Those Texas Folks

So what’s the deal with folks from Texas?  When you live in Colorado, it seems you can’t cross the street without tripping over someone from Texas.  They are everywhere.  As if there is some magic portal that transports them here, but then helps them disappear just as quickly.  The tricky thing is that if you spend too much time with them, you fall in love with them, because Texas folks are the best people there are.  I mean that.  And not just because I know a few Texas folks will read this.  Problem is…………..they always go back.  To Texas.  I get it, family, friends, roots…………..all that.  But then they take a little bit of us every time they leave.

This Memorial Day weekend was Texas in Colorado holiday or at least that’s the way it ended up.  For the first time in FAR TOO MANY years, ScooterGirl and The Marine made an appearance.  A long overdue appearance. ScooterGirl first showed up here At Altitude years ago. She and The Marine were celebrating their 10 Year Wedding Anniversary this weekend, and honored us by coming to Casa Rancho and sharing it with us.  It was lovely and much too short a visit.  Someday, we’ll all be retired and the stays can be longer, but for now we relish what we have, though it makes us long for more.

In the years since ScooterGirl and The Marine left the neighborhood, another batch of wonderful folks from Texas moved in and we not only got to know them, but their parents as well.  It’s the same deal as before, they move right into your heart, and pull up a chair, and I’m hoping they feel right at home.  Sure feels that way on my end.

All the way from Giddings, all the way from Hondo, everyone showed up at my house and food and fun and fellowship followed.  There were kids and dogs, ribs in the smoker, hot wings in the kitchen and people everywhere.  We even had an unexpected visit from the twins who lived across the street with their mom.  They’ve since moved south of us after Mom took on a marriage and FIVE more kids.  But we hugged and kissed and oohed and awed at how big they’ve grown.  How perfect.

While I know that the real meaning of Memorial Day is a somber one, there were a few days of fun as well.  I still made sure we flew the Marine flag along with the Stars and Stripes.  And I managed to watch Saving Private Ryan.  Still makes me weep every time.

Couldn’t have really asked for more.  In this year of new beginnings, it was a great way to launch the summer.