My heart lives in Central Austin

my heaven these days

I've been doodling so much lately, I haven't been writing.  I've been reading and thinking so much, I haven't been writing.  Have you ever had a rebirth or rediscovery of a gift in you...that at one time you thought was lost? Last year during a turbulent time I picked up my markers again.  And so it began...again. Now i find my self holding 4-5 markes or pens in my hands at all time. I've got pads of paper in all sizes EVERYWhere. 

 

I'm inspired to go through old things and pull out this history of the visual thinker in me....and watch the rest of the story unfold.  The coolest part is, I know there is a Future...with a capital F in this story. 

I've had all these crazy cool teachers show up in my life....

Christina Merkley

Deepak Chopra
Abraham Hicks

Ron Patulski

i just met Bryon Katie last week!

MAPS BOLD program has supported me financially and emotionally over the last year. 

Lee Mannix taught me so much in his death and I find myself beginning to really become a bit more comfortable with who I am.  I'm shedding some layers and getting comfortable in the layers that are really me. 

Courtney Crow Wyrtzen teaches me all the time....and did especially in this editorial about moms.  

Dr. Wayne W. Dwyer (listening to the power of intention on itunes)

Oh...and all the beloved books by my bedside....(thanks nikki for sharing the Renard book).

At this moment....I'm in heaven in my life....and I'm thankful.

Facebook murdered the writer in me

....but I am going to resurrect her. It is ridiculous how much time I waste on FB....but it isn't really the time. It is the creative energy that gets sucked out of me. I have these amazing thoughts worth writing down. I'm grateful for coaching sessions with my clients because it is a great outlet....yet...of course I don't give it credit unless pen has hit paper...or at least a san serif font has hit the blank screen.

so MORE writing to come...will be starting slow and small and most likely...insignificant...and yet..it is a start.

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76283671@N00/ / CC BY 2.0

I'm one of THOSE people

Yep, I'm one of THOSE people: That woman that thinks her dogs are her kids. Well my dogs are part of my family. They are my pals and most faithful friends. All 3 of our pups live well in our house and fit in our lives...they are on our sofa's and our beds, go with us on rides, eat special food (when I'm the one shopping)....get walks (almost)daily.

I can't imagine not having dogs...THESE dogs in my life.
Hank is my autistic pup....one of 2 litters combined 17 dogs. He's rough and tough with other dogs, yet fears cats, beetles and remote controls. He has is AKC canine good citizen certificate and he has completed beginner, intermediate and advanced agility. His favorite is the tunnel...and he gets jealous if any other dogs are in HIS tunnel. Today...Hank is at the vet....having a little mass removed from his underside...and some of those floppy moles taken off. I want Hank to live forever.

Daisy Mae.... She was Billy's dog when we met. And as we were falling in love in 06...Daisy would ride with him to my house. Getting her in the car is never easy, but when he would say, "let's go to Allison's" up she'd jump. It wasn't easy for her to adjust to these new crazy pals, Hank and lulu...but she did. Daisy is the sweetest dog I've ever met. I swear she is related to my dog Chula that passed away in 01. I love that her tail actually wags. She can't cuddle very well, she just can't sit still...but she's a lover and everyone who meets her loves her. Even my non dog-person sister likes Daisy best. But don't tell her mutts that. Daisy is getting old...12 and her heart is enlarged. She's on meds that make her bad breath even worse. We're watching her little self...and praying for heath and longevity for our girl. I love her completely.

Lu-Lu...the Alpha dog...the boss of me and everyone else in the house. She is a big dog in a little dog body. By far the best cuddler of the bunch. Playful, bossy, demanding and while she never barks...she is certainly outspoken with her mannerisms. She lets me know when she needs attention with a hand/paw swipe or more kisses than I ever needed. I KNOW she will live forever....My favorite memory of her is when she was a puppy, she used to sleep with her tongue out all the time. She is allergic to bee stings...yet loves to eat bee's. It is funny to see her face all bumpy and swollen...and bendaryl is now stocked in large quantities at our house. Lulu reminds me of me. Such a boss sometimes...but also soft and loving.
Yep...I'm one of those dog people. Still have the dream of the dog farm...and it looks like my niece Fiona is following after me. :)

I'm a sucker for marketing and PRETTY

I have fuzzy hair. Have always had fuzzy hair. Nick names as a child : MOP HEAD Due to the not curly -not straight mousy look of the mop of hair on a lanky girls head. Every time i sit in a new stylist's chair I get a big eyed look of "MY GOODNESS you have TONS of HAIR."
Yep I do. These days...it is taking a break from excessive coloring. (was blond for 34 years....been brunette for 3 and going back to blond earlier this year...really didn't work--at least from home). Most of the summer I have worn my hair back and then smoothed behind a headband. Texas is HUMID folks...and fuzzy hair and humid does not = CUTE.

I admit this budget while it has helped me in many ways, has really cause my looks to suffer. At least according to my standards. I miss the professional hair care...color and cut. I miss the professional facial care.... Ok..no griping. I just put it back on my goal sheet and it will be the first thing to comeback when my business begins booming this fall! In the mean time one of two things will happen....Stacy and Clinton from What not to Wear will show up with that 5K visa gift card.... or I might go 'halvsies' with my teenage daughter on an InStyler!!!

I've read the reviews and they are mixed. I want to see what this baby really does? Who knows...maybe you will get a video review.

Oh by the way...am using this line of new drugstore available products by LOREAL and so far, I think they do a good job. My hair is soft even after it dries and the products don't fade my hair color.

Confessions of a Desperate Housewife

I have just spent the last 52 minutes doing my weekly favorite house chore. Except today I am thoroughly disgusted by it. Carpet is simply FOUL. I mean EEEEWWWWW. And what is the useful life of a vacuum cleaner anyway. Yes I have 3 dogs. And a GOOD -at least I thought it was good Kenmore vacuum cleaner.
I loved you when I first bought you....but soon despite my emptying the container EVERY room and cleaning the filters each time I vacuum....you soon gave way to the YUCK that lives in my carpet. And, it isn't JUST DOG HAIR. I mean where did this ash like dust come from? (The photo is not mine...I thieved it off the web....just ad 3x the amount of short dog hair and you have the DOWNSTAIRS weekly accumulation of my vacuum cleaner. Oh and the spin of the canister molds it in to this egg shaped orb of dustydoghairmuck-- yum huh).

PAUSE: By now you are thinking we a dirty filthy folks. Ah, no- I married MR. Clean and Tidy... and our house is always spotless and clean. I simply think, under the carpet, is a foundation of dirt and ash. Our dogs are inside dogs and are bathed almost every few weeks.

I have decided that tile is disgusting too. Mostly because of the grout. No matter how clean the tile is..the grout gets nasty too. I do not want nasty floors. I have decided that hardwood floors through out the ENTIRE house...yes in the bathrooms are the ONLY way for me to go. Ah the once daily vacuum with the floor attachment to scoop up NORMAL DUST...warm sold floors that I can accessorize with a once-it-gets-nasty-chunk-it-and-get-a-new-one textile.

Accidental image

It was pretty so I posted.
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things i'm thinking about

things i'm thinking about these days:

1. i'm thinking about writing about things that really might not go over well in the corporate world...but that would go over very well with an authentic audience.
2. i'm thinking about how well dark chocolate m&m's go with a good cabernet i'm thinking about my big sister having a child. i want her to be deliriously happy
3. i'm thinking about God...and how sadly i often only think of him in extreme good or extreme hard situations. i'd like to think about him a little more in the everydays of life. and am sure glad he's there during the hard times.
4. i'm mindful that people out there are praying for me and my family. that is a warm thought.
5. i'm thinking about completely and utterly and drastically simplifying my life---aka getting rid of massive amounts of stuff.
6. i'm thinking i want to live where love live.
7. i'm thinking about going blonde again. except i really don't want to pay for the upkeep.
8. i'm thinking about reading more and worrying less.
9. i'm thinking about my big dog...and how he's getting older and bumpier every day.
10. i'm thinking about NOT thinking at 2 am, 3 am 4 am.
    

what are YOU thinking about?

This makes my ears happy

I hope it makes yours happy too.

reminds me of this great moment with my kids last christmas:

14 things i love about living in the suburbs

as compared to previous post 13 things i miss about living in a central austin bungalow

1. a bathtub big enough for two and a separate shower. 
   
2. a kitchen that holds EVERYTHING, is big enough for a center island, and is open to the family room. 
   
3. a garage- this is my first time living with a garage and the first 3 months we lived here i always forgot to close it. my car is covered and always warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
4. the front sitting porch and the back hanging out porch.
5. our neighbors, (who called me whenever i left it open and asked if she should shut it for me). 
6. room for kids, kid friendly rooms, and kid friendly neighbors. 
7. planting trees and watching them grow year after year..
8. the wedding hot tub 
   
9. our neighbors--who gather most evenings for a visit on the curb while the kids run amok up and down the street. 
   
10. it was a completely blank slate when we moved in and i love to paint.
    
11. our neighbors and the neighborhood pool in the summers.  some days it is just us.
    
12. more house for less money, much more house and much less money. 
    
13. did i mention our neighbors and BOD (beer of the day).
    
14. bill and i started our life together here with the kids. 

13 things I miss about living in a central Austin Bungalow

as compared to the next post 14 things i love about living in the suburbs

1. the origional hardwood floors-  next to the real wood baseboards and the sound of a time before I was born that whispers when you walk. 
   
2. a long wide front porch overlooking a lush green lawn and yes, even the cars going by...a sitting spot for friends....wine with my girlfriends on that porch. 
3. screen doors.
4. wood windows all up in the spring and the layout of those open windows bringing a perfect breeze through the entire house. 
5. having a WHOLE bedroom as a closet. 
6. colorful flower gardens to piddle in after work and on saturday morning and the 3 rose bushes on the south side that bloom all year long. 
7. the 11$ cab ride from down town. 
8. sunlight in the family room with it's floor to ceiling walls.  the best spot for hanging out and my home office. 
9. the soft zen zoysia grass in the back yard surrounded by a perimiter of iris'.
10. being exactly 7 minutes from anything, everything, and everyone. 
11. color parties: The Fabulous Pink Party, The Blue Shasta, The Solid Gold Party, and countless dinner parties on the back deck. 
12. the doggy door.
13. falling in love with billy there in the spring of 06.

 

did you make a list today? here is mine

1. "I'm loving you on purpose today." Quote of the week from my fabulous and supportive husband.
2. Keeping the marriage a priority helps solve many of the problems that come up in life, and if problems do come up, keeping the marriage first makes handing the problems so much easier.  Thanks for the great chat baseball moms! 
3. I have 3 dogs. 2 of them are stalkers.  
4. The best place to allow sadness to wash over you is in the shower.  Get the release out, let it wash down the drain, and step out a new person. 
5. Blogging- love this little outlet. 
6. Ziz Ziglar and Brian Tracy's writings that help me every day of my life. 
7. My friends and family have way donated for the Hill Country Ride for Aids 09---thanks everyone for your support! 
8. My vacuum cleaner rocks----and sucks up my 3 stalker dog's hair!
9. Clean white sheets on the bed. 
10. Choices, Freedom and Dreams.  
11. The ressurection. 

These little lists really aren't for you except that maybe you will make a list of your own. A list of blessings, of smiles in your day, of things you are grateful for.  Focus on the good and be grateful. 

Happy Easter and may new life and grace bless you this week.  

We had to staycation

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Man.....LARGE disappointment occurred yesterday when on the way to the airport for our week long adventure to Key West, I realized we had missed our flight.  "Complete and utter dumbass" as Bill calls it. Neither one of us had read the itinerary correctly....we've had the thing for 3 months...and yes, BOTH of us read the itinerary as LEAVING at 3:45.   This in fact was our arrival time....so arriving at the airport at one did us no good for a flight that was to have left at noon.  2hours on the phone with US AIR (not very friendly) and Travelocity (not friendly either) we were not able to book a later flight -

NOTHING.  "Ms. Flanigin, we can get you on a flight on Wednesday."  Bite me lady. 

Ok....so 2 hours later, fortunately we are relieved to find out that we did get a full refund for the hotel and we have a credit for the air fare.  What happens if US Air goes out of business. I think we will try and get a refund through our travel insurance. 

Really, I do and did feel sorry for my self. This was our long ago-planned Christmas present to each other.  It was a bright spot on long work day to look at the hotel web site or day dream about our sailing excursion booked for new years eve. 

My sweet hubby took over the phone negotiations for me and then booked us a few nights at Hotel San Jose here in Austin-- a cool modern suite too.  We got our room and cruised down congress to the South Congress Cafe's turquoise and orange recycled glass bar and ordered a pomegranate margarita or 4.   Already I feel a little better. I can't seem to find the sun or a beach or a hammock.  I did find sweetness in my husband as he was just as disappointed as I was...and we were both thanking God that it wasn't ONE of us that had read that ticket wrong. Can you imagine if it had been ALL my fault, or ALL his fault.  So, we dumbass together here at the San Jose. Smiling because we are a WE.....cuddling in a cozy bed and thankful for days off and that the city we live in is itself, a hip spot to vacation.    

Yesterday, I was so saddened by the loss of something I had looked forward to for so long. And today I realize that I get to look forward to that trip to key west still.  Casa Marina waits for us--and maybe at cheaper rates since it won't be Christmas time....and US Air...well...maybe that will get us there on another day.  And our sailing excursion ...the one we had already paid for--no refunds, and no rescheduling..... Well, I called him yesterday and asked if we could transfer it to another party so someone else could at least enjoy. He said sure and thought it was a fun idea and would have the couple he gave the trip to write us a note.... "Nah, just tell them to pay it forward....make someones day for us..." we suggested. 

A few minutes later, Sunny from the sailing harbor called and said,  "Ms Flanigin...ya know...if you ever do make it down this way...we'll save this sail for you...just call me and we'll take you on your trip."  No such luck from the outsourced Indian workers from US Air and Travelocity.  

I thought that was pretty dang cool and we look forward to a trip only delayed.....and are grateful for the surprise of our staycation here in Austin. 

oh and...no more plane trips during the holidays....and I will read my tickets CAREFULLY from now on.  I do not look good in dumbass...neither does Bill. 

Malita Jones this makes me wish you were here

because I know it would make you laugh and roll your eyes at the same time. 

Oh, My....i'm laughing so hard tears are flowing....and dogs are looking at me strange. 

my long tail in blogging is a squirrel tale? what the...

apparently I have a "long tail" in the blog world on this blog. and of all things...it is a squirrel tale. I know this personal blog doesn't attract a wide range of readers...mostly my family and a few friends. However, I crack up every time I look at my reporting of how readers or at least clickers get to this caw of mine.....and most often someone has searched SQUIRREL BITES.

Yes folks, the Crow's Caw is the #8 result on Google for the search term "SQUIRREL BITES."

I'm so glad that despite my frequent rants, my thoughts about life, my gratitude lists, and even my real estate musings.......well....squirrel bites.....that is almost as bad as the STORY behind said squirrel bites.


I'm glad, as far as blogging goes to have a "LONG TAIL" but how in the heck did it end up a SQUIRREL TALE?

Bill's Version of Hanging Christmas ligths

Bill sent this to me this morning....saying this would be his idea of perfectly hung christmas lights:

My version would be this:

Tales from the Classroom, and partly why I no longer am a schoolteacher

I taught elementary and jr. high school for 5 years. The first year as a kindergarten teacher was AMAZING....I remember laughing and smiling all the time that year....all the hilarious stories. LOVED every second of it. And that was the end of the teaching honeymoon.

I did end up marrying a school teacher and so the stories continue. He has been teaching almost 24 years. Here are two Bill experienced in the last 2 weeks...both FIRSTS:

A boy, who will remain anonymous, was in my room this morning
opening up a small plastic wrapped item. I heard from the corner of the
room, as he looked at his item is a confused manner, "EWWW, a tampon!"
Apparently, he found a tampon on the ground and thought it was some sort of
candy. Soooo, he picked it up to eat in my class. Yes...I have tampon
eaters in my class. When he realized what it was, he ran up to me with
the most awful look on his face and put said pon on my desk! I told
him that I didn't want his tampon and asked him to please throw it in the
trash.

Then I gave him some Purell, just because
...
I could not stop laughing!

*****************************************

A girl just threw up on my desk. My "work station" is sporting a nice shiny gloss and a few chuncklets as well.
I am going to vomit...
Flan

time to stock up...BR great sale

Ok...it is a time of economic restraint, however, Banana Republic is having a rediculous sale! And if you are a LUXE memeber (I am- DUH)....then you get an additonal 25% off on EVERYTHING. New things....25% off. Sale items...ended up being 45% off their already sale prices! I had to stock up. Bill even bought an 8 dollar shirt. I love BR's suits. Classic pieces that I have owned and collected for years and through out the up and down sizes. Last week I wore a jacket I bought 12 years ago from BR....got more compliments on that jacket!
now, if i could just find a way to expand my closet....

my face is falling off

yes, I am on an eternal quest for easy beauty. recently i walked through the doors of Milk and Honey Spa here in Austin. I decided to try something new --a facial. Absolute heaven. That was a month ago. After consulting with Rebbecca, my estatishion, we decided to move forward with a CosmediX Timeless Peel to begin correcting my years of baking in the sun and my pesky forehead expression lines. I am only 4 days post peel but already the first layer of skin has peeled from the inside out. Yucky skin be-gone! sun damage be-gone! blotchy be-gone! My face is falling off and I love it. Hopefully I will remember to post a true post-final-face-falling-off review after the peeling has completed...

i know this is kind of gross to many...but it is fascinating to me and nice to actually see RESULTS on one of these treatments. I know my sister CTY would be fascinated too! The responses I get from people are hilarious. Some come right out and ask "What happened to your skin!!!" and then....there are those that recognize the fabulousness of the falling off face!---" Oh, you got a peel! You are going to LOVE the results!" (those are my favorite)

The other thing Rebecca taught me:
you PLUCK chickens
you TWEEZE hairs