Dammit, Janet (I Love You)

 

I got this text message yesterday while getting ready for my break at work:

“Are you okay? You’ve been awfully quiet on Blog & FB.”~ Jan

And, even though she might not admit it, I’m pretty sure she was subtly hinting that I have yet to post pictures from her visit to Texas (and me) from this past week. SHEESH!!! ;)

Last Sunday after my church service I met up with Lady Jan at the Memorial City Mall.  I thought I could locate her by finding where the screaming children were, but it turns out she had the day off from motherhood.  Or as Jan so aptly said to the waiter: “Um, we’ll just start a tab, por favor!”

And on the seventh day they DRANK!

 

After gorging on our state’s national food (Tex-Mex natch) we were on the hunt for three party dresses for Jan, one of which came with a preemptive apology:

“Now, I’m just letting you know up front that one of these is for when I meet Sarah Palin in a couple of months.”

“Oh no problem!!!,” was my response, but I had already begun formulating the most hideous outfit I could think of.  “Of COURSE you look good in that! Muffin tops are totally in this season!”

Ummm, I think that decapitated albino amputee-in-progress needs some help in the blouse section, miss

 

Jan and I in coordinating patterns, as well as what appears to be a muppet-fur vest to our left

 

Unfortunately Jan had to get away to go see 9-5: The Musical, but as we were walking out of Target the heavens parted and we saw these:

 

LOOK HOW HAPPY I AM!!!!!!!

 

Fear not, dear readers, for I did get to see Jan and her entire brood one last time.  Weldon, where her parents live and where she spent Thanksgiving, is basically on the way back from Crockett to Houston so I stopped by and said one last goodbye before she heads back to granola-y ole Colorado. Even though it usually only happens once every couple of years, I always look forward to my several hours of Jan time!!!!

JR, Kyle-or-Reed, JD, Reed-or-Kyle

 

It was also really great to see her parents, Margaret and John (I probably still call him Mr. Reynolds, as he was my counselor at Crockett Junior High a.k.a. one of the reasons I made it through Crockett Junior High). As an added bonus as I was leaving Margaret goes: “Oh JD before you leave I have something I know you’ll just love.  It’s this fabulous egg nog mix I found and the recipe starts with, and I know you’ll love it because you love Blue Bell, but it starts with a gallon of, well just so you know you don’t have to use a gallon, you could use less but I mean, it’s the holidays so you might as well… anyway, a gallon of Blue Bell Butter Pecan and then—“ “SOLD! You don’t have to go any further!” 

Oh, also I found out later that it was Jason, Jan’s husband’s, birthday.  So… HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!

Check out Jan’s blog for more about my Thanksgiving trip and why I am called ABC by one of her kids!

 

Artist: Richard O’Brien/ Album: The Rocky Horror Show