We Are in West Texas!!

It was nearly noon by the time we were all ready and turned off the AC, water heater and water to the camper and were about to get in the truck when Dean and Sherry came down to tell us goodbye until next month! Louis Dean had been fretting about leaving all morning but fretting didn't make it happen any faster!

He didn't want to take time to stop for a photo but I over ruled him!

We drove out Highway 6 N through country all the way to I20 near Eastland.

It was such a pretty drive. 

We stopped for a late lunch in Abilene at Don Luis Cafe.

Louis Dean was acting silly!

The margarita was good!

He had fajitas......

and I ordered what I always order - Taco Salad!

We were hungry and wolfed down our food in no time!

While we were in Abilene, Louis Dean found a music store since he needed new guitar strings and a tuner for Chandy's auto harp. He bought the guitar strings at N-Tune but they didn't have the 'tuning hammer' there but he told us to go to Deatherage Music. I called the place and he said he had ONE! They are not easy to find. Louis Dean got to talking to him and discovered they have a mutual friend of long ago. Louis Dean grew up in Abilene and he and Willy Williams would meet at Mr. Longacre's Gun and Cycle Shop. Louis Dean was in his late teens and Willy was in his early 20's.  Willy would play Listen to the Mockingbird on his fiddle and Louis Dean can still remember how much he admired him. Mr. Longacre has been gone a long time but his sons continued to run it until recent years. Louis Dean told Mr. Deatherage that he remembers Willy having black curly hair. Mr. Deatherage said Willy had been in his shop just this morning and he still had curly hair - or at least some but it wasn't black anymore! And he still plays the fiddle.

We got back on the road and drove on another hour or two to Big Springs, Texas!

I had to prop my feet up to let my knee straighten out. 

That's the only way it doesn't hurt is if it's straight. 

I'm telling you driving west into the setting sun is fierce!!

It was just about to go down when we got to the hotel.

That hot tub sure felt good after all those hours of driving.

And this bed is going to feel even better!!

Tomorrow we go to Chandy's house and party all day!

Just look at that sweet girl!

Then they will come back to the hotel with us and the kids can swim while Granddad and Granddaughter play music. It's going to be wonderful!