Cinco de Mayo....a day late (and other things)

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  Cinco de Mayo is an important day for Lamar and I; we had our first (blind) date on Cinco de Mayo in Albuquerque. My jogging partner in college worked with Lamar, and she had been trying to set us up for about three months. I was just too busy with my dissertation to take time out to go on any blind dates. However, I had a dream one night that I went on this blind date and that it worked out great. I called my friend, asked her to call Lamar, and we met a few days later for our date.  I remember a couple of things very vividly about the date.  One of the first things Lamar asked me was what kind of music I liked, and he seemed pretty serious about it.  This should have been my first clue about what a snob my husband is about music!  He also told me he would be happy somewhere just "living off the land."  Finally, I will never forget that we showed up wearing essentially the same thing:  We both showed up in flannel-type shirts with undershirts.  Needless to say,  I couldn't resist, and everything worked out......and we were married a year and a half later.

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  Now is the time we would really be working our garden back home, and we both miss it. I think Lamar misses it a bit more than I. We have our plants and such here in our apartment, and Lamar is working with the S.O.S. on their garden, but it is just not the same. I miss LAND! Sometimes when we have time on the weekends, we shop for land on the internet....looking at where we might go and how big our garden could be. So here is to our old garden....

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  When I was growing up, my mom was allergic to cats (and she never really liked them), so we always had dogs.  I was never a fan of cats myself.  When I met Lamar, he was living in a tent in the Sandia Mountains,  and he had a cat named Olive.  Well, Lamar and Olive were a package deal.  I must admit, I was not thrilled with the idea of having a cat. But I have to confess that now I love that cat more than any pet I have ever had (sorry mom!).  She is the sweetest, funniest, most lovable thing ever.  I miss her every single day.  She is with a friend of Lamar's in New Mexico while we are away.  Last night we heard a poor little kitten meowing all night.  It made me think of Olive and how glad I am Lamar saved her from the rescue shelter. 

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  One last thing:  I really, really miss sweet tea.  I grew up in Arkansas, and this means you can get sweet tea from virtually any restaurant you visit.  When I moved to New Mexico, I was heartbroken to discover this is pretty much a southern thing only.  So, I started making my own.  THEN....Albuquerque got a McAlister's!  I was so happy, and Lamar took me there after church on Sundays so I could have my sweet tea.  I miss it, and I plan to drink my fill of it when I get back home.