Aggies and Politicians

Well, Jessie got to go to her first big time sporting event this weekend. She got to go to the A&M vs Tech game at Kyle Field. And what a fabulous event it was. 84,459 people like us got to see A&M whoop up on Texas Tech 45-20. It really was a great game and a great day for football.

We wanted her to get the "whole" Aggie treatment so we met Uncle Donnie 2.5 hours before the game. We wanted to see the Corp memorial that Sally's dad's name is on. We also wanted Jessie to get to see the corp line up and step off. Well, when we got there, the band was already on the move. We didn't know what was going on so we followed them. Turns out, they were going to do a special parade for President Bush 1. On the way to the parade ground we had our first celebrity sighting. We walked right past David Robinson. I am sad I did not go up and shake his hand. He was truly a class act in a very class less sport! After seeing him, we lined up to watch the parade. Sally and Jessie went up to the reviewing stand and got this pic of the President. After the game, we headed home. We got to take Jessie to the new pizza place in Brenham. It is probably the best pizza I have ever had. Jessie, who can be a hard to please in the food area, agreed with our assessment.

Sunday we got up and met our neighbor Alan at 7:15. He came down with his Bobcat post hole drilling machine and drilled our post holes for our picket fence. The machine was truly impressive. He drilled 17 holes in less than 30 minutes. It would have taken me more than 30 minutes to dig a single hole! After this, we told Jessie bye and we headed to church. CCE was good. The kids got to dress up like their favorite saints and give a report. It is always our most popular class. During communion, Sally saw a kid she taught in kindergarten! He is now a 32 year old engineer. She was very excited to see him and they had a lovely visit. After this we were off to Houston. We took Herb to lunch and had another celebrity sighting. I got to meet and visit with ex-Governor Bill White. He was very personable and I really enjoyed getting to meet and visit with him. After visiting with MiMi (who was having a really good day) we took Herb to Buddy and Kim's to see their Halloween show. Again he out did himself! All in all it was a very good weekend.

May be the biggest mistake of our lives

Well, we may have made the biggest mistake of our lives this weekend. We were headed to the dump Saturday and we found this very lovely dog in the road. She looked had a collar and lost and so being the Good Samaritans that we are, we picked her up. She is a very sweet and loveable Australian Shepherd but we don't need her. We asked around to all of our neighbors and everyone seems to think someone dropped her off in the country. How sad. I cannot believe we might actually be stuck with this puppy. Oh well, we kind of wanted a dog so I guess be careful what you wish for. At least she is adorable. Only time will tell now. I called in to the country store and put an ad up hoping someone is missing her. Don't have a lot of hope at this point.

On a happier note, Katie and Ramez got baptized this weekend. We are so glad that they asked us to be a part of this. We drove up and spent a lovely day with them. they got baptized in the San Marcos river. It was a very beautiful place. Right in front of the dam It was a very nice service. We hope they continue to be blessed through their work in their church.

Getting lazy

I am getting lazy on this blog. I have been so busy with the other one that I have neglected my first born. I don't think I have ever gone this long with out a post. A lot has happened in the past month but none of it too notable. Life has just been good. We did finish the garage and that was huge but I somehow forgot to blog it. Oh well. I had lunch with Heather and Jared yesterday. It was great. We went to Buffallo Grill. OMG! It has changed so much since Sally and I lived there. The strip center it was in is gone! They literall tore down everything but the grill. The food was great (as always) but Jared had a story that was even better. Seems his class is learning to do pelvic and rectal exams. I jokingly asked him who they practice on. Well his answer blew me away! Turns out, they have a waiting list of people that want to be violated by these future doctors! It is a part time job for them. They get to come in and get their cooches and their booties poked and proded as much as TEN TIMES A DAY!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!! Can you believe this. They get $50 for each poke and they can be poked TEN TIMES A DAY! I just cannot get over this. How bad do you have to need $500 to get up in the stirrups for 10 future doctors? Life never ceases to amaze me!

Katie and Moose Jump the Broom!!!!

I go t a new son in law this weekend. That's right, Katie and Moose got married. We are so happy for both of them and so glad to welcome Ramez as an offical member of our nutty and slightly disfunctional family! It was a lovely wedding and a great weekend. We headed out Friday night and met Katie and Ramez's family for dinner. Jessie and Cameron showed up and we had a lovely dinner. After that we went back to the Antoun's hotel for drinks. Everyone was in a very jovial mood. In attendance were Katie, Jessie, Cameron, Sally, me, Gamil, Nadia, George and Tara (Ramez's brother and sister in law). Their son Eli slept it off in the next room. Moose arrived after the football game. After a few more drinks we went back to Katie's house. Moose and I went straight to his garden. OMG!!!! Moose has a couple of green thumbs! All of his plants were in great shape and his luffas were incredible. I was so upset about how big his luffas were that I could not sleep that night (not really, it takes a lot more than that to make me miss sleep).

We awoke early Saturday morning and started getting ready for the big day. Sally, Jessie and Katie all went out to get mani's and pedi's. Ramez went and hung out with his family and Cameron, Josh and I went piddling. We went to downtown Martindale and then to Lockhart to buy BBQ for lunch. Very cool BBQ place with an awesome pit. the meat was very good. After lunch Whitney, Gran and Chris arrived. Katie and Mooses house was packed! Everyone took turns cycling through the shower while Whitney made arrangements, bouquets and boutenieers. After everyone was sufficiently beautiful, it was off to the church.

The ceremony was so nice. The music was great, the vows were great. Everything was just perfect. Katie and Moose looked so happy and everyone had a good cry (evidently that happens alot in their church as there was a box of Kleenex at the end of every pew). Katie even held my hand during the ceremony and that was very touching (no pun intended) for me. After pictures, we all headed out to the Saltlick. Saltlick is a lovely place in a very lovely place. The ride out was beautiful. Whitney and I really enjoyed just going out there together. Once there we discovered they had installed a very lovely garden between their new wine bar and the resturaunt. The meal was great and the fellowship was better. We really like Ramez's family and their friend's from their church were all very nice. All in all it was a very lovely event. We wish the newly weds all of life's blessings. May God be with them as they now travel their rode together! We love you both!

Sally's Big Day!

Well, I have finally found a good use for Facebook. It can make my wife feel really really good on her birthday. I swear she got 50 Happy Birthday wishes on her Facebook page. It made her feel really good and I was so happy for her. Above everything else, she loves to be remembered. She had a VERY good day. The kids were nice for her and they made her a birthday book. Her friend Beth gave her some of her dad's famous homemade wine (a 2006 vintage no less!) Then she came home to me. We had a lovely meal (leftover shephard pie from Jop's visit the day before) and wine. After dinner she took about 10 calls and then we retired to the couch where she got her annual birthday poem written by yours truly. After the poem she opened her presents from me; flowers, binoculars (for bird watching) and really nice PJs from the store she likes in Houston. Once she opened the binos we went out back to use them. As luck would have it, there were five Roseate Spoonbills on the killer's tank. Add this to our list of cool sightings. Last year, whooping cranes, this year pink spoonbills! All in all it was a lovely day for a lovely woman! I am so lucky to be married to a woman that so many think so highly of! Happy Birthday Sally!!! I am blessed, blessed, blessed to have you in my life. I hope we celebrate 40 or 50 more of these!

Labor Day Weekend

Sally and I started our weekend with a dinner at Toad Hollow on Lake Sommerville. It had been recommended by a few friends so we gave it a try. We won't be going back for two reasons. First the food just wasn't that good and second they are closing. After dinner we rode around in Brenham and looked at houses and the improvements to the football field. Then it was back to the nest. There have been so many hummingbirds at the feeders lately that Sally and I love to sit in the backyard on the swing with a glass of wine and watch the bird wars. Very entertaining. We did this until dark and then went in and watched the last Star Trek movie until Jessie arrived.

Saturday morning I worked in the potager a little while waiting for Katie and Moose to show up. Once they got there they dropped some HUGE news on us. THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED IN TWO WEEKS!!!!! OMG!!!! After talking to their preacher one night the decided to just do it. We are so proud of them and happy for them. I think they are great together and we really love Ramez. They are having a very small ceremony on the 18th in San Marcos. Only parents and sibs. They will have a party later. We really are thrilled. May God richly bless their union. After the big announcement we broke out the champagne and toasted the happy couple. Then Gran showed up. We grilled burgers and just hung out until the afternoon. Later that afternoon we went to the airport and had malts. Awesome! Then it was back to the house for more hummingbird wars. Thank you Moose for all of the awesome pics. While we were watching and photographing the hummers, Jessie and I decided to hang our bat house. I had been putting this off but it turned out to be pretty easy. Jessie worked so hard hanging it (not really, her mother would not let here work on the top of the ladder). Here is a pic of her finishing up the project.

Monday was a work day for Sally so Gran and I hung out. We had a nice time just visiting. I also worked in a little garden time. I got all of the potager beds prepared. I also planted purple cabbage in the center of all of the odd shaped beds. Heather and Jared showed up after lunch. We had a nice visit and went up to Sally's school to see her classroom. After that everyone left and it was just Sally and I again. Another lovely weekend in the country!

My baby's all grown up!

That's right, Whitney is finally a 100% legal adult. Sally and I went to Waco and picked up Gran so we could all go and celebrate Whitney's coming of age in Denton. We had a very lovely visit. We went directly to her work and got to meet her boss and her crew. Very nice people and a very cute shop. Whit had to work late so we went and finished our shopping. When she got off we went to her new house and picked up she and JezziLee. her house was very cute. We went to the Italian place that we like and had a lovely dinner. After that, we went back to her house for a PARTY!!!!! Jessie joined us as we watched Whit open her 21 PRESENTS! All in all it was a great time. Day two found us helping her get the last of her things out of her old house. It was 105 degrees and tons of fun. We got it done though. This is two birthdays in a row that Whitney has had me help her move. I am beginning to think she only wants me for my muscles! We finished off the weekend with a visit to see Aunt Sarah. All in all, another wonderful weekend for the Whites!