Home Again

What a whirlwind trip!  Sunday, we go up to a ringing phone.  Janice grand kids wanted my grand kids to hurry back.  Well, my two grand kids are not quick to wake up.  We did get there around 10am.  Before I get on with my update, I want to share some pictures from the party on Saturday.

 Chloe and my great-niece Bailee (Janice's son Gabe's daughter)

Austin (red hat), Gabe (sunglasses) and my great-nephew Cameron ( Janice's daughter Danielle's son)

(Guess I should mention Austin is Danielle's oldest son)

 My Morgan

Danielle on the far left, and my step-dad Frank on the front right.

Chloe spent most of the day in the pool, sunburning. Morgan spend most of the day playing violent video games. What can I say? I don't see to have a picture with Coby, Danielle's other son in them.  My bad.  I'll make sure to get all three next time.

 Taylor, Danielle's daughter.

Cameron, Chloe and Taylor

I felt bad about all the food I'd eaten the day before, so I decided it would be best if I went on a bike ride. I convinced Austin to go with me.  Off we head, to what was once a beautiful golf course that runs between housing additions.  It went bankrupt several years ago, and they have torn down the club house, but now it's just mowed.  You can tell by the elevation that it was once a golf course, and the asphalt trails are still there, but it's just a really nice ride.  We ended up riding 7.2 miles in approximately 50 minutes.  I tell you what.  If there are no hills, I can ride with the best of them.  That was my best time yet.  I didn't realize how much energy I spend going up and down steep inclines and small hills at my home.

Everyone at Janice's was on the lazy side, well except for the kids.  Mike left to do his bike ride with his Jack Brooks Buds, and Janice and Frank napped quite a bit.  Angie cooked everyone some breakfast while I was out for a ride.  I took some pictures, as did Frank.  Janice and Mike redid their landscaping some time last year.  There's lots of eye candy to see.

We decided to head out about 4pm.  After we got in the car, Angie asked the girls where they wanted to eat.  Their answer?  Rainforest Cafe in Galveston.  Off we go.  My niece's ex-husband and his wife were in Galveston, so Angie called then and we arranged to meet up.  We visited with them for about 20 or 30 minutes.  I had never met his wife Lisa.  We wanted to meet her, and I hadn't seen him in probably 10 years.  That's 3 of Danielle's kids father.  He lives now in Evergreen, Colo., and we wanted to open the door for visiting the kids and them when we go to Colo.  It will work out great for the kids.  That went really well.  Off we head for the Rainforest Cafe.

I have a paid membership into Landry's Club, the parent company of the Rainforest Cafe.  With my membership, I get some perks, and one of them is faster seating.  I was told I'd have a 20 minute wait.  After 25 minutes, I asked for a manager.  See, they stamp the time you have to be seated on your check in stub that you have to use to be seated.  After waiting for 10 minutes and not seeing a manager, they seated us.  They gave us a crappy table.. on the edge of the room. I insisted on the manager, who listened to my story of inadequate seating, and then the bad table that our hostess refused to let me change.  Voila....we got the primo seat in the house... next to the aquarium in the middle of the room.  The girls were excited.

 This is one of several animals things running around.  I'm not sure what it's supposed to be... but all kids (any age) love them, and want their picture taken with them.  Here, it's holding it's two fingers above their heads.  Wasn't sure you could figure that out on your own.

 Chloe and me

 Chloe doing some hat shopping.

Having a ball!

We had the cutest waiter... Josh, 21, and from Russia.  What a cute accent!  He pampered us, and we enjoyed our meal.  If you've never been to the cafe, about every 15 minutes, the lightening starts up, and the animated animals start hollering, and it starts raining.  The rain is on the edges of the room, and there is steam rolling around.  I really like it also.  That's what the girls love about it.  However, the food is really good.  I had pasta, the girls chicken strips and burgers.  For dessert, we had a volcano.  It is chocolate brownies, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and it comes out with a sparkler burning on the top, and the waiters and crowd hollering VOLCANO!!!!  Quite a show.

I also had my very first Rita-Coronita!.  It was a frozen margarita, served in a huge goblet.  There's a slice of lime on the salted rim.  Then the added item..... a 7oz glass bottle of Corona beer.  They are called Coronita beers.  Get it..... Baby Corona beer.  You can buy them in most stores, but I never do.  They cost the same as the 12 oz beer so why would I?  Anyway, the drink was ok.  Not great, but ok.  I don't care for the taste of beer in my margarita.  I can now mark that off my bucket list.

It took us 2 hours to finish eating, and off we head for home at 9pm.  Angie tipped our waiter $25 on our $90 bill.  Angie is just soooo sure she can drive all the way to Dallas.  Well, she got as far as Buffalo and called it quits.  We stayed in a Comfort Inn.  Rooms were nice and clean, but nothing fancy.  However, they impressed Morgan cause they serve donuts at breakfast.  As she said.... starting her day out with sugar is her favorite way to start a day.

We were about 35 miles south of Dallas when we came upon some beautiful sunflower fields. I convinced Angie to stop and take pictures.  Here are some taken right by the Mollie something bridge.

Finally, we reached Dallas.  It's fun to take trips, but I always enjoy getting home.  I tried to call Sheila's house and see how Joyce's visit is going, but no one was home.  I'll hopefully talk to her tomorrow.  Later,.....