Friday, December 18, 2009

I'll Be Home For Christmas, But Not With Faron Young


It's nigh on four in the morning and I couldn't sleep so I thought I might as well get up and do something half-way constructive. I hope this qualifies.

I'm leaving Texas at daybreak and heading north. I want to be home for Christmas. Every time I use the phrase, "It's four in the morning," I can't help but think of Faron Young. He had a song a whole bunch of years ago with that title. He's another bad boy whose dark, good looks caught my attention at an early age. He was quite a bit older than I, but he looked out at me from those album covers and I did a fair amount of looking back. I was young and foolish.

Many years later, when I was in my songwriting phase, I was hanging out at the bar in the Holiday Inn in Nashville and there he was. From the next table over, he leaned in to do a little flirting. I remember feeling absolutely frozen. It was Faron Young, for Pete's sake. He looked as handsome as ever and none the worse for wear. He and Patsy Cline had a torrid affair back in the early '60's (just a bit of trivia). Anyway, Faron took his own life in 1996, and I've always wished I'd flirted back a bit more. Just a bit.

I left Santa Fe a couple of weeks ago and headed down to Texas to visit my sister, Chris. Chris is the former tomboy of the family who used to gussy up her homemade knives with some classy woodburning. She and her hubby, Frank, live in the hill country, west of San Antonio. I love the rolling hills, the live oak, and the longhorns, but the winding roads (and I do mean winding) are always a challenge for my motion sickness issue. Driving over to Comfort is less than comfortable, but the end result is lunch at an outdoor table amongst the trees, which always includes some killer scones with cheese and jalapenos.

Her house sits not too far from the Guadalupe River. That is one beautiful river. When I think of the river of life we are all floating down, I think of the Guadalupe. It's so clear and there's a peaceful quality along its banks. Along with a few gnarly old trees, it has some pretty big boulders.


I spent a few days there with them and their miniature schnauzer, Dixie Chick. She is the sweetest little thing, and we get along famously. She's always happy to see me and keeps me well-entertained with her goofy antics. I think I'll post a picture I took of her when she was just a young 'un. It was taken at the breakfast table at their place down in Port Isabel. No, she isn't allowed to eat at the table, or beg for food while circling it. But, still, somehow she ended up there and she was just so cute ... which brings me to the next leg of my journey, here on the Gulf, where I've been for the past week.

Port Isabel sits on the Gulf,  just before you head over the Queen Isabella Causeway to South Padre Island. It's been a week of overcast skies, but much warmer than Minnesota, so it's been a good place to be. Palm trees and flowering shrubs and quiet walks at night along the canals off the Gulf make for a nice way to spend a week in December. The shrimp aren't bad either.

I head out shortly. Real shortly. I'm all packed and ready to go. Now I'm just stalling. Once I get in the car and get a few miles under me, I'll probably start singing Elvis Christmas songs. Good thing I'm traveling alone.







16 comments:

  1. What a sweet doggy Dixie Chick is! I had no idea you were *on the road* right now. Have a safe ride back to MN. For me, there's nothing better. Just you, the car, the road, and the crystal clear thoughts that come with travel.

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  2. Isn't she? I do love road time, although I'm looking forward to staying put for a little while. Tonight, I'm somewhere on the Texas-Oklahoma line. Thanks for the traveling well-wishes. Driving does have a way of clarifying things, doesn't it?

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  3. I, too, think about Faron whenever the clock says four in the morning. I've also driven numerous times from Texas to South Dakota or Oklahoma to South Dakota. I enjoyed your blog entry! Thanks for remembering Faron. Have you read his biography, "Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story"?

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  4. No, I haven't, but I will! Thank you for reading my blog post and taking the time to comment. Very much appreciated. I ,as I write this, am in a motel in southern Oklahoma. : ) Merry Christmas!

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  5. For anyone reading my bog/comments: Diane Diekman, of the above comment, is the author of said book, she humbly did not include that. I had heard of the title, so I am very pleased to see her comment. She has an interesting site and sounds like she has had an interesting life. I encourage you to check it out! Thanks again, Diane.

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  6. Teresa, another great blog! You're making good time, probably way out of Okla by now...could taste those Gulf shrimp, taste the salty breezes...and Faron flirting with you...wow wow wow! Yes, yes, sing along with Elvis...it just isn't a road trip without Elvis...another heartthrob with dark (sorta), good looks, sigh...

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  7. Teresa, after I posted the above, I went to the kitchen for a snack (it's cold outside, been snowing and snowing, really pretty...)when I remembered reading something awhile back about some guy somewhere with a lot of blogs and a foot fetish...actually, I hadn't thought about foot fetishes in years...had a cat who loved to curl up, rest his chin on anyone's big toe...not sure if that's a fetish...drive safely, you're going into tough weather!!!

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  8. Kittie1 Thanks for your comments! It's always fun to hear from you. I arrived home this afternoon. I'm glad to be off the road...for now.

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  9. Yes, you probably came close. Our place is about six miles from Texas Highway 16 that goes down to Fredericksburg and places about Comfort. We're in Santa Fe, December 24-30. I like your photograph of Wagon Mound.

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  10. Teresa, My apologies for profile changes. I'm dinking around trying to get something together in the blog world that's unified.

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  11. Teresa, must have posted just when you were/are on line...commented back that you'd said it perfectly about us all being Soul Sisters...with a few good men...where are you? Near Minnesota?? Called up to New Hampshire...not one flake of snow fell there during the storm; Boston and NY have dug out, life's routine...once we get out of this area, it should be smooth driving...hope it's been that way for you...Merry Christmas! Hugs!

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  12. Hey Jack, thanks for visiting. Enjoy your stay in Santa Fe. Wonderful place to spend Christmas!

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  13. Kittie, Have a wonderful Christmas in New Hampshire!

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  14. I actually don't own any Rumi - I found that lovely poem online. He's a favorite, but I don't have a collection of his ... yet. Have a safe trip to your family and a very merry Christmas, dearie. :)

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  15. What a lovely post. Happy New Year!

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  16. Happy New Year to you, LB, and to all of you!

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