a month in transit

At last I'm sitting on the couch with Baxter on one side of me, Dorothy on the other; utterly relaxed.  For the first time in over a month, I don't have to be anywhere or do a single thing!  November literally went by in a daze, as we spent almost all of it on the move, first in Baton Rouge, then New Orleans, then Dallas, Fort Worth, then entertaining house guests from Australia, back to Dallas and finally a visit to Will's dad in Shreveport, LA before returning home for a week where we had to run about a million errands, celebrate our first Friends-giving and then set off again to Atlanta for Will's work Xmas party.  Phew!

Needless to say (1) I'm worn out and (2) we haven't had a chance to enjoy our new place hardly at all. I've been meaning to post photos and blog all about it, I promise, but despite several unposted drafts, I honestly haven't even had a chance to finish decorating.   

Now we are home for a full 10 days with nothing more to do than the washing before we take off again to spend Xmas in Atlanta - and I plan to make the most of it!  I want to cross every single thing off my do-to list, so that we can come back after Christmas to an apartment that's all finished and begin 2015 with a clear head.

It has been a blast though, I've enjoyed all of it!  Seeing Baton Rouge and the LA swaps for the first time and meeting some of the world's friendliest/ happiest people! Then revisiting New Orleans, Fort Worth, Atlanta: some of my favourite places on earth!  Highlights have been: discovering that adorable bookstore and purchasing my all-time fave hat EVER in New Orleans/ showing my old friends America and seeing it all anew through their eyes/ playing in the fallen autumn leaves with the pups in Shreveport/ walking down our old streets in Midtown Atlanta, feeling the warmth & familiarity of all the memories we made!  What a wonderful month it has been!  Here are some snapshots:

a portion of the swamp that looks just like a scene from
the Princess & the Frog cartoon <3

it blows my mind that people can build solid structures and
bridges right on the swamps... I mean, whaaat?

I've already blogged about and shared a heap of pics from
Baton Rouge, but here are some more of my faves :) 

The chandeliers!!! (grabbing face with mouth wide open!)

Next was New Orleans!  So many pics, I'll have to put
another post up - for now, here are the highlights:

Always a drink in hand!

That bookstore!  Cluttered and rustic, like something
straight from Diagon Alley! 

My hat!  <3 

The 'second line' my new all-time fave NOLA tradition

Next was Fort Worth, TX and its barrels of candy!!

yummers!

We took the Aussies to see the rodeo 

I didn't like it and I'll prob never go again, but I'm glad to
be able to say I've done it now.

Must visit when in Fort Worth: Billy Bobs and the fame
wall of hand-prints from so many country legends!

Like this guy!!!!

Then it was back to ATX and BBQ at the County Line,
on the lake

Honestly one of my fave places in the whole world,
if you haven't been there and live in Austin: GO!!

Another highlight for me will always be feeding the wildlife
at County Line: this time SWANS!! <3

A visit to ATX isn't complete without an evening downtown

And a little education inside the capital building

After showing them ATX, we HAD to take our visitors to
San Antonio <3

Show them the Alamo, the Riverwalk...

And introduce them to drinking beer while walking freely
around town :) 

Or dining with a blanket option... <3

We new it reminded us of somewhere...

After we dropped them off to the airport in Dallas, it was off
to visit Will's dad back in LA, which I will blog about later
because WAY too many pics!!

As well as our visit back to Atl - Midtown, the Xmas parade,
Will's work party, seeing my friends and so, SO many pics!

Stay tuned!