We’re ba-a-ack! And we had a great time.

For MSB’s birthday, I booked a train ride from Cedar Park to Burnet, where we attended the Bluebonnet Festival. The ride was great–diesel engine, horn blowing at every intersection, conductor cracking jokes with the passengers. For folks who commute on trains, this is old hat, but it’s not something we get to do often.

The festival was a lot of fun, too, except that a huge storm blew through the night before, and many of the vendors lost their canopies and wares. That’s enough to break anybody’s heart, I tell ya. One vendor’s products sat in the dead middle of a run-off stream, and the whole box load of whatever-it-was got ruined. Since MSB and I sell books at festivals now, my heart went out to that seller. Serious ouch.

Anyway, I thought the train ride would be the highlight of the week, but I was wrong. What MSB loved most was fishing in the river. We went to our favorite spot on the Guadalupe River–a B&B called the Terrapin River Loft (which now has a for-sale sign in front of it 😦 ), and this time, he brought the fishing poles. I didn’t have my license, so I didn’t fish–besides, I didn’t believe they’d actually bite considering what he was using for bait: whole kernel corn. Seriously. Someone had told him Texas Parks & Wildlife had been releasing trout near Canyon Lake (just up the road from where we stay), and all he needed to catch some on the river was a corn kernel on a hook. Well, he didn’t catch a trout–but he did catch a nice catfish. A quick trip to the local grocery store, and we had all the necessities for a great catfish dinner. So, the highlight of his week was a single catfish and a meal prepared by the same person who prepares most of his meals. Go figure. 😀

As for me, my favorite part of our trip didn’t have anything to do with shopping at the massive outlet mall in San Marcos, or having lunch at Cabela’s or Gruene’s Old Gristmill (although all of it was fantastic). No, for me, it was finding the absolute perfect gag gift for a friend in Gruene’s General Store.

You know that moment when you’re browsing in a store, and you see something and think “She’d love that!” I not only had that thought, I could picture in my mind exactly how she’d react when she opened her “present.”

Just thinking about it now makes me rub my hands in anticipation while I emit an evil laugh.

So far as I know, she doesn’t read my blog, but I can’t take that risk, so I’ll have to share the big secret with you later. For now, it’s enough to say that finding the gift was the highlight of my trip.

And, now we’re back. He doesn’t go back to work until Monday. I worked yesterday. It’s amazing how much can pile up when you’re gone. Lucky me, though. I love my job. 🙂