Mitch Is Back

Mitch And Cody

It's 7:00 on a clear 46º Dallas morning and we should have some sun for the next couple of days here in the Lone Star State.  I am trying to find a podcast I like, having started with Pop Culture Happy Hour, tired of it and am now listening to Pardon My Take, a sports show. 

A Destination Place

Yesterday was a big day for Evie because we were bagging yoga class and going to her favorite store, COSTCO.  What a perfect symbol of American consumerism. You can buy almost anything there and it's always a deal, cheaper than anywhere else.  So after our coffee and letting Marisa sleep in, we left at 9:40 so we could get there just as it opens at 10:00.  We were going for two reasons, picking up both salmon and a rib roast for dinners on Saturday and Sunday when the boys would be in town.  So Beth and I went to pick out dinner, leaving Evie to free range the store, wandering wherever she wanted, taking her time.  It's always hard to pick something out at Costco because there is, for example, three or four different prices for something as simple as salmon, whether its organic or not, whether it coho or farm raised, ocean or pond. We finally chose the salmon with a price in the middle, not most expensive, nor cheapest. The same went for the rib roast.

I admit to wanting and finding one item, a bag of dahlias for our garden this summer.  We were able to pick up a variety pack of 15 bulbs for twenty bucks, a deal when just one strain of one bulb might be that much.  We are not connoisseurs yet so almost any dahlia will do for Evie's garden.  By the time Beth and I were done, Evie joined us and helped us with the rest of the shopping.  We did not walk about with much actually, at least not much for Costco, having bought what we needed, not what we happened to see on a shelf and could not resist because it was such a bargain. 

We braved the always busy Interstate 75 back to University Park.  I decided to go for a walk before lunch, up to the tres chic Highland Park Shopping Center.   I decided I should play the part of a 'cool dude' so I put on my new Beats wireless headphones (a gift from my grandson, Nick) and walked uptown, listening to tunes.  I browsed the shop windows, then stopped at Royal Blue, an upscale deli for a coffee and sat around like the rest of the patrons, surfing on my iPhone.  To be honest, I felt woefully underdressed in my Columbia fleece, black jeans, and Van shoes.  I tried but it was no match for the glam of most of the patrons, young and old.  I just didn't' feel like  I fit in here like I do at the lake. 

I was home by 1:00 and had a bowl of Beth's chicken tortilla soup for lunch, something I was looking forward to all morning.  It's tres delish.  Beth and Marisa had an appointment in the afternoon so Evie and I had the house to ourselves, enjoying some TV and some basketball,  We are getting good at enjoying our leisure.  I did get in a nap before taking Cody out for a long walk, hoping it would not aggravate his hip's arthritis. 

The Big Spill

Oops

We received news from Mitch late afternoon telling us he was coming home Friday night instead of Saturday as he was finished with class.  In fact, when he called he was already on the road from Austin but was not expected until 9:00.  We decided earlier in the day to go out for dinner and had made plans to go to a ramen restaurant.  Since we had soup Thursday night and for lunch on Friday, we decided to have Thai food instead and it was much closer, just ten minutes away. 

A Night Out

It was a good choice, Asian Mint, a busy place on Friday night.  Beth ordered a Massaman curry, Evie pad thai and a salad, and I had one of my favorites, Thai basil chicken and shrimp.  All three dishes were good and when we left, we ordered a pad thai and pineapple rice for Mitch when he got home. 

Mitch was home by 9:00, starving so he quickly devoured his take out Thai food and a beer.  He's doing well at school, busy as he is an architectural engineering student.  In June, he moves to San Francisco for the summer as he has an internship at the ARUP Group, an international architectural firm, best known for designing the Sydney Opera House.  To say he's excited to have been chosen would be an understatement.  We sat around talking until 10:30, watching the Duke/North Carolina basketball game, a thriller down to the last seconds with Duke winning by a single point.