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Sunday, November 21, 2010

A Week To Remember

Life is San Antonio is going great. I have great friends, a good job, and a quite pleasant place to live. The weekend before Thanksgiving proved to be an even more exciting time here in TX. I was joined by a friend from back home here in San An and we made every moment here memorable.


The first night of D's arrival began with some delicious food and then off to dance the night away. Cowboys Dancehall was the hopping spot that night and we cut a rug while enjoying the concert of Jake Owens.


Brooke, K, D, and I had a blast busting the moves!
I was so thankful to be given the entire weekend off and on Saturday I cooked up some spaghetti squash and cheese loaves and joined our neighbors and other friends for a late potluck like lunch. It was so fun to just hang out together and enjoy great food.





After our fill we decided to head up north to Austin for a night out on the town. Austin has a street slightly similar to State Street in Madison, WI, however, 6th Street in Austin really just has bars, night clubs, or even a couple comedy houses. Its definitely a street where anyone can find a place they would enjoy.





D, Brooke, and I enjoyed walking the street earlier in the evening enjoying music and also a live comedy show happening inside a window. We finally found a place to chill and enjoyed some Jazz music and met up with another friend, Sara. After awhile our neighbors and friends made it up to Austin to join us and we headed out to dance!


We had so much fun dancing and hanging out and just making the most of the night!
Great friends just make anything fun no matter what you're doing or where you're at!
After a fun Saturday night, Sunday proved to be relaxing by sleeping late and later taking a walk at a new park with trails I had never been to before.
And then it was Monday. Off to work for me and B while D headed out to explore the city.
Monday ended with some good food and a movie, "Grown Ups." Such a super fun good movie!
Tuesday was another day at work, but we were able to head to the Riverwalk in the evening and enjoy the sites there. B, D, and I headed downtown with our neighbors visiting brother, S after grabbing some delicious Bubble Tea!
It was a chillier night on the Riverwalk, but we enjoyed walking along the river, seeing the Alamo, and then taking the Riverwalk boat ride. This ride is a nice stroll in a boat on the river and our tour guide enlightens us with history and fun facts. Along the ride we saw a tree that was literally growing out of the side of a concrete wall. They say that any tree that wants to grow that bad should be left alone! We also saw a hotel where each of the rooms were make like boxes and set into place by a crane. This is different than just building the rooms all together with adjacent walls to each room.
It was a fun evening that we ended with a meal at the restaurant, Dicks. If you have not heard of this place, it is a restaurant that serves "free sarcasm." In other words, they make fun of you and are 'dicks' as waiters and waitresses. They do not serve the best food ever, it is just a different place to go for a very unique experience!
Wednesday began with work and ended with a little dancing with some of my co-workers in the evening.
Thursday was also another early morning opening the bakery. However, after work, D and I headed to Enchanted rock for a beautiful sight and splendid hike. This 'rock' below is what is known as Enchanted Rock and is a huge rock structure. D and I enjoyed hiking to the top, seeing the views from above, lurking in caves, and just taking it all in. The weather was so nice and we really had a great time!
Of course, we had to take loads of photos as well!!
After hiking up the big rock and heading back to San An, we got ready for 'Ladies Night' at Cowboys. Again we were out working the dancefloor and just having a great time! You can never get too much dancing if you ask me!
And then it was Friday again. Brooke wanted D and I to come to her class and give a presentation on cows and agriculture. So, Friday morning D and I headed to the school and talked to the 5th graders all about cows and milk and food. It was so wonderful to be talkign about agricluture again and teaching others about it. We even make ice cream in a bag with the kids!
After school was out and we were all packed up, we headed south to go CAMPING ON THE BEACH! Us three headed down to Corpus Christi to set up a tent on the ocean front and relax the weekend away. It proved to be so wonderful and relaxing.
We took our living room furniture, set up a tent, bundled up against the wind, and hung out on the beach. Brooke had even brought her guitar along and we sang the night away and enjoyed the crack of waves on the shore.
Saturday brought sunshine and another fantastic day. We headed out early to enjoy breakfast at the small dive of a restaurant attached to the pier. I enjoyed a tasty breakfast sandwich before we headed out down the long pier to enjoy the sun and ocean.
The rest of the day was lazy and great. We threw the frisbee and football around on the beach. B and D made a sand lizard while I wrote my name in the sand and took photos. We drove around the Corpus area to see all different colored houses and stopped at other docks and piers along the way. At one dock we watched a large ship out on the water and saw some dolphins surfacing the top as well! We ate at a local place and had shrimp and fish and fried oysters. The day ended with a nice nap on the beach before heading north back to San An.
We chilled the night away back at the apartment and proved to be quite lazy. Watched a couple episodes of "The Office," played the guitar and headed to bed.
Sunday brought breakfast and church and packing and then the airport. I had to send both my wonderful roommates away as D was heading back to WI and B was ready for Thanksgiving in IL. It was sad to see them both go and drive back to an empty apartment! We had such a fun week together! It was definitely a week to remember!

Monday, November 8, 2010

What's Next?

After moving down to TX in August, I had vowed to myself that I was going to make no more plans for my life. I was going to just wait and see what happened and go with it.

Well, I think it must be said that that vow has to come with some rules. Going with the flow can't just mean I don't know what is next until ten minutes before it happens. That just wouldn't work. Therefore, my vow is more of a-see how things go, try to live it all up as you can, and if something comes up or is offered that sounds like it might fit into the scheme of life...go for it.

With this said, I do have some 'plans' for the next 6-8 months, but with very minor details. First and foremost, the plan is to stay in San An until the apartment lease is up. Next, I will go back to WI. And the final 'plan' is to head back to Salzburg in May to my second home in Europe!

What actually happens between now and the end of my stint in Texas has not yet been drawn. I do not know what new friends I will meet, how many hours of work I will add up, or what new places in TX I will explore.

When I head home, I am unsure how many calves will be born, how many meals I will cook, or if I will actually ever leave the farm once I've returned to it.

Heading to Salzburg has just been decided and the minorest of details are unwritten.

I am enjoying life. I am looking forward to every day. The weather is beautiful here, I have an amazing roommate, I have visitors coming to stay with me in the next two weeks, and I am just taking it all as it comes one step at a time!