Ron and Debbie with Chopper, Keebler, and Bailey in June.
Last June we stopped by Dripping Springs on our way to San Antonio for a very quick visit with my cousin, Deborah (see Gruene and San Antonio). Debbie and I barely remembered meeting as kids, but we enjoyed connecting, even if just for an hour. Debbie and Ron have a large, beautiful home with a driveway big enough to accommodate Bessie, and they invited us to come back anytime and stay the night. So when we found ourselves close by, we took them up on the offer.
Playing Giant Jenga.
We arrived in the late afternoon, and the weather was gorgeous, so we parked ourselves on the immense back patio, where Bailey could run freely in the fenced acreage with their 18-month-old retriever, Keebler. (Their older golden, Chopper, died this fall.) While Deborah grilled chicken and sausage, Ron and I played a giant game of Jengo, where you pull out pieces of a block tower and add them to the top. We managed to keep that growing tower balanced longer than they ever had before.
After a great dinner, Deborah and Ron coached me in a game of pickle ball. It’s like tennis on a smaller court, played with giant ping pong paddles and a whiffle ball. I’d seen people at RV parks playing this game, and it appealed to me, but I was never brave enough to try to break into a game. Debbie and Ron have their own lit court, and they patiently explained all the rules and techniques, and gave me loads of encouragement. Debbie kept telling me not to feel badly when I screwed up, but what she didn’t know is that I’m really not a competitive player of anything. I greet losing with a shrug and winning with a smile, but all I really care about is having fun.
Me with Deborah and my sister, Beth.
The next morning, my sister and brother-in-law stopped by on the way to their cabin on Lake LBJ, where we would stay with them. They brought fresh kolatchkies – a Czech pastry, and we all caught up a bit. Beth had been looking forward to her first game of pickle ball, too, but the weather had done a complete turnaround in the night. Temps had dropped 30 degrees and thunderstorms moved in. So there was no pickle ball for my sister.
Thanks, Debbie and Ron, for your generous hospitality!