Longer update coming, I promise
But for now, I am so tired OMG.
My best friends were having a party for their little girl (my "niece") who just turned 2. However, the party was in Austin. Mom, Sis, and I hemmed and hawed over whether or not we should make the drive from Houston for the day. We had all decided that it was too long a drive when we went to bed last night. Today, I was blissfully sleeping in, and Sis came and woke me at Noon. Scared the living shit out of me. After a decent discussion, she finally convinced me to go. She went downstairs to take a quick shower while I got ready myself. A few minutes later I get a call from Mom: "I was woken out of a dead sleep, and was informed that you all are going to AUSTIN. What changed?" So I had to explain to grumpy!Mom that Sis had convinced me that it would be good to go. (Part of Sis's reasoning was that she wanted to show everyone that she's now in recovery and stable, and healthy goddammit. Which I totally understood.) We finally left at 2 or so. Got to Austin at around 4 and got to the park where the party was by about 4:20. It was beautiful outside but windy as all FUCK. Like, 20-30mph sustained with gusts to 45. But there were bluebonnets and indian paintbrushes on either side of the highway all the way there. BEAUTIFUL. After about the third patch, Sis said, "You don't have to point out every patch of bluebonnets, Em." I was like a little kid again. "BLUEBONNETS!! (pause) MORE BLUEBONNETS!!" There were some really amazing patches just west of the city, though. I will have to stop sometime and take pictures. Anyway, it was great to see my friends and their families. Basically, my extended family. I've known Ina since 6th grade, and her husband since freshman year. They are my favorite people on the planet after Mom and Sis. And there are not enough words to express how gorgeous their children are. I love them so much. I'm glad we went, even though it meant almost 6 hours in the car today. Totally worth it. It was good for my soul to be around other people I love, who love me back unconditionally. We're planning on going back sometime this summer to visit, when Ina's on her summer vacation from teaching. I can't wait.
I miss Austin, but I didn't realize how much until we were back. I haven't been back in over a year, but once I got into town, it was almost like I had never left. I still instinctively knew where everything was. And the air... you can't taste it! It was a horrible idea to some of the people at the party that I now live in a place where the air has a taste/smell. But that's what I get for living in one of the big petroleum cities in the US. I could also tell the altitude difference. We live about 60 miles or so from the coast here, so we're close to sea level (152ft above, to be precise). Austin is the start of the Texas Hill Country, so its western airport is at roughly 900ft above sea level. BIG DIFFERENCE. And my sinuses/brain fluid can tell, it seems. Had a headache (thanks, cold front!) when I left Houston this morning, it went away by the time we got there, and came back as were were about halfway home. Gee? I wonder if moving to Houston is part of my problem? Great. I get all settled in here and my internal pressure gages tell me I need to move back home. Well, not gonna happen, so I just gotta figure out how to live with the pressure, it seems. Why didn't I ever think of that before?*GibbsSlap* DUH.
So, anyway. I'm tired, I"m sore from driving so much. But so fulfilled emotionally. Good trade-off I think. And now, to collapse and sleep for a long time.
My best friends were having a party for their little girl (my "niece") who just turned 2. However, the party was in Austin. Mom, Sis, and I hemmed and hawed over whether or not we should make the drive from Houston for the day. We had all decided that it was too long a drive when we went to bed last night. Today, I was blissfully sleeping in, and Sis came and woke me at Noon. Scared the living shit out of me. After a decent discussion, she finally convinced me to go. She went downstairs to take a quick shower while I got ready myself. A few minutes later I get a call from Mom: "I was woken out of a dead sleep, and was informed that you all are going to AUSTIN. What changed?" So I had to explain to grumpy!Mom that Sis had convinced me that it would be good to go. (Part of Sis's reasoning was that she wanted to show everyone that she's now in recovery and stable, and healthy goddammit. Which I totally understood.) We finally left at 2 or so. Got to Austin at around 4 and got to the park where the party was by about 4:20. It was beautiful outside but windy as all FUCK. Like, 20-30mph sustained with gusts to 45. But there were bluebonnets and indian paintbrushes on either side of the highway all the way there. BEAUTIFUL. After about the third patch, Sis said, "You don't have to point out every patch of bluebonnets, Em." I was like a little kid again. "BLUEBONNETS!! (pause) MORE BLUEBONNETS!!" There were some really amazing patches just west of the city, though. I will have to stop sometime and take pictures. Anyway, it was great to see my friends and their families. Basically, my extended family. I've known Ina since 6th grade, and her husband since freshman year. They are my favorite people on the planet after Mom and Sis. And there are not enough words to express how gorgeous their children are. I love them so much. I'm glad we went, even though it meant almost 6 hours in the car today. Totally worth it. It was good for my soul to be around other people I love, who love me back unconditionally. We're planning on going back sometime this summer to visit, when Ina's on her summer vacation from teaching. I can't wait.
I miss Austin, but I didn't realize how much until we were back. I haven't been back in over a year, but once I got into town, it was almost like I had never left. I still instinctively knew where everything was. And the air... you can't taste it! It was a horrible idea to some of the people at the party that I now live in a place where the air has a taste/smell. But that's what I get for living in one of the big petroleum cities in the US. I could also tell the altitude difference. We live about 60 miles or so from the coast here, so we're close to sea level (152ft above, to be precise). Austin is the start of the Texas Hill Country, so its western airport is at roughly 900ft above sea level. BIG DIFFERENCE. And my sinuses/brain fluid can tell, it seems. Had a headache (thanks, cold front!) when I left Houston this morning, it went away by the time we got there, and came back as were were about halfway home. Gee? I wonder if moving to Houston is part of my problem? Great. I get all settled in here and my internal pressure gages tell me I need to move back home. Well, not gonna happen, so I just gotta figure out how to live with the pressure, it seems. Why didn't I ever think of that before?*GibbsSlap* DUH.
So, anyway. I'm tired, I"m sore from driving so much. But so fulfilled emotionally. Good trade-off I think. And now, to collapse and sleep for a long time.