Spring 2015 - Vicki's Visit

The first part of this post isn't going to have many photographs as there was rain, rain and more rain - or overcast, cloudy, dreary.  You all know what that looks like.

So, Vicki arrived on Wednesday, March 18 at around 4 p.m.  We went directly home, had dinner, watched a little TV and went to bed.

On Thursday, we went to Willow Bend Shopping Mall and did some shopping, grabbed a dog at Sonic and went home. Had dinner, watched some TV and went to bed.

On Friday, we went to NorthPark Mall and saw The 2nd Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which was great, and grabbed a quick bite at Corner Bakery.  Did a little shopping and went home. Had dinner, watched some TV and went to bed.

On Saturday, it was Stonebriar Mall's turn.  After a salad at California Pizza Kitchen, we saw Still Alice at the AMC Stonebriar and while the film was very good, the sound from Cinderella playing in the adjacent theatre was very annoying.  We should have complained but were in a hurry to get home to have dinner, watch some TV and go to bed.

On Sunday, we did a lot of gardening - we planted ourselves in our chairs and watched a movie or two and did little else. ;0)  Had dinner and went to bed.

We are Two Wild and Crazy Old Broads!

Monday, the 23rd, we went to Collin Creek Mall which was a new experience.  It's pretty obvious not too many people go there - a herd of Buffalo could roam there undetected.  We just ran to Land's End in Sears and headed out.  While there, I called Play It Again Sports, where I'd taken my LeMond Recumbent Stationary Bike for consignment, to see how it was going.  IT SOLD - in about an hour.  So, we went there to pick up my check.  WOO HOO.  Thank you CINDI EADES for telling me about this place.  I got more than what I'd priced it at the Strasburger Bulletin Board, and more than on Craig's List.  So if anyone needs new or used exercise or sports equipment go there!

Then we stopped at Sam's and filled up the back of my car with water, strawberries and a few other items.  Then home for dinner, a little TV and bed.  Gosh we're exciting.

On Tuesday morning, we headed west to Fort Worth to get together with The Gallos.  One little glitch along the way:  as soon as we got on the PGBT, my car started making a very loud noise.  I thought I'd run over something and Vicki thought the car was being pelted by very large acorns.  After pulling off the PGBT into a church parking lot, we checked under the car and then on top.  It was determined that the weather stripping at the stop of the windshield had come loose in the middle.  WOW!!  What a noise for such a small and fixable problem.  But very scary.  I should be noted that two men were nearby and neither of them offered any assistance at all.

So, back on the highway to Fort Worth.  Our cousin, Stephen Gallo and his wife, Gretchen, moved to Burleson, south of Fort Worth, in October.  He retired from the Lutheran ministry recently posted in Moline, Illinois.  He and I have spoken a few times in the last few months but due to a trip to Iowa for Jay's dad's funeral, Christmas, Jay's hospitalization and recovery, we've not been able to get together until now.  And since Vicki was here now, it works out really well.  After all, I've not seen him since 1955 but Vicki connected with him when he was assigned to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Garfield, NJ where she lived in the early 80's.

In any case, we met at The Original and had a terrific time catching up after all these years.

Here we are, left to right:  Vicki, Gretchen, Stephen and Moi.

After a yummy lunch, we walked around the corner to the Bluebonnet Bakery, which has been a Fort Worth staple for over 80 years.  However, it used to be in a storefront on Camp Bowie until a few years ago.  It seems "they" [developers] were going to tear down this beautiful church and BB decided they'd move their facility to the church and keep it pretty much in tact.  They've kept the stained glass windows and re-purposed the pews into booths for the luncheon area.  I LOVE Fort Worth for doing things like this.

 The "pull apart" has been part of our lives for a VERY long time, so I bought one to bring back to Dallas and one to give to Gretchen and Stephen.  If you're ever in the Arlington Heights Area of Fort Worth check out this place.  It's great.

We hated to leave but Vicki and I wanted to get back to Dallas ahead of the rush hour traffic.  So, after promises to get together again before another 60 years, we hugged and set off on our travels back to Dallas.

Since I've been on a NO COOKING binge, we ran around the corner to Liberty Burger - good burgers.  I had a Napa with arugula, gorgonzola, olives and it was great!  Vicki and Jay each had the Liberty Burger to their liking.  Then home, a little TV and bed.

On Wednesday, we went to South Lake.  I'd never been and we decided to check out the much-touted South Lake Center.  Well, it's terrific!!!  And it's GIGANTIC!!!  Anything and everything you think you might want or never thought you'd want is there.  We saw about 20% of the area and plan to go back again, either next week or next year.  GREAT area.  We had a terrific lunch at Brio - steak salad for me and grilled salmon salad for Vicki.  Put a lot of steps on my FitBit.

Then we drove over to Grapevine Mills Mall and hit the Chico outlet where we dropped a little cash but got a lot of stuff.

Then back to Dallas.  Vicki took Jay and me to Royal China for dinner - one of our favorite places, and touted as Best Asian in Dallas for several years.  We had a nice meal and then headed home before the alleged storms roll in.  A little TV, maybe strawberries and waffles, and bed.  ;0)

Thursday, we set out to do some shopping. I know - quite a shock!! While we were having a bite to eat at The Galleria, JO [Jay's cousin in Iowa] called and said he wanted to close on Jay's dad's house in Bettendorf and needed some things printed and signed and sent back to him or Martha ASAP.  Since I'm Jay's Official Secretary/Tech Professional/All Around HelpMate, we came home to an empty house.  However, I printed what needed to be printed and while doing so, Jay returned, signed and I scanned and sent back to Iowa.  House closed!!!

So back to shopping.  We were to meet Steve at Chino Chinatown at 6 but we got there early [of course].  Took a shot of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge over which Steve walked from his office downtown.

And what a wonderful meal we had!!!  Roasted corn with good stuff on it; edamame egg rolls; duck fried yucca - all of which were great "starters."  Entrees we shared were drunken noodles, duck fried rice with duck breast and short ribs.  For dessert, we shared pina colada cake - YUMMO!! Sure will go back there.  Absolutely wonderful.

On Friday, we got up not so bright an early so as to avoid the Dallas rush-hour traffic, and headed
south to New Braunfels.  We stopped at our favorite breakfast place in West.  No, not the Czech  House, but the cafe in The Auction Barn on the west side of I35.  Since it was Friday and there's always a cattle auction on Thursday evening, the aromas in the parking lot were quite pungent!  Here are a few leftovers from Thursday night:

Despite the warnings about the closed road on I35 due to a bridge which was hit by a semi, we had no issues at all.  The new 'loop' around Austin was boring but sure did eliminate the usual Austin/I35 traffic snarl.

We checked into our hotel, rested a bit and then headed west to White Water Amphitheater where were had tickets to see Willie and Merle.  What a nice venue!  Vicki bought the tickets months ago and this was her 5th time to see Willie - my first.  While standing in line, we met two women, one of whom grew up across the street from our cousin Gloria and her husband, Ted, in Seal Beach, California.  She called her dad, who roared with laughter.  I tried to call Gloria but just got her answering device.  SMALL WORLD!!!!

Once inside the gates, we grabbed some BBQ and then headed to a spot.  Only VIPs had seats but we lucked out as we were right behind some folks at the fence right next to the VIP area.  During the performance, a lady at the fence was about to pass out and her husband took her out of there, so we got the fence!!  We met some more really nice folks near the fence and they protected us and thought we were "the cutest things" - two old ladies rocking to Willie and Merle!!!

Two of Willie's daughters sang a few songs, then a kid about 12 or 13 sang a couple of songs.  Then, Merle came out and performed for a while at the end of which Willie joined him and they sang together [wonderfully] until intermission.  Then Willie did the rest of the show.  It was absolutely wonderful and an evening I'll not soon forget.  Here are a few shots:

Sorry the photos are so dark - I did the best I could under the circumstances.

On Saturday, after a quick breakfast at the hotel, we headed out.  We stopped at Bucee's which is an absolutely amazing place.  There must have been no less than 100 gasoline tanks, and the "store" was HUGE.  We spent a little time there just looking at "stuff" that travelers NEED.  After that, we headed to San Marcos and hit the outlet malls.  Each of us bought a few things and then headed to the northside of Austin to check into our hotel.  Nephew Dan works for Marriott and got us a "deal" at the Fairfield.  Quick dinner at Chili's and early to bed.  I might add that taking I35 through Austin is still the pain in the tail that it has always been, but we'd thought about going into downtown.  That thought was abandoned as SXSW had been there the week before and exit ramps were still closed.  There was also some sort of rodeo or fair going on there which, in normal circumstances, could explain the horrible traffic.  But not in Austin - it's always miserable.

On Sunday after a quick breakfast, we headed north.  We stopped to take photos of the gorgeous blue bonnets all in bloom.

They were all over the place but as we drove north, they'd not bloomed yet.

We took the Georgetown exit and ventured into town.  Unfortunately, nothing was open - Palm Sunday, I guess - so I snapped a few shots of buildings and we headed back to I35.

We'd not told Jay when we'd be home so we took our jolly good time.  However, it was absolutely mandatory that we stop in West at the Czech House and get a kolache or three!  I got TWO cream cheese apricot and while I shouldn't have had ANY, I could have eaten two more - SO GOOD.  Headed north again and before going home, we stopped at Central Market for a few things before heading home to dinner, a little TV and bed.

On Monday, the 30th, Vicki and I did a few things around town and then that evening, Jay took us to Table 13 in Addison.  We'd been there for my birthday in February and liked it a lot, so decided to take Vicki there when she visited.  Jay's and my cocktails were perfection: his a Gimlet and mine a Manhattan, for which the bartender had won a prize - understandably.  Jay had a wedge salad and Vicki and I split a grilled romaine salad - a definite do again!  Jay and I each had filets and Vicki had the shrimp scampi - mac and cheese and grilled asparagus to share.  All got good ratings.

Tummies full, we headed home where Vicki and I played Heads Up.  I wish I could post the video of Vicki that I posted on Facebook - it was a riot.  We laughed until we cried!! We're sure Ellen DeGeneres [who 'invented' the game] saw it and is going to invite us on the show.  So much fun.  Here's a quick shot of us laughing together after a game:

On Tuesday, we met Mary Yates at Seasons 52 at NorthPark.  We had a lovely lunch and enjoyed each other's company.  Mary's expecting her second grandchild - Lyla - any day and couldn't be happier or more excited.  One photo below:

On the way to our car, Vicki decided she needed this little number which was on display at NorthPark.  Anyone who knows her, knows she loves colorful things.

Right after that, we ran into a few members of the Soccer Team from Argentina.  They were here for an international tournament.  Cute laddies!  They kept telling me to hurry as their coach was coming around the corner.

HUGE kuddos to Vicki for letting me take random photos of her.  She's THE BEST!!!

On Wednesday, we went to McKinney still on the search for "just one more mirror" for over the bathtub.  And I found an adorable one off the square at a little shop.

It now has a little ceramic frog resting on the ledge.  I'll post a photo of that after Jay and I hang another mirror on the other side.

We picked up the NECESSARY slices of pie [mine was an amazing blueberry and Vicki's was Lord of the Pies which is apple] from Emporium Pies to take home for dessert, then had lunch at Spoon.  Grilled Four Cheese for me and BLTA for Vicki.  We each shared half with the other's so we could enjoy both.  Both were very good.  Of course, no trip to McKinney would be complete without a stop at the quilting shop.  Then, we headed home, picking up BBQ for dinner.

On Thursday, I dragged Vicki out again to hunt for rugs for the bathroom.  She's such a trooper!  I didn't find exactly what I was looking for but I did find two little rugs that were inexpensive and will suffice for now.  Lunch at Chuy's was a huge success and Vicki bought us cute t-shirts to memorialize the day.  Dinner at home, a little TV and bed.

By Friday, we were both pretty tired - my back was screaming and Vicki was suffering the effects of the enormous amounts of pollen in the air.  I doctored us both and we didn't do much.  Dinner, TV and early to bed - but we still played Heads Up!

Now, Saturday was here and it was time to end this wonderful adventure with my wonderful sister!  I dropped her off at DFW and longed for the days before September 11th when I could have sat with her at the gate until her plane took off.

We're already making plans for her visit next year.

So that's it for Spring 2015!  Ciao!