celebrate the small things | Mar 27

This week I'm celebrating:

- my new car!!
She's not technically 'new' - she's a 2009 model Mini Cooper S, but she's new in my life and I adore her!

Isn't she pretty!?

- two new friends and catching up with two old ones
I met two awesome, empowering girls at SXSW // and on Wednesday had an 'old-school' cocktail evening with my old neighbours!

- the enriching experience of SXSW
learnt several things about human nature, threatening situations, shock and myself.

- my vegetables seeds growing like crazy!

- getting organized
Will was gone all week, which enabled me to complete all the washing/ tidy the house/ organize scattered paperwork and rearrange a few stray decorating items that have been doing my head in.  Now I'm sitting here, with a coffee, looking around and feeling a proud sense of accomplishment.

- the weekend
We've got quite a few exciting things planned this weekend: breakfast downtown/ the local markets/ visiting friends/ a nature hike and detailing my new car.

celebrate the small things | Feb 13

So much to celebrate in Austin this week!  While the rest of the country still firmly sits in the clutches of winter, battling temperatures close to freezing and snowfall every other day: Austinites have un-offically welcomed Spring!  The sudden appearance of dandelions attests to the splendidly sunny days we've had, while trees and other flowers are budding all around.  The best news however, is that my own flower seedlings (planted on Monday) have already sprouted!  Here are a couple of pics of my Bachelor Buttons babies, that I took just 15 minutes ago:

 
I've also planted some Cosmos that are sprouting and daisies, (that I'm still waiting on, but) beyond excited all 'round!!  The warm weather has also brought more outdoor excursions for the pups, so they are thrilled.  Here's a pic of Baxter from a recent hike we went on:

And some more evidence of Spring in the photos below that I took on various walks around the neighbbourhood throughout the week:

More exciting news is that I enrolled in an online writing course and am loving every minute!  It's rather challenging but each successfully completed task provides a much needed confidence boost so I'll be starting this Valentine's Day weekend in rather a giddy mood.  :)

And finally (for once) I'm celebrating the swift passage of time which enables me to say that I only have 9 days left until my fabulous anniversary cruise!  Yipeeeee!

Have a great Valentine's weekend!  Hope you're spoiled rotten!

playing in the leaves

There's something amazing about the different coloured, falling leaves of autumn. I've not met a single person who doesn't appreciate their splendor, even those who've grown up with it all their lives. In the part of Australia I'm from there are no visible seasonal changes, in fact aside from the varying temperature, there is no difference at all.  Leaves stay on trees, beaches remain littered with surfers / sunbakers and for the most part, people still walk around in flip flops!

Here in Texas it's a similar situation.  The only leaves that change are those belonging to sporadically planted maple trees - few and far between.  The main landscape remains the same grey/ green it is all year long; unless a freak snow falls, like it did last winter.

That's why it was such a treat to see so many jewel tones when we visited Will's dad in Shreveport recently.  His suburb was like the inside of a giant, living snow-globe - only instead of white snow; yellow, orange, brown and red leaves.  A leaf-globe? Whatever, it was divine!  The pups and I had a blast playing in, rolling in and throwing leaves all over the place.

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!