Non-Eventful Week

Last week was non-eventful. Toby and Skye wanted to go back to Six Flags to ride some of the rides they didn't get to the last time we were there. Our pass will expire soon, and they want to make full use of it before it does.

I vowed I would never go with them again. because (a) I hate long car rides to places I don't even want to be (b) I hate crowded places and am not a fan of thrill rides.

I admit the morning I woke up and knew they would be headed to for Six Flags to leave me alone for the day was like winning the lottery. I made a trip to the Blue Hanger and came home to roost on the sofa and watch some Netflix uninterrupted. That is my idea of an exciting day.

The next day Toby and I ran some errands and came home to lounge in the pool.

Me and Skye have been sitting out in the evenings. I like to spend as much time outdoors in the summer as possible, because I hibernate in the winter. I'm a full blooded southern gal.

This year has not really been a year for nice sunsets, but the other night the sky showed off for us...

 

The animals like to hang out near us when we're outside. I think about my pets a lot. How it's weird how they consider us a family even though they are very different from us, but yet know how to mold to human expectations....

I especially think about Bo. He's so muscular and strong. He could attack and kill me if he wanted to with his mass strength, but yet he cowers and hides when I raise my voice or if he senses I'm mad...

Recently, my friend Robin suggested we enter some of our work into the county fair. She does a lot of canning. Gardening and canning is her thing, like crochet is mine. I had thought about the idea of entering some of my crochet into a fair before, but never delved any deeper into the idea until she suggested  it.

I have a few ideas on what I want to enter, and even have come up with some other ideas that have not yet been created. I call these three blankets my masterpieces. I donate most of my crochet to local charities, but there are certain things I make that I keep because of the time and money I put into them....

Anyway, that's all I can think of to ramble on about for now. I need to start my day.

Bone Dry

During the months of July and August Toby and I struggle for things to entertain us on our weekends. It's way too hot to enjoy a good hike so this is the time of year we usually spend more time in our pool, but certain people (me) start getting antsy and need to immerse in nature.

We decided to go hike Bull Creek. It's one of our favorite hiking spots and it has a nice uncrowded swimming area we love to cool off in.....or so we thought. This was the first year I could ever remember our swimming spot being dried up. That's how non-existent the rain has been this summer.....

There's usually a nice waterfall leading into a big pool area.....

At least we could check out the big cave area underneath where the falls are usually flowing....

Even the big waterfall area was barely a trickle....

I tell ya, Austin is either feast or famine.

The next day we decided to go to Barton Springs, but this time we actually went into the paid pool area. I wouldn't ordinarily pay to swim at Barton, but it's only $3 for residents.  Toby got to swim on the deep end and jump off the diving board while I lounged on my floaty in the shallow area....

I'm pretty sure we'll utilize the pool a couple more times before summer ends.

Me and Skye have been sitting on out the pool deck in the evenings watching the sunset while she chats my ear off. I guess I should be glad that she talks to me, because I never felt comfortable enough with my mother to casually chat nor would my mother had feigned interest in the conversation like I do with Skye....

Lucas and Emily are on vacation in Vancouver and Lucas sent me a picture of him and the view. He's such a sweet, handsome (30 year old) boy. I miss having him around, he has such a pleasant nature compared to someone else I live with, I won't mention their name...

It's been so hot, and I really hate walking in the heat so I've been walking a couple of miles in the early morning by myself before Toby gets up. I'm an early morning person so I've really been enjoying my peaceful morning walks without the sun blazing down on me....

I love this old house on the highway outside my neighborhood. It sits out there all alone and there's a good view of downtown Austin right behind it. Skye's been to it before when she did camp at Crowe's Nest Farm, she said there's a big fishing pond behind it too...

I dressed up Bo the other day, he's such a good sport, or either he's just too old to resist any more...

Toby was playing his video game one night and shhhhsd  me when I was tried to talk to him, so I just text him this message. I'm one of those people who find myself hilarious, Toby says I'm not funny, just legit crazy. If I am crazy, it's because I'm living with two people who've run me that way...

Here's me, taking a selfie on the way to Barton. No makeup, no filters just natural old lady Laura. I want to look back at myself when I'm 80 (if I make it that long) and remember that I didn't look as bad as I thought I did...

Birthday Week

On July 23 I turned the page to 54. Not a milestone birthday, once you get past 50 you know you're just going downhill from there anyway. The best you can do at this point is hang on for the rest of the ride down the other side.

Toby surprised me by taking off work early and bringing home a bottle of joy (liquor) where we happily hung out in the pool the rest of the evening. Skye calls us alcoholics, we just call it putting a little fun into an otherwise hum drum kind of life. Plus, it's hot as blazes, so it's put a damper on hiking/biking.

We're just resuming what we used to do together before raising her delayed our 'adult fun' for awhile. She didn't know us when we were real people, she just sees us as mom and dad. It's weird how kids don't view their parents as having needs and desires, past life experiences, or feelings.....

Skye was in a funk because her girlfriend has just left that day before for basic training in the military. They have big plans for when she gets out of basic. Teenagers. They don't realize that life sometimes doesn't work out like you plan for it too, and that people can change dramatically depending on who they're around and what kind of life experiences they're having. I have this feeling my 'little girl' is going to experience her first real heartbreak soon, and I feel so sad for her because I know how emotionally painful that first experience can be.

The next day, Toby and I hung out downtown. It's our favorite place to go in the heat of the summer because we can kill two birds with one stone...keeping cool and drinking. If you ever need to find us on our 'weekends' this is usually where we are. We're like the gang on Cheers down there, where everyone knows our name...

 

Last year we bought season passes for Six Flags. Honestly, I abhor those kind of places, I'd rather be going to the dentist for an extraction.

But Skye wanted to go since we had not gone yet this summer. I think she was trying to keep her mind off her girlfriend. Toby and Skye rode rides the whole time while I scoped out shady spots and people watched. I was so busy watching human behavior that I didn't take but one picture, this dark brown squirrel. The squirrel was actually the highlight of the day for me...

Watching animals makes me happy. My family says I love the dog more than I do them, it's not a far stretch to say that sometimes I do...

It was a nice birthday week, but I was ready for it to be over so I could rest. I'm no spring chicken anymore.

San Marcos

This week Toby and I took a trip to San Marcos. The weather was predicted to be in the triple digits, and the idea of the crisp cold water of the springs sounded appealing.

I also noticed on the map there's a trail that runs alongside the San Marcos River so I figured we could get in a little exercise and work up a sweat before we dipped into the frigid water..

We stopped at one of the parks along the way and did a photo shoot with the mermaid...

Once we hit the end of the trail we turned around and headed back for a swim. I was boiling and ready to cool off...

I'm a big sissy and don't ride the rapids. I always roost in this little pool section here watching everyone else get pulled under by the strong current....

Here's a short video of Rio Vista.

Last week we hiked on the other side of Barton Creek. It was mostly shady and you could tell it was seldom traveled.

This looked to be some kind of a grave marker. It was on the edge of the cliff, so I could only presume someone had fell/jumped to their demise...

The trail ended at a steep hill with a chain to help you climb up.....

We found out that the trail ended at someone's property because the owner came running out with his dog to run the trail. He was nice and didn't scold us for lurking around his property...

Since I love the outdoors and hang outside a lot, I like for my outdoor surroundings to look nice so I spruced my pool area up a bit..

Firsts and Friends

It's hot as blazes now, so Toby and I have been spending our weekends making use of our pool. We do a little yard work, grill some dinner on the grill, then reward ourselves with a drink - or two - while lounging in the pool. The older I get, the more I enjoying hanging out in the comforts of my home.

A few weeks ago, me and Skye attended the neighbors graduation/birthday party. I usually hate social events, but since they have been our neighbors for the past ten years, I was pretty comfortable with everyone there.

You can tell from this photo Skye really loves having her photo taken. She's a party pooper when it comes to picture time...

My neighbor Derick with his parents and sister....

Lesly and her mom Olivia...

Me and Skye enjoyed standing out on the balcony looking at downtown...

Skye also experienced her very first ever sleepover recently. She spent the weekend with her girlfriend at her house near San Antonio. She really seemed to enjoy her time with Liana, but also was glad to be back to the comforts of her own bed. She gets that from me. I enjoy the comforts of my own home/bed too.

I had the house to myself most of the time while she was gone because Toby was working. I thought I may feel a little empty nest syndrome, but not surprisingly I really enjoyed my time alone.

Toby and I also acquired "Couple Friends" at the end of last year. All through our marriage, he's had his friends, and I had friends that I acquired through trying find Skye playmates, but this is the first time that we've had actual friends that were just our own.

We have a lot of things in common with them and the conversation always flows with ease and laughter.

As of this moment, Skye is spending the week with Liana before she leaves out to the military in a couple of weeks. They've really formed an attachment to each other in the past few months, I have this feeling I'm going to be soon seeing my daughters first heartbreak.

In a couple of days Toby and I will be taking our first trip out of town without Skye while she's out of town. More to come on that in a few days.

My Perogative

I had seriously thought about ending this chapter of my life journal, matter of fact, I did make the decision to end it and closed it to private, but I suppose it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind.

Two things came into play for me in second guessing my decision to end my blog. First, I never want to disappoint my friend Angela, who I believe, at this point, is the only person I know personally who even takes the time to read it anymore.

Second, I love being able to go back in time and see what we were up to the previous year, or even 8 years ago. After all, that was my whole initial intention of keeping my online journal in the first place. I think I would be really disappointed if I didn't have anything to go back and reminisce on.

Maybe all good things should NOT come to an end. As of this moment, this journal remains private until I've made the decision if I want to go public with it again or not.

I will now go pour me a glass of my 'special juice' and begin posting happenings from the last month.