Saint Patrick's Day

First of all, this post has nothing to do with Saint Patrick. Full disclosure, I have no idea who he is or what he did for the people of Ireland. The last few centuries have been pretty hard on Ireland though so if they need something to celebrate, then by golly, they can party til shamrocks fall from the sky.  But in this country, it seems to be just another excuse to drink during the day while wearing green. Me? I'm not Irish, not an alcoholic, and not impressed.

So I spent today like any other Saturday in Texas (which brings the total count of Texan Saturdays up to four). Aka doing only the things that please me. And not wearing green.

Which means I went for a morning stroll in the empty field next to the apartment complex.

And then I went to Round Rock with Jillian to shop, eat and generally avoid the SXSW crowds in Austin.

J. Crew was having a sale so I definitely bought my little brother a lobster tie. You know, just in case my parents get invited to any clam bakes at their imaginary country club. Or buy a yacht.

We put on our best pretentious faces to eat appetizers at a restaurant featuring "gourmet backyard cuisine". Does that mean I ate slow smoked brisket tacos instead of regular el-paso-mix beef tacos? Yes, yes it does. And they were delicious. 

I completed my exhausting day with a few minutes poolside, but only until my mint lemonade granita was gone. Quelle détresse.

I'm going to bed early so I can recover from such exertions and get ready for another fulfilling week of unemployment.

So thanks, St. Patty. I had a super relaxing day. Happy Birthday or whatever.

Same time next year?

The last 3 weeks

So yes, it's been rather light on updates around here but I have been living up to my name, traveling here and there and everywhere for the last few weeks. I'm finally in Texas and having a good ole' time. 

To bring you up to speed, I left Massachusetts on February 9th and spent the next four days visiting friends in western and eastern New York before heading to my parents' house in Indiana. 

I spent a week and a half there before hopping back in the car with my dad for the long trip south. After two days of driving we arrived in Houston where we spent a beautiful weekend with my sister. For the last two weeks I have been traveling back and forth between Houston and Temple, hanging out with my sister and getting settled in the apartment in Temple. 

Now that she's off to a beautiful wedding in Hilton Head, I'm back in Temple, just in time to wave goodbye to my pal Adam who leaves this evening for Afghanistan. I don't envy him, he's looking at a few months in the freezing Afghan mountains defending the country. I wish you well, Adam. Be safe and hurry back! Meanwhile, Jilly and I (and a rabbit named Zippy) will keep the home fires burning. Until next week when the temperature shoots through the roof. 

Anyway, here are a few polaroid-ized cell phone shots from the last three weeks:

 A cold but lovely Massachusetts evening sky bids me and my overpacked car adieu! (Don't worry, I didn't drive all the way to Texas with this much stuff.)

The sunset in Connecticut almost made the bumper to bumper traffic worth it. Almost.

New York hidden treasures: Great Aunt Margaret's colored glass window collection and my cousins' candy store. 

Helloooo Texas! In case you forget where you are, all the overpasses kindly remind you.

Overpriced cowboy boots and proudly displayed flags every 50 yards. It's the Texan way, y'all.

Lovely weather mostly. mid 70s and sunny. Grin.

 Unemployment rules the day. Current projects include learning how to knit and making my own greeting cards. I just may open my own Etsy store...

and of COURSE no trip to Texas is complete without a stop in College Station to see my bestie Hatley Nell! (Cowboy hat not included)

Whew. Lots more to tell but it's Sunday evening and there's sunshine and barbeque to be had. 

Hope all is well with my friends scattered far and near. :)

and while I have your attention

Source

I'm going to Texas.

That's my new adventure, the one I keep forgetting to tell you about.

As you may or may not know, I've left Boston. For the last week or so, I've been back at my parents' house in Indiana. The bakery job is done. Well, for now. It's there if I want to go back to it. 

And I may, who knows. I liked Massachusetts. And I miss my coworkers. Such a fun group of people. 

Quick draw!

But I'm ready for something new again. New job, new people, new view from my window.

Or, as it may appear to you, the wind has changed directions again and off I go with it.

Whatever. This blog is called "Hither and Yon" for a reason.  Perhaps in the future, my biographer will title this chapter of my life story, "The Wandering Years". I'll leave that to his or her discretion.

Anyway, what awaits me in the Lonestar State?

Well, my sister and some very dear friends, for starters. I cannot wait to see them all.

Secondly, I have a place to stay, temporarily.

If I can find work, if I like the area, perhaps there will be a life for me there.

But I could also hate it and be back north before March is even hot off the presses. Hopefully that's not the case.

And that's it, folks. Now you know as much as I know. 

Thursday morning, my dad and I are hopping in the trusty Volvo and heading to Houston. We'll spend the weekend with my sister and then I depart for Austin(ish).

This could be the start of something great. 

Or just a really long and expensive roadtrip vacation.

Whatever it is, I'm open to the possibility.

Now really I must get back to the suitcases.

Of all the things I should be doing

...making bird silhouette wall art with scrapbook paper and Mod Podge is not on the list.

The list looks more like this:

 -finish 2011 taxes

 -pack my suitcase

 -find a job

 -stop using my quarter life crisis as an excuse to dress like a homeless person every day

"Why?" says my conscience (who sounds a lot like my mother, incidentally), "why do you insist on starting these projects when you should be doing other things?"

 Because that's the way the creative muse works.

She strikes at the most inconvenient times.
It's why some people do their best work at the 11th hour.
Or have their greatest ideas in the shower or just before they're falling asleep.
Or how certain stories about boy wizards are born on paper napkins in a bar.

(That's right, I get a little nuts with paper and scissors & suddenly I'm J.K. Rowling.
Nope. Just desperately wishful thinking.)

Also, I had a coupon for the craft store, which is how I ended up with a bunch of empty plastic picture frames in the first place.

Oh, look at the time.
Must get back to my regularly scheduled life procrastination.

Ta-ta, darlings.

A Spot of Inspiration

"Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly."

Franz Kafka

Delightful illustration by charming artist Dinara Mirtalipova, whose blog can be found here