Texas Reunion

After leaving New Rochelle, and all our kids, we flew to Texas to reunite with so many of our good friends who had the NERVE to up and move from Simi Valley and go to McKinney and Frisco, Texas.  We stayed with our dear friends, Bob and Nancy Wood Zornes, where we did NOT a whole lot.  Well, at least I didn't do a whole lot.  The day after we arrived, the NY cold caught up with me and I just complained a lot for the next 5 days, but Bob kept Spence busier than a bee, fixing and installing and just plain having fun.  I wish I had taken pictures, but, alas....

Doreen, the house guide

The first night there we went to Doreen Neser's house (she shares with Jeff and Amy Dougherty), where Amy had fixed a delicious beef stew and salad for us.  Their house is gorgeous and HUGE!  You could get lost in it without a tour guide, but Doreen made an excellent guide as we found all the interesting rooms including a media room.  I think that is the big thing in Texas....all houses seem to have them.

We then headed back to Nancy and Bob's darling doll house.  It is decorated so cute and just seems to fit them perfectly.  We had the guest room and didn't even have to share with a dog, like they do when they come to Simi Valley....lol.  We had plans of just seeing all the sights around the area, but ended up visiting the Dress Barn, so I could buy some cool clothes.  I didn't anticipate 90 degrees in Texas and had only long sleeved things, except for one Tshirt.  I spent way too much money, but heck, I was on vacation.

We did get a grand tour around the area, and it is really quite lovely and green, but not too much in the way of hills or vales.  Lots of green trees and fields of green grass splice the residential areas together.  Nancy and Doreen only live about a mile apart, but are in different wards and different Stakes.

The Zornes

We went to a charming Farmers Market....only one booth of produce...with several booths of very interesting and delicious items like candy, hot pepper jellies,  gluten free breads, and other delicious bakery items.  We sampled up and down the row.  Met a lady who grew up in Simi Valley who just built a 5 foot chocolate pie for Food Networks' Outrageous Foods.  Small world.  I should have asked if she knew my kids, because they were at Sequoia Jr. High the same time she was.

John and Doreen

We ate at some delightful restaurants including a great bread place, like Panera's and a fun Mexican restaurant called the Jalapeño Tree or something similar.  Yummo.....build your own ice cream softies on the way out..

Amy and Christi

On Saturday night all of us (Doughertys, Zornes, Smiths, Kovach' ) gathered at Christi and Robert Kovach' lovely home for a BBQ which the Zornes had brought in from a REALLY good place.  We were stuffed, and had leftovers enough to feed almost everyone another meal.  This was the only event where I remembered to take pictures, so......Here they are.

On Sunday we went to Church with the Zornes, and I went to two different choir practices with Nancy.  I actually sang for a while with the Ward Choir, and then just went out front and listened.  I really enjoyed the second rehearsal of a sextet.  They had a marvelous blend, and it was so much fun seeing Karen McGregor (another CA transplant I sang with for years in the SCMC), who was directing the group.

By Monday I was really feeling pretty lousy, so I don't think we did much.  Spence and Bob finished installing a laser light in the garage, and I experimented with some of the BBQ leftovers and tried to duplicate a dish I had eaten at Bahios.  I put in way too many jalapeños, however, so we fished them all out, carmelized more onions and then added the meat.  It was a darned good duplication but still a tad TOO spicy for us all.  I am anxious to try it at home again, with less jalapeño....

Late Monday afternoon we headed for the airport via the Frozen Custard shop where we indulged in some delicious stuff.....worth the calories.  We caught our plane for LA without incident and arrived back in Simi Valley about 10 PM that night.  It was a delightful adventure, and boy do I miss all those Texan transplants!

Jeff and Robert

John and June Kovach