Day of the Dead Festival is Coming Up on November 2nd.

 There is a bit of a history lesson and religious festivals in different cultures. Growing up, I had always thought that the celebration was on the day after Halloween. But, later on in life, I discovered that it actually on November 2nd each year. The confusion that arose comes from the close association to Halloween and All Saints Day on November 1st.

It goes like this:

October 31st is actually, All Hallows Eve

November 1st is Day of the Children and All Saints Day . 

November 2nd. Day of the Dead Festival

It was an honor for my business host to take me along to his own families graves out side Mexico City. It was an honor for me to be ask to come celebrate with his decease family members and his own family celebration. I am better for the experience overall and my host honored me by bring me along to the celebration for his family on the Day of the Dead. 

Denton, Texas

 I rode the A-Train from DART's light rail Green Line to Frankfort and then caught the A-Train to Denton.

My trip to Denton to Cartwright's for lunch and my second ride on the A-train was an update on how much downtown Denton has changed. The trip was one of the enjoyable trips this past summer.

A-Train to Denton. Lunch at Cartwrights. Changes Are Astonishing Downtown.

 Well, I backed out of hitting Senior's Day at the State Fair in Fair Park. If it had not been for the Coronavirus, I might had gone. Exploring options, the trip up to Denton to Cartwright's for lunch out on the sidewalk across from Courthouse Square, won out. It had been a couple of years since making my last trip up to have Cartwright's Ranch House cook my meal. They are noted for their Chicken Fried Steak Lunch Specials. Last time, it was a burger with all the trimmings. But, breakfast was only a sausage on an  English Muffin toasted with orange juice before leaving the house. Chores were light, too. Took the garbage out, got the mail in, stopped to talk to a couple of neighbors before walking down to the bus stop. 

Yesterday, the research showed that a bus from the train station went directly to the train station at the transfer point to the A-train. So in two bus trips the time leaving the bus, catching the elevator up to the A-train's platform, the A-train was there.The first time riding the A-train up to Denton, the Denton Country Transit Authority had only one of the new engines from Europe and they pulled the old Budd Companies passenger cars.  Of course that's all changed now and the new passenger cars are running as envisioned. It's quiet,smooth, but not a rocket, so to speak. It took 45 minutes to get up there from the hour and 45 bus rides Still,two and a half hours isn't bad for the distance. But, on the other hand, 5 hours of travel for lunch and 60 shots isn't a game changer either. Never-the-less- I made  it home by 5:30 Central Time.  Actually, I feel pretty good. Not tired one bit. The weather was 85/15 perfect. Humidity and dew points were low.  The bummer was the three weather systems did pull the heat up to 95°. Our average daily high this time of year is 82°F.

So, in the past thirty days, train rides on three of the four rail lines have been ridden; DART to Terminal A at DFW; TEXrail from DFW to Grapevine returning later  on DFW Terminal B and walking over to Terminal A to ride DART back into the system home. That's 3 of the current 4 rail systems for passengers in the Metroplex. A few years ago riding the TRE to downtown Ft. Worth was made. Riding the TRE  in the same year as the other ones is being planned. However, this time it will include riding DART to the American Airlines Center, transfer to the TRE to Ft. Worth, walk over to the TEXrail platform and ride the TEXrail  to Terminal B, walk over to Terminal A and board the DART home. completing the south route to Ft.Worth by transfer to the north route and complete the circle of all three trains. Plus going north up to Denton on DART's Green Line enabled me to take the A-train. BTY, checked on new station construction at Addison Transit Center for the new Silver Line across the north on the old Cotten Belt Line and it is looking  good today.

The "A" Train

When the connection between the Trinity Mills Station of the DART light rail and the new service to Lewisville, Lake Dallas, Corinth and downtown Denton opened up,  the service used the old BUDD-made rail cars. The ones that you see in movies in Chicago and New York are that BUDD made type. Last week, it was time to ride the new sleek European-style cars and they were super nice! The immediate difference that was noticed was the quiet ride and how smooth it was. Yes, the cars did rock like any train does, but that was at the bottom of the 'fix it' list if there were to be one.

The arrival at the downtown station was obviously the same, but walking the two blocks up the hill to court house square went well this time. The last time, my surgery was fairly new and my strength was not fully recovered. Plus, it was in the middle of summer and the heat and humidity didn't help. But, had I decided that I didn't want to repeat that physical strain again, there were plenty of bus routes this time that service the rail station. Most of the bus routes pass through court house square.

When up town, a walk around the square was an architectural tour. It is amazing how much history is in that square. The 1896 court house is a masterpiece. Texas, like many other states, have amazing county seats that are architectural wonders. One thing that weighs heavy on my mind is seeing a sign that says,"closing sale" and "closing after 54 years". Locals would know that it is the Ethan Allen Furniture Store. Others see it as another store closing with people out of jobs. Several years ago some one ask me if I thought the economy was getting better. My response was that as long as stores are closing and laying off workers, numbering in the hundreds, are still happening the economy isn't as well as it looks. And to enforce that Sears Holding announced this week that they would be closing 78 more stores; 68 K-Mart stores and 10 Sears stores.

 Lunch was had at a sidewalk table at Cartwright's. The sizzler and platter of thick fries was a delight that carried me through the rest of the day. My waitress was so nice and took care of my table service very,very well. Some would say that good service is reserved for the locals, but that was not to be found at all. She really impressed me in a small town kind of way, which is the type of service I was looking for when I chose Cartwright's. So, the next time I make a trip to Denton to the Jazz Festival or what every event interest me or my editors, Cartwright's is where I will dine!

When I got to the bottom of the hill on the return, a fast-moving Union Pacific freight train came sailing through town. It's been many years since I have seen a freight train at that speed through town, although I know that there are little towns that see it daily. I grew up in a small town where trains came 'tearing down the pike' like this one. It brought back a flood of memories. One guy was filming a video of the train. My camera was still out of the case and I got a couple of shots , too.

All-in-all, it was a long day on the road. I used public transportation from my door step end-to-end and it was fun. I had been complaining to my doctor that my legs just didn't have the strength that they did once. Well, I found muscles that I hadn't

Downtown Denton Station for the "A" Train

Ethan Allen Closing after 54 years in Denton

Union Pacific tears through the crossing.

used in months, obviously, because I am still working out the soreness in the calves of my legs from the walking and climbing the hill.