White caps and temperatures in the 40s keep us off the lake today. We are both nursing colds so we take the day to nap, watch a lot of football, and enjoy strolls around camp. A pair of hooded mergansers and a ruby crowned kinglet add to the bird sightings on this little peninsula.
It is a little cool but the sun is brilliant and the wind waves tolerable. We are heading out onto the lake. The campground host claims locals fish for bass along the river channel just out from camp. We start there with night crawlers, nothing. OK, we switch to trolling and head up the Guadalupe River. It is a lovely trip with deer along the river banks and osprey above. An unusually pretty scavenger that is a south TX regular, a caracara, makes an appearance. Trolling isn’t very effective. We (I) have one catch, a smallish large mouth. Fishing isn’t the highlight of the day but time on the lake is wonderfully relaxing.
It is cool and misting rain. A couple breaks in the weather allowed for strolls around camp. Kestrel, Osprey and loons plus those crazy Egyptian Geese have been the most interesting birds so far. There are a few deer in the park too. Mostly we stayed inside and worked on planning. This darn federal government shutdown makes it difficult to visit our usual haunts. We are having to find more state and local parks. We need for them to wrap it up in the next week or we will miss out on Big Bend this time through. It isn’t looking good.
Weather isn’t ideal for boating so we are off to check out sights and tastes in New Braunfels and Gruene. Local’s recommended Krause’s Café (and Beer Garden) so we had to give it a try. Me, bratwurst with kraut and spicy mustard, slaw, all accompanied by an Austin eastcider dry hard cider. Kent, Vienna Schnitzel served with red cabbage plus some vegan lentil soup…the smell of cumin wafted my way reminding me of the delicious smells at the kid’s apartment. All was delicious. We saved dessert for the self-proclaimed “Oldest Continuously Operating Bakery in Texas”, Naegelin’s. The pastries were pretty good.
On to Gruene to wander the historic district and check out some of the many antique and what not shops. They lay claim to the oldest dance hall in Texas, Gruene Hall circa 1878. Locals talk big about this Saturday’s band “one of the best around, if you are into Texas Country”. We will probably pass but it sounds like it could be fun and probably pretty loud. The old mercantile is a great building too and filled with fun antique toys, housewares and about everything else. Spend a few hours strolling through town. There are lots of restaurants and you are bound to find something you just have to have. We found 34oz of real vanilla extract from Mexico for $6.95. Just to round out the day, we had ice cream! are
Today we are settling in at Cranes Mills Campground on Canyon Lake just north of San Antonio. Check out these weird geese that met us at our site. It is an exotic species referred to as an Egyptian Goose that people brought here for on their ponds. The sound of Canada Geese honking pales to the racket these guys make. No wonder people set them free! If the weather holds tomorrow is a lake day.
We will take every minute of it, any time. Brian and Johnna, Mike and Tracy: we are wonderfully blessed. Granddaughter Willa you are a bonus blessing.
One more travel leg for Brian, Johnna, Kent and I as we head back to Houston. The flight is uneventful and all is well at our respective homes. We will hang out here a few more days and find a couple excuses to get together with the kids before we set out on our 2019 travels.
One more celebration. Thanks a million for family that lets us crash with them. All the kids and Willa at Carol’s and Kent and I with Bob and Lou Ann. We eat well as always. Food ranges from vegan enchiladas and mushroom polenta to chili and traditional pork and kraut. Molly hosts as we try a Yankee Swap for the gift exchange this year. We have several interpretations of how it is exactly supposed to work; but, in the end it is fun for all. There is a surprise announcement, the family will be one larger next year. I leave that for the Mom-to-be to reveal to the public. The whole family is together at Bob and Lou Ann’s to toast in the New Year. That is my very favorite kind of New Years party!
A bit more City history. We join a Shop Life tour at the Tenement Museum. It is an engaging way to learn about the lives of early immigrants and the communities that formed, morphed and reformed through the years. We start in a German Saloon; how the business was run, what life was like for the owners, and the role this saloon played in the community. Other businesses include a kosher butcher shop, a lingerie shop and a wholesale business. We spend 1 ½ hours but could have spent a lot more time there. The only disappointment, we found out after we got there that they would not allow Willa into the museum. There is no real reason but they would not budge so she and Tracy had to cool their heels (at BIVE a Vegan ice cream parlor) the whole time.
Of course, we couldn’t leave BIVE without trying something. The flavors have odd names (it is the Lower east Side) but the dark chocolate peppermint one Kent and I share (Digestion) is creamy and delicious. I could have done without the chia seeds though. A berry version (Antioxidant) gets raves as well. Tracy tried a couple others while she waited but the rest of us passed on Calm, Recovery, Energy Boost, and Immune Booster. Next, Thai for supper. We are all very happy with our choices. The kids head out for a Manhattan nightcap while Nana, Grandpa, and Willa call it a night. It is an uneventful subway ride home where we hang out ‘til her folks get home. It was a perfect ending to the day for us.
We start the day with a waffle breakfast then circle around to open stocking gifts. Baby’s first Christmas, Willa enjoys the wrapping paper and packaging about as much as gifts. Fun stuff appears for all. Most precious? Some gawdy purple socks, but what’s that on them?
It is Willa’s face on those socks! Wonderful. Thank you, Mike and Tracy. The ornaments I made for the kids, including Willa’s first one, came out cute.
We close out Christmas day with Willa’s Pop-pop and Grandmama. Baby’s first Christmas, what’s not to love. q