Had another surprise yesterday morning, down in Florence.

The kids had an "off campus lunch day", which means they get and extra hour to go somewhere else and eat, and I get to bug out early. My third period class was canceled and I got to jet out of there at 10AM. Visions of the Dairy Mart were dancing in my head. So I set off for San Saba and decided to take a few more pictures of Bluebonnets along the way.



Of course, to help pass the time, and because I can, I lit up a good cigar while the miles flashed by.



This is a great representation of what you'd see if you made my drive to work these days. Lots and lots of pretty blue flowers spread out along the road.



There are also red (Indian Paintbrush) and yellow (Buttercups) flowers mixed in, but the Bluebonnets are most folks favorite.



After about an hour and ten minutes, I find myself in beautiful downtown San Saba. Note the Texas state flags flying from poles along the road. We're pretty patriotic around here, ya see.



Of course, you can even see one flying from a pole in front of the county courthouse... Until you look closer that is.



Turns out that's not the Lone Star flag. Someone has raised the Stars and Bars in front of the San Saba county court house.



Yep, the first (of three) Confederate national flags, circa 1861? Not sure, because I haven't asked anyone, but I'd bet there's some unreconstructed folks in San Saba county. Wonder what they think of the President?

Don't know about you, but I think the good old Stars and Stripes would look better up there, and the Lone Star beside it. Not below it! Beside it. Yea, I understand the sentiment. I don't necessarily concur. But I understand.

Anyway, would you believe? The friggin' Dairy Mart was closed. They had a sign up sayin' they'd be closed Tuesday through Thursday, but be back open Friday. Sheeeeit! What sort of business closes in mid week, for cryin' out loud? Small towns!

So I went to the spot that's become my other hang out in town, besides the Rylander public library.



I went to the Our Place diner and ordered a bacon cheeseburger on rye. next best thing to the Jalapeno Sourdough. You know. I had a hankerin'.

Today, all I had to do was go back down to Florence and sit through the three classes. Denise had to go onto the base today to give a presentation, but she couldn't find her auto insurance card from 2010. So she got a friend out at work to drive her onto the base and then gave me a call to come and pick her up.



After I picked her up we visited around the CTC office there on base and then I took my wowman to eat lunch at a food court down the way from the main gate.



We chose Captain D's, and I spent a while in line droolin' over all the fried goodness.


In the end, Denise chose the fish sandwich, but I had to have to big plate. Denise looked up at me and said "You know we're gonna go eat dinner later with your mom?" I looked down at her, smiled and said "Do you know who you're talkin' to?"

I'm an EATING MACHINE, and everyone knows it. They gave me two extra entrees to go with it... I chose extra hush puppies and bread. It were goooood!

Yea, I know, it's gonna kill me some day, eatin' like this. But hell, I figure I don't really care. I just wanna have fun while it lasts.

Tonight, as usual, we're gonna go out to Temple and eat with Mom. Then, by the time the rain clears up on Sunday (please God), we're gonna go down to the Back Yard in Bee Caves, West of Austin, and see ZZ-Top. It should be fun.

So, y'all have a great weekend, and we'll talk after. I'll have good pictures and video. Cheers!