Half-A-Holiday Visit

A bit of holiday cheer comes at us from text messages and a final old-fashioned voice on the cell phone: Inga will definitely make plans to return to Texas for a few days after Christmas and stay through New Year's Day so as to attend the traditional 4-family, multi-day and night gathering at the McCord's east Texas estate (know simply as "The Blue House") outside the Texas rural crossroads signed as Montalba.  Will her boyfriend Sean come? - yet to be determined, based on work schedules of course.  After a few days and working to make the pieces fall into place, Sean arranges to get a few days off over New Years.  Inga and Sean book a late flight for December 30 to arrive at Dallas' Love Field at 11 PM.

Inga come bearing bottles
for New Years at the Blue House.
Wine courtesy of Angel Vine - Vineyard owned
by one of Inga's college roomates 

Having raised the family here from start to finish, and racked up almost 30 years in the same place myself, I find it interesting to observe when our grown kids return to the place of their formative years with their sweethearts, I enjoy seeing what eating, entertainment venues and sights they choose to share with those with whom they have a close bond of affection.  A litmus test of sorts as to what we parents did to make a favorable impression on the kids. Last time (the first time) Inga brought Sean to town, Inga chose to bring Sean to a What-A-Burger (Texas homegrown burger chain), a Texas Rangers baseball game and a few other local sights.  This time, for Sean's second visit, Inga requested that we go to eat at Cafe Brazil; a coffee shop and casual artistic diner with original art hung generously around the two dining rooms with a Texas-flair menu specializing in breakfast, but with plenty of other toothsome items served 24 hours a day.  A perfect selection for a late night arrival into town.  Come down to Texas Sean and we'll fill your belly with some good Cafe Brazil fixin's.  Inga says she has been "talking up Cafe Brazil to Sean for awhile" - now comes the proof.

I think we can say that everyone enjoyed what was set before them late that night toward the end of the year.

A late Christmas Gift - save the shipping since
we'll be in town a few days after Christmas anyway

The four of us overnighted here in Garland, but the main event is to get out 104 miles southeast of the Suneson place to Anderson County and our traditional Blue House New Years cooking-eating-snacking-visiting-cooking-puzzling-snacking-pyrotechnic boomapaloooza-drinking-gaming-snacking and eating celebration.  Same as it ever was, except the once young kids now have jobs girlfriends and boyfriends and don't arrive in a van with their parents, nor do they like to do what their parents tell them to do; like I said, same as it ever was.

Sean takes a seat after flying in from Portland
for New Years at the Blue House
with Inga & Parents

Donna McCord says that they have intentions to put the Blue House on the market and move back to the Dallas area in 2018.  So everyone please come and make this New Year's at the Blue House extra crowded and extra special!  Inga heard and answered the call and was pleased to bring Sean along to get a taste of some of her pleasant childhood memories with some close family friends.

We'll need to get up early(ish), especially for those still on Pacific Time, and get out to East Texas, since we're in charge of cooking tonight's dinner; roast beef, asparagus and crusty Italian bread for 17!