A twenty-four hour vacation

 

Megan and Jacob at Walloon's
Well, maybe it was astaycation, but what made the last twenty-four hours so special was that Megan,my Austin daughter, came to visit. Confession: coming to see me was not herprimary motive in coming to Fort Worth. She came to go to the TCU/UT footballgame Saturday night with her special TCU girls—those she was close friends andTri Delt sisters with—gulp!—some thirty years ago. She did it all and had ablast—staying up late drinking wine and catching up, margaritas at Joe T.’s, awalk around Mule Alley, and, of course, tailgating and the game. Even thoughTCU lost, all agreed it was a great game.

Megan, who never plans farahead, planned ahead for this one. She drove up with two girls, Veronica andRachel, who live in Austin. But Sunday she sent them on without her so shecould spend the day with me. Bonus: I got long overdue hugs from Rachel and Veronica.And then I had Megan all to myself—sort of. While I took my Sunday afternoonnap, she went of and drank champagne with Amy, who she went to school withsince kindergarten—by the time they both got to UT law school, they wereroommates.

For twenty-four hours, I didn’tget much if any of my own desk work done. I was glad to forego it for Megan’scompany. Sunday night, we had dinner with Christian and Jacob at Walloon’s, thenifty new seafood place on Magnolia. Lots of fun and good food, though poorJacob ordered barbecued shrimp, and it turned out to be an appetizer. Skimpyfare for a seventeen-year-old boy. I had the oysters Rockefeller which were goodexcept the spinach was really heavy with garlic. Christian had a steak saladand said the dressing was oh so tart! I had done that the other night—made adressing so tart I couldn’t eat it, so I sympathized.

Back home, Megan and I hadmore visiting, talked about family and holiday plans and all manner of things.This morning we had just a brief visit before she left to take the eleven o’clockexecutive bus back to Austin. But she snapped this selfie before she left. WhenI think back on the girls’ teen years, I am so grateful that we are such goodfriends today. I am truly blessed by my children.Megan's selfie

I’ve said it before and willsay it again—with four children, it is pure bliss to have them all together atonce, with their families. When the grandkids were young and it didn’t seemlike there were so many of us, I used to think one of my happiest moments waswhen they were all asleep under my roof. But there’s a reverse to that—it’ssuch a delight to have one-on-one time with any one of them. And that’s what Ihad with Megan today. So my cup runneth over.

Tonight I had a five o’clockZoom meeting with a small group of writers, mostly one-book beginners. I was totalk to them about newsletters, blogs, and Substack. Not that I’m an expert onany of those subjects, but from their responses I apparently held my own. It’sa real jolt to feel, even briefly, that you have knowledge to share that willhelp others. And that’s what I came away with tonight after that meeting.

That Zoom event ended about 6:20,and I hastily reheated the cube steaks in gravy from the other night, cut up asalad, and ate dinner, trying to finish before the 7:00 HOA meeting. I didn’t quitemake it and ended eating my salad on camera—not the best look in the world.Christian came out, got the rest of the cube steak dinner and salad but couldn’tbe convinced to stay for the meeting. Now I feel like whoosh—all the air has gone out of me, and I will sleep happilyand well tonight.

Sweet dreams, y’all!