Chili's

We went out to dinner tonight, with our young friend C and her mom. C was using one of her birthday coupons-- the one for a hamburger dinner. In her 15-yr-old opinion, Chili's has the best burgers, and that's what she ordered. So big that she couldn't finish it, but she got a to-go box and will enjoy the rest of it for tomorrow's lunch.

Thankfully, Chili's also had grilled salmon and fresh vegetables, which is what I ordered. As did my husband...... guess he wasn't in a burger mood. (Thank you, Muljibhai.) After dinner, we went to C's house and played a game of Blokus. We all still love that game, and we're having fun with it whenever we can. My husband and I took that game with us into the Hill Country a few weeks ago, but we never even took it out of the bag....... we were too busy enjoying the night view from the back deck of that house. (Jeez..... alwasy get back to that house, don't I?)

Speaking of the house, of course both C and her mom asked what was going on with that... and C is clearly disappointed that we don't own it yet. I can see that she's decorating her room in her mind every time she asks about it.

We explained to them that we're stepping back from that house for a while, and looking at other houses in other towns. We don't want to go down that road again--- telling C about any house that we happen to find..... we'll just wait till we really find the house that we intend to buy from a seller more willing to negotiate. Then we'll surprise her, and I know she'll be so happy to have her own room in a country house that she'll forgive us for keeping it secret for a little while.

C has repeatedly asked us to take her along for the ride when we go into the Hill Country looking at more houses. My husband and I have discussed that, but we don't think it's a good idea. Better to surprise her with a for-sure house, than to muddle her mind with maybe-houses.