Celebrating Summer's Birthday and Back to the Country!

Louis Dean and I left the country on Wednesday afternoon so I could be with Summer to celebrate her 60th birthday! We share milestone birthdays since we are only 15 years in age difference.

The next one will be in 2028 when I will be 80 in September and she will be 65 in October!

We arrived home in the 5:00 traffic because Miss Samantha was hiding!

After searching for over two hours - she casually waltzed out from where I keep my art supplies having hidden herself in the back of a shelf.

As soon as we unloaded, Louis Dean drew a tub of hot soapy water and settled down for a nice long soak. 

I started the laundry - we brought home covers and tablecloths and such that had gathered a lot of dust over the last three months - and then I went out to admire and cut bouquets of sunflowers!

We had a salad supper and wine for dinner in the gazebo and went to bed early!

When I woke up Thursday morning and went out to check the mail - I discovered the front door wasn't locked - and that it would NOT lock! Our ground shifts between the drought and then the rain!

Louis Dean promised to stay home while I was gone that afternoon and I would put the cats in the guest room so he could work on the door.

Sabrina and Rayne had flown in from Puerto Rico on Wednesday and Amber and I met them at Whiskey Cake in Irving for lunch!

It's the first time I have eaten there but during Covid Amber and Mike picked up some meals to go since the dining in was closed!

They are famous for their Whiskey Cake and it was amazing!!

One slice served all of us as it is SO rich and decadent!

There were cards and gifts....

and a lot of laughter!

We lingered long at the table enjoying our conversations and being together!

They must have a full time gardener on staff!

Each table has a small vase with sprigs of rosemary they cut from this interesting herb planter!

So many tomato plants and the peppers plants were loaded with ripe peppers!

We said our goodbyes to Amber and I rode with Sabrina, Summer and Rayne to Corky's in Grapevine for some fun throwing axes!

And it was FUN!!!

I didn't really think I could do it but we had a good coach that spent the entire hour with us giving us pointers. I hit a bull's eye once!

Summer had never done this before but she was great and won!!

Sabrina used a heavier ax and she and Rayne have done this more than once.

Summer won and Rayne came in second beating Sabrina out on the very last throw while I was low man down but at least I did score a few points!

Sabrina had the idea about what to do after lunch and had planned and set this up well in advance!

I did a few errands on my way home and then captured the cats and put them in the guest room.

Louis Dean moved the striker plate up and chiseled out the space and even cleaned up the mess!!

I was so proud of him and he was even prouder of himself!

I finished the laundry and we went to bed early - again!

We left right before noon and should have arrived by 2:30 or so....

but 'we' had some confusion about which route to take and where to turn.

It really does take BOTH of us to make it down here and back.

We stopped at the Dollar Store to pick up milk in Mart and Louis Dean decided it wanted to get to the ranch by way of the road there by the store. It's a really rough road so I was surprised when he insisted on going home that way but we made it pretty well until we came to the Willie Young Road where we needed to turn LEFT!

Nope! He turned right and that's where we went wrong and had to drive 45 minutes on country roads that normally would have been a scenic drive except for the fact that I had already used up all my 'nice' for that day.

We came in from the opposite direction he thought we were coming from and that was a little disconcerting to him.

But we made it and before the storms rolled in!

We were both glad to be back.

Life is more simple here in many different ways.

Less confusion and fewer people.

Louis Dean has his 'shop' room here and all kinds of projects to keep him busy so he's never bored.

All good reminders of how to act and this is good for any relationship!