Long Hollow

While I sit here typing away on my computer, throngs of people are converging on city streets (including Austin's) eating, drinking, and getting all of that rowdy, overindulgent behavior out of their systems, because tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and for the next 6 weeks they'll be pure as hermit monks…  

(Do I detect some cynicism out there? Shame on you!)

I'm not out there in Fat Tuesday revelry because I pretty much celebrated Fat Tuesday all weekend long! It started Thursday night with the arrival of my sweet, longtime friend, Rae. Longtime, as in "since 5th grade"!

She surprised me with this plate, because that's the way she is…

 "…fame is the scentless sunflower…but friendship is the breathing rose…" I just love that!

(By the way… happy birthday, Oliver Wendell Holmes!)

Tom fixed us his famous hot wings, and then we sat on the back porch listening to music, petting puppies, sipping red wine and playing catch-up until the chill chased us in.

The next day I took her on a long tour of the Hollow, up and down the hills, along the creek bed, everywhere! Then we headed up the highway for lunch and a few hours of shopping in Salado before coming back to the house, spiffying ourselves up, grabbing Tom and meeting other friends for more wonderful food (and more wonderful wine) at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse, one of our favorite hangouts (especially on these gorgeous spring nights!)

One of my favorite singer/songwriters, Drew Womack, serenaded us, and then Tom and I lingered longer than the rest to listen and dance. (Rae house-hopped to our friend Darla's. We share, as good friends do.)

Eight representatives of DPHS Class of '77, and one beautiful daughter.

Drew Womack, singer/songwriter

The next morning my eyes popped open too early, mind racing, filled with all I needed to do before hitting the highway for a quick trip to my parents' house near Houston. Tom had to stay home to tend to our gypsy-dogs, but Daniel tagged along, and I enjoyed having that time with him on the road.

We barely had twenty-four hours with my parents, but it was fun, feeding the squirrels peanuts, snapping photos of the birds on the feeder, watching the kids in an adjoining backyard tumble about on their trampoline. My sister came by for a good visit, and my brother and niece dropped in after work to help us move my grandmother's piano from the livingroom back into her room – a pretty major ordeal, but we did it! Mama's happy. And she promised not to worry about imposing on us when there's something they need help with. (Did I ever explain that she just wanted the piano out of the livingroom, not necessarily gone, but she didn't want to "impose" on us? sigh…)

The next morning, Daddy, aka "The Breakfast King", fixed us bacon and eggs!

Between that and the pizza we had for dinner the night before, Daniel and I decided we better take at least a short walk through the neighborhood before sitting for hours in the car … again.

Well, Daniel mostly rode his long board… and I mostly snapped photos…

After our walk, we enjoyed yet another huge meal – Mexican food with Mama and Daddy –  and then boom! it was time to hit the road back to Austin.

But not until I grabbed some more photos, of course. You can never have too many photos of your kids or your mom and dad, you know.

And that was my Fat Tuesday weekend. Perhaps you can understand why part of my focus during this Lent is to get back on track taking care of myself – I tend to go overboard way too often. 

I'll touch on Lent a little more tomorrow – but tonight I need to hit the Publish button on this and go to bed. (Getting enough sleep is going to be another Lenten focus … starting tomorrow.)

Are you doing anything special for Lent? Giving anything up? Adding anything to your routine?