Last Thursday we loaded up and headed back to Texas. Our dear friend, Bob passed away unexpectedly the Friday after Thanksgiving. He and his wife, Sue, are so special to us. I posted about them here, when I recently gave them a quilt. Bob & Sue
He will be missed greatly. Bob's celebration of life was this past Thursday so we left the house at 3 a.m. in order to be there for the service. Our girl drove from Oklahoma. If our son would have been closer, he'd have been there as well. We would have liked to leave on Wednesday, but we shipped out 114 steer calves that morning:
I made cookies that morning for the buyer, who is a friend, another friend who came to help, and our North Camp man and I added a Whopper Reindeer for each:
I've been making these for so long and each year I claim I will never make them again because I have given them to everyone we know, but then new folks pop up and I end up making more. They are just a silly little gift, but they seem to bring a little joy every time I share them:
We've known the buyer for 34 years, he's a friend and lives just 10 miles down the road, but we don't see him often so he and DH enjoy a good visit when we do:
So shipping the steers out was what dictated that we couldn't leave for Texas until Thursday. After, the memorial service, we checked in to the hotel and drove a few miles up the road to Gruene:
It was so nice having our girl with us:
We ate at the Gristmill:
We were pleasantly surprised to find this taking place across the street
It was such a fun night
Live music? Yes please!
The band, Grumpy Like Riley 😂 was phenomenal...as we walked up they were just finishing up Mr. Bojangles. A favorite of mine. And this shot is another favorite:
We browsed through a few stores
And did a little bit of shopping
We stayed one night and headed back home the next morning. I love to cook, but once in a while it's a real treat to not have to:
It's almost a 9 hour drive. There was a time when we could drive straight through and only stop for fuel, but those days are gone. Now we have to get out every 3 hours or so and trot around a little. I feel like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz when we fold ourselves out of the truck. LOL. Down the road we were craving some good catfish so I did a little research on my phone and we gambled on this place in San Angelo:
I guess it's kind of a sports bar, but it had great ambiance and it was quiet
And the food was so good! Our catfish was outstanding. I ordered a delicious sweet potato hash and DH had the best fries with his. Definitely a place we'll revisit!
One day down. One day back. Another speedy trip and one we wish we hadn't had to make, but I'm so glad we were able to hug Sue's neck. We have so many wonderful memories of these special friends.
10 comments:
I LOVE Gruene (I call it groonee). Was there earlier this year. When DH was still alive, we always drove down before it got too hot and enjoyed a meal on the decks overlooking the river. It's a great little place. Sorry to hear of Bob's passing.
I'm so sorry about your friend, Bob. I see God's hand all along this trip though...being able to attend the service, special family time with your daughter, finding nice places to enjoy a meal, "stumbling" on an enjoyable outdoor get together that surely helped refresh your souls, a safe trip home. Even in the midst of such a difficult time, God is there comforting you, loving you, watching over you all. Praying His peace, comfort and strength for Bob's wife, Sue, in the difficult days ahead. Thank you for encouraging me to stop for a moment and reflect in the midst of all the manic activity going on. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow...or even the rest of today. I did a quick google search to see if there was a Whopper Reindeer pattern. There was...it's your pattern! So cute.
Karin, you look so good. You and DH make a nice looking couple. Glad you got to see your daughter. So sorry for your friend's passing. Best wishes for a very nice Christmas.
I am so sorry to hear of Bob’s passing. It is so hard to lose a friend.
I loved seeing the pictures of Gruene. My husband and I visited in November of 2019 when we attended a wedding in TX. We ate at the gristmill and went shopping. Hubby bought a cowboy hat as his souvenir of TX. Unfortunately that year was to cold to sit outside. We had freezing rain a couple of days later which made flying out of TX interesting.
The reindeer are super cute. I don’t remember seeing one before.
Sorry to hear of your friend , so glad you were able to make it to his service.
Glad you were able to make some memories and see your girl tho! what a treat!
Saying good-bye to a cherished friend is never easy. Keep in touch with Sue--she will need you. Covid has had everyone so boxed up it is nice to be able to get out and about
So sorry about your friend. My Cowboy loves his reindeer you made him! I refill it for him every Christmas -- whoppers are on my grocery list this week!
Mr. Bojangles is one of my favorites too. (Was sorry to hear that Jerry Jeff Walker died last year.) I am glad you had some time with your daughter but so sorry the circumstances. Are the whopper reindeer edible?
Oh, Karin! I'm so sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your friend, Bob's, passing. But so many good memories!
I enjoy your blog! Always down on the farm and so homey!
I love the foods and really love your reindeer! So cute!
Have a very Merry Christmas! God Bless!
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