Greetings, y'all! I am in San Angelo, Texas for a week visiting my parents. My sister is here, too, making this a rare occasion in which it doesn't run up a long distance bill to have a good family fight. Seriously, though, my mother is cooking and the house smells great.
It's a smallish town (we had to drive 2 hours from the airport to get to town), and there ain't much to do. Is there anybody out there?

I just found out one of my best childhood/teenage friends passed away on Christmas Day. I don't speak to her but about once or twice a year, but we always try to catch up. Died by herself in Austin of a diabetic fit, hopefully she was at peace. Be at peace, Catie-cat.

Sorry to hear that Betty.....
Try to have a better time in TX... as least find poor ole Messy Bonnie some new Western clothes.. the poor gal need a new (less stained) wardrobe!

Yes honey, we're here. It's just that Texas is so big. I'm in Austin, which isn't just across the river, although there are some who might try to compare the desolation of San Angelo to New Jersey. :-) Just kidding. BTW, what airport did you fly into?

I was so sorry to hear about your friend. :-(
If you come to Austin to say goodbye to your friend and need any help, let me know. You can access my e-mail address from my profile.

Hugs,

-- Tina

Thank you Anna and Tina for your kind words. It has been more relaxing here than I thought possible this past week.
My friends and I went to a western bar. This is no gimick. People were wearing cowboy boots and hats because they serve a purpose here. It was great. I two-stepped and they served 25 cent tap beer, Coors and Bud, thanks very much, in pint cups. They did have Stoli for me, though. Had to dust it off.
Most of the boys are those corn-fed ones that know how to use a tractor, but occasionally you'll get the khaki-wearing oil heir - Steel Magnolia's Jackson.
The girls are all variations of the Dixie Chicks, with a few Mexicans tossed in for color. That goes for the guys, too. It's like being in a country music video all the time!
I found a little something for Mike Ford while I was here, but I'll let him tell.

I flew into Midland. Not sure what it's called. I usually fly into our one-gate airstrip, but I had a ticket for Continental. The only airline that comes here is American. And ya know what? Not even the REAL American, it's American Eagle.

dearest betty,
i'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.

i can't wait until you return, i'm jumping out of my skin.
see "blind items" you will gag!

have a safe trip home and a big kiss to luis.

Thank you and someone else is jumping out of his skin, too. I can hardly wait for you to meet him!
Texas is still something. We were talking about racism here in Tay-has, and she told me something straight out of the movies. Long story short: A black man was found burned in his truck in a parking lot a couple months ago. It was ruled a suicide.

back in houston for thxgiving,
sitting at my dad's
home office computer,
remembering the months
i spent here back in '01-'02
and how checking in
on the m'boards kept me
marginally sane.

happy thxgiving everyone!!
(does that mean it's time
for the holiday hang??!?)

It's time to make fun of Nancy Isla's turkey neck.

Yes Holiday Hang please.

Well, we better drag Bonnie and Bigalow out of the gutter.

No arguments here.

The Empress is getting right on it.