A Wish For You

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

O Christmas Tree by Renie Britenbucher

Break Time!

Yes, I am on another break and will not be blogging for a while but I leave you with this ...

"Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived." played by Patrick Stewart, from the film "Star Trek: Generations"

Curving gravel road through autumn countryside in Central Scotland
From website: http://www.wolforest.com

My Writuals

I was tagged sometime back by Elviza and was honoured to be counted as a writer in her eyes. I assure you I am anything but. Half the time, I do not know what to write about. What sounds good in my head is quite the opposite when it is typed out. That is when I imagine the reader having more interest in the writings of a struggling student in school.

Then again, I should not be too hard on myself. I have not been writing much because another social networking activity has distracted me on top of my other interests. My muse must be burnt out from multi-tasking in Facebook, my garden and kitchen.

So, what are my Writuals (when I am actually writing something other than e-mails)? Read on ...

Where are you?

In a semi-dark living room, TV switched off, with me sitting in my chair and the laptop on a stand in front of me.

What are you writing with?

The gifts of ten fingers (counting the days to arthiritis), a pair of eyes (which needed the help of spectacles 15 years ago) and a hand-me-down laptop.

(Everything's aching right now! yes, even the laptop - he acts erratically when I make him multi-task and expect him to process quickly. Typical male, no?).

What's the oddest object in front of you?

My pencil sharpener/holder which I use as a paper weight. I am not sticking the pencil in it. You know where it goes. :P
(I bought this more than a decade ago when I was working in Kuala Lumpur.)

What are you listening to?

Usually when I want to write, it has to be silent. When I am doing other things like banking and emailing, my TV would be on either the news channel, comedy channel or a current TV series.

Is there anyone else in the room?

My faithful four-legged companion, Peanut, that sleeps on the ottoman. Sometimes he shares the chair with me with his head on my lap.

What time of day is it?

To write - whenever.

Right now, I am taking a break from working in the garden - 5:45pm

What do you look at when you're looking for inspiration?

Outside where I see the road in a distance with cars and trucks zooming by occasionally on a 25mph street (where are the police when you need them?). Sometimes, I get up from my chair and look at my backyard. The green, the neighbour's horses and just the quiet of country life gives me some kind of inspiration.

What is guaranteed to remove your concentration?

1. The phone ringing - mostly from telemarketers.
2. The dog barking for no good reason, which is rare. He sleeps most of the time.
3. Husband walking into the room - suddenly I am not alone (don't count the dog, he does not speak!) :P

Sticks and stones will not break my bones

What have I been up to after the hurricanes? I am keeping myself busy in the backyard. When we bought our house, we got an empty backyard. But over time, we have added a storage building and a fence (just enough around the house so that the dog has place to run without being too close to the neighbour's horses - he barks at them when they are near the house). We are now working on re-doing the stone path and putting down a new layer of soil to cover some uneven parts. It can be back-breaking work but oddly enough I am enjoying it.

(These are pictures of the backyard, beyond the spot where I am working on)

Once this is completed, I am thinking of making some flower beds. This will not be anytime in this year. Soon the cold season will be upon us and some plants will not survive the chilly air. Yes, Louisiana can get cold in winter but not as bad as up north. :) I am looking forward to some cooler weather after such a blistering summer. Now, please excuse me, I am going back to the yard to play with some soil and stones (and throw away some old sticks I keep finding around the yard).

In the meantime, here's something worth pondering over (which I am sure you have seen before knowing how fast information is passed on these days):

Balance Sheet of Life

Our Birth is our Opening Balance!
Our Death is our Closing Balance!
Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets

Heart is our Current Asset
Soul is our Fixed Asset
Brain is our Fixed Deposit
Thinking is our Current Account

Achievements are our Capital
Character & Morals, our Stock-in-Trade
Friends are our General Reserves
Values & Behaviour are our Goodwill
Patience is our Interest Earned
Love is our Dividend
Children are our Bonus Issues
Education is Brands / Patents

Knowledge is our Investment
Experience is our Premium Account
The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately.
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award.

When Ike stormed into town

Top Ten Reasons Hurricane Season Is Like Christmas

Number Ten:
Decorating the house (with plywood).

Number Nine:
Dragging out boxes that haven't been used since last season.

Number Eight:
Last minute shopping in crowded stores.

Number Seven:
Regular TV shows pre-empted for 'Specials'.

Number Six:
Family coming to stay with you.

Number Five:
Family and friends from out of state calling you.

Number Four:
Buying food you don't normally buy . . . and in large quantities.

Number Three:
Days off from work.

Number Two:
Candles.

And the Number One reason Hurricane Season is like Christmas:
At some point you're probably going to have a tree in your house!

*****************************************************************

Though the above sounds funny now, it is definitely not when one is bracing oneself for a hurricane. As I write this (Saturday noon, 13 Sep 2008), winds are gusting relentlessly. Our area is out of the projected path but the effects of Ike's fury has reached out to about half of Louisiana. We are currently under flash floods and tornado warnings and watches. Ike is not only lashing out at Texas and Louisiana, 'he' is going to leave his mark as he travels up north, then north east of the States. The devastation Ike left behind is still being assessed. From pictures alone, one can imagine the loss many people suffered (see examples below).

One thing I find ironic is that some people knew they were in the projected path (or just some miles off the eye of the hurricane) but did not leave. The Mayors of Houston and Galveston issued mandatory evacuation orders for residences in low lying areas. Individuals who chose to stay back to brave the hurricane must either be gamblers of life, love their possessions more than themselves or simply had no choice (their job required them to stay, too late to escape or no money to go elsewhere). I think it is rather selfish of those who had the choice, means and strength to leave but chose to ride out the hurricane. Some were seeking help when the hurricane was approaching but search and rescue people could not get to them because of the intense winds. sigh (No, I am not going to say they deserve it. That is just too mean. I am just baffled. They could have helped themselves earlier.)

Anyway, here are some photos courtesy of Houston Chronicle (taken in Galveston).

For more photos, go here.

Update:
Here are before and after photos of another part of Galveston.

Life's lessons from The Godfather

Have you watched the movie, The Godfather? Well, if you haven't here's the plot (courtesy of AskMen.com).

Plot: The Godfather, the classic Francis Ford Coppola film, opens at the wedding reception of Don Vito Corleone’s daughter, Connie. However, this peaceful celebration is short-lived. After the Don refuses to use his connections to enable drug trafficking for the other families, an assassination attempt is made on his life. His youngest son, Michael, strikes back and kills the men who orchestrated the massacre. Michael then flees to safety in Sicily while the Corleone Family prepares to go to war with the rival Tattaglia Family.

Though Don Corleone survives the attack, his oldest son Sonny takes over the family operations. Yet it’s Sonny’s heated temper that gets him killed, and it’s up to the Don to make peace and secure safe passage for Michael back to the States. Michael is promptly appointed capo and makes plans to invest in a Las Vegas casino to finally legitimize the family business. In one fell swoop, he removes all roadblocks by arranging for each of his enemies to be assassinated on the same afternoon. Now nobody stands in his way.

Anyway, I was browsing through this AskMen.com website and found that there are life's lessons to be learned through mob movies. Here's their take on The Godfather. (please visit their website for details)

1. Your word is your bond (something that is quite rare among politicians!)

2. Honour before profit (oh hey ... another trait that is absent in greedy politicians)

3. Blood is thicker than water (hmmm... something quite common among politicians)

4. Put your family's needs before your own (need I say more?)

5. Keep your cool (something we need to do while taking a stand against issues brought up by politicians)

OK, so I seem to be hammering politicians but how can I not when all we have been served are 'poo poo platters' over the years. I won't deny that there are some good politicians but the amount of damage done seems greater. Politicians aside, I believe we can all learn from the movie too.

Desperate Answers

It is time to update my blog again. As you may have read or heard New Orleans might bear the brunt of another major hurricane in a few days. We are living about 4 hours from that city. Our town, Leesville (or sometimes known among some outsiders as Sleazeville) may be affected. The town's officials have not issued any mandatory evacuation yet but most of us think it is better to be safe than sorry. We are going to play it by ear and see which direction the hurricane takes. If it makes landfall in New Orleans, we will go west. However, if it suddenly veers towards Texas, then we head up north. If for some reason, it goes off the projected track, then we are staying. Even with contingency plans in place, I wish there was a way to predict the exact track. That way, everyone affected will know what to expect. I guess in a time like this, all we can do is live the motto "Be Prepared".

The current projected path. My location is between 8pm, Tuesday and 8pm, Wednesday.
Update: It is now projected to make landfall midday Monday
2nd Update (4th sep 08): I am back in Louisiana. Thankfully my area did not suffer much damage.

Anyway, to lighten things up a bit, here are some examples of desperation:
(don't ask me to solve any, I may give similar desperate answers). :D
Note: Click on the pictures to have a better view.

My LATeX experience

While driving back from Jasper, Texas this afternoon, I was listening to some classical country music. One of my favourite songs being played was "All My Exes Live in Texas".

All my exes live in Texas,
And Texas is a place I'd dearly love to be.
But all my exes live in Texas
And that's why I hang my hat in Tennessee.

George Strait (the singer) must have really broken some hearts (or got into trouble) for him to hide in Tennessee! (I wonder if anyone in Malaysia have gone into hiding to avoid exes). :)

One thing I noticed whenever I drive through Texas is that there are lots of dead armadillos on the road. (poor things!) Last week when I made my way to Austin (for a girls weekend with the in-laws), I came across at least five during my 7-hour drive - and that did not include other road kill. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one". So much for being armored ... they don't stand a chance against vehicles zooming down the roads at 70mph (or more... when those dang powe-leez are not around). Anyway, I am not blogging about this mammal. Read here to know more. (Picture courtesy of www.thewashingtonnote.com)

Back to driving through Texas, I learned very quickly that I detest going through Houston to get to Austin. (Somehow I did not have that anxiety when I was a passenger). I forgot to set my GPS to avoid toll ways, so that darn thing took me through that crazy city traffic. To add to my consternation, at one point, I had to take the top most tier of those fly-overs. I slowed down to the recommended speed (45mph) but I could tell the driver behind me was impatient. I always have this fear that all it takes is one crazy, impatient driver to knock someone off that flyover - the barriers don't look high enough to stop a vehicle from going over. *shiver* Anyway, once I got through that scare, the car behind me over took my vehicle very quickly ignoring the recommended speed of 55mph. (where are the dang powe-leez when you need them??) Once I got onto Katy Freeway, I relaxed a little. phew!

When it was time for me to leave Austin on Sunday, I made sure my GPS was set to go north of Houston - through the country roads. It was such a leisurely drive. I had my radio tuned to light and easy music, which I enjoyed singing along to (luckily there were hardly any other drivers around me cos' I must have looked crazy from the outside). In all, it was a very good weekend sans mingling with crazy Houstonians (or whatever you wish to call them ... feel free. haha)

By the way, on my way back from Jasper today, as I crossed over the border into Louisiana, I heard a rather funny song. Click the "play" button on the left to listen to the song. Here are the lyrics:

Marie Laveau

Down in Louisiana, where the black trees grow
Lives a voodoo lady named Marie Laveau
Got a black cat's tooth and a Mojo bone
And anyone who wouldn't leave her alone
She'd go (screech) another man done gone.

She lives in a swamp in a hollow log
With a one-eyed snake and a three-legged dog
She's got a bent, bony body and stringy hair
If she ever seen y'all messin' 'round there
She'd go (screech) another man done gone.

And then one night when the moon was black
Into the swamp come handsome Jack
A no good man like you all know
He was lookin' around for Marie Laveau.

He said Marie Laveau, you handsome witch
Gimme a little charm that'll make me rich
Gimme a million dollars and I tell you what I'll do
This very night, I'm gonna marry you
Then it'll be (screech) another man done gone.

So Marie done some magic, and she shook a little sand
Made a million dollars and she put it in his hand
Then she giggled and she wiggled, and she said "Hey, Hey
I'm gettin' ready for my weddin' day".

But old handsome Jack he said goodbye Marie
You're too damned ugly for a rich guy like me
Then Marie started mumblin', her fangs started gnashin'
Her body started tremblin', and her eyes started flashin'
And she went (screech) another man done gone.

So if you ever git down where the black trees grow
And meet a voodoo lady named Marie Laveau
If she ever asks you to make her your wife
Man, you better stay with her for the rest of your life
Or it'll be (screech) another man done gone

Good old Louisiana ... there may be more than one witch hanging around. ;P

I'm back

As you may have noticed, I have changed my blog look. It was getting a little 'blah' for me. However, I still like my peach-coloured background and decided to retain that element.

What have I been up to lately? Nothing much except eat, sleep and breathe Facebook! :) Suddenly there have been a surge of long lost friends and relatives coming out of the woodworks. It has been exciting catching up, posting photos of yesteryears (some really, really old - before I was born!) and reminiscing the simpler days gone by.

I have also been challenging myself to some word games and I have to say it is becoming addictive to the point of obsessive, which makes it stressful at times. It is time to let go. Just like blogging, it is meant to be fun not work. I will still be active in Facebook, just not stressing myself out to reach a goal in those darn word games. :D I, however, have to thank some of my friends who have put me up to the challenge (they are bloggers as well - you know who you are). ;)

It has been a dark and cloudy day - very unusual since we have had nothing but extreme heat. With Edouard making landfall (sorry to those living on the coast down south), it has brought my area (and many more) much relief. The latest news:

Edouard inland, beginning to weaken
Lead Meteorologist, The Weather Channel
11:07 a.m. Eastern Time 8/5/2008

Tropical Storm Edouard (60 mph) is swirling inland over extreme southeast Texas now and beginning to weaken.

As of 10 a.m. CDT, the center of Edouard was located about 40 miles west of Port Arthur, Texas, and moving toward the WNW at 15 mph.
A tropical storm warning remains in effect between Cameron, Louisiana, and San Luis Pass, Texas. The hurricane watch has been cancelled.
Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to continue in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana over the next several hours. Rainfall of 3 to 5 inches is likely along the track of Edouard, although isolated totals of 10 inches are not out of the question.
Winds gusted as high as 68 mph at Sabine Pass North just after the center of the storm crossed the coast this morning. Winds will drop off as Edouard continues to churn inland, but a few power outages are still likely in some of the more vigorous rainbands.

Elsewhere in the tropics, both the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Basins remain quiet. In the western Pacific, Tropical Storm Kammuri is expected to make landfall in Mainland China west of Hong Kong on Wednesday morning (U.S. time).

Anyway, I digressed. I was not supposed to blog about the weather, although it is an interesting subject ... seriously.

I was looking through some of my stuff that finally arrived from Malaysia (I chose sea mail) and found my old diary filled with poems - some I composed and some collected from other sources. Here's one which was penned on 17th March 1986. Warning: It is silly!

Out of the blues one day

Appeared a guy about 5 feet tall

His words were made of stammers

Which my friend could not make out at all

He introduced himself as someone,

Jacob Singh if I can recall

He stammered so much that all I could hear was

"Aaa...aaa ... I'm Jacob Singh", I think that was all.

He handed a gift to Christina

I think a week after that stammering incident

This time he spoke more fluently

But his shivers seem imminent

I was so right, I saw him shiver

Handing a gift so neatly wrapped

He handed it saying "Here's sssomething for ... for... y..you"

I think to wake him, he needed s slap

And so because of his height

We decided to name him 50

50 stands for 5 feet zero

Look at him and you will say "What a sight"

So, nowadays, if he's around

Christina beware, don't frown

For your 5 feet hero is bound

To catch you and pin you to the ground

Note: His name was not Jacob Singh, after all. It was something else, which I have forgotten. He was a student from Bangalore, India. After handing that gift to Christina, things warmed up between them.

Ah! memories.

On a break ... still

I am sure most of your have received this before (as I have) but it is an excuse for me to put in a filler while I am on my break.

*******************************************

1. Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

2. Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough money?

3. Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

4. Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

5. Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

6. Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

7. Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

8. Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

9. If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

10. Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

11. Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

12. How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

13. In Winter, why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in Summer, when we complained about the heat in Summer?

14. How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

Short break

Actually, I will be back when I can because I feel like taking a break from blogging.

Take care y'all.

**********************************************

Note: Although I am on a break, I could not resist sharing this. We could learn something from dogs.

If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.

Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout... run right back and make friends.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

May your troubles be less, your blessings more,
And may nothing but happiness, come through your door.

Wedding talk

Did you know that back in the 1500s (according to an email I received) most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June? However, because they were starting to smell (I suppose towards the end of June), brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide their body odor. Hence, the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Hand bouquet arranged by Buds and Bees, KL

Fast forward to 1999, I know I smelled pretty good in June and the bouquet I carried definitely was not chosen to mask any odors that may have secreted from me on that hot afternoon. Besides, the flowers I had would not have done the job well.

Bouquet/posies for the bridal car arranged by the bride

At one time, I thought that wedding rings were only worn on the fourth finger of the left hand but when we moved to Germany, I found that my cousin was using hers on the fourth finger of her right hand. Now I wonder, if some are not aware of such differences, could they have missed their chances based on a ring? It could have been someone from a different culture who fancied another but didn't dare make a move because of the 'ring that binds'. Then again, for some, the ring does not really deter. They will make a move, regardless. :)

In some countries (UK, other Commonwealth nations, Japan, Korea, Ireland, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Iran, Chile, Italy, France, Sweden, Finland and Slovenia), the wedding ring is worn on the left hand. This choice of finger relates to traditions purportedly dating to classical times, from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or "vein of love". At least in part due to this tradition, it became acceptable to wear the wedding ring on this finger. By wearing rings on the fourth finger of their left hands, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. This has now become a matter of tradition and etiquette in these countries.

In other countries such as Germany, Norway, Greece, Russia, Spain, Peru, Slovakia, India, Colombia, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Poland, however, it is worn on the right hand. Orthodox Christians and Eastern Europeans also traditionally wear the wedding band on the right hand. Jewish couples wear the wedding ring on the left hand, even though it is placed on the right hand during the marriage ceremony. In The Netherlands, Catholics wear it on the left, all others on the right; in Austria, Catholics wear it on the right. In Belgium, the choice of hand depends on the region of the country. Greek people, many being Orthodox Christians, also wear the wedding rings on the right hand in keeping with Greek tradition. A traditional reason to wear the wedding ring on the right hand stems from Roman custom. The Latin word for left is "sinister", which in addition to this sense also has the same senses as the English word. The Latin word for right is "dexter", a word that evolved into "dexterity". Hence, the left hand had a negative connotation and the right a good one.

Traditionally, in India and those practicing Hinduism, a toe ring or bichiya is worn instead of a ring on a finger, although this is only for women, and increasingly worn along with a finger ring. (from Wikipedia)

(Picture borrowed from DownTheRoad.org)

On that note about the toe ring, I remember what a college mate said, which still tickles me till today. She said that she would be sure to enlarge the picture of her husband placing the ring on her toe and then hang it in the living room. She was convinced that that would be the only picture to indicate her man humbling himself before her. I have always wondered what happened to her. After studies, we went our separate ways. I would love to know if she ever fulfilled that intention. :)

I also learned that "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe." is a well known superstition which originated from Victorian times. It appears that we have lost the last sentence at some stage.

'Something old' - an old garter, or a piece of family jewellery or accessory is often used, linking the Bride back to her single life.
'Something new' represents future health, happiness and success, this is usually the wedding dress.
'Something borrowed' could be a small trinket borrowed from family or a friend. It is thought to bring greater luck if it comes from another happily married woman. It must be returned to ensure good luck.
'Something blue' - it was in ancient Israel, where the bride wore a blue ribbon as a symbol of her fidelity, that the custom of wearing 'something blue' originated.
Good wealth was wished for by placing 'a silver sixpence in your shoe.

Wedding cake baked and decorated by Dulcie Danker

Anyway, I have been watching quite a bit of wedding shows on TV - Bridezillas, Platinum Weddings, Wedding Planner, just to name a few. June seems to be a favourite month in the west. If you are married, how did you determine your wedding date and month?

Arriving at the church. Since my dad was not alive to give me away, I gave the honour to my uncle, who was also my godfather.

Most people choose it because it is available (as in my case and also on mum's advice that June is a good month) and/or it is convenient for family and friends. Some are guided by superstitions and traditional beliefs. Now, I wonder if my late mum was influenced by them. This is what I found:

January - Married when the year is new, he’ll be loving kind and true.
February - When February birds do mate you may wed, or dread your fate.
March - If you wed when March winds blow Joy and sorrow both you'll know.
April - Marry in April when you can Joy for maiden and the man.
May - Marry in the month of May and you'll surely rue the day.
June - Marry when the June roses grow over land and sea you'll go.
July - Those who in July do wed will labour for their daily bread.
August - Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see.
September - Marry in September's shine, your living will be rich and fine.
October - If in October you do marry love will come, but riches tarry.
November - If you wed in bleak November only joys will come, remember.
December - When December's snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

... and over the seas I went.

The Lady's Visit - Part 3 of 3

We thought we had retired for the evening until Marion asked if we were interested in taking a drive to downtown Austin, an hour away from her place. I thought it was a good idea because I wanted to see what Austin looked like at night. Pat was game for it too. Besides, that was our only chance because we only had one more day left and we had designated the next day to see San Antonio.

Although we did not go into any of the clubs or restaurants to experience what they had to offer, it was evident why Austin promotes its city as "The Live Music Capital of the World". There was just so much happening around us. We could hear the revelry of the night life from our drive by. We all agreed that, apart from very special occasions, the night life is not for us anymore. We prefer to be at home relaxing - reading, watching TV or sleeping. If we do go out with friends, a café or restaurant is more ideal than trying to talk above the music at dance clubs or pubs.

One thing that captivated our attention were the horse-drawn carriages. Since it was difficult to get a picture of the carriages from a moving car (and the next place to pull over was too far away from them), I did not get a chance to take close ups. Here's one courtesy of Austin Tours.

Now that I had a glimpse of downtown Austin (and familiarised myself with the roads), I promised myself that I will return someday and hopefully get to ride in one of those carriages. We had planned to stop at Starbucks in Round Rock on our way home but found it was closed - hours earlier.

Next morning, Pat and I headed out to San Antonio. Since it was a two-hour drive from Marion's place, we decided to break our journey by visiting my sister in law, Susan and her husband, John. They live south of Austin. Her son, Jason, and his family were in town and so was Benny, John's brother.

We sat around and caught up on news before having lunch. Susan treated us to a scrumptious meal at Cracker Barrel, a restaurant chain that serves traditional southern food. One thing I noticed at all Cracker Barrels, the porch has rows of rocking chairs - very inviting. (As we get older, we find every opportunity to sit down!)

The interiors are decorated with antiques - photographs, household items and always, at least, one gun (hopefully not used on patrons who feel the need to complain about their food). All Cracker Barrels have a store. The store carries mainly nostalgic merchandise. We did not have much time to shop but there was a quick opportunity to buy something for Susan.

Pat by the fireplace of the Cracker Barrel dining room

After lunch, we thanked Susan, hugged and kissed everyone good bye and parted ways. With the help of the GPS, I found my way into San Antonio's famous downtown area. I took the first available parking lot. (I did not want to waste time looking for more parking lots when we could be walking around looking at stuff).

Pat slotting our parking fee into the box at the lot.

On our way to The Alamo, I noticed that there were many empty shop lots. I wondered if they went out of business (or some did not want to attempt to open any) with the Riverwalk Mall around the corner. It is a pity because I feel little specialty shops add charm to a historic area. Besides, it would be nice to have some shops within reach from the parking lot - last minute shopping or a place to snack before hitting the road.

Anyway, here are some pictures taken at The Alamo, used as a fortress in the 19th century and was the scene of several military actions, including the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, one of the battles between the forces of the Republic of Texas and Mexico.

We also took the Riverwalk cruise and saw much of downtown from there. Our guide was very entertaining while giving us a brief history of San Antonio and what it had to offer.

By the way, I have a brother in law, living in San Antonio. Despite the horrendous traffic that was building up on a Friday evening (where does it not build up in cities of this world?), he made his way to The Alamo to meet us.

Mark unaware that I took his photo while he was sorting out business (work never ends)

Pat posing under the statue of Davy Crockett. He was an American folk hero, served in the Texas Revolution, and died at the age of 49 at the Battle of the Alamo. To know more about Davy Crockett, read here.

After we left San Antonio, we stopped at Susan's house to pick up my sunglasses which I had left behind. When we arrived at Marion's place at 9:40pm, she said that we had missed a bad storm. In fact, they were getting ready to take cover from a hurricane. It would have been scary if we were closer to her area an hour earlier. That made me realise that some things just happen for a reason. Our delay due to my forgotten item could have saved us from untold danger.

We left for home next morning thanking Marion for her wonderful hospitality. It was also a morning of promises - that we will meet again and that Pat will not sleep on the long road trip (she was sleeping in the back seat of Marion's car the night we went to Austin). Pat was a good sport (thanks!). I don't mind talking to Peanut, my dog, but a one-way conversation can get dull.

The day before Pat left for Malaysia, we had lunch at the Wagon Master Steakhouse. We filled up on barbecued ribs, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. We wished we could have relaxed after that but we had something important to do - pack Pat's bags. We had less than 12 hours before leaving the airport.

Inside Wagon Master Steakhouse

Outside Wagon Master Steakhouse

It was a thrill to have Pat with me, my first Malaysian visitor in the States. A holiday to remember, for sure. I told her that the next time she returns to visit me, I may have to change our mode of transportation (horses, dear?). She was surprised to see how much we pay for gas (or petrol in other parts of the world). Well Pat, if you think what we paid was a lot, this is how I feel with this week's prices ....

The Lady's Visit - Part 2 of 3

Before our trip to Natchitoches, we made a quick stop at my old neighbourhood (the lake area). I needed to check on the house - to make sure that nothing got blown off or broken by the recent bad storms. We decided to walk down the pier and take in the view of the lake. It was so serene and breezy.

If we had time to relax, we would have put out a couple of chairs, brought out some drinks and spent the whole afternoon there.

Due to our long road trip the next day, we were back home by 5:00pm. We were going to stay with my friend, Marion, in Copperas Cove, Texas for three days. My dog, Peanut, knew something was up. He was watching me intently as I got the dog carrier ready, a bag of his food - one packet per meal, his soft pet bed, towel and blanket. (Yes, I pamper that little mutt!).

We took off about 8:00am next morning and it looked like we packed for a week's stay. Pat and I always had the habit of bringing a little extra on our trips ... just in case. :) Peanut got over excited when he saw me reach for his leash. I had to wait for him to calm down before I could hook it on to his collar.

We made a three pit stops on the way - Jasper, Texas for breakfast, Indian Village, Texas for bathroom break and a little shopping for Pat. She was in search of some native souvenirs from the Alabama-Coushatta tribe.

The Alabama-Coushattas (ah-lahbam-ah-coo-SHAH-tuhs) consist of two allied tribes, originally from Alabama. They have a small reservation in the Big Thicket of East Texas. To help them economically, they have developed several successful tourist attractions. To learn more about Indian tribes in Texas, click here www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_p4000_0016.pdf

Our third stop was in Copperas Cove, just before arriving at Marion's house. We were so hungry and in need of a bathroom - we could not wait. Besides, I did not want to arrive at Marion's and request to take a tinkle immediately. We relaxed that evening with good food and company. Marion and her husband had some friends over and they fired up the grill. We had barbequed beef and potato salad.

Next day, Marion took us to Fort Hood, Texas. Fort Hood, a military base, is located outside of Killeen, is the only two-division post in the United States, and is the home of III Corps. The two divisions on the base are the 1st Cavalry Division and the 4th Infantry Division. (from Wikipedia). We took a drive through the army post and stopped by to visit the 4th Infantry Division Museum.

My other vehicle ... :P

After an interesting walk through their memorial park (dedicated to the fallen soldiers) and museum, we decided to get something eat.

Pat and I have never been to Hooters and thought it would be nice to check out that establishment.
Hooters targets male customers with a serving staff comprising only waitresses, although Hooters does employ males as cooks, hosts (at some franchises), busboys, and managers. The menu includes hamburgers and other sandwiches, steaks, seafood entrees, appetizers, and the restaurant's specialty, chicken wings. (from Wikipedia)
We ordered the chicken wings since it was supposed to be well-known. Some men I know swear they go there for that dish. After tasting it, I have to say - liars! The men go there for the waitresses. Clearly, those waitresses looked good in their uniforms with the help of padded, push-up bras. (Having a tight body helps too).

If you have not been to Hooters, and wish to, the closest one (for Malaysians), I heard, is in Singapore.

At Hooters with Pat and Marion.

That evening, at home, we sat around in the living room chatting (in between watching TV) while I checked on my emails and transferred photos from my camera to the laptop (talk about multi-tasking). I contemplated blogging about our trip then but I was too tired from the day's activities to think. I asked Peanut if he wanted to do it. This is what I got from him ....

"Hmm... let's see. What shall I blog about?"

"On second thought, forget it. I am tired and have a headache."

That dog has to learn to earn his keep.