Old Town Helotes

When I picked up Elena today, we decided to walk into old town Helotes and visit a couple of shops there.  She SAYS she "doesn't especially like old things." but she also says school is boring--both of which may not be entirely accurate.

Shops of old things are like museums for little girls.  We saw a slide projector--which fascinated her so much I considered buying it but the light was out and the cord frayed.  I told her I still have some of my daddy's slides and that made me wish all over again that he could have met her--though she says she "remembers him from Heaven.'

We saw a princess phone, gaudy jewelry, old doors, and other antiques. Everything gave me a chance to tell her about how old it was and if I'd ever seen one of those before.  But as always, she chose only one thing to buy--a tiny tiny stuffed kitten with its own little bed.

Helotes is not old town Helotes anymore.  When we moved there in 1968, it was a sleepy little town: a grocery store, El Chaparrals, Flores Country Store.  It brings back so many memories to walk that street and tell Elena what it used to be like.  We had puffy tacos at El Chaparral, still my favorite Mexican restaurant--though it's way bigger than it was in the Seventies.

Then we came home and made valentines and she wanted me to sing to her--my first singing request in many years.  "Sweet Sweet Spirit" works every time, just as it did with my kids.  She's now sleeping with three stuffed animals.