GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLFRIEND GATHERINGS

Learning from YOU to empower ME !

On The Road – The Texas Book Festival 2015 in Austin, Texas

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This past weekend I jumped on the highway to head west to my state’s capitol for the Texas Book Festival.    This was the 20th anniversary for this event at the Capitol Building and on the grounds surrounding it.   It was beautiful weather and lots of squirrels running around as we traipsed through grounds attending author speaker sessions and book signings.

I attended sessions of some famous people that are also authors, Attica Locke (Executive Producer of Empire), Wendell Pierce (Actor), Taye Diggs (Actor) and Leonard Pitts (Pulitzer Prize Columnist).   I also discovered some impressive authors for the first time, who are listed below:

Harry Hunsicker

Wendy S. Walters

Jason Sokol

James Hannaham

Saeed Jones

Margo Jefferson

Laila Lalami

Jeffery Renard Allen

Now, I am in the process of purchasing some new books from these authors that should keep me reading for the next year.   One of the most memorable terms I heard in one of the sessions was “historical erasure” which emphasized how the history we have been taught is in the one-sided perspective of the victor.

Also, while in Austin, I had the opportunity to have breakfast at Cisco’s Restaurant in the east end of Austin.   It is one of those historical places prevalent in Austin with an autographed picture of President Lyndon B. Johnson on the wall.    I had migas, sausuage, ranchero beans, picante sauce, tortillas, biscuits with butter/honey, and coffee.   It was a good traditional Tex-Mex breakfast and I loved it.

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Overall, I had a great time in Austin.  It is worth the 6-hours roundtrip to hang out there for the weekend – especially for the book festival.    I will definitely return next year.

QUESTION(s):

How is your reading life?

Do you attend book festivals?

If so, what do you like best about them?

For the Love of Blue Bell Ice Cream

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ice-cream-cup_zy1JHJvOLast week, the executives at Blue Bell Creameries made the decision to recall all of their products from all markets and to temporarily stop production in their commitment to doing 100% the right thing in addressing the Listeria contamination issue.   I applaud them for this “fresh start” iniative.   As a Texan, I am very proud of them.   The decision was bold, courageous, and indicative of the true spirit of this 108 year-old company.

Blue Bell Creameries is a true Texas icon.   It is a treasure in Texas culture along with such icons as The Alamo, the Astrodome, and the Hotel Galvez.   Most Texans make a pilgrimage at least once to that little creamery in Brenham, Texas that has given us the best ice cream in the world.   We were proud when Blue Bell expanded their market nationwide so that others could get a taste of Texas.

Personally, Blue Bell has been the center of many loving memories with my family and friends.   When I was growing up in Houston my siblings and I would not ask our Mother if we could have ice cream – we would ask if we could have Blue Bell.    In our home, the name Blue Bell was synonymous to the words ice cream and that was the only brand my Mother purchased.     Homemade Vanilla has graced many a dessert plate accompanied with German Chocolate Cake, Peach Cobbler, Pecan Pie, and Sock-It-To-Me Cake just to name a few.   I remember those hot summer Sunday afternoons dressed in my ruffled cotton dress and cowgirl boots going with my Dad and sister to the nearby ice cream shop to get shakes made with Blue Bell strawberry ice cream.

When the Listeria contamination first occurred, I received several phone calls with one coming from a friend as far away as Cleveland, Ohio to tell me about it.     They felt they had to inform me because it is well-known how much I love Blue Bell Ice Cream.    I have my favorite flavors as well as taste-testing the amazing new creative flavors that Blue Bell introduces seasonally.  So I eat ice cream a lot and I have special white porcelain bowls just for my Blue Bell Ice Cream.

One friend suggested that I may have to consider giving up Blue Bell because of this recent issue.   I told her there would never come a day where I would give up Blue Bell Ice Cream.  I told her I had faith that Blue Bell Creameries would resolve this issue responsibly.   The recent announcement solidified the faith I expressed to my friends.

I look forward to the day that Blue Bell Creameries will start production of all of its products again.   When I hear that announcement, I will surely celebrate with a few colorful and delicious scoops of ice cream in my special white bowls.

 

QUESTION(S):

How do you feel about Blue Bell Ice Cream?

What do you think about the recent actions regarding the Listeria issue?

Just When I Thought Chivalry Had Died and Gone to Hell

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I’m a native Texan – several generations deep.   This means I am a Southern Belle with Cowgirl spunk.  There are certain things that are innate in the native Texan and one of them is chivalry.    The women expect it and the men know they better deliver it.   After all, chivalry is a part of home training.

Now, I know this is the 21st century and women can do a lot of things for themselves.  However, in Texas, just because we can doesn’t mean we have to – especially when a man is near.   We still expect for our doors to be opened for us, to be helped with heavy packages, to not have our ears burned with profane language in our earshot, and to be asked if our needs are being met when we are in the company of a man.

So, imagine my dismay on the day that I thought chivalry had died and gone to hell!

It happened like this…………….

It was a beautiful Saturday morning and I was out early with my biking buddies riding the trails at Deussen Park.   My girlfriends decided to ride over to the adjacent park -Eisenhower – to ride on hills and I remained at Deussen to ride the trails near Lake Houston.   As I completed the first rotation on the route and started heading east, the sun had risen and was shining directly in my eyes.   I stopped abruptly to put my sunglasses on and when I started up again my bike chain slipped off.

At that moment, I thought about that bike maintenance class I had put off for several weeks.  I quickly resigned myself to the fact my ride was over since I did not know how to repair the bike.   I decided to push my bike the 1 1/4 miles back to our starting point at the home of my girlfriend.   I texted my girlfriends to let them know of my predicament and started my trek.

As I pushed my bike out of the park entrance onto the pedestrian lane of the main road, I noticed a man riding towards me and the park entrance on his bike.   I slowed down as he got closer and to my surprise he rode right by me nodding his head at me as he passed.    I turned around and watched his back as he rode off.   All sorts of names entered my thoughts and none of them were very nice.   I surmised he was definitely not a Texan and probably had thrown out his home training because there was not one iota of chivalry in his demeanor.

So, I hung my head and trudged on as the sun beamed down on me.    Soon, I heard a couple of drawling voices calling, “M’am, M’am!”  I turned around and two young men were riding toward me.   They rode up behind me and asked, “Are you having a problem, M’am?” with that dear familiar Texas twang.   I told them what happened to my bike.  As one gently admonished me about riding alone and not being able to maintain my bike, the other one quickly repaired it.   They stayed with me as I test rode it to be sure I was completely operational and satisfied.   I thanked my “cowboys” and rode back to the park to rejoin my girlfriends.

I told my girlfriends what happened and they were appalled.  Since none of us know how to maintain our bikes we have marked the date of the next maintenance class on our calendars so we can attend together.   However, this incident has created some sadness within me.  Now, I will no longer assume that every man I encounter in my home state is chivalrous.    I wonder if I am watching the slow dissolution of something special in Southern and Texas culture.    I hope not.

QUESTION(s)

What do you think about chivalry?

Do you think it is a dying virtue?

Do you appreciate it when a man exhibits chivalrous behaviors towards you?