Sunday, February 12, 2006

Celebrating Life in San Antonio

I've just written a note to my friend Jenny Meyer who is 32 today. She's one of my heroes because every waking moment she serves as a shining example for celebrating life. Jenny's endured a lot of setbacks, treatments and challenges the past few years with a ruthless opponent called cancer.

Nonetheless, she's shown me and a host of other friends and family that when there's life to live, you deal with what comes and get on with enjoying your family, friends, pets, great scenery, continued learning and wasting not one minute of what God has given you. So, on this sunny morning in San Antonio, I send my best wishes to Jenny, her hubby Jeff and her daughter Grace for a happy and special day of celebrating.

We're still celebrating life in Texas and not regretting a minute of our time spent here. Actually, I'd say our only regret is not having more time and not having any more room in our suitcases. Somehow, we always pack way more than we need and then, like fools, buy way more than we need. I've been thinking over my inventory of clothes and wondering what could be cast aside so I can get the poster, the booklets, the 5-pound rodeo program, etc. stuffed in.

We've talked about purchasing another suitcase, but we also know that we've used every square inch of that PT cruiser for our luggage and our bodies. Another suitcase may have to ride on the convertible roof, and we Love family members have known difficulties associated with luggage on rooftops before. I think it might have been 1980 when a suitcase fell off our Ford Escort station wagon before we hit the bridge leading out of Sandpoint.

With that in mind, we may get a box and mail stuff home because we haven't really started sight-seeing yet. We did visit the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library yesterday, where Mother and I purchased some Ladybird wildflower seeds. She also bought a tote, which is already getting full of other stuff.

Our hotel looks like it might be one of the larger ones in San Antonio. The lobby opens right on to the River Walk and hundreds of stores and restaurants. We spent a little time here relaxing yesterday afternoon before going to the rodeo and stock show. That was where we realized that two days' time set aside for the rodeo and all that goes with it might have been nice.

The huge Western market with its 600 vendors in the coliseum next to the home of the San Antonio Spurs included more body bumping than buying. The masses just moved along in a steady stream past booths of fine leather goods, millions of rhinestones, hundreds of turquoise rings and things (which had my mouth watering) and a whole lot more tempting items that I could never afford. While Annie and I made our way through the crowds, Mother sat in the stands, people watching and hoping that Rowdy might walk by.

She never saw him, and he wasn't on the schedule for last night's bareback go-round, but we figure he's in San Antonio someplace since the rodeo goes on for two weeks. I recommend this event to anyone. These Texas folks know how to put on a show with fast action, glitz and fun for anyone there. We liked the Montgomery Gentry concert, which followed, but left early to avoid more body bumping in the darkness of the parking area.

Today is set aside for seeing and visiting Mother's old haunts---Ursuline Academy where she attended in about 1927-28 and the Gunter Hotel where her Aunt Anna Douglas lived while Mother was in the Catholic boarding school here. We're also going to spend some time in those chase longes down at the pool cuz the sun has come. We're ready to meet it head on.

One of the highlights of yesterday came during the rodeo with our frequent cell phone calls home to the Love house where Bill and Willie were glued to the tube as Gonzaga played Stanford on a big-time, national ESPN feature with Dick Vitale announcing. Well, I'm sure Dick had plenty of color in his commentary as the Zags beat the Cardinals in what had to be a thriller. Final score 80-76.

Go Zags! Celebrate Life wherever you are! Happy birthday, Jenny!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Mrs. Love,

Just came across your blog...what a nice way to stay connected to the goings on at home. Makes me chuckle every day.

It's been a long time since I've seen Jenny...please pass along a hello for me. I've always been impressed with her, even before that horrible C word came to visit.

Hope you and your family are well...
-Niki Parenteau

MLove said...

Will do, Miss Niki. How the heck are you?

Would love to read some updates since the last time I saw you at the annual get-together.

Marianne

Anonymous said...

What's your email address? I sent a message to malove@imbris.net, but it was bounced back...

MLove said...

That's weird, cuz it's the correct address; try potatohead89@hotmail.com if it doesn't work on your next try.