10/31/2014
The extra rest in Alpine worked wonders on my body. We were sad that we were unable to say good bye to our wonderful host Tushar. He prepared us another breakfast packed with nutrients and we chatted a little bit but the chores associated with running a business beckoned. We stepped out to a dark cloudy sky while he tended to the installation of a new kitchen. The weather report gave precipitation a 60% chance. Crystal gave it a higher percentage. We discussed our options and we decided to visit Front Street Books on their main street. We had met Jean the prior day at the Rotary club meeting. She was a graceful, mature woman with an air of someone well read. It must have come from having a book store. The importance of literacy is definitely not lost on such an individual.
Crystal and I spent a good portion of our morning in the cozy shop, perusing both the new and used selection of books. When we stepped back outside the sun was shining and the clouds had magically vanished. We took it as a cue to depart. After packing up and getting ready we discovered the early morning routine had taken the energy from Tushar and he was sound asleep. The staff said they would tell him we said good bye but it just didn’t feel right.
The subway sandwich shops have given us so much support on this journey. The one on the Main street across from Sul Ross University was not an exception. They went out of their way to make sure we had enough to eat, they set up a donation can, and they sent us on our way with a subway gift card. Crystal and I looked at each other with surprised faces. We would have been grateful for just a footlong sub. I paid for a fountain drink with my card and they even voided the purchase so that we would have more money for our travels. Did I mention Texas has been very good to us?
With plenty of nutrients in my body I got driven to the spot where we left off. I took to the road with purpose. My mission was to keep the blood flowing because I was cold. The loss of body fat meant the loss of insulation. Within what seemed like a few minutes I could see the town of Marathon in the distance. With a goal in sight it was easy to run at a fast pace. The motorists provided plenty of support and I had almost no distractions to keep me from Marathon. Of course once I reached the beginning of town I wanted to begin snapping pictures but by then I had covered plenty of ground. I was only a mile away from Eve’s Garden B&B.
I knew we were in for a special treat when I saw the midnight blue and curry yellow colors of the building from the main road. The architecture consisted of arches and rounded edges. The massive property had been thought out piece by piece. Before checking in, Crystal and I stood in awe of the accomplishment for a moment. We were greeted at the door by Elaine and the scent of pumpkin and spice. She confirmed our dietary needs for breakfast before giving us a short tour of the place. We were given our choice of two rooms. They already had five other rooms booked so we were very lucky. We went for the one with the biggest bed.
Her husband Noble chatted with a local friend. Crystal and I were brought into the conversation and within moments of conversing we discovered where we would be spending our Halloween. I grinned when I heard there was a celebration planned at the Burro. I wanted to make sure Crystal had a chance to celebrate her favorite holiday. It was a good thing we had brought our costumes along. Before leaving for the party we had the chance to meet and chat with Kate. When I met her she was sitting on the floor with Bubbles a cute, little, curly blond haired dog. Kate had been feeling under the weather and Bubbles was there comforting her. Kate had so much to talk about. She spoke with a soft but strong voice. Even though she wasn’t feeling well, she looked healthy and happy. Through our conversation, I knew it was her positive outlook that made her so elegant. It was a shame she wouldn’t be joining us at the Burro.
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