Fredericksburg

"I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning." (J.B. Priestley)

If you could drive as the crow flies, it would take 4 hours and 28 minutes to cover the 261 miles.
That’s not counting any stops for a sip of water or something to eat. But when your detour includes a stop at Buc-ee’s - just a wee bit out of the way - then the trip easily stretches to five hours or more.

Leaving Flower Mound took longer than expected. The roads were busy, and the scenery was better appreciated with your eyes closed.

Buc-ee’s got me the first time. When I first heard someone mention it, I thought, What do they know about bakkies? I assumed it was a South African thing! But no - turns out it’s a store that truly has everything, and then some. It's nearly impossible to keep kids (or grownups) from wanting whatever they have on display. For us, it was all about the drooling.

We were hungry. Since arriving in Texas, I’ve become a huge fan of brisket - which, I’ve learned, can take up to 16 hours of slow cooking and smoking before it lands in what they call a sandwich (read: a hamburger bun - not the sarmie we grew up with).
Their food is as good as their store is big. My brisket sandwich was absolutely delicious, and their “French fries” were the best chips I’ve had since I arrived in America.

The road was long, and the detour to Buc-ee’s even longer. But suddenly - my eyes widened. Green. Green. And more green! I was instantly transported back to my beloved Ireland. I even saw a lake.

The skies were wide and bright, in typical Texan fashion. But soon enough, clouds gathered, lightning cracked through the darkening sky, and remnants of a rainbow looked like a comet chasing the storm. It was incredible.
Driving through the storm, once again, proved the old truth: every dark cloud has its silver lining.

Around eight, we finally arrived in Fredericksburg. We found River Haus with ease, unpacked bags and food, and before long, sat around the table sharing pizza, sipping wine and beer, and toasting each other with a hearty cheers, a sláinte, and a prost!

My soul was buzzing. This was my first trip since arriving in the U.S. more than a year ago. It had been a long day, and yes, tiring - but nothing lifts my spirits like a classic American house with a swing on the porch. That, to me, is real magic.

I’ve always dreamed of sitting on a porch, watching the moon, dreaming my dreams, and longing for that feeling of belonging. That dream began in 2012.

What I didn’t know was that my yearning - for a sense of home, of being—which had eluded me for over a year, was about to come full circle here, in Fredericksburg.

It was Mary Oliver who said, “Let me keep company always with those who say ‘Look!’ and laugh in astonishment, and bow their heads.”

I’ve always tried to live by that. Always ready to be delighted - even by the smallest of things - because it is, in that moment, a delight I had never yet had. This first wee moments on Friday night did not disappoint!

With the whole weekend still ahead, I had no idea what I was waiting to unfold for me, in Fredericksburg.

“Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us.” (Henri Nouwen)