They not only stimulate my brain (I tell myself that I'm preventing Alzheimer's!), but they make me forget that I'm WAITING. I enjoy puzzle, card, number and word games and they are all on my one little Android phone! It's amazing how far technology has come - you can do virtually ANYTHING on your phone - from banking, watching TV/movies, playing games, scheduling shows on your DVR, watching the weather, etc.
I absolutely LOVE my phone and all of the conveniences it provides me - especially the games that help me be more patient!
It was such a relaxing day out in the country - the open road, the cute little towns, the lack of traffic, the complete change of scenery......it's exactly what I need in this season of my life. This has been and continues to be a very stressful year, so these little jaunts into the slower-paced life are a much needed respite for me.
We were just coming back into the metroplex when the sun finally decided to set for good.....
Gone!
Can we say HOLY CRAP??? That's an OLD Dr. Pepper machine! I found this one in my new favorite little town - Jefferson, TX.
A pretty sweet car that was for sale in someone's front yard in one of the little towns.....
Holy crap - a Piggly Wiggly! I don't think I have EVER seen one!!
We came across a very weird sight - a tractor graveyard!
It was the strangest thing - like they all just met there for a rusted tractor convention or something.
There were SO MANY of them!
And right near the tractor cemetery was the airplane cemetery! Look at this big plane that was just next to a rundown building in the middle of nowhere!
And when we drove behind the building, this is what we found - more dead planes....
This must be where they all go to die..........lol
And not to leave any type of vehicle out......here's an awesome old fire truck!
I couldn't resist taking a picture of this - just to make everyone depressed......can you believe gas was this cheap?! I remember when it was 99 cents a gallon!
Well I've done it, folks....I have found the CUTEST little town in Texas! Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you: Jefferson, Texas!
It is now a motorcycle supply/apparel store....this metal motorcycle was AWESOME.
Everything was so neat and vintage! I just HAD to jump out of the car and take pictures - even though it was about 105 degrees!
What a cool bike!
This was definitely one of the coolest little buildings I have ever seen.....
My goal is to come back to Jefferson for a long weekend so I can soak it all in - and to see this sign lit up on the bridge at night.....
Jefferson is very close to the Louisiana border, so you have bayous there. So cool! This little road trip included a short 1-hour stint across the Louisiana border, so that's new territory for me. But in Jefferson, you can take a boat tour of the bayou!
We didn't go in this restaurant, but it's definitely on the list for when I go back......
The big sign says that it has the best homemade pies in East Texas and then the smaller sign by the door said that it was voted the best hamburger in East Texas as well - gotta check that out!
Even though it's faded, this was a pretty cool mural on the side of a brick building....."The Golden Era."
We were just passing through, so we didn't have time to do any of the fun things there, but this is one of them - a horse-drawn covered wagon tour of the area!
Poor sweet babies were so hot in the sun!
This looks like the coolest bar! I might perhaps partake of a few beverages there....... :)
This is a train that you can ride around the area and check out the sights....yes, please.
And how about this building?? I was thinking that it was the courthouse, but for some reason, I think I remember it being something else now. I guess I'll just have to go back and check on that....you don't have to twist my arm!
Seriously, this was the cutest, quaintest, most charming little town I have ever seen! They even still have one of those old-time general stores as well. I'm going to head back there this fall for a long weekend.....I can't wait!
This week I'm thankful for a change in scenery.....at work, that is. Last week, I moved to a different part of the building at work (by my choice) because since the acquisition in February, pretty much all of the people in my area moved to other areas and it was just me and one other person in a huge area. I felt disconnected, isolated......among other things.
So anyway, long story short - I decided to move! Now I sit in an area of the building that houses several departments, lots of people that I enjoy and quite simply: a CHANGE of scenery. This year I feel like a lot of things in my life are out of my control and are uncomfortable (job stability due to the acquisition, unexpected house expenses, air conditioning went out, relationship uncertainty, etc.)......so I decided to take the bull by the horns and make a change that I chose - not someone else. It's just a little change - I'm still doing my same job, but it feels good!
Here's the little main street - and they called Detroit "The Little Motor City." Too funny.
I wish this cute little mercantile had been open when we were there......
Seriously, could not believe it.........
I love how the camera caught "Pride's Corner" in the background of Old Glory. :)
Look at this beautiful turret! I want one so bad......
These row buildings remind of me college in Eau Claire, Wisconsin - on Water Street. They are all connected together, but have different styles and looks to them.
Welcome to Clarksville, Texas!
This courthouse was cool on the bottom, but what I really loved was the top part....
Isn't it beautiful?! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the detail in the architecture, the star in the window and the little black 'fence' around everything.
SO FREAKING CUTE!
And then we found this old church that was converted into a music hall....."Music Country U.S.A"
Ummmm...yes, please! I would've loved to have been there for a show.....I might just have to go back.......
This is my kind of thing - unique, small venue for some Texas country music!
Poor old State Theater....
Hell yeah!
Now we hit the Arkansas border with Texas.....Texarkana, we have arrived.
And when we told the GPS to go to the "city center".........this is where it took us! Ummm....nope, not the city center we were looking for.....
But now THIS beauty....I'll sit and look at this one for hours!
Now this is a doorway with some character, if I do say so myself.....
Crossing the border into Louisiana! I have never been there before, so now I can officially add it to my list......even though we were only there for about an hour or so and didn't see much - just the corner tip of the state. I need to go back and see a plantation and all of the culture in the bayou!
And the first town we hit in Louisiana was Ida - here is the old jail! Too funny!
