Here, There and Everywhere

In an effort to make this a thoughtful entry, rather than a data dump, let me start with a chant PLEASE NAP PLEASE NAP PLEASE NAP. Okay, let's hope they stay down long enough for me to type.

Last week was marked by the big event of Al's 50th birthday. It started with a 3-day golf extravaganza with 7 of Al's best golfing buds -- these friends go way back, as in, to the 1970s. The kids and I set the table one night with old pictures and college yearbooks, and then Al's friend Blake cooked dinner with assistance from P&G and his buds "Bags" and "Tudes" cleaned up. It was fun meeting these guys I only know through Christmas card pictures every year.

Next came the actual birthday, and we went with our friends Craig and John to Hugo's. Paige and Graham had picked out tacky "50. Older is Better" mardi-gras bead necklaces and a bouquet of balloons to decorate our table. Margarita glasses held high, we toasted Daddy and sang to him.

Wednesday we departed for South Texas. We hunted at our lease, La Venada, on the Encino division of the King Ranch that afternoon. Thursday and Friday we spent at Anadarko's lease called La Rucia. The kids enjoyed bopping around on the trucks, going "adBENturing" in the dirt, and picking up shed horns for show-and-tell.

Back in Houston, Friday night, Nana and Grandad arrived. Saturday morning, Al and I left with Peter and Ann (our hosts), joined by Randa and K. C. and Janice and Steve for an unforgettable weekend at Augusta National. The weather was so beautiful that day. The whole place is just as majestic and pristine as you imagine it to be when you see the Masters tournament on tv. I walked the back nine on Saturday and witnessed a skillful birdie by Al on the twelfth hole. Sunday the sky was threatening hail, so I walked with the guys as they played the par 3 course and we moved up our departure time.

We also took Nana to the farmers' market and were so pleased to meet, greet and feed these newborn goats.





Last, but not least, our little baby is growing so fast. We had an ultrasound today that showed she is nearly 2 lbs, and she has decided to sit in a V shape, with her head on the left side of my belly, her bum down, and her feet on the right. Ever the little toot, she still has her hands in front of her face. Nana and Grandad, attending their first ever ultrasound, watched her open eyes, her mouth, and stick out her tongue! She has umbilical cord and arms in front of her face, so the 3D image of her face was once again unattainable. Oh well. We enjoyed her antics.