On the last leg of our crazy back and forth to Port Arthur on Saturday, I was driving, and by the end I was really tired.

Joey was a champ at keeping me awake.  He began reading excerpts from Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass.  This was prompted by the Cheshire Cat moon that was in the sky that night.  You know, a crescent moon, that looks like the Cheshire Cat’s crazy grin with no head or body.

Eventually we got to The Jabberwock.  Joey has this poem memorized, and as he read it, I began repeating it back to him - working to get it all memorized.  By the time we made it home, I had recited it correctly without assistance.  More importantly, I did not fall asleep while driving.

Yesterday we stopped by the Springfield/Serrins home to visit our godson on his birthday, and give him his present.  He is six years old! While we were there, I recited the poem for Debra and Rachel.  Hopefully they will vouch for the fact that I managed to say the whole thing without assistance, and very few mistakes.

I have included the poem here for anyone who is unfamiliar with it, and those who just want to read it again.  I would like to point out, that since I was driving when I memorized the poem, I did not read it at all.  In fact, other than the time I read Through the Looking Glass as a kid, typing the poem up right now is the first time I have seen it in print!  Proof, in case anyone missed this fact, that I am an auditory learner.  Joey was truly disturbed that I was able to memorize the whole thing by hearing it.  Well, turn about is fair play - I completely dumbfounded by the fact that he can remember everything he ever reads!

The Jaberwocky by Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Joey’s maternal grandfather, RD Cline, passed away last week.  We all called him Granddaddy.

One of my favorite memories of him occured the first time I first met him.  We were introduced, and within five minutes, he had opened up his wallet, which was full of pictures of his children and grandchildren, and pulled out a picture that he had of Joey and Joey’s former girlfriend.  He handed the picture to Joey and said, “I like LisaDiane.  This picture is no good anymore.  I need a new one with LisaDiane.”  We actually got a picture taken right away and sent it to Granddaddy.  That was the first of many portraits we have had made together.  Granddaddy was always the first person to get the new picture whenever we had one taken.

Granddaddy’s funeral will be in Texline, Texas on Tuesday, but there was a memorial for him in Port Arthur on Saturday, 16 January 2010.  Joey and I decided that we wanted to attend.  We drove five hours to Port Arthur, stopping along the way for breakfast.

BTW - there is a decided lack of Sonics in Houston.  I don’t know what the appropriate forum is, but I would like to lodge an official complaint!

We made it to the United Methodist Temple in Port Arthur a little before 10am.  We got cleaned up and changed in the very nice bride’s room at the church.  Joey’s cousin Marty was in attendance, having travelled down from Providence, Rhode Island.  We don’t get to see him very often, and we were glad of the opportunity, despite the sad circumstances!

After the service we had lunch and visited with Marty, Aunt Jan, and Uncle Ray.  Joey shared the pictures of Granddaddy that he had found amongst the hundreds of slides of family photos that he got from his parents house last year.

We got back on the road at about 2:30, and drove to Dorie’s house in Houston.  She was good enough to let us stop, rest, and visit with her.  After catching our breath, we got back on the road to head for home.  We managed to find a Sonic on US 290 on the way out of Houston.  Good ice, at long last!

We finally got home, took care of the dogs, and then fell into bed!  We were exhausted!

Sum up (this is for you Debra - I know you love the numbers):
Depart Austin: 04:45
Arrive in Port Arthur: 09:45
Depart Port Arthur: 14:30
Arrive Houston: 16:30
Depart Houston: 17:45
Arrive Austin: 20:45

Number of cities: 3
Total drive time: 10 hours
Total time way from home: 14 hours

P.S. Thanks to Lee and Billy for swinging by the house to look after KatyDog and Elanor!  They were most appreciative, and so are we.

Aaron and Sujata had to go to San Antonio for several days, and they asked us to look after their two dogs Boston and Lola (she was a show girl).

Boston is a basset/springer spaniel mix, about four years old.  Lola is a basset/rottweiler mix, about eight months old.  They are both very cute!  I love it when they sit or stand facing you, their paws look like they are in ballet first position.

Lola, Elanor and Boston have been having a great time wrestling and playing in the backyard.  Four dogs all at once is a bit of chaos, and feeding time is quite a circus, but we happy to have them visit.  Katy is acting completely aloof, but I think she actually enjoys having more dogs to boss around!

We did not take many pictures this year.  No, not even Joey!  Lee took this one of us together with the dogs on the night we put up our Christmas tree.

We went to the Mercado Christmas celebration with Grandma Margaret on 24 December.  We had a lovely Christmas Day meal with the Lupa/Carlson clan, Joan Jones, and the Reads.  It was pot luck, so we didn’t have to do too much cooking, but we wound up with all the leftovers.  Yum!  Joey did make plum pudding, and it was a hit.

George and Nancy joined us late in the evening on Christmas Day.  We went to breakfast with the Etheredges, Zimmermans and Schoors on the second day of Christmas, and then returned to our house to open presents.

Speaking of presents - after years of nagging and hounding, my husband finally gave me some earings from James Avery.  He feels that James Avery is too easy an answer, and prefers to be more creative.  While I certainly appreciate that sentiment, and I have gotten some fabulously creative presents over the years, a nice pair of earings is fun too!

Mom and Dad joined us on New Year’s Eve.  Lee and Billy came over to assist with the preparations for New Year’s Day.  We held our 6th Annual New Year’s Eve film fest.  This year’s theme was Bruce Willis.  The favorite movies were The Fifth Element and Die Hard with a Vengence.  Lee and Joey kicked butt in the kitchen - it was the most organized I think we have ever been.

On New Year’s Day we ate breakfast with the Mercados and Etheredges before George and Nancy had to leave for the airport.

The New Year’s Day party was a fantastic success.  The food was fantastic - the hoppin john really gets better every year!  It was fun to see all of our friends throughout the day.  I really missed Ross and Kat, and thought of them several times during the party.  Laura and Jason joined us late in the evening - I am so happy they were able to make the drive!  The first guests arrived at 14:15, and Jason and I left to drive Jacob back at home at 02:27 on 02 January, so the party officially lasted 12 hours and 12 minutes!

Despite the late night, on 02 January, Joey, Mom, Dad, Laura, Jason and I drove to San Antonio to visit with the Rodriguez side of the family.  We had a great time visiting and catching up with all our cousins and Aunts and Uncles!

On 03 January we had brunch at Zax with our cousin Ben, and then it was time for everyone to go their separate ways.  I left with Mom and Dad to go to Houston.  Jason dropped Laura off at the airport so she could fly to Albequerque so she could perform in Amahl and the Night Visitors in Santa Fe.  Jason drove back to Denton, and Joey went home to a empty house to begin the clean-up!