Dancing Anson Style...Memories of my Childhood

As you know, I took the kids to see The Nutcracker on Sunday. It's a beautiful ballet...I can't say I'd ever been to a "gen-u-ine" ballet before. I did go to Hillary's ballet recital when she was only 4, but I don't think that counts. But when Lisa and I were younger we would pretend to be ballerinas. We made our nephews join us. Mother had a collection of old albums of the classics and several of the songs from The Nutcracker were on that, so we would gather in the living room (the forbidden room...no playing in the living room) and dance. I remember loving the "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies" and "The Flight of the Bumblebees". We whirled and twirled and jumped and laughed. I was always the leader, so I'm almost positive that I was in charge of the choreography. Thinking back, I had no idea what these songs were from. I had no knowledge of The Nutcracker, so I have no idea how I knew to "boss" my fellow dancers into a frenzy of whirls and twirls and ungraceful leaps. None of us had any type of formal dancing instruction. We were just "country bumpkins" with huge imaginations. However we danced our hearts out. Now, I really don't even know how we were allowed to dance in the living room. Our parents must have been involved in some serious Wahoo game or maybe a game of 42 or 84. If they had known we were dancing in the living room....we would have been in major trouble. WE WERE FROM ANSON AND THERE WAS NO DANCING IN ANSON, much less in the living room.

Our other favorite dance and act was to our favorite album "The Royal Guardsmen" and their songs "Snoopy and the Red Baron" , "The Battle of New Orleans", "Peanut Butter" and our all time favorite "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance". We actually acted these songs out...so they were much more "religiously correct" than the dancing we did to the classical songs. Jeff and Greg were more eager to play along in these songs. We entertained ourselves for hours with the songs on this album.

Life was simple then. Thank goodness for our imaginations...and for parents who would occasionally forget the NO PLAYING IN THE LIVING ROOM RULE! Oh the memories of childhood!

Tristin and Maddie

Couldn't resist sharing a picture of Tristin and Maddie! Aren't they just adorable? Tristin was so excited to see someone more "his age" when he woke up! He was so happy to see her and she was just as happy! It was a fun morning!

Silly Dilly

We went to San Saba on Saturday to watch Dillan play basketball. Afterwards we went to Harry's. Donald's brother owns this store so we thought we'd stop by to check out the boots and hats and other western wear. I wanted boots, but couldn't find any that I could afford! Dillan found lots of hats. He had a blast trying them own....didn't buy one, but he did try on quite a few and we had fun while we were at it!

Christmas and The Nutcracker

Denver, Madilyn and Averi after seeing The Nutcracker in Austin on Sunday afternoon. Do you think the kids were a little exhausted after sitting through the ballet? Can you tell they are working hard on posing??? My sister and her daughters, Bonnie and Brianna; Gina, Denver and Averi; Hillary and Maddie,;Cari (Tristin got to stay with his daddy!) and I all went to see the ballet! The kids looked adorable and we all had a wonderful time. We drove back to Cari's in Buda afterwards and we let Averi open some of her birthday gifts.

Wishing all a Merry Christmas!

Police Alert -"One Officer on Duty"

Tonight we had FCAS (Fellowship of Christian Athletes/Students) at the house and we really had a wonderful time. About 20 kids showed up for Hot Dogs with Chili, Beans, Chips and .......mmmmmmmmmmm Smores! The kids were all so pleasant and grateful! Sheriff Bewley came to give them a speech about good choices and commented on the "one officer" on duty tonight. Well, after the group left, I decided I needed a Coke from Sonic...you know I have that Bulldog Card and I get a Rt. 44 for only $1.07 anytime I feel the urge for a little caffeine. Well, wouldn't you know...I found the "one officer" on duty! As I turned off Henry, (and yes, I did have my blinker on), the car that I was meeting turned behind me with FLASHING LIGHTS! OMG! What had I done? I was on the phone with my sister, Lisa, and I told her I was being stopped, so we hung up. The "one officer" came to my window...all the while I'm trying to figure out what I had done wrong. Well, come to find out, I had not put my blinker on at the proper "100 yard blinker turn on time". I'm not even sure I know where 100 yards is, especially at night! Anyway, he took my DL and went to his patrol car to check me out! When he returned, he told me he was only giving me a warning...thank goodness. I told him the sheriff had supper with us...and had given the speech at FCAS....He sorta laughed and didn't seem too impressed. I was hoping some 18 wheeler wasn't speeding through town while he was giving me my "talking to" or that some druggie wasn't making a drug run through town! Oh well...I guess I learned my lesson. And let this be a warning to all of you....Don't forget to turn your blinker on 100 yards before you turn OR the "one officer on duty" just might get you, too!

Calf Fries...hmmmmm

I was reading Kaley's blog and she mentioned....bull nuts...what I refer to as calf fries/mountain oysters or my favorite...as Kaley put it "fried nastiness"! It reminded me of a story....a true story (honest to goodness) that happened at Crossfire Cafe last year. Once I started working at Crossfire, I began to notice our "regular customers" and I began to look forward to seeing them. Some of my favorite customers are these "regulars"! One family comes in from the Dallas area, so they are what I call "city folk". They have land near Cranfills Gap, but they always come to eat with us when they come to the "country". I've come to love this family.... The first time they came in, I noticed that their daughters (about 9 and 12) must go to private schools....they came in eager eyed, dressed in their navy/khaki skirts topped by white polo tops....so cute! I was lucky enough to get to wait on them and each time they came afterwards, I would get their table. I quickly learned what they wanted to order on each visit! He would always drink tea...she drank white zinfandel...the girls got water....but they always ordered appetizers....Shooters (jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and grilled over the fire) and Calf Fries (fried nastiness). Then they would order steaks for supper, and top it off with dessert...peach cobbler with ice cream on the side and chocolate cake. We would always visit about their plans for the weekend and I would talk to the girls about school. After about six visits, this adorable family came back once again and once again I got to wait on them. I was always happy to do this...they began to order the usual...tea, wine, 2 waters, shooters and calf fries. But this particular night, he quite innocently asked me, "Cheri, just what part of the calf do the calf fries come from?" Now, I know the color from my face must have disappeared. I replied, "You really don't know?" (I knew they were from the city, but they had been eating the "fried nastiness" for months!) The sweet wife was sipping her wine and she quickly looked at me and said,"OH, NO! Is it bad?" I tried to explain without letting those precious girls not really realize what they were munching away on....He just looked at me and shook his head....she nearly slid under the table (with wine in hand) and I was waiting for her to throw up....the girls kept munching....oblivious to it all! I think she ordered another glass of wine after that...I noticed she didn't eat much of her steak....
I haven't seen them in a while...and I've missed seeing them....I do know that when they come back to see us, calf fries won't be ordered!

Houses

A few weekends ago, I was blessed to have both daughters, their sweet husbands and adorable babies spend the weekend with me. I was absolutley ecstatic! It was wonderful. Dillan joined the crowd, as did Gina and her two. We sat cramped in the living room, laughing and visiting and watching the kids (all but Tristin) run through the house like they were race cars at the Daytona 500! Around and around they went...from the living room to the front hall to the hall to the kitchen to the dining room and then back to the living room! It reminded me of the days of my youth, when my sister, Lisa and I would race through Mother and Daddy's house while we chased my older sister's, (Barbara) two older sons...my nephews. They were only a few years younger than Lisa and I. We loved the chase! It's one of my favorite memories...later my younger nephews and nieces, and then my kids made the same chase through the house while the adults played cards or dominoes around the kitchen table. Denver, Averi and Maddie also love the chase! It was exhillerating...to say the least! That night, I realized we needed an extra bedroom...so we let Hillary and Dennis sleep in our room and Donald graciously bedded down on the twin bed in the sunroom. I took my place in the recliner with Tristen (I get night duty when he's here! It's wonderful to rock and let him sleep on my chest!) until he awoke at 2:00 and Cari fed him and took him to bed with her and Kevin. I crawled into the twin bed and we slept til the sun began casting sunbeams in through the french doors. I decided we needed a new house...a bigger house...I wanted everyone to have their own room and to have a place to be comfortable. We had looked at a "hogantic" house and I decided we needed to look again and just take the plunge. It has a beautiful yard with massive oak trees and two acres of yard...four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two living areas...my mind raced. I could just see the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room! The kitchen was big...there would be no "butt bumping" as I cooked...there were two bathtubs (my house has zero bathtubs) for the grandkids to bath in...and for me to relax in. The only problem was....our house was not even on the market...but they would do a lease purchase and give us 6 months to sell our house. However, after much contemplation and a long visit with Cari....we decided it was just too risky to jump into the bigger home. What if we don't sell this house and we have to move back after 6 months....eeeeeeeeeeekkkkk! We'll stay in this home, where we are cozy and quite happy! Donald and I talked about it and I think a big weight was taken off our shoulders. He had literally developed fever blisters worrying about it! And that's what is so great....we can discuss and focus on what we really need. I think we both got the cart before the horse! Anyway, he called the realtor and told them we had changed our mind and they were very nice about it. We will just work on our current home...putting in a bathtub and maybe enlarging the kitchen at some point. We're also going to buy a sleeper sofa to put in the sunroom for an extra bed! I've lived in several houses in the past few years and I've turned them all into my "home"....I really don't need lots of fancy stuff to make it a home (however I would like a bathtub!).....I think it's just the love you put into a house that makes it a home...bathtub or not!!!!!