As temperatures soared well above 100 degrees, we did something this weekend we had never done before: We traveled back home to escape the afternoon heat. Cloud 9’s air-conditioner couldn’t compete with the afternoon sun directly overhead, so we turned everything off, packed up the pack, and went to Hampshire for an afternoon nap, cocktails,…
We had planned to travel to Shenandoah National Park and take in the monuments, memorials and museums in and around Washington, DC, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. With inflation soaring and gas prices at historic highs, it just didn’t seem right to spend so much money on a long road trip. Instead, we…
Today we said farewell to one of our five canine companions. Although he was small, Baxter occupied a big space in Cloud 9. And in our hearts. Unlike our other dogs, Baxter had a bed of his own that took up floor space under the table. We thought it was a better alternative to him…
We had planned a big Memorial Day vacation trip to Shenandoah National Park and Washington, D.C., but we simply cannot justify spending so much money on gas and other expenses at this time of high inflation. So we’ll enjoy a “staycation” at Loyd Park, close to home, instead. After all, the capital’s monuments, memorials, and…
We’ve been talking about death lately. Perhaps it’s because we recently had our annual physical examinations, and, as a result, had to schedule and undergo follow-up tests. In addition to having to continue treating our cholesterol and gout, we’re long overdue for a colonoscopy. Cliff has hypertension; Jon has circulatory problems—so a stroke or a…
It’s that time of year again: The Texas bluebonnets are in full bloom throughout the state—a sign that spring has sprung and soon we’ll be enduring a hot, humid summer. Before then, we get to enjoy this alluring little wildflower as it adds a pop of deep-blue color to our fields and roadways. In 1901,…
The combination of unseasonably warm weather and water main repairs at Cedar Hill State Park brought us back to Loyd Park after many months. We had been away so long, in fact, that a Spec’s wine and liquor store was built nearby during our absence! We arrived at 6:15, after spending nearly an hour in…
Poor Abe Lincoln. As we set out for the weekend, we knew we would be spending his 213th birthday enjoying mild weather at Joe Pool Lake. We also knew there would be very few references to America’s 16th president, other than to use “the party of Lincoln” as a taunt against Trumpublicans. For Jon, who…
Because we had a long weekend that included the MLK holiday, we decided to extend our stay from the previous weekend through the week, enabling us to take cocktails and dinner each night at Cloud 9 while returning to “work” at Hampshire at the start of each day. The unexpected 11-day staycation gave Chef Cliff…
This weekend, Jon closed one chapter of his professional life and prepared to start another. After more than seven years with the Department of Radiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, he will introduce the role of Communications Coordinator in the Department of Internal Medicine on Monday. His new department is more than three times the…
Garinns on the Go 