Benton "Babymoon"

We ditched the kids for a long weekend and headed for Lake Rend near the quiet town of Benton, IL. Benton is a small town of 7,000 an hour over the Southern Illinois state line. Our journey to Benton took us through Metropolis, an exit with a handful of gas stations. It was well worth the stop as it affirmed what K and I had always expected -that we were super-heroes.

Once in Benton we enjoyed the local couisine (at Seasons we had bread in a pot), saw a train that Judah would have loved, roamed the Walmart, and took in the stars.

Benton's town square was quaint with an interesting twist. Vehicles entering the square have the right of way?! It was surreal and remind me of It's a Mad Mad World! Just for fun I drove around the square on several different occasions the last time I made it around three times before my pregnant navigator told me she had had enough!

Making Memories

Romance movies often contain the often predictable scene where the male character, who is himself way too predictable and usually independently wealthy, whisks away his true love to the big city or some exotic place...while this feat is plausible the part where the lady's bag is packed and prepared down to the matching shoes for the evening dress is not. I tried. It is impossible! Hey, if you know me, you know that I'm a details guy, but there is nothing more challenging then packing your wife's bag when she is eight months pregnant. I did manage to completely surprise her though and steal her away for a weekend to San Antonio (without the little man in tow).

I have found that we were given good advice when we were told to intentionally take time to get away (at least three or four times a year) to make memories. So to celebrate the anniversary of our fourth year in Texas, to get a break from job hunting, and to get some time before the baby's arrival, I made reservations at the Omni Mansion del Rio (balcony rooms on the river).

Highlights of the trip included a pit stop in Austin to grab dinner at Fazolies. The one blight on Dallas is that there are no Fazolies in Dallas and therefore every chance we get we make it a point to eat at Fazolies. We were so giddy about it that K kept asking me, "does this make you as happy as it does me." And I declared that I preferred Fazolies to the Olive Garden! Ok, so we were being irrational. You will have noticed that I use the word "pit" in conjunction with Austin. It was intentional. I am still a little miffed at Austin traffic. We caught rush hour traffic on both sides of the city coming and going.

Upon our arrival at the hotel, we found a complimentary beverage next to the $6 bottled water which I forbade K to touch, a note from the concierge, and the room had been turned down. So what does a couple who has been married for almost six years do when they happen upon such a romantic setting, that's right...we went and got dessert.

The rest of our time was delightful and included a morning self-guided tour of the four additional missions to the Alamo which run along the San Antonio River valley. Built in the 17 century these are some of the oldest structures that I have seen in North America. The only thing that may out date these would be the cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde, CO. We then took in a movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. The Mrs. likes her popcorn as we skipped lunch in favor of this snack. For dinner we dined on a balcony over-looking the river walk at a quaint restaurant, Zuni's, where K had shrimp and I, the land lover, had a burger. Yes, my tastes are not quite as refined, but truth be known, I was really craving a steak...ahh, the things we sacrifice for those we love...she wanted fish!

Our day ended watching CSI. Sad, I know, but when you don't have tv or the time to watch tv you find that you get rather excited about the mundane. Though when you don't watch much tv and then take in a show like CSI, you do not have mundane dreams!

Aside from being alone with my bride, I enjoyed the balcony, not having to make my own bed, the beauty of the river walk, the five bars of soap that were given to me by the maid with whom I was chatty, the terrycloth bathrobes, the great deal that I got on the room ($80 for a $240 room) and the free complimentary coffee which was delivered to our door each morning.