What a birthday present Kenneth gets this year!!

Caddo Parish has been really good to us through the years!

So...after 33 years of service to the Caddo Parish Highway Department, Kenneth is saying goodbye today!  And on his birthday, of all days!  When he started there, we had only been married one year - my goodness, a lot has happened since.  We've raised our family and we're back on our own again.  He got all of his work shirts, boots, radio and phone bagged up to turn in.  I think he really enjoyed his job and all the different things he got to do, all he learned and the people he's met.  They're having a party for him today at work and I'll be headed up there shortly.  I'll do another post on his retirement but wanted to put this on today and tell him "Happy Birthday and Happy Retirement"!!

Getting everything loaded up to turn in...washed those shirts many years!

3-3...as in 33 years!





Monjuni's!

I've decided that I'm getting pretty bored with chain restaurants.  Not that some don't have great food...it's just that there are so many local greats out there that I want to try to frequent more of them!  So when I went to visit with Mum Wednesday evening and since she loves Italian food, we stopped in to Monjuni's for dinner.  I've eaten there before and love their food but it was Mum's first time there and I think she was pleased.  Not only did she have dinner, but I think at least four lunches!

Look how much spaghetti they piled on her plate!

My eggplant parmesan was fabulous!

Beautiful sunset on my way home although the picture hardly does it justice.

 

Homecoming weekend

We started out Friday evening for our first drive in the El Camino since Kenneth has gotten it almost finished.  He wants to make a few drives around town to make sure it's running right and to get it ready for the Power Tour.  He's got a new carburetor ordered and he said he definitely needs to get that put on before we go.  We went back to the paint shop because Daniel and Katie had his new tool box painted to match the truck for his retirement/birthday/Father's Day present.  Our kids are so thoughtful and this is something that he really wanted.

 



Took this pic outside Raney's.

Will keep all of our stuff dry and secure.

 

Looks great!

 

We left the paint shop and went to Herby K's for dinner.  This place has been here since 1936 and is famous for their Shrimp Buster sandwich, which is what Kenneth ordered.  I got a crab salad that was really good, but I did get a bite of that shrimp...:)

 

I think there are pictures behind this bar from 1936!  Really cool place.

 

Looking out the window...

 

...keeping an eye on this!

 

Left Herby K's and drove to Haughton to see Daniel.  He's gotten his house pretty much put together after the March flood and I wanted to see it.  He, of course, has done a great job getting it cleaned up.

Checking lights

 



The new carpet looks great!

 

Daniel took this pic of us leaving

 

It was just a normal Saturday - Kenneth built a ramp, I did my laundry (and the weather was beautiful so I got to hang it out on the clothesline!) and Mum and Haley came up for a visit.  Mum left around 12:30 when Kenneth got home and we put his fishing boat back in the water.  Hopefully the lake is through coming up so high and we can leave it in the boathouse!  We took off on the bike for a six hour ride.  Stopped and saw Peggy and Bob in Marshall then headed to Jucy's for dinner.  This is one of Kenneth's favorite places to stop for a good burger!  I got the grilled chicken this time and it's really good, too!  Did a little grocery shopping, then headed home.

 

We get the small buggy because if it fits in the top basket, it'll fit on the bike!

 

Sunday found my family in our old pew in the church we raised our kids in!  It was a wonderful homecoming at North Highlands UMC and we saw so many of our old church family and friends.

Beautiful altar - hasn't changed at all...

 

Covered dish luncheon afterwards...

 

...of course there was!  We're Methodist so there had to be food!

 

Silent auction, too and I was the high bidder on THIS!

 

Headed home from one church to help with our church's Fishin' Rodeo!  It was a beautiful day, sunny with a light breeze and not too hot temps.  We had eighteen there and had a wonderful day of fishing, food and fellowship.  Northpoint is a great church and we've been enjoying it a lot.

Lots of games set up to play. Creighton showing off his new basketball.

Fishing was the main event of the day!  Fishing from the bank.

Fishing from the boathouse.

Remy was the big winner - he caught 7 fish!!



They finished up the afternoon with a picnic and story time.  I fished, played basketball and threw Frisbee until my arm was about to fall off but had SO much fun!  It's been a long time since I ran around the yard with a bunch of kids...can't wait until the next time!  It was a fun weekend and I slept good Sunday night.

Belated Mother's Day present for me!

Katie couldn't be with us on Mother's Day, but she did think about me.  I saw her last night and she gave me this!!  I love ANYTHING with my Steelers on it!  Thanks, Katie!

Win, lose or tie; Steelers fan until I die!

It's getting real...

Do you KNOW what this is??  For 33 years, I have made "packs" for Kenneth's work lunches.  He takes care of the meat he wants but I pack up tomatoes, black olives, almonds, cashews or fruit for him to snack on.  Here are SIX black olives and SIX mixed nuts - this will finish out the days he has until he retires!!  It's CRAZY that I will not be making any more of these!! 

Concert and charity ride

Joe Walsh

The weekend threatened rain every day, but the good Lord provided again for us and we never got wet!  We headed to McKinney Thursday about noon with the motorcycle in a trailer, just in case though.  My back decided to go haywire, so I ate a bite of lunch, took some Advil and a little "medicine" from my flask for the four hour drive.  By the time we arrived at Curt and Lisa's, I was feeling a bit better... ;)  We had to leave pretty quick to go pick Curt up at work and head to the concert.  Ate sandwiches in the car and got there just in time to get a beer, find our seats and start to listen to a very good concert!  Joe Walsh and Bad Company both sounded really good and they played a lot of songs that I wanted to hear.  Tailgated afterwards while waiting for the traffic to clear and then headed back to McKinney.  Of course, after the long day and many beers I had, I slept all the way back to the house and then, thankfully, got a good nights sleep.  The ibuprofen had taken effect by Friday morning and my back was beginning to feel much better.  I just kept taking three every four hours and made it through the whole weekend!  Kenneth and I got up Friday morning and headed out on the bike for the Old West Café for breakfast, on to the Harley shop in Sherman and rode for a bit longer to let Curt and Lisa finish working.  The guys washed the bikes when we got back and then we headed out to meet up with Doug and Dawn and Jorge and Sylvia for a ride and dinner at Daddy Rex's Twisted BBQ.  Then on to Buffalo Wild Wings for drinks and then head home.  Saturday morning we headed out for Leighton's Gift Charity Ride.  This was the 4th year and they are raising money to put cameras in all the area NICUs.  This sweet little family lost Leighton and are making sure to honor her.  The ride took us to Loose Wheels for a break and a fabulous Bloody Mary!  Back to the Salina Park for In-N-Out Burgers and a raffle drawing where Kenneth and I were really lucky!  We won an Auto Zone basket and a smoker with all the supplies.  Someone dropped it off at the house for us since we couldn't really carry that on the bike.  The weather was beautiful so we went for another ride and ended up at Big Slick's Bar and Grill for a couple of beers and shopped around the square a bit.  Headed home to change clothes and leave the bikes behind to go to dinner and watch the Texas Rangers game back at Buffalo Wild Wings and on to Hank's for a party for a friend of Curt and Lisa's.  Sunday morning we headed out for one more ride.  Stopped for breakfast first at Bill Smith's Café, rode for a couple of hours and got home to load up and head back to Louisiana.  It was a busy, fun weekend - so thankful for our Texas friends!  Love spending time with them every chance we get.

Paul Rodgers still sounding great!

Dawn and Doug tailgating



Kenneth only need one of these giant pancakes!

My skillet breakfast was SO good!

Sherman, TX HD Shop - Stunt riders

The HOG rally was going on in town so there were lots of activities.

Getting them cleaned up to ride

Meeting up with everyone to go ride

Buffalo Wild Wings

Leighton's Gift Charity Ride

Leighton's family - sister, mom, twin brother and dad

Loose Wheels - really cool place.  Would love to go back!

Lisa and me enjoying the Bloody Marys

My very first In-N-Out burger - it was really good!

Kenneth with our first win - the Auto Zone basket

Getting ready to head out

Big Slick's - these old buildings were really great.

One of the bands at Hank's

Second band at Hank's - Tyler Roger's Band

Scout and I spent the mornings together since I'm usually the first one up.

Don't know why this is sideways...