Lenella Iley Meister

I'm enjoying retirement (if an artist actually retires) in my San Antonio home. I have a nice garden and love to cook.

In this South Texas heat I find I've become quite the hermit. We feel like we keep up with our friends, but, when analyzed, it's primarily online. At least it's a way to keep "talk" with my sons...they grew up and moved away on me! Jordan, 41, lives in Austin. This seems close, but it takes as long to get there as to Houston or the coast.

My eldest son, James, and his wife are now empty nesters and have taken to the road in their mid 40's. She's a traveling nurse, so this allows her to do her thing and take her hubby and critters with her. They live in an enormous, 42' RV with all the trimmings. They live with Toby, their old cat...and TWO huge dogs...Jäger, a 105 lb German Shepherd and Cooper, a 75 lb mix they rescued.

Having a transient son means I have trouble shipping things to him and seeing him on any regular basis. Home is now far away from all of them. Grandbabes live in Oklahoma and Kansas due to work. How does this happen to an old lady who wants to bake cookies and hang with family?

School story? If you're a band geek you hang with like geeks, in the band hall. If you weren't in the band or into Latin, I probably didn't know you.

I remember places...Kim's Drive-In where we'd drive in circles drinking lemon Dr. Peppers. Remember those little plastic monkeys that we would hang all over our sun visors? I remember lots of lake parties, BBQ on the grill on the back of pontoon boats, Fish Pond parties and picnics. I remember Cameron Park, 25th St. Theater Saturday matinees, giant pickles, Christmas Land up the escalator at Sears. Oh, and Cotillion in that white building on the hill in Cameron Park...the music, dresses. I had a couple of Latin and band picnics around there. Cannot remember the name...that was sooo last century! Have lived in San Antonio since '74, so THIS is home.