PLAYING CATCH UP

I can't believe it's been a month since I've shared anything about my incredibly exciting life! And I know you are just dying to know what I've been up to so here's the last month in the condensed version.

Ruth Sonnenberg and I went to a great antique show to benefit the symphony and saw lots of pretty things. The dealers were from 4 states and my favorite dealer was there. She specializes in high quality vintage jewelry, compacts and lucite handbags from the 50's. Despite her fabulous selection I limited myself to one compact.

My sewing machine has gotten a nice little workout and I love the new hat I made. My Paris friend and hat designer, Kate sent me several of her patterns and I made this for summer (assuming it ever comes.) It is raffia straw material on one side and reverses to a Thai silk from my shrinking fabric stash.

Speaking of workout, I started back to Pilates twice a week and am either riding my bike or walking 2-3 times a week. I feel so much better, mentally and physically. It takes so little time to get out of shape. Count your blessing I'm not posting any pictures of me in spandex.

Now calm yourselves and prepare for this next bit of news. My friend Tammy and I went to St. Louis for the weekend to see Clinton. I got an autograph and a picture with him. NO! Not that Clinton! Clinton Kelly of What Not To Wear fame. He's so cute!

And this past weekend we went to Branson for three nights with our RV club. It was great to see so many friends that we have not seen since last fall. On Sat I drove back to Springfield and picked Grace up so she could spend the night with us in the RV. We went to the Butterfly Palace, The Landing and of course did a bit of shopping. We came home on Sunday and Jim went to the farm to turkey hunt and I chilled out with fashion magazines and HGTV. Life is good!

EASTER SUNDAY AND HE IS RISEN

WHAT DO MY TEXAS FRIENDS DO ON SUNDAY?

Well, like the rest of us they get up and go to church, rush to the restaurant and then head home for a little nap. BUT THEN, at 5pm they are very different! They change into their boots, wranglers and 5lb belt buckles and head to The Cotton Club in Granger, TX for a little two-steppin' at their favorite honky tonk! I kid you not, they really do. And I have pictures to prove it. Most people wait until Friday night to hit the hony tonk but not the Harrisons and the Stuarts they like to start their week off right.

OH! I FOFGOT TO MENTION THE HATS!

KATE, KATE, KATE!

Oh! how I wish you had been with me when I stumbled onto this oh so cute tea room in Salado, TX. I immediately thought about you when I saw it. It is decorated in black and white with vintage hats on every table and LBD's and more hats on the wall. I have no idea what the food is like, we didn't eat there, just ooohed and aaahed and took pictures. Thanks to you I now carry my camera everywhere. I fear one day I may get arrested for taking pictures in a resticted area.

SAN ANTONIO

Well. it is day four in San Antonio and we finally made our trip to the Riverwalk and the Alamo. We got here on Tuesday and I didn't feel very good and by Wed morning I was really sick so waited until Thur and I still didn't feel very well so we extended our time by a day and went this morning. We rode the city bus from our campground (that's another story) and took a quick walk through Riverwalk and stopped for a nice lunch at one of the little restaurants. Then we headed for the Alamo to test our memory of what we learned in high school. I am sorry to say I would not have gotten a high score if there had been a test. And I was a good student! It made me think of something I heard an educator say the other day. The discussion was about how few facts like dates high school students knew these days. The educator said there was no reason to memorize these kind of facts anymore since the internet gave everyone immediate access to the simple facts. And today's experience highlights this. I used to know all of this but in the past 40 years have not had a need to call it up. Just a thought about our changing world.
On the way to the Alamo the downtown Dillards caught my eye and I was 6 years old again shopping with my mother in downtown Little Rock. It was such a vivid memory-- I could see the floors, the stairs and especially the Charles of the Ritz cosmetic counter in Gus Blass Department store where my mother had her powder customed mixed. Then we would go across the street to Woolworths and eat at the counter. Some change is good, we don't have to memorize dates; some change is just dull -- the food court at the mall is just not the same as Woolworth's counter. And some change is sad-- my mother is no longer here to go shopping.
I really wanted to go in Dillards and the Rivercenter Mall, I wasn't wanting to shop, just browse, but by the time we took in the Alamo Jim was feeling like I was feeling a couple of days before so we headed for our bus stop and came home. We may have to extend our stay in San Antonio even longer, I for sure can't get this rig out of here.
Oh! and before I forget, I have to say I love the architecture here!

A LITTLE MORE DISNEY

Somebody is feeling better and posing for the camera! How do you like the hair extensions? I think she looks a bit like Paris Hilton in this shot but pray she doesn't act like her.