A Local Haunting

Today is Halloween, the day when we gorge on ill-gotten sweets try to fake out evil spirits before All Saints Day. I shall be super busy altering Eldest’s costume today, but I thought it would be fun to regale you with one of our famous ghosts.

Her name was Sally White, and she was a chambermaid at the famous Menger Hotel. The Menger is the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi. Opened in 1859, it was built on the site of the Menger Brewery, for the frequent visitors who otherwise couldn’t travel back to their homes. It has hosted presidents, generals, and celebrities. Sally White worked there during the 1870’s. Legend goes that one night she and her husband had an argument, and Sally decided to stay at the hotel overnight, instead of returning to her home. Her husband, in a fit of rage, threatened to kill her the following day, and later went on to attack her in the hotel. She suffered for two days before dying of her injuries. Mr. Menger paid for her doctor and her funeral, and in her debt for that kindness, Sally White roams the halls of the Victorian Wing, wearing a gray skirt, and carrying a load of towels for the guests.

The Menger Hotel is still a big attraction for the famous and not-so-famous alike. It is also part of the local ghost tour, which includes The Alamo. If y’all ever come to San Antonio, it is worth checking out, not only for the beauty of the hotel, but the rich history.

And on that note, have a great Halloween!! 😀

Everything Old is New Again

Yesterday, I spent my day at Aquarena Springs. For once the weather co-operated and behaved itself as we toured the Texas State University ecological facility.

For those who aren’t familiar with it, Aquarena Springs is the site of Texas’ first amusement park. It is probably the most important archaeological, anthropological and ecological site in the state of Texas. Evidence of human settling has been found dating back thousands of years. In the 19th century, people came from all over the world to enjoy the springs for its therapeutic properties. Becoming popular in the early 20th century, the owner opened a hotel at the springs in 1928, which hosted many famous people, including Jay Gould, and most famously, Johnny Weismuller.

The Aquarena Hotel

It even hosted Robert E. Lee at the resort while he was stationed at Fort Mason. The hotel is now the Texas Rivers Center.

A Seinfeld Posting

I think I watched maybe…two episodes of Seinfeld during its run on TV. It never appealed to me. After all, it was really a show about nothing.

And so is this post.

So, here’s hoping your day is full of sunshine and kittens.

Unlike mine, which is full of laundry and nausea 😉

Kuhula is the New Southwest Airlines

Kulula is an African airline with its head office located in Johannesburg. Kulula Airlines attendants make an effort to make the in-flight safety lecture and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

Courtesy of Casey Research

1. On a flight with a very “senior” flight attendant crew, the pilot said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.”

2. On landing, a stewardess said, “Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have.”

3. “There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.”

4. As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Durban Airport , a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: “Whoa, big fella. Whoa!”

5. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo, a flight attendant announced, “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.”

Being Happy

One of my favorite movies is Pollyanna, the story of a girl who always found a reason to be glad. I have always been of the opinion that happiness is all around: one just needs to find the right “fit”. Sometimes I am a grump, I admit, and don’t feel like looking for happiness in anything. Wallowing in misery is something I can do well, too. But it is so time consuming, and in the end no one, and I mean NO ONE is willing to put up with my doldrums, so what’s the use, right?? And that’s where Pollyanna comes in. It does take effort, but I do manage to find something that makes me happy at least once a day. I’m not happy all day, mind you, but I am happy every day.

Always, always, always look for a reason to be glad. I promise, the search is always worth it 🙂

A Study in Contrasts

I was so lucky! I had the chance to speak to Hubby while he was on a tour of Egypt. Skype is not very dependable in *ahem* certain Middle Eastern countries. But he was very excited to have toured Karnak and Luxor and cruised the Nile River. This is where he is today:

And this is what I’ll be doing:

Sometimes, life can be so funny….

Does anyone know if napalm is good for mold??? 😉

Near and Far

A while back, my friend Roamy suggested places we’ve been as a topic for the blog, and it got me to thinking. It’s tough to beat being raised in a tropical island, you know. This is the river in back of my elementary school:

The schoolrooms were a converted cockfighting arena (true story), but the view was totally worth it! Growing up in Puerto Rico, I had the chance to see beaches, desert, rainforest, mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, all in the span of a day. It was wonderful.

Now that I am an Army wife, I get to see other places. Stationed in Europe, we got to see Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Crete, France, Austria, and Italy. Personally, I had no desire to see Holland or Belgium. But I did wish to see Spain, and where my relatives came from. Still, I got to see a lot, and if I had to pick my favorite of all, I would have to say Poland.

It was like a page from a fairytale. And in that fairytale, the bad guys had been vanquished. I hope I get the chance to go back, and drink some Żubrówka, eat pierogies, and hear wonderful stories about Boleslawiec.

And what places would y’all like to visit?

Indulgences

Ah, yes…. There are times when you are clipping coupons, and cutting unnecessary expenses, and even relying on generic brands to make ends meet. But there is always one thing….one tiny indulgence that you must keep, isn’t there??

I’m not sure if this is my antidote, or my Kryptonite. Either way, it’s a small way to feel special. Better than going totally overboard with $400 shoes or $600 dresses, right??

A Thanks for My Favorite Memory

I have a gift, and a curse. I have a great memory. It has saved me a few times, and gotten me in trouble a few times. It was a point of contention with Hubby for a long time, and a blessing to my godmother while researching our roots. Consequently, I have a lot of great and not-so-great memories. And by “a lot” I mean a lot. I can’t pick just one, so I will do my Top Ten:

10) Peeking over the caldera of Kilauea at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

9) Having Hubby show me killdeer nesting near the apartment where we first lived.

8 ) La Piedra Escrita (The Written Stone) in my hometown in PR. Petroglyphs from long ago, including a “cowboy”!

7) Any time my sisters and I got together during holidays. Too many to mention, but one in particular stands out. We all gathered in the Jack-and-Jill bath to compare derrieres. Y’all have to admit, that’s pretty funny!

6) Watching my dad and uncles sing danzas and trios while getting ripped during the holidays. Actually, that happens whenever they get together. One time they drove to a barra a few miles away and decided to serenade the patrons. Total epicness!

5) Driving through East Texas on the way to grandmother’s house (insert song here) and having Hubby tease the kids about llamas.

4) The first time Hubby ever kissed me.

3) My first concert: “Weird Al” Yankovic, and I had the best seat in the house.

2) The births of my children. Each was different, each was special, and each I remember with love.

1) The day of my wedding. Words are such poor substitutes for the joy I relive each time I recall that day.

So there you have it. Some of my favorite memories. I hope y’all have some to share, as well 🙂

The Last Person I Kissed

To my Little One:

I don’t want you to grow. Every night that you kiss me before bed, I lament the fact that you are almost as tall as I am. I want to be able to pick up up like I used to do and tuck you in bed. Sometimes you yell at me for grabbing you as you walk past and sitting you on my lap, but that’s my way of holding on to my past, when you needed me. And now that you are growing up, my heart aches.

So, don’t be mad at me when I hug you too tight, or when I kiss you over and over again. That’s just my fear manifesting into a suffocating blanket of love. And that blanket will cover you for as long as I am on this earth, and beyond.

Love,

Your momma