MY DAUGHTER, THE RENNY

Have I mentioned lately how much I love having my daughter just an hour away, rather than halfway across the country, as she was for four years? I can't believe that at the end of this month, she will have been back in Texas for a full year! How is

that possible? Believe me when I say, I'm not even close to feeling blase' about it yet, or taking it for granted in any way.

Take this weekend. Lex has always been a huge fan of the Texas Renaissance Festival that is held for about six weeks, down near Houston, each fall (any ol' excuse to wear a costume). So, when she found out that my friend Fiber Woman has a permanent booth there, she badgered FW into letting her help out on the weekends this season. Lex is loving every minute of it, but by the time she gets back to Austin each Monday, she is absolutely wrung out! That's why I was so surprised when she went to the trouble to stop here on her way home yesterday, just to say hi to dear old mom. She was so pooped that she decided to curl up on the sofa for a minute before heading home, maybe watch an episode of Smallville that I had recorded for her. Several episodes later, I said "I've got some prosciutto and arugula that I was going to use on a pizza bianca for supper tonight. Care to share it with me?" By the time we had finished eating, Lex had realized that a couple of our very favorite shows to watch together would be on shortly, and by the time Castle ended at 10:00, well, it only made sense for her to sleep over, and to head home first thing in the morning when she was more alert.

It got me to thinkin' this morning, and I realized that I should probably be grateful for that period when I only saw her a couple of times per year. Without having experienced that, I would not be nearly as appreciative of the way things are now, or so aware of what a gift it is to have a an adult daughter who still enjoys curling up on the sofa with her mom, sharing laughs, a pizza, and maybe even a sappy made-for-tv movie.

Well, time to shut this computer down. It's Tuesday dontcha know. Meeting of the Muses day. Now that I've heard Alexis' Ren Fest tales, it's time to get the other side of the story from FW. Rumor has it, she has some juicy tidbits to share!