Wednesday, November 29, 2017

so our New Mexico trip (before I forget)
although I'd like to forget the part where my dog was attacked by another dog (also staying) at her sitters house in the early morning a few hours before our flight. Her ear/cheek is swollen and she's traumatized, poor thing. I go between "these things happen sometimes" to "that dog should be euthanized". 
ugh...smh. Now we have to settle with Rover....*sigh*

Back to New Mexico

Flew into ABQ because it was cheaper.
$25pp to take the tram up the Sandia mountain. Is it worth it? Hmm...I guess so. I don't regret it.

Jamie wanted to swing by the Walter White/Breaking Bad house too - meh. They had to put a fence around it cause people were throwing pizzas on the roof. As far as I can tell there's really not that much left to see in ABQ.

Then off to Santa Fe- 50min. drive -  didn't have high expectations but Santa Fe definitely exceeded them!  I am officially a green chile fangirl. Plaza cafe Southside and Geronimo have made my food list.

I found a SF private tour guide site and sent a request for someone to take us up to Chimayo  - since it's a James Beard winner - we'd buy lunch and tell us some history. $100ish.  Scheduled and met up with Bob at the hotel lobby. It was his 82nd birthday and I think there's something so wonderful to talk to someone who's experienced and knowledgeable about so much.
It's literally living/breathing history.
You could see him almost struggle to pick a story to talk about and then he'd start on five different stories at once. heh. Old people are awesome.

The tribes (pueblos) have a very strong presence, super interesting to note their language differences, that they are matriarchal and that they gathered together at one point to push back against the Spanish and were successful....for a time.
He then took us down to Madrid's cemetery and yeah I could've spent a few hours there.

On our way back to ABQ we stopped by the Coronado Historical site in Bernadillo (sp?) - where the Kuoua tribe/pueblo thrived (until he came through). It was beautiful with the Rio Grand and Cotton wood trees and mountain backdrop...I imagine it was doubly beautiful back then. We'd apparently just missed an amazing Fall color change and major air balloon festival - bet that's a sight to see.

Fry bread at the Pueblo Harvest Cafe - yumm...

Overall - it feels like NM is a somewhat forgotten state with people who are nice but a little odd  - and I hope it stays that way. 

Sat next to a single mother with a fussy two year old on her lap on the plane the whole way back. I've no idea why people put themselves through that - i felt exhausted for both of them - but gotta give it to the mom, she kept that kid from kicking the chair in front of her and as calm as possible without numbing her child with a ipad (like everyone else seems to do). In my book that's good parenting - pretty sure (if I was a parent) I wouldn't have that kind of patience.

Moving on - finished watching Alias Grace on Netflix - wonderful acting and interesting story (especially with it being true) def feel like I need to read the book though. That's the bad thing about movies/tv series is that it's almost force fed to tell a story. I bet the book has much more subtleties relaying the info. I'm taking it as a survival story....we'll see.

Tried to read Octavia Butler's Fledgling - and no - hard stop. Don't care if she's a thousand YO vampire in a child's body. It's a childs body. Unacceptable. 
Rock Redemption (Rock Kiss Book 3) - Nalini Singh - I finished it but just can't seem to get into this series of hers. 
Re-read a LK Hathaway - hotelier meets not a pushover.
Irresistible You (The Chicago Rebels Series Book 1) - Kate Meader - hockey. has potential. 

And so we were supposed to go see the Weary Boy reunion on Friday in Austin - no go with BB getting attacked and having to be supervised. We gave our tickets away....maybe we'll see them again....




Tuesday, November 21, 2017

we way socialized last weekend! well mostly....
squeezed in two dinners w/ the friends
and a housewarming @ the old neighbors new house - waaay out there in Wylie...it wasn't bad...there just  wasn't really a chance to socialize with strangers without barging in on their conversations (and I was certainly not tipsy enough to do that). Even Jamie was kinda wandering aimlessly...we basically just talked to each other.
Kids evvvverrrywhere. oy.


Packed Tgiving, pulled most of my Christmas stuff down,  finished watching Sense8  - and look in no way am I a homophobe, I just want the story and it felt pushed upon...it detracted almost, just get on with it. I hope it ends well. 
Started watching Alias Grace - murder mystery period story (with a twinge of paranormal?) and I'm hooked - great acting. 
Re-read som LIone. Feel like I've read something new but can't recall what - i'm in a new author reading slump.
Work is totally gone quiet...we leave soon!

My Sheldonita played me Ryan Bingham this morning on the way....i think i need to dl more of his stuff

Friday, November 17, 2017

almost regret taking yesterday off cause then I have to come back to the chaos that was today.
i loathe salesforce.
The whole 6th floor of my building was laid off yesterday via a conference call.
The deli downstairs is closing today.
My boss was like "it seems like everyone is getting laid off or quitting or miserable"....and yep it's true....it does seem like that.

Heading for seafood tonight...haven't seen our friends in ages...maybe they're getting into a hermit phase (right when we're getting out of ours)...oh well.

Figured out who all the challenger reps are. Wrote to one to hopefully offer a rebuttal to asinine commentary from my current rep about planned parenthood.
Housewarming party for the old next door neighbors in Wylie tomorrow.
We bought Weary Boy tix for Austin Dec 1....woo

Still I got to read yesterday! Finished
- Breakaway(Portland Storm by Catherine Gayle - this whole book was him helping her get through her trauma or hockey plays. 
And I love hockey...it's just I couldn't get locked in here. 
1001 Dark Nights - Tessa Bailey - I almost thought it was a vampire book at first? ha. 
Not sold but I'll see about trying more of hers
10 Dates: - Emily James - I finished it but yeah I struggled through this one. 
It's a constant struggle with contemporary books. It tried to be funny or cool and she really just 
mostly made her look foolish and immature. 


Sunday, November 12, 2017

Volunteered for Beto O'Rourke's town hall Thursday night. Glad I did.
And for selfish reasons..it made me feel better to be able to say I'm not just bitching about things - I question, I research , I vote, I volunteer - I'm doing what I can.
#mytexastake

Getting ready to have the fam over for our Thanksgiving today...
Jamies mom: (3 hours ago) should I make gravy?
Jamie's mom: (2 hours ago) let me know if I need to make gravy.
Jamie: (1 hour ago) no we don't need gravy.
Jamie's mom: (just now)  okay. well I'll make it anyway.
...*sigh*...ya just have to shake your head and laugh...

...so quickly
stayed up kinda late to finish Penny Reid's "Ninja" -
Might've over done it with the reading yesterday...my eye keeps twitching. ....

(I kinda skimmed through the adventure part not gonna lie...) and with that one, I've now read all her books to date. It's kinda sad. Like a hermit hoarder, I held off as long as I could... She's definitely moved up to my favorite top 5 authors
Kissing Tolstoy - great chemistry and of course her logic lines are bomb.

Also finished Every Night I'm Yours (The Spinster Club Book 1) Christie Kelley - eh. best friends brother, hate to love. finished but barely hung on. Lots of pointlessness Won't finish the series. 

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

saved by love

So I went to San Antonio to hang out with my dad, he seems happy and settled.
It's so interesting to recall how he used to be with his past wives/girlfriends....he always had this kinda caged (?) energy. 
She's not at all who I would've thought he would've picked for his (maybe?) last wife.  
But yes...he's calmed. That's good.

Then back up to New Braunfels for Wurstfest.
Hottest one ever.
I wore my dirndl but just went with flip flops...putting high-socks on in 80 degrees was a no-go for me.
First time ever we saw a fight between a man and a woman happening there....
It coulda been also though that I wasn't shitfaced and spinning/dancing so much this year so I noticed a lot more?

...oy...maybe I'll forget last year's headache and go hard next year....cause not gonna lie...it is fun in the moment :) 

But yes...Wurstfest most always makes people happy...It's kinda hard to be angry with German tuba polka music playing in the background ...seriously...
the lady kept grabbing onto the man and he'd shake her off in a rage, yelling.
Jamie kinda went in to stop it...they just moved away and I guess were escorted out.  smh...

Then we left for Dallas to find that the biggest mass murder in Texas had happened in a church behind us.
Again, I grew up with a gun(s) in the house. The majority of the people I know owns a gun. The "come and take it" posts aren't necessary ....I'm not hearing people around here saying to take your guns away *insert eye roll here*. I think we should agree though that there is a proven common denominator for men who do this kind of atrocity. For those that have a history of domestic violence/abuse of any kind, they AT THE VERY LEAST  should not be allowed to buy/own a gun - especially an assault rifle. They don't know how to control themselves. And ladies please, you're the front line, say something.

And moving along, it's been year since the election - "sweeping victory for dems" is making the rounds on feeds today.
 Cynical me keeps wanting to warn people to stop with the "rah rah". They shouldn't care that their party has won/lost some victories....they should care to keep an eagle eye their reps so the same fuckup-ery doesn't continue to happen.
In other words...I really hope people (continue) to give a shit to how they're being represented and how/what laws are being made/passed on their behalf. ...

oy ok...off my pontification! bleh...

Finished:
Get Lucky (Lucky in Love Book 1) - Lila Monroe - find love in Las Vegas story. eh. Emma Chase's was better. 
Wilde in Love: The Wildes of Lindow Castle - Eloisa James - she's still a favorite...but I hate to say it, this one was kinda boring. I liked them as characters but I've already kinda forgotten about them - if that says anything - also  I'm not a fan of inserting the kind of villian she did. And oddly, I recall thinking  that the detailed description of the clothing/fashion took precedence over the story...I like that kinda detail though soo and I know EJ posts stuff about clothing all the time so that 's her thing...maybe I'm just nitpicking. 
Maid for the Billionaire (Book 1) (Legacy Collection) - Ruth Cardello - eh....pure fantasy

My Sheldon-ita played some Chris Knight this morning....good call...


Thursday, November 2, 2017

that Bell(e) can't be unrung

it's been a whirlwind!
jamie and i went bar hopping for halloween - we won the costumes if I should say so myself. Everyone either didn't dress up or they had lame costumes on. Granted we started at 4:30 and ended at 10 but whatever.

I made the newspaper opinion column, volunteered for B O'R's town hall next week, made reservations for Santa Fe next month, my car has stuff wrong with it, planning thanksgiving....and work has been beyond crazy. I really don't know how publishing title's are going to make it....it's chaos.


Can't believe the astro's won a world series before us....Altuve ugh.
We're heading to Wurstfest tomorrow (well I'm going to San Antonio cause I havent' seen my dad in so long....i'm a terrible daughter *smh*) and then Wurstfest on Saturday....think i will wear my dirndl this year. Hottest year yet. Beer...gross.



Finished:
Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan - She totally gets how to describe books and reading. Read a little scattered at first but pulled together and ended up really liking it.  Definitely makes someone want to go to Scotland.

More than halfway with EJames' new one....um hmm...i'll wait to finish.
Still listening to the new Turnpike Troubadours album - so so good.