Thanksgiving Texas Style

Marisa And Her Mom

Tyler's Back Home

It's almost 8:00 and I am still the only one awake.  Some of us had an early morning yesterday as well as a late night.  We may have some sun this morning, but it will cloud up later.  It will get into the 50's later in the day and seems humid, strange for us to feel humidity this late in the fall.

Yesterday was a waiting for Tyler, a junior at Dartmouth College, sort of day.  He finished his exams on Tuesday and was flying in yesterday afternoon.  We did not do much during the day, just some dog walking for me, as the weather turned nice.  And we did some shopping. Beth and I drove ten minutes up Lover's Lane, to a strip mall with Trader Joe's.  It's always fun to shop there, see what's new, a box wine for one thing.  We picked up a few things to make sure we had all we needed for our turkey dinner, then stopped at Tyler's, the tee shirt shop, and found a blouse for Marisa to wear to my niece's wedding in December.  Of course, when we got home, it was not quite what she wanted, so it will have to be returned.  Even at twelve, girls know exactly what they want.  Boys, except for a few like Mitch, could care less.  Mitch spent the day working on a few college applications and playing computer games.  Around noon, Evie and Marisa walked up to Marshall's, and I accompanied them with Cody, returning home when they got there.  The ended up just shopping, not buying anything, a unusual occurrence.

I had lunch of leftover prime rib, finishing it off, watched some of the basketball game from the previous night, the Warriors and Lakers.  I really enjoy watching Curry and Thompson hit bombs from 30 feet.  They are the only NBA team that's fun to watch.

Rami picked up Beth around 3:00 and they drove to the Fort Worth/Dallas airport, about a half hour away, and picked up Tyler who had flown in from Boston, having gotten up early to take a 7:00 bus from Hanover, NH, to the Boston airport. Fortunately, he was forty five minutes early.  He arrived home around 4:30, bags and guitar in tow, happy to be home and finished with exams.  He looks great, like a typical college guy, bearded, tee shirt and jeans, his travel outfit.  What happened to the good old days of getting dressed up to fly or to go to church for that matter.  Hey, sensible and comfortable is in, formality is out...for now.

Checking Out Breweries With His Dad

Tyler gave his Granny a big hug of course, what she has been waiting for.  We then relaxed for a couple of hours, pumping Tyler about his college life, his girlfriend, Helen, his courses, his social life and he was exceedingly patient and forth coming.  He's growing up, for the first time he almost seems like a man.  Scary.  We both remember that four year old boy playing with his trucks in Florida, at Chautauqua.  Tempus fugit.

Bar/Music Area 

We were all looking forward to the evening out.  Tyler had done some research and found that a band he really liked, the Snarky Puppies, was playing at The Prophet Bar, a venue in section of downtown Dallas called Deep Ellum, where all the music and bars seem to be located, a few miles from the downtown area.  He also found a brewery where we could go for dinner called the Brain Dead Brewery, literally across the street from the music venue.  So we left around 7:00 and stopped at Rami's office in Dallas, on the 39th floor of a high rise, with a great view of the city.  He had to pick up Dallas Cowboy tickets for a customer.

Ramiro's Office

We then drove to Deep Ellum, past the Prophet Bar and it's annex, called The Door, where a good hundred people were queued up at the door.  We then walked into Brain Dead Brewery, a rustic, comfortable bar, windows open, with people sitting both inside and out, typical for Dallas because of the great weather.

 Bar Signage

Mega Taps At The Brain Dead Brewery

They had lots of micro beers as well as an extensive menu of bottled beers  and four choices of sandwiches for dinner.  I got the recommended burger, called the Coma, with brisket and fixings, the others got a Cuban and and a kind of Club sandwich, all good.  And of course, fries, cooked in duck fat, somewhat of a tradition around here I think.  The beers were interesting; I got a cream ale called Gritz, something new since my Genny Cream Ale days at the lake in the 1980's.  Tyler, Rami, and Evie all ordered wheat beers, with a touch of citrus to them, and later a Red.

Enjoying A Burger And A Micro Brew

We were not sure what time the music would start, as there were three bands and we really only wanted to see the Snarky Puppies.  We are obvious novices about the musical scene because we got there around 8:30 but the first band did not start until 9:30.  This meant the Snarky Puppies would probably not go on stage until 11:30 or 12:00, to Evie and my dismay.  The venue was not much...a large warehouse looking space, cement floors, a few seats along the wall, and a small area with tables just off the stage where one could sit for a few extra dollars.  Most of the crowd stood.  Along one wall was a bar with a couple of  bartenders and that was it.

 Three Cool Dudes, Three Generations

Rami and Tyler thoughtfully realized there was no way Evie and I could make it until midnight or later, so after the first band played a couple of numbers, Rami drove us home, about a 20 minute ride, then he went back later, to see the Snarky Puppies, around 11:30, with Tyler and drive him home, a good father.  I don't think we could have stood for four more hours, even with numerous beers.  I am sorry we did not get to hear the band but glad to have been home in bed by 11:00, like grandparents should be, not out howling with the moon, which was almost full by the way.

Today will bring lots of food, no doubt, beignets, appetizers, turkey and the fixings, as well as lots of football watching, playing games, perhaps watching a movie and for me, walking Cody a couple of times.  We will have to do some packing up because we leave for Kansas City tomorrow morning to spend the weekend with our son Tom and family.  We can't wait to see them!