I was busy the first two months I was in Texas. For one, I downloaded an app. I know, what is this world coming to?! First, believe it or not Kate has a device that can download apps and second she is downloading apps. However, I am still fiercely clinging to my almost ten years old flip-phone in my own semi-anti-technology way. This is a language learning app and I have been diligently completing my daily exercises to brush up on my Spanish and to learn Russian. Como estas? как дела?
I have been taking advantage of the piano. What a wonderful thing it is to have a piano in the house. Wow! I am also slowly becoming more familiar with the guitar as well.
I was able to see a dear friend from my grad school days. She lives in the Dallas area and is extremely talented vocally (she can hit a high D!!). She was performing in an elite choir and I was able to attend their Christmas concert. It was a beautiful, emotional, and spiritual concert. So much talent. While in Dallas I had lunch with a Scotty's Castle co-worker who's now working for FEMA in that area. So good to see him too.
Just about every Sunday after church my mom, dad, and I go to see my Uncle Casey. On this day he was out in the living room and one of the care-givers had put a Santa hat on him. He's been slowing down the last eight months. Not as talkative and not laughing. He's in his 40s which is saying something.
My dear brother was able to be home for Christmas and it was wonderful. As per tradition, we got stockings in our stockings.
My dad is quite interested in Gail Halvorson, nicknamed the Berlin Candy Bomber. He flew supplies into Berlin after WWII ended and then began dropping his chocolate bar rations from his plane to the children of the city. My mom and I found his autobiography on a used bookstore website and got really lucky when the book arrived and we opened the front cover and found Mr. Halvorsen had signed it. Dad was thrilled!
My brother bought a townhouse in Utah. He had no furniture and two roommates moving in. He flew back to Utah so he could work the week between Christmas and New Years and my parents and I rented a large vehicle, loaded it with the old bunkbeds, some chairs, a bedside table, and a few other things of my brothers, and drove the stuff up to his new place. This picture was at a McDonald's in Las Vegas. How cute are my parents? Coming up on thirty-nine years and still sharing milkshakes.
While we were in Utah, my brother made a reservation for the family to participate in an escape room at a place called Get Out Games. It was a blast. The four of us were placed in a room and the door was locked. The scenario was that there was a problem with the nuclear reactor and it was our job to turn off the power supply, shut down the reactor, then shut down the plant (or something along those lines). We had one hour to find keys to locks, unscramble passwords, and figure out other clues to accomplish those goals. So fun! I recently learned there are these types of escape rooms here in Houston. Anyone interested?!
My mom and I tried a new recipe for New Year's Eve. It was pretty spectacular. A slice of mozarella rolled in dough, covered with garlic butter and parsely, baked in the oven, and then served with a marinara for dipping....I'm still running off that meal.
We flew back to Houston and my search for temporary employment began in earnest. A wonderful holiday season!
