Vacation is Good

July 24, 2009

Ours is just a “mini-vacation” — a trip to the Capitol of the Lone Star State. We dashed down to Austin for an overnight trip to break the monotony of two weeks of working on our house and yard. Everybody needs a break from drudgery now and then so they can maintain an optimistic outlook [...]

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Who Was Mother Neff, And Why Does She Get A State Park?

May 30, 2009

I’ve often seen the road sign pointing to Mother Neff State Park as I drove on Interstate 35 south of Waco, Texas. Being curious, I’ve always wondered, “Who the heck is Mother Neff? Why does she get a park named for her?” I always meant to stop for a few minutes and see if I [...]

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What’s A Baseball Player Got To Do With It? Part II

July 29, 2008

Yesterday, I told you that my husband’s Aunt Cleo wrote on the Christmas card this year. She said: “Shelly, I’m sorry I never got to meet you.” What? I read the Christmas letter she had enclosed, and it shook me to my core. My heart went numb. Did I mention that there is a baseball [...]

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What’s A Baseball Player Got To Do With It? Part I

July 28, 2008

Our vacation this year to South Carolina was precipitated by a Christmas letter. It was tucked inside the card from my husband’s favorite aunt. I had never had the opportunity to visit with Eric’s Aunt Cleo except by telephone. I was enchanted by her Southern drawl and her easy laughter. Have you ever talked to [...]

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Historic Savannah, THE Most Elegant City

July 23, 2008

When General Sherman marched the Union Army across the South, the soldiers burned every Southern City in their path (hoping to end the Civil War). Every city, that is, except Savannah, Georgia. Residents of Savannah proudly proclaim that their Southern Hospitality so charmed General Sherman that it stayed his hand and he spared their fair [...]

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Bulldog “Ghost Tours” Bite!

July 22, 2008

Come explore The Holy City’s streets, cemeteries, back alleyways, churches, and join our experienced and fully-licensed tour guides on a 1 1/2 hour walking tour through the dark edges of Charleston’s Haunted Historic District. You’ll hear fun and chilling stories of Charleston ghosts, haunted houses, voodoo, and Lowcountry superstitions. This is the only Charleston SC [...]

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Thursday Thirteen #43. Summer Plans

June 18, 2008

In just a few short weeks, a year long project will be over for me. We are delivering all those lovely afghans I have been yammering about to the kids at Camp Sanguinity. Click on the Flickr badge on the sidebar to see 140 of them! As soon as all those boxes are out of [...]

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Dreaded Vacation Pictures

December 20, 2007

Don’t y’all just hate it when you go to visit at someone’s house and they pull out the Dreaded Vacation Pictures? No they didn’t dread the vacation; YOU dread having to sit there with an artificial grin plastered on your face while they show you pictures that bore… you… to… tears. Well, the good thing [...]

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San Francisco 101

December 19, 2007

Have y’all ever been to San Francisco? I believe I’ve told you that it’s just about my favorite place to visit. In fact, I want to live there. I will, just as soon as my Google ads start to pay off for me (or when I win the lottery—which will probably happen sooner!). We just [...]

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Only The Good– A “Sinking” Feeling

October 25, 2007

I can laugh about it now. But, when we walked into our room at the Mendocino Hotel, I was not amused! This was the extent of my “bathroom.” The toilets and showers were down the hall! People, people, people! Do I look like the kind of person who would be OK with sharing bathrooms? If [...]

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Contrasts

October 24, 2007

San Francisco is a city that literally throbs. When you come from a small town it is almost sensory overload to visit here. Why do I love it so much? I’m not exactly sure. I’m claustrophobic, so you would think that this town teeming with people would drive me over the edge, but I thrive [...]

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Wish You Were Here

October 19, 2007

All my bags weren’t packed, I wasn’t ready to go. But I had to get myself packed. Wednesday was a whirlwind of activity, as we prepared to travel to The City. That would be San Francisco. When I come to this vibrant place to visit my son, I feel like I’m in my element. I [...]

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Zany Hotel in San Francisco

January 28, 2007

I realize that using the words “zany” and “San Francisco” in the same sentence may seem as if I am being redundant and repeating myself, also, too, as well. The City is a rather crazy place, which makes it my kind of town. We often book our airline flights and hotels on Travelocity. Last summer [...]

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Haunted Eureka

January 5, 2007

Yesterday I wrote that my husband and I chose to stay at The Crescent Hotel when we went to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a visit. I said that we wanted local flavor and didn’t want the intimacy of a bed and breakfast. I lied. We stayed at The Crescent, because it’s haunted. I confess that [...]

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Eureka!…Eureka Springs, that is.

January 4, 2007

I’m looking out the window at a bleak Texas day. The sky is curdled and gray, the grass is wheat colored, and even the squirrels are hiding in their nests. It’s hard to believe that Spring Break is around the corner. At least it is for planning a vacation. I have no idea what we [...]

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