Well, it's certainly been an interesting month. First, Rita. The Dalai Lama was canceled, and we were heading out West for the family reunion anyway so Jim and I decided to leave on Thursday (not the best idea). After taping up windows, sandbagging doorways, gathering important papers and all the pictures I could find, and stuff for the reunion, we head out. We were taking TJ's car out of harms way so we were in two cars, and immediately got separated (he thinks it's my fault & I disagree). Much fun!!! We left before dawn and were stuck in the evacuation from hell. Five hours later, we met up in a Wal-Mart parking lot, used the bathroom, and discussed our options. Keep going or go home. We decided to keep going, thinking that it would be worse tomorrow, and we were still heading to the ranch anyway (again, not the best idea). We are leaving TJ, Brian & Shannen & Robin, Paul & Jennie & McKenna, who are either going to ride it out at home (Brian & co.) or are boarding up and securing businesses, offices and homes before leaving for the farm (TJ, Paul & co). This just feels wrong!!! The stress level was unreal. I felt claustrophobic for the first time in my life. I mean the sky is wide open and everything, but you can't move!! People had their doors and windows open and were breathing in the fumes, and the HEAT!! At one point my thermometer said 117!!! I was very lucky. I kept my ac on low, not enough to keep cool, but at least it filtered the fumes, and I didn't have any children, elderly, or animals in the car with me. I felt soooo bad for the people around me. There were babies & kids stuck in car seats, until finally parents gave up on that. One young man was in a pickup truck with a baby about a year old. What do you do with a baby in a truck for that long??? When they finally got the lanes turned around on I10 it really didn't do us any good because they opened them behind us, we were still stuck. We went 47 miles in 131/2 hours. We made San Antonio in 19 hours. We got gas (again, very blessed, we could have gone all the way to Kerrville but we just needed to stop and eat and STAND UP!!!) I was very pleased with my car. All those hours of idling, and I could run the ac, didn't over heat or run out of gas. Good job, Alford. Anyway, we took the Anderson loop around San Antonio and apparently the crowd didn't know about it cause we were the only ones who got off I10. Drove down a ways and stopped at a gas station that was not even crowded. All the way on 10, every gas station stop was either out of gas or backed up, literally, for miles. On the other side of San Antonio, it was very weird. We saw like 3 cars all the way to Kerrville. It was like "Where did everybody go?" Like in those movies, when you are the only one left on empty streets. Spent what was left of the night in Kerrville with a friend, and left TJ's car with her. Anyway, to sum up, this was a very stressful experience. Trying to make the house ready and gather up what you want or will need from your whole life, LEAVING LOVED ONES BEHIND, being stuck on the highway. It was exhausting, physically, mentally and emotionally. I hope this is a once in a life time experience for me. Once will do nicely, no need to repeat this.
After that beginning, the rest of the trip was a piece of cake. We drove on to the ranch on Friday. Spent some time resting and preparing for the reunion. We had a great time. It was the first one we have had just for my parents offspring. Well, sort of, we had some kissing cousins and some friends show up too. That made it even better. There were 45 of us in all. We had a washer pitching contest, horseshoe contest, bonfire, fire spinning, tons of food and beer and good company. Jimmy was the only baby for a while, until two others showed up on Saturday and took some of the pressure off him. He handled all the attention, hugs, kisses and loving with great patience. I really think he loved it all. He's such a good baby with the sweetest disposition. And then, all too soon, it was time to say goodbye. I took Shaun, Tiff & Jimmy to El Paso to catch their flight home. It just gets harder every time.
Jim & I, Bill Edd & Judy& Curtis stayed a little longer. It was a really nice visit, and we could get things cleaned up, taken down, returned or put away etc. Then we headed home two weeks after we left. Very different trip. We stayed in Ozona and it was COLD!!! We had 2 or 3 days of fall weather. I like it. The heat seems to wear you down and then the first cool weather just refreshes you all over again.
Well I think that catches us up. We are home and Jim has started his next project. I am just trying to catch up on maintance and he is launching new remodeling projects. Our energies do not match, and that's a good thing. If we were both on my energy level, nothing would ever get done. Sorry I rambled on so, but there was a lot to vent. :)
