We now stay with Alan's grandmother when we visit home. We would stay with his parents, as we have in the past, except one of their boxers, 110-pound Rocky, suddenly decided one day that 28-pound Kritter was his arch enemy. As they'd happily shared a bed the night before, we're still not sure what offense Kritter committed, but it may have involved getting in Rocky's way while barking at the mailman. The new arrangement works out quite well for the pugs, though, as Alan's grandmother is a masseuse. Kritter, in an amazing coincidencee, is a willing massage recipient. Gizmo will sometimes hop up for a quick rub, but if he happens to turn around, he instantly forgets who Grandmother is and quickly vacates the lap. It's ok the moe rides the short bus; we still love him!Alan's mom has a wonderful philosophy about Christmas gifts: buy things the recipient would consider too indulgent or expensive to buy for themselves. If money were distributed based on who would be the most generous with it, she would be filthy rich. I've been blessed to know several such generous people, some with money and some without, and I pray to mirror them more closely.
However, although she spoiled me, I think Alan's mom secretly harbors a desire to drive me totally insane. Here's my proof: She gave my slightly pyromaniac, mischievous, able-to-turn-into-a-five-year-old at a moment's notice husband a creme brule kit, which includes a small, but powerful, culinary butane torch! This has already proved to be a BAD IDEA! Alan has since been "testing" it on anything he can find. The torch got reposessed Tuesday night after some napkins mysteriously were singed during a late supper at Dairy Queen. Granted, I'm pretty sure his brother, Kyle, actually was the culprit, but that's not to say Alan wouldn't have done it if he'd thought of it first! His mom should have kept it, because there's three pieces of burned toast on my stove right now, and that's probably just what he forgot to hide from me!
Wondering what I married into? Tip of the iceberg!
Before we began the drive back to the coast Tuesday, we met some of his family for lunch at the best place for Mexican food, bar none: Rosas Cafe. I have serious queso withdrawal since we moved away from these restaurants. We sat on the patio with the pugs. I'm savoring my last chips and queso for what could be months when my eyes begin to burn and there's some commotion down the table. Alan's cousin and brother had apparently been having some kind of discussion involving pepper spray, because she wipped hers out and shot a little toward the ground. The stuff has quite a range! She said she "just wanted to spray it because I never have." Family love!
These are Alan's parent's boxers, Rocky and Hazel. These dogs were my introduction to pets, because all I had when I was growing up were some turtles in the backyard. Before we were married, whenever I'd stay with Alan's family, I got the "playroom," a.k.a. the dog's room. There, I was extremely lucky if I got a third of the bed. Hazel curls up into a little ball, but Rocky (about 110 lbs.) is an old man, so he sleeps where he dang well pleases. The boxers taught me that dog hair in the sheets just makes the bed softer!It was the middle of the day when we started the drive back, so I decided to take some shots from the highway near Odessa. These help explain the culture shock we experienced upon moving to the coast!
This is a pumpjack - it pulls oil out of the ground. Those sticks in the foreground are mesquite trees. Growing up, I never knew why they called them trees, but when I went away to college I discovered that in some places they grew higher than your waist!
A windmill and more mesquite.
This is a "mountain." These begin about two hours away from Odessa.
Further east, the mesquites are tall. I'm assuming they are mesquites at least - we weren't far enough east for there to be anything else!
Sunset.
We had to stop at Cooper's in Llano - yummy BBQ and really good cobbler!*A sure sign of marital health is if the couple can take any car trip involving the use of a map and still be able to say they enjoyed one another's company. We took turns driving and sleeping on the way there, but on the way back we talked the entire time. It's reassuring that after six years (41/2 dating and 11/2 married), we don't get bored with each other. Annoyed at times, yes, bored, no!
** If you saw or read "Friday Night Lights," you are somewhat familiar with Odessa. Although the events in the book and movie occurred when I was just entering elementary school — and therefore my memory may not be the best — I must protest that my hometown is not nearly so hick-ish as we were portrayed. Yes, we have mesquite and pump jacks and we say "y'all," but we also have a symphony orchestra, museums, theatres and lots of that art crap. And no, I did not "grow up around animals," I am not "from the country" and the only times I've ever ridden a horse has been on vacation. Yes, the town is football nuts and you might see a tumbleweed around the edges of town, but it's home and I like it dangit!
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