Farewell to Telingua, for now

It's “go home” day. That always makes me ambivalent. I don't want my vacation to end, especially the ones out here. “NO! I want to go _______, just one more time!” I could fill in the blank with Donna's, Art's, the Porch, Ghost Town Cafe, the Park, Lajitas, Chili Pepper or a couple of other places. My point is no matter how long I stay [and this trip was Saturday to Saturday, although we checked in kinda late and are leaving by 11 a.m.] it's never long enough.
OTOH, I miss the other two dogs, we both have commitments back at home [especially the Mother and Step Mom I check on], and there are adult chirren and two grands to see. There's also the house to take care of.
On the third hand, I think about how kewl it would be to actually LIVE out here oh, 3 months at a time, say. Maybe February, March and April for the coolness, Spring rain and to see the desert in bloom from the rain. Go home to North Texas for the heat of Summer and to enjoy the kids and siblings when they're free. Then back out here for September and October. That's assuming we could find a place on the “geriatric” side of the creek.
Out here folks talk about which road they live off of. Or which mountain they live on. Or whether they live on the geriatric side of Terlingua Creek or the “Stranded” side of the creek.
When it rains here, or higher up and the run-off swells Terlingua Creek from its normal 10' wide trickle to a swift moving river filling its 40' or so banks...if you aren't prepared for the flood, you're stranded. But the one man I know best who lives on that side of the creek is never “stranded” in most of the ways that matter. He is PREPARED, you see. What with stored water, propane, generator, and food stores...he can ride out the flood with a good book or two; work on any of his hobbies, or amuse himself by sitting on his porch and watchin' Nature.
I just moved the 'puter outside so I could catch one last Sunrise comin' over the Mountains. I HATE getting up early at home. Here, with no TV and no immediate internet access, I go to sleep early and am up anywhere from 5:30 to 6:30. I DO have to throw on a sweater, especially if there's a breeze goin' it's chilly [mid to upper 50's, I'd guess] out here. The view is worth it. The black and purple mountains against that blue to oranging reddish sky. My GAWD! I am gonna miss this.
That's become our routine out here. Get up, have our caffeine, go outside with Tip and watch the Sun come up. Then it's back inside to make breakfast and get ready for the day.
Only today, we won't be coming back to our cozy little cabin on the hill. Today we have to load up and head to Alpine and Ft. Stockton for Courthouse pics and then home. ZOMG, coyotes are serenading me, right this very minute! Well, except for the side trips in Alpine. We'll have to have lunch at Alicia's. [it's a MUST-stop in Alpine] Then the Dearly Beloved wants to go see some gunsmith. Since I have no interest in the minutae of firearms, he'll drop me off at the Desert Garden center at Sul Ross University first and then come drag me away when he's finished. Because, you know I didn't get enough of Desert Plants this week, or even y'day at the 34 acre garden of the Warnock Center of Big Bend STATE Park. [Flo, when y'all come with....we're gonna take a picnic lunch and eat there either before or after the Garden. The we can press on to Lajitas for sightseeing and shopping. Sound fun?]
Well, I guess the next post will be from home or Killeen. I'm heading there Monday. Mom has a Dr's. Appointment Tuesday I'd promised to take her to. I'll get back to y'all later.