Our cyber security industry group was meeting in Dallas, TX this year, and it just worked out that I was available to attend, so I did have a full day of work on Tuesday and Wednesday, but also got some spare time to enjoy the city while I was there. I grabbed an early flight out on Monday, at the time wanting to visit the 6th Floor Museum, but as time got closer, I saw online that this museum was closed on Mondays. So instead, I went over to a flight museum that was on the edge of Love Field and a short 10 minute drive from the airport. It was about the same size of the Southern Museum of Flight, and had some good exhibits. I liked seeing this pancake plane below, but the coolest was the Appollo 7 capsule. They also had a full size Southwest plane that you entered inside the museum, but it stretched out into the parking lot. I had plenty of time here, but as I was about to go look at some more details of the space capsule, a school group of about 150 kids started arriving. That was my cue to get out of here and on to my hotel.
The hotel was very strange. I guess it was a modern theme, but it was basically an unfinished concrete walled room. Pipes exposed at the top, some of the finishing nails exposed and poking my toe while working at the desk, and just a weird shower. The hallways were the same, the elevators did not work, but it was packed, and I guess "unfinished" is a cool theme at this place. That evening I had some really amazing crepes at this place call La Madeleine, and sent the picture to Belle as it looked to me like it was straight from the village in Beauty and the Beast.
After work the next day, I had bought a ticket to see the Mavericks play. Later I would learn that there was a train stop about 5 minutes from my hotel that would have taken me directly to the stadium, but instead, I drove the 45 minutes in a crazily designed highway system in Dallas where you have zero entrance ramps and double yields for people merging together at a Y, and AHHHAHHA....just crazy roads, thankful I am still alive.
But it was worth it. The mavericks have always been one of my favorite teams, first with Dirk and now with Luka. And I was there early enough to sit and watch them practice before the game, seeing Dirk and Kyrie pushing each other around to get a shot. It was a perfect game to watch, seeing the first two buckets were both a steal and layup from Luka. Klay Thompson has joined the mavs this year, and at least in the first half, they were draining threes all over the place. Luka had some amazing moments in this game, hitting shots that should not have been made, but they would put up a sign at both ends of the stadium reading "Luka Magic" and the place erupted. I was on the front row of the third level, but really a great seat to see everything happening. The mavs won 132 to 91, so it was not even close, but probably best for a guy from Alabama just wanting to watch is favorite team dominate.
I got home late to a text from Magan. It included a picture of little Ruby all by herself on the front stairs where we sit every morning waiting for the bus. Magan texted "Ruby said to tell Dad to call! I need to tell him stuff. But before 9PM" Hahaha. That sweet girl has my heart, and glad somebody still has stuff to tell me. I had also reached out while I was at the stadium to my friend Bobby from CRF that lives in Dallas. After some back and forth, we planned to meet the following night at a BBQ place near my hotel.
After another full work day, I made my way over to "Hard 8 BBQ" to meet up with Bobby. I asked Bobby what he was planning to eat, then asked him about what veggies were the best here. He quickly said, "Oh they have a pot of beans in the back that is free, you need to just get the meat here". So I told Bobby if he could give the order to the pitmaster, I would get the bill. And we got 1/2 lb of turkey, 1/4 lb of bologna, 3/4 lb of pulled pork, 1/2 lb of brisket, 1/2 lb of sirloin and some little chicken poppers wrapped in bacon. I believe I could have fed my whole family on this, but instead two men just ate way too much. Bobby brought his little Mogwai Bob-O, because he knew Ruby liked it, and we got a couple of pictures with Bob-O. It was great catching up with him again, trying to get ready for Honduras trip, and a book he had recently recommended.
After the night of BBQ, I did get to talk to Ruby on facetime and hear all about the "stuff" I had missed. One last night in the "unfinished" hotel, and I flew back home to Birmingham. Picked up a new car for Sam from Granddaddy on the way home. Back at home, they left me like 5 baskets of clothes to fold...but that was ok, I got to bring all the kids a little souvenir, and got to sit on those front porch steps. Ruby even came and ate lunch with me at my desk the next day. It was a fun adventure in Dallas, full days of work, but always glad to be back home.
No comments:
Post a Comment