For the past week and a half I’ve been flying solo while Dave’s been in Missouri dealing with family matters. The passing days have been rather uneventful, and I’m grateful that RV-related things have gone smoothly in his absence. As my dad always used to say, no news is good news.

This was Mardi Gras week in Bandera. Although my partying days have long since gone, I am not a dud. As long as I’m home by, say 7pm, I can still have a lot of fun.

Admittedly, I have a hard time keeping commitments. I love to be invited to go places, but when the time comes to go, I often don’t want to. I know this about myself–and I really want to get better about that–so I’ve been purposely trying to say “yes” more often to invitations when someone is nice enough to ask me.

There were plenty of opportunities to practice “commitment” this week. Last Sunday I was invited to go to the Wild Horse Saloon with a group from here at the RV park who were in my country-western dance class. John and Jeannie, our dance instructors, have been encouraging us to get over our shyness and try out what we’d been taught ‘for real.’ With my life-partner away, I was kind of reluctant to go, but I really like to dance, so I said I’d be there.

When Sunday came, the feeling of wanting to back out was overwhelming, but I made myself go. I really don’t want to be “that person.” A table near the bandstand had been reserved for our group, and it filled up in no time. The band began playing at 4pm, and almost instantaneously, I didn’t feel so bad about being there by myself. There is just something about classic country music that is settling, and all of the musicians I’ve heard in this town are really good!

Everyone else at our table had a partner, and most of them got up to dance the first dance. I didn’t mind sitting and watching my classmates. As it turned out, that was the only one I didn’t dance to. I danced every dance for more than an hour, first with some friends from the RV park, and one dance with John, our teacher.

Then a man I didn’t know asked me to dance, and I nearly froze! What if he was a good dancer, like many Texans are? I felt every bit the beginner. I couldn’t refuse though…that wouldn’t be polite now, would it? More than 50 years later, Dave still remembers a girl who said “no” when he asked her to dance at an 8th grade mixer.

So I let the stranger lead me onto the dance floor, and I managed to two-step the entire dance without stepping on his feet. Right after the song was over though, I decided it was time to leave. I didn’t want to take a chance on being asked to dance another dance by a local. I was proud of myself for honoring the commitment I made and for getting out on the dance floor. Plus, I had a great time.

For being a small town, Bandera sure knows how to celebrate Mardi Gras! Live country and Cajun music bellowed out of the saloons and honky-tonks beginning on Wednesday. Stores and restaurants were decorated especially for the occasion, and the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold were everywhere. The RV park we’re at filled to capacity, mostly revelers from San Antonio and Austin. Everyone was in a party mood.

Saturday was the big day, starting at 7am with the gumbo cook-off, and highlighted by the parade that began at high noon. Our RV park is only two blocks from town, so it was nice being able to walk everywhere and not mess with traffic. There is one road going through Bandera, and beginning Friday afternoon, a parade of cars, trucks, and RVs were backed up, bumper to bumper.

The Mardi Gras parade in Bandera is one of the best I’ve ever attended. People line both sides of Main Street for blocks, vying for the best place to score loot: beads, candy, trinkets, and still more beads. Horses, mules, and longhorns–all handsomely adorned–proudly ambled along the parade route. One horse in particular thrilled the crowd with its prancing gait and regal sophistication.

After the parade I chose to go to the Junior Rodeo instead of one of the music venues. I’m glad I did; it was a lot of fun to watch kids 12-and-under do their best to hang on to massive bucking bulls, most of which were not at all happy about being in the box awaiting their turn.

All in all, it was a great weekend. I’m sorry Dave missed out on the fun, but the Hog Explosion–to include Bacon Bingo–is in a couple of weeks and he’ll be home for that. I hear that’s really something to see!

I never suspected that an inner cowgirl lurked inside this city-girl, but during Mardi Gras in The Cowboy Capital of the World, I guess anything is possible. Let the good times roll!