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Sunday 12th Jan

Again this is a recovery day after a late night at the Races. We laid in until 9 o'clock then up and ate a liesurely breakfast with Donna. 11 o'clock and it is time to get ready for our meet with Linda 2 and Michael, Linda was my secret Santa recipient Christmas 2001 so I was looking forward to meeting her.Linda lives in Huntsville and we arrange to meet in The Red Lobster Restaurant on Highway 45 half way between Houston and Huntsville. We arrive early and commandeer a table and await the arrival of Linda and Michael, we start to get slightly apprehensive when they do not turn up dead on time as we realise there is a Red Lobster Restaurant on the other side of the interstate, but these fears are soon dispelled when Linda and Michael arrived. Linda had brought us a wonderful gift of pecan cookies all packaged in a wicker basket and decorated with ribbons, thankyou Linda. Again the time we spent together just seemed to fly past and soon it was time to part, thankyou Linda and Michael it was lovely to meet you and I hope we can do it again real soon.

Linda and Michael

We return to Houston and I finish reading John Grisham's The Runaway Jury, it was a good read and I can recommend it. We have decided to hire a car and head off North to Tyler to meet an old friend of mine Ed Davis. I worked with Ed in the early 80's on a gas pipeline in the north of Scotland. Unfortunately when we rang his wife Jenny she told me he was working in New York State and would not be home for two weeks but she asked us to travel up to Tyler anyway and stay with her. Jenny was travelling with Ed when I first met him but I have not seen her for 22 years although we have spoke many times on the phone. Back to the internet to find the best deal on a hire car, we settle on Enterprise not only for the price but for the fact that they would send a car to pick us up from Donna's apartment and drop us back when we return the car. (good service)

Monday 13th Jan

Up early shower and breakfast ready for Enterprise to call and pick us up at 10 o'clock. He is on time and soon we are on our way to their depot at Bel Aire to pick up our hire car, it turns out to be a Toyota Camry. It is big enough for me to drive comfortably and after signing up we are soon on our way. The first obstacle apart from the fact these Americans drive on the wrong side of the road is trying to find our way out of Houston and onto Interstate 45, I know we were up that way yesterday but Donna was driving and things look different from the passenger seat :-) It turns out no worries the Silverfox is an excellent navigator and we are soon heading North up the interstate towards Dallas. Jenny has advised us to travel north on the 45 to Buffalo then make a right onto the 79 through Palistine and onto Jacksonville where we hang a left onto the 69 and this takes us right up into Tyler. Jenny instructs us to drive into Tyler on the 69 and just past Walmart on the left is the tallest building in Tyler (5 stories high) and she works on the top floor. We arrive just before 5 o'clock and Jenny is getting ready to leave her office, we follow her car the half mile to her house. Well as I said we have not met for 22 years so we have a lot of catching up to do. Jenny brings out loads of photos of me taken back in 81 in Aberdeen when I was younger and wilder, including one of me sparked out on a settee in the flat they rented in Stonehaven. I think it was around this time I gave up the demon drink and fags for good. Jenny cooks us a wonderful meal and we carry on with our trip down memory lane.

Tuesday 14th Jan

Jenny has to go to work for 9 but she gives us the run of the house, we have breakfast and lock up leaving the key in the agreed place. She has directed us to go and visit the Rose garden memorial and museum in Tyler, the area surrounding Tyler is famous for Rose growing and every year they hold The Tyler Rose Queen Festival

The museum holds the Rose Queens gowns and artifacts, the dresses are really opullent covered in Rhine stones, there is also audio visual displays of previous Rose festivals. We spent a pleasent hour in the museum and round the gardens. (no flash photography allowed in the museum but I managed a picture of the old tractor) We head back into Tyler and discover a Rudy's Barbeque so we dive in for our lunch, the fare here is as good as we had with JD in Leon Springs ( but we missed his patter) As we pull out of Rudy's I spot a Cavendors Boot Store by the side of the road, the very place for me I thought and in we go. I thought I was going to miss out on buying new cowboy boots this trip, but here I was surrounded by them, I take a size 12eee and some times have difficulty getting such a wide fitting, no difficulties here the salesman assures me better take two pairs whilst you can. I thought this a jolly good idea but a dig in the back from Linda brings me back to earth. Still must not grumble, I ended up with a new pair of boots, two new leather belts, a new fancy belt buckle and last but not least some boot hooks. The latter help you to pull your cowboy boots on, they look a little like the bill hooks that dockers used to use (or not as the case might be) they hook into the loops at the top of your boots and assist you to pull them on. Well that takes care of my retail therapy Linda wants to visit Walmarts on the way out of town, I am always impressed with Walmarts. In the city of Preston where we live I can only find clothes to fit me in one shop (I'm a big lad you know) here in Walmarts I can buy any number of different styles of shirts and trousers, not wanting to miss out I buy a pair of pants and two shirts, I am getting the hang of this shopping malarky, it's easy peasy. Linda is losing her touch she only buys a pair of earrings, three one to Big Al :-) It is getting late when we set off again so we only make Buffalo by the interstate 45 and cabin up in a motel. Early to bed as Big Al has had a busy shopping day.

Wednesday 15th Jan

Our last full day in America as we fly out for home tomorrow (boo hoo) We eat breakfast in the motel and set off for Houston. Now on the way up the 45 just by Huntsville (where Linda and Michael live) we pass the biggest statue of Sam Houston that you have ever seen and on the way back I am determined that Linda will take a picture of it from the car as we drive by. Now if anyone remembers my post about the Hogwerts Special they will remember that dispite standing a half hour in the freezing cold waiting for the train to pass by on our local track and with instructions from me how to use the digi camera all Linda managed to photograph was a picture of a puff of steam :-) Before we get to the statue I urge her to take a few practice shots to get the hang of it, sure enough when we get to the statue she panicked and missed the bloody thing altogether. Never mind luv I say there will be other times :-) We return the car to Enterprise at Bel Aire and one of the car cleaners is called to take us back to Donna's house. As we set off we discover a (sleight) problem, we do not know where we are going and Marcel the driver does not speak English, we give him the address and he just sort of gives a little shrug of his shoulders and holds out his hands although I preferred them holding the steering wheel. I remembered that Enterprise have a depot near to North Braeswood where Donna lives and Marcel nods his head in agreement when we show him the Enterprise broucher and point to the address, lucky for us as we make our way there we recognise where we are and direct Marcel to Donna's, all is well that ends well as my Mum used to say.

We spend our last night in America with our good friend Donna discussing the good times we have had whilst in America and the good people we have added to the IMS list. Time to start packing for home.

Thursday 16th Jan

Time to leave our goodl friend and hostess Donna who has ensured that we have had a wonderful holiday. Donna drives us out to the George Bush International Airport and drops us off at the departure entrance, we have already decided on a quick goodbye here outside the entrance as long drawn out departures tend to become emotional, but it is with a heavy heart and lump in my throat as I kiss our lovely Texas Rose goodbye and enter the terminal building turning for one last wave then she is gone. We board our flight to Chicago and arrive on time to make our connection to Manchester England, well done American Airlines two pleasant flights and plenty of leg room for a big chap like me. We arrive in Manchester 7.30 in the morning after all the good weather we have had in the States it is cold and damp, (Welcome home Big Al and Linda)

Pictures

Rest break North bound on interstate 45 Hi Jenny were here

Tyler Rose Museum Garden Linda in Buffalo (Tx)


	Texas Adventure \| home Contact Me \| Prologue to Visit \| Week One \| New Orleans \| The Races \| Last week Last week Sunday 12th Jan Again this is a recovery day after a late night at the Races. We laid in until 9 o'clock then up and ate a liesurely breakfast with Donna. 11 o'clock and it is time to get ready for our meet with Linda 2 and Michael, Linda was my secret Santa recipient Christmas 2001 so I was looking forward to meeting her.Linda lives in Huntsville and we arrange to meet in The Red Lobster Restaurant on Highway 45 half way between Houston and Huntsville. We arrive early and commandeer a table and await the arrival of Linda and Michael, we start to get slightly apprehensive when they do not turn up dead on time as we realise there is a Red Lobster Restaurant on the other side of the interstate, but these fears are soon dispelled when Linda and Michael arrived. Linda had brought us a wonderful gift of pecan cookies all packaged in a wicker basket and decorated with ribbons, thankyou Linda. Again the time we spent together just seemed to fly past and soon it was time to part, thankyou Linda and Michael it was lovely to meet you and I hope we can do it again real soon. Linda and Michael We return to Houston and I finish reading John Grisham's The Runaway Jury, it was a good read and I can recommend it. We have decided to hire a car and head off North to Tyler to meet an old friend of mine Ed Davis. I worked with Ed in the early 80's on a gas pipeline in the north of Scotland. Unfortunately when we rang his wife Jenny she told me he was working in New York State and would not be home for two weeks but she asked us to travel up to Tyler anyway and stay with her. Jenny was travelling with Ed when I first met him but I have not seen her for 22 years although we have spoke many times on the phone. Back to the internet to find the best deal on a hire car, we settle on Enterprise not only for the price but for the fact that they would send a car to pick us up from Donna's apartment and drop us back when we return the car. (good service) Monday 13th Jan Up early shower and breakfast ready for Enterprise to call and pick us up at 10 o'clock. He is on time and soon we are on our way to their depot at Bel Aire to pick up our hire car, it turns out to be a Toyota Camry. It is big enough for me to drive comfortably and after signing up we are soon on our way. The first obstacle apart from the fact these Americans drive on the wrong side of the road is trying to find our way out of Houston and onto Interstate 45, I know we were up that way yesterday but Donna was driving and things look different from the passenger seat :-) It turns out no worries the Silverfox is an excellent navigator and we are soon heading North up the interstate towards Dallas. Jenny has advised us to travel north on the 45 to Buffalo then make a right onto the 79 through Palistine and onto Jacksonville where we hang a left onto the 69 and this takes us right up into Tyler. Jenny instructs us to drive into Tyler on the 69 and just past Walmart on the left is the tallest building in Tyler (5 stories high) and she works on the top floor. We arrive just before 5 o'clock and Jenny is getting ready to leave her office, we follow her car the half mile to her house. Well as I said we have not met for 22 years so we have a lot of catching up to do. Jenny brings out loads of photos of me taken back in 81 in Aberdeen when I was younger and wilder, including one of me sparked out on a settee in the flat they rented in Stonehaven. I think it was around this time I gave up the demon drink and fags for good. Jenny cooks us a wonderful meal and we carry on with our trip down memory lane. Tuesday 14th Jan Jenny has to go to work for 9 but she gives us the run of the house, we have breakfast and lock up leaving the key in the agreed place. She has directed us to go and visit the Rose garden memorial and museum in Tyler, the area surrounding Tyler is famous for Rose growing and every year they hold The Tyler Rose Queen Festival The museum holds the Rose Queens gowns and artifacts, the dresses are really opullent covered in Rhine stones, there is also audio visual displays of previous Rose festivals. We spent a pleasent hour in the museum and round the gardens. (no flash photography allowed in the museum but I managed a picture of the old tractor) We head back into Tyler and discover a Rudy's Barbeque so we dive in for our lunch, the fare here is as good as we had with JD in Leon Springs ( but we missed his patter) As we pull out of Rudy's I spot a Cavendors Boot Store by the side of the road, the very place for me I thought and in we go. I thought I was going to miss out on buying new cowboy boots this trip, but here I was surrounded by them, I take a size 12eee and some times have difficulty getting such a wide fitting, no difficulties here the salesman assures me better take two pairs whilst you can. I thought this a jolly good idea but a dig in the back from Linda brings me back to earth. Still must not grumble, I ended up with a new pair of boots, two new leather belts, a new fancy belt buckle and last but not least some boot hooks. The latter help you to pull your cowboy boots on, they look a little like the bill hooks that dockers used to use (or not as the case might be) they hook into the loops at the top of your boots and assist you to pull them on. Well that takes care of my retail therapy Linda wants to visit Walmarts on the way out of town, I am always impressed with Walmarts. In the city of Preston where we live I can only find clothes to fit me in one shop (I'm a big lad you know) here in Walmarts I can buy any number of different styles of shirts and trousers, not wanting to miss out I buy a pair of pants and two shirts, I am getting the hang of this shopping malarky, it's easy peasy. Linda is losing her touch she only buys a pair of earrings, three one to Big Al :-) It is getting late when we set off again so we only make Buffalo by the interstate 45 and cabin up in a motel. Early to bed as Big Al has had a busy shopping day. Wednesday 15th Jan Our last full day in America as we fly out for home tomorrow (boo hoo) We eat breakfast in the motel and set off for Houston. Now on the way up the 45 just by Huntsville (where Linda and Michael live) we pass the biggest statue of Sam Houston that you have ever seen and on the way back I am determined that Linda will take a picture of it from the car as we drive by. Now if anyone remembers my post about the Hogwerts Special they will remember that dispite standing a half hour in the freezing cold waiting for the train to pass by on our local track and with instructions from me how to use the digi camera all Linda managed to photograph was a picture of a puff of steam :-) Before we get to the statue I urge her to take a few practice shots to get the hang of it, sure enough when we get to the statue she panicked and missed the bloody thing altogether. Never mind luv I say there will be other times :-) We return the car to Enterprise at Bel Aire and one of the car cleaners is called to take us back to Donna's house. As we set off we discover a (sleight) problem, we do not know where we are going and Marcel the driver does not speak English, we give him the address and he just sort of gives a little shrug of his shoulders and holds out his hands although I preferred them holding the steering wheel. I remembered that Enterprise have a depot near to North Braeswood where Donna lives and Marcel nods his head in agreement when we show him the Enterprise broucher and point to the address, lucky for us as we make our way there we recognise where we are and direct Marcel to Donna's, all is well that ends well as my Mum used to say. We spend our last night in America with our good friend Donna discussing the good times we have had whilst in America and the good people we have added to the IMS list. Time to start packing for home. Thursday 16th Jan Time to leave our goodl friend and hostess Donna who has ensured that we have had a wonderful holiday. Donna drives us out to the George Bush International Airport and drops us off at the departure entrance, we have already decided on a quick goodbye here outside the entrance as long drawn out departures tend to become emotional, but it is with a heavy heart and lump in my throat as I kiss our lovely Texas Rose goodbye and enter the terminal building turning for one last wave then she is gone. We board our flight to Chicago and arrive on time to make our connection to Manchester England, well done American Airlines two pleasant flights and plenty of leg room for a big chap like me. We arrive in Manchester 7.30 in the morning after all the good weather we have had in the States it is cold and damp, (Welcome home Big Al and Linda) Pictures Rest break North bound on interstate 45 Hi Jenny were here Tyler Rose Museum Garden Linda in Buffalo (Tx)