No, I Have NOT...

been kidnapped by the Aliens, or arrested, or run off to Bora Bora. I've been in Austin for most of the last two weeks tending to fam business and when I HAVE been home I've been too brain dead to write witty blogs for y'all's amusement.

Tonight, however, you got lucky!
I'm relatively rested. I've gotten all those pesky little chores like laundry piles and shopping and errands ouot of the way. And I got a TON of love and support from my friends this past couple of weeks.
AND I just read a week's worth of The LawDog Files.
If you're not already one of his faithful blogreaders, you are missing out on some of the best free entertainment you will ever come across. The man is an inspired writer. His work has an authenticity and droll wit those of us with intelligence search for far and wide.

I want to pause here and thank my Sistahs of the Heart: Flo, Az, and Cait. Y'all have been my rocks these last couple of weeks. I would have been lost without your steadfast support.
Peggy, thanks are coming your way as well for listening to my sad tales and commisserating. You are another of my touchstones.

While I was in my state's Capitol, the Dearly Beloved and I took a morning off from business and went to The Bob Bullock Museum of State History. It was FUN and educational. Lots of inventive displays. One of my favorites, was the carpeting under the display cases from items salvaged from one of LaSalle's ships, was the size and shape of the ship! And there were timbers that were the size and shape of the ships "timbers" [sorry, the proper term escapes me, too far into the 'rita bucket] spaced at the ends of the display cases.

In the "It Ain't Braggin' if it's True" room, there were two motor vehicles that caught my eye. One was a VW bug with an 8 gallon beer keg for a gas tank. The body was made entirely of filigreed ironwork. The man who made it specializes in making gates and grills. The Bug has won all sorts of awards and I think, but can't guarantee, you can see a picture if you Google Houston Art Cars.
The other car was a Cadillac Seville that a artist had glued rhinestones to. The stones made pics of bluebonnets, yellow roses, the Texas flag, an oil well, spurting oil, no less, and all sorts of curlicues.
I wish the gift store had sold post cards of those cars, but alas, they did not.
I did however manage to find several other items to purchase. The Dearly Beloved got a book on Texas Battleflags and a "Come and Take It" T-shirt. I bought a "Come and Take It" pin so I could wear it with anything I take a mind to wear it with.
I also got a fridge magnet that lookes like a TX flag, but says, " Life is too Short NOT to Live in Texas". And I got some presents and postcards for friends.

St. David's Hospital in Austin has one of the nicest smoking areas of any public building I've ever visited. It's a huge courtyard. Big trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and my favorite, green and white caladiums. That particular color caladium just makes me feel about 10 degrees cooler in the Summer, merely by lookiin at them. There are tables with attached chairs, benches and even an ergonomically shaped glider. I would sit out ther and smoke and do my stitching, and make my phone calls and just relax. Even when it was hot, there would be so much shade and a breeze would come up to make it bearable outside.

And the squirrels. I almost forgot to tell y'all about the squirrels! They are so used to getting fed by the visitors and employees they will come right up to you and take food out of your hands. We had a can of mixed nuts with us for snacking, but all the good [ pecans, brazils, filberts] ones were gone and just the cashews and almonds were left. The squirrels didn't care. They LIKED the cashews and almonds.
The Dearly Beloved one up his leg and into his lap before he gave him the nut. I swear it's true. Saw it with my own eyes!! There was a little girl, about 2.5, I'd guess, out there w/ her Grandmother, when that happened and her eyes just got HUGE, when the DB did that.

Well, I'm tired now. Y'all be good. Tell your Loved ones they matter!

HollyB.