back in civilization

Greetings from Houston!

As much as I harp on the booming metropolis of Nacogdoches, there is something so charming, so fantastically American about small-town America. East Texas is absolutely beautiful, and did you guys know I come from the oldest town in Texas? Original brick streets downtown and everything. I had a glorious time (although don't get me wrong, there's a 2-day maximum on the glory).

Friday I drove into town to see a billboard of an insurance salesman who graduated high school with me. Um, OUCH. I also got caught in a "traffic jam" that involved livestock. I got to my dad's and both dogs done R-U-F-F-O-F-T, so we spent a little time in the woods looking for them. I got dirty. Then we went to eat lunch at Mike's Barbecue. Mike's is where my little sister had her rehearsal dinner before her wedding. No, seriously. Mike of Mike's goes to my parents' church and I still actually know people that work there. Mrs. Mike was even around and came by to chat. Classic. Then Daddy and I went out to the range to shoot. Again, seriously. I shot about a hundred rounds from my 9mm on targets at 10, 25, and 50ft. We went back to the house (ibym "house"... "trailer"), where we met my sister, brother-in-law, and 2 nephews for "Christmas." It was great fun - my nephews are 3 and 9 months and adorable. My sister's family gave me this disgustingly awesome book called Fierce Food. Seriously, it is so gross. I love it.

Saturday my stepmom Gale and I went antique shopping, and then met my dad for lunch at The Cotton Patch. We went back to the house where Daddy and I cleaned our pistols together, natch, and then I went to Java Jack's and met two of my high school friends for coffee. It was CRAZY fun - I haven't seen either one of them in several years. Jeffrey is one of the oddest, most eccentric people I have ever known, and I'm happy to report he hasn't changed one bit. Pretty much every time he said something, I had to look at Adam for verification. It was so much fun to catch up with them. Saturday night Daddy and Gale and I watched Elf.

Sunday we went out to my other sister's house, where she lives with her husband and their 3 kids. My brother and his wife and their three kids were there as well, and we had lunch and let the kids open presents, and all had coffee and sat on the porch while the kids played on the hay bales. Again, seriously. It was so great. My dad and I had a sudoku contest (my stepmom gave us the same book so we raced) and he beat me three times in a row. Grrr!

THEN, Uncle Al, Auntie, and Jule were driving back to Houston from Bossier City, where Auntie's parents live, and they stopped in Nac and we caravan'ed to Houston. We met their friend Kip at the house for the 3-hour season finale of Survivor, which took us about 4 hours to watch, even without the commercials, because of all the pausing and yelling. We all cast our votes- even me, who had never seen it before (I voted alphabetically). I'm embarrassed to say that I enjoyed it.

Today Auntie and Jule and I went to the mall (*shudder*) and to Best Buy to get some last minute gifts, and then to dinner, where we watched Elf again. *snort* I'm glad I bought it, since apparently no one in my family has ever seen it. Jule and I are watching Christmas in Connecticut now. Unfortunately I have to head home to Dallas tomorrow since I am leaving Thursday morning for Christmas in Ohio.

I hope everyone's weekend was as wonderful as mine. I'll be home tomorrow~