A Little Bit Country

Last week I made a short trip to Dallas and Ft. Worth to visit Coleen and show her cousin and friend around town. We tried to jam as much as possible into our short time together.

We made the necessary Dallas stops: Tupinamba - best Mexican food ever! Sam Moon - not gonna lie, losing it's appeal, but I did get a snap watch for a smart price, State Fair, DSW (not sure how that made the list), but Coleen did purchase 3 pair of shoes in a matter of 5 minutes which earned her a free brown handbag which she gave to me! Thank you very much :) Touring Cowboy Stadium was on the agenda, but we were running short on time and our visitors broke the news that they don't really follow football...ouch! I guess Vermont doesn't spoil them with great exciting football.

Next up, Ft. Worth, the Stockyards in particular. Embarrassed to say that I have spent 33 of my 50 years living in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex and I had never been to the Stockyards.

I was impressed and would like to state for the record that I actually loved it. I've always been a fan of the music and the dancing (sorry fellow baptists, yes I LOVE the dancing). I like old country, sappy country...country that tells a story. Songs that sound as if they were written just for you, yeah, I like them!

And no cowgirl would be complete without a hat! I found a really cute blue cowboy hat at the Fair, loved it, but it didn't match my darlin cowboy boots. It did however send me on a wild goose chase for one that would.

Let me set the stage. It was a bit chilly outside and I was wearing a sweater that has a reasonable amount of shaggy animal fur. My son-in-law affectionately refers to it as my Cruela Deville...now, enter the salesman - let's call him 'the real deal' as he was a rootin tootin dipping cowboy.

I find a hat that is a bit of a vintage look, like my boots. I really like the color, but it was a soft straw. I'm not really a hat person, but I realized that if you have the hat shaped to fit you, it can work. So I ask the guy if they have anything in the 'real' cowboy hats, ones that can be shaped, but one that looked like the one I had on.

He basically looked at me like I was from Mars, and says...no mam. I ask him what he thought about the straw looking hat, in particular as it related to me. Ha.

He sized up my outfit and said well, if you want to look like a real cowboy, you get the real hat. If you want to look like a city girl wearing a cowboy hat you get the one you've got on. I was happy to see that he thought I had potential. Like Cinderella and the shoe, maybe the right cowboy hat can change your life! At least change your wardrobe.

We finished our night in Ft. Worth with a trip to Billy Bob's, also a first. I had a good time, but it could have been a great time. I loved, loved the bull riding and would have enjoyed the music and watching people dance (Big Daddy wasn't with me)...but it was concert night and someone that could NOT sing was the man of the hour. He gave me a splitting headache!

I left with my resolution for 2010...for Big Daddy and I to brush up on the two-step so we can hit a few country and western dance floors next year, as well as a couple of rodeos. I just love the good 'ol boy aspect of that way of life. Men still open doors for the ladies, they look at you like you're a lady, they call you mam in a good way, not like you're old. I think they basically live by the golden rule, and I like that.

Several that know me may laugh at the idea of me going a little bit country, but I might just surprise you. I'm not saying I'll be wearing rhinestones anytime soon, but stay tuned for the cowboy hat.

xoxo,

~May you find Jesus in the ordinary and may His love be enough~