Hi – welcome back. First the good news: the ‘problem’, see previous, has been resolved. The problem (affecting others) appears to have been ad-ware, or similar, affecting the reader’s browser. It’s all sorted (thankfully). Other good news: the weather has been glorious – even at this late hour (2245), the temperature in my room is a very pleasing 70’. After a bad day yesterday (and early this morning), The Elder has sought to make peace – you go along with it but it’s happened so often in the past. As for #3, she has spent most of the day in her bed (in her room).
Finally, I just watched (the link is really worth visiting) Susan Boyle (‘Britain’s Got Talent’), competing in the semi finals – a wobbly start to her number but she recovered well – imagine, live TV and she is told ‘millions the world over will be watching you tonight’ – it’s the simple, honest, human characteristics coupled with a voice to die for (emotional power). We wish her well. [This post was written before the viewers voted – subsequently Susan Boyle qualified for the final – how exciting for this pre-senile wizened old Yorkshire man!] I might even ‘phone and vote – mind you, watch the blood pressure, the call costs £0.50 (about $0.33) – just kidding.
OK, back to events in the US – maybe you are waiting for me to wrap this up? Looking back on the outstanding issues I realise that there are three significant issues about which you have not been informed. They are: a visit to Fredericksburg, the departure at Dallas Airport (this will be the last post) and, next, the return to the UK. Let’s crack on with the visit to Fredericksburg. One thing that I haven’t yet done is drive on the US roads – not strictly true – I crossed the public road from WBG’s private road to the area where the garbage bins are stored (across the road). WBG patiently explained the various road signs, the significance of lines across the road and more. Hmmm, when I next visit (sigh …) I must gein some practice – don’t worry, I’ll detail the sites so that you might stay away (for your own protection). I am able to drive on my UK licence without restriction but if I lived there permanently, this privilege is limited to only 30 days before I have to take the driving test – it’s many, many years since I sat my driving test! So, on we progressed, passing LBJ’s place before arriving at Fredericksburg – what a delightful place – first task? Find the public ‘washrooms’ / ‘restrooms’ (loo) – wonderfully clean – a pleasure to stand there and admire the fixtures and fittings (steady on now). The only snag, once we were back 'outside having attended to our personal needs, was that it was a bit chilly and we, WBG and myself (as usual) held hands and life was good. The biggest ‘thrill’ was the visit to ‘Rustlin’ Bob’s’ – I have copied the following from another blog
(from where I, with acknowledgements “ borrowed” the pictures):
Rustlin' Rob's was a crazy, but tasty place. Seriously, you could eat enough there to replace an entire meal. They had samples of EVERYTHING in the store.
Every room had counters lined with open jars of food and huge baskets of crackers. Most of the products were made locally and there were several unique-to-the-area products such as prickly pear jelly and honey butter in many flavors.
The place was quite busy and we quickly became separated It was a joy to wander round scooping up a few crackers and then pasting on one relish or another. I knew that we wouldn’t be eating much that day (wrong!). The biggest challenge, for myself, arose when, wandering through the store I arrived at the ‘chilli’ section – specifically the ‘adult section’. Here customers had the option to taste the really hot stuff – as I did. Hey! Brits are frightened of no one! Alongside me was this US guy, about my age and we both gave each other ‘that look’ as we scooped the hottest sauce on to a cracker before shoving the (furnace in waiting) in to our mouth. Sheeeesh!! I thought that my throat had dissolved. We, the pair of us, both grew red in the face, sweated and made (quiet) choking type coughs – neither of use sought a drink (to put out the fire) and we both continued looking at the samples praying the other would go away – it didn’t happen and then – ha! The US guy cracked and purchased a bottle of Coke from the, conveniently placed alongside, ‘fridge, drinking it in one go leaving SEH, so hot and flushed, and thinking his underwear was about to melt. At that I wandered out in to the fresh air – the shop staff watching with amusement. Glory be! At the door to the shop was a tray, with Coke bottles (for sale), these I ignored because the said bottles were surrounded by ice cubes – oh joy!! I discreetly reached for the said ice cubes when, to my utter horror, I realised that they were simply decoration – plastic made to look like ice. I lurched out of the shop, for a few minutes, breathing in through my mouth, before venturing back in to the store and applying liberal doses of any of the samples that didn’t include chilli, pepper and the like. I couldn’t imagine anyone buying the stuff – it was expensive – maybe $70 or more for a tiny bottle. As with other events in your life - you live and learn. It was a great day, lovely place, terrific company (of course) and very helpful people. The next big task was to find the shop that made fudge (to die for) – we had a voucher for a free sample – we found the shop and enjoyed a number of free samples, then a visit to a kitchenware shop - 
Der Küchen Laden (could have stayed there all day!) where we were subject to more free samples – coffee, pretzels (I think it was) and wine; on to a confectionary shop, the Nimitz museum, a shop that made decorative candles (very clever stuff – we watched then being made) then on to a souvenir shop where I nearly purchased a ‘cowboy hat’.
We called it a day though, before setting off home, we called in to an Italian diner (buffet) place where the over consumption of the day was continued and then, I think we went to Wal-Mart.
A really good day. Next, not a good day – departure from the US …
More later …
[Footnote – When I stumbled in to kitchen this morning, I have found, on the kitchen surface a letter from #3 apologising for the way she kept everyone awake at the weekend – that’s nice.]
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