On Thursday, March 5, Bill and I had the opportunity to really step into the Texan culture when we attended the Floresville Opry, an event that occurs once a month at the Wilson County Show Barn.
Picture this… Fifteen dollars grants you entrance to the Show Barn, and the first order of business is to get in line for dinner! For only $8.00 we enjoyed what they called a “mock-filet” (a.k.a. a very generous hamburger steak wrapped in bacon!), mashed potatoes, salad, and green beans that reminded me of how my grandmother made them – cooked all day long with bacon! Desserts were available for $1 and everything was homemade! The mistake we made was thinking that beer and wine were available, when in fact, it was BYOB and … we did not. But, believe it or not, it was an awesome sober experience!
At exactly 6 p.m., the Floresville Opry House Band began playing good old classic country music, and basically did not stop – except for a short intermission – until 9:30! It didn’t take long for the dance floor to fill up, and for us, it was immediately obvious that some of these couples have been dancing together for decades! Bill and I jumped right in and practiced our Texas Two-Step, blending into the capacity dancing crowd! Although I enjoyed dancing, it was just as entertaining to watch the action on the dance floor! In addition to a large number of older couples, there were also young teens dressed in their best cowboy/girl clothes, anxious to try their feet on the floor – line dancing, two-stepping and even waltzing and polka-ing! I couldn’t help but think what a healthy place for young people to spend an evening!
Although I didn’t get a photo, there were two men – brothers for sure – that stood out for me. Both men were gigantic – maybe 6’7″ or so and reminded me of Lurch from The Addams Family! They hit the dance floor with their partners and I have never seen smoother dance moves in my life – it truly was unbelievable! This sight, for me, was complemented only by the leprechaun couple dressed in their St. Patrick’s Day gear – they are ready to celebrate!
As the excellent musicians in the House Band kept things going – 46 songs in total – both segments of the evening also included a special guest – this month it was Billy Mata! Billy is a singer, songwriter and producer who started his career in San Antonio in the 70’s. Although you could mistake him for a Texas used car salesman, his voice was amazing, and having been to The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, one could easily envision Billy Mata right up on that famous stage!
We attended this special event along with 20 other people from Traveler’s World, which made it all the more enjoyable – a great group of people also enjoying this true Texan experience!
Stay Calm and Travel On…
thervdreamlife 