Celebrating 60!

She did it again. My wife surprised me on my birthday. I told her I wanted to go to Balcones Distillery to sample their whiskey for my birthday. She thought it was a splendid idea. So off we headed, the two of us, for a night of sipping whiskey and being together.

What I didn’t know was that she invited Miller and Stephanie to join us. That was the surprise. It was a great celebration. We did what we loved to do: talked theology, the church, and the things that are important to us. What is more, is that we got a chance to share a wee dram of Whiskey together (a dram is about 1/16 of a shot, so not much).

Miller also brought a few cigars. I enjoy a cigar now and then. I realized later that the last time I had a cigar was … with Miller when we were at a Presbytery meeting in May of last year, where after the meeting, we talked theology, the church, sipped whiskey and smoked a cigar. For me, that is the best fellowship. It was a great birthday.














All photos are copyright © Timothy J. Hammons 2021.

Celebrating Andy’s Birthday

We celebrated Andy’s birthday on New Year’s Eve by taking him to one of the local hamburger joints. Our joint of choice? Billy Bob’s Hamburgers in downtown Waco. We rarely go out to eat, so taking him out was a treat on our part, and he appreciated it.

Even though it was New Year’s Eve, it wasn’t crowded, given the deluge of rain the area experienced during the day. But we still had to wait at the bar for a bit to get a table.



I did make him take his mask off.


Decisions, decisions. I think both boys went with the regular burgers. Andy added an extra patty and cheese, and Joey copied me on my selection of the onion rings. Best onion rings I’ve had in years. I also had the Southwest burger and Heidi had a bunless burger. Absolutely superb.

Over the past several years, we’ve really grown a dislike for the chain burger places like Whataburger, Five Guys, etc. I’ve learned that most of these places simply add a bunch of stuff to their patties to make it taste good. The actual patties by themselves don’t taste that good. So we don’t go to such places. The only chain restaurant that serves a good hamburger is the Cracker Barrel. I know. Who would have thought it.

But I’m more inclined to find local joints for eating out.

Heidi and I decided, out of the two hamburger joints we’ve been to in Waco, this one was the better one by far. The other one, The Twisted Root Burger Co.,  was actually rated as the number 1 burger place in Waco. I think that poll was taken by Dominion.




“Boys? Can’t you see I’m trying to take a picture of Heidi?” I don’t think they could.