The past 48 hours!

Friday morning I had a pretty decent workout to work off some of the excitement that was starting to climb knowing I would be with the Ewings tomorrow. The afternoon went fast doing some last minute shopping and getting things to pack. I only took a small bag on board with me with just the minimal I could get away with. It's just an overnighter, so no need to go overboard with checking in a damn bag! Friday night I dug out my "Complete Book of Dallas" book that I've had for years just to brush up and reminise. I had been watching epidsodes of season 1 all afternoon! By 9pm, I went to bed and surprisingly fell asleep pretty fast. At 3:45am I was up and ready. Stumbled down the dark steps, turned on the outside lights, YES, it was snowing! Pretty damn good actually, but only sticking to the grass, so the roads will be fine. Ate a huge breakfast and I'm off to the airport!
I sat in the gate area looking around wondering if any of these people waiting with me are crazy (I mean fans) like me!
At 7am sharp (I love Midwest Express) we were boarding. I had row 7 by the window. By 7:45 we taxi'd out to the runway where there were quite a few planes in front of us, but the wait wasn't long. We cornered onto the runway, the engines fired up and I'm off to the Ewings!!
We flew through the hazy greyness of winter that has now hit Wisconsin-once above the clouds, the sun was out. Holy Crap! What a great day this is going to be!
One hour into my flight, I had finished reading my latest edition of "Runners" magazine. 20 months ago if anyone would have told me I would be reading "runners" anything-I would have laughed. Now I can't wait for each edition to learn anything and everything of my new found passion!
As I look out my plane window I see this great country, I have no idea where we are right now, but it just proves that life IS just a grand illusion and we are all the same--no matter where we call home!
Sitting here in the plane with my music in my ears is peaceful. This is the 2nd time on an airplane is as many months! This is almost as peaceful as being out on my snowshoes making a fresh path in newly fallen snow! And to think I left behind the first snowfall of the season--only for a Ewing BBQ!!
I'm completely relaxed with Earth, Wind and Fire's "That's the Way of the World" playing in my ears. One of my favorite kick-back and relax songs.
With 1/2 hour left of my flight the ground is getting closer and closer and my relaxed state of mind is now quickly returning to that of Ewing excitement again!! Wait! Is that Southfork Ranch out my window!! :-)
My eyes are kind of teared up. I can't believe how in just a few hours I am so far away from home! Far from a great husband (who worked overtime to help pay for my trip!) and a wonderful son. Thanks to my boys for being so understanding in my crazy need to meet Bobby Ewing!
As we came in for a landing, we flew over houses and all those damn fences again that people down here put up...Ughhhh! That's just not me-I've been "fenced" in by being overweight most of my adult life, now I'm glad to have that fence down!
My cousin Michelle picked me up at the airport and off we went to look for a cowboy hat to use for autographs! Unfortunately, we didn't find one (you would think this would be easy in Texas!) and ended up settling for a journal instead. That was fine, I don't think I pass as a cowboy hat type person! We drove to the "ranch" to pick up our tickets. My heart started to flutter as we made the right turn onto Hogge road! Lots of activity going on already. I know there are "stars" here somewhere on the ranch! I just know these things--I can sense it!! What can I say, I'm a complete starstuck tourist! Bobby is now close at hand!
After picking up the tickets we stopped at "Whataburger" for lunch. I have not eaten crap for a long time and it wasn't bad, but I wouldn't be missing much if I never ate there again.
Back to my cousin's house for a quick "freshen up" and we're off for one hell of a night. I can't wait.
We arrived at Southfork Ranch just a few minutes after 5. Huge crowd already! After going through security and a metal detector-we were in! Eventually made our way over to the front of the ranch to the "red carpet" area where the cast was going to make their way in on. Big crowd here! First one in was Linda Grey who played Sue Ellen Ewing-Jr's drunk wife! A huge roar of us fans, lots of pictures, blah, blah, blah. Next came Donna and Ray, then Afton, then Lucy (all you Dallas fans won't need expanations of who these people are!) and then my man....Bobby! OMG! I think I soiled myself! My camera was SMOKIN'. Then I ran to the other side of the carpet line and he was right there-only 2 people in my way! So I reached my arm through yelling "Patrick"...he reached back....OMG, he shook my hand!! Now I can die a happy woman! If only I could have gotten a picture of that! Every penny I spent (more on that later!) for this trip just went competely out of my mind-I'm in Xanadu!
This is the picture I took just before I reached in and shook Bobby's hand!

After the red carpet cleared-the Southfork helicopter landed one more time and within minutes the crowd was chanting: "JR", "JR", "JR" and next I knew Larry Hagman, along with about 10 deputy sherrifs came down the red carpet. All the other cast members took their time, signed autographs and did interviews. Larry, I know he tried to stop and talk to the media reporter next to me and for that split second-I was able to snap his picture!
The deputies kept him moving right into the mansion. Now everyone was here! We went and ate some food-then back around the mansion to the back pool area where the cast was located on a stage and answering questions from the fans. It was a lot of fun to be standing about 50 feet away from the entire cast of Dallas!
I noticed in the area where the tickets costed $1,000 each they had "nice" dishes! Had Southfork logo on it! YUP-I had a nice clean plate in my pants within minutes. About 3 hours later while we were in the mansion walking around, I decided to pee again at the ranch like I did last month! Thank God it was very crowded and noisy (not in the bathroom!) because I lost the damn plate while peeing! All of a sudden while getting "dressed" I felt it slipping-tried to catch it with my foot (ouch-that hurt, I told you good, heavy china!) and then the loudest noice ever as it crashed to the floor! OMG! Holy Crap! Now what the f**k do I do?! I came out and my cousin who was waiting to pee next was right outside. I said "let's go, let's go NOW" and right out the front door we went. SHIT, SHIT, SHIT now I have no souvenir! I was dying, I was shaking, I was like SHIT I hope there are no cameras in the bathroom!! I immediately started looking for another plate. All the dishes were for the most part, picked up. I found a pack of tables with all kinds near the stage. I played it as cool as I could and snatched a salad size (can't be fussy now!) plate without any trouble. YES, I have my souviner!
After a little more walking around, we were on our way home from a fantastic day! Got home around 11:30ish-holy crap, I've been up for over 20 hours!
This morning I arrived at DFW airport at 8:45 to go home to my boys. The end of a competely AWESOME weekend!
As the plane took off, I teared up again leaving my great trip behind. I seen all the fences again and I just thought, whatever works for people. It's definitely not me to be fenced in.
Michelle--I'm so glad you had a blast, as I did. You REALLY needed a good time, unfortunately, the "plate" had to pay the price! To know you had fun was all worth it!
As the plane plunged through the "winter" clouds of Milwaukee, I was happy to be home! I'm ready for winter. I'm anxious to change and "winterize" my workouts! I'm anxious to hit the kettlebells hard. I'm anxious to snowshoe, go sledding and enjoy life!
I arrived home to 30 degrees and snowflurries! JUST as I lefted it yesterday!!!

Wrap up of the weekend:
Tickets to the Dallas 30th reunion BBQ: $200.00
Round trip airline ticket to DFW: $800.00
Meeting the cast of Dallas: PRICELESS!!!

My cousin Michelle and I at the Southfork Ranch under the famous "Jock Ewing" painting which was signed by all the cast during this BBQ! I looked kind of bent over because at this point I still had the plate in my pants and I kept the Dallas book in front to help hide it!