A Granbury Day

I am not by nature one of those women who can spend a day shopping. I don't browse or linger gracefully. Pausing over this thing or that bores me, and I get cranky. When I go to the grocery store I have a list and I stick to it. So, today, when I went shopping on the square in Granbury, I had a plan. My longtime good friend Linda and her husband Rodger own a classy store called Almost Heaven, but after 33  years Linda's ready to give it up. They're having a "going out of business sale," so Betty and I went, Christmas gift list in hand. And I got lots of little things that I hope friends and family will appreciate. If small, they were gifts chosen with love and care.
One problem about this is that last year about this time Linda had a sale--not a going-out-of-business one (she doesn't pull that kind of trick)--and I bought several presents, mostly for family, forgot I had them, and bought other things for the people they were intended for. So this year, I have much of my shopping already done. And now I've added these finishing touches. It's fun to wander the store and talk to Linda about the various items.
I had another thing on my shopping list. My friend Jean said I need to wear something "spiffy" to talk to the Women's Ministries luncheon Sunday, but she couldn't define spiffy. We decided Jordan would know. Jordan's verdict was I don't have much spiffy in my closet, except the colorful top I wore to church last week--people would remember. (Come on, do you think people pay that much attention to what I wear to church?). So while in Granbury I browsed in some rather high-priced stores. Found a top (to be worn over tights) that I liked a lot but it was one price and the ruffle that went with it was the same price. I couldn't see paying $58 for a ruffle, so Betty found me a piece of "bling" that went perfectly. I bought it, and then the store owner (I presume she was) said, "But you didn't take the ruffle." I explained I didn't want to pay that much for a ruffle, and she said, "Oh, no it goes with it. It's part of the purchase." So now I have a top, a ruffle, and some bling. I'll be a spiffy knockout  on Sunday.
We had lunch at a quiet, classy place called 1890 upstairs over some of the shops, quiet enough that we could visit. I had a filet sandwich--superb; Betty had salmon fettucine (her husband doesn't like her to cook salmon in the house); Linda had the grilled chicken spinach salad, and we all raved. Another friend joined us who had just been to Scotland, so she and I had a high old time talking about places we'd been and the like.
All in all, a good day, the kind of shopping I tolerate (actually we got there at 10:30, left a little after one and at least an hour of that was lunch). Maybe one hour shopping. Home in time to pick up Jacob.
Tuckered. After Jacob's mom came for him, I had a cozy nap.
 

Seeing Texas through Mississippi eyes

Last night in memoir class we talked about the idea that you cannot tell another person's story. You can only tell your perception of it. So I can't tell you for sure how my houseguests reacted to the mini-Texas tour today--but from my point of view, it was a great success and they enjoyed it thoroughly. We first drove to Granbury, where they admired the picturesque courthouse, newly cleaned up and now glistening, and the charming buildings around the square. My eyes have seen the Granbury square many more times than I can count, but I thought it looked lively, a bit more spruced up today. We browsed for quite a while in The Panhandle, my favorite cooking store--and I did a little Christmas shopping. Then on to my friend Linda's store, Almost Heaven. Actually Linda met us at The Panhandle and gave a walking tour as we ambled along the block and a half to her store. Linda's store is a delight with beatiful and clever decorative pieces, mounted sayings--Barbara bought one that said, "Grace is not something we say before meals. It's a way of life"--purses, throws, all sorts of things, but all tasteful.  Linda has a terrific flair for display these things in an eye-catching way.
Then it was on to the old house that Linda and Rodger have redone with the same flair they show in the store--it's a delightful residence. Dee Gormley, who ran a knockout bookstore and put on wonderful literary events for years, joined us for lunch--chicken tortilla soup, salad, cole slaw and pumpking cheesecake. Wonderful company, wonderful food. The ladies came away thinking I have really great friends--which is true.
We went on to Tolar and Musick Road and my brother's ranch. He practically met us at the door with wine glasses in hand.We visited for a bit and then John and Cindy gave us the deluxe tour of the ranch--it is so dry and the stock tanks down, but they still have pastures of little bluestem, now dry and straw-colored, and something I  think he called King bluestem, which lies close to the ground. Both will make excellent forage for the cattle in the winter. John loves to explain the geography and ecology of his land--how they brought the pastures back, the view of the Brazos River valley, the menace of feral hogs--and Barbara and Pam asked intelligent questions, plus Pam took some incredibly good pictures of the cattle feeding. My idea of their story is that this was a day unlike any other they'd ever spent, and they enjoyed it. Pam has traveled extensively to Europe and places in the U.S., Barbara has traveled but not quite so extensively. Still I think this was a new and totally different day for them. And I always enjoy riding around the ranch--the land is beautiful, and today was a perfect day. Back at the house, I rushed us off to Fort Worth fairly quickly, worried about my puppy who had been in her crate all day. She seems none the worse for it.
We went to the Old Neighborhood Grill for supper with Jordan, Christian and Jacob. Barbara knew about the Grill from reading Skeleton in a Dead Space and hearing about my two signings there, so she was delighted to visit it.  And everyone seemed to enjoy dinner.
My house is quiet again--dogs asleep, guests gone to the apartment. But as they left Pam said to me, "Wonderful family, wonderful friends." Yep, that's how I feel about it too--I am blessed with family and friends. And it's fun to share my little corner of Texas with others, particularly with someone who like me grew up in Chicago's South Side. John felt that too, and at one point said, "It's not the South Side of Chicago." Other times he referred to growing up in the city, as we all did, and once said you couldn't see weather coming in the city but out there, you can.
Yes, Barbara and John, we've come a long and good way from Chicago's Hyde Park.

How the other half lives--sort of

Every once in a while it's fun to mingle with those who enjoy more luxuries snd privilege in life than most of us. Today, Betty and I took a longtime friend to lunch in Dallas. We chose Rise, an upscale restaurant specializing in souffles--savory souffles for entrees, wonderful dessert entrees. Rumor is that you never know who might be sitting at the table next to you, and I know of one person who confirmed a sighting of George and Laura Bush but then, they show up at Mexican hole-in -the-wall dives too. But I did not recognize anyone famous today--I did see a lot of carefully casual young women with manes of blonde hair, and I saw one woman order something to drink that came out of a large bottle that carbonated it as she refilled her glass--no idea what it was but it looked quite sophisticated.
I'm partial to souffles. My mom used to make them for Sunday supper, and I loved her spinach souffle--in fact, I finally found a recipe that I think approximates it and hope to make it soon. The classic story in the family is that my brother hated it as much as I loved it and remembers to this day having to sit at the dining table and stare at his souffle until he took three bites. Years later, Mom said to me, "Wasn't that an awful thing to do to a child?" I didn't order a souffle for an entree today, figuring it was more food than I needed.
The decor at Rise is French cluttered, with shelves filled with cookbooks (presumably Rise's and for sale) and crockery and small gift items, tables with colorful cloths and napkins, painted rattan chairs, and a marvelous chandelier of wine bottles. We elected to sit inside--too hot for the patio.
We each had the large Rise salad which, thank goodness, came in a small size--Betty and Mary Lu had it with a delicately smoked, still warm, sliced chicken; I never turn down smoked salmon and had that version though this was not the thinly sliced smoked salmon you think of as an appetizer--it was meaty, a filet, with a light smokey taste. The salads were brightened with chopped pecans, a bit of cheese (blue? if so very mild) and julienned Granny Smith apples, the latter a wonderful touch. For dessert we split a pumpkin souffle--as Betty said, tasted like the best pumpkin pie you ever ate but much lighter.
We arrived early and wandered into a frame shop that had art supplies for children--and a sale. I managed to get two Christmas presents, which made mef feel so accomplished you'd think I'd done all my Christmas shopping.
I was relieved of babysitting duties today, so back home I took care of odds and ends at my desk, had a good nap, and am now headed back to the Grill for a meatloaf dinner with neighbors. But then when I get home I intend to write my daily minimum of a thousand words. To get myself started, I pulled up the manuscript and wrote a few lines, so I could plunge in after dinner.
My days seemed filled with everything but writing this week, but I am managing to get a bit in every day. Someone asked me last night what my writing schedule is, and I nearly laughed aloud. Life, I explained, keeps getting in the way.