Making her own choices

 Four years Chloe vowed she would get a dog when she graduated from college. 

At the time I advised her to be out on her own for awhile and make sure that was what she wanted.  She would need a yard, or at least a place to walk said doggie.  Time to spend playing with it and money to afford taking care of it.  Its a commitment - but I think she knew that.

 

Fast forward to last September, and she got herself a dog.  Meek and loving, he's a great companion.  And I'm sure she feels like she should be able to make all of her own decisions.  I support that. But then she decided she wanted a dog for that dog... 

I'm still going to give her advice and try to steer her away from some of the mistakes I made.  So a second dog?  Slow down there, girlie.

She did it anyway, and it was a learning experience. I'm sorry that I was unable to convince her to reconsider, but on the other hand its how she has learned what she really wants. 
For most of us, that's how we make our way through life, right? 

Silver Spurs

Mark and I are having a fine time in the Silver Spurs wine club of Driftwood Estates.  Every three months we attend the wine partay to pick up our three bottles and  enjoy another two while snacking and listening to music.  This last time we set up a little folding table we could stow a bottle in.  

 

The party comes with a free tasting or a glass of your choice of wine - we took the glass.  Plus a lunch - this time around we had the Chicken Tinga nachos and stuffed avocados from Trudy's.  And we may have brought some cheese, crackers, and sausage of our own to snack on.  Death by cheese!  Note to self:  pack the cooler and get it ready for next time.  We will need napkins, hand sanitizer, extra cash, sunscreen, water...

 

 It started out overcast but breezy and pleasant.  But by mid-afternoon the sun was blazing.  

We situated our chairs and table near a low rock wall that overlooks the bluff and the vineyard. The place fills up quickly, so we try to get there early and stake a claim.  I think next time we will have to find shade!

So pretty out here.  So wonderful to sit and sip your vino while listening to live music.  Everyone we meet out here is friendly, too.  We chatted up the people sitting next to us for about an hour.

And yes, I got sunburned in February!  But such a great afternoon. 

More and more

My mother turns 86 today.

Every passing birthday I realize that she won't be around forever, and I resolve to get up to see her more often.  And yet, she is a pretty healthy 86 year old.  Growing her own veggies, tending chickens, taking herself in her pickup truck to play 42 and to the library.  Her handwriting is as neat as always, her hearing intact, and she doesn't complain of anything more than feeling tired after working outside. 

Every time I visit her, she will ask me to take her shopping.  Which in itself, is not an issue, but it makes me worry.  I only visit her every couple of weeks at the most.  Surely she has shopping to do more often than that?  I just get this feeling that she isn't as comfortable getting out and about by herself as much as she used to.  And last time I visited, she mentioned that she wished I lived closer.  Who WOULDN'T want to live closer to a little extra love and help?  So, more and more I think about it.  And sometime sooner, rather than later, we need to look into getting her a little closer to Austin.