Athens City Tour and our welcome dinner

We took a driving tour of the Ancient City today. We saw the Olympic stadium, the changing of the guard at Parliament, We drove to some wonderful vistas with some great views of the city! Our guide shared some wonderful stories of Athena and Greek Mythology.

 

When we returned from our city tour we took a short walk through some of the historic areas around our hotel, but first stop for Tex was Hard Rock of course.

We stopped for a wonderful lunch on a cute little side street with pizza and souvlaki. After lunch I grabbed some fresh cherries from the market. They were crisp and cold and oh so sweet.

 

After some rest from the morning adventure we were greeted by our tour guide who walked us through the old city on our way to dinner. We stopped by a church for a group photo before reaching our rooftop dining experience. This was all fine until Lynette, Julie, Tex and I were joined by a young lady in the elevator which must have exceeded the limit as we were now stuck. Many of you know I was stuck on an elevator as a child at a ski resort in school. I was not happy. It was getting hot fast and we were going no where. The lady who joined us was able to call the front desk. The power then went out and we slowly started to descend. Still not doing well. Finally we arrived at the first floor, everyone exited and I went outside for a quick breath and to try to relax. Tex took the elevator back up to the 5th floor and I walked up. Still not good. 

 

Once we all made it up we were greeted by a lovely staff and a lovely view.

 

Dinner was sea bass and vegetables, Greek salad, dolmades (grape leaves wrapped over rice), with a squeeze of lemon delicious, and of course Tzatziki, my new favorite!

 

Quite the lovely first day!

 

Athens

 We were the first to arrive in Athens and that was great because we were able to get a few hours sleep. We stayed at a cute little boutique hotel right in the heart of Athens with an amazing view of the Acropolis. When we woke up we went up to the rooftop bar for some dinner while we waited for the others to arrive. T had lamb meatballs, I had a ton=matoe salad and olives, and Tex had a steak. They were all divine.

The rest of the gang started to roll in as we were finishing and we gave them our table and went off for an evening stroll.

I can finally hug him.

Rather than bringing Tex home to Idaho, we saved him three flights by going from Houston straight to Chicago. I could not wait to hug him. My heart aches for him. I know how tough these losses are. They never get easier.

 

Leah & Dalton's Graduation

 Loved that we were able to celebrate these two kids! Congratulations!

 

 

 

It was not suppossed to be this way.

 Margie Horton

February 22, 1944 - May 20, 2025

 

 

 

Margie Horton Obituary

Margie G. Horton, 81, of Humble, Texas, departed this world on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy etched in strength, sacrifice, and boundless devotion. Her passing at a medical center in Kingwood marks the end of a life rich in resilience and grace.

A funeral service celebrating her extraordinary journey will be held June 6th at 11:00 a.m. at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home in Cameron, TX, with burial to follow at the quiet grounds of Rice Cemetery, where generations of stories rest beside hers.

Born in Briartown, Oklahoma, Margie was the daughter of William J. “Buster” Wise, Jr. and Ruby Elizabeth (Hunt) Wise, parents who raised her with a strong will and an open heart. Margie carved her own path as a dedicated businesswoman with an entrepreneurial spirit, but it was in her roles as a mother, sister, grandmother, and friend that her true light shone.

She faced her share of sorrow, having been preceded in death by her beloved sister Sharon Harbour, and brothers Russell and Harvey Wise. Yet she carried that weight with quiet dignity, never allowing grief to harden her spirit.

Margie’s greatest pride was her family. She is survived by her son, Larry Horton of Boise, Idaho; her daughter, Lisa Horton of Humble, TX; her steadfast brothers, Charles Wise of Cameron and Clell Wise of Bryan; her devoted sister, Theresa Klecka of Academy; and a legacy of love carried forward by her seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. To them, she was more than a matriarch — she was the soul of every gathering, the keeper of stories, and the anchor in life’s storms.

Those who knew Margie will remember her as a quiet force — steady, kind, and unshakably loyal. Her wisdom was given freely, her laughter warmly shared, and her love felt in every hug, every holiday, every late-night phone call.

Her chapter here has closed, but her story continues in the hearts she touched. May she rest in peace, reunited with those she missed so dearly.

 

Quick trip to Texas

 

 

Tex went down for a quick trip to Texas before our vacation to help his Mom and his sister with his Mom's outpatient surgery on Monday. Sunday they all went out for dinner at Skeeters BBQ. Tex was so excited! Monday they got Mema all prepped and ready for Surgery and it seemed to go off without hitch. Sadly things took a turn for the worse and Mema had some internal bleeding they were not aware of. They rushed her off to surgery but were not able to stop the bleeding and we lost our sweet Mema. 

To say things have been a whirl wind is a minor statement. 

Da Boys fishin the summer away!