Today’s the day of Debbo’s Big Six-Oh.We had some rain last night after we went to bed and rain was the topic on everyone’s mind because the big bash was to be outside, complete with a band. But it turned out to be a beautiful day, and the rain was now sidelined until at least after midnight – which would serve as a reminder to have the hangers-on remember to go home.
Around noon we received word that Leesey was finally arriving from Montgomery, so we decided to check out her swanky inn and resort right on the lake, which was about five miles from our campground. I was most impressed with the $12 valet parking fee.
Today was also a day we picked to replenish groceries and purchase items that we either forgot or decided we needed. One of the four GPS programs (yes, four!) I travel with lists every business in the U.S. We decided that a Wal*Mart would be the one store where we could probably get everything. The GPS program promptly found all the Wal*Mart’s within 50 miles, and the nearest one to us was about a dozen miles away. When we were within a couple of miles of the store, we came across a SuperTarget store. Marianne likes Target and she’d never been in a SuperTarget so we were going to get another entry in her (and my) diaries….Dear Diary…today I went to a SuperTarget for the very first time….
One of the more important items I wanted to purchase was a trickle charger that I’d guillotined that almost caused our trailer to burn down several days previously. But alas, poor Yorrick, the shoppe had none. But it did have everything else on our lists including groceries.
Since it was a Saturday, there were a host of people throughout the store offering free samples of various foods. I abstained, although Marianne was game to try each and every one. But we didn’t purchase any of these offerings.
On the way back to the trailer with our bagsful of bounty, Marianne discovered an auto parts chain store and, of course, I was in the wrong lane to make a quick entrance into their parking lot, so I had to take a right at the next intersection and then find ample room to turn the truck around.
If you didn’t already know it, a 2006 Ford F-250 4x4 crewcab even with a short bed is a bitch to maneuver in tight places, and U-turns are no exception. At least it’s much better than with the 30’ long trailer attached or the same truck with a long bed. A U-turn becomes something akin to a 5-point turn on a narrow two lane road. Add to that the amount of traffic on this road and in also becomes an exercise in patience. I waited and waited for the traffic to abate so I could make my prolonged U-turn. And after waiting longer than I thought my patience could handle, I succeeded in completing the shuttle docking maneuver.
Now I was in line (a long line) to make a left turn at the signal so I could get back to the auto parts store. The light took longer than I thought it should to change to let us go, but it made up for it by shortening the left turn light. Finally after waiting through two signal changes, I was in line to lead the herd through the third light – the entire process of seeing the store, turning to a place to make a U-turn, making the U-turn, and then waiting through three signal changes took about 15 minutes. Maybe I could have built a trickle charger in that amount of time?
The clerk at the store was a clown. No, he didn’t have any of the make-up on, but he just looked and acted like a clown when I asked him where their trickle chargers where. They had about a half-dozen different models and he ‘splayned them all to me. Armed with this knowledge I bought the right tool for the right job. And I’ll install it differently, too!
When I got back to the trailer, I was bushed, so I decided to take a nap. Both Marianne and I immediately fell soundly asleep, waking with just enough time for me to take a shower and get ready before Francois and Thalia would be our chauffeurs to the big party.
I had been elected as the unofficial official photographer for the gala, and for this event I brought out my big Olympus digital SLR with the big new bounce flash. This would be the first time I used this set-up in a real world situation, and I must say the results were stunning. So, it was a beautiful Austin evening with clouds in the western sky, and Deb and Tim’s home is gorgeous, overlooking Lake Travis; the perfect party home!We were some of the first guests to arrive. The caterers were setting up a phenomenal spread in two different rooms, and the band was setting up on the patio in the backyard overlooking the pool.
Friends were starting to show up: John and Cathy Henniger from North Carolina; Leesey Webb had arrived earlier from Montgomery, after a one day delay because of weather as well as jet equipment problems, she was escorted by her sister, Janet and her husband, Rick, who now live in Austin; Barbara Rushing and her friend Gary, from North Carolina; as well as Deb’s sister, Kathy, who lives in San Antonia. The only no-show was Steve Beard and his wife Teresa, from Florida.
Marianne, Deb, Leesey, and Barbara were bosom buddies in high school in Montgomery, practically inseparable. John and Steve were their groupies…
The party was a great affair. The sunset was stunning. The band played all the right songs, including a very well received, “Sweet Home Alabama”. The food was not only very tasty, but varied as well. And it was a great group of people. I could write a bunch more words, but the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words should hold well here, Here’s the link to the photos I took, the equivalent of 99,000 words.
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