Hello? Fall?

Hello? Fall... it's me, Lisa.  Remember me?  We've met before.  There were a few years when we were really good friends, back when I lived in Toronto. Where are you?  The calendar says you should have arrived by now.  I left you in Nova Scotia a couple of weeks ago and I thought you would be on your way down here by now.  I know it takes you a little longer to get down here but what is taking so long?  Your stubborn sister season, Summer, is wearing out her welcome.  She is still really hot, I thought she'd let up on us by now....but noooo. She decided she would add a lot of humidity because heat feels so much more miserable with a lot of humidity. I am beginning to think she is never going to leave. I need your help!

I promise to plant your favorite flowers when you get here.  You know...the cute purple and yellow ones?  I know they are your favorite colors. The leaves on some of the trees think you are here already because they are starting to drop their leaves.  The squirrels are getting ready for your arrival, they are hunting and gathering like you are right around the corner.  I have to believe they know what they are doing. The stores in town are ready for you too!  There are boots in the shoe stores and sweaters in the clothing stores.  The only problem is that we still need to wear tank tops and flip flops.  I love Fall clothes and I can't wait to comfortably wear my jeans and boots.  Send me some cool days and nights so I can finally put away my tired summer wardrobe.

Fall, I'll bet you are economically minded aren't you?  Just think of all the electricity you can save us by cooling off the south.  Being green is very important, help us be green by letting us open our windows and turn off our air conditioners.  The world will be a better place if you just get a little more aggressive and blow through sister Summer.  You can do it!  Stop being such a wimp!  Don't let that huge body of water, the Gulf of Mexico, keep bullying you back up north.  Push your way down here....for the environment!

I am looking forward to visiting you this weekend in New York state.  I sure would love it if you would jump into my suitcase and come home with me!  Think about it.

Your Sweaty friend,
Lisa

Everybody Is Doing The Houston Swat

Today in my LEM class most of my students looked like they were doing some sort of weird pantomime.  They were swatting the air around them, they were swatting themselves and even slapping the people sitting next to them.  Yesterday, when TJ and I took Sadie for a walk TJ was doing the same pantomime and eventually ended up running home, leaving me to fend for myself.  Today on the front page of the newspaper it was confirmed.  We are in the midst of a mosquito epidemic!  Just when it got nice enough to sit outside and enjoy the fall temperatures and maybe have dinner and drinks on the patio....we have been accosted by swarms of mosquitoes who are also enjoying the weather and eating out.   

As you know or may have read here,  we are in a drought.  The good thing about that drought was there was no water for mosquitoes to breed and we have had a relatively bite free summer.    Well....that 4 inches of rain we had (2 weeks ago!) was a good news/bad news situation.  The good news was we needed the rain desperately and every growing thing is doing the happy drinking dance, finally!  The bad news was it was just enough water to breed a wicked batch of swamp mosquitoes, who have been just waiting for that water to come to life and torture everyone in Houston! 

So, to all my northern readers....send cold air!  It is the only thing that will make this epidemic end!  We want to play outside! Smack!  Ouch! How do you like my new cologne?  Deep Woods Off.... don't leave home without it!

You've Got Mail?!

Yeah, the check is in the mail!

Canada Post workers along with Air Canada workers are/were (Air Canada settled) on strike up here.  I think the sun has also decided to join them and go on strike as it has not made an appearance in a week!  I guess the saying, "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds" has no meaning up here!  Every day I pass my idle mailbox and wonder if there are cards and letters just sitting somewhere waiting to be delivered.  I was very excited when I got my first personal mail up here this year!  Now it looks like that one day delivery was a fluke.  No mail for me....or anyone else in Canada until "they" settle the strike.

I cannot imagine the US Postal Service shutting down!  (But I guess it could happen)  I know the days of snail mail are closing but there is still a need for the postal service.  You cannot "virtually" mail a package.  There are many small businesses that depend on the postal service to provide a low cost means of sending their products.  Even if you order something online, it still needs to be delivered and private couriers are not the most cost effective delivery option, although they do get the job done.  But I want my birthday cards people!  Get talking and let me get my mail before it is time for me to go home. 

I've seen two picket lines so far, one at the Moncton airport, Air Canada workers and today at the post office in town.  Don't see too many picket lines in Houston or Sugar Land, Texas.  At first I thought the strikers in front of the post office was a group of friends meeting for lunch!  oops!  My bad!

This strike gives a whole new meaning to the words, "the check is in the mail".  People who have never paid a bill online are now forced to get with the program and pay bills online.  The crafty postal workers could just be striking their way right out of a job if they are not careful. 

In other news.....be cause the fact that there is no mail being delivered in Canada is not enough news, it RAINED in Houston today and it was SUNNY all day here!  Yes, the weather tide is turning and the sun has found Amherst Shore and the dried and cracked earth in Houston is finally getting rain.    I think my little summer solstice party made all the difference.  We dressed up in traditional dress and did our best sun dance and chanted for a sunny summer!  Well, we did wear clothes and we talked about the weather, does that count?  Regardless, the sun was shining today up here and the rain was falling in Houston, I think I need to have another party!

Weird Weekend

The first weird thing about this weekend is the lack of blog traffic.  I admit it, I check to see how many visitors I have on a regular basis.  Where has everyone gone?  Did everyone give my blog up for Lent? Not even a "next blog" cruiser this weekend.  It is a conspiracy.  I am trying not to take this personally but am completely baffled, I think my blog has evaporated into thin air in the blogsphere.  Don't tell me everyone is out enjoying their own lives and just don't have time to spend on the computer reading my attempt to write something curiously enjoyable.  I am not buying it!  Maybe my stat counter is broken, is anybody there?

Austin, TX

The slogan says, "Keep Austin Weird".  I had the pleasure of going to Austin this weekend and did my best to enjoy the weirdness that is Austin.   Daughter #2 accompanied me on this trip.  We were on a mission to pick up my husband after he finished the MS150.  A two day bike ride from Houston to Austin to raise money for MS.  This is his 5th time to finish this ride and he really loves all 180 miles....why?  I have no idea, maybe it is spending 2 days on a bike, maybe it is sleeping outside under a huge tent with hundreds of other people, maybe it is using portable toilets for 2 days, maybe it is all the conditioning it takes to be able to finish in one piece or maybe it is one way he can do a little good and get a lot of exercise.  My contribution is minimal,  my job is to show up on Sunday afternoon and drive what is left of him back to Houston.  After a couple of years of driving to Austin and back on Sunday I got smart and decided to go to Austin on Saturday, spend the night and enjoy the city and be well rested on Sunday for my drive back to Houston.

TJ at the finish line!

Finish line with a view of the state Capital

While TJ was outside at the halfway point on Saturday night at the world's biggest campout, enjoying a few beers and sleeping on a cot, freezing his tushie off (yes, it was a bit chilly at night this year), daughter #2 and I were exploring Austin.  Our first order of business was to trek a mile and a half, uphill, to a yarn shop.  I don't knit, but my daughter does, so I humored her and hiked up to the shop.  It was only 17 blocks!  I noticed on our walk that Austin is a young city.  Must be that little school they have there, University of Texas.  I felt like I upped the average age everywhere we went by a factor of at least 2.  The other observation was that there are more tatoos per capita than any other place I've ever been!  I felt so out of place...so pure and unadorned... uninked.  Weird. 

Austin is a great city!  So many great places to shop, eat, drink and listen to music and it is pedestrian friendly.  It also just so happened to be one of the most beautiful days of the year on Saturday!  Chamber of Commerce weather.  After our walk uphill, we were parched.  We made the rest of the evening and night our own personal progressive dinner.  We had appetizer and drinks at one place, dinner at another, after-dinner drinks at another place and finally the cheese course and more wine at another place.  It was a great night.  It is so nice to have grown children to go out with and have interesting conversations with while exploring new places!  At least I had fun, hopefully daughter #2 was having fun too.  What do you think?




wine tasting at Cru



It was nice to visit a city that has a vibrant and interesting downtown.  Houston is not one of those cities.  Austin is!  So for the low price of FREE, I encourage everyone to visit Austin if you are looking for a weird and wonderful weekend.  Austin can thank me next year when I go back to pick up what is left of TJ after next year's MS150!

As an aside, Texas is in the middle of a severe drought.  Usually our drive to Austin is blessed with fields of bluebonnets.  This year the fields were all brown.  There are wildfires all over the state.  TJ said that the dust was so bad at the halfway stop that they all felt like their noses were full of dust.  I truly enjoy dry weather, not a big fan of humidity but even I have to admit that we need some rain.  I snapped this photo with my phone last week on a bike ride.  Usually this lake is full to the grass but if you notice all the exposed dirt, we are very low on water!  Let it rain!

Spring in the South, King Cakes and Open Windows

Spring has sprung in south Texas and south Louisiana.  I find this a double edged sword.  I enjoy this time, don't get me wrong, who wouldn't?  It is warm, sunny, windy and there are signs of life all around.  I have even been able to open my windows!  Open windows are something very familiar to some of you in the spring who live north of the sultry south, to those of us who live down here, it is a delicious pleasure that lasts only moments.  I savour those moments, the fresh air blowing through the house smells so nice and feels luxurious.  I don't even mind the dust that it leaves on all my furniture.  I can dust in the air conditioning....someday.  In the meantime, I choose to enjoy the open windows while I can, I count this as one of life's absolute pleasures. 

I said this is a double edged sword so here is the other side.  Open window season is followed by "too hot to exist" season faster than you can say,"stop talking about the weather.".  I know there are many of you still digging your way out of winter's deep freeze and to you I say, "enjoy it while you can."  At least that is what I would do.

 In other news and observations....people in Louisiana love Mardi Gras!  We were in Baton Rouge last weekend and the entire town was decorated in purple, green and gold.  Evidence....

Just a local shop in a strip mall!

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A beautiful Mardi Gras wreath on my sister's front door

front door fully decked out for Mardi Gras!

Everywhere we went there was Mardi Gras!  I loved it!  We walked into a local grocery store and the smell of King Cakes hit me in the face/nose.  King Cakes are delicious cakes available only during Mardi Gras.  They are similar to coffee cake, and there is a plastic toy baby hidden in the cake and the person who gets the baby is supposed to bring the next King Cake... traditionally.  Have I mentioned that the cakes are delicious?  They are iced with either a sugar glaze or cream cheese icing and sprinkled with green, purple and gold sugar crystals.  So festive and fun! 

It seems every time I go back to Louisiana I am reminded of how much culture exists there and how much I love it.  There really is nowhere like Louisiana.  The food, the culture and the people are truly unique.  One more week of Mardi Gras celebrations and then....Lent.  Party on!

Who Needs Technology?

The technology woes continue.  It seems our alarm system has a mind of it's own.  It all started when I was in Madison visiting Rachel.  There I was sleeping soundly, enjoying some down time at 3:00 a.m. like the rest of the world and I was awoken?....awakened?....shocked into semi-consciousness!...  by the ringing of my cell phone.  Who is calling me at 3a.m.?  I decided to let it go to voice mail.  They had the nerve to call again!  So much for sleeping so  I answered the phone.  It was my alarm service.  Try answering all the security questions after being woken out of a deep sleep.  What is my security word?  I have no idea!  It's 3 a.m.!  I barely know MY name!  Where am I anyway and who is this again?  They assured me that there was no break in and the alarm was not sounding off waking all the neighbors, it was just a keypad error.  Really?  REALLY? REALLY?  You called me at 3 a.m. and made me wake up enough to think of my security word and answer all sorts of other obscure security questions for that?  Click. ZZZZZZZzzzzzz

Since I have been home, every night at 8 or 9 the alarm starts clicking and then beeping spontaneously.  It also decided to beep randomly throughout the day.  Nice!  I scheduled the company to come out and figure out what was wrong with the system.  They came out yesterday, a whole day earlier than they said they would come out.  Take that cable company who kept me waiting for days! The first question he asked was if I had any trouble with my phones lately.  Well...yes as a matter of fact I have.  He proceeded to figure out what is wrong with the system and asked if my phone is working now and I regretfully had to tell him that they were not!  Yes, the phone, Internet and cable were out AGAIN!  It seems that after the carnage in the green space "they" were planting the new trees and cut a main line which resulted in everyone being without service for the day.  Oh joy!  You got it, alarm guy could not do anything to fix the alarm without a working phone.  "Isn't it ironic...don't you think?"  to quote Alanis Morrisette.  I am back at square one with a spontaneously beeping alarm system and occasionally working phone, internet and cable.  I just love technology.

It's November and time to talk about the weather!  Because if you aren't traveling to Europe or visiting grandkids then the next best thing to talk about is the weather.  This year there will be no whining....like last year.  This part of today's post is written especially with my Canadian friends in mind!  Last year, I remember November began with rain, grey skies and cold temperatures, like it usually does.  It is a depressing month in Toronto.  I cursed November.  Most people who live up there curse November, it is dark and dreary.  After my post last year I had to eat my words because it ended up being an absolutely lovely month... very unusual!  My friends thanked me for cursing November and having to eat my words so....I hope November can make a liar out of me again this year for all your sakes!

As for me and mine down here in Sugar Land....November is perfect!  God has indeed turned down the heat and sucked out the humidity for a while and I am a happy camper.  College football is in full swing, check out the LSU Tigers this past weekend!  Thanksgiving is in a few weeks and life is good (except for those technology glitches).  Rather than dreading November this year,  I am happy it has finally arrived.  This is patio season southern style.  This is the month we get to go outside and enjoy the sunny skies and not break into an immediate sweat.  People are outside working in their yards, riding their bikes, taking their dogs for walks and just enjoying life and the fact that the great outdoors is a pleasant place to be....finally.  We even get to wear a sweater or a jacket if conditions are perfect, according to me.  We have more hours of daylight at this time of year than they do up north.  So, if you want to know what month to come and visit us down here, try November, especially if you live in Toronto and you are not experiencing a repeat of November 2009.

Now watch it rain for the next 23 days....I'll never write about the weather in November again!  Until next year!

My LG

Guess where I went this past weekend? Any ideas? Need more time? A hint?
Ok, one hint.


That's right! St. Louis!
It was my last Parent Weekend ever. Last "official" Parent Weekend at a university visiting one of my kids/adults. It also happened to by my LG's (little girl, and she hates it when I call her that, but she will always be my LG) birthday . I did some of my best parenting over the weekend. Which means, I made sure she and her good friends ate well and drank well. There, my job is done! If only the first 22 years had been so easy. Right?

After spending time with LG and her friends I have concluded that there are indeed some bright young people out there and our world will be just fine so you can all stop worrying now. Great kids/adults!





Here is a shot of LG and her older sister who came along and enjoyed her first visit to St. Louis. What a fun city, so much to see and do and eat! Which, did I mention, we did a lot of?

The school was having it's Homecoming weekend and one of the activities is a golf cart parade. Various clubs on campus decorate golf carts and have a parade through campus. LG and her BF were given the honor of representing the business school on their cart. They were celebrating 100 years and so LG and BF dressed in 1910 clothing and the other couple were in current business attire. How cute are they?



And now for the weather!!!!
Fall has officially arrived in Houston. Hold onto your hats people, go outside, RIGHT NOW! This will only last a few days so ride a bike, go for a run, walk to dog, do some yard work (if that's your thing), eat outside, open the windows and breathe!

Welcome to the my newest followers, 14 and counting!

Bumping Along

I think the post vacation blues have hit me. It always happens. I should know to expect this. Like I said, "re-entry can be bumpy." I have gone from a rural existence and being around familiar faces everywhere I go to a life of urban sprawl and anonymity. Sure it's going to take a little time. I did my best to prolong the vacation and acclimate to city life by spending 4 days in NYC with my sisters.

But you can't postpone the inevitable forever.... can you hear me kicking and screaming from where you are yet?

It is not like there has been nothing going on around here either. TJ and I had a quick weekend trip to Baton Rouge 4 days after I got home to celebrate his mother's 80th birthday and our brother-in-law's 40th birthday. It was wonderful to be able to participate in both. We were even blessed by an early cool (read, less than 90 degrees with only 40% humidity!)front for the weekend! Add a little LSU football and two sister-in-laws from California to the weekend and it was great! Then we had to go home, again.

The real reality started to set in. No afternoon cocktails with friends, no picking fresh produce from the garden for dinner, no long walks in the refreshing breeze, no fixing, painting, cleaning, working and visiting to fill my days. Just me and Sadie looking forlornly at each other and wondering why we are here in this heat and humidity and who invited all those mosquitos!

There is something to be said for living in a house that always needs something done to it, aka the farmhouse. We are never at a loss for things to do. Maybe I should have gotten a fixer upper here in Texas. I did get one thing fixed last week though. We did not have a light fixture in our dining room because the previous owner took hers, so now....let there be light!



We got the light up just in time for a houseful of company....yea, visitors, let's pretend we are still on vacation! Another big "0" birthday party was last weekend and we had a house full of family. Excellent! All the beds were used and the dust upstairs got stirred around a bit. Nice to have some company to justify this big house that we only use 1/3 of most days.

Slowly but surely life is getting back to normal. One day at a time I forget what it was like at the shore and engage in this life. There are still times when I walk outside (because come on...you gotta get out and excercise sometime) that I feel like I am walking in lead boots and wearing a wet towel in a steam room, and it infuriates me because I know there are places in this world where being outside at this time of year is an absolute treat. Once the frustration passes and I accept it for what it is I am fine...until the next time I go outside and my clothes instantly bond to my body because of the hot sticky air and am reminded I am not in Canada anymore. BUMP!

Is It Hot In Here?

Channeling Rick Mercer, my favorite Canadian political satirist, it is time for a RANT......of an unpolitical nature.

Warning, anyone under the age of 40 or male may not be able to relate to this on any level. Read at your own risk. To the rest of you, I feel your pain.

Being a woman of a "certain age" stinks sometimes! Fasten your seat belts, here it comes. First there are the awkward "developing" years between 12-15 years old. You say to yourself, what is happening to me??? Then comes the roughly 400-500 months of...fertility. Is there a nicer way to put it? You all know what I'm talking about. Do we really need to be "fertile" for that long??? Then, when you are just getting to the point in life where you don't have to worry about having or raising kids and have the monthly drill down pat, it all goes to H***. Mother Nature throws you a curve ball, hot flashes come out of nowhere and the monthly drill gets more and more random. What have I done to deserve this? I have paid my dues....and now this? Are you kidding? It can be below freezing (well, not here, but where I used to live) and here I sit sweating. Nothing I can do about it. You would think that modern science could come up with a solution. But NOOO, you get sweat at the most inconvenient times for who knows how long. Looking ridiculous with that glistening forehead and cheeks in any weather. Does it at least moisturize? Maybe this will put off the wrinkling process? Burn extra calories? Hope springs eternal!

In my case, adding insult to injury....our move to Texas (hottest and most humid place on earth!) coincides with the hot flash arrival. I am sure our air conditioning bill is going to be through the roof. Poor TJ is going to start wearing sweaters in the house while I am in nothing but a tank top and shorts. Joy. At least when we were in Canada, I could just open the window or go outside and "chill" until the flash died. Well, at least in the winter I could. So until the next ice age arrives or mother nature turns off my internal heater....I will be the hot momma with the glistening forehead.