It's Hot in Texas

"Some family trees have beautiful leaves, and some have just a bunch of nuts. Remember, it is the nuts that make the tree worth shaking."

Friday morning started early.  It started really early.  Now I may be a morning person but morning hadn’t even come yet.  However, I still managed to wake up before my alarm started screaming at me at 3:00 AM.  That’s right at 3:00 AM.  I had a plane to catch and quite a drive to catch that plane.

It was dark … very, very dark.  It was raining, the roads were curvy and a downright nasty drive.  It took a lot longer than I had calculated.  The good thing was I was in the Wrangler with a double set of big headlights.  There was no parking in the “economy lot” because I didn’t have time to wait for a bus to carry me to the terminal so it was long-term at the terminal.  Maybe that was just an excuse I used to pay the extra $10 a day to park there.  At least this way I didn’t have to stand out all by myself waiting for that bus.

Even though I wasn’t lucky enough to sit up front on the long flight to Dallas, I had a great aisle seat close to the front with no one on this trip in the middle.  I’m not a fan of middle seats on an airplane but then again, who is?  I’ve been in those seats more than enough times.  I’ve also sat next to neighbors who overflowed into my seat.  That’s not fun at all.  It can be a fight for your own space.

Arrival in Dallas was right on time but I only had about a 35 minute connection between flights.  Thank goodness it was in the same terminal even though at opposite ends. After a brisk walk I arrived at my new gate just in time to pick up my first class ticket for my short flight to Austin.  Yippee!  I know it doesn’t help the bottom line of the airline, but I really like it when all the first class seats aren’t sold out and there’s one left for me.  I like that lots.

Not my picture

I didn’t need a rental car in Austin but felt it would give me a little independence.  Hertz was right across the roadway and before long I was on my way out of the airport and heading to cousin #1’s place.  One thing I really noticed is that it is HOT HOT HOT in Texas.

We spent hours chatting about this and about that.  We even spent a bit of time at La Mancha’s Mexican restaurant with Cousin #2 and Cousin #3.  Today other cousins are heading to Austin from Kerrville and then the next day we’re all heading to Kerrville for a barbecue.  The Kerrville and Leakey area is where our parents were born and lived as children.

This will definitely be a busy and fun reunion weekend.  I tried to get Terry to come down on Monday so we could mess around.  He wasn’t interested.  I guess I’ll head back then …. or will I?  That I have to think about … maybe not.

(PS:    I have screaming internet at my cousin’s house … screaming!)




‘Tis life on the road.