More Calaca Love and Dem Sum

Today, I begin my countdown for my week in Austin, TX.  My daughter and her family live there and I try to get out there as many times as possible...the incentive...my 5 grandchildren.  My oldest, Joel, will be coming down from Ft. Worth during the weekend for a visit to, I think, but if not, I'll see him at Thanksgiving.  My hubby and I will be making a road trip to Austin/Houston/San Antonio during that holiday week.  I had always said that as long as my mother is still with us, I would spend all holidays here at home.  However, the rules sort of changed a little over a month ago, before she was hospitalized.  My sister made plans for she and my mother to return to Phoenix to attend my niece's confirmation ceremony and then off to Mission Viejo, CA to spend Thanksgiving with my little brother and his family.  Well ya know what they say about the best laid plans??? During that time, my sweet man and I decided to make our own plans.  He normally goes to Houston during the Thanksgiving week to visit his oldest son and his family; also, his daughter and grandson have been going down there from Chicago the last couple of years.  We decided since mom would be in CA, we'd go and spend the holiday with our children, however, I would remain in Austin and he travel on to Houston.  The Sat. after Thanksgiving, my daughter, Andria, will drive to to my step-son's home in Houston, and I'll be spending the weekend with them.

I had mentioned to my hubby that I hate that long drive back to El Paso from Houston...I'd rather have a root canal, it's faster and less painful!!  Crossing the great state of Texas is no fun...lots of nothing in between.  So he surprised me with a couple of days in San Antonio, staying in a nice hotel on the River Walk to enjoy the sites ( I hope he doesn't want to go to the Alamo...been there, done that and once is enough!!). We haven't really had a vacation in about three years, only visiting our perspective children and grandchildren in order to get out of town.  The drive back is more scenic, so we'll only have to deal with less of "a lot of nothing" from San Antonio than from Houston!!

I completed a couple of coffee bowls for my daughter.  She's a Starbucks ho and the girl loves her coffee.  The other day, I mentioned a cute bowl she had gotten me years ago with the Cheshire cat on it, I love the Cheshire cat, and that our cleaning lady had broken the saucer.  She had no idea what I was talking about, that is, a coffee bowl.  I explained to her what it was and she then said she wanted a bowl.  During one of my visits to Big Lots, I found a couple  of white ceramic bowls and purchased them.  So here are the fruits of my very fun labour and it was really quite easy to make...love those enamel paints!!

I also wanted to show you another little project I did some time back.

Well, my dalings, I must start my day.  Will be making Caldo de Res (Beef Soup) for the family and need to  start cooking the hell out of the stew meat for the goodies I'll be adding later on.  Have a great weekend and as always, peace out.