Friday, December 16, 2011

Westward Ho the Wagons


Mustang Sally is off on a Wild West Adventure the last place anyone that knows her would expect to find her ... in the middle of Cowboy country. TEXAS! ... yeah me - I KNOW right? Who'da thunk it? Certainly not  me until 2 days ago.

Without  going through the whole list of convoluted relationships (one day I'll have to do that for y'all, you may find it entertaining) Let's just say Mommo and I are now at her other daughter's house south of Dallas due to a family emergency.  We'll call this Sis White Rabbit for the purposes of this blog.

White Rabbit's FIL had a stroke and has just recently came home from the hospital.  She had hired help but the help bailed on her before she even got started.  Her and her husband have been giving him 24/7 care for about a week all by themselves.  Because the FIL has been in the hospital, then nursing home for a few months and they've been going back and forth between work/home/hospital/nursing home the whole time, things have been pretty neglected on the homefront -there are only so many hours in a day.  White Rabbit is not working now, to be home with FIL but hasn't been able to leave the house for more than a week because someone must be there all the time. 

One of the coolest things about White Rabbit is that she's so laid back.  She's a fighter when she needs to be, not a push over at all - she'll tell you what's on her mind, but she doesn't sweat the small stuff.  A sort of mirror reverse of Sis, back in Carolina, who lives and breathes the details until she can't see the forest for the trees and plays passive/aggressive until she explodes. But now the stress in her voice is apparent. She needed help, so when she called Sunday Mommo and I packed up the truck, and Monday morning we headed out.  We arrived this afternoon (it's Tuesday - I won't be able to post this until at least tomorrow)

Texas is already turning out to be different than I expected, from the terrain to the temperature.  I expected flat, sandy, dusty, desert.  It's not, nor did any part of it seem to be along our route.  There's gentle rolling hills and you can see for MILES.  It's a very wide open space.  I'll have to post pictures, of course, and you can all enjoy the experience with me.  It's so very different from anyplace I've been before.  I feel very exposed.  I'm used to trees- not that they don't have them here but they're few comparatively speaking.  They have about 25 acres here ... and you can stand in the yard and see it ALL! Very trippy to a girl from the woods.  And I'm still cold  >smiles wryly<  yes, I know how much colder it is where some of you are.  I KNOW I'm a wimp about cold, that's why I keep moving further south.

With no job and no prospects back in Carolina, I'd fallen into a rut.  Sis thought it would be a good experience for me to come out here for while.  She's says I need to get out there in the world and off the chair in front of my computer.  She's probably right.  I always like to explore new places.  And I do love living in the country and it definitely isn't "city" out here.  I may feel like a foreigner, maybe even an alien, but I can already see there are things I'll probably like here.  And it surely will  be a learning experience. 

And though I haven't felt very chatty the last few months, I hope you'll forgive that and join me as I learn about yellow roses, blue eyes, oil wells, and rednecks, um ... I mean cowboys... out here in in Lone Star State. Can you imagine? Me.  In Texas.  If I were someone else, somebody that knew how my mind works, I'd find that highly amusing.

12 comments:

  1. Sally, if you run into a guy named Mooner down there, tell him Squatlo said "Hello..."

    I've only been to Texas (spit noise) twice in my life, and both times were exceedingly unpleasant. My family took a trip to the coast just in time for a storm that drove every bug in Texas to the beach, then I tried to burn down a few acres of marsh grass with fireworks (three firetrucks involved... not my shining moment, for a twelve year old)
    My second trip was to the Cotton Bowl as a young lad of about 15. Texas pounded the Vols 36-13 in one of the most embarrassing afternoon's of my life.
    I haven't been back, and don't plan on going.
    If not for Tennesseans, there never would have been a Texas. And we should never stop apologizing for that...
    Enjoy your trip, take some pictures for us.

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  2. It’s beyond fabulous to see a post from you, Sally. THE best Christmas surprise so far! Look forward to seeing your photos of the landscape there. Sounds very alien to me as well.

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  3. Always so good to hear from you. Glad to hear you are off on an adventure and that you're a support for your family members. I understand the need to get out from under the laptop and have been purposely getting out of the house more. Of course it helps that I have some sort of income now! haha. Keep us posted on your excursions!! Hugs.

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  4. Hey there Squatlo! Yeah, Mooner is down here somewhere isn't he. And yeah, there will definitely be pictures.

    (((Mask))) How are you doing? I HAVE been horrible about blogging but I just couldn't make myself there for awhile. And now, the winds of change are a blowin'. I though maybe this might be worth sharing. It's good to be back.

    And Barb, you almost snuck in there, but I saw you anyway. It's good to see you, thanks for stopping in. Sounds like I have a lot of catching up to do.

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  5. Texas and points west can seem like other planets compared to where we live Sally, but it sure is fun to get out and about and visit!

    Hope White Rabbit, her hubs and especially their Dad will be okay and he gets better soon. It is wonderful that you and Mommo will be there for them.

    Always nice to see you! :)

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  6. Great to see you, Sally! The White Rabbit is lucky to have you around to help.
    Can't wait to see some photos of the mysterious land of Texas....

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  7. Dallas. Meh! Houston is where it's at! ;)

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  8. Have fun in Texas! It really is what you make it. Don't forget to sample all the good Texacano food.

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  9. hey!! good to hear from ya! too bad for the reason you ended up there in TX...but sometimes change is good...and it might be just what you need.
    (too bad it has to be texas though...sorry texans! my sister lived there for a while...years ago...and she wanted me to come visit & stay...uh, i couldn't wait to get out...)

    anyway...can't wait to hear more...

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  10. Sometimes, it's good for the soul to strike out in a new direction and totally change our reality. It reminds us that there's more to life than what we can see - or what we've been seeing for a while. I find it totally inspiring that you've trekked so far, and are seeing your world through a new kind of lens.

    Total coolness.

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  11. I agree with Carmi...great stuff!
    I was used to living by the ocean in Africa and I ended up in Muleshoe Texas for a bit so I hear you when you say you can stand in the yard and see it all...my 'yard' was a crop circle...interesting times. Happy to say I live next to the same ocean but this time in Europe.
    Look forward to the pictures!!

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  12. Hey Mustang Sally,
    I feel absolutely awful about this. You, my dear friend, had gone off my blogging 'radar'.
    And thus, I was delighted when you left a comment on my shy, humble, unassuming site. So, here I am.
    May you embrace your Texas adventure with realistic positive anticipation. I know how difficult it can be to change our environment and thus, alter our reality. And if one is somewhat reclusive, such a move is testimony to the resilience and determination that we can discover.
    Here's to you finding much happiness in your journey. And here's to you having a poignant and inspirational leap year.
    With respect and admiration, your way, Gary y'all :)

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