One last recap for our Texas time. A quick trip to Auburn let us share in the celebration of a huge milestone. Congratulations Molly as you head out on your new career. We are very proud. It was a great couple days with family too.
Pruning and weedying and mowing as we clear fence rows. Mowing, with push mower and bit of bushhog (it is really wet and this black gumbo gets sticky and messy). Scrubbing! We are getting ready to paint so it was scrub brush, bleach and lots of elbow grease to prepare all sides of 360 feet of board fence and all of the house siding. The arrival of sunset was usually accompanied with the arrival of shoulder aches. We got a lot accomplished plus had a bit of time to visit and catch up with Brian and Johnna. I have a feeling they will be relieved to get back to work! We are heading back to Aransas for a couple weeks.
We spent a couple days in Houston. Brian had a concert with the Houston Civic Symphony so took the weekend to hear that and to catch up a bit. All is well there. It was a good visit.
During our final few days in Rosenberg it rained and rained and rained. Water puddled everywhere as it lay on the sticky clay soil like a moat around the motorhome. Sunday when we began gathering up to head on, the puddles had subsided but all was still mushy and our tires were sunk pretty deep. It didn’t look good. We jacked up the rig with the leveling jacks and inserted boards under all the wheels. First try, it spit the boards out. Second try, a bit of burning rubber. Third try, we are out! we got the entire rig out onto high ground without even needing to resort to the backup, pulling it out with a tractor. We spent the night parked in the driveway and departed for Aransas NWR the following morning right on schedule.
My Birthday wish, music for Brian, Mike, Lynn and I to play together. Mike delivered a wonderfully fun arrangement based on familiar movie themes. So, as a special birthday gift the “Sayre Family Players” performed that arrangement as well as well as some Christmas classics. Lynn played flute, Brian his Double bass (some tuba and percussion parts), I played trumpet and Mike his French Horn in addition to arrangement of the piece. It was a blast! Feeling really blessed!
Brian and Johnna graciously hosted. Tracy and Mike flew in. We took advantage of a level spot out front of their house for a few days then we all headed to Brazos Bend State Park for a bit of quality outdoor time. Great family time. Fantastic food. Favorite Christmas cookies. Smores and campfire pies. Gator encounters. It was a bit chilly and we even had some rain; still a wonderful time.
The final highlight, a tour through Zoolights….. including a Snow Globe proposal. On one knee and everything, enchanting. Welcome to the family, Johnna.
We are hanging out at Mom’s for a few weeks. It is always fun to reminisce and just laze. I’m trying a few new recipes and a few old family recipes. The favorite so far….cinnamon rolls based on grandma’s roll recipe.
Christmas decorations are up; including Mom’s banders….soldiers that play carols on bells. It looks and sounds pretty festive around here.
We made it to Bob Evans. Kent says it’s been two years! No wonder he was having biscuit withdrawal.
We are enjoying visiting Bob and Lou Ann’s new puppy. 
She is lovey, full of energy and so very cute. It’s perfect, we visit and play then head home leaving Bob and LouAnn to deal with the chewing, puddling and puppy sibling refereeing.
Delectable caramel bonbon pancakes at IHOP. A beautiful drive through the Superstitious Mountains. A fun bottle of Alaska Blueberry wine. Birthday wishes from all around (I love you all). 58…..it was another good year.
I sold the Miata today. Being practical sucks! I hope it finds a good, loving home!
Give credit where credit is due. Kent is an angel for all the hours he spends behind the wheel. I drove today (yes, because I haven’t brought myself to actually sell the Miata yet and there isn’t room for the Focus in the trailer too). 388 miles. Just under 8 hours. My hips are killing me, even in the roomier new car. The first couple hundred miles was in TX hill country so driving was a bit interesting and the scenery beautiful. We are hitting western TX desert now…a bit less beautiful once you roll though a couple hundred miles or so.
Kent, officially and publicly, “Thank you” for making all our trekking possible.