Living on Texas Time

Thursday, March 15 - So I did make a “get away” trip. There I was in Wylie, Texas visiting my brother-in-law’s family, doing some sightseeing and successfully unwinding.

I traveled with sister-in-law Lois to visit Greg and Bev's family, and to accompany my mother-in-law Margaret back to Maine after her annual extended visit with her son’s family. My coming along was a complete surprise here so that was a fun time being the unexpected visitor. While Lois is stayed at Greg’s I’m hung my hat at a nearby Best Western Hotel about a mile and half away.

We flew out for Dallas, Texas bright and early that Thursday morning on US Airways changing planes in Philadelphia. It was a great trip, on-time, no problems, grabbed a rental car, hooked up the Garmin and took off for Wylie. Bev was in the front yard when we arrived at first wondering who was in the driver’s seat. She quickly realized who it was and I received a warm welcome and we went inside with Lois in the lead and greeted her mother. A few moments later I traipse in and a look of momentary incomprehension graces her face before grasping who she was seeing so unexpectedly. I got a big hug then she asked if Carol had come along, so we explained she had to stay home to work.

After a quick lunch the four of us loaded up in the car to visit a coffee shop and pick up some grocery items. Once we returned John, Greg and Bev’s college student son was home so there was another surprised member of the family – a little while later after I had left and returned from checking in at the hotel, daughter Lena and husband Jim arrived for supper, a couple more surprised family members and finally Greg made it home with a “what the” look and the total surprise was complete.

This folks is a Bacon & Maple cupcake. See, bacon does go with anything.

Friday – I started the day on my own and hit up a couple of used book stores, Second Hand Books and Book n’ Stuff, both in Garland. Across from BnS was a place called “Generator Bakery & Coffee House”, just what the doctor ordered. One dark roast and a frosted blueberry scone in hand I was sitting out front and doing some of the “taken it easy” stuff.




In the afternoon Lois, Greg and I drove north to Farmersville and wandered through a few antique shops then popped into Dadio O’s a 50s style diner where we indulged in pie (coconut cream) and coffee, thumbs up. That evening Greg and I took a commuter train from Garland into Dallas to watch the Dallas Stars NHL hockey team play the Chicago Blackhawks who unfortunately crushed the Stars. We left a we-bit early for that reason.

No bacon but a little coconut goes a long ways.

Saturday, St Patrick’s Day – We all made an early start back to Dallas as Greg and Lena were running in the St Patrick’s Day Road Race, after which we watched the St Patrick’s Day Parade, very good time indeed. I myself consumed a couple bottles of Guinness, a black lager chased by a stout. Before the Parade started we had visited a nearby café that was part of a grocery store where we had coffee and snacks and some of us were able to try some sushi samples. There’s more to all that but added up to a good time, and then it was back to Wylie to recover for the afternoon.

Who knew Caption Jack Sparrow was Irish?!? Maybe not but this impersonator had the character right down to the voice and swagger/stagger.

Greg and I checking out my parade refreshments.

Next up Bev, Margaret and Lois were attending a church service in Rockwall so I chauffeured them then visited “The Harbor”, an area with access to Hubbard Lake, shops and restaurants. Very nice place with walkways, pools, waterfalls, fountains and music.



While we were away Greg was putting together a surprise “early” 60th birthday dinner for Lois with pizza, cake and ice cream. I was wondering how much weight I’d put on. Was not checking until I got home though Sunday’s activity must have off set it some…


Sunday – Greg, Margaret and Lois took an overnight trip to Marshall and Shreveport, while I drove to Downtown Dallas to do some exploring on my own. I walked from a parking lot on Elm Street to Pioneer Park, to City Hall, the Art District, Victory Park then zigzagged my way back to the parking lot snapping pictures all along. I estimate about 6 miles traveled by foot on concrete and pavement in approximately 5 hours. Being Sunday there was hardly anyone about with as much vehicle travel to match until midafternoon as people started coming into the area for the restaurants and a several other activities. Once I returned I stopped in to have a bite to eat with Bev then returned to the hotel to begin the process of breaking down the pictures and videos for blogging, YouTube and Facebook.

Some photos of Downtown Dallas

Pioneer Park - Cattle Drive exhibit

City Hall plaza

Public Library

Thanksgiving Tower

Arts District

Taking a load off.

Monday – more of the same that I did the evening before. I returned to BnS and picked up seven more books, stopped at couple of stores on the way back. Leaving to come home Tuesday but… severe weather came this way for overnight into and through Tuesday. Heavy thunderstorms came through with tornado warnings. A good old snowstorm started to sound pretty good about then! Still hadn’t started by the time I arrived at Greg and Bev’s for supper. Only Lena and Margaret were there but shortly after Bev and Lois returned from a trip to the grocery store Lena received a call from her husband that he’d been in a car accident so I drove her to the scene where he was being treated for some abrasions and accident reports were being made by a local law enforcement officer. Jim’s truck was totaled and he was fortunate to walk away with only a deep laceration on an elbow. After everything was dealt with we drove to an Urgent Care center in a nearby town and Jim had treatment there, cleaned out the wound and stitches. By then it was dark out and finally the rain came down in torrents accompanied by plenty of lightening and some street flooding. I drove them home where we unloaded everything that had been salvaged from the truck then struck off back to G & B’s for a late supper, which was quite good. We went over the evening’s event then it was back to the hotel to pack for departure.

Tuesday – Rush hour traffic trip to the airport in what was still heavy rain. By the time we got to Dallas it had stopped raining and the sun had come out. Our flight had only been delayed by about a half an hour and we arrived in Philadelphia just about on the original schedule. Another good flight to get us to home base where Carol was there to meet me as was Lois’ husband Jim. For a short vacation I think it was a pretty good one. Oh, I checked the scale the next morning, barely a pound did I gain.