Tinseltown

WHEN? Christmas morning

WHERE? Arlington, Texas · find us on the map

Christmasing with family in Arlington:

Hoppy Halidays from Mae Dean

More Christmasing in Texas:

LIVING... MAEDEANS STYLE A Texas Christmas Christmas in Texas on flickr

Toast your toes

WHEN? Sunday · December 23

WHERE? Pantego, Texas · find us on the map

During the Christmas season we spent a good bit of time at The Waterford where Mother lives. The multiple Christmas trees and other decorations just begged to be photographed. For a look at some of them check out:

Christmastime at The Waterford on flickr

And in case you're wondering about the two fireplace photos ...

I'm considering having one of these enlarged to put in our Airstream for a pretend fireplace. Don't you feel warmer just looking at it?

A year older and wiser

WHEN? Thursday · December 20

WHERE? Arlington, Texas · find us on the map

Has it really been only a year?
In spite of hitting the road as full-time RVers only last Spring, this lifestyle's busy-ness encourages quick "veteran-ship". Like last December, we met with several full-time RVers at Treetops RV Village in Arlington, where we swapped the past year's road-trip stories and shared upcoming travel plans. Before going separate ways, we made arrangements to get together again. When another Full-Timer tells us, "I know just what you mean" ... they really do!

Today's visit allowed us to catch up with several of our fellow 2006 Escapees graduates:

• Jeff and Suzanne · AKA The Canned Hams
• Dave and Barb · AKA Geocachers Extraordinaire
• Jim and Sherri · AKA The Datastormers
• And attending for his first year, Steve · AKA the guy whose website address I need to get

To view our party photos on flickr, visit
Escapees in the Treetops

Remember whens

WHEN? Wednesday · December 19

WHERE? Cleburne, Texas · find us on the map

Having fun along the way is one of our favorite perks of full-time RVing. Although Christmasing with family is our eventual destination, we're sure having a good time getting there.

---

We're the class of '55
We're the class with hep-kat jive

An evening reminiscing with several Cleburne High School classmates left me feeling like a kid.

L to R: Mae Dean, Freda, Charlie Dell, Mary*

*This order was how a group photo was taken of the "girls" that evening. We do not want to overlook three hubbies were there as well, and we all enjoyed those pizzas so much. Can you believe they came from Joshua? Or am I wrong? We would have never "thunk it" in 1955.

M-m-m good!

WHEN? Tuesday · December 18 · (today's second post)

WHERE? Kilgore, Texas · find us on the map

We worked up a Texas appetite while touring Kilgore's oil museum and knew exactly what we were hungry for:

The best ribs in Texas!

We made the short drive just west of Kilgore to Country Tavern Bar-B-Que (State Highway 31 & FM 2767), known in East Texas since 1930 for its famous pork ribs and beef brisket. After several years of good intentions (including one late-Sunday attempt after closing), we finally got in the door! Its large lunchtime crowd was a good sign.

Once our eyes adjusted from the noonday sunlight to the tavern's all-day darkness, we realized that there were no menus to bother with. When we told our waitress that we were undecided between ribs and brisket, she promptly told us, “You want the ribs!” We each settled on a half ribs / half brisket order. This place has earned its good reviews over the years.

M-m-m good!

Wendell left with a full belly
and a rib-eatin' grin on his face

See more Country Tavern Bar-B-Que photos on flickr

Honorable mentions:

• Mae Dean's Country Tavern photos have been included with online reviews from Georgia, Maryland, and Arizona.
• A DFW food enthusiast also visited Country Tavern Bar-B-Que recently. See what she had to say on her food blog: Donna Cooks

Boomtown

WHEN? Tuesday · December 18 · (today's first post)

WHERE? Kilgore, Texas · find us on the map

Motorhome parked at: S&S Apache Camping Center in Jackson, Mississippi for routine service

The story of Kilgore's oil-rich history is a Texas legend: Discovery of the world's largest pool of black gold, derrick-lined streets, and one plot of ground known as the world's richest acre. We lived and learned the legacy of those boom years in the East Texas Oil Museum at Kilgore College.

As one of six cities in the Holiday Trail of Lights, over eighty steel replicas of Kilgore's 1930's wooden oil derricks are topped with a fantastic display of lights, maintaining its title as the state's official City of Stars.

See more East Texas Oil Museum photos on flickr

Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum

To set the mood: The Little Drummer Boy Words and Music

This beautiful counted crosstitch was created and given to us by Wendell's sister Patsy many years ago. We had a tradition of sending Drummer Boy Christmas cards every year, but it seems The Drummer Boy has fallen out of fashion in recent years, and finding one to send out has become quite a challenge.

Since this may be the closest thing to a Christmas card you receive from me, let us Wish You A Merry Christmas and A Happy 2008.

Historic Candlelight Tour

WHEN? Saturday morning · December 8

WHERE? Downtown Jackson, Mississippi · find us on the map

Wendell and I are continuing to enjoy our "vacation" in our old stomping grounds.

Years ago as I was waiting for a ride home from work at a downtown Jackson bus stop, I noticed people coming and going at the Governor's Mansion. I envied those people who were taking that tour and wished I could have been doing the same thing. When I recently saw a notice about the upcoming 12th Annual Old Jackson Christmas by Candlelight Tour on a website, I vowed I'd not miss it again. The weather was unusually warm for the evening, and it was just so pleasant to take in all three historic sights:

• Manship House
• Mississippi's State Capitol
• Mississippi Governor's Mansion

Thank you, Greater Jackson Arts Council, for providing the free transportation by Cline Tours. It was such a good way to enjoy Jackson at night.

To find out what the image on the right is, view Mae Dean's Christmas by Candlelight Tour photos on flickr.

Only the Capitol allowed indoor snapshots, but photos were taken at every opportunity — even the lights of the cars streaming into Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium from I-55 to go to the Class 5A state football championship between South Panola and George County high schools. We arrived home in time to see the game on TV. An extra treat: Instead of intrusive game discussions during halftime, we got to see both high school bands perform!

An article on the game was on the front page of today’s Clarion-Ledger:

Tigers grab 5th straight crown

Not only did the South Panola Tigers win 28-21 over the Rebels of George County, but they also increased the nation’s longest active winning streak to 75 games.

City With Soul

WHEN? Thursday · December 6

WHERE? Jackson, Mississippi · find us on the map

Jackson: City With Soul

While on an afternoon trip downtown for a haircut, I discovered a collection of civic murals. Since they were displayed on a fence in front of the Pinnacle Building's construction site at One Jackson Place, they served to make an otherwise-unattractive area appealing.

The one pictured above is my favorite because of its simplicity and pretty colors. To see all 15 murals, visit:

City With Soul murals on flickr