Family Man

 

After our 12 hour bus ride from Germany to Paris and the 9 hour plane ride to Chicago I still had one more flight to catch until I was truly back in the homeland—Texas, that is.  My brother, Matt, picked me up at the airport in Dallas and I spent the night at his house.

BENJAMIN!!!! (Making his blog debut)

The next morning all of us headed off to Kilgore for my granddaddy Dan’s 85th birthday partay!! My mom and aunt Brynda had been spending mucho tiempo getting all of the guest list, food, decorations etc. together and with over 150 guests it was no small task!  Bonus: It was held at Bodacious Bar-B-Q and I was able to get my first bbq fix for quite a while!

DE-LECKER!!!

 

One of the most amazing things about the party was that there were soooo many pictures of the birthday boy and his family and friends scattered about. Additionally, many of the tables had facts about the different decades in which Dan has lived.

Ah the ‘70’s… I remember them well!

 

A view of about 1/3 of the room.  (Also, I’m pretty sure the collective age of the group as a whole would overwhelm even the most advanced of computer processors!)

 

But what’s a birthday party without a cake, am I right?  Nancy and Brynda didn’t disappoint either with this three-tiered hunk of chocolate deliciousness.

Can we also notice how well the candy flowers on top match the ones on the tables.  Classy touch, Ballenger gals!

 

Mom and Brynda doin’ some cake cuttin’! (Two days back in Texas and I’m already abbreviatin’ my endings)

 

In addition to our two national flags—Texas and U.S.—there were also oil derricks (Kilgore was a huge oil town back in the day) and all of the colleges that Dan helped support over the years.  Naturally I cherry picked the Baylor and University of Michigan ones.  You know what that makes me?… … …

A BUM!!  An educated bum, but a bum nonetheless.

 

I’m not quite sure how he got a hold of it but Luke decided to change his allegiance from Texas A & M to the old maize and blue. 

 

One certain pair of pictures was displayed prominently on the “family” board:  The top one was taken at an airport when we were all younger and then the bottom was an attempt to re-create the first when we all went to London/Paris to celebrate Joyce and Dan’s 50th wedding anniversary!

 

The next morning at brunch we couldn’t help but take another group shot seeing as it has been well over 10 years since the last one! (With Joanie and the great grandkids thrown in for good measure!)

 

Before leaving the party everyone was asked to sign one of two pictures of Dan as a child… here they are!

 

HAPPY 85th GRANDDADDY DAN!

 

Artist: James Taylor  /Album: In the Pocket

PS: While we’re celebrating numerical milestones… this week I passed 20,000 views.  THANKS EVERYONE!!

Minute Waltz

 

Between the morning and evening rehearsals our host mother and her niece (who was the host mother to two of the other choir staff members) took us for a quick afternoon trip to Maastricht in the Netherlands.  Now, this is not the first time I have visited this particular city; concomitant to my studying abroad in Florence seven years ago my friend Mallory was doing the same thing in Maastricht.  I tried to locate the pictures from way back then but remembered they were on my camera that got stolen by a GYPSY!

At any rate, it was nice to visit again and at least say hello to the city for Mallory.

A view of the city and the Maas river (hence the name Maastricht)

 

Apparently Ed thought there was an even MORE beautiful view to be seen…

… ME!!!

 

A handful of businesses around the city can be seen with a royal crest above the door.  This signifies that they are authorized to serve the royal house and we saw two such buildings on our tour:

  

The royal florist (with Ed in the doorway) and hairdresser (with me in the doorway)!!!

 

Vera also took us by a shop I know my granddaddy Dan would have loved:

PEANUTS!!!!!!

 

These two churches dominate one certain part of the city.  There’s some story bout the two of these churches but I for the life of me can’t remember what it is…

 

Maastricht is also home to the CHEESE-tastic Andre Rieu, leader of the Johann Strauss Orchestra and the Josh Groban to middle aged Nederlander woman across the country.

 

Every year he has a ginormous concert in this square and unfortunately we came a little too early.

 

I couldn’t leave the city without stopping by and grabbing another Belgium waffle (albeit from the Netherlands); this time I went to the exact same place that Mallory took me for my first one all those years ago.

I was a little terrified the man behind me was going to take mine!

 

Artist: Barbra Streisand/ Album: Color Me Barbra

Bonus anecdote!: Vera explained to us when crossing the border that women from Belgium used to go to the Netherlands and smuggle back butter (apparently it was some good shiz back then).  In order to do so they would sew secret pockets in their dresses and once the police figured out they would stop the women and make them wait in a really really hot room until it melted all over their clothes.  Oh you crafty, cholesterol hating Dutch!

Like a Rolling Stone

Well Happy Summer Solstice everyone!!! In order to celebrate I thought I would do a bit of back-blogging and share some pictures from my trip to Stonehenge from about seven years ago. But first I wanted to feature a picture of the sacred grounds by Thomas Kellner, a photographer whose work the John Cleary Gallery represents.

Take THAT Woodhenge! For more information about the photographer check out his section on the gallery website here.

When my grandmother Joyce and granddaddy Dan celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary they decided to take our family and my aunt Brynda, uncle John and cousins, Katy and John William to London and Paris for a vacation.  When talking about what day trips out of the city we might want to take I immediately suggested Stonehenge and was just as quickly shot down (being that I was the only one who really wanted to go.  We ended up going to Stratford upon Avon so it was equally as nerdy and exciting!)
A couple of years later, before I started my semester abroad in Florence, I had the chance to stay with my friend Kelley, whom I had known from our church in Crockett but had since moved with her husband to Salisbury.  Seeing how the city was in very close proximity to the famous monument it was a no-brainer that we would visit. So here it is!! My first view of Stonehenge:

UGH, KELLEY!!!! STOP UPSTAGING STONEHENGE!

  

Just remember folks, it’s all downhill from here (sunlight wise, that is) so get out and soak up some Vitamin D!



Artist: Bob Dylan/ Album: Before the Flood
BONUS!!! Just for the heck of it I thought I would include a brief bit from Dressed to Kill by Eddie Izzard about Stonehenge.  Those of you unfamiliar with his work should probably note he doesn’t exactly shy away from the saltier language.

Keep on Truckin’

 

Christmas this year seemed to mimic last year’s stuck-in-a-blizzard-while-driving-to-west-Texas (the stories I could have told if I had my blog back then) theme of awfulness as far as the transportation aspect of it all was concerned.  I got home at 12:30am on Christmas morning from the second of two Christmas Eve services and was up until about 2:00 finishing up packing and wrapping presents. Awake at 5:00 and off by 5:45, thinking: “Allright! I’ve got my coffee, I’ve made some CD’s for the trip, and the General is runnin’ great!!!”

Cut to about three and a half hours later when the old warhorse gets wounded in battle and the transmission blows in Ennis, TX.  Luckily dad came to the rescue (as dad’s so often tend to do) and picked me up so I could make the festivities at Matt and Joanie’s!!

We were all lucky enough to be joined by my aunt Brynda, uncle John, cousins John and Katy, as well as my granddaddy Dan for the holiday.

   

 

Me looking on from the peanut gallery as Joanie put it

 

Even Daisy got to come up and celebrate… much to Scout’s chagrin.

  

“I promise I’ll behave!”                                                        “Heh heh heh”

 

One of the joys of going up to Richardson was getting to spend time with my nephew, Luke.  Not that everyone else wasn’t interesting, but there was really no competing with the most adorable 2 year old EVAR.

As I mentioned previously, I got him a couple of books (Even Monsters Need Haircuts and a German-language version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar I got while on tour this last summer) as well as a giant, stuffed Memo Nemo.  I think it was a hit!!

 

   

My meager attempt at artistry! Also, the reason I was up until 2:00am

 

Daisy looking on and mother apparently floating whispily about

 

It’s exhaaaaauuuuusting opening all those presents

 

One of the biggest hits of the weekend was the Play-Doh set up in the play room.  There were many hours spent molding animals on those tiny tiny tiiiiiny chairs.

Joanie, who is about a week away from welcoming Mr. Roberts No. 2; Luke, our master sculptor; and myself

 

      

             I LOVE this picture!!!!                                     Playin’ it cool with a snake right in front of him

 

When talking about Play-Doh creations I can’t help but think about one that my friends Jeremy, Chris and I made one weekend out of boredom in Ann Arbor.  This time it isn’t so much of a snake as it is a worm taking a vacation at the beach with a cocktail, paisley umbrella, bow tie and sunglasses. Forgive the poor picture quality, it’s from my old phone.

 

That would be a box of orange tic-tacs on the right hand side, in case anyone was interested.  WE COLORED OUTSIDE THE LINES!

 

Monday, Matt was nice enough to drive me back to Ennis to get my car checked out at the local Ford dealership where we met a gentleman in the service department with a certain penchant for abbreviations.  “Okay gents, gimme just a second and we’ll get a diag started and see if we can figure out what’s wrong with your tranny,” which quickly prompted this text conversation with my friend, Will:

Me: Looks like I’m going to have to get a new “tranny” as the Ford guy puts it.

Will: So what’s a new tranny cost these days?

Me: I dunno, about $2,700 and a new tube of lipstick?

I ended up just driving back to Crockett at 35mph (those cars behind me were NOT having it) so that I could get it checked with someone we actually knew.  Unfortunately the General did end up having to get an organ transmission transplant but some very generous family friends of ours were kind enough to loan me a car, of which I have decided to temporarily name the Colonel, so that I could get back to Houston and, more importantly, back to work.

Even with all of the travel travesties I am so thankful for such a wonderful group of family and friends.  The holidays can be a stressful and even sad time for everyone involved, but at the end of the day all you can do is value the time you have together.

So thanks to everyone for the presents and the food and the festivities and the roadside assistance!!!

 

Artist: The Temptations  / Album: The Temptation Collection

Invocation to the Muses

 

Mom and dad came up this past weekend to do some holiday shopping and see me for the  first time in my “new” city.  All we did was shop, eat and laugh, which for me is basically the perfect family outing.  The only pictures I nabbed were from our dinner at Flora & Muse on Friday evening.  The CityCentre shopping area is right next to Town and Country (where Pottery Barn is located), and having mom and dad in town was a great excuse to try out one of the restaurants there. 

 

Picture via the restaurant’s home page.  For some reason this girl reminds me of my cousin, Phoebe

 

 

    

Specialty cocktails inspired by the nine muses (goddesses of the arts).  I had the Erato ~ Muse of Love. Comprosed of: "Apricot Liqueur, Lemon, Honey, Peach Bitters, Sparkling Wine

 

RED MEAT!

 

One part of the restaurant is actually a European style coffee/pastry/flower Shop

 

And because this is December in Texas… outdoor dining!

 

And, since I’ve mining photos from the past recently, here is a picture of me with the rentz, Brynda, Joyce and Granddaddy Dan in an actual European café from my study abroad all those years ago!

 

Artist: Stephen Sondheim/ Album: The Frogs