Jiggity, jiggity, home again

I've just spent a wonderful week in Tomball, Texas--yes, out in the country, 20 minutes from town, by a lake, "babysitting" grandchildren who barely need watching. I went down for Morgan's ninth birthday party, a bang-up affair with carnival booth all over Colin's property--he built them. A mock roller coaster ride with photo opps, a Ferris wheel with a coin toss, and all other kinds of activities. Fourteen kids and more adults than that had a ball, ate pizza and M&M birthday cake and generally had a good time. Party started at noon, ended with dinner at a Mexican restaurant by nine. If that was my introduction to life on the Alter "grounds," I was prepared to be exhausted.
Actually, the week was calm. Because they'd been busy all summer and it was the last week before school, Morgan and Kegan could sleep late and watch TV. I did fix breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all of us, ran the dishwasher, folded a few loads of clothes but generally I was at my computer a lot and got a lot done--which only resulted in more to do! I did spend a bit of time gazing out the window at the lake. Too hot to be down there in the day, and the kids weren't allowed to swim if I was the only one home.
On Morgan's real birthday, we went to Texas Roadhouse for supper, and the waiters brought a saddle, sat her on it, and clapped and sang around her. I think she was a bit shy. Good steak, though. Several evenings we took wine down to the lake and sat talking as the sun set--my favorite moments. My last night there, friends came--the father is practicing for a triathlon, so he and Colin mapped off a course and he swam 1500 meters. Good fellowship.
Yesterday, Colin and the children I drove to Bastrop--Lisa was getting her classroom ready--via a detour that only Colin could have dreamt up. He missed a turn in Brenham. Lunch in Bastrop with the Fort Worth branch and, surprise, Megan, who drove over  from Austin. Then Christian decided to take the scenic route home--a decision I fully understand since I-35 is scary and awful. But I was itchy to get home to Sophie, and was 7-1/2 hours in the car yesterday. (From Colin's house, a straight shot takes about four.)
Back at home, digging out from under mail, laundry, etc. Trying to do it at a slow place and not let myself feel rushed. So far, so good.
My welcome home group below.