Day Tripping

It was to be a celebration one that I was looking forward to and it involved a day trip to East Texas. I know the thought of traveling to the other side of the Pine curtain is enough to make some folks shake in their boots. We headed out earlier than what we really had to but that's the norm for us. I had my pain pills in my bag, magazine in hand and I was ready for the ride.

Headed north on US 59, future US 69 corridor, the air was crisp and a little drier than the day before, clear blue skies, bright sun and my high expectations carried us along. Sometimes in Texas towards the east there can be a bit of fall color in the forest. There were giant oaks with leaves the color of the sun. Cypress trees with their light and airy branches green to Rusty Brown in expectation of winter. Chinaberries, now those are the ones that really change here they can range from deep maroon, bright red orange to faded yellow. Yes my dear internets that was my view out of the window of our van. No, no this was not a drug-induced view but a real one. So anyways I was feeling pretty good we stopped a couple of times to stretch my long shapely legs and to have a potty break, my bladder may have more room but my pee doesn't know it. I started to feel a little dozy just as we reached Corrigan our actual destination just a few short miles on the other side in the heart East Texas. Not quite to the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches, but close.

We were meeting my son, Andrew, for the celebration of his 21st birthday. We were early of course so we went to Starbucks where I had a gingerbread latte’ my beloved had mocha and baby girl had some sort of frappe-a-chino (she is all about the frappe). We drank ‘em while we ambled along the aisles of the Wals-mart. Did I buy anything, no not really just meandered around. I was a bit nervous, you see it had been a couple of years since I saw him. He has been mad at me, now I know he loves me and has never stopped loving me, but let’s be real my dear internets sometimes our children get mad at us and you know they are making up have good excuses for not being able to see us or call us or return our calls. Andrew is a smart boy and he has always had a good head on his shoulders but the temper of his paternal gene is there. I have missed him more than you can image and I hope he never has to miss his kid (when he gets one) because it sucks and is very depressing.

We met Andrew at Cheddar’s and we had a very pleasant lunch and talked for hours at the table. I think our waiter got pissed and so he totally ignored us after 3 hours oh well his tip did reflect it latter. We laughed, told stories talked about the past and upcoming future and all the things that make for a wonderful day. We even posed for silly pictures, but alas it ended way too soon and before we knew it we had to go our separate ways he for the oldest town in Texas and we for the south side of the Pine Curtain. And we had to hurry too or else risk being caught on the wrong side of it at nightfall.

See legend has it that if you are caught on the East side of the Curtain after the sun goes down you will start talking all funny and stuff. Like saying, purdy laydee aunt sum asscream, no serious that is how they talk, translated it means Pretty lady want some ice cream- some folks do leave out un-necessary words such as do and you and such as. Y’all see that is Way, WAY beyond my charming southern accent, that y’all love so much, don’t cha think? No, that does not require a real answer. Oh you want to hear about how we barely got back thru the Pine Curtain? I’ll save that for the next post. Writing tip-this is called a cliff hanger, meant to keep you on the edge of y’alls screen just waiting with bated breath and hoping and praying that all will work out for us as we travel back through the Pine Curtain.

{erie creaky dark music – almost a Deliverance type of sound}
No really it’s true!

And y’all never even knew we were gone. Where have you been lately?