On 18 September 2014, Jackie writes:
I'm staying with one of Tom's friends and his wife
whom we'd shown all over Scotland;
he always wanted to show us Texas.
He is out of the Air Force now and
we're starting in Bandera,
[Cowboy Capital of the World]
and will see as much of Texas
as he can fit into the days we have.
Tom met Dan & Elaine Dittrich when he left the army
and we moved to Mildenhall in 1992.
Dan was in the US Air Force; he & Tom stayed friends over the years.
Tom took Dan to Scotland for a trip; Dan had always wanted to do
the same for Tom in his home state of Texas.
Alas it was not to be because by the time Dan left the Air Force,
Tom was in the wheelchair. They made me promise that
when their house was built, I would visit, so after all these years,
I am going to spend some time with them in Texas.
On 10 April 2015, Jackie writes:
Only two weeks today till I leave for Texas.
and new shorts & trainers,
so all I really need to do is get my case packed.
That is the hardest bit; packing enough, but not too much.
It seemed like ages away and now it's almost here.
THIS is the town where my friends live and I will stay here a few days,
then off to the Alamo and Bandera and a big theme park;
not sure what else they have planned.
On 24 April, Jackie writes:
Well, I'm almost packed. I have my boarding pass and seat number 19b;
my friend emailed last night they are on tornado watch . . .
hmm . . . could have done without that news.
Dan has put me on his insurance so I can drive his pickup.
All I have to decide is which cowboy hat to take:
my Colorado beige one
or my dark tan one, or the tilley hat that I bought in Canada,
but have not worn yet. I'm actually thinking of
just taking this one as it has a sun screen in it and it packs flat.
I can always buy a cowboy hat if I see a nice one, and some boots,
although because I take children's sizes, they never look that good.
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