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:
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a portion of the swamp that looks just like a scene from
the Princess & the Frog cartoon <3 |
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it blows my mind that people can build solid structures and
bridges right on the swamps... I mean, whaaat? |
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I've already blogged about and shared a heap of pics from
Baton Rouge, but here are some more of my faves :) |
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| The chandeliers!!! (grabbing face with mouth wide open!) |
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Next was New Orleans! So many pics, I'll have to put
another post up - for now, here are the highlights: |
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| Always a drink in hand! |
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That bookstore! Cluttered and rustic, like something
straight from Diagon Alley! |
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| My hat! <3 |
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| The 'second line' my new all-time fave NOLA tradition |
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| Next was Fort Worth, TX and its barrels of candy!! |
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| yummers! |
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| We took the Aussies to see the rodeo |
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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. |
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Must visit when in Fort Worth: Billy Bobs and the fame
wall of hand-prints from so many country legends! |
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| Like this guy!!!! |
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Then it was back to ATX and BBQ at the County Line,
on the lake |
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Honestly one of my fave places in the whole world,
if you haven't been there and live in Austin: GO!! |
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Another highlight for me will always be feeding the wildlife
at County Line: this time SWANS!! <3 |
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| A visit to ATX isn't complete without an evening downtown |
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| And a little education inside the capital building |
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After showing them ATX, we HAD to take our visitors to
San Antonio <3 |
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| Show them the Alamo, the Riverwalk... |
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And introduce them to drinking beer while walking freely
around town :) |
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| Or dining with a blanket option... <3 |
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| We new it reminded us of somewhere... |
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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!! |
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As well as our visit back to Atl - Midtown, the Xmas parade,
Will's work party, seeing my friends and so, SO many pics! |
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| Stay tuned! |
