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Carmen, Through the Years. Thanks for the Memories!

Dear Carmen, you hung on with us for so a long time and through so many adventures and generous days. Thanks for bowing to the tugging fingers of babies, thanks for scraping up the wood floors with your enthusistic bounds through the house chasing the Kong, thanks for keeping us company on rainy days, thanks for helping dear Nana get in her crazy Fitbit steps, thanks, dear beast! May you be a good citizen in the dog park in the sky until we can come scratch your head again! -- Love, Billy et al.

Jan 12, 2003 by The Editor

Aren't our Sarah and Adam looking wonderful these days? They are figuring out their new digital camera and sent these lovely self portraits to bring a bit of beauty into all our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

We are hoping to hear that the adoption of our lovely Duchess, whom we shall rename Bella or Carmen (what do you suggest?) will soon be complete.

Jan 18, 2003 by The Editor

The Editor is wooing Carmen, the operatic black Lab who will shortly be joining our family. In addition to taking her to the vet and dropping a couple of hundred on medical bills, she has purchased a snug fleece bed for the happy hound, who quite enjoyed her visit to the house today! Yes, you may click on the photo of the recumbent beauty to enjoy more photos!

John sends us an email each Tuesday from Brazil, which the Ed forwards to the Fam. Watch your mail on Tuesdays, dears. Today's message lets us know he heartily approves of the latest addition to the Family!

Jan 18, 2003 by The Editor

It's final. We have another infanta in the Family. The lovely Carmen Infanta Gloriosa is now officially ours, and we hope she finds families for her beautful pups soon so we can take her home for good. She enjoyed a pleasant visit with the Editor and Mr Bill last night and continues to go for daily walks during the day, proving herself a real lady.

Congrats to Bethany, who has found a scheduling job similar to the one her sister Catherine holds. She's looking forward to being gainfully employed again beginning tomorrow.

Sarah has also begun a new job working for the University of Michigan, dreaming of the time when she and Adam pack up for a summer in LA and Dallas with two different internships. Ahh, warm weather!

Jan 24, 2003 by The Editor

Thanks to Sarah for reminding the Editor that it's time to give the lovely Carmen her own web page. It is in its nascent stages, but we have indeed begun the project. Thanks for keeping the Editor on her toes, Sarah!

We are delighted with the news that the opera bug has struck in the frozen reaches of the North, where Mary, Annie, Kah Leong and Tango Tim headed out for the Metropolitan Opera's production of Aida, which thrilled and delighted them all! Keeping the cultural flames fanned here in Dallas, the Editor and Caroline attended a Symphony Prelude lecture by the Ed's favorite SMU professor last night before enjoying a program of DeBussy and Busoni. Caroline feels right at home at the Meyerson Symphony Center after doing a research project on it earlier in the year!

Feb 10, 2003 by The Editor

Today was Carmen's farewell to her dear little litter of pups, the last of whom will go to their new homes tomorrow. Do they look sad to you? We know they will be well-loved by their new families.Carmen spent her first night with us, snuggled in her bed on the floor next to the Editor, who happily gazed at her several times in the night, so grateful for her presence! When Dad got out of bed this morning, however, Carmen thought she had the right to hop up onto his side of the bed. Not quite, dear! She did enjoy taking her first shower with the Editor, and is being trained to regard the blow dryer as her post-shower friend.
Feb 15, 2003 by The Editor

Happy Valentines Day to one and all! How are YOU celebrating? Lille Morphis is walking all over the house on her own chubby little legs, Grace is using the potty seat (be still, Catherine's beating heart!), Caroline is going to a 7th grade party at a friend's, Carmen is going for a walk on her gentle leader and getting used to waiting in the laundry room while the Editor runs errands, and Mary is doing PhD interviews! If you have any more interesting tales to tell, we'd love to know about it...

Today the Editor was pleased to be in attendance at Sam Allred's "Destination Imagination" performance at Miller Elementary. He and his team of smartypants first-graders put on a colorful skit about a king who had lost his crown as a run-through in front of their schoolmates before the actual competition coming up this weekend.

Our prayers go out to cousin Brian, who is headed for the Middle East just a week and a half before the birth of his third child. His brave wife Shari will handle the little family courageously while he and his platoon head over to engage in what we hope will be very brief warfare. Please remember him and all the other servicemen and women who are putting their lives on the line for us!

Feb 18, 2003 by The Editor

Pobrecita Carolina has contracted a bug and was suffering with cough, aches and pains last night. The Editor graciously allowed her to sleep in her room, but NOT in the same bed, so as to avoid listening to her hacking in her ear all night! Not so with Carmen, who generously offered to share her warmth with our ailing child. "Carmencita" is turning out to be quite the great dog! Some have tried to convince the Ed that 'Cita is "only a dog", but it falls upon deaf ears...
Mar 07, 2003 by The Editor

G- g -g- greetings from the icy Southwest, where the Parents, Carmen (with her nose all wet and icy in the front garden) and Caroline have been snowed in for the past two days, forced to play pool with one another, take the dog for romps in the icy, snowy park, make all sorts of hot chocolate and snuggle in front of the fire. Horrible! Actually, not bad, even though little Nubbins beat the Editor 3-2 in pool this afternoon. Now we can empathize with what the rest of the (Northern) world goes through in the course of a normal winter. Caroline has had two extra snow days to recover from her latest bout with the flu and should be in great shape once she heads back to school; maybe tomorrow? No one is saying yet.

Our love and prayers go out to cousin Brian Taylor's wife Shari, who delivered by C-section their third child, a son, while Brian, a corporal in the Marines, spent his time in Kuwait. Keep that dear family in your prayers.

Mar 07, 2003 by The Editor

We are delighted to welcome Catherine and Baby Lille for a long weekend of R&R from the daily grind in Salt Lake City, where she toils to finish school, work her job and raise her family all at the same harrowing time. After spending their first night at the Allreds, an obligatory stop on the Dallas Tour, Catherine was hosted by the Editor for lunch at the Cosmic Cup cafe today, followed by a tour of the Henderson Avenue antiques district (thanks for the babysitting, Caroline!) Tonight we had a delicious dinner visit with the Grandparents Benac before finishing off the day piled into the parental bed, with Carmen playing her evening game of "tug tug." We so love this daughter and are quite enjoying her lovely little child as well. Thanks to her hubby Matt for his kindness in watching daughter Grace so Cat could enjoy this respite from reality!
Mar 12, 2003 by The Editor

What day is it? We don't know and are not actively seeking the asnwer. Greetings from the Villa Caletas, the most beautiful spot in Costa Rica, where the Parents and Caroline are recovering in a cliffside retreat overlooking the Pacific ocean. We are a little sore, but not too sore, from our adventures yesterday swinging through the canopy of the rainforest on zip lines 250 feet above the ground. We felt like George of the Jungle as we flew over the trees and waterfalls and breathtaking views from our perches in harnesses dangling from cables suspended at strategic points in the forest. We are enjoying a week of relaxation and adventure in our first experience in this lovely country. We dine along with a pair of iguanas, named Carlos and Anita, view coati and toucans in the treetops next to our airy retreat, and are generally enjoying a true respite from the cares of the world. We do hope that our Carmencita is being a good dog for our friends, the Stewarts, who have moved into the house for the week in our absence.
Mar 23, 2003 by The Editor

We're back, and have a photo album for those interested in a peek at the allure of Costa Rica. We were happy to find Carmen hadn't chewed up the entire house; only the dining room rug and a few pillows...

We are looking forward to laying eyes on Mary, who is caught up in wedding festivities for a Dallas pal and should arrive back at the house any minute. Now for a nice hot bath... Click on Nubs preparing for her canopy tour of the mountainous rainforest in Costa Rica for the photo album.

Mar 23, 2003 by The Editor

Happy Birthday wishes are in order for Bethany, who was born just 22 years ago today. She and Brian are excited about the purchase of their first house and the floor plan is being whizzed all over the family over the net. Now we know in which rooms we may lodge when we head through Lubbock! Congratulations are also in order for Matt and Catherine, who have added to their family a very lovely Great Dane by the name of Misty, who was rescued from a Dallas home after her owner died. The Editor and Cat visited her on our way to the airport after Cat's last visit . We heard about her during a chance encounter in the park with a tipster who pointed us in the direction of this magnificent animal. She is lovely and silky and gets along great with Pearl, the Morphis family's other Dane, and the two little girls. It appears that Dog Mania is running rampant among some members of the Fam, which is perfectly understandable to the Editor, who is still so happy with our dear Carmen.
Mar 28, 2003 by The Editor

The Editor is nervous today, as our sweet pooch is at the vet's for surgery. For those of you who are daring enough, click on her little head for another of the Ed's home movies, starring the operatic diva herself!

Huge congrats to Matt Morphis, who with his business group made the finals in a group project for Strollerworks. Matt did a powerpoint presentation before a panel of investors and judges and are now in the running for a major money prize next week. We hope they win the Grand Prize!

Apr 06, 2003 by The Editor

In addition to enjoying the wonderful sessions of the LDS General Conference via satellite TV today, we were honored by a visit from 2 of Carmen's pups and their new owners. Good thing we didn't keep the pup, as their vet predicts they will reach a whopping 180 pounds when full grown! Our neighbors, the Budds, and their two yellow labs came along for a full-out doggie swim party in the back yard on this lovely Garden of Eden day! Only click on the photo if you want to see the little movie, in which Kate Budd accidently whacks Caroline in the face, and Carmen shows herself to be a less-than-attentive mother.
Apr 20, 2003 by The Editor

It's been a wonderful Easter today. The Editor led the Primary Children's chorus in a lovely song for the church service and sang in the choir, Bishop Dad did a great job conducting the services, and we had family for dinner afterward. We were especially grateful to have our dear Grandpa Benac join us after he spent five days in the hospital. We weren't sure he would make it, but he actually downed a really generous Easter feast. Caroline favored us with some lovely violin music afterward, and we finished the day with our traditional desserts and watching Carmen carouse in the front yard in a happy game of "fetch." By the time we sent our guests home, they were ready for bed! Love to all this festive, happy time of year. (Click on the photo for the Easter album.)
May 01, 2003 by The Editor

Thanks to Brother Limeira in Brazil, who sends us this delightful photo of our "car salesman", John, sitting down to sup with his new Brazilian companion, Elder Silva, and two unnamed female missionaries at the Limeira home. He seems to be garnering quite the fan club down South. We got yet another crazy photo from Miss Ana Carolina Bueno, who seems to be enjoying his fine sense of humor. We love you, John, and your friends, too! We hope to get down there and meet them personally some time.

Oh, and by the way...Carmen has officially learned to enjoy boating, after a very shaky, frightened start. She went from sheer terror of even entering the boat house to jumping willingly into the jet boat when she saw the Editor was about to take it out for a spin. Another water dog!

May 27, 2003 by The Editor

Thank goodness for good weather for the annual Benac Family Memorial Day picnic, which went off swimmingly yesterday, even without the Editor acting as behind the scenes worrier, hostess, and cleaner upper. Thanks to all the helpers who moved in and helped out, so that the ton of happy guests were kept happy and organized. A ton of children filled the pool and front yard bounce house, a great band played, Bill roasted a 67 pound lamb which was happily demolished by all, and it was a general love fest and glorious event. Billy and five friends flew into town for the event, as well as Grandpa Benac's brother Bob from California. Grandpa was able to preside, feeling well enough to stay the whole day with a break for a nap. We sent Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa, packing to doggie camp to make it easier on guests who didn't want a 70-pound hound body-slamming them during their basketball games, as Carmen loves to do!

Love to all from Spain, where Mary and the Editor are preparing to head from Barcelona to Madrid.

May 27, 2003 by The Editor

Ahh, the Prado. Mary is the perfect museum buddy for the Editor. She willingly spent about 6 hours exploring every possible nook and cranny in one of Europe's truly great art treasuries, stumbling out into the lovely Madrid evening with her head spinning with visions of Velazquez and friends.

.Speaking of Velazquez, we do have a certain connection there, as our dear Infanta Gloriosa sports the same little outfit as the Infanta Margarita in the Prado's greatest treasure, Las Meninas. Daddy Bill reports that during her latest weekend at the lake, she has become the water dog she should be,as a full-blooded black lab. She kept leaping into the lake any time she spotted a fish, jumped in and tried to follow the jet skiers across the lake, and generally discovered her own waterdoggy genes

Jun 17, 2003 by The Editor

Tonight was yet another swim party at the Benacs' with our precious little Allred grandkids. It was made double the fun by the fact that Infanta Gloriosa has finally learned how enjoy swimming, and Olivia has finally learned to enjoy walking! If you want to see a movie clip (watch it in Quicktime), click the picture of Carmen. Sorry, Caroline, you'll get a couple of new basketballs at BYU sports camp. Oh, and, you'll need to tilt your head sideways to view the flim clip. Sorry.
Jun 30, 2003 by The Editor

Greetings from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where the Editor is recovering from her first day on horseback after getting only 2 hours of sleep the night before her arrival at the Snake River Ranch Cowbabes Week. As she herds cattle and enjoys the western life around the ranch, Mr Bill, manning the home front, is welcoming Sarah and Adam back to the Big D and taking care of business with the Fam. He took Carmen and nephew Caleb as well as our houseguest Greg to the Lake for a church campout. Carmen retrieved sticks for hours on end and slept all the way back and into the next day afterward. We are happy to have Bill Jr in town in time for a great family dinner this afternoon at the Allreds, with Sarah and Adam arriving just in time to share in the feast.

Big thanks to Matt and Cat for graciously hosting Caroline during her weekends between sports camp sessions. We all miss her terribly, and don't plan on sending her away for so long ever again, until we absolutely have to!

Jul 11, 2003 by The Editor

Okay, okay. So it's hubris that gets one down after a stunning tennis victory? The Women were soundly de-feeted in a 7-5 rout by the Men's Team this morning. Sarah shows the agony of de-feet in a post-game dip, with some company in the pool to share in the sorrow.
Jul 28, 2003 by The Editor

Another Sunday night at the Allreds, another hot game of speed scrabble. We are forever indebted to Adam for introducing this fine game to the Fam. We confess we are hooked, but the Editor confesses ineptitude when it comes to adding up the points on all those tiles!

The markerboard in the kitchen is filling up quickly with hand drawn pictures of all the items Carmen has chewed. Caroline is less enamored each day with our gallumphing Lab, who has yet to learn which things are okay to chew and which aren't. The Editor is hoping to shield her from the wrath of family members (Adam, Dad, Caroline, and yes, the Editor herself) who have lost perfectly good shoes to Carmen's chewing habit. This is news, you ask? Well, it's all we can come up with for tonight!

Aug 23, 2003 by The Editor

It's that time of year again; Daddy Bill rode once more in the annual Hotter'n Hell Hundred Bike Race in Wichita Falls, with Uncle Frank. The dynamic duo spent the night on the floor of a local YMCA before arising early to begin the crazy ritual that draws thousands to the huge event; one of the two biggest biking events in the US each year. They both made it the full hundred miles!

Welcome to Billy Boy, who has come to grace us with his presence this weekend, taking a break from his web development job that stations him in Denver for the next few months. The Editor and Carmencita were delighted to see him last night, as we made him a late dinner and cavorted with the dog in the kitchen till the wee hours. He spent the afternoon today swimming with the visiting Allred Clan, who enjoyed a pizza picnic in the back yard while the Biker Dads made their way home from the Big Race.

Aug 30, 2003 by The Editor

The Editor celebrated her birthday at the lake with Mr Bill, Carmen and Billy, who snuggled here together on their way to a lovely birthday dinner and party prepared by the wonderful Allred Family, to whom We are eternally indebted! Here we see the lovely Carmen snuggling in with Billy after an exciting day at Texoma. Isn't she beautiful? She adores Billy Boy.
Sep 20, 2003 by The Editor

Thanks and flourishes to our friend Susan F. in California for sending in this wonderful link to the Washington Calligrapher's Guild's "Graceful Envelope Contest," which our dear little Emma might well have entered with her imaginative use of space on her last letter to the Editor. Want to see more such creative envelopes? Click here and enjoy!

We are in a perfect fit of happiness to have our Billy Boy back among us, spouting all sorts of computerese and ready to cavort with his parents and little Nubsy Wubsy; not to mention the lovely Carmen, who has a real thing for our handsome if peripatetic son!

Oct 03, 2003 by The Editor

Ah, heaven is come to earth...with a visit from our adorable little new Texans, Grace and Lille, daughters of Cat and Matt. They arrived looking very hip in their Salty Dog T-shirts. We had such a delightful little soiree last night as we dined in, then walked down to the playground at the park with Carmencita, who could scarce contain her joy at the prospect of two more doughy little friends. Carmen will join her friend Pearl Morphis, their lovely Great Dane, at Camp 4Paws this weekend, and we hope they will get along famously.
Oct 14, 2003 by The Editor

nd shining ten times more brightly than usual, popping electrical sounds were heard, and the hatch filled up with smoke. Dad dove for the generator switch, as he heard the sound of the generator revving at an unusually high speed and figured it might have something to do with the electrical excitement on board. Sure enough, the governor of the generator had malfunctioned, sending it revving out of control in a 'runaway' mode. The result was that after a lovely beginning under perfect skies, Dad spent all the following day putting fried boat innards back together.

We did get out of there in time for the Editor to scoop up Catherine for a Kimbell Museum Patrons' reception and private showing of its latest exhibition, Painted Prayers, about which the Ed had written a paper for her graduate work on Books of Hours. Catherine seemed to love the art and lavish refreshments, and the Ed loves having art buddies among her numberous progeny. Altogether a great and diverse day!

Nov 16, 2003 by The Editor

Ahh, another civilized meal at the Benacs'. Is there no end to the cultivation and finesse with which we live our lives? This morning we experienced the sine qua non of the art of living when we discovered a way to garnish Billy with whipped cream and please Carmen the Dog at the same time. Grandma Benac was doubtless doubly glad she'd opted to spend the weekend here, so as not to miss out on the revelry! Click here or on the picture to see the whole story!
Jan 03, 2004 by The Editor

Greetings from one of the Editor's favorite haunts, the Dallas World Aquarium, where she and guests Julie and Jeff enjoyed, among other things, this charming little penguin, who was daintily finding his way along the sidewalk when the Editor came across him. We salute you, small penguin, and thank you for the cheer you brought into our lives by simply being there! Click on the other black animal to see a review of the fancy throws this family has made from Bethany's fabric scraps. Pretty impressive array, we must admit....
Jan 31, 2004 by The Editor

Heaven came to Earth once more this morning as we assembled all the Benac siblings and most spouses for one of our periodic family conference calls. Each child offered a request for concentrated prayers and fasting by the rest of the family on a certain topic of their choice. Some asked that we offer prayers of thanks for past gifts; others were more specific (Help Me Pass The California Bar Exam!).This is a great opportunity for the family to come together in love and support for one another. Since John is in Brazil, we taped the phone call and the sibs each gave messages to him, which he will doubtless listen to in quivering gratitude for the technology that makes such things possible.

The Parents were happy to host a party of 60 people last night for the J. Reuben Clarke Law Society dinner. Loads of fresh flowers and candlelight sweetly offset the high concentration of lawyers in the house, and the evening was a great success. Actually, these are the GOOD kind of lawyers, with great values and working for great causes. Carmen made an appearance at the end of the festivities, dressed in her fetching new Valentine kerchief. Heart-melting, really.

Feb 13, 2004 by The Editor

As Carmen uncurls after a night's sleep in the corner of the Editor's bedroom, she demonstrates the happy acceptance of one of the many dog beds the Editor made for her. We are happy she likes her little zebra pillow enough to use it! Is she yawning, or just gaping in amazement that we are already announcing our next Featured Friend of Benac.com? It's a quick turnover this time around. Click on the name of our latest signer of the guestbook to be honored in the annals of Benac.com history!

Oh, and if you click on Carmen, you can see the anxiety of her "competition" for the Editor's affection allayed in a charming (we think) Valentine poem.

Mar 20, 2004 by The Editor

The big news today is that it is no one's birthday that we know of. From New York we hear that Mary has found a treasure trove of Betsy Johnson dresses sold by our dear former Featured Friend Angie, prior to Angie's departure for her mission. From Catherine it is that her family went kite flying today and the little girls, Grace and Lille, were able to maintain their kites aloft without any help.

Spring has definitely sprung around here, as shown by the gorgeous display of irises right here on our street. Upon the Parents' return from an overnight on the boat, we found the house and neighborhood fairly singing in spring glory! Gratitude all around here for that great blessing of the beauties of Nature. Click on the lovely iris for a shot of the house beginning to bloom forth. Dad will need that comfort, as he spent his boat time, as usual, fixing up broken items, of which we have a never-ending supply.

Apr 07, 2004 by The Editor

Click on Caroline's "magic wand" for a sweet clip of her playing an audition piece for a her summer music camp at BYU. Today is John's Preparation Day, during which he gets to visit an internet cafe and catch up on news from home. Lucky John! He is the first of the Benac Missionaries to be able to access family movies over the Net! This is a sample of the weekly offerings we sent today: a clip of Caroline playing her violin, another of the Morphis Family and Bethany joining us for tonight's family dinner, and another of the Parent's, Caroline and Carmen watching the semiannual LDS General Conference. Would YOU like to listen to or watch Conference? Click here, and pick a speaker and topic.

No, we do not believe seeing these movie clips will make Johnny homesick. He LOVES it down there in Brazil. Right, John? (The movie clips can be viewed in Quicktime).

Apr 19, 2004 by The Editor

A lovely Easter was had by all chez nous, with the scent of roast lamb filling the house and a multitude of grandchildren surrounding the table after our services yesterday. We each had a part ot the bibilical Easter story on a piece of paper under our plates, and went around the board reading passages of that amazing and transcendent event, bringing home the reason for our celebration. Welcome indeed to Mary, who flew in from NYC for the weekend, and to Grandma Helen, who spent the night here and joined us for the holiday. Mary helped the Allreds dye eggs, which were hidden by William and Sam in the upstairs game room for the "littles" to search out. Yes, we did have eggshells all over the house, but the children have a happy memory tucked inside their little skulls.
The Editor and Daddy Bill took a walk in the 'hood today to a vacant lot filled with bluebonnets, the cherished state flower of Texas. It was Carmen's first introduction to the lovely wildflowers, and she gave her haughty approval.
Apr 18, 2004 by The Editor

Finally! A day on board Halftime, our dear old barque. Cap'n Bill was, as usual, besiged by repairs, but the day was wonderful nonetheless. We watched the annual Texoma Lakefest Regatta, and enjoyed watching other people work at getting their boats to go while we lazily pushed our throttles, set the GPS and autopilot, sat back and relaxed. On board were our good friends the Pages and Caroline's lifelong girlfriend Becca. Click on the photo of Cap'n Bill, Lord Stephen and our trusty water dog, Carmen for a very short photo album of the day's events.
Apr 26, 2004 by The Editor

Okay, try again. the movie works now!

Oh, what a wonderful thing it is to have a constant influx of beloved family members. Today's latest trip to the airport yielded up our precious Bill Jr, who was so happy to see Annie before she headed back to the Big Apple. Oh, and of course, Carmen the Dog was beside herself with joy and couldn't leave Billy alone on the car ride home.

Apr 30, 2004 by The Editor

Huge congratulations to our dear Miss Caroline, who had the sweet taste of victory on her lips tonight after a conclusive win in her final lacrosse game of the season. Mind you, this is the girl who didn't play on her own school team since they practiced on Sundays. So she joined the Christ the King school team and they solidly trounced her Highland Park opponents (and still her good friends....) in a game attended by not only the Parents, but Matt, Grace, Lille and Carmen as well! Caroline has turned into quite the menacing goalie, and will fine tune that skill during her summer visit to lacrosse camp at BYU. As the 6th of the Benac daughters to play lacrosse, she is bringing distinction to the ranks of Phemale Phamily athletes. You GO, Caroline!
Jun 02, 2004 by The Editor

The Dallas Gang endured quite the storm last night, as high winds, rain and hail swept through Tornado Alley like we've never seen before. Our neighbors across the street, watching the storm from their living room, suddenly felt a vibration like a train coming into their house, as they watched this huge red oak tree fall into their three-story home. The lovely old tree was completely uprooted, and it crushed parts of the front of the house. Luckily, no one was injured. Cat and Matt, on their way home from a night out together, rang the doorbell with the frightful news last night around 11 pm, and the Editor, barefooted and pajama-clad, hustled over to commiserate with the neighbors and rejoice in their preservation from what could have been a real disaster. We all went to bed without power, and found the new day blue and lovely. The Ed and Carmen took a walk in the 'hood and found lots of damage, including this crushed bench in our local park, victim to a falling tree branch.
Jun 11, 2004 by The Editor

Click on the photo of the party going on at Lake Texoma for a happy sight of gamboling on the beach for Daddy Bill and Carmen, who was being diverted from a very precious duck sitting on her nest. Our hunting dog was kept busy fetching sticks, playing tug tug, and swimming after the male duck, who spent half the day luring her out to the water to keep her away from this precious sight. Mr. Bill hosted our local congregation for a weekend campout at lovely Texoma, where he loaded up the jet boat for some rides over the glassy waters of our favorite lake.

Dear Readers, please accept the Editor's apology for the upcoming week without new news, as she and Caroline are preparing to go into the wilds of Oklahoma's Beaver's Bend State Park, where we shall commune with Nature in the company of the Young Women, during a week of girls' camp. Reports to follow!

Jun 25, 2004 by The Editor

Finally! A photo of Caroline during her visit to NYC! Thanks to our whiz photographer, Annie's husband Kah Leong, who brought Caroline into his Manhattan studio where he took this great shot of our lovely Number Nine in Oriental splendor! Caroline is having the time of her life, hanging out with Annie and Mary this week.

Click here for aphoto album of a happy overnighter on board Half Time with the Morphis Girls. We actually talked Matt into joining us after he got off work, and by the time midnight arrived, we had 7 on board our dear barque, including the lovely Carmen, who has become quite the enthusiastic water dog!

The Parents are looking foward to the arrival of several Benacs for our upcoming Fourth of July weekend. Ah, our darlings bring us such joy.
Caroline's audition for a position in the orchestra went well this morning, she likes her roomie, a flautist from California, and is set for a wonderful week of musical inundation! The news for little Topher, the Hamster Left Behind-Caroline's usual roommate, isn't so great. The sweet little dwarf hamster, with his appealing pink beady eyes, is now relegated to the bathroom counter in the Parent's wing, and has had more contact with Carmen the Dog than he would prefer. He also gave the Editor a firm nip on the finger this afternoon when she was foolish enough to get him out to play during what was usually his nap time. Sorry, little Pal. It will never be the same without Caroline!

Jul 17, 2004 by The Editor

Anyone who's hung out at the Benac Pool knows that we always wind up executing daredevil dives off the family diving board. Carmen the Dog has maintained herself curiously aloof from this activity, preferring to spend her energy doing water retrievals from the security and comfort of water's edge. Until today, that is, when Billy Boy taught her how to execute stunning dives after her favorite deflated basketball from the dizzying heights of the family board. Click here, or on the picture to witness this historic event
Jul 20, 2004 by The Editor

If you were to write a caption for the photo on the left, what would it be? (What shall we say, what shall we do?) What is Billy reading to the assembled Benac throng? We may never know, but it makes a cute picture.

The parents are mourning the absence of Caroline, who has flown away for a couple weeks of lacrosse camp and EFY in Utah and Idaho. The old homestead is empty again, and the pining folks find solace in playing with Topher the dwarf hamster and Carmen the Dog. Oh, that and working! And hoping to hear from Johnny of Brazil this week after missing the chance last week. He'll never know how grateful we are for his regular emails and photos from steamy South America.

A yummy Lobster Bisque Night #3 was held over the weekend with the Babels and Asays in attendance. That soup just gets better every time! Dad stored it in gallon sized ziplock bags and put it in the freezer, to be pulled out when the occasion demands. We love it when the occasion demands!

Aug 02, 2004 by The Editor

Oh, our lovely Nana Taylor! As the days leading up to the Taylor Reunion diminish, we prepare to reverence this lovely woman (shown here at age 18 or so) for her achievement as the attentive and elegant mother to her nine children and tireless caretaker to her parents and husband. We kowtow to you, Nana! The mystery remains; how did you ever have such a funny looking daughter? (Notice the Editor's straight hair...wha' happened)?

Caroline is delighted with the news that she has permission to acquire a cat! That's right, a cat; the more predatory, the better. Last night the Editor saw a huge, brown, mangy rat gallop across the kitchen on his way to the back stairs. Billy has also spotted this creature beholding him in his bedroom, raised up on his hind legs as if to challenge Billy's right to be there! We are doing our best to prepare Carmen for the new sibling, scheduled for rescue from the ASPCA shortly after we return from CA. Until then, we leave a trap out next to Carmen's food dish. It appears that Scabbers (for so have we named our little rhodent visitor) has been coming in through the doggie door for his nightly forays. He samples Carmen's food, then heads upstairs, where he is eating the rug in Billy's quarters. The RUG! Ugh!

Sep 05, 2004 by The Editor

It's a great day when you can wake up to a friendly crowd of bikers and hikers of all ages in your driveway. This morning we hosted a group from the church for a morning of biking, rollerblading or strolling the Katy Trail near our house. About 30 members of the congregation showed up for the event, finishing up with doughnuts and milk in the Benac driveway and a cooling dip in the pool. Even Carmen got into the act. Happy Labor Day to all!

We are quite enjoying having our dear Billy Boy back for the weekend. He joined the Editor yesterday at (where else?) the Meadows Museum for a tour of our new art on loan from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. But what thrilled him the most was a handful of pewter hearts which he bought in the gift shop. He proudly displays them as he stands in front of Claes Oldenburg's Geometric Mouse.

Oct 09, 2004 by The Editor

Aahh, the joys of having a dog and a cat together in the house...Today while the Editor watched General Conference on her bedroom TV, she decided to get a few other things done at the same time. Like leashing Carmen to the bedpost and bringing Kitty Kat downstairs to keep her company while she worked on a jigsaw puzzle. So Kitty did fine, Carmen went nuts, then did fine, and Kitty wound up fast asleep in the puzzle box lid while the Editor worked away. What a crazy afternoon! If anyone has any tips on how to calm a rambunctious Labrador and make her into a kitten's best friend, we'd love to know about it!
Oct 27, 2004 by The Editor

Huge thanks to Caroline's violin teacher for giving us some free tickets to the second dress rehearsal of the Dallas Opera's Carmen, a brilliant performance which was enjoyed tonight by both the Parents and Caroline. Keeping these people awake during any evening show is a great challenge for the Editor, but tonight's show succeeded in getting their attention for a longer-than-usual period of time. We moved to the seventh row for the last two acts and enjoyed the final carnage outside the bull ring of Seville from close up. Good job, Don Jose!
Nov 17, 2004 by The Editor

Our dear Camen is sporting a swollen black eye (on her Black Lab face!) after taking a leap of faith this week. After waiting patiently in the car while the Editor attended her book club meeting, Carmen was relieved that for once the Ed drove home with the back windows all the way down. This in compensation for her being cooped up in the car during the meeting. The arrangement worked out fine until the shadow of a black cat was seen outside the car, crossing a family lawn. Our dear Carmencita, without even thinking, was driven to take a flying leap right out the window of the (slowly) moving car, landing most ungracefully on the sidewalk before making her hot pursuit of the kitty cat. We didn't even realize that she'd bloodied herself with abrasions to her face and legs until we got her home and she joined us for our Family Home Evening on the white sofas. Rubbing her face along the length of both sofas, she left a certain telltale trail, and the Truth became evident. She is now recovering with regular applications of hydrogen peroxide, Betadine and self-licking.
Nov 18, 2004 by The Editor

Tired of reading dog news? Do not dispair, gentle reader. Benacs from Afar are on their way! Soon the site will be hopping with Thanksgiving visitors, and Carmen the Adorable Dog will have to take her place at the rear of the headlines. Until then, we willl share the happy fact that Mary is glorying in her ability to get to and from work and school and home with practically no more than the push of an elevator button. Life on the Upper East Side is treating her well. Further, Sarah and Adam are getting geared up for the arrival of Baby X with hypno-birth preparations and a doolah, or birth attendant who will no doubt pronounce all the necessary incantations to get her through the experience in style. But wait, there's more! Grace's little co-op nursery school had a treat this week on the day they studied the letter 'K." How better to illustrate the concept than to bring over a special guest in the form of our k-k-k-kitten, Pixie, who made a morning visit to a room full of excited little preschoolers?
Nov 26, 2004 by The Editor

Wow. This has been a glorious Thanksgiving, with so many Benacs assembled here, in addition to some Chambers, multiple generations of Taylors, some Ashurst relatives, and our dear friend Fanny Voyer, who joins us for nearly every major holiday party. The Ed and Mr. Bill couldn't have been more grateful for the honor of hosting so many family and friends. Even Carmen got a special little treat in honor of the day. We'll get the photo album up later. Till then, enjoy Emma's latest wonderful artistic gift wishing us all a Happy Thanksgiving! We're still cleaning up after hosting 38 wonderful people chez nous. G'nite!
Dec 06, 2004 by The Editor

Ahh, the music of Christmas...Click on the photo of John warbling with the bass section at today's choir practice held chez nous in preparation for our big Christmas program this year. We had Hannah on the harp, Brian on the cello, and Benac Family members Caroline on the violin; and John, the Editor, Catherine and Matt in the choir. If you have Quicktime installed, you will get to sit in on a snippet of the practice and hear a little bit of what made our home so wonderful this afternoon. The Editor has always said that the best decorating one can ever have in one's home is the people which fill it, and this was certainly true today.

Oh, and by the way, it has come to the Editor's attention that someone has been trying to access the fantastic footage of Carmen diving off the diving board, only to discover a dead link. Be of good cheer, dear reader-the link is now reinstated, and you can enjoy our graceful Black Lab as if you had a ringside seat on her antics.

Jan 04, 2005 by The Editor

The good news from India is that Pathway, our cherished orphanage in Chennai/Madras, is planning on taking in an additional 50-100 children orphaned by the tsunami. This means so much more than merely taking care of children. Their lives will be blessed in incalculable ways by the tender ministrations of Dr. Prasad's staff and volunteers. There is a heavenly spirit at that place. Thanks to Bill's travelmate, Jen, and her family for making a contribution substantial enough to provide an additional girls' dormitory for the facility.

Can a dog blog? That is the question. With all the comings and goings of the far-flung Benacs, the family hound has been feeling curiously invisible, neglected, and frankly, is quite unhappy about it. Imagine the Editor's surprise to find that our adorable Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino has set up her own online blog? Will wonders never cease?

Apr 02, 2005 by The Editor

A lovely day, really. Beginning with our culturally with-it Caroline's New Conservatory rehearsal, then a lacrosse game, then a good listen to General Conference, our biannual infusion of inspiration from Salt Lake City, and an evening of art appreciation at the Patron Preview buffet and exhibition look-see at our dear Kimbell Museum in Ft. Worth. A load of beautiful Islamic decorative arts on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Carmen loved riding to Fort Worth, and continues to be a Dog Who Goes Nearly Everywhere With The Editor (is there a way to write that in Kufic Arabic calligraphy?).

We're looking forward to a weekend of family around here, a TITAS flamenco performance, a visiting baby, etc. Wooo hooo!

Note. Carmen and Pixie get along fine now. Miracle. They actually seem to enjoy that dog-chase-dog-baiting-cat game.

Apr 08, 2005 by The Editor

Okay, okay, back to the serious business of living. We had a family crisis today when Caroline reported the fact that she hadn't seen Pixie since early this morning when she bid her farewell. Pixie is Caroline's bedmate, and the two are inseparable at Z time. But last night around midnight, Pixie's human companion realized her kitty was nowhere to be found. We scoured the house, called the police, the animal retrieval service (she wears an ID chip in her shoulder with their phone and ours on it which can be scanned at a police station, veterinarian or animal shelter), and finally settled down to pray and wait. Even Carmen couldn't find her, after racing around the house with great enthusiasm once we asked her to join the search. Caroline entered the sewing room in the wee hours and was suddenly surprised by Pixie appearing magically, out of nowhere! We offer our thanks, and renew our love for our sweet little kitty, who gave us wet nose-touch kisses upon our reunion.
Apr 15, 2005 by The Editor

The beauties of spring are with us in abundance. As the Ed and Carmen returned from their morning walk, they came upon this lovely little profusion of blooms in the corner garden next to the garage. Thank you, little flowers, for your enthusiastic contribution to the loveliness of the season!

Speaking of wonderful sights, take a look at Mary's great view from her room on the Upper East Side. Not a bad place to live...

Apr 17, 2005 by The Editor

The welcome mat is out this weekend to visiting granddaughter Emma, who had a spot of tea with the Editor before retiring for some latch hooking and a movie. She even was able to tame the mighty Carmen, who no longer seems such a menacing presence to our growing girl. She could be heard calling out to Carmen to join her in her upstairs bedroom so she wouldn't have to go to sleep alone. We do love this little girl and look forward to more time together.
May 06, 2005 by The Editor

Oh, the Editor was filled to overflowing with joy today to receive a special delivery rush envelope containing this homemade card, dubbed "Dinner at the Benacs'," by the adored Mary of Manhattan, who created a little work of art expressing her affection for her elderly Ma. Mille fois merci to you, Mary, for your wonderful gesture. The Ed loves making cards of her own, but seeing the progeny get into the act only heightens the joy!

Four generations gathered yesterday at the preschool attended by little Jack and Olivia. The occasion? A Mothers'/Grandmothers' Day tea party hosted by the Messiah's Lambs 4-5 year-old class, who performed some sweet musical numbers, put on a tasty little brunch and shared a cookbook written by the kids. Instructions such as "Take 99 chocolate chips, a cheese and put it in the oven for 10 hours. Then you take it out and eat it now!" The visiting mothers and grandmothers took a quick peek at Olivia, who was discovered in the gymnasium engaging in crawling races with her three-year-old peers.

May we report yet another sighting of our little possum baby in the front garden? Too bad we didn't have the camera. Carmen nearly broke the front window trying to get to the little fellow.

Jun 14, 2005 by The Editor

Ever wonder what our Johnny Boy is up to these days? He's taking care of himself, that's what. Working his way through school, in charge of shipping materials around the country for BYU's youth camp system, Especially For Youth. Here we see our handsome young swain offloading a bunch of boxes bound for San Diego. We love you John!

Today marked a true milestone in the annals of Benac Family History. Caroline, the last of a long line of toothy Benacs, had all four of her wisdom teeth removed by the able Dr. Banta, our jolly oral surgeon who makes it almost fun to have your teeth pulled. After her return home, she was blessed with an all-day-long visit from her true friend, Becca the Benificent, who brought her a homemade ice cream cake, the full set of Pride and Prejudice DVDs, and a commitment to snuggle in with her lifelong friend as she recovered from her surgery. Pixie the Cat and Carmen the dog joined in the post-op vigil, and remain at Nubbins' side through the day and we predict, into the night.

Jul 16, 2005 by The Editor

Have you ever been in a thunderstorm that lasted so long you got a headache from the relentless noise? Tonight's gullywasher was a case in point; we had enough rain to fill the pool, enough rain to wash our visitor's sandal down the street as he was getting out of the car to come inside. Enough rain that Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino, whimpered like a baby and stuck to the Editor's side as she watched in disbelief from the back porch, conducting the roaring thunder as if it were her own huge orchestra. Anticipating the next big boom, waving her expert musical arms in synch, and getting a really bad headache from all the noise, we have finally retired to the quieter environs in the Inner Home, where we now recover...
Jul 19, 2005 by The Editor

Thanks to Sarah for sending these photos of the Flaké Family visit to Utah, which enabled Auntie Bethany to lay eyes on little PJ, who was at the height of adorability during her week-long stay. Sarah and Adam enjoyed the chance to show off their little darling during Adam's brother's wedding. Keep the photos coming, dears!

As the Editor goes about her morning jog with Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino, she makes a mental tally of "Wonders of Nature." Anything lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy is entered in to the jogger's mind and duly recorded as something to appreciate and be grateful for. This lovely offering was at first thought to be a clump of day lilies growing against the side of a house, but on second glance, it turned out to be this spikey little variation on the day lily theme. Delicious, eh? Eh?

Jul 29, 2005 by The Editor

Yes, it's all Allreds, all the time these days. The Ed was happy to host the mid-littles of the clan tonight as we watched Willie Wonka (the original!), made jewelry, and didn't have any bedtime at all, just hung out in the Ed's bedroom till the sandman came. Carmen was especially delighted to play flashlight tag with the kids wielding the torch while she bounded the depth of the house and back till she was quite out of breath!
Aug 01, 2005 by The Editor

Ahh, the Editor is a patient and forebearing person. Consider this: when Caroline arrived at the airport tonight, she requested that little Pixie the Cat be on hand to greet her as she stepped off the plane. Pixie the Cat? But how? We have no handy little carrying case, no kitty harness in sight. So the Editor latched Carmen's big old leash to the kitty's flea collar, bore the needlepricks of Pixie's nervousness, and waited patiently in front of baggage claim for Caroline to appear. Did you know cats shed when they're nervous? The Ed's black knit shirt was COVERED in cat hair by the time Mistress Caroline arrived. But no matter; it was a happy reunion indeed. For all.
Aug 08, 2005 by The Editor

There is a God and he hears and answers prayers. I don't care what you may say to the contrary, Dear Reader. Case in point: Today, driving home from church in the rain, there was a traffic holdup on a busy street. My friend, who was giving me a lift, had to slow down as traffic had come to a halt over a fluffy, strangely-shaped little creature who was standing, bewildered and befuddled, in the middle of the street, wandering uncertainly about from time to time, but definitely 'out of it.' As we sat there, I realized it was a little dog, and got out of the car and scooped it up, took it into the car and brought it home, so I could figure out how to reunite him/her with its owners. Problem was that I couldn't really remember where we had found it; as it happened so quickly, the traffic was so heavy, and we had to speed out of there.

My friend dropped me and Fifi, for that is what I choose to call her, off at the house. Carmen and Pixie were friendly hostesses, and Fifi the Pomeranian instantly became a member of the household. She looked so like our dear old Ashley in her final weeks; grey around the muzzle, befuddled, and bleary-eyed from cataracts, but emanating the sweetest, most loveable spirit imaginable.

After learning from various animal control offices the projected unhappy fate of this little dog, I finally decided to bring her to the SPCA downtown, after which I came home and made some laminated (it was raining!) FOUND posters, then drove back to the general area where I'd found her to put up some posters informing the seeking (I hoped) owners where they could pick her up. I had no idea where to go, but parked the car around the corner from the busy thoroughfare, in search of telephone poles or trees where I might staple the signs. A race against time, to be sure, for the SPCA folk had gently informed me that if the dog wasn't in good health (elderly, demented, coughing, etc as she was..) she would not be adoptable, and I had to sign a document acknowledging my understanding that if not adoptable, she would be humanely euthanized after a set period of time. Imagine, Dear Reader, the pressure I felt, and the near hopelessness as I trudged along the highway, wondering where to post the signs.

I started down the street, and found a man and his son standing in a front yard and decided to approach them. Holding out the poster, I began to ask them if they knew anyone who owned a dog like the one on the sign. Before I could finish my question the teenaged boy pumped his fist and cried, "Yesssssss! That's our dog!" That was their dog!

How else but through the guidance afforded in answer to prayer would I have been able to know to park right next to their house and go right to the house where the owners lived but through the intervention of the One who knows when each sparrow drops to the earth. So it goes. The sparrow, the 15 -year old fluffy dog named Fifi (in my head that's her name!), the beloved child, the parent, the sister. He knows and loves us all. Thank you, God, and good luck to you, Fifi, in reuniting with your family tomorrow when they hustle right on down to the Dallas SPCA!

Sep 01, 2005 by The Editor

The first of the refugees from Hurricane Katrina have arrived in Dallas. The Editor and Carmen headed down to Reunion Arena this morning with a bag full of shoes, jackets, games and miscellaneous clothing, and had the chance to visit with a pair of lovely sisters who survived the ordeal in New Orleans. Any of you here in Dallas, go through your things, fill your donation bags and head on down. They need towels, washcloths, basic hygiene items, you name it. Don't wait. Get going. Send money from afar, but those of you who are close, get on it NOW.

Mary called in from New York, where she experienced the 9-11 calamity, and made an eerie comparison between these two disasters. In NYC, the system was set up, the cots and hospitals ready, the volunteers on the alert, and the victims didn't come; they didn't survive. The doctors and nurses and emergency personel were wandering the streets, hoping to find someone to help. In this case, the system is overwhelmed, and the magnitude is beyond any historical precedent. We just need to remember that though our efforts may seem as the widow's mite, they are crucially important. We need not be afraid to contribute our small offerings, and continue our very large prayerful offerings in behalf of those who are suffering as a result of this event. [Exit, the Editor, stage left from podium...]

Sep 14, 2005 by The Editor

So, yes. Isn't it sweet how whenever company comes, you see charming photos right here on Newsucanuse of the gang assembled around the kitchen table, with delicacies spread abroad for all? Well, it's hot, and the Editor is in a state of continual recovery from the punishing games of tennis with Adam and sometimes Sarah, and last night a pickup game of doubles in which we kidnapped a visiting Italian who was playing a raucous game of fives with his buddies from Over There. We didn't get back till 11 pm, and were so sore from the night revels that we could not possibly have been expected to go grocery shopping, prepare food and clean up on top of it all! So here we are, dining at the famed and beloved Dickie's Barbeque, right around the corner-just off Central Expressway. Homey, eh?

Penelope and Carmen have forged the closest of all bonds this week, and we spend a lot of time watching her crawl all over our big black dog, who in exchange lovingly licks her little face clean from whatever baby detritus is there to be found.

Oct 06, 2005 by The Editor

Some people will do anything rather than eat their deserved crow...Our dear friend and former lodger, Greg Welch, accused our (completely innocent) Black Lab of absconding with his wedding ring, which he had left on his bedside table chez nous. After weeks of searching, the bit of jewelry was given up for lost, until one day, when Greg noticed our Caroline wearing his ring during church! As it turns out, she had found it, she said, in the laundry room, and decided it was cool enough looking to become a part of her teen bling wardrobe. Greg nabbed his ring back, and vehemently insisted to the Editor that Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino, that household scourge who nearly rules the roost around here, was the most likely culprit, having probably taken it into her black zig zag lips from his nightstand, carried it downstairs and deposited it in the laundry room before taking her Eukanuba supper in that same room. Hmm, thought the Editor, who thought Greg was really nuts. Later it became a running joke between them. In a pathetic effort to substantiate his outrageous claim, Greg sent the Editor this news item, which he claims is a bona fide account of another Black Lab committing a similar crime. Greg works in advertising, and the Editor suspects he merely assembled this bit of yellow journalism in an ongoing effort to substantiate his jealous attack on the True Queen of the house. Hmmph. What do YOU think?
Oct 14, 2005 by The Editor

Happy Birthday to Sarah the Sweet! If we were there, we would festoon her table with the traditional paper haunted house, but lacking that, we shall present her with it in a cyber sort of way. We love you, Darling!

Oh, the joy of having the grandkids near. The Editor represented all of Grace's grandparents near and far today at Grandparents' Day at Stonewall Jackson Elementary, where a lovely program was put on for the visiting guests. Grace enjoyed sharing cookies and lemonade with Grandma Barbara, introducing her teacher, and sitting out on the playground on this lovely fall day to point out some of her favorite playmates and enjoy a cross-generational chat. Carmen even came along for the event, though she was required to wait patiently in the car within view of the playground.

Oct 25, 2005 by The Editor

For those of you who haven't checked Carmen's blog lately, you have missed a wonderful shot of the bold and daring Pixie the Cat, who moved onto Carmen's own best bed during her recent absence while the Fam was celebrating Billy's wedding. Pixie gloated that she was able to take care of herself and didn't need to be sent to an animal camp, as was the less self-sufficient Carmen, who needs constant validation. It was difficult indeed for Pixie to relinquish the dog bed upon Carmen's return last night, but she was a good sport.
Oct 29, 2005 by The Editor

A hearty welcome to newlyweds Bill and Kelsey, whom the Editor has taken to calling "Special K" in order to avoid slipping up and calling her Mamie, the sweetheart of our OTHER soon-to-be-married son. After picking them up from the airport last night, we dined out on Knox Street before heading home. Breakfast found Carmen worshiping at Billy's feet. We look forward to celebrating with our Dallas friends tonight as we host an open house for the happily-weds.
Nov 16, 2005 by The Editor

We would like to make a plug for the North Texas Lab Rescue organization, through which we were able to adopt our dear Carmencita, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino;. Do you have a dog? Why not? If you'd like to inject some pure joy (not to mention guaranteed companionship of the most loving sort) into your life, call a breed specific rescue organization and get yourself a new friend!
O thou, wise enchanter, whosoever thou mayest be, whose task it will be to chronicle this wondrous history! I implore thee not to overlook my good Rocinante, my eternal companion on all my travels and peregrinations!"
His eternal companion, eh? I guess that would make Carmencita my current eternal companion? Eternal? No, I think that would be Mr. Bill....
Dec 15, 2005 by The Editor

Today was one of those Christmassy days you just want to remember. The Ed entertained the Young Women chez nous tonight to decorate gingerbread houses before heading out the the Symphony of Toys at the Meyerson, where Caroline was performing her last concert of the year. We remember the days when she did a report for school on that wonderful building. What a great oppportunity to perform there!

The Ed presented each of the Young Women with a set of handmade earrings with which to adorn themselves.

Luckily for us, the Allred Clan stopped by for some hot cider and treats before and after the concert, so they could soak up some grandparent time in a more leisurely manner. Emma was happy to get a stab at the advent calendar, which has been a staple of our Christmas observance for nearly two decades, and Sam encouraged our nervous Carmen to snuggle with him in the feared "death zone," that part of the kitchen where dogs who value their lives ne'er dare to tread.

Caroline and the New Conservatory did a great job in our gorgeous Meyerson Symphony Hall, and we couldn't help but notice that our facility beats out Avery Fisher by a thousand points. Good luck, Beverly, with your fundraising to remodel Lincoln Center!

Dec 22, 2005 by The Editor

It's that time again, when the presents are mounding under the Christmas tree, the shopping is finished, and we become agoraphobics. No, we do not want to see any more Christmas lights, garishly competing for attention in a Vegas-style show. Just give us some quiet, lovely music, a nook in which to work, and a sewing machine next to mounds of fabrics and trims. Today the Ed, Carmen and Pixie spent the afternoon creating some nonessential love offerings to put under the tree, and it couldn't have been better. The feeling begins to creep in at the edges of her content, however, with the age-old premonition that once the tallies come in (a pox on those who keep tally!), there will be a cringing, hurt member of the family who has received a markedly smaller pile than the others. One year it was Mary, and the Ed caught it in time, saving the day at the last minute by creating some very LARGE pillows for the little girl who never realized she almost was the lowest on the gift scoreboard. But what if we can't make the save in time this year? How about a blanket apology and general amnesty for the sins of omission that are surely to come? That will do nicely; thanks!

We have enjoyed the early arrival of Annie and Kah Leong, who received all the attention for the past couple of days as if they were Only Children. How does it feel? They'll probably be grateful for the arrival of the Hordes, which begins tomorrow, so they can have some breathing time without all those events, trips, walks, dinners, and forced adoration of Carmen playing flashlight tag. At least they got to chow down with us at Toulouse tonight; could be worse! We took the opportunity to toast Caroline upon the fantastic scores she received on the PSAT. National Merit, here she comes!

Feb 12, 2006 by The Editor

Greetings from PJ in California, who rolled down the grassy hill at the Getty Museum this week, creating a picture perfect childhood moment as she became the art on view. We miss that little redhead more than we can say. So does Carmen, who is looking for another foody little face to lick around here.
Feb 19, 2006 by The Editor

Enjoying the afterglow of our great party last night, we shared a delicious, spur-of-the-moment Sunday dinner with the Morphis family, followed by an afternoon snuggle in front the a roaring fire this chilly winter day (yes, we do occasionally get some chilly weather here in the Big D!). Lille and Grace were particularly enthralled by the lovely fresh flowers and their various scents, and enjoyed having Carmen lick the vestiges of their chocolate desserts off their chubby little faces. Click for the photo album.
Mar 21, 2006 by The Editor

It seems like forever since we laid our collective eyes on dear Carmen, our beloved Black Lab. Today is the day of her return! We hope she finds everything in order and is ready to stink up the house once more after we treated it with copious amounts of Febreeze in preparation for last week's houseguests. Any minute now, Carmen!

The Editor is sporting a colorful ding to her face after smashing herself in the head with her tennis racquet during today's team drill. There is an unsightly H-shaped gouge on the bridge of her nose, where her sunglasses dug into her flesh as they smashed under the impact of the swinging racquet. Did she snivel home in defeat? NO! After cleaning up the blood and accepting the tender ministrations of her teammates, receiving bandages where it was possible to cover the contusions, she was back on the court, swinging away with enthusiasm! A metaphor for life, my dears!

Apr 08, 2006 by The Editor

As our son-in-law Matt winds up his MBA class trip to Europe, he finds himself back in Paris, where he once served a two-year volunteer mission. We know he was delighted to return for the first time since then to the City of Lights. How suprised he must have been upon his arrival in his hotel room to find a hand-made poster on his bed, made for him by his two little daughters, Grace and Lille!
"Oh, look at that," he is quoted as saying, "How did you do that?" he asked the empty room, when suddenly, out of the bathroom popped his daring wife, our own intrepid Catherine, who secretly flew across the world to join him for the final days of his trip. Those of us left behind are enjoying caring for their children as the dynamic duo spends a few days enjoying themselves together in Paris, a dream come true. Forget about the riots and the strikes; nothing can keep these two from loving this grand adventure! Thanks to Cat for calling home and clueing us in on her safe arrival. She is equipped with a list of cool places to visit and a pile of guidebooks from the Editor to ensure that her time is well-spent!

In the meantime, Baby Max settled in chez nous with complete serenity, and is loving the association with his favorite animal companion, Carmencita, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino.

Huge Congratulations to John, who was just elected the Chapter President of the local Society of Manufacturing Engineers. John is inventing and presenting like wildfire, loving his job and school, and miraculously keeping it all together. Only a few more days till his big trip to Asia with the MET grad students from BYU.

May 18, 2006 by The Editor

Let's just get right down and talk about the dog park here. Yesterday the Editor took Carmen down to the lakeside canine Nirvana, where a variety of dogs of all sizes can run free and enjoy the companionship of their new packmates on the shores of gorgeous White Rock Lake. Depending on what time of week and what time of day, you run into a variety of dog people, from the punky teenagers with scary pit bulls to the "grumpy old men" set we encountered yesterday. These gentlement were retired Texans with mongrel dogs, sometimes snarling and breaking out into play fights under the noses of their very tolerant and accepting owners. There was a lily among the thorns. A young woman of about twenty-something who was leaving just as we were arriving. After her departure, one of the Texas grumps said to me, "Do you know about her? She is an excellent pianist, getting her Master's in piano performance at SMU. She is really good!"
May 23, 2006 by The Editor

Oh, how the clan travels. Bill Jr. called today from Toronto, where he's doing a consulting job this week, to say that he succumbed to the temptation to take the 'road more traveled' and visit Niagara Falls tonight on the way home from work. Standing about 10 feet from the roaring cascade, he found himself quite overwhelmed by the majesty of it all. He didn't even know he was at a world-favorite honeymoon location all by himself, and it didn't bite at him as it might have had he known. Special K. remains in Seattle percolating that precious little son of theirs, due this July. So perhaps Billy conjured up in his mind his other girlfriend, our own Carmen of the Highway, who was his imaginary companion for the 3 1/2-hour detour.
Jul 01, 2006 by The Editor

Click on the picture for the photo album...The welcome mat is out for Bill Jr., who's visiting for a few days of work, though you wouldn't know it, as he's chugging away so long at his current assignment that he didn't even return chez nous until 4:30 in the morning! Though he got in Tuesday night, the Editor's first sighting of him was two days later. We hope to lay eyes on him sometime in the next 24 hours. In the meantime, the Editor can only trudge up the back stairs to smell his sheets and look at the sweet disarray of his room.

But wait! He finished today in time to join us for a little swim with the Morphii and Carmencita! See the bags under his eyes? He earned 'em!

The Baby Countdown is on: both Kelsey and Catherine expect their little babes to arrive in the next few days. We're praying all turns out aright with two more bouncing babies to add to our treasure chest of grandchildren. Little Lentil, Bill and Kelsey's nicknamed son, and Sabina of the South, daughter of Cat and Matt, will round out our grandchildren count to a whopping 12!

Speaking of grandkids, Sam A. finally came through with a letter to the Editor after he made a sgraffito art project at scout camp, which he sent as a postcard with a letter sympathizing with her plight as One Who Writes Unrequited Letters. See her happy response here.

Jul 13, 2006 by The Editor

Click here to see Carmen's idol, and that, not American...Carmen is not spoiled. She has a sofa all to herself, with a special quilted cover on it which we whip off when company comes over so they don't have to experience the Dog Hair on the Pants Syndrome when they leave. So why does she insist on adding the other sofa to her list of okay places to lounge? She is quite enjoying these long summer days of No Hatred From Nubs, as she reigns with perfect totalitarianism in the house while Nubsy visits Sarah in LA. All that will end soon enough. Enjoy the lovin' while it lasts, Carmencita.

Speaking of LA, our sympathies go out to Penelope of South Pas, who is going through Pacifier Withdrawal these days. Perhaps she finds some comfort in passing on the misery to a certain hapless kitten?

Aug 02, 2006 by The Editor

Meet Squirrel, our morning swim partner. Each morning, on a good day, he begins his day by heading out into the waters of the Benac pool, where the Editor puts her hand into his formerly-stuffed body to create a puppet-like effect. Next, the newly-animated squirrel begins a series of taunting dives and surfacing shakes designed to get Carmen the Mighty Hunter worked up into a frenzy. She jumps in the pool in hot pursuit, the Ed and Squirrel swim away, only to allow themselves to be caught, after which the Ed grabs Carmen's collar and lets her athletic Black Lab pull them both back to the steps. The squirrel is reclaimed, and the entire sequence begins anew. Why is this newsworthy? Have YOU ever seen or heard of such a thing? Then it's NEWS! Click on the photo to see the other side of the story.
Each morning when the Ed jogs about the neighborhood with Carmen, she makes mental notes on what she loves to term "Wonders of Nature," which are little manifestations of glory in the natural world. Today's winner, hands-down, was a sleek and shining little green snake, who sinuously slithered across the sidewalk at a slow pace as the Ed watched in fascination. Thanks to our Creator for placing these and other natural wonders in our path each day. Look and enjoy!
Aug 10, 2006 by The Editor

Ever wonder why the Editor isn't just jamming the waves with literary contributions these days? Do not be fooled, Gentle Reader, into thinking she is merely swimming with Carmen all the days of her life. Au contraire; she is engulfed with wedding plans and house plans as she prepares to host a couple of dozen (yes, that is about 24) house guests at two houses at the end of the summer. This will be the be-all, end-all of hospitality fests, and it is what she loves to do best. Quite fun replenishing the dingy towel supply, lining up aerobeds to augment the existing supply, and dream about the weekend when we will have many of our favorite people in the world all under one (or two) roofs! You know who you are, people; get ready for some real Texas fun. Can't wait for that night of glittering saris and little girls dressed in shimmering burnt peachy hues.
Aug 23, 2006 by The Editor

They're here. They're here! The days of working 24 hours a day getting the houses ready for a bazillion guests are over. Now we can just accept what isn't done and focus on our beloved visitors, known and unknown. Mary and Ram, the bride and groom-to- be, arrived today midst a flurry of excitement chez nous, as we scramble to find enough sheets and towels for 27 overnighters staying for varying lengths of time. Pixie and Carmen are traumatized so much that Carmen had to be sent to camp, Pixie had to be set up with a kitty litter (please, please learn to use the new pet door, kitty cat!) and in the midst of it all, Nubsy started her junior year of high school with not enough fanfare midst the move-in activities. What is better than a family wedding? Nothing we can think of, but oh, what a tizzy we are in. Soon All Nine will be reunited-a rare occurence indeed. Stay tuned!
Aug 29, 2006 by The Editor

The Editor received what can only be termed a left-handed compliment from one of her many house guests the other day. Commenting on the entry about Carmen and the Squirrel, she was informed that it was so funny, it was almost right up there with Hollywood Flakes. Hopefully, all of you who have Benac.com bookmarked have also marked our dear and slightly off-kilter Sarah's page for a regular dose of real entertainment without all the sweetness and light that runs so rampant here at the ol' home page.

Speaking of sweetness and light, check out cousin Doug's photo album of Mary and Ram's wedding. Lotsa good pix! Can't beat the Dallas Temple and the Meadows Museum for the perfect venues for the day's ceremony and celebration.

Sep 14, 2006 by The Editor

Our dear Carmen is getting used to wearing her electric collar, which is remotely controlled by an invisible fence which sends electric shocks through her body if she gets too close to the perimeter of our new yard. Is that awful? Maybe, but necessary, as she decided she wanted to explore at all times of day and night, and the police were beginning to give us dark hints about the fact that they could be charging us each time they had to go pick her up...So she's adjusting. The good news is she can sit out of the front lawn instead of having to be confined to the back yard, and she likes that. Actually, we just put this up so we could show off our beeeyewtiful dawg!

The Activity Girls came out in force tonight for an evening of instruction on the imperative of seeking that which is virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy. They had a blast, and the Ed loved having them over to work on fringeing fleece blankets and a letter writing project in addition to listening to their mighty leader's teachings regarding the Faith In God curriculum for their 8-12 age group. A sweet program, really. We like our new church job of teaching these dear girls.

Sep 15, 2006 by The Editor

What a great way to begin the day-nestled in bubbles up to one's chubby little chin. So it was for Grace and Lille, who spent a night along with Carmen in the Editor's bedroom before waking up to a delicious breakfast on the balcony this morning. Now, back to school for the girls and back to unpacking boxes for the Ed.
Sep 26, 2006 by The Editor

What is it about this time of year? There's something in the air, an expectancy that seems a bit unnerving. We feel as if we need to be doing something that we are not in fact doing; something more important than what currently occupies our time. Is it possible that playing and occasional game of Travel Yahtzee is not in sync with the purpose of existence? Might those walks with Carmen be better spent promoting world peace? Should we not be making our cute little adorable cards to send to those we love? Would a phone call or a (gag) email suffice? Should we abandon The Page? This must be the aftermath of our weekend trip, when routines were wrecked and we saw how Others not of our town live. Should we live more like Auntie Margaret? Auntie Anne? We Dallas folks are a peculiar bunch. The Editor is conscientious about beginning, ending and inserting prayers throughout her day, feeding on the Good Word, and really trying to be kind to others. There is more; this we know. But what? It seems whatever free time we have is spent pondering the contents of boxes and wondering what in the world to do with all this Stuff that seems to own us more than we own it. We give it away in droves. We glory in the release of the stuff. But there is so much more to plow through. Happiness is not in having, that's for sure. And then there is the tennis team, those ladies who ask for more and more of one's time. Now they want to attend as a team a huge Sunday event with visiting guest star, Anna Kournikova, that brief flare-up of beauty which surpassed athletic talent, as a drawing card to droves of Metroplex players. We do not feel so compelled. How to say no? Where to draw the line? Enough rambling. Back to the boxes. One more in the master bathroom and we are through with the day's quota.
Oct 12, 2006 by The Editor

Last night after taking Carmencita for a walk, the Ed remembered she had a lecture to attend at the Meadows Museum on a selection of prints from the Bridwell Library, which houses an astounding collection of etchings and engravings by Rembrandt, Albrecht Durer, and his contemporary, Lucas van Leyden, who signs his prints with his initial "L", thus endearing him to the Editorial heart for some unkown reason. (Whee, a run-on sentence!) Imagine her joy when she arrived in time to hear Eric W., who curates the Bridwell collection, tell about this special little print in which St. Jerome (translator of the Bible into Latin, for those of you from Ennis...) gets his toes licked by his pal the lion, from whom he is said to have gotten out of his own scrape, and then became his constant companion. We would LOVE to have a gorgeous lion lying here in the office, licking the Editorial toes as she types away at the Page. Lacking that, enjoy this picture, and do take special notice of the big toe of Jerome's other foot curling up with ticklish glee in response. Also, yes, he is pointing to a skull, a remember of impending death when no lion whatsoever will be licking anyone's feet at all....
Oct 21, 2006 by The Editor

It seems that Carmen is adjusting well to becoming a real city dog. Now that we're living on a smaller, corner lot (not complaining!), she is taking advantage of the opportunity to sit in her bed in the Ed's second-floor office and hang her big black head out the open window to monitor the innocents on their way to school, barking occasionally when the occasion demands. Click on the enigmatic image to see her in her full role as the Guardian of the Home.
Oct 21, 2006 by The Editor

There is a coyote prowling the streets of Highland Park. Tonight on the way home from a family dinner party honoring Grandma Helen and deceased Grandpa Bill's anniversary, the Ed and Mr. Bill took Carmen, who waited patiently in the car during dinner, to a park where she could get the wiggles out. After loading her back in the car, we headed home and as we were driving, a large animal bounded across the street and froze, deer-like, on the lawn in front of us. It was the Coyote. The eater of cats and small pets. We do not take this lightly, as our friends' Labrador Retriever was just eaten by a coyote. This Highland Park coyote is noted for his penchant for nibbling cats and other small pets, and has been sighted in various alleys, where he, Vivi the Whippet-like, always manages to disappear before anyone can capture him. Normally, we would say, "Enjoy your life, Coyote." But eating Labradors? That's crossing the line.
Nov 04, 2006 by The Editor

The celebrations nearly got out of hand this morning as we woke up with none other than our precious Bill of Seattle chez nous. We lit the Bonne Maman candle of gaiety, invited the dog, and fried up some orange pancakes in honor of his short visit, and we shall continue to fete him at the end of this day. Since he's taking a calculus class right now, he couldn't head out the door without sharing some mathematical ideas with his camera-shy sister, the ephemeral Nubs.
Nov 08, 2006 by The Editor

In the morning it's the DMA. In the afternoon it's the Meadows. In between it's listening to artists' bios, reading up on background info, art all the time. Oh, and feeding Carmencita, who is beginning to wonder what happened to our trips to the dog park. She still gets her early morning jog, but what of the evening jog? Today was a case in point. Happily leaving a house full of workers who were repairing the balcony, re-sheet rocking the breakfast room ceiling and doing some finish carpentry projects, the Ed disappeared for the day, meeting a group of art lovers from Oklahoma City for a tour of the Sheaves of Wheat exhibit. Hustle on outta there in time for our most cozy docent meeting at the Meadows, where we are tight and loving and love to share our own travel experiences as well as listening to the pros. A gallery chat with the museum director, and home again for a quick nap. then out again for a program for Nubsy. Carmen got to wait in the car and hang her head out the window on the way home. That's sort of a walk, isn't it? We pledge to turn over a new leaf...later.

Nov 16, 2006 by The Editor

The Editor was feeling plenty lonely for some familiar company tonight, as Caroline was off to her drawing and painting class and there was a nice supply of bread dough in the fridge left over from last night's party for the Ed's little group of church girls who come over on a regular basis. Where to find a little girl to make some yummy scones out of that dough? We solved the problem by driving up north to the nearby hamlet of Richardson, where young Miss Emma waited, ready for a night of fun. After making our scones and drizzling the Ed's homemade pomegranate jelly inside, we watched some dear old scripture videos, then read the accounts from the scriptures in front of the Ed's fireplace (our first fire EVER in that fireplace!) before snuggling in for a sleepover. Emma shall share the Editorial resting place tonight, along with Carmen and Pixie, who was, incidentally found, yet again, in Dad's drawer. We think she goes there because she likes being near Carmen, who has a bed in the closet, but wants protection in case Carmen starts her old "chase the cat" routine. Ah, chilly firelit nights with loved ones, animal and human...
Nov 21, 2006 by The Editor

So much going on! Sarah's here! PJ's here! She went straight to Carmen's bed upon arrival, much to Carmen's dismay. We went to Austin! We visited Mamie's folks. Here we are in front of their home after we joined them for church. More later. More photos later.
Nov 29, 2006 by The Editor

A very distinguished friend paid us a visit the other night and when he left, we found his old hat on our coffee table. The hat was a curiously sewn mix of various colors of dyed leather, and seemed an anachronism. But it was a precious possession, and will be returned to our friend, founder of a prestigious Dallas law firm. How can he wear this funny hat? Because he's had it since his early married days, and it's full of memories from when his wife was still alive. So we return it today, but not before trying it on Carmen!
It's charmin' on Carmen, but better on you... These words never did ring so true...

Thanks to Annie for her delicious new blog. Seeing the world through her artsy eyes is a delightful experience indeed. Here is her latest wonderful tidbit. Get ready for some 'hard-hitting questions!'

Dec 09, 2006 by The Editor

Thirty seven years ago, the Editor began college as an art major. One of her favorite classes was figure drawing. Her instructor called her "a natural" at the sport, and we saved a sfumato study of a female torso done at the age of eighteen. We finally got it framed this week, and loaded it into the back of the car to bring it home. Forgot to bring it inside. Carmen went for a ride tonight, saw a horse-drawn carriage in the 'hood, and went into her usual "I see livestock" frenzy, doing her barky, snarly doggy dance all over the back of the car. When the Ed went to retrieve the picture tonight, this is what she found. Splintered glass everywhere. Click here to jeer at the perpetrator of this great travesty. Gotta get rid of all that broken glass. Gotta get it back to the framers. Gotta do something about Carmen.
Jan 16, 2007 by The Editor

It's crazy busy fun around here. Ram and the Editor played hours of gruelling singles today (3-6, 6-2, 6-7 tiebreaker, Ram the Victor!), Mary helped Lille make gingerbread cookies, Grace visited chez nous and went for a night walk in the 'hood with Grandma Editor and Carmen to see the Christmas lights, and we all ate, ate ate. Visits from new neighbors and old friends rounded out a joyous day. It's about the people we love; we've figured that one out. Click for the photo album.
Dec 28, 2006 by The Editor

Gasp, uh, yes; much family. Many comings, goings, parties, cousins, aunts, uncles, babies, hot tub, night tennis, games of pool, movies, dinners out, trips to the airport, snuggling on the Ed's bed, late night and into-the-morning chats. Sleeping in, cooking vegetarian, taking Carmen for walks, loving the fam, loving the fam, no time to write.
Jan 03, 2007 by The Editor

Do you ever have sudden thoughts come into your mind of off-the-wall things that might happen as you go through your normal routine? It happened here today. The Ed, pulling out of the garage into the alley, imagines the garage door coming down and wrecking her new car (does that ring a bell, Mary?); Carmen lolling around at the tubside as the Ed bathes, suddenly decides to gnaw on the artsy, editorial skull. A run for the tennis ball results in an off-step, resulting in a broken leg (The broken ankle we've already had, but it's the leg this time). We live on the edge of disaster. Tonight Nubsy and Hunter went to cash in on Daddy Bill's gift certificate for dinner at Red Lobster and neither had their cell phone ringers on. When the precious teenaged heartthrobs didn't respond to our phone calls, the Ed naturally surmised that their dead bodies were lying inert on the side of Central Expressway. Of course if they had been alive, they would have answered their phones, right? When the apologetic Nubsy Wubsy, her phone on silent, walked in the door, the Ed nearly swooned with relief, meaning flooding back into her existence! Life is precious. Every step. Don't let your dogs eat you, people. Hug your teens. Cherish the fact that you are able to walk. And your skull is intact...
Jan 08, 2007 by The Editor

Oooh, our Nana Taylor was a beautiful baby, indeed. Look to those genes for comfort in the future generation, all ye Benacs! Happy Birthday to our precious matriarch, who turns a certain age today.

It was the first day of Sunday School classes for the New Year, and various members of the Benac family have the privilege of being teachers in the auxiliaries of the Church. Kelsey of Seattle teaches the teenaged girls, Mary of Manhattan the three-year old children, and the Editor has a little class of girls between the ages of eight and eleven. Such a sweet experience to meet with our charges each week, learning right along with them. Today's activity was planting seeds and comparing them to faith. The girls got right into it.

More teaching went on tonight as the Benacs gathered for a private lesson in front of the fireplace. Even Carmen got into the act, meekly snuggling with Mr. Bill while the Editor, fierce in her authority as Great Teacher of the Evening, pontificated on tonight's topic, President Hinckley's New Year's Eve address to church youth. Goodnight everyone. Love and serve one another.


Jan 25, 2007 by The Editor

So we have this job in the church: teaching a group of little girls. On Sundays we study New Testament, and on alternate weeks we have a little fun activity chez nous. Tonight was "Learn to Sew" night, and only one of our charges was able to make it. She got lucky. We spent the evening introducing her to the wonders of the sewing machine (and serger!) and she was able to complete an entire project, a tote bag to pack her Bible in for our classes. We finished up with a cozy little hot chocolate and cookies before ending our idyllic evening. Ahh, little girls. They are the be-e-e-e-st!

The weather forecast today is so hopeful. It promises "plentiful sunshine." Plentiful. What a lovely way to put it. We look forward to getting out with Carmencita, will take a walk in the 'hood to celebrate our meteorological good fortune.

Feb 04, 2007 by The Editor

The other day we were cleaning out the drawer of a guest bedroom dresser and found three little pairs of shoes. Fairly well-worn, and obviously bought in a bundle off some Craig's List ad. How did they get there? Who might have left them? Might there be a certain orange-haired child in South Pasadena who has by now grown out of them? We must confess to feeling a certain twinge of sadness at the rate at which these littles grow out of their shoes, out of their mothers' laps, and out into the world. Come back! Back to being almost two. Back to loving to listen to nonsensical talk, as long as it is punctuated by frequent mention of your own name. Back to Grandmére L'Editeure, who remembers you toddling around in pairs of your other Craig's List shoes. Penny, are you accepting calls today?

Huge thanks to Carmen, our trusty dog, for saving us from a clearly-possessed box which was hanging malignantly around our back stairs. Carmen took care of the offending piece of detritus like the great guard-dog she is. Click for the film clip, if you have the stomach for it.

May 16, 2007 by The Editor

On her early morning jog today, the Editor headed for the SMU campus, where she and Carmen were drawn to the pool outside the Owens Fine Arts building. As Carmen stepped into the cooling waters, making the circuit while on the guiding leash, the Ed found tears coming unbidden to her eyes, remembering another black dog, our dear Ashley, now a resident of that Heaven to which we all aspire. That little pool was always Ashley's reward, refreshing her for the trip home on her own jaunts with the Ed. Here's to you, dear little Ashley. You were a good little friend and we shall love you forever.
May 19, 2007 by The Editor

Off we go, up in the Wild Blue Yonder. Watch for updates to this site as we spend a few days in Rome, cruise the Med, do Madrid and spend a night on Mont St-Michel before dropping Nubsy Wubsy off in Paris for a couple weeks of language study. Carmen the Mankiller dog and her keepers, a group of swarthy policemen in training, will be staying at the house to kill anyone who looks cross-eyed at it, so we are comfy in taking our leave. We so look forward to spending some time together, the Three of Us...

So John, yes, it will be your real birthday tomorrow. Hope you know how much we love you!

May 28, 2007 by The Editor

Today was such a sweet day as we explored the island of Crete. Beginning with a tour of the stunning excavation of the Palace of Knossos, where the Minoan kings ruled from a highly civilized palace of staggering proportions, we had a hard time sorting out the myth from the reality of this magical place. The Labyrinth was supposed to have been here, where King Minos’s son, the horrible Minotaur, was said to have devoured twenty of the finest sons and daughters of Athens each year, until Theseus arrived and destroyed the beast after being tipped off by Minos’ daughter, Ariadne, on how to enter the Labyrinth to find the beast, and more importantly, find his way out again after the deed was accomplished. At the palace complex was the very first real street of Europe, which linked two palaces together. The theme of this cruise is Myths and Legends, and we find ourselves happily dreaming of the tales the float around all these legendary places.

Getting down to the real nitty gritty of a new place is always satisfying, and that was accomplished in a visit to a charming village outside of Heraklion,where we were honored to visit a bell maker for the local sheep. We brought home one for Carmen. Now Pixie will know where her nemesis is lurking!

The real piece de resistance of the day came as we wandered the streets of a tiny village and stopped at a local taverna, where a group of ladies had prepared a wonderful meal for us in an outside brick oven which we opened later to find one more pot of roast chicken awaiting the next blessed guests. The locals are wonderfully friendly and hospitable, the scenery is gorgeous, and we found it difficult to leave this place. Caroline made a stop in the local Greek orthodox church, where our guide explained the symbolism of the icons within. It’s a tug of war for her as she divides her time between her books and the sights. No use trying to get her to put them down; we still think she’s having a memorable experience!
Carmen? Are you alright? Are you going out riding with those burly policemen guarding the Old Home? We think of you and the homefolk every day!

Jun 16, 2007 by The Editor

Aaaahhhh. Home again. Forgive the lapse in blogging, but we've been in total shock over the fact that we've got a corruupted picture card from the camera, so have lost the pix from the Greek Isles, Madrid, Toledo and France. Oh well. It was a great trip. Time to get back to work!

Caroline is now settled into her Paris homestay with Madame Kirie, who speaks not a word of English. She reports her french has improved 40 times as much merely from having to make herself understood to her Hostess of the 13th Arrondissement. That's a good thing. The Ed and her young travel buddy spent their final days together renting a car and driving out to Normandy, where we stopped wherever we felt like it. A visit to Rouen Cathedral and a walk around the old city center took us to a wonderful tea room where Nubs had a bit too much rum in her chocolat mexicain, and a night spent on the mystical Mont-St-Michel were our final adventures together. On the way back to Paris, Nubs convinced the Ed to let her take the wheel of our little Citroen rental car, and she drove us to the Breton town of Dinan (so lovely, can't describe it) and back to De Gaulle airport, where we stayed in an airport hotel before splitting the next morning, Nubs to join her study program reps in Paris and the Ed to fly home.

We highly recommend driving in France. The roads are great, the signage extremely helpful, and the rotaries make it so that you can't get lost if you try.

Upon our arrival, we found Carmen and our "burly policeman in training," aka Celeste the Med Student, were doing just fine, and Pixie the Mysterious Cat has been in a particularly snuggly, welcoming mood. We now anticipate the arrival of our former Featured Friend, Mika, and her sister, who will take up residence chez nous during a music seminar at nearby SMU. Bring 'em on!

Jun 28, 2007 by The Editor

It is so soggy around here we''re developing a syndrome. Staying in, listening to old french songs, making stationery, snuggling the dog, searching in vain for the cat, waiting for the influx of people over the weekend. Mary is winging her way us-ward, planning on attending our annual Lobsterfest, along with the Allreds and the Morphii. We are reduced to blogging about what's ABOUT to happen instead of what is happening. That's a sure sign of Soggy Ennui, the dread disease that attacks those who endure long periods of grey skies and rain. We will prepare a hopeful picnic for tonight's foray to the Dallas Arboretum, where the Cool Thursday concert will go on, maybe indoors and maybe out. We vote for OUT.

We've found the solution for the blahs. Picked up Grace for a date to World Market, where we found this funky yellow hat, and had a little hot chocolate and craft session. She made this lovely necklace and is quite proud. We are quite grateful for this plentiful supply of grandkids!

But WAIT! Mary is now here and we just got back from a wonderful night at the Arboretum. What would we do without our children to brighten our lives? Honestly!? Click here for the photo album.

Jul 05, 2007 by The Editor

Happy Fourth of July to all! The HP Benacs are headed out with Carmen to watch the local parade, as is Caroline with her friends. We just got this sweet photo of Uncle John (taken by Auntie Anne) of their missionary group in England, where they are serving with such joy for the next year and a half.

Huge Happy Birthday greetings go out to our dear Mary, who turns a Certain Age today. She and Ram celebrated by taking a ferry to Fire Island with a friend. We hope the rain holds off for their fireworks celebration tonight.

Jul 06, 2007 by The Editor

Carmen snores. She stretches out along the length of her doggie bed and snores the snores of a dog at peace with herself. She doesn't really care too much about her food, so stays lithe and muscular. She loves to go for walks, loves orbiting around the park at breakneck speed, yet nearly perishes of exhaustion if walked for too long in the heat. She is the Editor's great and dear buddy. All hail to Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa, Everyone's Friend!

Aug 11, 2007 by The Editor

Since Allie and Cat are away/busy, we have the menfolk together tonight for Noisy Movie in the Basement night. Our genteel pre-show dinner included the women as well, but now that the noise is ratcheting up, we may scatter...Click on the dinner shot to see who Carmen's favorite person is...

Happy Birthday wishes go out to the Ed's precious sister Margaret this day of days. Love you, Sis!

Thanks to Sarah for sending in her inspiration for us to revamp our Avatar Gallery, which the Ed has finally filled out with the remaining Missing Persons. T-shirts, anyone?

Sorry, we just figured out how to "Simpsonize" a photo in the Avatar section by uploading a photo of your own. We did it with Lille's and got this. Thanks for the tip, Uncle Lenny!

Almost 18 years ago, Nubsy was given a white teddy bear as a baby gift. She loved that bear clear up till the dread day when Carmen the Big Black Lab came to stay. Not having yet learned to distinguish between dog toys and people toys, one of Carmen's first acts of settling in chez nous was to attack Nubsy's little bear and rip its face up, relieving the bear of one eye forever. But not quite forever. The Editor finally tackled the job of finding replacement eyes, unstitching, unstuffing, restitiching, and surgically reconstructing the bear, which was presented to Nubsy upon her return home tonight. With a face damp from a little spot shampoo, a face a bit less symmetrical, but a fierecely devoted spirit, the bear, whose name we don't even know, brought a free verse message. Want to know what message he brought? Click on the note in the photo to find out. They are alive!

Oct 23, 2007 by The Editor

The Fifties. How wonderful they are. No, we aren't talking about the Fifties, that decade of June Cleaver and Wally and the Beav'. We're talking about temperatures here in the Big D finally sinking down into the realms one might expect at that time of year some refer to as Autumn. Demeter is playing coy with us, pausing in her care of the earth long enough for the leaves to begin to turn and a nip to appear in the air. We love it. The Ed and Carmen went jogging tonight and it was absolutely necessary to wear a fleece jacket! Fleece! Before we know it, we'll be climbing into our nice pink fleece PJ's from last Christmas. That'll be the day...
Nov 20, 2007 by The Editor

Guess who's coming to dinner? That's right, fans, we got our third generation right here as William III arrives with his parents to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. First on the bill today was a walk to Lakeside pond, where our intrepid one-year-old practiced his throwing arm by lobbing bits of tortilla to the eager ducks. We had to tie Carmen to a tree to keep her from devouring the ducks, but all in all, it was a successful outing.
Nov 21, 2007 by The Editor

Well, it seems our visiting boy is beginning to settle in around here. He is taking a lesson from his little cousin Sabina, and is totally unafraid of the enormous Carmen, loves hanging out with his grandpa, and quite enjoys his numerous cousins, 10 of whom have paid him a visit and found him quite the adorable little guy. We'll be very sad to see him go when the dreaded day comes...

Dec 13, 2007 by The Editor

How can we post without a camera! We'll try. First of all, all our best wishes and prayers go out to dear Gramma Helen, who is recovering from a recent fall, in the splendor of the best rehab clinic in the area. Nice and close to us downtowners, so we get to visit often. We've set her up with an iPod full of audiobooks, music and chitchat so she never needs feel alone or uninformed. She also was able to enjoy our delicious Thanksgiving dinner on Turkey Day, AND the attendant sumptuous turkey soup as a leftover attraction, which the Editor carried to her yesterday.

Yesterday! Wow. The family descended en masse to a slick Dallas skyscraper as we moved Aaron's new furniture into his office in a redecorating spree that did justice to his status as a partner in his law firm. Manly, powerful and inviting. That's the look we attained. Thank goodness for Horchow Finale's rug and sofa sale, Weir's furniture outlet and Mr. Tong the pillow man, who covered a couple of down pillows with faux tooled leather for us within one hour of the time the Editor dropped them off at his Garland workshop. The Editor was agape at the miles of marble in Aaron's building. Miles! We had the entire Morphis Clan, Aaron, Allie, Livy, dear Jim C., the Editor and Mr Bill giving decorating advice. Even Carmen came along for the ride, though she did have to wait in the car 29 floors below while the transformation took place.

Jan 01, 2008 by The Editor

Eeek. 2008? New Year's Resolultions, anyone? We rang in the New Year with the last of our visitors at Momo's tonight, where little Lucy (the New Year's Baby), John and Mamie joined the skeletal remains of the Clan for a last meal together before they flew off to the Pacific Northwest, filled with memories of two weeks of family togetherness enough to last clear till next year. We love you all, dears; thanks for coming!

Mary started the New Year in a very cool way- she participated in the Midnight Run in Central Park. Four miles of good exercise with like-minded athletic types. Joining her were, among others, our friends Peter and Christel from Augsburg, Germany, friends we met on a soirée to Madrid a few years ago. They had sat next to us at an outdoor café and were drawn into our conversation and our lives ever since. Congrats to Ram for running his first race ever and being the pace setter for the group.

We know the Allreds were with the Crocketts, since we walked over there with Carmen tonight for a very sweet visit in a house filled with happy children; 13 of them to be exact. We watched the ball drop at the Asays,' then home again for a quick sleep before running John, Mamie and Loose Lips to the airport. Time to rest up! How id YOU spend your New Year's Eve?

Jan 19, 2008 by The Editor

For months now, the venerable institution of Mr. Bones has been in suspension. Gramma Editor's special bag containing the laser pen and its varied tips has been lost. But never fear! We found it, hanging just where it should be in the Ed's closet. And tonight we debuted the new and better Mr. Bones bedtime laser show and singalong to a couple of new initiates at a sleepover chez Morphis. Visiting cuz Josie and Baby Sabina found the nighttime foo-fah quite enchanting, and the Editor secretly rejoiced within to have a room filled with adoring and adorable grandchildren. All hail Mr. Bones!

One problem. We brought Carmen along for the visit, and shut her out of the kids' bedroom, as she goes wild at the sight of the laser light. Hearing strange scraping sounds, we found she'd broken into the parents' bedroom and hauled out the cage containing the brand new family guinea pig, who was found cowering in shock, though still cage protected, out in the hall. Carmen was duly escorted out to the car to wait out the rest of the visit.

Jan 26, 2008 by The Editor

Carmen is very nearly and Only Child. As the one and onlyl Black Lab in the family, she craves more attention than that which is often available. That's why she loves being around those little Morphis kids. They all, from animal-loving Grace down to little Sabina, wanted to climb in the car with her today when the Editor drove over to their house. Does she look happy or what?
Mar 11, 2008 by The Editor

We already have a Sabina in the family. Now Roko is here, completing the honors of keeping the Benac ancestral pair alive as a new generation remembers their roots. Huge congratulations to neffie Mark and wife Kelly, who safely delivered their precious little bundle, 5 lb-something Roko, this past week. Awwwww.

After a day spent watching the televised funeral of Gordon B. Hinckley, our beloved late prophet, the Editor was trying to get the teary look off her face in time for the annual Museum Midwinter Fete. We finally had to turn off the telly, as the sweet rehash of that man's wonderful life kept drawing fresh rushes of loving weepiness. Don't worry; there will be a photo album of last night's events. We have so many photos it isn't even funny. Just give us time to recover from this night. (We had about 60 people)!

May 23, 2008 by The Editor

During our visit to the Casa de Pilotes in Seville today, we found a film shoot in progress. A group of black-clad actors lounged on benches against the tiled walls, waiting for their next scene. The Editor decided to chat them up, tell them who we were and why we were here. When they heard we represented a U.S. museum of Spanish Art, they became putty in our hands, approaching us to invite us to photograph one of them as El Greco, and generally snuggling in for a little cross-cultural exchange.

There just isn't anything like Flamenco in Seville. We like to call Seville the Nashville of Flamenco. Any ordinary person you see on the street may just turn out to be that passionate guitarist playing his heart out, sweating into the dark as the dancers snap and twirl, writhe and stomp out the anguish of centuries of the Gypsy, Jewish and Muslim dispossessed in a musical style that defies description. The emotions are very modern though the form is centuries old. The Editor organized a group foray tonight to the Casa Carmen, a hole in the wall flamenco spot around the corner. We thought tonight of those still upper bodies, the passionate faces and the frenzied footwork as we dreamed of the doomed Spanish fleet washing up on the shores of Ireland in the time of Elizabeth I. How that dancing was transferred from the sailors to the inhabitants of the island nation which translated it into the Irish dancing we know, but without that passionate face we see on the Spanish dancers. Where does all that passion come from? We felt like they had spilled their hearts out tonight in Seville. We leave tomorrow, and hope to come back to this fascinating city some day.
Why on earth did Bethany insist on bringing the KitchenAid mixer to the beach? Honestly! Could it be that she had a pasta project in mind? The kids were quite delighted at the prospect of becoming pasta makers in addition to all their other skillz.

Carmen likes the beach!

May 23, 2008 by The Editor

While the rest of the Meadows Group toured the Prado as guests of the director, the Editor joyously stepped back onto US soil this afternoon. An affectionate reunion has been enjoyed with Mr. Bill and Carmen, and we look forward to a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with more and more family. Too many gigs of photos to handle; what will we ever do? Watch this spot for a gradual visual report of a glorious tour through time and space in Spain.

May 26, 2008 by The Editor

We bid a fond farewell this morning to the Flaky Friends, Ms. Charlotte and her lovely mother Sarah, who ascended to the skies in a cloud of love as they took leave of their adoring Dallas family. Bon voyage, m'dears! The Little Cousins Charlotte and Lucy had a last farewell this morning before bidding their fond adieus.
Jun 01, 2008 by The Editor

While the rest of us were sleeping in this morning (or in the Editor's case, doing a puny 3 mile jog with Carmen the Dog), our Catherine headed up to Grapevine to compete in her second Sprint Triathlon, in which she placed 2nd in her age group and beat her last year's time, running a 7.39 minute mile during the final stretch. Pushing herself to the limit, she reaped the benefit of many months of training and stands now as a beacon for those who wish to gain her athletic heights (no thanks, I'll take Carmen and the jog...). Congratulations, Ms. Cat, for completing the race in one hour, 21 minutes, during which she completed a 300 meter swim, a 20K bike ride and a 6K run. She is shown here with Jenni (blue top) and Barbara (green top), a couple of her buddies from her Masters' Swim Class. Way to go, ladies!

Jun 04, 2008 by The Editor

It was truly a "little thing," but it seemed huge. Yesterday the Editor and Carmencita were coming to the end of their customary 3-mile jog, and Carmen was panting hard. Not used to the hot weather, getting older, and literally dragging behind even the Editor's slow jog, she seemed to be in a certain amount of distress. So the decision was made to stop, drop, and rest. We sat down on the sidewalk a couple of blocks from home, waiting for Carmen to catch her breath, when a stranger stopped her car and asked if we were alright. When she heard it was Carmen who was in distress, she went to her car, got a new water bottle, found a plastic cup, and walked it over to our dear companion-on-the-ground. Accepting our thanks, she disappeared into the nearby school for a meeting, leaving Carmen gratefully drinking from a little pink plastic cup.

Oct 09, 2008 by The Editor

We well remember the day when Carmen went absolutely nuts whenever Pixie the Cat was around. She had to be tied to the bedpost, shrieking and foaming at the mouth, to even be in the same room with her. The Editor yearned for the day when this Lion would like down with the Lamb. It isn't here yet, but oh what a difference. Check out the happy couple snuggling in for their naps. Thanks for yielding up your cushy bed, Carmencita!
Nov 23, 2008 by The Editor

The Girls' Night photo album has been updated. Take a look!

Ahh, November in Dallas. Chilly enough to have a fire going, but warm the next day, and what might one encounter on an afternoon walk but a fine rose bush heavy with blooms? Such was the case today as the Ed and Daddy Bill took Carmencita, Infanta Gloriosa for her daily exercise. Can you see her little patas in that background as she scampers happily homeward?

Thanks again to Mary for cluing us in on that fun application, Poladroid, which enables one to make fake Polariod pix out of their photo files, complete with a little machine that makes that little spitting sound as it ejects the picture, which then has to develop before your very eyes...

Nov 28, 2008 by The Editor

Welcome to John, Mamie, Lucy and Baby Rowan, who are wending their way home after spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Frost, where Mamie's clan had a huge gathering. We love it that John married a TEXAN!

And oh, thanks to Daddy Bill for the DEE-licious turkey soup, a favorite Thanksgiving Aftermath feature. Cat and friend Shandra joined us tonight for a warm candlelit dinner followed by a very long, calorie- burning walk in the 'hood with Carmencita. Great finish to the day.

Dec 13, 2008 by The Editor

Why are these little Benac grandkids looking so worn out? They all sat relatively attentively through the wonderful, beautiful annual The Stories of Christmas performance at the Meyerson Symphony Center. It was gorgeous! They were so good! But being still and quiet is exhausting, so they were so ready for some freshly-baked cookies and eggnog at the Grandparents' house party after the performance. We gave them an extra treat, a special post-performance demonstration by Carmen the Dog, showcasing her newfound skill at using the Editor's new treadmill, passed on by a friend of a friend who moved Down Under and had no use for it anymore. We are so grateful that we post this movie of the grandkids helping Carmen adjust to her new form of entertainment and exercise. Thanks to Emma for being the competent camerawoman
Dec 14, 2008 by The Editor

We are so proud to announce that two members of the Fam were hooded as PhDs this week. First was Mark Ashurst-McGee, cousin Angela's hubby, who's been toiling for the past few years as a co-editor of the Joseph Smith Papers. When Auntie Liz tried to buy a copy of Volume I, she found it had already sold out. We wonder if her dutiful son in law was able to scare up a copy for her? Cheers, kudos and adulation your way, Mark!

And for all those of you who felt sorry for Carmen walking the treadmill with a leash, she is now to the point where she asks to get on, walks with no lead except the mandatory (we use it for humans too!) safety lanyard attached to her collar which turns off the machine if she steps off. Pixie is NEXT. We know cats can do the treadmill, because we saw THIS cool movie of a cat loving the treadmill. We also know that some cats refuse to do the walk, but we expect Pixie will be a convert by the time we're through with her.

Dec 19, 2008 by The Editor

Sorry, friends. Pixie Jean the Cuddlecat says No More Christmas Cards! She finds it very difficult to snuggle on the Editor's lap when her Human Cushion keeps jumping up to check addresses, find stamps, etc. She's now taken to planting herself on the work table to prevent further writing of notes. So for those of you who haven't gotten the snail-mail version of our Christmas greetings, blame it on Pixie and take this as our greeting card for this year.

Oh, and...It's true. You can teach old dogs new tricks. If you doubted Carmencita's joyous accession to the Life Fitness 4500 treadmill, ask yourself if she doesn't seem to be enjoying enjoying this!!

Feb 06, 2009 by The Editor

They grow up way too fast, these little girls. For that reason the Ed decided to gather up this sweet bouquet of granddaughters for a movie night and sleepover. Join the fun! After watching a movie in Gramma's bedroom, where they were served dinner with the show, we took a night walk in the 'hood to a nearby park, where Carmen got to play Fetch and the girls Freeze Tag. Enjoy your children, Gentle Readers. They will soon be gone.
May 12, 2009 by The Editor

Walking the dog this week, we headed over to the nearby elementary school so Carmen could play along the nearby creek. What a gorgeous array of wildflowers met our eyes. This is a beautiful place to live. We shout out thanks.
May 16, 2009 by The Editor

Upon arriving home from the Symphony last night, we found a dear little family settling in chez nous, apparently for the weekend! We welcome our precious Houstonian Benacs and their oh, so beautiful children, who are conducting a visit to the Allreds of the Northlands, berthing at the Old Home as their base of operations. We loved waking up to Lucy and Rowan playing iPhone apps in our marital bed, followed by a welcome breakfast of waffles in the shape of the Great State of Texas.

Tuckered out by the excitement, Lucy joined the Editor in her craft room for a little rest. We don't think Pixie and Carmen will mind!

May 22, 2009 by The Editor

We do love having the Little Morphii within hugging reach. This week little Sabina joined us for the morning,to hang out with the Editor in her boudoir, where she snuggled quite successfully with Pixie Jean, the Cat Who Made the Cut. Pixie recently narrowly escaped consignment to oblivion for insisting upon using the living room rug as her litter. We finally gave in and bought her a self-cleaning litter box to keep indoors instead of trying to train her to just go outside through the doggie door. Having been smitten by Pixie's charms, we share Sabina's joy in the feline companionship.

And what, you may ask, do we do for canine companionship? We've discovered that Carmen adores running errands with us in our antique Jeep, and with the doors off, she can go anywhere we go and safely wait for us under the canvas top till our return. We leash her to the seat belt strap so she won't leap out, and leave her with a bowl of water. This is working out great!

May 22, 2009 by The Editor

"Your magnolia is ready and waiting for you." That was the silent message conveyed to the delighted Editor during her morning walk with Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino. This lovely bloom was in the alley just around the corner. The wonders of the alleys are endless. Till Carmen "produces," we are consigned to walk the alleys, but we do not suffer for it in any way. No we do not!
May 26, 2009 by The Editor

We well remember the days when our little girls were taking riding lessons at New Canaan Mounted Troop in CT, where they learned to groom the horses, walk, trot, canter, and jump, English style. One of the most important safety moves they were taught was called the Emergency Dismount. When things go awry, don't wait for the horse to calm down, just get off! We decided to teach Carmen the same trick with the running treadmill. When the Editor forgets she's on it, when she's worn out and wonders if she's been forgotten, Carmen, who has gained some fame for her training saga, can now perform this move, and, voila! She's in the pink! Check it out!

May 30, 2009 by The Editor

UPDATE;You might want to read this before today's story, just to understand how pervasive this particular issue is down here in the Lone Star State.

Texas. What a place. On our morning walk with Carmen (which she was all 'up' for after doing two brisk miles on the treadmilll), we stuck with the back alleys till she produced. We find treasures galore in the allieys. The front yards of the houses are like shining scrubbed faces sitting in the pews at church. What lies behind those pasted-on expressions tells the deeper tale...

Jun 24, 2009 by The Editor

The glories of the countryside were at their seductive best this evening as the Editor, Daddy Bill and Unca Earl headed for Cousin Joe and wife Jessica's rural spread for a bit of target shooting. With a passel of children romping about before the action began, a couple of big dogs, a newborn calf, and the occasional Longhorn steer lowing in the distance, it made for a perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Jessica was kind enough to gift us a couple of lovely squash from her garden, one of which Carmen eagerly consumed in the back seat on the way home. Come see the farm!
Jul 13, 2009 by The Editor

Be it ever so humble...there's NO place like home. Good to be back. Good to be with the local peeps. The animals. The responsibilities. Ahh; feels good.
Aug 28, 2009 by The Editor

Well, we knew the time would come when we had to say farewell to our latest adored houseguests. We salute them with this little photo album from last night's birthday revels, when we celebrated the combined birthdays of Bill Jr and Teresa, (whose actual one-year birthday is tomorrow). In a ritual adored by generations of Parkie Benacs, Will and Grandpa Bill took Carmen and hiked to Exall Lake, where the youngest of the WPB's scaled the granite teddy bears, Carmen took a nice cooling swim, and all returned home from a long walk very hot and sweaty and very ready for creamsicles, which the Sainted Editor had ready for them upon arrival. Can't believe we have this family in Texas- FINALLY!
Sep 20, 2009 by The Editor

It happens a lot lately. These fresh little girls come to visit Nana Editor and go away with a nice new little dress. Lucy of the Lower Reaches arrived with her family last night to settle in for a weekend of revelry and a visit to the Plano Balloon Festival. How could we resist stitching up a little love offering? We couldn't! She picked the fabric herself and busied herself with a pincushion and fabric to stick the pins into while her Nana industriously toiled away. She was so proud to model it for Grandpa and Carmen. Just like old times...
Oct 16, 2009 by The Editor

The Editor has the continuing honor of teaching a group of girls chez nous twice a month in what we style, "Activity Night." This assignment allows us the freedom to pursue a host of activities ranging from cooking classes to museum visits to dramatic productions. Carmen the Dog has decided she wants very much to be a part of those activities and finally took the basement stage this week in a dramatic production by Miss Reed S., Miss Sarah H., and Miss Esmeralda R. It was almost as fabulous as opening night of opera and ballet at the new Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, attended last night by the slack-jawed Parents, who witnessed a city dream come true.
Dec 11, 2009 by The Editor

If we didn't have kids, we'd have to put our sweet Carmen on our photo card. But we do, so she doesn't get to go on it. But if she did, here she'd be. Lovely creature, eh?
Dec 13, 2009 by The Editor

It is a cool and grey morning. We're getting ready to head to church. The Editor is working on her lesson for the class she'll teach. Suddenly the sound of hooting, cheering and happy shouting fills the streets of the 'hood. It's the White Rock Marathon going by! And our dear Catherine the Magnificent and her hubby Matt the Marvelous are running the 26 mile stretch. We wandered out with Carmencita, straining to find those beloved faces among the thousands who coursed by, but alas, in vain. Catherine and Matt, we know you're out there and we love you and pray for a safe and glorious celebration as you run the distance. We are PROUD of you both!

Dec 24, 2009 by The Editor

We tumble all over each other these days. Family and grandkids and aunts and uncles and cousins all over the place. And it won't end soon. Impromptu tennis games, gingerbread house making festivals, craft mania, culinary masterpieces, and lots of Crazy Benacs all in One Place. Carmen barking at every horse-drawn carriage that passes by the house. Fine. We're a little fou. But we love each other to death. Take a peek if you dare.
Jan 08, 2010 by The Editor

Nothing to report. Just chillin' with the animals. Love these two. Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino and Pixie Jean Benac the Only. Great friends they've become.
Mar 29, 2010 by The Editor

There is a certain dog living here who thinks that mornings are for jogging and exploring the 'Hood. We gave in this morning before heading off to the museum, and found once again that even the alleys of Highland Park are rich in beauty. Witness the lovely blooming wisteria hanging over a back fence. Thanks, Carmen! If it weren't for you, we would have missed this lovely harbinger of a beautiful spring day.
Aug 24, 2010 by The Editor

It is our honor to host our good friends, the Blackburn family, who have been staying chez nous for the past few days. We follow them to their various posts around the world, most recently their digs in San Jose, Costa Rica, and New Delhi, India, where they joined us for parts of our grand adventures on the sub continent. While they're here for a few days emptying out their Dallas storage unit in preparation for a move West, we have loved catching up with their family and visiting with their truly BEAUTIFUL children. The boys have gotten over their skittishness with Carmen after watching her run on the treadmill, bury a chew toy, and go through her other charming tricks. We'll miss having this family around, but we have a feeling we'll be running into one another sometime soon!
Nov 22, 2010 by The Editor

With four little children under our roof for Thanksgiving, we find fresh delight in taking in the wonders of Nature through their eyes. Case in point: a simple walk to the pond and back. Two and a half miles of glory. Playing in the leaves. Observing construction sites, animals, lizards, walking Carmen, singing songs, feeding the ducks, climbing trees, stumbling home stacked double in the strollers. It was a GREAT way to spend the day! Photos? Okay, here they are. Diehard Benac kid lovers only.
Feb 11, 2011 by The Editor

HAPPY BIRTHDAY indeed to our Brian, who turns a certain respectable age today. Thanks for keeping Bethany in line! Not an easy job, but very well-worth it. We love you, Man!

We finally have a Longhorn in the family!UT Austin has a great campus. Our college-y young student, Miss Taylor Benac (formerly known as Caroline), was our gracious tour guide during a pleasant tour of UT’s new Blanton Museum of Art, the science library, and assorted and charming university town sights right in the middle of Austin. We finished with a delightful stop at her favorite streetside food stand where we enjoyed samosas the size of Carmen's head at the edge of a campus fountain. We’re so happy to see two of our children sharing Austin. Bill and Kelsey live only about 5 miles from Taylor, who is a regular weekend visitor at their suburban home. Pix here.

Apr 05, 2011 by The Editor

Spring has truly sprung at the Old Home. The Editor and Mr. Bill took a nice walk with Carmencita this morning and came home to this!. Thank you, God!
Jul 05, 2011 by The Editor

Oh, poor Carmen. She's been so itchy lately due to undetermined allergies that she's become a canine scratching machine. So today, we Took the Step, and fitted her with a cone collar, which she does not like. Pobrecita! We're daubing her with tea tree oil, feeding her fish oil capsules, rubbing cortisone on her hot spots, and hope to see her return to shimmering good health before too long. Sorry, Precious!
Mar 18, 2012 by The Editor

Both the humans and animals alike seem a bit on the delieriously happy side to be back in Dallas. Ahhh, Dallas; it turns out we love thee after all! We forgive the offenses of the past, the horrible summers of scorching, blinding, mind-numbing heat, and like innocent children heading into the maelstrom, we look forward to yet another spring turning into summer and the days that follow. Because we LIKE you! And we love our Bertrand Sisters, who turn up from time to time, toting various spouses, babies and maybe dogs, to grace our kitchen and guest bedrooms like our own darlings. Thank you, Sarah, for making us truly fine gourmet crepes tonight. Thanks Nathan, for the recommendations on Frenchie music, and Lindsey, for being such a WARM, good-hearted, smiley person. We had some serious fun preparing Kim for an upcoming trip to France, as we finish this day on a very happy note.
May 24, 2012 by The Editor

Rereading an improbably wonderful book, "A Dog's Purpose," and feeling a fresh appreciation for our sweet Carmen, Infanta Gloriosa del Camino. People, be good to your dogs! Treat 'em like family, I say.

Speaking of family, the welcome mat is out this week to our visiting Bostonian, Ms. Mary, who is making the rounds of Texas family this week. We also welcome the latest family dog, Niko, who has been adopted by Catherine and the Morphis Fam. Niko, a Belgian Malinois, and Carmen met for the first time today and had a nice little walk in the 'hood together.