we wandered around today...

it's weird to live downtown in such a touristy city. to walk past the alamo on the way to the post office. the mall within walking distance is maybe the most confusing place i've ever been, since you can enter/exit on the street, from the river and from neighboring hotels. the city is strange in itself, in little ways, it's odd and weird and sometimes creepy. 

here's some random snaps from today...

inside ripley's believe-it-or-not:

part of the berlin wall:

disco cowgirl mannequin:

a pretty window, with a weird scene going on inside...

look closer, it's a precious moments astronaut-girl with a skull and rocks: 

kids working on a busy street downtown. the little girl took the money, the boy made the cotton candy. you can't tell, but they were like 8 and 10:

camping...

camping, during the day, was wonderful. fun, exciting, beautiful. we kept saying, i can't believe we're so good at this! we cooked everything over the camp fire (even coffee), told ghost stories under a field of stars, and hiked to the bath house to pee. it went so smoothly. 

camping, during the night, was tortuous. horrible, terrible, painstaking. freezing cold, rock-hard ground under our sleeping bags, and loud music from neighboring tents kept us awake all night. it rained all night one night and slightly soaked through our tent. i was so tired i cried.

but in the morning, after the sun came up and warmed us a little, it was wonderful again. would i do it again? absolutely... but not without an air mattress and long johns.

yummy

jack always makes a pot of coffee before work, but only drinks a cup or two and by the time i wake up it's cold. so, when i read this recipe [via], i filed it away to try. did you know it's hard to find ice cube trays? i found some at wal-mart last week and have been freezing a tray of coffee cubes a day since then. 

i kinda followed the recipe, but it didn't seem like enough coffee (6 cubes?) so i added a bunch more to the blender, then more chocolate and sugar to balance it out. i only used about half a cup of milk and half a cup of half-and-half because that's all i had of each. 

today

i woke up so early this morning, way before light. jack left for the airport and i couldn't fall back asleep. the house changes when he leaves. even though it should be no different than when he leaves for work most mornings, it is different. as soon as i hear his keys locking the door it gets scary and lonely here. scary today, particularly in the early morning hours. i hear gunshots and sirens and vow to not leave my fortress.

so for today i have cookbooks and movies and camping. we're taking the boys camping this weekend.  i have been so excited preparing and planning and listing and planning. just a weekend, tent camping, but i haven't done it since i was a child and jack and the boys have never done it. packed up uno and marshmellows and sleeping bags and did a trial of the tent - it's seriously huge! i don't even remember camp sites having that much room. think it will fit back into that little green bag?

it's weird to have kids sometimes. because when they're here, it's full-time. but they're here part-time. so i have periods of constant "doing", then nothing until next time. my life is like that in lots of ways. like traveling, going and going for a week or so or less, then home and not having to leave the house for a few days straight. i love the going and doing, but i couldn't do it without the in-between. i wouldn't want to anyway.

it reminds me of falling in love

just got this print by john clark in the mail. it says i forgive you. it reminds me of falling in love. it looks much better in person.

i wanted this other one badly, but the original sold before i could justify the $100. i have a habit of falling in love with things and thinking maybe tomorrow i will buy it and then many tomorrows pass and i think it every day and then it's gone.

1/4 year in one post:

two christmases,

a quiet new year,

san francisco!

a sweet new laptop,

mardi gras!

the most workouts ever in a row,

and the cutest car in existence!