Those Were The Days....part 2

 I loved our days in Dallas. I just wish we could have had the time and the money to see more of it. As a student, you are focused on getting your work done and spending so much time working that you really do not have the time to do the fun stuff (unless it was free). Seminary students were often given tickets to attend the Symphony. This was a night to dress up and pretend to be rich.

We decided that it was time to buy a puppy. We saw the cutest Shih-Tzu and could not pass her up. We brought her home and carried her into our apartment in a paper bag so that the neighbors would not see her. We named her Muffin. She was a really good puppy DURING THE DAY! At night, all she did was bark! The apartment manager informed us that we could not have a pet....WHY NOT? Others have them. We were informed that those who had them prior to a specific date could keep them, but after that, you could not. We fell into the 'after' category. Coincidentally, our apartment manager was leaving to take another apartment complex and informed us that pets were acceptable. So, we moved and she continued to be our apartment manager.

Muffin

 We were able to visit Southfork Ranch, where 'Dallas' was filmed and actually were there while they were filming. And, to think, this house is only for filming........

Meet 'Big Tex'                                                                        


 We attended the Texas State Fair and I will NEVER eat another corn dog as long as I live! I was pregnant with Nicole at the time so I have not had a corn dog in 26 years! To this day, I cannot even stand to LOOK at one!

We were able to attend the Cotton Bowl one year. We saved up in order to do this...this being the most expensive thing we did while living there! I am no football fan, but this was a big deal. Something I would see only on television, became a reality for me. And, the fact that we were freezing....it was REALLY cold that day!

We lived right around the corner from White Rock Lake. Scott gets this brilliant idea that we were going to take a walk one beautiful Sunday afternoon......this walking path brings back so many unpleasant memories for me.

 First, no one told us that the lake was 9 miles (OK, so we should have asked someone) but we were young and stupid! Second, we decided to take Muffin along. God rest her little canine soul.........by the end of our walk, we were ready to change her name to Puffin'. Oh, wait! That was MY name I almost changed to Puffin'! Although, she DID get carried a good portion of the way, which is more than can be said about Scott or myself!

The Dallas Skyline from White Rock Lake

Third, I was NOT wearing walking shoes! Before we even made it back home, I had huge blisters on the bottoms of both feet and I had to be at work the next morning by 6:30 a.m.! *sigh*

Fourth, we took no money with us. Not that we had any money to take, but, that is beside the point! We took nothing to drink, either. This meant that we had to depend on the water fountains along the path. That is, UNTIL I SAW SOME JOGGER WASH HIS FACE, AND THEN, HIS WHOLE HEAD IN THE WATER FOUNTAIN! No thanks! Nothing for me to drink!

Dealey Plaza where John F. Kennedy was shot

It gave us a leery feeling to be standing here.  I believe the 'X' on the road actually marks the spot.

Meanwhile, back at the seminary, as I was working one day.....
A man came to the window to purchase postage stamps, wearing a long trench coat and silly hat. He scared me! Once I sold him the stamps and he shared a bit of small talk, I couldn't seem to get rid of him. He finally walked away from the counter and the girls behind the counter, including my supervisor, were all giddy. "Do you know who that was?" someone blurted out. Of course I didn't know! I was informed that I just sold postage stamps to Tom Landry who was THE COACH OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS!

Coach Landry


 How awesome is that?  Coach Landry was on the Board of Directors of Dallas Theological Seminary at the time and was there for a meeting. He often visited the school and could be seen throughout the campus but when I did see him after that, I tried to be cool about it and just say, "Hi". 

Charles Ryrie

Then, there was the time that I mailed out a package for Charles Ryrie. When I was informed who he was, I was embarrassed. You have heard of the Ryrie Study Bible, haven't you? Well, I told my supervisor that I thought 'that guy' had died a long time ago! 

President John F. Walvoord

We met some pretty amazing people in our short two years that we were there...professors Howard Hendricks, Dwight and Ed Pentecost, Norman Geisler (whom Scott mowed grass for on a weekly basis). Many well-known speakers spoke at Chapel each week and we had the privilege of hearing many of them. It was my job to see that the President of the Seminary, John Walvoord, received his Wall Street Journal daily. He had to have it on his desk by 7:00 a.m.  *sigh*  Oh, the pressures of pleasing the president!

Next blog, I will conclude my memories of our time spent in Dallas. It has been fun reminiscing and I hope to one day return if only for a few days to see all the changes that have taken place since we left there in 1985.