Alamo (162/365)

TIME:  10:00 AM
PLACE: San Antonio, TX
SUBJECT: The Alamo

We couldn’t leave San Antonio without seeing the Alamo.  My sister and I have both been there before, but Stella hasn’t.

She was aware that there is no basement at the Alamo (Thank you Pee-Wee Herman)

We checked out the Riverwalk and ate lunch at Las Canarias.

Then we stopped at the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum.

We spent a lot of quarters on fortunes, sexiness testing, shooting ranges, and pressed pennies.

 

And there were funhouse mirrors.

And my sister was attacked by a wild animal.

So, yeah, we had fun.

*~*~*~*

Today is also James’ 19th birthday!  Happy Birthday to my favorite son – so glad we got to spend the weekend with you!  Love ya!

Enchanted Rock (161/365)

TIME: 11:41-12:40 PM
PLACE: Fredericksburg, TX
SUBJECT: Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

We climbed this 425 foot high giant pink granite boulder today.  It was equivalent to climbing to the top of a 30 or 40 story building.
James was the first to the top – of course – he’s in awesome shape.

I brought up the rear,  I’m sure they could hear my heaving breathing all the way at the bottom.

A panorama of James and Stella at the top. 
The views were beautiful.

Obligatory selfie of all of us.  My sister, me, Stella and James.

James took this photo of me – it was very windy up there!

 

Had to take a photo of the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Reference Mark

Looking down from whence we climbed.  Let me tell you, it was much easier going back down the rock than going up.

We drove back to San Antonio and stopped at Pappadeaux for James’ birthday supper.  James received a free dessert for his birthday, anything from the dessert menu.  He was only going to get ice cream, but my sister and I told him in no uncertain terms, that he was getting the most expensive dessert item listed!  $3.95 ice cream vs. a $6.95 turtle brownie with a scoop of ice cream on top?  No contest. 

They even lit a birthday candle for him.

After, we went back to the base and hung out until he had to check back in.

It was hard saying goodbye to my boy. 

So glad I was able to spend time with him on his birthday weekend.

We Ran For Our Lives (232/366)

TIME:  10:32 AM
PLACE:  Wright City, Missouri
SUBJECT:  Me, the sister, and DramaQueen

My sister, DQ and I participated in the Run For Your Lives St. Louis today.   None of us “survived” the 5k – all of our flags were taken by the zombies.  I almost made it…until a zombie grabbed it right at the end.  Stupid zombie.

I took all these photos after our run.  Here is the start – we were released like cattle out of a chute.  The course ran through the woods and fields.  Zombies were mainly in the fields the first 2 miles, but the last mile of the course had a larger number of them in the woods and between the final obstacles at the end of the course.  My sister found out that it was every gal for herself when she fell trying to get away from a zombie in the first field.  Sorry sis.


This was one of the obstacles.  My flag was taken just before I climbed up the ladder for the slide into a pool of muddy water.


Then we had to dodge zombies before getting to the next to last obstacle.

Then, after eluding more zombies, we had to crawl through these muddy tunnels.  I had the giggles when I was crawling through the tunnel.

The finish had us crawl on our bellies under an electric fence.


My tennis shoes got a bit muddy.


They had showers for us to rinse off, but the line was long and we had to get home.  We sat on blankets and towels in the car.  I hosed off in the driveway before I went inside and took a shower.

Here I Come Mom! (139/365)

 
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw (Irish literary Critic, Playwright and Essayist. 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature, 1856-1950)

TIME:  1:31 PM
PLACE:  Tri-Township Park
SUBJECT: StellaDella

My sister, Cathy, babysat StellaDella today while I went to a doctor's appointment.  Afterwards, we picked up the dreaded McDonald's and went to a park near her house.  SD and my nephew and niece played on the play structure for about an hour.  Cathy and I attempted to sit on our butts and chat, but the children and their incessant demands to watch them as they went down the slide and to push them on the swings prevented us from expanding our bottoms.

"Watch me Mom!"
"Mooooom! Are you watching me?"
"Watch me go down the slide."
"Are you watching me now?"
"Here I go....."
"Did you see me?"
"Aunt Suzy, now you watch me!" 

Good gravy, how pesky is that?