Monday 2/21/11

We began our day with a run through the old neighborhood and around Cam’s high school.  Then Karen, Martha (Cam’s mom), and Karen went to Jeff’s and Mary’s house for lunch. 

Jeff was Cam’s dental school roommate (before Cam married Karen and decided he should probably live with her instead).  Jeff is also a Baylor University graduate.  Mary was once a highly competitive and successful barrel racer.  Now Jeff and Mary have a ranch with their 2 boys, Jeremy and Colton, where Mary boards and trains horses, and gives riding lessons. 

Jeff has a beautiful dental office near the ranch.  Karen and I decided that Jeff and Mary must be the cleanest people on this planet.  Between the office, the house, the barn, the trucks, the trailers, etc., we never saw a speck of dust anywhere.  They treated Karen, Mom, and me to sandwiches and chips on the shaded patio overlooking the “tank” (Texan for small lake found on every ranch or farm in Texas).  Their boys were busy hiking with their buddies and returned just before we left – they were headed for a quick swim in the tank. 



Jeremy in red shorts, and Colton in red shirt



You just never know what you might find in the Texas countryside!



After lunch, Caroline and Mark (Caroline’s beau) joined Karen, Martha, and Cam at Standard Hat Works – the oldest currently operating custom hat shop in Texas. Steve Martin’s (the comedian and actor) uncle was the previous owner of this shop, and Steve Martin grew up learning to make hats with his uncle, and still makes many of the hats he wears during his various public performances.  The current owner, Lenny Lewis, made a hat for Cam this past year.  Today, Lenny refurbished a hat that was given to Cam by his grandfather, Daddy Marvin, after it had been worn for 30 years. 

 

Courtney met the rest of us at the Waco suspension bridge for a walk, and to check out the bronze longhorn sculptures.  As Waco was a spur off the Chisholm Trail, and an important re-supply station for the cattle drives crossing Texas, the suspension bridge was completed in 1870 to allow longhorn cattle to cross the Brazos River.  This was a wild and lawless time in the old West, resulting in Waco being nicknamed "Six-Shooter Junction".  This bridge was the first across the Brazos, and at the time was the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world.  It was built by the John Roebling company, which also built the famous Brooklyn Bridge.

BAD girl, Caroline! You weren't supposed to take that picture!

Next, we went to Cameron Park along the banks of the Brazos River to see the project Marci’s (Caroline’s roommate) art class from Baylor created – huge bird nests built on the ground near the entrance to the park.

 

After running some errands around town, we settled on Diamondbacks (arguably the nicest restaurant in Waco) for supper.  Cleveland (Cam’s dad) and Larry (Cam’s brother) met us for an early dinner, then we went to see “The King’s Speech” – excellent movie.  Lucy couldn't join us since she had other plans.

Courtney missed being in the photo because she had to leave early to study.  Poor Mark lost all his hair this weekend to a LaCrosse hazing incident.

We were disappointed that we didn't get to see Larry's new truck and trailer.  He is starting a new business doing home insulation.  After this unusually cold winter in Texas, there should be a lot of folks out there looking for Larry's services.
No miles on our truck today since we drove Cam's mom's car.