ohsweetJayzus, it'salmosttheweekend

No. I haven't fallen off the earth,

it just seems that way.  Barreling towards a long weekend!

first day

'Nuff said?

yup

Actually thrilled that the students will be on campus tomorrow and the eternal meetings will cease.  It's been a quietly intense weekend of crafting syllabi and course outlines and some quality hiking and pool time as well.

d.) all of the above

before...

 The partially re-constructed classroom.

 The, may I say STUNNING, view from my desk!

The other angle from my desk.  Off to buy bulletin board supplies and candy for first day ice-breaker games (and yes, it will be nut-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and basically fun-free sweets.)

whoooosh

How does a weekend of nothingness swoosh by so quickly?   We're all moving slower in the heat;  how do the hours go so fast?

and so it begins

Day one of orientation has melted by in a blur. One view of my classroom's building~am pleased to say that the arts are directly above the dining hall (which has a cheap & healthy meal plan~yes, with vege options!)

The edge of my gorgeous stage!!!!

Blurred shot of one end of my classroom~thrilled to have daylight in the classroom.

Cool mosaic of the original school.

adieu to my five days o' summer

Had the most delicious pizza while attending an outdoor showing of Back to the Future.   So much fun to be back in 1985 for a bit.  (I've googled it and no one can explain how the heat SPIKES here after dark.  It's cooler at 6, than at 10.  But I digress.)

Tomorrow kicks off two days of new teacher orientation, followed by an entire week of in-service.  Wheeeeeee.

random beauties

I wish this came with sound as this wall of teensy flowers was humming with busy bees.

Happy turtles in tannation at Town Lake.

Painted on an overpass pillar.

Love the tranquility of this city.

Enjoying the last few hours of my brief summer break.

alchemy

Some of my earliest and best memories are of hanging about in the kitchen~watching various family members chop and dice and debate seasonings.  And while it can be tedious to throw dinner on the table at the end of a tiresome day, most of the time~the kitchen is a place where magic happens.

Am enjoying a few last lazy hours of summer~yesterday's culinary quest was trying to recreate that divine pasta dish I had in San Antonio in May.

Five kinds of 'shrooms, handfuls of herbs from my garden and we won't talk about all the dairy products simmering away here.

Voila!  Trader's lemon pepper pappardrelle topped with the 'shroom creamy sauce and crispy Brussel sprout chips.  A dish to ease the sadness of the day.

who doesn't love a pretty sticker?

Popped in to get my car's oil changed and the mechanic asked if I wanted to do my state inspection as well.  I asked when it was due and he kindly told me it wasn't almost THREE years overdue.   Evidently, this state does not tell you when you are to renew that bit.  He said they are working on mailing that notice out with the license tag renewals and I think that's a jolly good idea.

Was grateful that he saved me from a hefty traffic fine (he said that when UT begins, the cops go mad with ticketing for every little thing.)

Yes, one is supposed to scream for ice cream, but it too darn hot

I can check attending the Austin Ice Cream Festival off my life list.  Whoooo-ee.  We went prior to noon and were still drenched in sweat by the time we stood in the first line for our frozen treat.  I felt deeply sorry for all the volunteers who were there until 7 pm.   

 

Been here.  Done that.

But I scored a free nail polish at one booth.

After more swimming to recuperate from the heat, it was time to head to the famed Continental Club to hear legend Wanda Jackson~while you may not care for her vocal quality, you've got to admire a 77 year old who is still recording and still out on a world tour.

And it was fun to hear her stories of singers just as fame was finding them~Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and myriad others.  Inspiring to see an artist still going after 60+ years of performing.

take a walk

If you enjoy food and an interesting story, you may be interested in watching The 100 Foot Journey.

Take good snacks or eat a meal prior to watching!

 

And now I need a gorgeous wool cape.  And perhaps the climate in which it would be appropriate outerwear.

life advice

The inside:  

'That doesn't work, by the way.  

And, consequently,

I'm no longer welcome at Target.

now we're cookin'

It's summahtime now~temps floating up towards to the top o' the thermometer.

And the best way to cope is to head to Barton Springs and float around in the 68 degree water.  Although, some people claim that it is too chilly to be enjoyed.

 

And then head to a darling bistro that has fans/misters (as in things that spray mist, not lots of men) on the shaded back porch.

 

Celebrated the signing of my contract and filling out myriad forms by going to one of my favorite Austin eateries,  and I am thrilled to say that I just got my new teacher orientation s'hedule and they're taking us here!

feline seal of approval

Realize that it is difficult to see, but there was a chorus of teensy baby birds when I dashed into the post this morning.  Such sweet little peeps.  And SUCH a pile of doody underneath.

Actually found three pennies today, but had already posted this by the time I found the last one.

Yes.  Yes, that is what you think it is~after sleeping on the floor all these post-graduate school years~I HAVE A BED.

Although, as my sister pointed out~I may not.  She said Bogart's expression says: 'and where will you be sleeping tonight now you've bought me a pretty kitty bed?'.

And if that wasn't a fabulous enough way to kick off my first day of summer break, spent the afternoon floating around Barton Springs with a good friend.  Sweet August afternoons.

some people

are just not worth the energy.

 

But food always is!  And why have I never thought to fry cookie dough before?  

waistful

 

As my beach trip got postponed due to car issues (and I vetoed the proposed idea to BUY sand at Home Depot and recreate the beach in my flat), decided to get ice cream for a mini-summer-break feel.  And by the by?  If one walks to get the treat, it totally negates any fat grams.

 

Pretty pretty flowers everywhere right now.

 

sweet life

My little genius (no, seriously~this is the child who gave me a lecture on air molecules during the first lesson) composed me a farewell song yesterday.  He played it several times, adding triplets and 7ths and all manner of flourishes.  I will miss a handful of my studio students~the rest?  A huge relief to say buh-bye.

A little transition time between jobs (something like 48 hours) is taking me to the beach~my first time to dip my toes in the Texan 'ocean'.  Stay tuned for a report.