For Family, We Give Thanks

We can't think about Thanksgiving and not think about the number one thing that makes our lives rich, family. The words here cannot convey the love we feel when our family gathers for celebrations, in times of crisis and when it is time to say good-bye.

After battling cancer for the past year and a half, ABN's brother passed away Sunday evening. We were able to be with him for a few hours Sunday afternoon. When we entered his home we were greeted with tears and hugs from his wife, seven children and their spouses, most of his 14 grandchildren and some of his great-grandchildren. This is a blended family but not a typical blended family. As these seven children were growing up, it was kind of like the Brady Bunch. Now that they are married with children, it is more like a cult. If you didn't know the family it would be hard to distinguish who is a cousin, who is a sibling, and sometimes who is a parent and who is an aunt or uncle. It is a true example of it takes a village (or in this case a family.) We have never heard the word step-parent or step-anything used to describe a member.

So, how does this blended family enrich our lives? If you have to ask, you have not been a recipient of one of their magnificent hugs! You have not ever said "I need you to come and.....whatever the need might be. You have never attended the famous fish fry or a family reunion at my brother's home. You have never heard them say "I love you" and know they mean it. We feel fortunate that 39 years ago Mary and Ray decided to blend their families and found the secret to family harmony. My brother and his wife have left a legacy of family closeness that will no doubt transcend generations.

Family does not necessarily mean related by blood. Living in a town hundreds of miles from our nearest relatives, we are still part of a family. Around 20 years ago, Captain moved to our town and started attending church. The church had a shepherd program where members adopted the new folks in the congregation, helping them blend into the fold. Captain became fast friends with his shepherds,

who at a later date adopted ABN. For 20 years we have been a part of this family, sharing holidays, a grief journey, celebrations, disappointments and MANY meals. We love our local family every bit as much as our blood family. On this Thanksgiving Day, we will be celebrating our shepherd Jean's 80th birthday in her daughter's home with the entire family.

As we gather around the table today, we will give thanks for family.

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We are home!

After 12 weeks away from home, 14 states, 6078 miles, 5 presidential libraries/museums, 32 wineries, 4 football games, and 9 Walmart parking lot stays, we have returned!

Our souls have truly been fed with time spent with family and old friends as well with the making new friends. Whether it is sharing Tipsy Tuesday, hanging out with "the book club" at Carney’s, meeting former classmates for coffee, playing dominoes with family or connecting with other travelers, it’s the folks that make our travels truly rich. And it’s not only on the road.

Arriving home we found our front lawn looking neat with the leaves raked and a dozen farm fresh eggs in the fridge (thank you neighbors!) While unloading The Wanderer, our dear friend, Jean pulls up with dinner ready to put in the oven! Indeed, it is the people in our lives that make our lives rich.

So, what else did we find when we arrived home?

3 months of mail neatly sorted and stacked (thank you, Mark.)

A patio full of leaves waiting to be shredded for mulch. 

And a water leak in the basement. Fortunately the water was turned off and we found the problem as soon as the water was turned on. It was a minor problem that Captain was able to fix, so no damage or huge plumbing bill.

We are totally enamored with The Wanderer! She has been quite the lady providing us comfort and flexibility as we explore this wonderful country of ours. We will give her a brief rest before heading out again.

 A huge thank you to our good friends and neighbors, Barbara and Mark, for keeping watch over our home while we were away.

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Homeward Bound

We are packed, good-byes said and The Wanderer is pointed toward home.  With a couple of stops along the way, we hope to be home sometime on Friday.

Wandering in Texas Hill Country

HR has worked really hard on his to do list and earned a few days off (Thank you, Miss Laverne.) We were delighted when our friends (and fellow RVers), Lisa and Scott, invited us to share some of their favorite spots in Texas Hill Country.

Caravanning from College Station, first stop was in Gruene for lunch at Gristmill River Restaurant and a little shopping at the cute little shops.

We couldn’t leave without stopping in at Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas. Known throughout the world as a great music venue, it has been instrumental in starting the careers of Lyle Lovett, George Strait, Hal Ketchum and many others. Over the years it has hosted the likes of Bo Diddley, The Dixie Chicks, Jerry Lee Lewis, Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson. It continues to provide live music every day (but not midday on a Monday.)

Next stop, The Apple Store for coffee and apple strudel. Since we are loving the idea of exploring the huge state of Texas, we picked up a guide book.

Wandering further west, skirting the southern edge of the Austin area, through New Braunfels, we parked The Wanderer at Lost Maples State Natural Area near Vanderpool, TX. This particular park was chosen for the fall color. (Yes, there is fall color in Texas if one knows where to look.)

Let's be fair here, even though it is November, the temperature hasn't been cool enough for the maples to turn red and bright yellow. We understand it will be a spectacular site in another week or so.

Even without the colors, it is a lovely park. We enjoyed hiking a somewhat strenuous 5-mile hike with Lisa, Scott, Izzie and Ozzie.  

Always the nurse, ABN referred to the hike as a cardiac stress test and was happy we all the passed, especially since there was mostly no cell service.

Due to drought there is a no burn order in effect; the brilliant star-studded sky made up for the lack of a campfire. It was a grand time sitting around sipping wine and telling stories. How refreshing to hear new stories! No offense to those dear friends with whom we have sat around campfires and on the porch at home, telling (and embellishing) the same stories year after year. While in Texas, we have learned the polite way to say '''I have heard that story" is to raise your hand. We will be honest here, in the short time we have been with friends in College Station the hand has gone up a few times. So there you go.

A great break; now back in College Station to finish work on the to-do list.

One last game this weekend before heading home. The Aggies barely scraped past South Carolina last week; where was the defense? Let’s hope both teams show up for the showdown with Auburn. Gig’em Aggies!

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