Monday morning. She woke up thinking it was much later than it was. Oh yeah. Daylight Savings and all of that mess. For years, Kelly had protested the leaping and springing of clocks by not changing several of the clocks in the house. It made for some confused children as they learned to tell time but it was worth it. That would show those bureaucrats that they couldn't mess with her time!
As she stretched in bed, Kelly the Happy Texan compared her soft bed to the slab-like mattress in the travel trailer where she had spent the weekend. By the end of the trip, her back was so sore that she could hardly move. But now, after some Soma and a soft bed, she was already feeling like herself again.
The trip had been a good one but seemed to be shorter than it should. Thursday night brought torrential rains. Kelly had planned to go grocery shopping after setting up camp. She had not expected a monsoon to hit while shopping. All groceries had to ride in the very cramped laps of people in the small truck. It wasn't really a small truck but it didn't have the same space as her beloved box-on-wheels: the miniature van.
Thursday night was spent reading The Lost Symbol while the rain and thunder raged outside. Kelly couldn't imagine a better way to spend an evening than with a book in her hand and the soft pitter-patter of rain hitting the trailer while camping. The only thing that would have made it better was a glass (or two) of wine and a softer mattress.
Friday morning she slept late. Really late. 10:30am late. Rachel had a comic book group meeting so Kelly got dressed and drove in to town. While Rachel took her drawing lessons, Kelly searched the library for books about the history of Halloween. She discovered that Halloween is a very old tradition that used to go by the name of
Samhain (pronounced SOU-in). Interestingly, it seemed that there was a group of pagans and/or wiccans camping at Brazos Bend for Samhain. They had candles lit and a strange white tent set up. Kelly was very curious about this group and rode her daughter's bike passed the camp sites a few times. Once she was sure she smelled
some herbs that were on the illegal side. "Why didn't I just ask them what they were doing?" she asked herself as she was lying in bed on Monday morning.
Saturday was Halloween. Chuck and Rachel carved a pumpkin while Kelly set up a hammock and finished The Lost Symbol. It was due at the library on November 4th but she was not going to be able to renew it because other people had requested it.
The pumpkins turned out great! Rachel made a flaming pumpkin:
Chuck carved a mummy at Charlie's request. Of course, Charlie chose one of the most challenging patterns in the pumpkin carving book.
Kelly forgot to bring candles but found an OFF bug repellent candle in the trailer and a partially used air freshener candle by Glade. They worked. OFF candles work very well for lighting pumpkins!
Before it got too dark, she decided to go hiking on a new trail called Live Oak even though her back was killing her. She's a stubborn one. Unfortunately, it was getting dark quickly so the family was only able to hike about half of the beautiful trail. Then it was time to waddle back to the trailer.
At the last minute the kids decided to go trick-or-treating in the campground. Kelly put black lipstick on Rachel and put her hair in pigtails. Rachel was a dead girl. :) Charlie put on a hat, black lipstick and used candy corn for teeth and went as a redneck vampire. They had a great time running around and actually got a decent amount of candy. Kelly was happy to see the kids having so much fun. All of the sweets reminded her that she was starting Weight Watchers on Thursday. Better enjoy some indulgence while she can. She made herself a mojito and listened as the pagans/wiccans howled at the full moon. Sounded like they were having a good time.
A cool mom can tell a spooky Halloween story. Kelly must be a cool mom. She and Chuck took the kids on a night hike under the full moon. The frogs were croaking and there was an occasional bird that took flight as it was disturbed from its slumber. But the kids were not very impressed with this hike. Kelly was not about to have a spooky hike NOT be spooky. So she made up a story that combined elements of various stories she had heard before.
"There once was a family playing ball at Brazos Bend. A boy and his dad were tossing the ball back and forth but it got away from the dad once and rolled to the edge of the water. The dad bent down at the water to retrieve the ball when a giant alligator leaped up out of the water and grabbed him by the head. The alligator dragged him in and went into a death roll. It tore off the man's head. His body was found but never the head. There have been many, many sightings at THIS lake at night of a lone light speeding toward its victim. It is the spirit of the dead man searching for his head. It is said that the light will chase you. So, look carefully, children, for any light. It is possible that it is the ghost of the man searching for his head and he will try to take YOURS! And tonight is Halloween...the night when the veil between the living and the dead is all but removed and the spirits roam freely. His spirit could be here now....watching....waiting."
The story: entirely made up. Kelly was pretty proud to pull that one off. She was not very creative when it came to making up stories. It had the desired effect on the kids. Rachel was ready to go home and research this spirit and was hoping to see it tonight. Charlie was literally shaking and scared out of his mind. When it became obvious that Charlie could barely walk a step without shaking, Kelly broke the news that the story was entirely made up and that no one had EVER been attacked by an alligator at Brazos Bend. Rachel almost seemed disappointed but Charlie's fear was unrelenting. After a long discussion while sitting on a pier over a swamp in the moonlight and listening to the frogs, he finally settled down and even smiled a few times. Kelly was sure that the k ids would never forget that story and she felt proud.
Saturday night brought strange noises: snoring. Chuck was having sinus issues and the snoring sent Kelly to the living room sofa in the trailer. She only thought her back hurt before! The pain was so bad the next morning that she could hardly move.
Chuck, being the great guy that he is, felt guilty for the snoring episode and told Kelly not to move a muscle. He packed the trailer and unpacked, with the help of the kids, when they got home. Of course, the Happy Texan was not angry about the snoring but it felt good not to have to try to go up and down the steps to bring things in the house, though she did feel a slight twang of guilt watching every one else work so hard.
Sunday night Chuck took her on a date to Texas Road House. "Only a few more days until I join Weight Watchers again. Chicken Fried Chicken and cheese covered fries will not be on my menu for long," she thought. While at the restaurant, she suddenly realized just how tired she was and finished her salad but barely touched her chicken or fries. Even with Weight Watchers approaching soon.
Monday. Thoughts of the weekend come to mind. She always hates Mondays. She misses Chuck while he's at work and knows that she has to wait several days before he is off again. But this Monday also brings some excitement. She is one day closer to joining Weight Watchers again and back on track to looking and feeling good. She's gained some weight back after working so hard to lose it. But that's ok. She knows that she will lose it and get in great shape. After all, Coldwater Creek has some very cute clothes that she wants and there is only one way to fit in to them. Actually two, but she's not getting liposuction.
4 days until her first Weight Watcher meeting at a grocery store. She wonders, "Are they going to have it in the bakery?!"
The countdown starts.
After lunch I grabbed a sugar pumpkin from Halloween. They're so tiny I figured it wouldn't have any points. Wrong! Lesson learned: find out the points BEFORE eating something, not after.
After dinner it was time to kick back. I had 2 low cal/low carb Cosmopolitans (4 pts) and some popcorn (1 pt). Later I had a vitamuffin (1 pt) and then an apple (1 pt). I was a hungry girl today!
Have you heard the annoying Peanut Butter Jelly song? It's stupid but it gets stuck in your head and you can't get it out.
After feeding the animals I made myself a 2 pt Cosmopolitan martini. So good. 
After a while I got the munchies and got a WW latte bar (1 pt). Those things are huge! Totally worth the point.
