Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Road Goes On Forever

I had a different post planned for this past weekend. It's only half-written at this point, and with a little luck, I'll have it done by next weekend. Ever since we moved back to Texas from Malaysia, I've felt sooooo busy. I'm convinced it's because I now spend all my time in my car driving around. It's something that my friend who repatriated at the same time I did also commented on when we first returned. At least we have great music on the radio!


In Malaysia, I could sometimes go days without driving. Restaurants, food markets, and friends were within walking distance there. All my kids went to the same school which was a quick, 8-minute walk from our home. Now, I just drive, drive, drive. My teen also misses his independence at being able to get to and from school by himself. Now, he has to call me and then wait 20 minutes for me to arrive. We've also done a lot more roadtrips. Thank goodness my car here has cruise control unlike the one we leased in Malaysia.

Hubby just returned from being in Hungary for two weeks. I had to keep reminding myself that he was on a business trip and not on a solo vacation. He had time to tour Budapest over the weekend. This is my favorite photo that he sent me.

"Study of a Female Head" by Jenő Gyárfás 

Taken at the Hungarian National Gallery, there's a whole story about why this lady looks this way. I prefer not to tell you and let you draw your own conclusion. (For those of you who absolutely must know, it's a practice for "The Ordeal of the Bier."


How did Glamping go?

Remember that Girl Scout glamping campout I told you about? That's what I was doing while hubby was getting his art education in Hungary. The campground was on the shores of Lake Travis, about an hour drive from my house. After all my worrying, it turned out well. A burn ban prevented us from doing all the outdoor cooking that I was excited to teach them. A huge wildfire started on the other side of Austin the day after we returned, so it's a real threat. Instead, we did slow cooker cooking which I'm going to have to tell  you is not nearly as interesting. I learned that my troop cannot properly read a map and would rather run around pell mell looking for our cabin as if it were a game of Hide-and-Seek than take a moment to orient themselves on the map.


Sunset over Lake Travis during Girl Scout glamping

At the end of a full day, the other Girl Scout leaders and I slipped away for a few minutes to catch the sun set over the lake. The girls were busy sorting out a "campfire" skit and had no interest in catching the view. They missed a beautiful one. It was a blessedly quiet, tranquil moment in an otherwise hectic but fun day.

Whenever you see an airplane crossing the sky, do you also wonder where they are headed?


More Texas country back roads

The next weekend, my son had a Boy Scout campout with a Hunger Games theme. While I think there was no mad dash to the Cornucopia, there was plenty of archery and tomahawk throwing. This campsite was also an hour drive away from home on someone's cattle ranch. My driving directions included instructions like "be sure to lock gate behind you so the cows don't escape." After dropping him off, I pulled over on the country lane to take a photo of this quintessential Texas country back roads scene.

Lampasas farmhouse

I must have looked mighty suspicious, because a woman stopped to ask if I was having car trouble. I said, "No, just taking a photo. It's so beautiful here." I don't think she believed me because she waited until I drove off and then followed me all the way to the highway before turning around. Never trust a person in mom jeans and a minivan.

So, that's what I've been up to. Thanks for reading this brain dump. I hope to have a cohesive, organized post up about Disney Cruiselines Kids Clubs next.

That's all folks.

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6 comments:

  1. I liked this post, it was like catching up with you over a cuppa. I loved that you were under suspicion for taking photographs. I would like to see more photos of Texas Cattle Ranches and countryside Michele!

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  2. Hi Michele. I love your glamping view. Does that portrait resemble you after driving around all day picking up and dropping off kids? (haha) Amazing that someone questioned you for stopping to take a photo of a farm building (and a very nice photo!). Thanks for linking up this week. #TPThursday

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  3. Great to meet another one "l" Michele! Your life back in Texas sounds like quite an adventure - anytime instructions include don't let the cows out, you know it's not going to be an ordinary trip! I look forward to reading more about what you're up to.

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  4. Hi Michele, my husband and I have moved back to the U.S. after being overseas for a few years and you're right: It does take some adjustment! I think it gives us a great opportunity to see America as a visitor might, with our fresh perspective. I consider it a blessing, though I do miss the convenience of being able to walk everywhere.

    The stories you shared about driving, glamping and the farm are great. Can you detect a slight theme here? I'm detecting a decided appreciation for even fleeting moments of peace and beauty.

    Another thing - We host #TheWeeklyPostcard linkup every Friday on As We Saw It. Hope you'll join us. :)

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  5. We once lived on an island where if you drove for more than 15 minutes in a straight line you would end up in the Pacific Ocean. While living in such an isolated place had a lot of drawbacks it was an awful shock to get back to Sydney and lose half my day to driving and traffic.

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  6. It certainly must be a huge change of pace for you and your children from Penang to Texas! and a lot to adjust to for your family. I don't think I could stand the traffic living in a big city. On the upside look at all the great places and activities on offer. That sunset over the lake is glorious. Have a great week Michele and thank you so much for your thoughtful comments on my blog last week. ps - fascinating insight into the painting!

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