The Texas Two Step

After a short visit in Golden to re-group, hug and say good-bye, we headed south for Texas. We had been promising to visit Jim’s sister Judy ever since the wedding. She and Gil live in Cedar Hill, south of Dallas.

We went over Raton Pass, cut across the corner of New Mexico and stayed the night in Amarillo. There is a great RV park, just off I-40, Overnight RV Park. It is very easy to get in and out of, has lots of grass and trees and is a good price. Plus it is right across from the Waffle House and has shuttle service to the “Big Texan Steakhouse, home of the free 72 oz steak”.  (Big Texan Steakhouse webpage) You have to see this place to believe it. It’s been there for 50 years and a whole western theme town has been built up around it.

The drive was actually not bad. The thought of driving through west Texas in the summer was not something we were looking forward to, but it was really green and we enjoyed the americana in all those small towns we drove through and had lots of fun looking at the billboards along the way. I don’t have many pictures of them as we were past them by the time I could get the camera out. For example, one billboard said “What’s your leg worth?” Nothing else! As we were in the bible belt we saw some pretty graphic anti-abortion ones, also. Café and restaurant signs made your mouth smile and water at the same time.

Judy and Gil have a beautiful house! They have turned their backyard into a summer paradise, with a pool and hot tub and beautiful covered decks with lots of swings, plants and flowerbeds. She and her daughter Kim have decorated it all with hanging stain glass panels, water features and other antiques along with statues of fairies, frogs and other “secret garden” treasures that are tucked away amongst the flowers. 

We had such a great time visiting with everybody and getting to know the Texas side of the family, especially Judy and Gil. They just bought a second home in Red River, New Mexico, so maybe it will be easier to see them more often.

We only had enough time to see Jim's family. I have many dear friends that live all over Texas and I hope the next time we are close by we'll get to stop in and visit. 

And boy did we eat! Guy Clark wrote a great song about it. Part of the words go “Oooh, oooh, Mama, love that Texas cookin’, keeps your belly and backbone from bumpin’”. Does it ever! 

The most memorable was Babe’s Chicken. They have 5 things on the menu: Fried chicken, chicken fried steak, chicken fingers, hickory smoked chicken and pot roast. It is served family style with bottomless bowls of green beans cooked with bacon and onions, home made creamed corn, mashed potatoes and gravy and biscuits with honey or molasses.  They have homemade banana pudding and cobbler for dessert. Can you say oink? Texas pictures

The waitstaff do a great version of the Hokey Pokey and invite you to join in. What if the Hokey Pokey is really what it's all about?