Not much going on around Rancho Juvat, lately.
So my posting material might be getting close to Rock Bottom.
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However, this past weekend made up for some of that. We had a semi-Family Reunion. Obviously, Little J, LJW and Miss B couldn't make it from Jolly Old, but MBD, The Rev, MG and Leon' made it from East Texas. In addition, some friends of there's from College joined up with them after escaping the Houston Jungle. They stayed in our two guest cabins, did a little out and back to a few wineries and joined us for dinner where war stories were swapped. Yes, Beans, the red BS Flag was thrown a few times.
At the start of the festivities, we met the gang on their arrival at our favorite restaurant in the 'Burg, El Milagro. For those of you who don't speak Spanish, that would be "The Miracle". For the first several years we lived here, our go to restaurant was "Rather Sweet". Primarily this was because it was about 5 doorways down from our wine store. Which was about the max distance we had energy to travel after a busy day. The business was actually a restaurant and a bakery and was owned by Rebecca Rather, a somewhat well known baker. The food was good, the baked goods outstanding.
But, she got a bit tired of it and sold it at a deep discount to a group of Hispanic ladies. Ms Rather also included all her baked goods recipes in the deal. So the new restaurant has excellent Mexican dishes, great sandwiches and fabulous pastries. I heartily recommend it although my Cardiologist has a few comments about the relationship between it and I.
Anyhow, that's where we met the gang Friday. Did I mention that El Milagro has a very nice patio and a band that plays on weekends.
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| MBD and MG fooling around |
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| What the heck are those two goofs doin' Gramma? |
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| Just Goofin' Round |
Not a lot of mind enhancing conversations, but a lot of good smiles and laughter, so well worth it.
Finally on the woodworking side, I'm working on a couple of projects for the two eldest grandchildren. Mrs J came up with the idea. Basically it's a book box.
She bought 25 Christmas related books for each of them which she'll individually wrap. She took the measurements of each to figure out the dimensions for the box and ensure the books all fit. The grand kids will be authorized to unwrap one book for each day in Advent to have read to them. That should keep them occupied and hopefully focused on Christmas The above model was my "Practice" one, but turned out good enough to use it.
Why Maroon, you may ask. Well...Since both sets of parents are from a small university in College Station TX, they are encouraging them early to go there.
Yes, Beans, Texas A&M. I didn't go there, but I'm very happy with the way my Kids turned out and think it likely my Grand Kids will turn out well there also.
As I said, been busy and not many earth shattering events happened this week, so you get what you get. Hope to do better next week.
Cheers and Peace Out Y'all!
Hey juvat, few earth shattering events is good thing, life is mostly dull, mundane events. It's the exciting earth shattering events that cause problems. While the heart docs frown on it, bakery products ain't a bad way to go......... :)
ReplyDeleteNylon,
DeleteYeah, dull is generally a good thing. A LITTLE excitement is also good. Riding a roller coaster for instance, or an Afterburner takeoff in an F-15 cleared for a vertical climb. (Yep, THAT's exciting!)
But, most exciting things are hard to take.
Bakery products...While they are fabulous, I limit myself to A chocolate chip cookie every 3 or 4 visits. I try to eat it slowly, but after the first bite, all bets are off.
If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend El Milagro.
juvat
Rock bottom ...
ReplyDeleteMade my day.
Sarge,
DeleteYeah, as soon as I saw that Sunday, I knew I had to work it in somehow.
Glad to help make your day.
juvat
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” - Thorin Oakenshield, The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with the ordinary at all, Juvat. As some wise person said, God must love ordinary people and ordinary things - because He made so many of them.
THBB,
DeleteHadn't ever heard that quote before. Seems pretty appropriate as well as very true. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
True the last, but I'd add the ones that aren't ordinary are, almost always, PITA's.
Just sayin'
juvat
Family, friends and great food. Doesn't get any better!!!
ReplyDeleteApplegoat9,
DeleteTrue dat! But, I think I'm in for a nap this afternoon. I'd forgotten how much energy babysitting three YOs and below can take up.
That having been said, I can't wait for the next visit.
juvat
I'm fortunate that several outstanding bakeries are nowhere near my house. Apple Strudel, cherry turnovers, croissants, Danishes, etc. could easily be my downfall.
ReplyDeleteTuna,
DeleteI hear ya, my brother, I hear ya.
juvat
Do I remember some famous bakery near your wife's old shop?
DeleteTuna,
DeleteThat would be Rather Suite, now El Milagro. Which, happy coincidence, is where Mrs J and I are having l as we correspond.
*pokes muse with sharp stick*
ReplyDeleteO renowned scribe, please turn your pen to a revisionist historikle piece. "In 1913 patriotic and wise Americans reject the Fed and the 16th Amendment. Wilson succumbs to a stroke, properly this time, and his spouse ends up as a micromanaging harridan in a HOA in Dry Piles, Wyoming. Concurrently, German patriots hand Withered Willy V2.0 an axe and pack him off to a thick forest sparsely inhabited by droves of inbreds in leather pants (Palatinate, Bavaria). The insane battleship fetish is immediately canceled, the resources being diverted to an immense U-Boat and Aircraft research and building drive and the fortification of the borders. Meanwhile, the French come to an agreement that Elsass-Lothringen becomes a neutral country like Switzerland, and resolve to learn morals and hygiene. The Austro-Hungarian dumpster fire fragments into a confederation of states that agree to leave each other alone, and to keep their screwups at home. Russia de-feudalises and gives the serfs a break. The Ottomans are left to fall on their face, and everyone prudently keeps their fingers out of that perpetual goat cluster party. Britain decides to devote her energy into developing palatable food and the mysteries of chilled beer, and finds leaving the Wogs alone is better in the long run. No League or Union of Nations is necessary, and an entire generation is spared mass slaughter by explosives and machineguns in poisoned swamps. War agitators and prospective profiteers are quixkly executed. The world does not go insane for a Great War." Pleanty of seedstock there, your eager readership awaits ambrosia from your desk....
Fiction is one thing, fantasy quite another.
DeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteI'm confused. I don't generally write historically based stories. That is Sarge's forte. I wish I had his talent, but alas...
juvat
An enjoyable bit of good news.
ReplyDeleteFamily and tasty calories, what is bad about that :-)
Michael,
DeleteNothing I can think of, for sure!
juvat