"Out In The West Texas Town of El Paso...." 🐴🐮🐂

My parents love country western music, old western movies, old western anything. So it's not surprising that I grew up listening to some of the greats, who paved the way for the country stars of  today; George Jones, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, to name a few.

My favorite singer, though I'm not sure I ever told my parents, was Marty Robbins.   Yep, you guessed it, I love his song, El Paso.  I sang it for Mark, from the middle of Arizona to the Texas border. I even pulled it up on YouTube and sang with the music. Mark appreciated that music, because I'm sure it sounded better than my attempts as acapella. "El Paso" led into several different songs from the past. "Big Bad John", "Folsom Prison Blues", " Coward of the County".... I know, Kenny Rogers was later, but I couldn't help myself.  The cat thought we were nuts, but we were having fun. 

Due to its geographical location, you don't have to be in El Paso long before you see the Mexican city of Juarez. I was struck by the difference a fence can make.  On one side, upgrades on the infrastructure, with new roads, brick homes, and malls with designer stores; On the other side, urban sprawl of poverty with homes that look like they are made out of cardboard boxes, dirt roads, and an abundance of trash.

The best thing about El Paso, to me anyway, is that Mark has family there and we had been invited over for lunch. After parking the truck, Mark's uncle picked us up at the truck stop.

Meet John and Lucille Williamson. I need to stop here for a minute and crow about Mark's family.  His family has been so loving and caring towards me and has accepted me as one of them since before Mark and I got married. They are genuine people. These two are no different. John made a stop at a store so I could get some medicine for those chiggers, which has turned out to be something else, we think poison ivy.  When we got to the house we were greeted at the door with a big smile,warm hug, and the most amazing smell of a home cooked meal in the oven.  It was going to be a good day!🍞🥗🥧  Roast, potatoes, carrots,  salad, bread, and pumpkin pie was on  the menu for lunch.  I was in heaven. It took me back to my grandmother's table, when my whole family would visit her and grandpa. After lunch, bellies and hearts full, it was time to head back to the truck. They loaded us up with gifts of pomegranate jelly and peanut butter brownies, and took us back. It felt good to have support from family. Life is good!.