Home Again

Yes, we're home.  We got here on Tuesday, Apr. 8th.  We had a slight delay leaving Texas so the Navigator could have an emergency root canal in Ft. Worth.  We were lucky to find a good endodontist with a Friday morning opening and spent an extra night west of Ft. Worth for recovery time.  Then on through Oklahoma, Missouri and Illinois to home.  We were happy to see everything intact and functioning here and except for the mailbox being destroyed by a snowplow, all is in good repair.

When we're on the road, if I think about it at all, I picture everything at home as static, unchanging, sort of waiting for us to get back and pick up where we left off.  Rationally, I know that's not true, that life goes on, things change, but if I don't see it, it isn't happening, right?

The day after we got home, I was awakened by a phone call from a friend who told me that our good friend and the minister of our "small but mighty" congregation had been in a catastrophic auto accident and was on a ventilator.  There weren't a lot of detail available at that moment, but it started a week of meetings, vigils, services and potlucks.  Tragically, she died on Friday and the funeral was last night (Monday).  It's hard to describe the impact she had on me and on the community, and how much she'll be missed.  You can learn more about her here:   Georgette Wonders.  

Ironically, the last sermon she preached was on Facing Death.  As she quoted in her sermon:

To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.

~ Mary Oliver, from American Primitive; Back Bay Books, 1983

Words to live by.  

We'll let you know when we're on the road again.

Snow Day!

We were due to leave Kerrville, TX today (Wednesday), heading for Wheatford, just west of Dallas/Ft. Worth on the first leg of our trip home.  We scurried around this morning stowing and packing and generally getting ready when our neighbor asked, "have you seen the weather?".  Hmmm, it was cloudy and drizzly but not too threatening, but, just to be safe, we pulled up weather.com on the computer.

Dallas/Ft. Worth is in that little peninsula of red to the west

A quick discussion between the 4 of us and we agreed that staying put another day would be wise.  Of course the cats always prefer staying put, but this time we were on their side and after a visit to the office we were set to stay.

Beanie adjusting to staying put earlier in the trip

So the big news is that we have a new mirror.  I have to give a lot of credit to the lizard insurance company's field staff.  The adjuster came to see us our last morning in Blanco, took a look at things, immediately cut a check and said to call her if it wasn't enough.  We moved to Kerrville and found a mobile RV tech who was available yesterday.  He was on time, efficient, capable and 90 mins later, we were set.  Yippee!

Good as new!

In the meantime, we've spent 5 relaxing days here in Kerrville.  It's in the heart of the hill country west of Austin and is big enough to have real grocery stores, 2 UU congregations and a private university.  Yet it's small enough that bad traffic means slowing to 30 miles an hour through town.  It's close to some of our favorite sites from last year.  We went to historic Comfort, TX 3 times; twice for pizza and once to visit the Elephant Store.

Former corner gas station, now great wood-fired pizza in Comfort

Roasted garlic and basil pizza - so good I had it twice!

The Elephant Store sells clothing, jewelry and gifts imported from Asia and the profits benefit an elephant refuge in Indonesia.  Ask to see my elephant ring next time you see me.  We also went wine tasting at one of the local Comfort wineries.  Surprisingly good wine.  The Navigator bought 3 bottles, putting us over 2 cases but they're worth the hassle to transport and store.  We hope to whittle the amount down a bit on our way home.

We also paid a return visit to Camp Verde, one of those interesting Texas stories involving camels and the Civil War.  For more info, see The Camel Experiment

Camel at Camp Verde

The highlight for me is always the kitchen supply section in the General Store in Camp Verde.  Even when I think I don't need another gadget, I usually find something I must have.

Shopping!

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Sunday morning I joined a small UU Fellowship for their service.  There were only about 25 people in the group and I was welcomed warmly.  Their guest speaker failed to show up for the service so we had a spontaneous discussion of UU principles.  It's never difficult to get a discussion going with a bunch of UUers and it's fun to find like-thinkers as we travel.  

We've had some unexpected, but very good eating here in Kerrville, the highlight being a family-run Korean restaurant featuring authentic Korean dishes and a few twists on American favorites.  It was so good we ate there 3 of our 5 days, and only missed two because they were closed.  We may go back today!

Bulgogi burger with fresh kimchi and a fried egg.  

We also had good Thai food last night and took home leftovers from both of these spots for road food.

So, weather permitting, tomorrow we head towards home.  We've really liked this spot on the Guadalupe River.

View out the window at sunset 

Hummingbird moth on our way to dinner

We'll be keeping an eye on the weather, and like snow days when I was a kid, we'll be a little giddy whenever we get an extra day to play.

Snow day update....took a trip to the Post Office to mail something and guess what was right next door..........

A USED BOOK STORE!  Life is good.

Photo credits this blog to the Navigator who has been much more diligent with her camera than I.