Baskin~Robbins

O.k. ... so you never realize what you have until it is gone!!!!! For years, Lubbock has had Baskin~Robbins ice cream stores!! I think my first experience with BR (as I now call it) was when the south plains mall opened their doors back in the 70's!! My favorite flavor was "Mint Chocolate Chip"..... now referred to by me as Chocolate mint!

Now, I believe that there were atleast two different owners of the franchises here. One man was always pretty grumpy! I always wondered why in the heck was he the owner of an ice cream store!!!! It should be such a happy place.....such joy should be shared.... but no, he was a grump. Over the years...locations moved....different owners appeared....new locations....yes, life was good!!

Traditions: For many years, the girls and I....you know Amanda and Ashley..... would go to BR on the first day of school and the last day of school.... yes... it was wonderful. A great tradition. Through the years, we would take different friends with us to celebrate the fun events! Yes... great times.... I always got chocolate mint..... the girls always varied on what they got.

One year, we were on our way to BR on the last day of school. Hmmm.......we had a wreck... no, it was not my fault. Some high school boys from Monterey were having some last day of school fun that ruined their summer... they were going around to junior highs throwing water balloons at the kids...stupid is what I called them.... but I guess their brains when out with the balloons cause as the driver was headed down a busy street.... he decided to make a left turn....across three lanes of traffic......right into us!!!! There were kids on back of the pick up.... I just knew one would end up under my van.... oh well, after I talked to his mother..... I hear he was grounded all summer..... But.... the most important part of this story was...... we did make it to BR that evening!!!!! Not much could stop us!!!!!!

Now I will swerve back to the subject at hand. A few years ago.....pre I-27, the giants within the BR corporation decided to pull Lubbock from the BR market!! How dare they!!! They said that this area was out of their way~not enough deliveries....and remember......the official I~27 was not official.......so, they gave the franchises 1 year to prepare..... now, I give the people credit. They visited many ice cream factories and tasted many different flavors of ice cream...... they finally settled upon a company and joined forces and re~named the facilities in Lubbock "Kalidoscoops". They did their best.... yes, we continued to visit them....however, the chocolate mint was not the same at all.... but I persevered....I suffered.... but we celebrated Amanda graduating from Coronado High School and Texas Tech University. We celebrated Ashley graduating from Coronado High School and South Plains College~Cosmetology School. On the last day of their high school career, I gave each girl a James Avery charm that was an ice cream cone. I am sure the girls will always remember these special days.

I digress.....now, back on track.....I truly began to miss BR..... no, really. Everytime I would go to dallas.... I made sure I made up for my lack of chocolate mint. Then as Randy began his triathlons and we would travel.... I would seek out BR's everywhere. When we would get to the hotel..... I would grab the phone book and check for a BR. He would grab the phone book and seek out the nearest bicycle shop..... what is wrong with him!! Obviously I have my priorities straight!!! I knew I had an addiction when we went to Tempe Arizona the first year..... we drove out there... so, yeah, I had my car to play seek and find with the BRs of Arizona!!!! The second year to Tempe..... we flew....did not rent a car..... but just so you know.... I have a great memory for certain things....you know, the important things of life.... I remembered where each one was. With my trusty map....I set out one day for the "nearest" BR.....I walked... I walked........I walked.............................well...... five hours later, I was back at our hotel! You think I am kidding.....I am NOT. I can proudly say... I probably walked off every calorie that I injested!!! I knew I had a problem. Randy felt sorry for me.... told me that he thought he had heard something about BR coming back to L town. Please do not toy with my emotions I said. I was tired.....had an injury during this expedition........to an old ankly injury..... really.... I was limping..... had to elevate my ankle......this is not funny..... I dreamed that night.....about.............chocolate mint.... yes, I am sick.

Days, Weeks and Months pass.... not a word... I googled BR..... I looked up Lubbock Online.... I am deflated by this point.... I am quite sad.

Dollar Tree is another weekness. One Sunday, I read in the newspaper about a New Dollar Tree....grandopening.....cool!! I believe I shall drive out to that area and find the New Dollar Tree......I drove, I drove,.... it was hidden.... darn them.... finally, I found them!!! After shopping there.... I decided to cruise the parking lot to see the other stores.........yes..........you know what is comming next........................BASKIN~ROBBINS COMMING SOON!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh.......I blinked..... my heart stopped.... I whipped out my cell phone and called Amanda and Ashley....I wanted them to sit down as I gave them the good news..............I started singing "Oh Happy Day".....the clouds broke open.... the sun shone directly on the end of that shopping center....

The stalking began....... I did drive bys every couple of days......The beautiful sign finally went up on the building.... Ashley finally asked one of the workers when they would open.....soon they said.............. the waiting, the planning,.......one more trip to Dallas.....I showed great restraint and only got two dips of chocolate mint.......

October finally got here......... Grandopening of BASKIN~ROBBINS.....the girls and I planned.... we planned.... we planned......Amanda cooked breakfast for Ash and I......we sat out on their new deck until the sun warmed us up enough.... the opening would be at 11:00 a.m.......at about 10:30, we all headed toward BR......pulled up into the parking lot..... damn, a lady pulled up right in front of me.... I thought I was going to have to get violent..........we all stood out on the sidewalk...... the owner came out and talked to us.... Her name is Heather..... Now....she has the personality to OWN a BR!!! She has character..... 11:00 a.m........door opened...........yes.........take a deep breath....smell that? Waffle cones being make.... the familiar hum of the freezers.... the pink spoons......the bright colored cups.......yes....we have arrived....Taylor and Nickolas got their first taste of BR..... it was a big hit!! We used that day to celebrate Taylors first day of school ( he goes to mothers day out)..... the tradition continues.......hopefully.........L town will always have a baskin robbins.... and believe me, I am doing everything I can to keep them in business...damn the Get Fit program..... I just have to work harder....

We just got back from another trip to Dallas....guess what.... I did not go to BR...... because.... I have to save all of my calories for the Lubbock location.

Another location of BR will be opening after the first of the year across from the Texas Tech campus. I think I have told just about everyone I know about BR being back in L town.... I will continue to spread the word (hopefully my body will not spread).... Thank you Heather and Scott Womack for bring sunshine back to our "First" and "Last" days of school as the tradition moves to the next generation. Life is good. Chocolate mint is good...all is well

Get Fit

How do you like that title....?? Sounds easy doesn't it? Well.... I can tell you right now that it is quite time consuming!! My sister, Nannie, aka Cindy, signed several family members up for this really cool program here in L town. Of course, Kimber's (my neice) coach Ms. Boles talked Nannie into it!! Which wasn't hard to do!! Well.... the program will last until December the 8th!! The program is geared toward getting people up and out of the house.... re~train their mentality toward exercise in general. You report weekly about how many minutes you exercise, how many "special events" of motavational (sp...cause I am a bad speller) speakers and how much weight lost. We are known as the "Humdingers" : Nannie, Kimber, Amanda, Ashley, myself and now..get ready for this.... our "ringer"..... Ironman Randy .... we thought he could help us out with a few points!!! But what at first was greedyness...has turned into inspiration..... he helps to motivate us all. It has been fun so far.

Ok... now this whole program is done on the "honor" system.....hmmmm..might I add that I am not to sure how many "honorable" people there are in this deal......the exercise part is fine............ the event thing is fine.... but the weight dealy is pretty creative.... of which I think the organizers have figured this situation out already..... you see.... you are, or were, supposed to report weight loss weekly. That would be fine except.... lets say that in one week you lost (where did it go) 2 pounds. Ok good.... you would report it to your "captain"..... the captain would then report it on line... now comes the tricky part....each pound is worth 50 points.... so that would total 100 right??? Well.... if the captain types in 100..... that multiplys automatically....when really they should type in 02..... the computer program would then figure it automatically.... so now you see where i am going with this deal. Now... most of us can look at the totals and know when a number is correct.... but I guess the team called the "Low Fat Warriors"...have not figured it out!!!! They always seem to stay in 1st place....kinda irks me. Now, usually i am not competitive...however....if I am going to put myself out on the line.....the numbers have got to work!! OK... now comes the juicy part...... this week they lose 2 pounds.... poundage now reported........ next week, guess what......???? they are up 3 pounds...opps........ then the next week they lose 1 pound....that should put them back to square 1 right???? Well heck no.... they report the 1 pound weight loss..... I guess it makes them feel pretty good about themselves...I guess this can go on and on..... by December 8th..... they will have gained 10 pounds (because of Thanksgiving) but will somehow have lost 30 pounds!!! Well, I guess it just goes to show you that no matter what incentives are offered in life.... someone will always find a way around it!

It will be fun to see how this program progresses. I am encouraging the Get Fit powers that be to keep some type of program going. It gets me out of the house... gets me walking.... gets me to events..... encourages me....

Nannie, Kimber and I participated in the "Red Raider Road Race" on the Texas Tech Campus.... now I must add that Texas Tech has NOTHING to do with this race.... it is put on by the West Texas Running club...of which Randy is the internal race director....(Randy, I knew you would want me to set the record straight)!! Now....mind you... I DON'T run....it hurts my teeth... not to mention my over mental health.... so... here we are.... us girls are going to do the 5K and Randy the 10 K..... why don't they just use the actual mileage..... 5k is a little over 3 miles..... ok.... so here we are standing in the big group..... walkers have been advised to stay in single file to the right for the first few minutes so we would not get run over (my cute husband made that announcement). The horn goes off... (oh yes, Randy and I went to the new "Ganders" to get this air horn thing.... we get home.... I could see the handwriting on the wall.....yes, people... you know it..... he had to toot the horn.....my dog Sydney Ann ran under our bed and did not come out until the wee hours of the morning).....yes, Randy,,,, it is LOUD! So..back on track... the horn goes off.... excitement builds... Nannie takes off running....mind you.... she has her purse strap around her neck and her purse hangs down to her side..... Kimber and I crack up..... Nannie is actually pushing on,.... cool.... Ok, about this time...you guessed it..... one of the other West Texas Running club members could not resist the urge to toot the air horn again... I guess it is a guy thingy! I chuckled again and could not wait to inform Randy of this "guy thing". I am sure Kimber could have poured past most of the people there... but she felt sorry for me... she stayed with me... sweet kimber.....we walked... I walked as fast as I could.... Nannie was quickly out of our sight.... how could I be slower than some of these other walkers....how dare they.... ok... come on Kimber... lets trot.... so we trotted.... and trotted... my tounge was hanging out... ok... gotta stop... let me catch my breath.... ok...now... where is Randy..... damn him.... he is fast...and he is 51 years old.... he was passing teenagers.....ok..... caught my breath.... much better... lets try again Kimber.... ok Tia she says.... I thank her a million times for staying with her 'ol Tia.... will that finish line ever come into view?????

Well finally Kimber and I came accross the finish line... I refused to run the last few yards because if I could not run most of the race I did not want to look like my running was that slow. Nannie greeted us..... Randy greeted us (he ran the 10k...) all is well. Not medal continders..no sir. But guess what.... Nannie is the proud owner of a "Red Raider Road Race" medal... she placed 3rd....yeahhhhhhhh. Randy won 2nd place in his age division.... yeahh.......

I am sure there will be more events.... we have already done the Susan G. Komen race for breast cancer.....health fair at the mall.....walks over at tech terrace.... lectures....etc.... thanks Nannie for the encouragement!

My next blog will be a great contrast to this one......as I tell you about the New Baskin~Robbins..... peace out babe!! AND GET FIT!!!!!

Well Traveled

So, this has been the year of travelling!! That is an understatement!!!!!! In April, we went to Tempe Arizona for "Arizona Ironman"...Then we went to the hill country.... To Escondida....the Texas Country Reporters Hacienda.... it was beautiful there.... then on to Fredericksburg..... then to Dallas for a Triathlon...... then back to Fredericksburg for family vacation with the kiddos....and to Dallas two more times..... somewhere in there, I went to Ocala, Florida with Randy on a business trip!!! Whew... I am tired of travelling. It has been alot of fun!! I think I have seen every "mall" from here to there..... Taylor and Nickolas have benefitted from these excursions..... they are dressing mighty fine these days.... gone are the days when I bring my two daughters anything...ahhhhhh..... well sometimes I sneak them something in!!

In the mean time... Randy surprised me with a new computer....imac.... what a surprise..... it was for my birthday! I am still trying to learn how to use it. I hear it is "stupid" proof... we will see. I am having alot of fun making slideshows of the family and adding music from itunes.... wasn't long ago that I did not have a clue what that meant!!!.. This is actually the first bit of technology that my neice, Kimber, was truly "jealous" of........ you know I usually run about 7 years behind the new stuff!!! Hopefully, I can get back to writing again!!

Well, the grandsons are growing like weeds ( and believe me, I know what weeds are because I used to have to hoe them!). Taylor just celebrated his first birthday. I could not believe it. His mommy and daddy had a BIG party for him at their home. We had alot of fun. Randy...aka...Grandpa.... and I gave Mr. T a Radio Flyer tricycle.... no, not just any one would do..... I searched and searched until I could find an "all~metal" one. No plastic for our boy..... and now I have to get another one and put it up for Nickle~pickle!!! I figure the tricycles need to be durable..as we know how tough boys can be!!

The family has grown. Amanda and Matt added a one year old weimerwaner (sp) dog. His name is Bauer. He is a beautiful dog.... however, Baxter has had a bit of trouble adjusting to his new "brother". Baxter and Bauer had a "rowl" the other day. I think Baxter finally figured out that Bauer is about 10 times his size.... needless to say..... I think Baxter has a healthy respect for Bauer now. Bella just goes along with "whatever".

Ash and Jeffrey added a pure black great dane to their little brown dog family...... his name is Raider. The breeder just gave him away because the dogs mother picked him up by the head and damaged one of his eyes and she could not afford to have it surgically removed. Well... Ash and Jeff felt sorry for it...... Raider has done pretty well... but one day.... the eye grew....and grew....and grew....it looked like they put a ping~pong ball in his socket..... so...on to Dr. Jury, the vet. He took wonderful care of Raider.....infection gone.....eyeball gone.....stitched up socket....maybe they should have called him lucky!!!! Now if you remember from previous readings... they already have Bo, a yellow lab, Tabbitha, part pom and "chee~wa~wa", and Roofus Jones, little tan stray dog. Poor Roofus.... he has had the most trouble adjusting..... but today, Ash told me that she thinks that Roofus Jones is alright with Raider because when she let them out this morning.... Roofus, wagging his tail was following right behind Raider smelling Raiders "butt"!!!!!! I guess thats love.

Well... I am sure I will have more tomorrow.... I need to tell you about the "Get Fit" program that the family is doing. And, if I can figure how to add photos to this blog thingy....I will..... goodnight....Shari