August 2016 – Pink Hat Gypsy

The Best Thirty Years of My Life

Posted on 9/25/20189/25/2018 by Pink hat dreamer

It was August 1986, the world was still mourning the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger., in Russia they were suffering the fallout of Chernobyl, the news was saying there was a huge cloud that could possibly travel as far as the USA and the outcome was unknown.
I was 25 years old and engaged to be married to my best friend Don. Our wedding date was November 28. I’m not sure if it was the recent events in the world that made us feel that 3 months was too long to wait to be married or maybe just the jitters of planning a big ceremony.
So on August 23, with 2 friends Kim and Jay Scoress and a justice of the peace we got married on the San Antonio Riverwalk in front of the statue of St.Anthony. I wore my mothers wedding dress and my Aunt Sydney Jeans veil. The ceremony was short and simple and as we said our final I do’s a river barge passed by and cheered. We were a young poor couple we did not own a camera, our only photo was one taken by a photographer with a Polaroid camera who charged us a $5.00. Then we walked through a muddy construction set to the Tower of Americas where we had a drink to toast our new life.

That was 30 years ago today, and Don is still my best friend and I still look forward to every moment we have together. We have 3 beautiful children who are the light of our lives and every day together seems better then the day before.

This year work commitments for both of us keeps us from celebrating
this anniversary together, but I know he is always a phone call away from transforming even my worst days to laughter and joy. Happy 30th Don, thank you for making every day of the last 30 years the best day of my life. I look forward to at least 30 more.

Travel

Nubble Lighthouse

Posted on 9/25/20189/25/2018 by Pink hat dreamer

I was 12 years old the first time I visited Nubble Light House. 12 is not an age where much interests you, but this beautiful lighthouse fascinated me. At the time it was still run manually and a family inhabited the pretty red and white house that stood grandly on the remote island. I would watch from the beach hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious family and wondered about their life. The light house stood alone on a small island with the only access being a small boat, I wondered how the children got across in the winter to go to school and what the mother did if she forgot to pick up milk at the store.

“I wonder what they do over there,” I asked out loud one day as we were staring at the Island waiting for signs of human life to emerge. “Probably nude sunbathing” one of my cousins replied jokingly. Occasionally someone would emerge from the house to tend to daily chores, crowds would wave and yell, it was if they were rock stars making a public appearance.

I came back to York Beach and Nubble light house a few years ago after a long absence. The house remained unchanged, still picturesque sitting on the hill with its bright beacon warning sailors of possible danger. But I was told families no longer live there, new technology allowed the light house to be run remotely now. No family I thought, the house must be so lonely. The absence of tenants has not kept people from visiting what is said to be the most painted lighthouse on earth, it still sits grandly high on the rocks leaving visitors to imagine what life must have been like having the opportunity to live there.

This remains a yearly stop for my family when we visit New England, and last year we found that the Lighthouse foundation now offers a drawing with the prize being an opportunity to have lunch with 5 friends on the Island. So each year I buy as many tickets as I can afford and wait for my phone to ring saying I am the lucky winner.

Until that call comes in I will continue to return each year and try to imagine what live would be like on that beautiful rock Island and Nubble Light.

Out To Eat

Sanfords

Posted on 9/25/20189/25/2018 by Pink hat dreamer

Sanfords
Located in downtown Cheyenne a fun little place with eclectic decor that included Route 66 signs, license plates, sports memorabilia and old record albums on the walls. The large menu offered a variety of foods from burgers to steaks.
Boasting an impressive beer selection with everything from domestic to local crafts. We chose the Snake River Zonker Stout, a delicious dark beer that was the perfect compliment to our lunch.
For an appetizer we tried the fried pickles that were served with ranch dressing and peanut butter, amazingly the peanut butter mixed with the fried pickles was a pretty good combination.
We shared a delicious patty melt for our main course, the burger was cooked to perfection and the sweet potato fries were the perfect side. The kitchen even split it for us on 2 separate plates saving us from the awkwardness of who gets the most fries or larger cut.
The music was classic 60s to 80s not so loud you could not carry on a conversation. There is live music on Friday nights and we were treated to a sound check of Beatles and Yes songs performed by local artist Ken Wooster. Imagine that, live music on a Friday afternoon for lunch.
Thomas our waiter was great and helped us to choose from the extensive menu.
What a great find on our road trip across the Great Plains.