IH 35 Road Trip – Part 2

(<--IH 35 Road Trip - Part 1)

by Celia Hayes

The road was long, and went on and on in the dark. I thought that we'd see the sunrise about the time that we passed Round Rock, but no – thanks to daylight savings time, we didn't see it even begin to get light until we passed through Waco. At that juncture, something moved us to want to take a break. Well, actually three things moved us: we were getting hungry again, my daughter wanted to top up the gas tank, and we both needed to use the bathroom facilities. And there was a billboard advertising the Czech Stop Bakery, and not a truck plaza or another Buc'ees in sight, in a little hiccup of a town called West. So, pull off the highway onto the access road, looking for the

Comfort Food – Mac & Cheese

by Celia Hayes

When my younger brother and sister and I were in elementary school, my father was a grad-student in hot pursuit of a doctorate in zoology, and my mother was – in the tradition of the time – a full-time stay-at-home mom. This was in the late 1950s to early 60s, and it was the commonly accepted practice. As there were three of us (later to be four) it was really the only practical option – and one of the reasons that it worked was that Mom was a fair to middling cook, very much into the traditional D-I-Y household arts (including sewing childrens' clothes and decorating our home with cast-off and inexpensive furniture. I would hasten to add that it was usually quality stuff; ages later, when Mom and Dad were

Lost Dog

by Celia Hayes

Over the years that we have lived in our San Antonio home, we've lost track of the number of all the lost dogs we have found and managed to either returned to their owners, or found them new owners. Almost always it's been a case of 'return to owner', and in one instance we kept the dog. My mother thinks we must display some kind of invisible sign which sends lost dogs scampering in our direction. She might be right about that. In any case, upon being met with a stray dog, we have worked out the most efficient series of steps for reuniting them with their person.

If the dog has a tag on the collar with a current address and telephone number of the owner – that will be about 90% of the situation sorted out right there.

South Texas on a Tank of Gas Calaveras and Braunig Lake Parks

With rising gas prices and a weak economy, many people are looking for vacations that are cheaper, closer to home, and yet still provide an exciting outing full of cultural experiences and fun.  Luckily for residents of the San Antonio, there are numerous opportunities for all kinds of exciting getaways within a couple hours drive.  Over the coming weeks, this satxblog will be taking a look at some of Central South Texas’ best bets for a weekend adventure in many of the best small towns, parks, campgrounds, outdoor sites, and even beaches, that can be reached in roughly two hours’ driving.  Just because the economy is a bust these days, doesn’t mean that