2023 in Review: October

OCTOBER 2023

Katie's birthday and Halloween make Octobers special in our family. Throw in some extra fair time, and this October was off the charts!

October 2: Dallas

I was watching the morning newscast when I heard that Jeopardy! GOAT and host would be at the State Fair that day. Within minutes I was on my way to the train station for an impromptu solo trip to the fair! Ken was super nice and didn't even flinch when I mentioned that I'd been in the audience for a Celebrity Jeopardy! taping in August. (Upon further reflection, I really wish I had mentioned that I'm not a stalker but just living my best retired life!) 

October 4: Allen

Another whim fulfilled! Ryan needed to be at the airport waaaaay before dawn, so I took advantage of those early morning hours to be among the first to visit the new H-E-B in Allen. The team members treated us like royalty with free coffee, gift cards, and lots of cheers as we entered the brand new store. I can't wait to repeat this when H-E-B opens up closer to home!

October 6: Home and Dallas

Happy birthday to Katie! Because she was flying out of DFW that Friday, we got the bonus of spending her birthday with her for a change. To celebrate her day, she and I used my "bring a friend" pass to go to the fair. It was fun to splurge on the Texas Star ferris wheel, eat Fletcher's (and other goodies), and show her the special Texas Tech Centennial exhibit in the Hall of State.

Before going to the airport, the guys met us at On the Border so the four of us could celebrate our Bug.

October 7: Dallas

Even when the game doesn't go our way, Texas-ou is the best Saturday of the year! Once again Ryan got to join us thanks to a friend's generosity.

October 12: Dallas

For this fair trip, Dede and I spent time with our furry friends. We visited the petting zoo (and the overly aggressive ostrich), the pig races, and even dinosaurs. Turns out it was our last trip for the season, but we're already planning to get passes for 2024, too.

October 13: Winstar

Another spur-of-the-moment adventure: seeing a Beatle! I had so much fun (with my $31 ticket!) hearing Ringo and his All-Starr Band. I was excited to see one of the Beatles, but I was delighted to hear hits from Colin Hay and other 1980s musicians.

October 14-16: Lubbock

The morning after Ringo, I hit the road to visit Katie and see The Lion King in Lubbock. Along the way I stopped at a rest stop in time to see the partial solar eclipse. The shadows were super cool.

The Lion King musical had been on my list forever, so it was wonderful to finally get to see it with Ryan and Katie at Buddy Holley Hall. It was also thrilling to watch the Rangers beat the Astros in Game 1 of the ALCS with Katie's friends (who happen to be Astros fans).

October 12-14: Portland

While I was gallivanting across Texas, Brett was representing at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo with friends. Always a huge show!

October 19: Athens

After visiting Milan (Ohio) and Paris (Texas), we wrapped up our "world tour" with a trip to Athens—Athens, TEXAS, that is! The occasion was the wedding of Brett's cousin's daughter. It was great to catch up with Nana's side of the family!

October 21: Houston

It was nice of the Big XII to add the University of Houston to the conference just in time for us to sneak in a visit to the Cougars' stadium. It was hotter than hell, and we nearly squandered the big lead we started with, but the Horns won and we didn't melt--but it was close. While in town, Dede and I attended the wedding reception for my cousin's son. After seeing Brett's family Thursday night, I loved getting to catch up with my family that Saturday.

October 25: The Colony

Nothing like date night! This one started with us picking out new "his and hers" recliners and ended with dinner at Rock 'N Brews. Fun night!

October 26: Fort Worth

We celebrated our 30th "Buenoversary" at Taco Bueno, and the nice social media folks featured our post on their Instagram story! We have eaten Bueno Chilada platters on Oct. 27 for years in honor of the fancy fast food dinner we ate the night of our engagement. This year we bumped our Bueno date to Oct. 26 because I would be on the road for football on the true day, but the Chilada platters tasted just as great and the occasion no less sweet.

October 27-28: Austin

Oh, how my heart needed this weekend! For years we have shared football and our lives, but miles have come between us. For this special weekend, though, Wallis came in from Houston, Greg came from New Jersey, and Dana and Kelley arrived from LA. It was great to share football, Tex-Mex, and lots of laughs with these dear friends who live too far away.

October 31: Work and Home

Happy Halloween! Brett borrowed Ryan's Cobra Kai costume for work, and Daisy cosplayed as both a bumblebee and shark bait. We didn't set up a table on the driveway, but we had plenty of "Trickers" ring our doorbell. Always a fun day!