Energy savings according to me.

It has been colder than a morgue lately and our super leaky house just loves to invite the breeze inside. And there's plennnnnty of breeze to go around. But I just sort of can't turn on the heat yet..... for one, I don't like the *smell* of heat. Call me weird. I'm really sensitive to hot air, and especially hate when it's in my face (I HATE getting into other people's cars when they have the heat on full blast). Additionally, heating is expensive - need I remind you my house is old and leaky? - and also it costs a lot of money.

So, my basic plan of keeping warm is this:
1. Apply flannel evenly to lower half
2. Apply cotton t-shirt to upper half
3. Apply cotton/comfy fuzzy sherpa insidey hoodie to upper half
4. Apply sock 1 to foot A and sock 2 to foot B
5. Insert foot A into slipper C and foot B into slipper D
6. While seated in recliner (not included), spread thin layer of cotton blanket evenly from chest down

And finally.....
You know what's a kind-of-cheaper and much more fun than turning up the thermostat? Red wine. Seriously. Have a glass or two or three and you'll feel flush, warm and toasty, regardless of what degree your thermostat may have fallen to... ///56 DEGREES??? I need more wine.\\\

Oh, I bought a sweet new parka. It will get it's own post after I have the chance to test-drive it outside.

POOL TIME!

This weekend marks the start of POOL TIME for me!!! I'm soooo excited.

Check your phone for a text from me and let me know if/when you're coming. I'm assuming there will be plennnnty of people out there, since it's opening weekend, but I'll get down there early to grab a good spot (our corner).

Yay sunshine!

Summer Lovin'

For years, Erin and I have discussed making a list of "to dos" for the summer months. This year, we've decided to actually buckle down and do it. Here are some ten thoughts I just came up with:

1. Get a sweet tan, and some super sexy tan lines to match

2. Bar hop - high on the list are those with great patios: Stella's, Cowboy Slims, Brit's, Psycho Suzi's, Solera, Billy's..... Drink Uptown if I'm desperate ;-)

3. Attend a BBQ

4. Go to a beach in town - feel sand between my toes.

5. Bike

6. Walk

7. Grill food

8. A trip to the cabin with my fantabulous cousins

9. Have a sleepover with girlfriends

10. Go hiking with my hubby. I love being outdoors but have a hard time getting myself out the door..... I hope to change that this year!

The sun'll come ooooout tooooomorrow.... and the day after, and the day after.

I am so freaking happy about the weather lately. This is absolute perfection. Glorious sunshine, temperate 60's, and Minnesotans curing their cabin fever, outside in droves.... seriously, there are SO. MANY. PEOPLE. outside!!!

A few years ago, a relative from Texas was up here visiting in the spring / summer / fall (clearly I've forgotten). She could not get over how many people there were outdoors.... everywhere. Walking the paths, biking, running, playgrounds full of kids, softball diamonds, soccer fields, picnic tables, mini malls, people everywhere. Happy people. I was surprised by this. Wait just a darn sec, you live in Austin, TX where people can and SHOULD be out all the time. Why is this shocking?

I think that here up Nort' we have a particular appreciation for sunshine and tolerable temps (this varies)... it's as if life outside beckons us out of our homes, especially come April. Our cabin fever drives us to near incapacitating levels of crazy, so we burst out the doors like we've been imprisoned for decades.... and sometimes it sure feels like it!

This weather has prompted me to make my own sort of commitment to the great outdoors (and it truly is great) -- I want to see more of it, enjoy more of it and soak in every possible drop of beautiful earth, water and sky I possibly can. What does that mean exactly? It means happy hours on patios, cleaning off that bike on the balcony and using it, cleaning off the BALCONY so we can actually sit out there, softball two nights a week, POOL time as often as possible with whomever may care to join me, walking around Como, Saints games, more than one trip up to the lake, playing outside with my freakishly adorable nephew, BBQs (but not at our place sorry!), petitioning for an invite to Andrea's family boat (K. Syrah), hell even sitting out on a blanket with a friend and a bottle of wine (or Boone's Farm as we did in college, watching the boys play football... sighhhh).

SO..... care to join me??