Afternoons with Melissa

Moving to the Texas Panhandle back in the late eighties has given me the advantage of knowing a lot of stories about the area. I had really thought I had heard them all. Or at least bits and pieces of most of them.

I posed the question a while ago about Gem Lake Road. Yes, it is called Gem Lake. Did that lake ever really exist? Even if it didn't there is definitely something that did leave it's memories on the area.

Amarillo is pretty much known for one thing. We have some great food. It amazes me how difficult it can be to pick a place to eat because we have a lot of choices. There is absolutely nothing wrong with choices at all.

It seems like we are a society that is always on the run. We have so much to do. We need to get the kids from school. Go home to get homework done. Oh, and don't forget football practice this evening.

They say that everything is bigger and better in Texas, right? You have heard that over and over. Well, let me just tell you that sometimes size does not matter. In fact, the smaller the better.

I have always been envious of anyone that can draw. Anyone who has any artistic ability I am in awe of. I have no creativity and my hands just don't work like that. I took an art class in both seventh and eighth grade and it pained me.

Good news Amarillo. Roll Em Up Taquito has an official opening date. That is important because I have been watching this on Facebook for a while. They started by talking we were getting one.

I recently went through a traumatic experience. I have had pets die before. That is all part of life. It's hard. It's really hard. Every pet that has passed away on me was already at the vet's office when we make the decision to end their suffering the humane way.

Amarillo has some deep history. I was driving in Downtown Amarillo the other day when I passed the Amarillo Building. I decided I needed to do a little research on this building. I can remember it being around for as long as I have been living here.

If you grew up in Amarillo you get it. Things change. You may not like it. You miss some of the places that are now gone.

I know that the landscape of Amarillo is forever changing. There is progress all over the city. Then there are some unexpected setbacks that cause some changes too.

There are just those days. You know the ones I am talking about. It seems like nothing is going right. You need something to bring you out of your funk. Something that makes you smile.