Suspended Animation

Thought I'd let people know we haven't fallen off the planet. There is nothing going on. And I realize that this is the first time in, maybe years, that we haven't had a project, or guests, or something pending to consider. We're still here, hangin' out at Mom's. Biggest decision of each day is whether to eat out or in -- and then where. Will write more when there's something to say. Thanks, you who have rattled my cage to see if there's still life. Glad you care! Love it when you throw peanuts.

Of brisket and memories....

The aroma filled the house this morning at three o'clock. I woke up with my mouth watering. Beef brisket, salt, pepper, garlic -- wrapped in foil. 200 degree oven all night. Falling apart this morning. Brisket brings back so many memories.

Thirty eight years ago today -- in a house ten blocks away -- I woke up for the last time as Susan Jackson. By evening I'd be Susan Cobb. I still am. Happy Anniversary, Cobbo, love of my life. I'm so grateful we're together. Thank you for hanging in there with me.

This would have been a fortieth anniversary high school reunion for me. If they'd had one. I checked the website. Nada. There were several class contacts and I e-mailed an old friend I recognized, thinking she might still be in town. Nope. Oklahoma. She seemed friendly and I responded with way too much info. I haven't heard back. I don't blame her. I was overcome by nostalgia for....what? Maybe it's because I've been in bed for several days and got a little crazy.

My mom shows love with food. I've been a challenge for her lately. Cobbo and I crossed the Texas border and began indulging crispy, crunchy everything, eating deep fried like we'd never tasted it before. Shoot, it was America! You could actually drive through a restaurant and get food -- a LOT of it. "You want more fries with that, Mister?" My system rebelled about three days later, and I've been sidelined for a while.

Lying on my back, Mom's spent a lot of time by my side, patting my hand. We talk. We remember. I'm coming around, and, well, now there's this brisket thing....

Maybe it's time to take a look back at Lubbock. Put a little history down for posterity. Maybe work through some issues of what I love and hate so strongly here.

Larry and I are scheduled to be here for the next five weeks. There's not a whole lot to do and a lot of time to do it. So I've started a new blog: Flatland Voyages. If you're up for a detour, come on along.

Happy, Happy, Happy

THIS is what Happy, Texas, looks like, coming from Lubbock, headed north to Amarillo. Not exactly the terrain you see in the movie Happy, Texas -- which, by the way is a really funny movie, despite its geographical errors.

Back when I was a kid working for my dad, I remember addressing correspondence to "Happy Gin." We're talking cotton gin, but I thought it was a hoot of a name. Made me grin yesterday when Larry and I went with motorcycle seller Mitchell to the Happy State Bank, so Mitchell could pay off his loan and give us title to Larry's new Harley.

So THIS is Larry happy, happy, happy once again.

Flying Solo

It was a big day last Tuesday for my niece Ashton, and I was there! A loooooong time ago I got my pilot's license down in Midland, Texas. The day I soloed, there was no advance warning. My instructor just asked me to pull over and let him out, (we were on the ground) and said I was ready. So it really was an all-by-myself solo with no one to witness or record the event.

Ashton had a lot of notice, so her mom and dad, her aunt and grannie were all out rooting for her and taking lots of pictures. Here's one of me and the Cessna she was flying. I don't think that hangar has had a paint job since I landed here on my cross country back in ..... oh never mind.

Ashton is also taking Russian. Wants to be an astronaut. Wonder if the second language shouldn't be....Chinese?

Lucha Libre en San Antonio

This is just a short blog entry. I'm at Susie and Mark's house in San Antonio and I'm showing her how to blog! Thought you'd like to know that the lucha libre mask I brought for nephew Forrest was a big hit, even though the bright red trim had faded to pink. So now, Susie, this is the way you post a photo.....

More later, people. We're doing well. Heading for Lubbock tomorrow.