Ball of Fire

We had just the best time last weekend at our Brunch/Tailgate before what might have been the all-time hottest game on record at Kyle Field. It wasn't the temperature that was necessarily the problem, but the Sun. The most brutal, scorching sun ever positioned itself right over the newly renovated stadium and did it's dead level darndest to fry over 105,000 people.
The student section took the worst hit, of course, and the bowels of the stadium filled quickly with overheated (and somewhat depressed...) fans.
Six American dollars for a bottle of water? Why yes! I'll take 4 and please just pour the last two directly over my head.
So hot.

I suppose it would have been easier to look past the scorching heat if we had been winning, but we weren't. And we didn't. Bless.

We had the privilege of field passes, and before the game JT had to hold me back from doing a little field goal practice.

And please forget you saw me looking so frumpy and awful- did I mention the heat almost killed us?

I also had the chance to get a picture with my A&M Class of '79 classmate (and my boss...) General Joe Ramirez, Commandant of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.

Whoop!

I repeat. Bad hair day.

But. Before the game the weather was awesome and at the brunch we enjoyed great, great friends and family along with some wonderful food.

I forgot to take any pictures of the actual event (as I do) and only have the pictures I took before of the front porch before the festivities

(mainly because I was so proud of myself for putting out the pumpkins and the mums).

I admitted a long time ago that I have a "decorating phobia."


Don't even get me started on the front porches/yards/walkways I saw decorated in the Highland Park area of Dallas a few weeks ago. Talk about elaborate.
My word.
I assure you none of their décor included rusted buckets from the barn.  I suppose they haven't heard yet that they're all the rage.

It feels good to be on the cutting edge, doesn't it?

I love my porch.


And here's the back where most people ended up eating all their delicious brunch food...

Hope all of you are doing great- I'll check back in soon.

Too Late, Too Soon

Wow. Call me a slacker and then call yourself correct.

The last month has been a tough one. I've had the plague of sorts. The consumption. Some malady that has just about killed me. A lingering, hacking, bronchial-busting cough has prompted more than one person to suggest I give up chain-smoking. (I might note here that I have never once in my entire life smoked.) But things are looking (if not sounding) a little better and I think I just might live.

Many of my students have also been ill with what is traditionally referred to as the Corps Crud, and their poor, tired, stricken faces make me want to give them chicken soup and insist that they take a nap.
But alas, that's a no-go.

I think the weather is a factor too- it's cool for a few hours (at least cooler than blue blazes) then back to hot so many times in a week that it makes my head spin.

Then there's been Aggie Football.

Whoop and Amen.

And the farm and cows and hay.

An ill-timed conference in Dallas in the midst of the Red River Rivalry (who plans these things?) topped off this past weekend.

And although the traffic was awful and the hotel was packed we did have a great time and managed to do some fun things and eat at a few great restaurants while we were there.


A particular favorite was Toulouse which is located on Knox Street just on the edge of the Highland Park area.



We scored a great table on the patio, and with lots of string lights for ambiance, really great seafood and pasta dishes, and an attentive waiter (Jeff), it was quite a memorable evening.

We so recommend!

We also absolutely loved Mama's Daughters Diner which is in the Design District not far at all from  Market Center.

As a matter of fact, we loved it 2 times in 2 days! It's home cooking at it's best. Order the "Meat and Three." Everything we had was scrumptious.

Don't get me started on the cornbread. Crunchy crust. Light, rich, and "just right sweet" on the inside. Or the peach cobbler (which was practically forced on us by our waitress!) To die for.

One of our happy trips to Mama's Daughters even began with a police escort...







We happened to turn down the wrong street (I am notoriously bad at reading a map/GPS/directions of any kind...) when looking for the restaurant and luckily happened upon two of Dallas' finest who not only offered directions but also a personal escort directly to the restaurant! We offered to buy their lunch, but unfortunately they had just eaten.

A delightful weekend all around.



We're gearing up to host an in-home Tailgate Brunch this Saturday before the Texas A&M -Alabama game, so I'll likely have pictures of food, friends and fun to share.

Hope all of you have,unlike me, successfully avoided the plague!


See you soon.