Move over

, originally uploaded by Tera in the Isles.

Someone had a sweet home uprooted and moved. They will replace it with some sort of boxy mcmansion, no doubt. Sort of risky business this late in the game, even for Austin. The economic climate has changed and whatever will be put there will have a sign up for quite awhile. But at least they didn't demolish the house, yay! Actually it may be a loophole that is saving these cute vintage houses. We are thinking, my vintage house loving friends and I, that moving a house allows for more land use than a tear down? Something like that?

You could buy one of these homes for less than $30K and that includes having it moved to your property. Not a bad way to go at all if you own land somewhere around town and want a vintage house. I heard there is a guy in Elgin who is creating his own vintage development and has bought quite a few homes from the Brentwood/Crestview area and moved them over there.

Hmmm $169K for eight acres of land east of town, line a couple of rescued homes in a row, call it Teratown. Teehee

Home Sweet Home

This summer has been very different from our past summers. It's been cozier and homier. There has been a lot to do and it's getting done but keeps us close to home more than before but, the best weekends have been at home and not at the beach. It's all about the backyard. There is something hugely satisfying in enjoying your own hard work. The backyard was one of our projects this year and has been nothing but hard work.

Saturday and Sunday mornings are so blissful. They begin cool and quiet and even when the day turns and becomes a positively mean 100 degrees, we would have already enjoyed enough hours of relaxation and found some unexpected edification. I have been surprised with the results, feeling as if I've returned from a vacation. My job has become increasingly stressful (and continues to each week-blehk) and I don't deal with stress well. Being able to feel as though I am worlds away from the work week and office every weekend has been an unexpected treat. In fact, the times we've left town for weekend getaways has been more work than rest and we return wanting an extra day to recover. Still planning the big vacation voyage but in the meantime it's nice having sanctuary so close.

I read about home retreats once in some magazine in some waiting room and thought: PFFFT yeah right. It mentioned personal Shangri La and backyard retreats. When I returned indoors this morning, back from Our Own Backyard, I was reminded of that article. Wm and I agreed that we stumbled upon something unexpectedly cool this year. My friend has found similar bliss at her new house. Equipped with a dream kitchen and sitting on one acre, she has found her Shangri La. Visiting her and being treated to her tres yummy creations from her very own chef's kitchen has been enjoyable. It's happy food.

I recently read this sort of blissful discovery of one's backyard and happiness in one's home is called a staycation. Are you serious? What about home sweet home? That's been around forever.

This weekend I also caught a short documentary on New Zealand and sustainability. They showcased people who lived off their land and made a living from it. NZ was tres impressive. I would seek a range sort of life in NZ if I could. Until then it's just us under the shade trees.

Le Week-end

It was one of those weekends that just lingered.
No clocks, no television, nothing to really tell
the passing of time by except the movie.

We took our niece to see Breakfast at Tiffany's.
She had never seen an Audrey Hepburn film
and it was playing at the Paramount. It was a
much better print than the one I had seen with
my friend a few years back. Almost clean.

There was a lot of listening to music, book
reading and lazy moments spent watching The
Silkies move around the yard quietly chirping to
themselves. There were even kosher egg salad sandwiches from my favorite place. Didn't forget Green's Babka.It was a perfectly relaxing start to a long, hot,lazy summer (oh will it be long and ever so hot).

It's hot, it's so hot, it's hot

We need more shade trees and less asphalt. This year I was determined not to let the rotten summer climate keep me inside for months watching everything around me turn yellow then brown and die. I was determined to fight the sun and humidity and stand outside and plant, transplant, water and help everything around me live as best as anything can live in this damn climate. The new yard just needs to get established this year. It can die away next year, returning to vibrant greens after some good rains (always hope). This year though, if it dies, it stays dead because the root system is weak and water is the only way to strengthen it. I'm surprised our water bill isn't showing nearly close to what I thought it would show. But its all about watering the dry spots not the whole yard and sprinkling plants here and there. Hoping that Dolly brings some much needed rain.

It's heavenly to be outside at 4pm when a strong breeze begins to stir some clouds. There is nothing like catching a dark cloud riding a strong hot wind the moment it blocks the sun. The relief is immediate when this happens. Then comes the smell of wet asphalt mixed with the scent of wet dirt. You catch the notion seconds before you actually catch the reality that it may in fact rain. Then the cool drops and you hope it just pours for hours. No amount of water from a garden hose can yield the results of one good downpour.

I can remember some very rainy Augusts. I hope there is one in store this year. I won't even complain about the humidity, I'll grow gills. But for now it's just too hot and it's been too hot. I do enjoy waking up early and catching the cool mornings. I wish it could stay that way all day. The weekends are great because I can actually enjoy the backyard till noon. From three o'clock till six in the evening, I'm so beat. I can't always stay in, have errands to run, places to be, things to do. I refuse to be dominated by the weather this year. But I'm beginning to think, I'm beat. I can't keep this up till November or whenever summer around here is finally over. November, right?

My Dream MLS listings can be found here:

Uncle Jack's Vintage Vegas

Books!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love checking out NEW library books because I get the same feelings I would get had I just bought them but I still have money in my pocket. I'm a huge non-fiction fan:

House lust : America's obsession with our homes / Daniel McGinn.

The world that made New Orleans : from Spanish silver to Congo Square / Ned Sublette.

Vanishing America : in pursuit of our elusive landscapes / James Conaway.

I also checked out a novel, a rare move for me. I couldn't resist the title:

A Pigeon and a Boy: A Novel /Meir Shalev

So far they are all good and I'm not disappointed. Have a lot of reading to do.

Just Three Little UGHS!

What do you do when your doctor just leaves? Quits? Moves on? Without notice!
I had the best doctor ever (smart, great bedside manner,cooperative) and when I called to confirm the appointment I was told I would not be seeing her.
I said," Well reschedule me when she returns from vacation. "
"She is gone." the receptionist said.
UGH! So I will be seen by the doctor she shared the office with who has a reputation for being mean, difficult, uncaring. I hate looking for new doctors.

The other day I was told that my face had a nice healthy glow and had I been out in the sun recently. I guess I've been hanging out more outside. I know I have...didn't I say more than the last 15 years combined or something? Didn't I also say with an SPF 85 that has all that Helioplex stuff plus a hat and sunglasses? Cause I should have the palest face. The palest! So what is not working? UGH! Sun exposure=aging.

This morning Keet aka Dark Meat crowed. My favorite little hen crowed. Is Keet a roo? UGH! Please lay an egg Keet!

M+in+oo+sha

In

Warren William :Really love his moustache

Personal worlds: Hanging outside reading.

Train trips: looking into an East Coast voyage.

Vintage bicycles: Looking into one for evening cruising.

Vintage Aladdin Thermos sets: Cute little plaid bag with room for two glass lined thermoses and a little sandwich box.

Pesto: The basil is about the only thing doing well and yielding a high return so basil and black olive pesto for all!

Chile Rellenos and rice pudding: Trying to get the recipes down. My Grandmother makes the best chile relleno and my Grandfather makes the best rice pudding.

Out:
Tolerating cluttered spaces

Waiting around, standing around, patience: It's the time of the year where it's just too hot for that sort of thing.


Cool Website:
Authentic History

The Golddiggers of 1933

My friends and I had lunch at Magnolia's today, something we haven't done in ages. Felt great to spend an entire afternoon out with the girls. Claude and I remember when there was nothing but two antique stores, a thrift shop and Lucy in Disguise on South Congress. Or so it seemed. It was too hot to make every shop on the strip. Uncommon Objects was packed. I miss Rue's Antiques but love that Tesoros is easier to get to. We then went to the Paramount to catch The Golddiggers of 1933.

I have always wanted to watch a Busby Berkley film in a theatre on the big screen. I actually discovered The Golddiggers of 1933 through the movie Bonnie and Clyde when I was a kid. I watched Bonnie and Clyde for the first time on WGN when I was eight and loved it. The clip they used in the movie theater where they hid out I found most appealing. The scene later with Bonnie imitating the We're in the Money scene in her mirror was one I imitated in my mother's mirror after the movie.

We really fell for the 30's fashions. If I could I'd love to finger wave my hair that way but I lack the patience. Cec couldn't stop saying, "This is such a crazy film". It was all over the place but ended on a somber note. In fact, the audience just went completely quiet as Forgotten Man played. All except Cec who said, "This is crazy". The number was big and a bit eerie:

It was so powerful today that it brought some people in the audience to tears. Seventy years later and though much has changed, wars just set you back decades.

SquarePegssquarepegssquare.....PEGS! minutiae

We got the Square Pegs dvd last week and have been enjoying every 80s drenched episode. That was a funny show but just like Freaks and Geeks, it was over too soon. Why?! Man, early 80's fashion, what a trip. Those ruffled high collar dresses. Hmmm I think I had one sans the ruffles anywhere else. What was up with that?

We have been renting old Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman dvds. Neither one of us ever watched that show. My mom used to love it. I'd hear it playing and my mom laughing when I was sick and woke up "in the middle of the night". We checked it out and it's freaking hilarious. I think it's more clever than Soap ever was, at least so far, two discs. I remember Soap.

Speaking of old shows, RTN is a pretty fun channel. New fave. Reminds me of WGN circa 1979, 1980.

I have been spending more time outside this season than I think I have in the past 15years put together. Despite the nice shade trees and patio umbrella, it's still pretty damn hot but the evenings and early mornings are pleasant enough.

My friends and I are into rich, kitschy, retro recipes and have been sharing all those really yummy and unhealthy dishes that tasted oh so good. Actually, they aren't that unhealthy, made from whole foods just maybe a bit too rich. Paula Dean is so decadent, she adds sour cream to just about everything. Although this one vintage mac salad recipe I found uses 1 cup of mayonnaise, cheese and four eggs hmmmm.

Speaking of macaroni, my grandmother made her yummy homemade macaroni and yummmmmmmm. Glad William got to experience that dish. If only I could replicate that. She also made chile rellenos when we were there. I am biased but she truly does a great job and it's always been consistent. In all of Austin there is not a chile relleno recipe I feel can top hers. I've tried them...nothing compares.

Picked up brushes and paint and have decided I'd like to paint again. At least make an attempt. The last time I bought camel hair brushes they weren't quite so pricey. However, at the time my best friend and I couldn't buy them all at once and had to space the purchases over two months. There was a sale so I got everything at 40% off. It's cool when a spontaneous decision is rewarded like that. So I'm off to paint, maybe outside... Maybe not-outside.

R&R

We were in Del Rio this past weekend to celebrate the 4th, deliver the two Silkie roos to my Grandfather and celebrate my mother's birthday.

Chickiebaby and Dash traveled very well. They just sat down and enjoyed the music. When they didn't like a song you'd hear a low grrrrrrrrrrrr. Diana Ross was their fave and they'd tap to the music on their water bottle.

We spent the days just hanging out around town thrifting, eating figs and peaches off the trees and just enjoying a slower pace.