long distance birthdays

#145073671 / gettyimages.com

Emma turns 30 today.  A few days ago it was my older brother who turned 30 and his weekend-long celebrations kicked off last night.  As if that wasn't enough for me to miss out on: in just a few short weeks, my best friend from high school (Sandra) is getting married to the man of her dreams - a man who must be unlike any other to be able to snare a girl as picky and free spirited as her.  A man I've never met.

I'm missing it all.

I feel strangely hollow sitting here, in my usual spot before the computer: coffee at hand and dogs at my feet.  The sun is spilling gloriously into the living room, which smells of fresh apples (thanks to my new Scensy Warmer!) and wildlife is at its most active.  All these things usually bring me joy, but aren't having that affect this morning.  For the first time in a long time, I'm homesick.

I sent presents to Emma and my bro weeks ago and because they arrived on time, I've already had the pleasure of receiving photographs of them been worn or enjoyed.  I've spoken to Emma, bro and Sandra recently and exchanged assurances of being thought of and missed as usual, but today it doesn't seem like enough.  Today, like a big baby, I just want my big brother!  To laugh and joke with in the sense of humour that we alone out of the entire world share.  To just zone out on the couch with a movie and annoy him by talking way too much through it: something I haven't enjoyed since 2011!  Today I want to touch my best friend Emma and give her the customary, celebratory scalp massage that became tradition all those years ago.  And god damn it I want to have a cocktail with Sandra and watch her eyes light up as she talks of her groom, the extravagant one-of-a-kind wedding that they're planning at Brisbane's hottest club and that jaw-dropping gown that's guaranteed to floor her guests.

Her guests.  One of which I will not be.  This shatters me today.

I don't know why I feel this way today, amidst the most social fortnight I've had since moving to Austin, I find myself suddenly yearning for home.  Australia home - not Atlanta home.  It's bloody hilarious that now I think Austin is great and it's getting easier for me to not miss Atlanta anymore I find myself wanting to go home to Australia more than I have in YEARS!

I'm feeling fed up with 'catching up' and photos of cakes, drinks, laughs!  I want to be the one eating the cake, making the drinks, providing the laughs (well for my bro anyway, since no one else gets me).  On occasions like weddings and 30th birthdays, I want to be there in the midst of it all - not toasting to their health from a distance.

My heart hurts today.

It makes no difference that the sun is shining after almost a week of rain, or how heavenly the room smells.  Even if a local whitetailed stag (that I'm usually obsessed with) walked straight into my living room right now.  None of it matters today.  It doesn't change the fact that there's an ocean between me and all I care about.

celebrate the small things | May 9

Has another week already gone by?  Dang!  It's been quite an eventful one and I've lots to celebrate:

1.  A little taste of home arrived via post from my brother and his wife!

Despite wanting to gorge myself immediately on the entire tube of condensed milk and chocolate Tim Tam bikkies (which are my absolute favourite biscuit in all the world!), I've been rationing them out like a squirrel with her nuts, afraid of that devastating last bite!  But it's sooooo good in the meantime! And the postcard of my fave place in QLD will be framed immediately and placed on my bedside-table.   

2.  I received an uncanny and very clear sign from the universe about vitamins!  

It's been some time since I began thinking about commencing a multivitamin regiment, then earlier this week I happened to be in CVS looking for something totally different and noticed this by chance:

  

Now I get to celebrate health and the bargain of the year simultaneously!

3.  Although this isn't until next week, I've been excitedly deciding what to wear and slowly packing for Will's family reunion/ brothers' graduation in Dallas next weekend!  It's going to be a ball - we've all been looking forward to it for months and I miss everyone like crazy so I can hardly wait! This time next week I'll be writing my 'celebrate' post from a hotel room in Dallas, yipeee! :)

4.  The last small thing I'm celebrating this week is a sparkly little treat that has brought me considerable material joy:

Hope you all have plenty to celebrate!  Have a fabulous weekend xo 

Roadtrip | Fredericksburg, TX

A few weeks ago Will and I took a drive and spent a glorious Sunday in Fredericksburg.  This coincided with the blog challenge so I didn't want to clog up my feed with pictures and stories of the day, but now seems like the perfect time to share.

Fredericksburg is another one of those small, picturesque German towns located just outside of Austin that makes for a perfect roadtrip or spontaneous weekend getaway.  Main St is lined with historic buildings that are now home to elaborate bed and breakfasts on the top levels; and all manner of stores, bars and restaurants on the levels below.  Some of these shops are an exciting, eclectic collection of new and old where you could purchase crystal clusters and Marc Jacobs sunglasses or homemade fudge and a second-hand cowhide rug!  Unlike other towns throughout Texas, Fredericksburg is alive and bustling on a Sunday; with its shops staying open as late as 7pm and bars well into the hours of Monday morning.

What sets Fredericksburg apart however, is the wine!  Known as Texas wine country, the freeway into town is lined on either side with wineries and vineyards - each competing for your notice and patronage.  Most of these wineries sell their wine all throughout Texas, but while they taste great sipped in their natural habitat - fresh from the cellar, overlooking the vineyard that birthed them and the owner singing their praise - Fredericksburg-made wine is not my first choice!  This was proven after Will and I popped open a bottle, that we brought home from the trip, with dinner one night and almost chocked! LOL.  Maybe we simply chose the wrong wine, but I have since heard from two different professionals in the industry that the hot Texas climate isn't conducive to growing wine-worthy grapes.  Sure they'll grow in all that rich soil and abundance of sunlight: yet the taste doesn't seem to matter nor does it turn people off buying the wine!  When in Rome, right?  (And when in Fredericksburg!)

If you're not into touring wineries and sipping blends what's wrong with you? Fredericksburg has plenty of other charms!  In spring, the wildflower farm is at its most magnificent and all year long there are festivals, history tours, horse-drawn carriage rides, markets, museums, shopping, dining, music and the Texas Hill Country Trails to enjoy.  I'm looking forward to visiting again in November for the Christmas lights tour and carols by candlelight!

Lantana is strictly banned in Australia because it's
completely taken over the wild flora there!

food for thought | pâté

To recommence my regular blog segments, I thought I'd start with the horribly neglected food for thought.  This week I wanted to talk about pâté, but first a little back story:

Russians, like so many other ancient cultures, believe in consuming as much of an animal that's been slaughtered for food, as possible.  For this reason, eating liver was never a big deal at my place growing up - I just knew better than to tell any of my squeamish Australian friends about it!  Americans are similar in this regard, one mention of eating liver will send them running for the hills, but since I've seen first-hand how liver is washed and treated: I've never been afraid of it.  In fact, it's often been said in my family that a medium-rare piece of steak has more bacteria than a (correctly prepared) liver dish.

Pâté (pat-ay) is a meat spread that's made almost entirely of liver (either chicken, duck or pork) and it's very popular all over Europe and Russia.  Perhaps it's the Russian in me - or perhaps it's simply because I've tasted it before (pardon me when I say that no one who tries it dislikes it) - but I love pâté!

It wasn't something I never noticed on the menus in Atlanta but here in Austin, almost every trendy restaurant I've been to around town features pâté on its menu.  This surprised me because, as I mentioned, Americans don't typically eat liver... perhaps ignorance is bliss!  Case and point: Will loved pâté when he first tried it and I know that if the main ingredient had never been mentioned; he'd still be eating it to this day!  There are few things better than a slice of rye bread with brie and a smear of pâté on top. Yum yum!

celebrate the small things | May 2

This week has been no less cray, cray than last week was.  Baxter and Dorothy decided to tag-team the sickness: he got sick with the runs the second she recovered!  And unfortunately his turn was much worse because he's always been more sensitive!   After several days and no improvement, I was forced to take them the vet :(  That was the major event of the week.  Now for the small, wonderful things:

1. both the puppies have recovered! huge weight off!

2. I completed the A-Z challenge!  Although I enjoyed it and made many new friends, I'm relieved to be able to write whatever I feel like again :)

3. on Monday night I had a spontaneous girls' night with a friend who was equally exhausted and needing to get out of the house!  We went Downtown, shared appetizers and a bottle of wine, complaining until our burdens felt lifted.  Spontaneous outings are the best :)

4. although the mulberries have all but disappeared - it fed the hungry little bellies of the local squirrels and birds!  I loved spying on them and taking photos!  So adorable!

5. ladies everywhere will understand the importance of this one: I found a shampoo system that makes my hair feel and look incredible!  I've been conducting trials for years - always in search of a product (or system) that will make my hair look as silky and flawless as those models in L'Oreal commercials  - without needing a hair dresser! - and voila!   Biolage Strengthening shampoo, conditioner and leave in treatment spray has done the trick!

6. as always I'm excited for the weekend.  This one will be spent exploring Downtown Austin - something Will and I really haven't done much of yet and I'm looking forward to sharing the photos with you.

Have a great weekend!