I was born and raised in the city…

Partial View of the Ackerman Family Farm in Sabetha, KS from the Deck

But, I married a country girl… A real one! : ) My wife, Hailey, and I just got back from a week long vacation to the Kansas town of Sabetha… a whoppin’ 2500 (give or take a few) live there.  Heard of it? I bet not. In the census of 2000, there were 2,589 people, 958 households, and 611 families residing in the city. Hailey’s parents, Galen and Linda Ackerman, have a beautiful homestead. I couldn’t tell you how many acres they have but I can tell you I can take a 4 wheeler far enough back into the property that they can no longer see me. They even have what I would call a small lake though my wife laughs and says it’s a “pond”. It isnt huge at all, but I call the 3′ x 12′ kidney shaped water hole with Koi Fish in my parents backyard a pond! Their “pond” is big enough to put a run about in it with a lil motor and go back and forth… I sure cant do that in mom and dad’s Koi pond! ; ) You walk out on the decking of their stone home and you see, not other homes, but fields of crops… Corn and Soy Bean crops to name a few. We would take the 15 or 20 minute drive into town each day to visit the Grandparents and have lunch at the town’s best eating establishment, the Buzz Cafe. It’s one of those places where you go in and you are guaranteed to know at least 5 people. And, I can’t forget their Open Roast Beef Sandwich smothered with all that good country gravy…

Sabetha Countryside from the Ackerman Deck

No wonder I got home last night with “Dunlap” Disease. My wife asked me what that was, I said my belly “Dunlapped” over my waist line! Yeah it was some good cookin’.  We did go visit her sister Shawn and her hubby Jarrod, they live in Manhattan, KS which is where Kansas State University is located. It is comparable to College Station and I know many of you have been there. So, you get the idea. It is always fun going up that way though, for a city guy, I do really enjoy it. I guess you could say I get my country fix goin’ up there.

Growing up here in Houston, it is the epitomy of an urban metropolis. We walk outside of our Lazybrook home and look to the right and you see homes, you look to the left and you see, more homes. I think I see more houses on Brookmere than I do when I am in Sabetha for a week! : ) We can literally take a 2 minute drive and there you have it… Foodarama or HEB food marts, Walgreens is just around the corner not to mention a Jack in the Box, Sonic, Taco Bell and even a full fledged shopping mall… And that’s not all.

Shawn & Jarrod's home in Manhattan, KS

My sister in law Kaila and her husband, Ben, live up in Ashland, KS… an even smaller town than Sabetha. Their nearest Walmart, it’s an hour away! Whoa!! : ) We hop on the freeway and there it is, less than 10 minutes away, the shopping district of shopping districts… our beloved Galleria with who knows how many stores and restaraunts within a 5 mile radius. My wife and I were talking to Grandma Wilma yesterday at the “Buzz” over our Open Roast Beef Sandwich, all smothered in gravy.  Hailey was telling Grandma about how our lil’ neighborhood has a great community feel. We still get to know our neighbors, we all wave to each other in passing and we just plain take pride in our community. We can even take a short drive over to our mainstay at Yale St and Crosstimbers, Barbeque Inn, and most of the time, you are bound to know someone in there.

I loved this morning view from Shawn & Jarrod's front yard

Heck, the waitresses all remember me as a baby! Even Gary Kubiak, the head coach of our Houston Texans, dines there weekly with his parents. We may have millions in our city but it is still a small world and for the most part, we treat each other like it. Another reason I love, Houston and Lazybrook… I’ll even claim the lil town of Sabetha, Kansas as my second home.