his farewell tour.  He is a champion of the non-elite runners.   I set my Garmin (watch) on intervals and pushed the start button.  I was officially off!  I was able to maintain the 4:1 ratio for the first 18 or so miles and still felt reasonably okay.

At about mile three, I met more TNT runners from Texas.  There were two ladies from San Antonio, whose name I didn’t get.  Then I met Tom from Dallas.  Tom was run/walking  for Team in Training and on the out and back paths where we passed each other, Tom would call out to me “Go Texas!”

The course took us down Ranier Ave and through Seward Park both offering a beautiful view of Mount Ranier.  By the time I hit mile 15 it was starting to warm up significantly.

At mile 20 when I was starting to wonder if I had enough cash for a taxi, Tom spotted me again and yelled, “Go Texas!” so I did.

I finished about 45 minutes after my husband based on time, but since he started almost 20 minutes before me, he had quite a wait for me to finish.  Still moving forward, I crossed the finish line much faster than I had expected.  I was thrilled to have the finishers’ medal placed around my neck and a cold bottle of chocolate milk to drink.  I wanted food and rest, in that order!  Marathon number 16 was done.

Finisher's medal

Finisher’s medal

We were too tired to participate in the post marathon festivities, so we opted for a bath, a nice meal and pajamas for the evening.

On Sunday, we scheduled a tour of the Pike Place Market.  The tour started at 10:00 AM.  We booked the tour through Public Market Tours.  We walked about 12 blocks to meet our tour guide so we could stretch our muscles after the run on Saturday.  We were a few minutes early and went for coffee while we waited.  We skipped the line at the “original” Starbucks and ducked into Tully’s for a delicious cup of coffee.  We were the only two signed up, so we had a personalized tour.  I won’t spoil the tour for you in case you ever make it to Seattle, but it was a great guided tour with a lot of historical information and laughter.  It was just what we were looking for and the highlight of my day.  I even managed to view the gum wall without getting too grossed out!

We ate lunch at Maximilien which sits in the heart of downtown Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market.  Maximilien is a charming restaurant located with a view of Puget Sound, Elliott Bay, West Seattle & the Olympic Mountain.

Before heading back to our hotel, we visited the Lionheart Bookstore, located in Pikes Market.  The owner likes to respond to questions by singing his answers.  He told us he wasn’t just an owner but was the sixth custodian of the bookstore.

I love bookstores and Lionheart did not disappoint. We wandered in and out of the shops of Pike Place market exploring the shops at each level.  In the afternoon we headed back toward our hotel, tackling the steep hills leading away from Pike Place Market.

We stopped in at Cherry Street Coffee House where I had a piece of Ginger Peach, Gluten free bread with a Coffee Latte.   It was a lovely treat!

20140622_13204720140622_132540

 

 

When we reached our hotel, we put our feet up, and snacked on some fresh cherries we purchased at the Market.

All in all it was a wonderful trip!

Catching flies with honey, Why?

On By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Friends, Humor/Light Hearted, WritingLeave a comment

The real question is can you really catch more flies with honey?  And why would you want to catch more flies?  Not me!  But a loose translation of “nice things happen when you behave nicely” sounds a little better.

You hear a lot about people doing nice things for total strangers, otherwise known as random acts of kindness.  I think that’s awesome, and I wish I remembered to do it more often.

Honey? and Flies?

I recently had a great experience at Starbucks and it wasn’t because I had invented and ordered the largest and most obnoxious combination I could find.

My sister, Deb and I were meeting on the road midway between our respective homes.  She lives on the Texas coast and I live in Central Texas.

We met in the parking lot of a shopping center and after exchanging boxes and bags; we decided to grab a coffee for the road from the Starbucks across the street.

The store wasn’t particularly crowded when we walked in which looked promising.  However, when Deb tried to pay for her drink, the computers went down.  A manager came and took over the register but still couldn’t get the transaction to process.  My son and I were next in line and the barista and manager kept apologizing for the delay.

My son, Rich previously managed a retail store, so he just smiled and said he understood.  He assured them both that it was not a problem.  It was probably only 6 or 7 minutes of waiting. Rich entertained us all, the employees included, with jokes and stories. We all laughed and enjoyed ourselves despite the situation.

When my son and I were finally able to place our order, I handed them cash, since they seemed to still be having trouble with the card reader.

The manager shook his head and said, “No charge, you guys were great.  I’m sorry for the wait. ” What a wonderful surprise!  Maybe our drinks would still have been free if we had grumbled and complained, but the mood would certainly have been different for all of us.  (And yes my sister’s drink was also free!)

I’m not saying that I am never the grumbling complaining customer, but it was a wonderful reminder that sometimes being pleasant pays off.  Thank you Mr. Starbuck’s manager for making our day a little brighter!

 

Planes, misgivings and singing??

On By DGThomaIn Musings, Travel, Writing1 Comment

 

Yes times have changed and our reactions to situations are different than they would have been 15 years ago.  I used to hate it when my parents would begin a story by saying, “When I was your age, or back in the day we….. (Fill in the blank).”

But I find myself starting sentences with that very phrase, more often than I care to admit.  However, that being said, the aftershock of 9/11/2001 has changed the way I view travel, particularly flying.

Boarding a plane for Seattle last week, I noticed that the lady sitting behind me was very talkative. Not a big deal, but I was hoping she would not talk so loudly for the entire four hour trip.  About thirty minutes into the flight, I began to wonder what on earth she was doing.  She was pushing on the back of my seat and kept dropping things.  Another thirty minutes passed and she began to sing very loudly.  Not just a little loud, but loudly enough that the stewardesses came from the front of the plane to ask her to not sing out loud since there were so many people on the plane.

At this point my annoyance begin to give way to a little bit of apprehension.  I started thinking about news stories where people have caused problems on planes and of shoes being set on fire, etc.  I knew it was a silly reaction and one I would never have had pre 9/11.  Still as I heard her dropping things and mumbling nonsense, I had a lingering sense of unease.

I noticed everyone within earshot was glancing her way and whispering.  The people sitting beside her had to stand several times so she could try to recover the belongings she was dropping.  I was glad I was in front of her instead of beside her.

As we prepared to land, I heard the stewards and stewardesses trying to get her attention so they could get her to put her seat belt on.  As we all stood to disembark, three empty alcohol bottles rolled from under my seat.  I felt more than a little silly, having been rattled by someone who simply had a few too many of those little bottles of alcohol the airlines sell.  Now I just felt sorry for her.  Still it was a huge relief to land and disembark safely in Seattle.