What to Wear at Round Top

There are three things I consider when putting together my outfit

for my trek up to Round Top.  I want to look cute, keep the sun off

my face and be comfortable.  

While we don't get the cool crisp days of early Fall here in Texas,

it is in fact Fall, and I want to look the part.  Enter a plaid scarf.  This

one is made from a light weight and crinkly fabric that will satisfy my

need for a hint of Autumn.  I bought this scarf years ago and I do

believe that it is my favorite accessory.   I am adding a chunky gold

necklace that will dress up my white cotton polo just a bit without

being over the top.

I am also wearing my Barton Creek bucket hat made with SPF 50 fibers.

I like to keep the sun off my face with a hat despite the layers of sunscreen

I now wear.  Fun shades are important too :-)

I am bringing my big plaid tote along as well.  Like my scarf, it's an oldie

but a goodie.  It's roomy and I can fill it with a water bottle and all other

essentials, and still have room for small packages.

If you have ever been to Round Top, you are very familiar with it's size

and scope.  I never wear cute flats or sandals.  This is a day full of 

walking and walking and walking.  

I think this is my seventh trip to Round Top.  I never tire of visiting.

It's so delightful to be out in the country, driving past pastures filled

with long horns and other cattle breeds.  The crowds don't bother me

because they are filled with principally women on a mission to find

just the perfect something for their own homes or for gifts.  They 

are women just like me who are enthralled by the variety of 

antique treasures.  Women who feel like they are wondering through

the pages of a decorating magazine as they enjoy the beautifully

styled stalls in the tents at Marburger Farm.

I promise to take lots of photos to share with you and hope that

one day you too have the chance to visit this fabulous show.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Little Hutch Dressed for Fall

In my efforts to keep things simple this Fall, I just added a few touches

to the little hutch in my breakfast room.  

The warm colors of Fall add just the right pop to these shelves.

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all a happy Thursday!

Tablescape Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Feather Your Nest

A quick update on Bentley.  He is adjusting so well to his blindness.

He gets around the inside and outside of the house and is so 

cheerful and playful once again.  Seeing him happy and enjoying

life is the best gift of all.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin

Fall is always the time of year when I have a renewed interest in cooking.

The long, hot summer is filled with salad days.  As much as I love them,

by the time September rolls around, I am ready for a change.  

Now that October is just days away, I am ready to make the kitchen the

heart of the home once again.  One of my favorite recipes to welcome the

season is a pan seared pork tenderloin.  It's easy, delicious, full of flavor.

This dish always makes my hubby believe that I am indeed a good cook.

He seems to believe that it takes special skill to create, but in truth is

really simple.  I'll share my secret with you.

Start with a nice pork tenderloin.  There is not much prep work.  Just trim

off any excess fat and or silver skin.  I like to let the meat rest a bit before

cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.  This is when I sprinkle

it generously with garlic powder, and a bit of sea salt and pepper.

Coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil.  Turn the heat up to medium

high and let the oil get hot.  Add the tenderloin and brown the meat 

on all sides.  You want some color on the pork, without burning or

cooking it through.  The time this takes can vary depending upon your

stovetop, I generously allow about 10 minutes to brown the meat on

all sides.  

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees while prepping and browning the 

meat.   You will be finishing the pork in the oven.  Make sure your

skillet has an oven friendly handle so that you can place the 

browned pork directly in the oven for 15 minutes.

After removing the pork from the oven, place it on a cutting board, 

cover loosely with foil, and allow to sit while making the pan sauce.

When the pork comes out of the oven, you will be left with the 

delicious brown bits at the bottom of the pan.  This is when I pour in

1/2 cup of chicken broth and crank up the heat under the pan.  This 

heat will dislodge those bits.  Keep stirring and scraping the bottom of 

the pan and allow this liquid to reduce by one third.  This is when I add

a bit of Dijon mustard and a pat of butter.  The addition of these two

ingredients will add to the flavor and richness of the sauce.  This is not

a gravy, but a pan sauce, so it will not be thick, but it will be delicious.

Slice the pork and plate it with a bit of the sauce drizzled over the top.

I served this dinner with oven roasted tiny red skin potatoes and 

some green bean casserole.  I will share my green bean casserole with

you in a later post.  It's not the traditional recipe, but I have jazzed it

up a bit.

I hope that you try this pork tenderloin recipe, and if you do, I hope

that you and your family will enjoy it.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Fried Chicken Dinner Date Night

Well, I was going to wear this outfit tonight for Fried Chicken dinner night

at the club, but I was stood up ;-)  Let me explain, David tries to get in a few

 holes of golf after work every Tuesday evening.  He also plays golf on Sunday

afternoons, but he can never play too much golf.  Of course this comes into

conflict with Fried Chicken Dinner night.  Once a month, our club serves

this dinner.  It is met with great anticipation for two reasons.  One, this

is South Texas and we love our fried chicken.  We take this meal very

seriously and don't want to miss it.  Secondly, it is because Sheila makes

the most delicious fried chicken I have ever tasted.  Hands down the

very best, I kid you not!

The days are getting shorter and it won't be long before the Tuesday night rounds of 

golf are over until spring.  I really don't want to deny David the pleasure he gets from

chasing the ball around the course, so we are compromising.  

I will put these clothes, shoes, jewelry, and bag back into the closet to wear

another time.  David will get the dinner all boxed up and bring it home for

us to eat later.  It works for me.  I'll be in my comfy clothes and I won't 

have to cook!

I'll do a big long aerobics session so that I can freely indulge.  Not only is

the fried chicken delicious, but the macaroni and cheese is fabulous, the 

green beans too, and the best biscuits ever.  Mmm, mmm good!  Of

course y'all know that Bentley will have some chicken too :-)

Wow Us Wednesday

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Let the Fall Decor Begin!

Yesterday was a lazy Sunday at home with Bentley while David was

out on the golf course.  Although the weather here in Texas does little to

recognize that Fall has arrived, I am ready for the season to begin.

I started with my breakfast room table and changed out the centerpiece.  

I found this apple cider tin at Hobby Lobby.  I am holding back on lots

of decorations this year because although I love adding the touches, I

really hate putting everything away.  Is this just me, or do you feel that

way too?

When I was in Lake Forest last weekend, I was so impressed with all

the pumpkins and gourds and natural touches of fall.  We don't see 

much of that here, or at least not here in Victoria.  As much as I love

Texas, there are times when I wish I was back home again.  That is 

especially true at this time of the year.  I suppose that I will just have to

start racking up my frequent flier miles so that I can get home more often.

For me, the best way to create a feeling of Fall in my home is to 

start in the kitchen.  A scented Fall candle, this one is cinnamon/apple,

and a cup of Constant Comment tea sets the mood for me.  Oh, and music too.

I have the sound track from the movie Little Women, the version produced

in the 1990's.  Every time I put that CD on to play, I immediately think

of apple picking, and brightly colored leaves, and cozy sweaters.

This is what I have for right now.  I think I will decorate the front

porch and maybe the back porch too.   We'll see how it goes ~ perhaps

I will be able to stick to a more minimalistic approach this year ;-)

Metamorphosis Monday

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Back in Sweet Home Chicago

I just returned to Texas after a trip to my childhood home north of 

Chicago.  My earliest years were spent in an idyllic village on the 

North Shore.  I never imagined or wanted to live anywhere else,

yet I did leave and I did live in other cities and in other countries.

No matter how far I roamed, nor how great the sights I saw, in

my heart the North Shore of Chicago would always be home.

Last Saturday morning, I arrived in Austin and took a jet to fly

home once more.  I was so excited.  Not only would I be

once again be treading on much loved ground, but I would

also be seeing old and dear friends once more.  

When I arrived at my gate, I soon saw the sign for the Chicago Cubs.

I had tears in my eyes.  Home sweet home once again.  All was now

right with the world.

There is something you must know about me.  I am an extremely

sentimental person.  I inherited that characteristic from my Daddy.

Home means everything to me, and my childhood home means the

most of all.  

After I picked up my luggage and entered my taxi, my world was

full of sights and sounds from my past.  I talked the driver's ear off

explaining how I was going home once again and in a short time I

would be seeing friends who for years, only lived in my memory.

I could hardly contain my excitement.  In a few hours I would be

attending a party with so many people from my past.

The first person I saw was my best friend from my teens.  Chris and I

shared every secret.  We applauded one another's triumphs and eased

each other over the bumpy road of adolescence.  Although we have

been in touch over the years, we have not actually seen one another for many,

many years.  Suddenly, we spotted one another and the distance and the

days just melted away.  

We chatted with others and shared long ago memories.  It was such

fun to reconnect with the past and to know that others held that same

past as dear as I did.  It was a great party!

On Sunday, Chris drove me to Lake Forest, where later that day I would be

checking into the Deerpath Inn.  More about the inn later.  It was Chris' birthday

and we celebrated at a charming restaurant where we talked for hours both

during and following lunch.  It was as though the years in between just vanished,

and we were the same young girls once again.  A truly memorable afternoon.

Chris drove me over to the inn.  My room number was 306, the Wallington room.  

All of the rooms have names and every inch of the inn is as British as it can be.

The beverage bar in the entry.

The spacious and cozy room.

The walk-in marble shower.

That evening, my cousins drove up from the city to have dinner with me.

We chatted and laughed for several hours.  So great to see them once again.

I had a very full couple of days, but there was more to come because my

college roommate would be arriving from Michigan the next morning.

I have no idea how I slept that night, but I did ....

and I had lots of happy dreams!  More tomorrow.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Fall Fashion Friday!

Just like I love to decorate, I love to put outfits together.  Working as an

interior designer, clients expect you to be pulled together and fashionable.

Although I am not working with clients anymore, I still love to plan

outfits and enjoy hunting for just the right accessories to pull an

outfit together.

Here is a classic outfit for the last weekend of summer 2017.  A striped

French sailor shirt is so classic.  I have owned this one for years and

never tire of it.  It works equally well with white shorts, or white capris,

or jeans.

I have paired it with simple pearl earrings, and an anchor bracelet from

Kiel James Patrick.  I love that it has a charm with my monogram!  I

also am showing my aviator glasses from Ray Ban.  I am very petite and

these particular aviators are for smaller faces, so I don't look swamped

by my shades ;-)

Navy Chuck Taylors from Converse.  I love these shoes, comfortable

and they never go out of style.  I tend to only buy pieces that are classic

and then wear them forever.  That way, all you need is maybe a new

accessory or two, and you can still look trendy without having to buy

everything new each season.  In future posts, I will be sharing items from

my closet that are really old, but still lovable.

Let's jump right into fall styling!  I love the color of this sweater.  It

is new from J Crew.  It is a classic throwback roll neck sweater from the

1980's.  I love this bright color too ~ it's called Saffron.  I am pairing it

with some plaid leggings I purchased last winter,  and some Tory Burch

leopard print ballet flats.  I know I will live in these flats both through

the fall and winter.

I have added a chunky "gold" necklace, bracelet and earrings for some

extra punch.  My tortoise shades add more dimension to this look

I love these flats so much, I could marry them!

Here is a date night look.  Spaghetti strap simple black top.  I plan to

wear it with black skinny jeans.  That purse is a classic and I have owned

it for over twenty years.  

I purchased this statement necklace from an eBay vendor.  Great way

to get lower prices on accessories.

Strappy black heels complete this look

I love what I refer to as multi tasking clothes.  This top and these

leggings are from Lilly Pulitzer's  "Luxetic" line.  They are made from

fibers that have SPF 50 protection.  The long sleeve top is warmer for 

South Texas fall days, and still protects me from the sun.  I can wear this

for long walks, or while running errands.  While I do love traditional 

fall colors, I still love my pinks and wear them often too.  Our fall 

weather is never very cold here, so it often still feels like summer all

the way through October.  

This starfish choker is from Lilly too.  After all, this is the South Texas

Gulf coast!

I sure have put some mileage on these sneakers!  I strive to get 10,000

steps or more per day.  It's one way I can keep fitting into my clothes

year after year.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek at some of the outfits I will

be wearing this weekend and beyond.  Have a wonderful weekend 

everyone!  

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Convicting a Predator

It's been a week since I last spoke with you about the trial.   During that

week, everyone's attention, as was my own, was on Hurricane Irma.  

Our thoughts and prayers have been with those who were in it's path.

Life can be stormy at times, yet unlike the weather, we often have

the power to control disruption in our own lives.  After several days of

listening to numerous testimonies, we convicted a man of online

solicitation of a minor.  Following the interruption by Hurricane Harvey,

we returned to court for the punishment phase.  After listening to more

testimony, and then retreating to the jury room for two and one half hours

of deliberation, we delivered a sentence of two years in prison, and the

highest fine we were permitted to impose.

Was it easy to sentence a man to prison for two years?  No, it was not.

Holding the weight of one's future in our hands was not easy, nor was

it pleasant.  Will he contemplate his actions and selfishness while in

prison?  I do not know the answer to that question.  I hope that he does.

As a blogger and a regular participant in a variety of social media platforms,

I am quite familiar with interacting with people whom I have never personally met.

Is there a chance that I might interact online with someone who is not who they

say they are?  Yes, I am sure that there is.   Am I cautious?  Absolutely I am!

The speed and efficiency with which we are able to interact with others 

around the globe is truly amazing.  Yet technology for all it's wonder, is a

double edged sword.  It has the potential to be both helpful and also the

potential to be deadly.  

What I learned as I watched and listened to the defendant and the 

witnesses who testified against him, is that online communications between

individuals unknown to one another, can quickly become quite personal and

can open the door to dangerous encounters.  Young girls, and I imagine

young boys too, can be easily influenced and coerced into a dangerous

game by someone who is older and not well meaning.  What would have

happened if this had not been a sting operation?  What if it truly was

a 14 year old girl responding to a 29 year old man?  If he did meet up

with her in a dark park one night, how would she live with the 

consequences?  Would he have harmed her once he achieved his goal

of taking a young girl's virginity?

Sexual predators have invaded the internet.  As an adult who is concerned for the

safety of children, I believe it is our responsibility to be aware of the dangers the

internet can pose to young kids and teens.  I hope that if you are a parent, 

grandparent or relative of young kids and teens, that you impress upon them the

dangers of communicating with a stranger.  People can and do lie on the internet.

They can be coercive and flirtatious and lure in their prey with compliments and

promises of love and romance.  It is vital that parents and guardians have frank

discussions with kids about the dangers.  Learn who your kids friends are.  

Do what you can to monitor their access to the internet.  You might be convinced

that your small town is not plagued with this problem.  Think again!   This

man lived two hours away in a big city and found what he believed to be a 14

year old girl in a much smaller city where he had never visited.  He was more

than willing to drive the two plus hours to achieve his goal.  

Following the trial, both the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney

spoke with us.  The Assistant PA told us that she has more of these

types of cases on her desk waiting to be tried.  It is an ongoing battle, yet

I believe that we can and should do what we can to prevent the young from

falling victim to these predators.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

The Defendant ~ The Accused Predator

I was a juror.  The defendant was charged with the online solicitation of

a minor.  It was my job to listen to the evidence and to decide beyond all

reasonable doubt, his guilt or innocence.  

How many times have we heard that line in movies and on television?

Beyond a reasonable doubt.  When sitting in the jury box, those words

are far more solemn than while watching a scripted performance.  I 

took the job very seriously.

Here is the case in a nutshell.  The accused was arrested two plus

hours away from home, in a park at night, in a city that was 

unfamiliar to him.  He had been followed online by agents of the

state of Texas via a sting operation.

Remember when I told you yesterday that I suspected I was

chosen as a juror because of my response to how I felt

about the idea of a such an operative used by law enforcement?

It is my belief that a sting is permissible because it allows

the prevention of a potential crime.  

The defendant was living in Austin.  He was using the internet to

find a young girl.  He logged onto a website that facilitated the

hook-up between interested parties.  The particular site he was

using, permits the user to request communication within a 

specified age group.  His request was to communicate with 

girls between the ages of 14 and 17.  He didn't use a playful

moniker, but used his middle name.  He said he was 22 years

old.  In actuality, he was 29.

It wasn't very long before he had a response to his request.

A girl responded with a photo of herself.  It was a photo 

that showed her sitting with her legs crossed at the ankles

wearing mismatched socks and and casual attire.  It was

quite an innocent looking picture, not sexually suggestive

in any way.  Text was added to the photo which stated

why do guys always go for the skinny cheerleader type?

The defendant took the bait, and yes, it was indeed bait

because the responder was not a young teen, but rather

an adult officer of the court.  He responds.  She tells him

she thinks she is chubby.  He tells her she is not.  He once again

 verifies that she is 14.  She says she is and will be 15 in

July.  This was probable because the communication was in

the spring.  

As a juror, I was required to listen to the facts and all of the

testimony very carefully.  The evidence showed that he 

repeatedly asked the "girl" he was communicating with if

she was indeed 14.  She said she was.  The dialog from him

became more and more graphic regarding what he wanted and

what he would do to her.  To be honest, I am a fairly modest,

God fearing woman, and the graphic nature of his dialog

was hard to listen to.  Yet, listen I did, as everything that was

shared was pertinent to the case.  

I also watched him very closely.  He is a well educated man

and appears to come from a very good home.  He has a good

command of the language and expresses himself very succinctly.

If you were to meet him on the street, you would not think of

him as a sexual predator.  Looks can certainly be deceiving.

What I noticed was a lack of emotion.  Never did I see him

reveal a sense of remorse for his actions.  That lack sent 

chills up my spine. 

He made a point of expressing his sexual fantasy.  It was to

take the virginity of a 14 year old girl.  He wanted to take

her "V-Card".  The only goal he had was to pleasure himself,

and to exploit a young girl.

I must at this point, let you know that he pleaded innocent

to the charge of online solicitation.  He tried to defend his

words and actions by telling the court that he was simply

involved in "age play" and that he suspected that the 

"young girl" he was communicating with was in 

actuality a grown woman who was age playing as well.

He even went so far as to say that perhaps she was married

and was just looking for some fun, or perhaps she was

just lonely.

We also learned during this phase of the trial that he had

hired prostitutes on three separate occasions, but then said he

was looking for a relationship.  

In my mind, he was losing credibility.  The case would continue.

More tomorrow,

Susan and Bentley

I Helped Convict an Online Sexual Predator

I know what you must be thinking because my blog post title reads like a 

tabloid one sees at the grocery check out.  I apologize, but I was really

trying to get your attention to convey what is a very important topic.  Grab a 

comforting cup of tea or coffee, and maybe a snack because this is going to

be another long blog post.  No pretty pictures, just the facts m'am.

Last month I was summoned for jury duty.  I have been summoned before
when I lived in Idaho, but never had to serve because I was not needed.  I
assumed that would be the case again.  I based this on the fact that David
had been called to serve shortly after we moved here, but was not needed.
So I showed up on the designated date, and the next thing I knew, my number
was called.

My first thoughts were these ~ I don't mind serving on a jury, but this is a
really inconvenient time.  I so hope that if I am called, it will be a quick
trial and I will have fulfilled my duty for a while.

No such luck.  I was called and I had a low number in a group of 84
potential jurors.  We were each given a number on a large laminated
sign.  We were to stand and hold up our number when one of the attorneys
called it out.  Out of a field of 84, I was number 22.  Our numbers were
randomly chosen by a computer.  Now the process of narrowing down the
field would begin.

I soon realized that the attorneys were focusing their questions on the
jurors with the low numbers.   This is not so good, I thought.  I started doing
the math.  I was number 22 and they needed a field of 12.  This was not
going my way, yet perhaps there was a chance to still get out of this.
Then I heard my number being called.  I stood up and raised my card.
The question from the attorney was this ....

How do you feel about sting operations?

This was my chance to get out of the running for the jury.  I could have
lied and said, I think it is a form of entrapment and dislike the concept.
Instead, I truthfully said ....

I think they are helpful to catch potential criminal activity.

Bingo ~ I do believe that was the clincher.  We took a long recess
while the attorneys decided our fate.

When we were called back in, we no longer had numbers.  Instead
the jurors would be called by name.  Thirteen names, 12 for the jury
and one alternate.  I nervously waited through the names being called
one by one,  up to number 11, that's when I heard my name ....
Susan Freeman.  Everyone else was thanked for their service and
dismissed.  I kept thinking ... why do you have to be so darn
competitive?   Not everything is worth winning.

We were asked to sit in the jury box.  Previously we were sitting
in the area of the court room reserved for trial visitors or witnesses.
Suddenly the room had a new perspective.   Now I was a juror sitting
in the jury box.  My mind flashed back to hundreds of episodes
of Law and Order.  We were told the rules of the court and given
some information about the nature of the case that was about to
be tried.  The judge and attorneys had now taken their positions.
The defendant was present.

The case was... the online sexual solicitation of a minor.

I now understood the seriousness of the crime.  There was
no turning back, and no wishing I were somewhere else.
I was about to be immersed in the unpleasant facts and testimony.
As a member of the jury, I would be striving for justice.  I was
suddenly glad to be there.

Come back tomorrow for the next installment.

Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley

We Survived Hurricane Harvey

It's been a long time since my last blog post.  The last time you heard from 

me was just prior to the arrival of Hurricane Harvey.  It was such a scary time.

David was out in west Texas, about an 8 to 9 hour drive away when I learned

that the hurricane was predicted to make a direct hit on our area.  I called him

and encouraged him to please cut his business trip short because the storm

was in fact, headed our way.  

We really did not have too much time to prepare.  I needed him home to

board up the windows.  We have about 25 windows in this house and they

are primarily huge ones ~ floor to ceiling in many rooms and 17 feet

of windows in the family room.  The family we purchased  the home from

(and the original builders back in 1948), left us with sheets of plywood to

cover the windows in case of a hurricane.  When you live on the South Texas 

Gulf coast, hurricanes are inevitable. 

Our home is surrounded with huge live oak trees.  The possibility of having

one of these trees either being uprooted, or having huge limbs fall on our

house was daunting.  

The hurricane made landfall between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor

on Friday night as a Category 4 storm with winds of 130 mph.  Port 

O'Connor is only 51 miles from Victoria.  Port O'Connor is a little fishing 

village on the Gulf and it is a very popular place to visit for residents

of Victoria because it is so close, and has such great fishing.  When

we learned that Harvey was at our back door, and not farther to our

west, we were really scared.  Port O'Connor is just a tad bit to the 

southwest of us and that would put us on the eastern side of the eye,

or what is known as the dirty side of a hurricane.   

The winds began around midnight.  I lived through Hurricane Alicia

that struck Houston in 1983.  It hit Galveston as a category 3 storm.  Where

I lived at that time was to the northwest of Houston, and although the winds

were still very strong when the storm reached my door, it had weakened

a bit.  However, Alicia's winds at my home back then, were nothing like the

winds we experienced from Harvey, a category 4 storm.  

Because we were on the dirty side of the storm, we sat in a slow moving

wall of the storm for a full 8 hours.  We would never experience the eye

passing over us.  The eye is actually a hole in the storm where the winds

are calm.  It's the walls of the storm that are strong, persistent and deadly.

That's where we were.  The power had gone off and all we could do

was to brace ourselves in the dark and pray while the strong winds

continued to batter our house.  At one point I thought we were going 

to die.  Sometime after 10 am the next morning, I filmed this short

video of the destruction from our front porch

The carnage of the storm seemed huge.  Limbs were down everywhere.

The long and persistent winds stripped the trees of their foliage.  Our

magnificent magnolia tree was still standing, but had been shredded.

Heartbreaking yes, but we were unharmed and that is the greatest

blessing.  

On our driveway, you can see the Yukon and a big generator.  David works

in the oil field service industry and was able to borrow a big generator to

power our house.  We didn't run the air-conditioning off of it because we

were concerned it would consume the diesel too quickly, but it powered 

our lights and kept the refrigerators and our chest freezer going, so we

didn't lose any food.  The power remained off for a week here in our 

neighborhood, and we lost water too.  Fortunately we filled our bath

tubs up prior to the storm so there would be water to flush the toilets.

David also picked up cases of water at the Costco in San Antonio while

on his way back home from west Texas.  We were fine in that respect.

We discovered that dear little Bentley figured out a way to keep himself 

cool by standing in front of the fan.  Here he is, windblown and loving it.

He was such a good and calm little guy throughout the storm.  He was

the only one who slept as the winds kept David and I awake for hours.

He is a brave and darling little one!

We had a crew come in and begin the yard clean up.  There is a huge

mound of fallen limbs and debris surrounding our house.  Eventually the

city will pick it up.  There is so much damage everywhere, that I expect

it will be weeks before we are back to normal.

The extensive flooding from the Guadalupe river never reached our 

door.  We are only about a half mile from the river, but fortunately it

is downhill from us.  The river was 10 feet over flood stage and many

areas were and are still flooded.  

If there can be any good that comes from this storm, it is this ~ in times

of crisis, neighbors pull together.  Hate just does not exist.  The playing

field is leveled and we are all important.  Once this storm and the devastating

floods that hit Houston have receded, and the clean up is complete,  it is

my prayer that we remember how special and important each and every

life is.  Life can be so fragile and nature is always in control.  Let's put

down the sword and hold our tongues and learn from this tragedy.

God bless us all.

Love,

Susan and Bentley