Texas Ramblings

It is so nice to be back in Texas although I should have brought my shorts and tees!!  It has been very warm here.  The temps have not gotten in the 80s (YET) but they have been in the high 70s!!  I don't think I ever pack right!!  It is not even noon and it is already 70 degrees today with the high expected to be 81!  Saturday the prediction is 84!  Yep, should have brought my bathing suit.  Sonny has stayed busy doing small "fixes" around the house.  That makes him happy.  Ashley has been working but able to come home around 2-3:00 each day.  I have been working on my swap cards for Quarterly in January, reading, playing games and just relaxing.  It has been really nice.  Her realtor is coming this afternoon to talk to her about putting her house on the market.  She will be moving to Hawaii in mid June.

We celebrated Ashley's birthday a few days early.  Several of her friends (and us) went out to dinner Saturday night and then went to Martini's Club.  Martini's was a favorite of Ashley's when she was in medical school.  It is an old school cocktail lounge.  The owner, Wayne, sings "Las Vegas style" and does great vocal impressions of the old singers we love - Neil Diamond, Barry Mantilow, Sinatra, etc.  It is really a fun place!

At Martini's

Yesterday was Ashley's 40th birthday!!  Hard to believe!  We picked her up from work around 2 and had lunch.  Then we took a tour of the Center for the Intrepid.  It is next door to the hospital where Ashley works.  The CFI provides rehabilitation for soldier who have sustained amputation burns, or functional limb loss.  They have state of the world technology for rehab, research, training and education.  It is an amazing place!  It is like a "one stop shop" where the wounded troops can undergo physical and occupational therapy; get their prosthetics designed, made and fitted right there in the CFI; and learn how to transition back into the world .... with many of them returning to active duty.  Some of the soldiers stay there as long as two years.  There is housing for them there as well as their families at no cost (Fisher House).  It was a very inspirational tour.

This is the front of the Fisher House