Just for Grins

Yesterday, I met a long-time friend from college at our old college haunt where we used to share many a pitcher of beer while we should have been studying.

Grins in San Marcos, Texas opened in 1975 near the campus of Texas State University and has been a favorite hang-out for countless university students over the years. When it opened, it was called Just for Grins (as in, “Just for grins, let’s skip class and drink beer.”) but it was later shortened to its present name.

Grins sits on a steep hillside near the campus and has a series of outdoor decks among the native oak trees, thus giving the effect that the place is a giant tree-house.

My friend, Madeline, and I were both music majors, studied piano from the same teacher, and have kept in close contact all these many years. She brought her two terrific kids with her, age 19 and 17, and we had a great time. Madeline is about to complete her theological studies in order to be ordained as an Episcopalian priest.

Besides beer, Grins also has the world’s best hamburgers. Really. They are.

Typical of Texas weather, yesterday was delightfully sunny with a high around 70 degrees. Here it was, New Year’s Eve, and we were sitting on the outdoor deck. Can you believe it?

Grins also has Texas-sized onion rings. The sunlight was playing just right and -- just for grins --I snapped this photo
Good times. . .