Can I Try, Again?

It is six-thirty-three in the evening. I just put twelve, small potatoes into the oven to bake, because I am going to try to replicate David Farrar's delicious Greek Potato recipe, that he prepared for us last night at Peasants, at the Trail's End Guest House.

David told us that you bake the potatoes first, and then you leave them alone for at least twelve hours on your counter top. When you're ready to eat them, you cut them up in large chunks, and then you hit them with a hammer to flatten them out, before frying them in olive oil. Then you drizzle them with three kinds of olive oil and mushroom mixture. I'm planning on serving them tomorrow for lunch, even though I don't have any mushrooms. I will let you know how they turned out.

I just turned on the salt lamp and cranked up my iPod to set the mood. Arlo Guthrie is singing, The Motorcycle Song. I love that song, and it always makes me smile. And, I need to smile after the crazy day that I just had.

This morning, Tony woke me up at five-thirty, because I had asked him to. Before sunup, I had fed the dogs and Lucky, and walked over six fast miles. At seven-forty-five, I did The Harley Show, with Harley! Within twenty seconds, he had me laughing and the show went well and it was pretty funny.

At ten-fifteen, before leaving the ranch, we told Ben that we had to go to Kerrville, for an eleven o'clock business meeting, then I had to get my driver's license renewed, then we needed to swing by by the post office for stamps, and our last stop would be at Walmart to get supplies. We told Ben that we should be back home by one-thirty. Then Tony and I took off for Kerrville in Buttermilk, and left Ben to finish up Tony's chores. Little did I know, that we had lied to Ben.

Before the business meeting, we went to Wolfmueller's Books, so I could buy a couple of copies of my book, because I wanted to give them to Marty and Bill, the people that we were having the business meeting with. We had a short visit with Sandy and Jon and then we took off.

Tone and I were two minutes late for the meeting, and I apologized for being late. Marty and Bill were great, and our forty-five minute meeting went well. "I really like those people, and am really excited about working with them!" I said to Tone, as the elevator took us down to the first floor.

"I'm starving," T. said. "Can we get something to eat?"

Seven minutes later, we were at the orange colored restaurant, giving our waitress our order. Tone had burritos, and I had 'The Speedy Gonzalez,' and our meals were delicious.

Our next stop was at the Texas Department of Public Safety to renew my driver's license. A piece of cake—not! I flunked their vision test—five times! I started out with my new 250+ cheaters. "I'm sorry," the friendly female officer said, "but you didn't get enough of them right."

"Can I try, again?" I asked. She smiled. I tried, again closing my right eye.

"I'm sorry, but you didn't get enough of them right." I then removed my new cheaters, and then opened up my purse, and pulled out a pair of pink 250+. I tried, again and flunked. Then I tried again, and flunked, again. Then I removed the glasses and tried without using any glasses. "I'm sorry, but you didn't get any of them right," she said. "You need to take this form and get your eyes examined, and signed by an eye doctor. Next?"

As Tony and I left the building, I didn't know if I wanted to cry or scream. I finally decided to cry, right before we arrived at the post office, so T. went inside and purchased the stamps for me. He bought the Gulf Coast Lighthouse stamps.

On our way to Walmart, my tears had dried, and I was mad. I was mad, because I don't like getting old, and I really didn't want to spend a lot of money buying glasses! "Nance, you can get your glasses at Walmart!" Tony said, trying to comfort me. "That's where I got mine, and they are a lot cheaper than the other places."

"I don't want to buy glasses, so I can drive!" I said. "Maybe, I will just quit driving, and not get a license. Then you'll have to drive me everywhere." Tony started laughing at me.

"What are you talkin' about? I drive you everywhere, now! With the exception of the cousin reunion, last Saturday, the only place you drive is over to the Lodge to see Kinky!" T. said. "Come on, Nance. You need to get glasses. Let's go." I knew he was right, but I didn't tell him.

Before we went inside, to the Walmart eye doctor's office, I said, "I'm not getting bifocals. No way!" When we walked into the office, the doctor's lovely wife told us to come back in thirty minutes for my appointment, so Tone and I killed time walking around the discount store and getting supplies.

At two o'clock I saw the friendly eye doctor, and Tone took off, while I took the 'Puff Test' followed by several other vision testing procedures.

Fifty dollars later, and twenty-five minutes later, I had a prescription for my eyeglasses, and the D.P.S. form filled out by the eye doctor. After explaining to the doctor that I didn't have insurance, and wanted to spend the least amount of money, he escorted me into the Vision Center, and told the woman that I needed to get plastic, flat bifocals with their cheapest frames. Then he asked her how much it would cost. "The bifocals will cost $55.00, and our cheapest frames start at $18.00."

As the woman showed me the cheap frames, Tony appeared carrying a Walmart plastic sack, but he wouldn't tell me what was in it! Ten minutes later, I picked a pair of $36.00 frames, and wrote a check for over ninety-four dollars. And, she told me that I can pick up my new glasses on the twenty-first.

As T. and I walked back to Buttermilk, I said, "Tony, I am not going to be able to drive until the twenty first! Starting Sunday, I won't be able to drive for four days." He said nothing.

When we got back to the ranch at three-thirty, Ben was mowing and the place looked great! When we came inside the trailer, after letting the dogs and the cat outside, Tony handed me the Walmart plastic bag. "I hope you like it."

I opened up the bag and was totally surprised! T. had bought me a string of colored Christmas lights, some ornaments and hangers for Outer Space, because last night, during dinner, I had commented about how I wanted to decorate Outer Space like Peasants, with a string of colored lights, and ornaments! I love you, Tone!

Tomorrow, I plan to string the lights and place the ornaments, and I can't wait!

Y'all have a great evening!