Back from "Vacation"

Arabella and I arrived home from Texas last night, and I am feeling more tired than when I left.

CHAPTER ONE, departure

I got to the airport, checked in, and the counter agent said "did you know your drivers liscence is expired? You can still fly, but you won't be able to rent a car at your destination."

ffffff...... well, you know. So I had to have Dad rent a car and drive us down to the farm. Oh goody.

CHAPTER TWO, the farm

I think my grandmother has spent the past few eyars thinking that Mom and I are over-reacting to Arabella being a normal child, or that we are just unaccustomed to children. I think she doesn't feel that way any longer. She told several people that "Arabella just doesn't slow down, from the moment she wakes until she goes to bed at night, she is always in motion". Apparently I was a more mellow child, although one revelation was that as a child my Mom used to have some brilliant, pound her head on the floor, temper tantrums. This may be a key piece of the puzzle.

Arabella really enjoyed being on the farm, and on the day that Uncle Sonny showed us a wild turkey in the field, Arabella was in love with the wildlife. Later she spotted the turkey in the low area, about 50-60 yards from the house, and stood at the window yelling "C'MERE CHICKEN!" Poor turkey. Arabella kept after it for about 20 minutes, until it disappeared into the tall grass.

CHAPTER THREE Cousins

Arabella was visited by her cousins, David's 3 girls one day, then we went and spent part of an afternoon with Michael's 3 girls. Elizabeth & Sarah spent the afternoon dressing up Arabella in different outfits like she was a big doll. And of course, Arabella loved it, any time she is the center of attention she is happy. She spent the rest of the visit asking when her cousins were coming.

CHAPTER FOUR My own observations

Texas is greener than I have ever seen it, and I was havng some massive home-sickness (ironic, since I really grew up in Los Angeles, but I'm strange). It was hot, it was humid, and as anyone who knows me can tell, hot and humid doens't bother me too much. I felt like picking up and heading to Texas. I did have to remind myself that this year is unusual, there has been a record amount of rain, and next year might be so dry as to bake it to a dry crisp. But it reminded me that there is alot of South that might be possible.

I also noticed that while 20 years ago there was an even distribution of uncleared land (cactus and mesquite and other shrub), cattle, and cultivation (peanuts, watrmelon, etc), and 4 years ago it was all cattle and uncleared land and no cultivation, now it is very little of anything (some cows, some corn). Apparently the property prices are being inflated by buyers who are not interested in running cattle or farming, but who fence off a couple hundred acres and use the ranch for hunting. I don't know how they pay the property taxes without having cattle, but the way the relatives talk, in another 10 years there will be no small ranchers in South Texas. The thought of the family farm (purchased by my great-great grandfather just after the civil war) being sold off for houses or a private hunting preserve makes me nauseous.

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Pictures will follow when the mother has a little more energy.