Friday, May 28, 2010

Brenham, Texas


We're taking our 40th Wedding anniversary trip to explore Brenham, Texas and the surrounding area.  Thursday we checked into our nice little room at the Brenham Bed & Breakfast and were greeted by our hosts, James and Susan.  We're in the Blue Bonnet Room, chosen because it had it's own private entrance, which I knew that John would like.  We got to Brenham before our check in time so we decided to go out to Washington on the Brazos park to see the place where Texas began as a Republic in 1836, declaring our independence from Mexico.  The old building that the delegation met in has been rebuilt over the years a few times, but they have a good depiction of what it might have looked like.  Our guide gave us a nice talk about how the events that took place there that helped shape our state.
We also toured the Barrington Farm and had a personal tour by one of the docents there who was dressed totally in period clothing.  It was H O T there.  The home was the original structure owned by the last president of Texas, Anson Jones.  They've actually moved it to this area, and reconstructed what his homestead might have been like, based on his diaries and writings, including the slave shacks. We got to tour the barns, met the chickens, turkies (Spanish black), the hogs, the cattle and the guinea hens.  They allow children's groups to help weed the garden, and help along with all the farm activities.  Hard work and a hard life.  I'll tell you, early settlers in Texas were a hardy bunch. 
More on our trip tomorrow!

My God-daughter is getting married!!

Angie is marrying Michale Wren at our home in July!  I'm so proud that she's chosen our house to say her vows and we're planning a wonderful event. 

Monday, May 24, 2010

A very un-enjoyable theater experience....

Dear Santikos Management,


I’d like to introduce myself by saying that I am a movie buff of LONG standing, at the age of 59 I’ve been going to movies most of my life! I enjoy the entire experience, the popcorn, the darkened theater, the surround sound, the excitement and just the escape of the well-told tale. The Santikos Silverado is “in my neighborhood” and it’s the theater that we’ve been going to most often since it was built.

This Sunday afternoon we arrived to finally see a movie that we’ve been looking forward to for a long time, Iron Man 2. The movie itself was wonderful, we really enjoyed the story.  But the movie “experience” was a total downer.

1. We were assigned seats at the theater. This is something we’ve never had to deal with before. We make it a point to arrive at a movie well ahead of the start time so that we can get a seat where we want to sit. Then, as people fill in around us, we move if needed, to avoid the child sitting behind us who’s daddy doesn’t care if they kick our seat backs, spit up on us, drop popcorn on us, cry, whine, etc. We also avoid the inevitable group of unruly teenagers who think going to the movie is a social time to sit and play with their mobile phones and each other. 

As this was several weeks after the opening of this film, we knew it wouldn’t be totally crowded, but we were amazed to find ourselves stuck side-to-side in a bunch in the center of the theater as people arrived, giving us no elbow room, while the rest of the theater remained empty. Totally un-enjoyable, uncomfortable, and two very unhappy people.

2. The concession stand. We ordered the special big popcorn and two drinks, paying $16.50 for this. To our amazement we were handed a bucket of popcorn by the uncaring, very slow young lady who waited on us that was COVERED in burned kernels and blacked “bottom of the bin” popcorn bits. Across the top of the tub! Then when we asked for a new tub of popcorn, the “manager” youngster who was behind her went behind the popcorn bin and brought us another tub. The top looked okay, so we took it.
About half way through the tub in the darkened theater we started to finger small bits and kernel parts again. At this point we put the tub down and didn’t eat anymore. Imagine my amazement to find, once the lights came up again at the end of the movie” that this bucket was half full of the same blacked, bits, kernels and waste. HALF of the tub was not something that anyone could eat. Popcorn is one of the cheapest foods you can sell. And we gave you $16.50 for two drinks and that tub of un-palatable popcorn.

Who is the bigger fool here? The person who continues to be “taken” by the seller, or the seller who drives away their customer?

Needless to say, my husband and I agreed that this would be our last visit to Santikos until these changes to the theater experience were reversed.

I turned the tub of half eaten popcorn bits in to another “manager” at the ticket desk with my comments. I asked him for a comment card, knowing that the only way YOU would know how your customer enjoyed their experience is if you were told. He told me that you didn’t really have any kind of comment card.
I’m hoping that you would like to know of my experience.
Please consider making some changes so that this lifelong movie lover can come back and enjoy a movie again.

Thank you,

~~~signed

Friday, May 14, 2010

Darn


JR and Ashley just left to go home to Cali.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Mother's Day 2010










I had a spectacular Mother's Day - I was treated to dinner by my daughter and her husband (they were working in the kitchen together like they do it all the time!) And I got two special framed pictures of my granddaughter, KT, which I will forever cherish, and a beautiful little book.  We took my mother out to dessert and coffee at Mimi's at the Rim, and had a good visit with the family, then got to spend some quality time with KT.  All in all, a wonderful day.

I'm having such fun....

making something CUTE for my granddaughter, KT, for the 4th of July!!  Won't she be spectacular!!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Andrea Gonzalez, Biologist!!

Our neice, Andi, graduated with a biology degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio yesterday!  We're so proud of her and ready to see all the great things that she will do!  To see all the pictures from her celebration party, go here!

The Babies Have Arrived...

We think there are six babies in the nest... that Momma and Daddy are going to be very, very busy!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Hole in One!

John shot a hole in one today while playing golf at the Buckhorn golf course!  He was with Jeff -- and one of Jeff's friends and his dad were there, so there were witnesses!  Amazing!  He can check that one off of his bucket list now!  I'm so happy for him, its a real accomplishment!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Movie Review -- The Losers

Well, we weren't sure about it, but decided to give it a chance, since we're really not Freddie Krueger fans, and it seemed to be the only other thing worth at least giving a try.  I have to say, it was entertaining.  I'm a FAN of Jeffrey Dean Morgan, hubba hubba!!! It's not going to win any awards, but it's entertaining enough to wile away a Saturday afternoon.  Lots of stuff blowing up, of course.  For a Hollywood who hates guns and violence, they sure do love to blow stuff up. 

Apparently this was a comic book - had never heard of it.  Not surprising since the last comic book I actually read was probably Archie or Brenda Starr - so now you know how old I am! ha! 

We were celebrating our 40th anniversary, which is actually tomorrow, the 2nd of May.  Where has the time gone? We have a sort of tradition of movie/meal out, but our real anniversary celebration is going to be a trip to Brenham, Texas, at the end of the month.  We're going to "see what we can see" over that-a-way.  Looking forward to it!