This husband of mine…

rarely eats sweets...but on occasion gets a hankering...for a glazed donut...this donut quest hit mid afternoon...on a Sunday...search…donuts near me…revealed 9 donut shops…and thus we embarked...
 
The Donut Palace...hidden in a tiny strip mall...still had pastries displayed even tho it was almost time... to pull up the drawbridge...this old gal apologized for coming in at closing and requested two glazed donuts...

The gentleman smiled…asked about my day….took my two dollars and said….I put in an extra blueberry donut for you...they’re the best...

And the donut battle was won….with the other shops not getting to joust...donut buyer me felt like royalty leaving the shop….the welcoming smile….the kind words….the special blueberry treat...which was amazingly scrumptious…and just like that the tale takes a turn...

Now it’s not about finding a glazed treat for that prince of mine...but rather...acquiring a blueberry treasure for his queen...have journeyed back twice this week….in search of the elusive blueberry confection…which is always sold out...

How early does one need to get here….donut queen queried one day with a smile….to get a blueberry donut...

I’ll save you one tomorrow….the lovely lady at the counter replied….as she puts two glazed donuts in a bag...

And those glazed donuts…are fit for a king….and a queen…too…
​
And this husband of mine…..agrees...

This husband and I...

Took a jaunt to the Ezy-Kleen Laundromat…the price you pay when traveling...this old gal was bummed….dilly dallied over coffee…got lost on the way…so the place was packed...

Watched the dryer tumble…noticed a woman doing the same...she was tiny…elegant…beautifully dressed...her dryer had broken at home….she was worried the dryers here were too hot…and her blouses would shrink….laundry expert me agreed they were hot...but told her...those classy 5 dollar Target shirts of mine...had emerged victorious last cycle...

Then we chatted…she’d taught 6th grade…L’Oreal worked great to cover gray...it was hard to stay slim as you aged…we were Laundromat BFFs...

I shared that I had just turned 60…she shared that TODAY was her birthday… she was much older than me…and they’d just come from a fancy breakfast…

She gave me a hug as she left…told this husband of mine what a wonderful wife he had…he had to agree since his bride was standing...right there…

And then she said…

Thank you…thank you so much….you were a God’s Blessing to me today...I’m so glad you were here…and she and her husband shared a smile as he took her hand…

So this was why we dilly dallied over coffee…this was why we got lost on the drive to the Ezy-Kleen… It was all about timing…

The right place at the right time…sent to someone on her special day…who for some reason…needed a Laundromat BFF...
 
And this husband of mine…agrees...

​This husband and I …

Went on a drive to Wimberly...

Cute little town...lots of fun shops...but the name…makes this old gal feel like she's in...a nursery rhyme…
Maybe because she taught rhyming every day...for at least 8,100 days….or maybe because she's one of those annoying people...who love to rhyme talk…

These daughters of mine…would say….with an eye roll….it’s the latter…
It didn’t matter….
Their mom was the Queen of Rhyme…
Time….for bed, Fred!….Let’s go, Joe!….What do you think, Stink?…

So….much….rhyming…with such…good….timing…

So Wimberly Bimberly…what did we see?...A llama…for Mama…and a big old tree…..homemade chips….and a mask with no lips…a lavender vase…with a pretty crackled base….and you won’t believe this…we say with a smile….that chupacabra shirt…that was worth every mile…
​
And this husband of mine…agrees...

This husband and I…

Being daring adventurers….went out in search of the Chupacabra…that mythical dog-like creature with floppy ears and fangs...

One of us…is intrigued by folklore creatures…super scary movies….creepy things that go bump in the night…the other…went along to drive…because she knew the twists and turns of the back roads…that would take us to the location…of the initial sighting…

Granzin’s Meat Market…where not only lies the Chupacabra…but other possible questionable things…you wouldn’t want to find in your kitchen…

That packaging…my friends…drew us in and called us back…he had to have the Chupacabra….he fought the urge…wrestled with the choice…Original or Cajun Blend…

The Chupacabra didn’t even stand a chance….lasting no longer…than the front seat of the car….

It was a journey…worth taking…
​
And this husband of mine….agrees.

This old gal…

Impersonated a hiker today…had the walking shoes…backpack…water…all those items you need…to look like you’ve got what it takes to tackle the trek…

The trail was short…a mile up…loop around…a mile back…the view was spectacular…the weather perfect…

But it didn’t take long for this fake hiker to fake like it…so...many…rocks…and roots…and unmarked paths…and paths that weren’t paths…

And the obscure loop…that never materialized…we just kept walking…and walking…up...this old gal wanted that loop…to loop her back…down..
.
Other hikers…also Newbies…also loop less…this husband of mine…not giving up…walking little deer paths thinking he’d struck gold...

Accepting defeat…fake hiker me declared…that loop or no loop…she was done…and then there it was…tucked in a rock…in the middle of nowhere…a note…folded like those secret notes once passed in Jr. High…

Fake hiker me rescued it…and read it…those words…those kind words that someone wrote for someone else…words we need to say to our people every day…

Put a spring in the old step and a real smile on the face…as we headed down…and wrapped up one more grand adventure…

And this husband of mine….agrees...

This old gal….

felt like a kid on Christmas…

Even though it’s just Amazon….and it’s probably just the grannies from Jockey that were ordered….there’s always that little thrill….opening the door and seeing a package smiling at you…

But it was even a bigger thrill…seeing inside… something this old gal didn't order…

Pulling items out that say…the senders know me…a book lover…chocolate eater…. laugh at myselfer...

And giving me a chance to celebrate being 60….again…today…and every day…

So thank you….grandkids of ours…and mom and dad….you made this old gal smile…warmed her heart…made her feel like that kid…on her birthday...
 
You are loved…

And this husband of mine agrees…

This old gal…

Is directionally challenged...

Can’t do the East or West thing…the blue GPS line…is befuddling...but confident driver me…is always SURE she knows where she’s going...

These backroads will get us there…is always heard…I don’t remember the roads looking like this when I drove here 20 years ago….a familiar phrase used…

This co-pilot of mine...seems to be catching on to this Queen of Navigation ruse...today tsk-tsking as we wove farther and farther away from our destination...on a curvy backroad…

Which led us…to history…and beauty…and a former film site for the Fear of the Walking Dead...
 
Those daughters of mine learned long ago that Mom’s…I think this looks familiar…really means...I have no idea where we are…

But sometimes…ignorance can get you lost…and others...ignorance can find you in bliss...
 
And this husband of mine….agrees...

These daughters of mine…

Could say…I’ll take MOM for $500, Alex…and break the bank...the category MOM...wouldn’t stump them...they’d easily name the favs…coffee…FOOD…llamas...FOOD...books...FOOD…

This old gal...is not a great cook…but she can being creative in the kitchen...
Sunday was big meal day…followed by leftover concoctions the rest of the week…soup…casseroles…tacos…hash...

Mom's eaters were good sports…and made her feel like Martha Stewart...

Except when Martha over-corned the homemade chicken pot pie…forks were lifted to mouths…Mmmms were mumbled…eye contact was made…

And then it comes...from one brave soul…I just can’t… I’m so sorry…this pot pie tastes like…butt…laughs…relieved sighs….and what will forever be called…Mom’s Chicken Butt Pie…hit the garbage...
 
Fast forward 10 years…this old gal still loves food…but doesn’t mind slacking...when it comes to being Martha Stewart...

And today….this old birthday gal...wins the Daily Double…two meals a week….from that daughter of mine...who knows me so well…

Still making her mama feel special…helping her be...a Home Chef….and making sure there is never…another...Chicken Butt Pie fiasco…

And those sisters of hers...agree...

​This husband of mine…

does birthdays differently than his beautiful bride...

She's a...think...ponder…search…for the perfect treasure…kind of gift giver...
he’s a...let’s go shopping...you can pick out what you want…birthday shopper...

At first...that felt kind of hollow…because to be honest...when an old gal...becomes an old gal...if she wants that Ronco Pocket Fisherman...she'll just buy...that Ronco Pocket Fisherman...

But the last couple of years…around  birthday time…there seems to have begun...an internal paradigm shift...it teeters on embarrassing...but…this old birthday gal... just may have become...akin to a geriatric child...in the candy store...

That green shacket...BIRTHDAY...Kendra Scott druzy jewel...BIRTHDAY...a vintage vase that serves no purpose except to be beautiful...BIRTHDAY...

And…that good sport husband of mine….chuckled all the way to Buc-ees…that truck stop of all truck stops…where one final treasure called to this old gal…
​
Muffin…Muffin needed a home…Muffin is the softest plushie ever…Muffin makes this old birthday gal smile… and every other day Old Gal said no to Muffin… but today….BIRTHDAY...

And that wonderful husband of mine...agreed...