Auntie's Hideaway

Oh, boy, was yesterday a long day!!
( Lots of photos to follow, for soccer and Halloween, so clicky to see, and beware, oh users of Dial-Up! )

On a lighter note, here are some more of the notes I've slipped into my kids lunch boxes after I pack them. Now, keep in mind, I'm not quite awake when I write these, and I usually don't have my glasses on. And they've been in the lunch boxes of a 13 year old and an 8 year old all day long. What? Scan them before I put them in the lunch box? Didn't I mention, I'm not quite awake when I draw these? Sheesh!!

( here they are, for you to snicker over... )

Dunno if y'all remember this post, but it was one of the saddest days in our little family's lives. Henry's was a wonderful restaurant, very relaxed and family friendly, intimate, and the food was good. Plain, but really good, tasty... and that Belgian Chocolate Cheesecake was to die for! Let me tell you, it was totally worth the migraine!!

We made going to Henry's after trick-or-treating on Halloween an annual tradition, thought it's not like we didn't go there regularly anyway. I sometimes went there after dropping off the kids at school and ordered hot chocolate, or a piece of pie, and sat there with my notebook, scribbling notes on whatever plot bunny had bitten me that day for a couple of hours. It was just that kind of place. And when it closed, it really hurt.

It didn't go out of business. What happened was... the building's owner raised the rent. Henry's was doing a booming business, one of the few "home-cookin'" type restaurants in town that didn't serve barbecue, and I guess the building owner wanted some of the profits, but... they got a little greedy. The owner of Henry's wouldn't stand for it, and threatened to shut down if the price wasn't lowered to a more reasonable level. The building owner thought it was a bluff. And Henry's closed.

I guess the building owner thought it would be no problem for another restaurant to open and do a booming business. So, a little Tex-Mex place opened. Only problem is, we have Mr. Taco. We have Guadalajara. We have Maria's. We have another little place, I can't remember the name, La Plaza or something. In other words, the place is crawling with little Tex-Mex places, so... it closed after two months. "Rogelio's" I think it was called. Food was... okay. Nothing to write home about. I've had better at my friend's houses growing up. Another Tex-Mex place opened up and closed after only a few weeks. The building has been empty since.

So, Tuesday, the Husbandly One had the day off, because we had to go to the junior high and meet with the Impertinent Daughter's guidance counselor to talk about her four year high school plan. And after that was done, we had gone wandering around town, looking at what was new and what was gone. A new bakery has opened up, which we enjoyed immensely, and a couple of new shops have opened. And a few have closed. We walked the square and looked sadly at the building Henry's had been in. "Man," THO had said, "it sure would have been great to have lunch at Henry's today."

"Yeah," I said sadly.

*sigh*

So, today, I was reading the town newspaper, and was skimming through the sports page when I saw an ad at the bottom of one page that made me rub my eyes and look at it again, then pick up my reading glasses, put them on, and read it yet again.

Henry's Restaurant, open daily...

The picture was the familiar, and I wondered if it was somebody's idea of a sick joke. But as I stared at it, and read it over and over, it began to sink in.

Henry's ... it's BACK!!

HENRY'S IS BACK!!!!

Oh, YEAH, you just KNOW we went there for dinner tonight!!

*happy, happy, joy, joy*

There's been a few changes; the long counter with the bar stools is gone (oh, how I'll miss that!), and you can no longer see the cooks working in the kitchen (I'll miss that, too!), but the food is still good, the waitresses friendly, and it was like it had never been gone! It was TOTALLY AWESOME!!!

And if that's not enough to make my cup runneth over...

The Impossible Son did his homework... WITHOUT ANY PROMPTS OR REMINDERS FROM ME!! And you know what else? He did his math homework, it was all subtraction... he did it by himself AND ... HE GOT IT ALL RIGHT IN ONE GO!!!

*dance of joy, dance of joy*

I'm so happy for him!!! My son just totally ROCKS!!

*hugs everyone on her f-list in an excess of joy*

Hello everyone!!

I have returned from the wilds of Rockport, and aside from a bobble at the beginning, it was a really good trip!

The bobble? Well, let's just say, were it not for Auntie's intolerance for mold, the Village Inn might have been an interesting and picturesque venue for our home-away-from-home.

Extremely low ceilings, damp carpets, damp beds, and damp furniture, an air conditioner that struggled to cool an area five feet in front of it, a shower we had to step up into, and that Auntie knew she'd need help to get out of, due to her wonky right knee, and a chair/ottoman combination with stains of dubious origin... SCARY!!! My first words ten seconds after we walked in was, "I'd better check the closet and make sure there's no dead body in there."

No... seriously.

Ten minutes and two hits of my rescue inhaler later, the Husbandly One realized this place was Not Going To Work, and that he'd better get Auntie out quick or we'd be spending the beginning of the vacation in the emergency room of the local hospital. He grimly went back to the business office, got a refund, reloaded all our luggage and impedimenta into the minivan, and headed for Holiday Inn. Much better! I spent a couple of hours lying down on a nice dry bed after a dose of Benadryl, and recovered enough for us to venture out to a nearby beach, where I mostly curled up on a towel under an umbrella and sketched while THO and the kids romped through the waves.

The following days were much better!

Funny things? Well, on the trip out, we noticed odd things, like a full service salon in Gonzalez called, "All Gussied Up," which cracked me up considerably. The Impossible Son and I noticed an odd tree shaped exactly like an umbrella in one pasture, with a cow standing placidly under it. We had to stop on the way home just to get a photo of it! There was another shop, near Cuero I think, called "The Cattery," and no, it didn't have anything to do with cats, except in the metaphorical sense, perhaps. I believe it was actually a quilting shop, to judge by the fabric bolts in the window.

There was the inevitable discovery of hermit crabs. You know, in all the years I grew up in Houston and went to Galveston, from childhood on up to after I met the Husbandly one, in forays from Stewart Beach, to West, to Crystal Beach, High Island, and Bolivar, I had never, ever encountered hermit crabs. I looked for them, but never found them. I'd find shells, beautiful shells, just the kind they'd love to inhabit... all of them empty. I found jellyfish, Portuguese Man-O-Wars, stingrays, hard-shelled crabs (usually the hard way), baby sharks (again the hard way, and I have the scars to prove it), and mullets... but never hermit crabs.

Then I had kids.

Now, I find them all the time, at every beach we go to. I can't get away from them!! Now I find a lovely shell, pick it up, and ocupado!!

The Husbandly One brought a canopy for shade, which was a Really Good Thing, because I have all the stamina of a three day old kitten. Just walking against the waves was enough to exhaust me, and I'd end up sprawled on a towel under the canopy, snoozing until someone came to wake me up to wander in the waves again, looking for shells, chasing the little silver fish that like to hide in the seagrass, or trying to keep our toes from being pinched by crabs, indignant at our invading feet.

We'd bought a broad spectrum sunblock made by Bullfrog that contained zinc oxide which had a rather funny effect. I mean, it worked really well for me, since I didn't even get pink, but... it made us look like... zombies, or... vampires or... well, if we'd been wearing big black wigs and extreme makeup, we might have passed as geishas on holiday or something! Or maybe like we were going to film a silent movie, about a family going on holiday at the seaside!

And I have pictures, too! What, did you really think I wouldn't post any?

*merry laughter*

However, you will have to wait until morning, because I am just too tired to do it at the moment. So, until then, good night!

ETA: Yes, yes, I know it's Friday, but I was so tired last night, it was all I could do to post to my LJ, so... I'm being lazy and crossposting NOW.

The Husbandly One and I are off to the beach with our kids. We won't be back until Thursday, so please to not implode LJ during that time! I will most likely be off-line, though I'm taking the laptop with me, just in case the hotel has wi-fi.

Take care, my dears!

Auntie!

I finished my first amigurumi! Probably because I was bored out of my mind in bed, but still! It's a bit wonky, and I've learned a few lessons, like ... sew on the eyes BEFORE stuffing and tightening the top.



Oh, guess I should tell you what it is! It's a Makurokurosuke Soot Sprite from the movie,Spirited Away! Did the eyes a little differently than they were done on the pattern I found, because they didn't look right. They were wide apart, and sort of... deer in the headlights. I wanted mine to look more like this...




I think I'm pretty close!

Now to decide what to do with it. Maybe... hang it from my rearview mirror? Definitely going to make more. I've decided I'll keep a handful around, toss 'em into the kids' rooms when they get a little too messy and say, "Guys, when the soot sprites start showing up, it's time to clean your room!!"

*saunters off with a smug Auntie smile*

So, the Husbandly One came home a little earlier than usual today, and I was in the middle of baking cookies. We have a guest, one of the Impertinent Daughter's friends, and I popped popcorn (yes, I actually pop popcorn, in a pot on top of the stove. How old-fashioned of me!!), then started baking cookies. Just to be, you know, polite.

And, because I try to be neatish and have a habit of wiping my hands on myself, I was wearing an apron.

The Husbandly One had come into the bedroom to sit at the computer, and when I had a break between batches, I came in and sat down to chat. Except, well... Auntie's feeling a bit... randy, you know? Especially after last night!

So, I sat on the bed and said, apropos of nothing, "You know, according to the manga I've read, Japanese men have a sort of fetish for their partners wearing an apron... and nothing else."

He nodded thoughtfully and said, "I can respect that."

"Really?" I said, squirming a bit. "So... are you saying you'd like to see me in an apron and nothing else?"

He got this distant, dreamy look on his face, then a really big smile and he said, "Yeah... yeah, I would."

"So, if I got, say, a frilly apron..."

"Mmmmm-hmmmmm..."

"Maybe slightly transparent...?"

"Definitely," he agreed.

"And you'd like this?"

"Very much so," he said, nodding, very serious now. "I would like to see you in an apron and nothing else. I think I'd find myself bending you over the counter and not even waiting to take it off..." and he got all dreamy-eyed again.

"That seems to happen an awful lot in those mangas," I said thoughtfully. "Sure don't seem to wear those aprons for long."

"I can definitely respect that!" he said and snagged me with one long arm and snogged me breathless, despite the kids in the living room, watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Yes, I think I'm definitely getting ravished tonight!!

*hums happily as she ponders several yards of semi-transparent fabric in her fabric stash*

You sass that hoopy Douglas Adams? Now there's a frood who knew where his towel was. You are invited to join your fellow hitch hikers in mourning the loss of the late great one. Join in on towel day to show your appreciation for the humour and insight that Douglas Adams brought to all our lives.

Towel Day is May 25th. Take your towel with you everywhere you go because... you should always know where your towel is!!

So today, the Impossible Son's second grade class went to visit Aquarena Springs in San Marcos, Texas.

(Like y'all would ever forget I live in Texas, right?)
( Cut, because there are lots of pictures!! Take a look!! )

It's raining, it's pouring,
The old bear is snoring,
He rubbed his shoulder on a great big boulder,
And wouldn't get up in the morning!!!


It's raining!! It's raining!!!

*is very excited and happy*

When I went to bed last night, the rain gauge at the elementary school down the street said .06 inches of rain (it's a WeatherBug station). When I got up this morning, it said .69 inches of rain. And just now, when I checked it, it said 1.26!!!

*does a happy dance*

I've filled three recycled cat litter containers with rainwater, and my buckets are filling again. Those are for the kalanchoes, aloe, alyssum, star cactus, portulacas, bougainvillea, cyclamens, and antique rose I have on the back porch. I'm wishing I had the energy yesterday to turn two more beds for our vegetable garden. We've done three so far, having to do it by hand since we don't have a tiller. Oh well, it's good exercise, and I'm good with a hoe! Mind you, I'm not complaining about the ground being wet, because I'm telling you, there was no ground moisture at all when I was turning the soil! It was dry, dry, dry, even ten inches down!! I've even had to water our compost pile at least once a week, because it was DRY!!

I know this is just a proverbial drop in the bucket, rain-wise. It won't break the drought. But it's so nice to see everything wet, really wet, and to go outside to feel the rain, even if it is only 40 degrees outside, and not expected to get any warmer until Saturday. I can live with that! I got my thermals (yes, Chan, I finally found my CuddlDuds! And y'all, Chan is laughing her ass off right now, because she can probably hear me saying "cuddle-duds" in my Texas drawl), I got my thick wool socks, I got something to wrap around my neck... I'm good!

It's sad, though, that this rain won't be enough to fire up the bluebonnets in all their glory. It didn't get cold enough to crack the seeds (we need sustained periods of below freezing weather to do that), and we didn't get any rain in the last two or three months, which all adds up to little or no bluebonnets. Oh, well... there's always next year. Maybe we'll trek out to the Wildflower Research Center this spring and take pictures. It's not the same, though, as seeing waves and waves of hills covered in blue and white, with spots of red from the Indian Paintbrush, and the big red/gold faces of Gallardia spotted here and there among them. And the smell! One bluebonnet alone has little to no fragrance, but a whole field of them! It's such a light fragrance, but it's sweet and fresh, and cool. I'm going to miss that this year.

Now I need to sit down and plot out my herb garden, decide what I'm going to grow. Oregano, basil, peppermint and spearmint... rosemary... dill... parsley... balm? Comfrey? Hmmmm... guess I'd better get out my sketchbook and start planning...

*rubs hands together with glee*

I can't wait!!

The Impertinent One wanted me to post this some time ago, but I couldn't because our printer was all fershmeckled. Now that it is fixed, I can live up to this promise. And I will also solemnly promise not to overload you with her art. Though later this week, I might show you the page of one of the mangas she's working on that I posted about a few weeks ago, the one that was blowing me away. But that will be later.

This, however, you can file under "ID's Family Life Observations." It's... amazingly accurate...

( It's big, but funny! Clicky!! )

Okay, so it was drawn by the Impertinent Daughter! Still... it's FANART, from one of MY fics!! She's like... my NUMBER ONE FAN!! OKAY??

*laughs*

It's funny, because we were sitting here talking while I was trying to finish something up, and she'd asked me, "If you could have fanart from just one of your fics, which one would it be?"

"Hmmmmm," I said, thinking it over. "Oh, I know. From Heroes and Hobbits..."

"Hugo curled up in Percy's lap? Yeah, I like that one, too," she said, grinning.

I was stunned. "You remember that?" I said, totally surprised. "I mean, just from the title, you remember that?"

"Of course, I do!" she said, looking very affronted. "I remember every one of the stories you've let me read! I love your stories!!" Then she smirked and said, "Just for that, I'm not going to draw that picture. I'll draw something else"

And this is what she drew...

( Clicky to see what she drew! )

Already chanteur_dombre has fallen under my chocolate chip cookie spell!!

WHO WILL BE NEXT?? The world, it shall be mine, MINE, MINE!!!!


MUAAAA-HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA....

The Impertinent Daughter has gone with the Husbandly One to a referee clinic in San Marcos today. She is officially old enough now to serve as a referee for the U6, U8, U10, and U12 groups, and even up to U18 (but for now, we'll stick to the younger leagues). Since she's trying out for her school's soccer team this spring, she's decided not to play rec-league soccer, so, she'll referee instead. This should be fun, especially with the U6 group. The youngest group plays three on three, with no goalies, and no score is kept, but it's so much fun to watch! Mostly because at that age level, it's all about getting them to run in the right direction, remember to actually kick the ball, and not get distracted by passing butterflies.

Sometimes, you end up with six little kids in a tangled circle, all of them kicking the ball at the same time, their little faces scrunched up with determination, and someone, usually the coaches, has to go in and rescue the ball by separating the players. Oh, that's right, the coaches are on the field, helping to direct the game. They can't kick the ball or touch it, they can only direct their players ("Keep kicking the ball! Keep kicking the ball! No, don't stop running, no, run and kick the ball, YES! There you go!!). It can be convulsively funny, and I can't tell you how many times I have had to hide my face in a jacket or a shirt to hide the fact that I was laughing myself silly!

I'm looking forward to watching Miss Priss trying to sort all this out. It should be interesting!

In the meantime, while they are off gallivanting through the FIFA rulebook, the Impossible Son and I will be having a special day all to ourselves. A "Mama and Impossible Son" day, if you will. He wants to go to China Palace for lunch, and then we will go see "Bolt," since he has been wanting to see that for some time now. The last time we had a day to ourselves like this, we went to see "Ratatouille" which was surprisingly good (I actually hadn't expected much from it). I am hoping "Bolt" will also surprise me in a good way. It's funny how something I'll anticipate as being good will suck, and something I'll wince at seeing, and have to be dragged to will actually turn out well.

After that, I guess we'll either go window shopping, or hit one of the parks, or some such. Hmmmm... a trip to the local state park (since we have free passes) for a bit of kid-sized hiking would probably not be a bad idea. Or maybe we'll get some ice cream. We both love ice cream.

Hee!

This, of course, is if I don't poop out on him (which is entirely possible). Guess I'll be ingesting mass quantities of caffeine so I can keep up with him!

Oh, and before I forget, happy birthday to [Bad username: tilla_tormentosa]! I hope it's a good one without too much drama!!