Jenn Boo-lari @dolari@driveinsaturday.org

🎶 Looooong loooooong maaaaaaaaan! 🎶

Today's Texas Food: Schlotsky's

Yes, it's another chain. But it isn't in Washington. And it's an Austin original.

Honestly, I should learn how they do their bread. The rest is just cold cuts.

There was a late start to the day, and we needed to get home early, so today was maintenance day. Getting all the computers up and running, making food for tomorrow, and dad working on his new hobby: carpentry. These are Whataburger themed bird houses. :)

Diamond Shamrock is a thing again?

Along the old Castroville-Rockport road.

From humble beginnings (left) to greatness (right), in Senior, TX.

Fun Stuff found down remote county roads.

Things That Are Not Long For This World, Volume 1

My friends. My good dear friends.

Life is good.

Thoughts Before Bed, Real Truth Edition.

This little building has been here since at least the early 50s, and was a gas station at the corner of Quesenberry and Watson Road.

Quesenberry owned a lot of land in the area shortly after Texas Independence, which is why the road is named after him. To the south is Paso de Las Garzas.

Blas Herrera, a scout during the Alamo siege, owned a ranch at the pass, and his dance hall still exists. Down the ways into the pass are the ruins of a White Elephant saloon, a chain of bars across Texas in the late 1800s.

To the East of this building are the Camino Arriba and Pita Roads, ancient native trails turned into royal roads by the king of Spain in the late 1700s, now gone. To the west, the Laredo Road branched out in what are today's Pleasanton and Trumbo roads.

Near there are the last remains of the town of Thelma. All that's left is an old hotel, now a residence.

Not a single whit of any of this history matters one bit in Seattle.

Did you know that the Dairy Queens in Texas have a completely different menu (outside of the ice cream) than the other 49 states? Can't get steak fingers in Washington. Different food supplier.

Also, only in Texas does a kid's menu portion of cream gravy seem like a good thing to have.

My future business plans emerge....

Today's Adventure in Texas: Exploring a cemetery that may or may not be connected to our family.

In 2000 I visited here by getting permission to get on a neighboring property and jumping the fence. In 2010, my mid 60 year old father and I jumped a fence and walked a half mile round trip to the cemetery and back across a broken up cotton field.

The area is now being developed, and we went to see if it as any more accessible, and to our surprise, it's now very accessible. We can park in a cult de sac, walk a little ways, and were right there.

Dad felt so good about being there (at 70!) That he's considering trying to clean the place up.

"What hours are you open?"
"Yes."

Today in Texas Food: Chacho's

You don't know how much I miss good fast Mexican food. No, Taco Cabana no longer counts.

That plate of chips and queso? That's a "small."

Mom: That's the most expensive I've seen.
Jenn, after paying $5/gal for the cheap stuff in Seattle: O_o;

Today in Texas food: Long John Silver's.

Yeah, it's a national chain. It's also nowhere near Washington State.

Even the low end BBQ in Texas beats the high end BBQ in Seattle.

Just hook that watermelon straight into my veins.

Truly, signs of civilization.