2012 Tour of Texas

Whew!!  I've been gone from home almost a week and will be heading home on Friday and in true McCombs fashion, I'm just about ready to be home.

My first stop was Donna's in Weatherford where we ate until there was little left to eat,  drove the golf cart, tripped to Ft Worth to go to Sam Moon's and discovered a couple of nifty new things, pita bread and a space age coke dispenser that I thought was way cool but am sure the more sophisticated around me thought I was just a hick for being impressed.

I spend a couple of days in the bustling on steroids Dallas area for my Uncle T's birthday on Saturday.    It was a surprise but he was not too surprised to see me but then others kept coming in...his brother, my Uncle D and his wife S, then sons T and R and then cousins I don't think I'd seen in 50 years from North Carolina.  I think he was overwhelmed.  We had a catered dinner by a professional chef that was really good and a great German Chocolate Cake that was to die for.  Again, too much food but I really think a good time was had by all.   Here is where I should be inserting pictures but I had forgotten my camera at the hotel and my cell phone was on fumes.  Aunt B took a bunch so I'm hoping to snag a couple later.

Then, Monday morning I was on to New Braunfels to my cousin Glynneth's house for a few days.  It was not too bad of a trip.  My car GPS who I named Bonnie, took me down I35, not my first choice of highways because it's kind of busy but I made it through Waco where I got a look at Baylor (a beautiful campus) and then through Austin where I held my breath the entire way.  Bonnie got me where I needed to go.

Our first evening we went to Gruene, TX, a small town that has been over commercialized but is still pretty laid back.  They have some major river access so it was a little crowded.  We ate at a restaurant called the Gristmill.  Great onion rings and chicken.  We then stopped at Gruene Hall, a dance hall built in 1878.  There was a band there lead by Justin Minor and he has a great voice.  In the olden days (70's) George Strait's band was the house band.  And we looked around a little too and tried on some silly eyewear:

Gruene Hall

Dang, they're me!!

I think Justin Minor is going to be a star

On Tuesday, we went to outlet malls where we shopped til we dropped and my credit card was smoking!!  I found some Christmas presents and school clothes and shoes which I needed so all and all a good day.  Dinner was at Bonzai Japanese Steakhouse where we had the most entertaining chef I've had at one of these places.

We will, we will eat fried rice!!

Wednesday found us back in San Marcos doing a smidge more shopping. Lunch was at Johnny Rocket's where the staff danced for us.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Dinner was at Clear Springs Restaurant where the catfish was good and although they claim the best onion rings, I thought Gristmill's were better.

On Thursday we did a town tour and a small amount of shopping.  And we got new toes:

Toes

Our final meal out was, I'm ashamed to say, here:

Longhorn Steakhouse

The color makes me nauseous   But in my defense, it was steak.  I am happy to report that the appetizer was horrible (how exactly do you screw up a potato wedge wrapped in bacon?) and the waiter was rude and argumentative and I can un-recommend it on it's merits.  

I came through Fredericksburg on the way home and it's a nice little town full of interesting shops.  I also brought home side of the road tomatoes and peaches so life is good there.  

It was all in all a great vacation, full of family, food and fun.  And I am glad to be home.  It was an extra long trip home and I think I have made my last solo road trip for awhile.  Gonna save for the skies I think.