Where did Christmas Conference go?

I could have sworn I put Christmas Conference in here. Wow, this is really late unless I can figure out how to slip it in where it belongs. So here is what happened. There were some talks and a great movie about the birth of the Savior. Then we had lunch which was organized by Elder and Sister Baron who in real life are caterers. We took a mission picture which I hope I can put up here. Then we had some entertainment and it was time to go home. All the stockings we made went over well. If I really did post this before here is another. Actual date was December 18, 2014.

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The big mission picture is at the link. I'm in there somewhere.

This is the condensed version but you get the idea. We are 285 strong.

 In the chapel before conference begins

 Chow line

 See the stockings we made are on all the tables.

 Enjoying the festivities

 Elder and Sister Gaughan

President and Sister Mortensen

More Good Eats!

Went shopping at Price club the other nite and stopped in at the restaurant I've had the pleasure of enjoying previously. It is called Sweet Tomato. It's a salad bar with tons of all kinds of salads and salad toppings. It's buffet style and also they serve soup, pasta, bread and muffins. It's great if you love salads which I do. Their rustic wheat bread is great. Lots of good eats!

Pizza bread too and backed potatoes and sweet potatoes. Dessert stuff too but who cares.

Good Eats!!

Free Saturday due to Womens Conference. Went to the temple in the morning and did a bunch of sealings for my family then training on the register at clothing rental. Free until 5:45 when I needed to be at the stake center to watch the broadcast.  One of my friends from the temple suggested I should try to go to Hinze's BBQ in Wharton Texas. It was only about an hour and half away going south on 59 towards Victoria so I decided to take a spin. BUT it was also the week of March Madness and the Sweet 16 games for the south region were being played at the NRG Stadium which of course is on 59. Needless to say there was a bit of a traffic problem. Took 2 hours to get to Wharton but it was worth it. Once I got out of the city the landscape reminded me very much of home except that home in no longer green due to water shortage. But it was a peaceful drive. Wharton reminded me of West Sac just not as busy. Hinzes original building burnt down last August and they are in the process of rebuilding so they are using a very old former Pizza Hut store, very small cinder block building, and cooking and serving out of it until the new building is ready. Very no frills but the food was good. I had some nice visits with a few locals and ate some very good coleslaw, not creamy style but vinegary, which was very tasty. I ate sliced pork and pork ribs. Not overly spiced and hardly any fat. I had onion & bacon mashed potatoes with red potatoes but should have probably gotten something else since they were soso. It was very good all and all. For desert I got a sliced of their enormous lemon meringue pie and a slice of coconut for later consumption. A nice drive back out of town past the livestock auction yard and this cone head hotel. Yeserie, it is a hotel. Back in time for the conference were I fell asleep during the last 2 speakers. Good thing I can watch them on line.

 Ginormous pies!!!

 Cone head hotel, for reals!

The other Sister Davis

This is the other Sister Davis serving in Houston. She is from Bellevue, Washington. She is serving with Sister Jeppson who is from Farmington (previous post). We went out on an appointment last nite. I have been out with them and the other sisters from time to time. It was a no show so they wanted to walk around in this ghetto apartment complex and talk  to people which we did. But I got a big ugly blister from my new sandals. Ouch!!! Guess that's what I get for calling the apartments ghetto.

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

What a great day! The temple is closed for 2 weeks so off I go to see the one and only Houston Livestock Show but forget the rodeo. That part you had to pay extra for. I wanted to see the animals and they shows. I got there no problem just after it opened at 8:00am. The Livestock, most of them anyway, were in outer buildings. But the main exhibition hall had all kinds of booths and fair stuff to buy which I did. But there also was many of the steers if not all of them in the building. Lots of varieties, Brahmans, Angus, Aunju, Herferd and many others. But the best part was load in day for the hogs, and there were many. Lots of Durocs which was surprising. Crosses and Spotted and Chester or Landrace (they look alike). It was so good to smell pick again. I spent much of my time watching them walk in and all the tack the people brought in and I do mean lots. The minimum weight for hogs was 240 and max was 280 sell to 290. That is much higher than our hogs.
There was the lamb & goat auction after lunch so I had to see that. It was held in the sale arena on the other side of the NRG complex. Fortunately they had a tram to take us over and back. What an eye opener. They don't sell their livestock by weight but by dollar amounts. And they pull down some obnoxious prices. The Grand Champion lamb sold for $260,000. the Grand goat sold for $170,000. After about 60 or so animals came in they went to double lots. But they didn't bring the animals in. All kids in auction are guaranteed $1,000 from the fair fund. Soooo odd. Instead the kids stood there holding their ribbons. Very odd. What was very disappointing was the way the kids were dresses. These were FFA and $-h kids but none of them were dressed in their uniforms. They were in jeans and tennis shoes and not at all professional. I say if you're going to try and sell a product you dress appropriately. None of them were. And they brought all these other little kids and people up with them to try and milk the crowds. Not like what I am use to. But that's Texas and they don't dress for sales. I also went and watched the mule pull. A team of 2 mules pulls a platform weighted down. They have just a small amount of time to pull it as far as they can. It's so heavy they don't go very far. They pulled best when they pulled together. I ate beans and rice and funnel cake. Bought some fun things for my kids and grandkids and a new sweater for me. It was a great getaway day.

Lite crowds in the morning. By afternoon it was packed

 This is a steer squeeze for the bull riders

 Steers!

 See, not in uniform...

 Hogs!!!

 I liked the coloring on this cross

 Hog Tack

 Panels for the pens. All pens are cut in half - Hogs can stand up and sit down, that's it!

 Champion meat goat $170,000. Still no one dressed...

 You can see the big buyers up close and personal

 Grand Champion lamb $260,000. Owner gets $50,000 - rest to fair fund

 Need I say more about their unprofessional attire

 It's a big arena - auctioneers sit nice and high

 And this was the Grand Champion Steer - only $300,000. Quite a come down from the lamb. the steer cost her $30,000 plus $2,500 for feed. she gets to keep $70,000. The rest goes to fair fund

 Mini mule pull

Lots and lots of fair stuff!!!