the rest of it

What was I thinking, assuming I could blog every day in October about things I would miss from our old place AND pack... AND clean... AND move stuff to the new place... AND unpack... AND take care of the dogs???  Needless to say, I haven't had time for everything, so my blog was the one to take the hit (again).  My things I will miss segment reached day/ number 14 and then dissolved.  Grr I'm so frustrated! I keep setting myself these seemingly easy blog goals and then letting myself down!

That being said, we're all moved in to our new place - furniture arranged, kitchen fully functional, doggies getting into a new routine, plants basking in their previously unattainable morning sunlight; and I like it here a lot more than I thought I would.  It feels truly peaceful here, oddly zen, despite younger residents and many more activities on-the-go than at our old place.  I'm quite shocked at how fast this new apartment, on the third floor - overlooking the swimming pool, has began to feel like home!  And although I meant to mention 31 reasons (coinciding with the 31 days of Oct) about why I would miss our old place so much, I don't miss so many things at all!  Here at the new place, I have all the other things I didn't mention and I feel happy to leave my list at 14, with the exception of three more: 

15) my neighbours. Vicki, Ana, Russel, Jo and Yevengi. 

Will and I ended up building actual friendships with our neighbours: double dates, dinners, cocktail nights, hanging out, crying on each other's shoulders... and my all time favourite: popping into each other's houses whenever we wanted or seeing each other around and just talking!  Obviously here, we're starting from scratch...

16) Allen Park.

Our neighbourhood park was seriously the best.  It was the first real glimpse of Austin's flora and fauna that we had: where we saw our first bluebonnets, woodpecker and tiny brown rabbits! The doggies ran around free off their leashes, scoping out the park, saying hello to their friends and I had the whole mile/ time/ steps taken/ calorie burning ratio perfectly worked out.  All of us will miss Allen Park.

17) the backyard.
Truthfully this time of year that backyard was unbearable.  There were no less than 65 mosquitoes ready to attack the second you walked out the door and nobody used the backyard at all unless covered in half a can of bug spray, but Baxter adored that yard.  He would wait patiently (sometimes for a full hour) beside it, just sitting there without making a sound, looking out, longing to be out there.  Whenever I would finally open the door, he would do the usual perimeter sweep and then decide his next activity based on whether the neighbour's dog was behind the fence or not.  If yes, he would sniff endlessly up and down the fence line, occassionally giving a little bark to make his position known.  If not, then he would just lay in the sun - either chewing a stick or simply looking around at the never ending scurry of wildlife that lay beyond our glass door.

things I'll miss about living here | No.14 brightly coloured doors

Notwithstanding the wildlife that abounds my neighbourhood, the other sight that never fails to make me smile are the bright coloured doors on the terrace homes throughout!  You'll see green doors, red doors, blue doors and (my all time favourite) these yellow and purple ones that stand side by side!  Oh happy heart - oh dream come true!

things I'll miss about living here | No.13 terrace homes

There's something so romantic, so dreamy, so tidy and just plain perfect about terrace homes (or row homes)!  These houses were the first thing I noticed about our neighbourhood and really what gave it the character that sealed the deal.  We don't feel like we're in Austin around here - our street resembles an English town instead - and I fight a daily urge to photograph these terrace houses sitting happily amongst tall oak trees!  A sight that fill my heart with glee and one I shall miss!

No.12 | five miles to downtown

While I'm on the topic of downtown, it warrants mentioning that the apartment we are leaving is only five miles away from it!  Although we only go down there (on average) about twice a month, being so close has unlimited advantages, but to list a few: 10 min travel time // traffic = 20 mins // we can see the skyline and enjoyed 4th July fireworks display from down the street // its convenient for friends to stay with us when visiting from out of town // it's not a stretch to enjoy a night on the town or one of our fave restaurants ... and so on! 

Goodbye Northwest Hills and this amazing location!  I won't ever take you for granted xx.

things I'll miss about living here | no.11 one dollar to Downtown

The bus to downtown is on my street, runs late into the night and costs $1.  ONE DOLLAR!  That's basically unheard of in today's crazy expensive world and when you take into account parking (which is roughly $15 dollars/ 4 hours) or cab fare ($20 one way), you'd be mad to travel there any other way!

Unless of course the bus stop isn't on your street and you don't have that option... like me in just a couple of weeks from now, when I become one of the disgruntled mass paying through the roof to go downtown! #spoiledbrat #firstworldproblems

things I'll miss about living here | No.10 my hair salon

Ok, so maybe I am being a baby about this one.  Obviously I could still drive to my hair salon: that's what everyone does! but somehow it won't be the same.  I guess I will miss the comfort of my hair salon being nearby in case of emergency - not that I've had one yet, - but it's always reassuring to know that IF I ever do, the salon is within running distance!

A little about my salon: the Beauty Jar (changed its name to the correctly-spelled) Colour Bar.  It's owned by Brazilian ex-pat and wonder-woman, Brizzy Tate, who was a celebrity stylist in her country and who (out of habit) makes every person to walk through her door feel like a celebrity!  She's the sweetest and most genuine hairdresser I've ever met.

The photo above is of me feeling glamorous after she did my hair for last year's NYE.  Since then, I've got my own personal stylist, Aurelia and she's totes awesome too!  

No.8 & 9 | Texas sage & morning light

I love Texas sage bushes!  With their silver-green leaves; small violet, bell-shaped flowers; hummingbird magnetism; drought tolerance; low maintenance and overall appearance: they are without doubt my favourite native plant.

Here at our place in Northwest Hills, we have a Texas sage bush growing right outside our kitchen window and I enjoy admiring it any time of the day, but especially in the mornings when the sun shines its soft, white rays directly through the leaves - making the bush appear as if it's creating its own, angelic glow.   

Other plants with greener leaves look radiant when the rays of morning light fall upon them, and are beautiful in their own way, but the way my beloved Texas sage is illuminated in such a heavenly light, I find myself staring, mesmerized and awaiting descending angels. 

things I'll miss about living here | No.7 the birds

I've mentioned before that I feel like a Disney princess whenever I walk into my living room here in Northwest Hills.  The trees that surround our apartment almost always contain songbirds within them and their songs can be heard clearly from  every room, but especially from the couch, making me smile daily as I drink my morning coffee.  

The song birds include chickadees, Carolina wrens, mockingbirds and yellow finches. Then there are the cardinals and tufted titmice that make short chirps; the mourning and inca doves that coo; and the bluejays that shriek (even though they can get annoying, their appearance makes up for it). 

We have been so fortunate, I know, to have this chance to experience the birds of Texas so close and personal and I am happy... But it's bittersweet because I don't know if we will ever live with them again.

-Ps: photo above of cardinal was taken by my very talented, very spectacular cousin whom I love very much- Thanks Rita!!

things I'll miss about living here | No.6 the deer

Although White Tailed deer are prevelant all over Austin; it's common knowledge that the northern neighbourhoods are where you'll see the most.  Here in Northwest Hills they roam all over the streets, parks, people's front and back yards too!  One of my favourite things in the world to do when we have guests visiting from out of town, is driving around after dinner and spotting deer throughout the neighbourhood, like we're on a suburban safari!  Ahhh, I will miss it so. 

things I'll miss about living here | No.5 the grocery store

Yes, there seems to be a bit of a theme going but our grocery store is currently within walking distance too and I shall miss that as well!  There's nothing quite like nipping into the store any time we please with very minimal effort... Although perhaps without the convenience of buying things on the slightest whim, we might save some extra cash! Still, now we'll have to drive and do our grocery shopping once a week like normal people... Damn!

things I'll miss about living here | No.4 nail salon

Nails are important to any self-respecting female and I searched high and low when I moved to the neighbourhood for the perfect salon!  After many trial and error visits to the various ones in this area, I found the perfect salon, within walking distance from my house!  I shall miss it but if I can't find one on par with it at the new place, then I'll just have to make the drive.

things I'll miss about living here | No.3 the library

This place is within walking distance to a public library 💕

things I'll miss about living here | No.2 happy doggies

My doggies are my children so that being said, their security / confidence/ happiness is important to me.  They were ok with highrise living in Atlanta, where they would wait inside all day until we got home from work and take them for a walk, but they really really love having a yard and all the other features that come with this place!

After living here for a year, they're familiar with the streets and the directions in which lay their park, the grocery store, vet and of course, where their little friends live.  On our walks, we always have to stop outside the gate where Banjo lives and then the gate where Sunny lives so they can say hello.  Even though they don't realise such a big change is coming, I feel sad about uprooting their lives and sense of familiarity, placing them into a brand new setting (again) where they will have to relearn where everything is (again).  I don't know if this makes dogs as insecure as it makes children feel, but I worry all the same. They're presently so blissfully happy!

One of my personal favourite features, and one that I will miss most dearly about living here, is how super sweet all the neighbours are towards them; always stopping for a pat, a scratch behind the ears or just a friendly 'hey there Baxter!', 'hello little Dorothy!'  when they see them outside.  It warms my heart.  Over time, all of our neighbours have become okay with the doggies running around our front yards off their leashes chasing balls, birds, squirrels, being silly... just like children... while we stand talking to one another and supervising them... just like parents.

It all makes me apprehensive about moving away.  Will our new neighbours like our doggies?  Will they even care?  Apathy is better than intolerance but I dislike the thought of keeping them on their leashes 100% of the time outside when they are good doggies that can be trusted, simply because our neighbours may not be dog people.  Both Bax and D have become a lot more confidant and trusting of people since we moved here, I'd hate for them to regress....

things I'll miss about living here | No.1 proximity

This list isn't in any kind of order at all, but when I began to ponder what I'll miss about moving from our current apartment, the first thing that popped into my mind... is its close proximity to everything.  I'll talk way more about my fave places nearby as the month goes on, but for now, just a general shout-out to this location!  Northwest Hills rules! 

I took the above photo at Bull Creek Park - just two miles from our place and one of the most incredibly beautiful places I've ever seen!  It was in that fresh, clear water that Baxter learnt to realized he already knew how to swim and if you follow this link to his blog, you'll find his adorable post all about that day!  Here's another link to his blog where he posts about spring time at Bull Creek!  Both are cute as, and both feature HEAPS of photos and videos of the picturesque Bull Creek area!