Jan's Journey

I can't believe it has been 10 days since my last post. On Sunday, May 21, I was still in Southlake with Lisa and Norman. Norman took us back to Grapevine for a Mother's Day lunch and I had a great grilled cheese and bacon sandwich along with one of the restaurant's famous cup's of chilli but after 10 days do you think I can recall the name of the restaurant? Of course not! We looked through lots of stores and my favorite was one that specialized in olive oil and vinegar. I bought some fabulous strawberry balsamic vinegar. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! It is so good on salad with fresh strawberries! We returned to the house and spent some time beside pool in the afternoon. It was a relaxing way to spend the last day of a wonderful week with dear friends!
Monday morning found me on the road at 6:45 AM and the way south to Conroe, Texas, around three hours from Dallas. Several of my readers have mentioned they have enjoyed the history I provide on places I visit. So the followong is some history on Conroe and Houston. Conroe is located 40 miles north of Houston on I-45. Both Jimmy and Jeffrey were born here.
Conroe was established in the 1880's when Houston lumberman, Isaac Conroe, established a sawmill in 1881 on Stewart's Creek two miles east of the International-Great Northern Railroad's Houston-Crockett line. Soon after he moved his operation to the rail junction where it became a rail station and in 1884 a post office was established with the townname of Conroe Switch, with a few years later it being shortened to Conroe.
Houston, Texas, was founded in 1836-37 by the John K. Allen and his brother, Augustus who from New York State. After the fall of the Alamo and Sam Houston's successful capture, a month later, of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna earlier in 1836, the Allen brothers bought 6,642 acres along the banks of the Buffalo Bayou with hopes of building a future city. Buffalo Bayou flowed southward to the port of Galveston. The brothers named the city after the triumphant Sam Houston. Much of their initial wealth came from selling lots in the new town. It was the first capital until Lamar succeeded Sam Houston as president. Still the ciry of Houston grew, being marketed as, "where 17 railroads meet the sea" even though the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston was 50 miles away. Product traveled via steamboat up and down Buffalo Bayou. Houston is now the fourth largest city in the country and the largest in Texas.
Well, now that I caught you up on the history of the area I will catch you up on my activities since arriving. Once again I seem to have been planted where I was needed. I personally think it is a "God thing" but you may believe something different. I have stayed a majority of the time with my friend, Virginia Hare. We worked together for Dr. Kobb, a urologist in Conroe, for about six years prior to the birth of Jimmy. A few days prior to my arrival, Virginia had tripped over a water hose and badly sprained her right wrist and badly bruised her right knee. So it was extremely helpful for her to have me stay a while and I have also been able to do a few odd jobs outdoors for her as well.
But alas the past 11 days have not been all work and no play!! I have been able to do lots of visiting with friends while I have been here in Conroe. When I first arrived here in Conroe on Monday, the 11th, I drove straight to my former neighbors, Charlotte and Reynold Whiddon, and visited with their middle daughter, Holly, who now lives in Victoria with her son and husband. She was visiting her parents for Mother's Day and left around 1 PM to travel back to Victoria. On Thursday I visited with Texas friends, Colleen and Clyde Hunter, who I first met in Washington where Clyde worked for American Airlines. They returned to Houston after a few years but while in Washington their son Chance and Jimmy and Jeffrey were great friends. On Thursday, the 15th, I went over to Clyde and Colleen's and they took me to a movie, "Mom's Night Out" which was playing in The Woodlands. BOY! Has The Woodlands changed! It is a big city now and when we left 26 years ago it was just a housing development with big plans. George Mitchell, the developer, certainly made it happen! On Saturday it was all play and no work when Colleen took me to Houston and we had lunch with her son, Chance and his girlfriend. It was so great to see Chance and how well he is doing! He stays very busy with his bartending, music and free lance photography. Oh, don't miss my pressed penny picture below from the Aquarium in Houston. Colleen took me there before meeting Chance. I thought we were going to a regular aquarium but no, in typical Texas style, this was a restaurant with a mini theme park attached. I think the aquarium inside the restaurant was the size of a small house!
After returning to Conroe later in the afternoon, Virginia and I had a dinner engagement at Charlotte and Reynold's house. We had a great visit along with great food. Reynold's sister-in-law, Dottie Whiddon, also stopped by to visit. She lived down the street from us when we lived in Conroe. It was great hearing all about the family and getting caught up.
Sunday I took Virginia to church. She attends the Methodist Church in Willis and since I am also Methodist I was feeling right at home. It was a great service with great old time hymns, great childrens choir and a great message. Lunch was the icing on the cake that day! Virginia took me to brunch after church at the Waldon Yacht Club. This is one place I should have taken a picture and forgot to take my camera. Darn! We had a table by the window which looked out at Lake Conroe. We had linen tablecloths and linen napkins along with live music that was not blasting but easy listening and pleasant to the ear! As if this was not enough to make a memorable day, after returning back to Virginia's, I went back out to the lake to visit the neighbors who lived on the other side of us when we lived here in Conroe, John and Jean Pever. I think it had been 15 years since I last saw them. Much to long! I stayed till 9:30 PM trying to catch up on all that has happened in between. Their youngest daughter, Jodie, and her family lives behind John and Jean. Jodie has a beautiful family with three of her own children, one adopted and one little one who is a foster child who they plan to adopt so 5 children from 17 down to 2 y/o fosterchild. She home schools the children and the 17 y/o has 40 college credits and is very active in local politics. All very impressive!
Monday found Virginia and I back in Houston and having lunch with Carol Kobb who is the widow of Dr. Kobb for whom we once worked. She lives at the Hallmark which is a well known and long established retirement community in Houston. It was delightful to catch up on her activities and her son Micheal who is head of a computer related company in the Bay area. In the evening Virginia and I met Charlotte for dinner at Chili's Restaurant. Charlotte's oldest and youngest daughters, Cherish and Missy, joined us along with Cherish's oldest daughter, Olivia, and 4 month old grandson and Missy's son, Cole, who graduates from high school this year? Again, it was a great time of reconnecting and reminiscing. My latest outing was yesterday when Virginia and I joined Charlotte and her sister, Elsie, for lunch in The Woodlands. It was wonerful to see Elsie after so many years and meet her little granddaughter who kept her Nana very busy.