It was an iffy start to any trip–first sat on the runway in Greensboro for over an hour due to electrical problems, and after it was repaired had to go back to the gate to finish the paperwork (really!), so arrived in Atlanta about 18 minutes before the connection was supposed to take off. Ran to the gate to find that flight was also delayed due to weather in Dallas, so they hadn’t started boarding. And despite Scary News, everyone was patient, cordial and helpful. A stranger on the plane looked up what gate I needed to run to in Atlanta and let me know I might make it since it was delayed as well.

Should mention the hotel, not the best I’ve stayed in but not the worse. A known chain and the people were very nice. The free breakfast was one of the best I’ve ever had. But there was that mouse in our room . . . They moved us immediately to a much larger room, but the bathroom was half the size and there was no shower curtain. I’m sure the person at the desk was so unnerved by the mouse (I know I was) that he forgot to report the shower curtain. Hope we didn’t make too much of a mess.

But the good stuff was excellent. Had beautiful yellow roses for Texas waiting for me. Got to see La Daughter and her partner and their new apartment. It was so nice!  Much better than mine at their age and the neighborhood was charming – walkable to pubs and stores and still a neighborhood feeling. (Bette, recognize the table? And the mirror is hanging on the wall to the side.) A little name dropping here, but we got to meet and visit with James Hime, Edgar Award Finalist and author of Where Armadillos Go To Die among others, and his lovely wife. They are the parents of La Daughter’s partner so even more in common with them than I would have guessed. 

Dallas has some incredible restaurants and I feel like I tried them all. I’m not the kind of person who thinks to take a picture of their meal (and wouldn’t have embarrassed La Daughter in front of his parents in any case) so I have no pics of the meals, but trust me they were incredible. Had grilled scallops over corn risoto at Season 52, garlic shrimp at Javier’s, and then Sushi Zushi as a few examples.

I’d never been to Dallas before but the one place I wanted to see was Dealey Plaza. I was 10 when the world turned upside down there. We walked it and saw the book depository that even though I’d never seen personally, was so familiar to me. I was very surprised by the emotion the site brought up. I would have thought that was long in the past but it was more present for me that I could have guessed.  

Have a lot of traveling ahead of me this fall with RWA Nationals, Moonlight and Magnolia’s conference, a beach trip with the grandson and this was a great start. Even got in some writing (yes!), so it was a great kick-off to summer.

All in all have to give the visit a 9.7+. It was wonderful seeing where La Daughter lives and of course getting to meet such wonderful people. We’ll be back.