Long Hollow

This was my kind of weekend, nicely balanced between live music, dancing, socializing with friends, and just hanging out, spending low-key time at the house with (some of) the kids and Tom.

Oh, and dogs. Lots of dog time, too.

Oldest son Tommy arrived first from Dallas. A few hours and a movie later, his girlfriend Kirby pulled in from San Antonio. Her puppy Josie was so happy to see Tommy!

We started talking and stayed up way too late! But these two had spent the previous weekend in New York City, celebrating Tommy's birthday, and I wanted to hear all about it (as in "live vicariously through them.")

Except for Max's late morning vet appointment (that'll be another post), Saturday was a clean slate until the party in the hangar that evening.

We just spent the rest of the day hanging out, with and without the dogs. 

Mostly with.

My dogs adore Josie – she's the 'new kid on the block', but their attention can be overwhelming. Even Haley came over to play. 

She was especially glad to see Tommy.

And if Haley wants to give you sugar, you better believe you're going to get some sugar.

We got a break from dogs at the Christmas party in the hangar that night. 

Almost.

But Tommy and Kirby found a safe haven…dog-free with a perfect view of the band.

 

If you read my last post, you'll know that the evening involved lots of eating, drinking, talking, laughing, singing, dancing, drumming… and somehow turned into the morning before we knew it. We hurried home before the sun could catch us and grabbed a few hours of zzz's before heading back out to church.

(Are my lack of zzz's showing? Yeah, I thought so. And this is with make-up!)

Thank goodness all we had to do the rest of Sunday was read the newspaper, snooze on the couch, and watch football…

…and hang out with  dogs. 

We're easily entertained.

Wildlife was all around us. I spotted these love birds…

…and look at this handsome specimen! (He just loves it when I take his picture!)

Twinkies Josie and Belle led the way home…

…where I took advantage of Tommy and Kirby's offer to help me finish decorating the tree. The last few years he lived at home, Tommy would help carry up the Christmas boxes, but getting him and the other two to help decorate the tree was, well, let's just say it was like a throwing a wet blanket on the fire of my Christmas spirit. I just quit asking. Decorating it by myself was bittersweet, all of those memories flashing through my mind of Christmases past when they were so young and full of Christmas magic, but it was preferable to having the Three Scrooges helping.

Yep, this is how I know my baby is all grown up…offering to help when he knows how many ornaments I like to hang on the tree. How does he describe it? Oh, yeah, like "someone dumped a trash can on it."

Poor Kirby didn't have a clue, but she seemed to have fun going through all of Tommy's handmade ornaments from kindergarten on up.

I think all in all, it all turned out very nice…the tree, the weekend, and the boy.