Gobsmacked!

Last night we went to the Chihuly exhibit at the Dallas Botanical Garden. My photos do not do the artist's magnificently lit sculptures justice. There was also a clever village made entirely of pumpkins and pumpkins and gourds throughout the gardens.  I felt like I had been transported to another world.

Addicted

It started beningley enough-a new spin place opened in my neighborhood that I wanted to try.  A Groupon showed up in my inbox so I bought one for me and one for my neighbor.  We quickly became addicted to Flywheel.  I really miss those workouts-I have tried some other spin classes in Dallas but have not found anything that I like as much.  Although I am addicted to Flywheel that is not really the addiction problem.  The problem is Groupon.  It got so bad this summer, I was buying one every day for my neighbor and me.  Manicures, pedicures, yoga classes (both in Atlanta and Dallas),facials, microdermabrasion, Keratin treatments for K and Liza and on and on.  Most have worked out well.  There were the chimney sweep guys who did not show up but Groupon gave me a credit.  And the exercise place that I thought was barre classes that turned out to be pole dancing.  Groupon gave me a refund for that one also.  Most recently I have been buying Groupons for things to do on the weekend with K.  I have bought horseback riding, trips to wild animals parks and endangered animal sanctuaries.  This past weekend we went to a wild animal park.  They had a lot of interesting animals and the employees were so knowledgable and nice.  We had a great time in spite of the heat.  And I am going to resist Groupons for a while until I have used all of the ones I have.  Managing these Groupons is like a job.

Clay Day

A bowl for Bert, a vase for K and a goblet for me. As always I am amazed at K's focus and concentration.

Farmer's Market

We started our weekend with a trip to the farmer's market.  Check out all of the beautiful peppers.  We really are in Texas!   And it has been hotter than heck!  The temperature had dropped 40 degrees this morning and there was a wonderful breeze.  Heaven!

12 Hours and a lot of meowing

Poor Bert hated the car ride to Dallas.  He meowed most of the way and most of his first night here.  He is settling down today.  Luna is happy as can be and loves that we walk to school.

Shake The Bag

As they say in Sea Island Bingo, sometimes you just have to shake the bag.  When we got home from Wisconsin I got a letter from K's school informing me of some major changes.  Nice, since school was about to start and I had signed a contract and paid non-refundable tuition last December.  A quick email to the school with the mention of the word attorney and I got a full refund.  Schools NEVER refund tuition.  A kid has to die before they refund tuition.  So I had to come up with a quick plan.  There really are no schools in Atlanta that are a good fit. One is a possibility but it is an hour commute and the second largest private school in the country.  That would never work.  Last year I thought about moving to Dallas but our house did not sell.  I decided to lease a townhouse for the school year in Dallas and see how it goes.  l leased something furnished-sight unseen.  Thank goodness for an old friend in Dallas who is an incredible realtor.  So tomorrow we fly to Dallas.  It is a good thing that I am dangerously close to being a person who lives in Lululemon so we are packing light.  I had to rush out and get K some school clothes.  She cannot believe that she can wear nail polish and a fleece in class if it is cold!  We will come back home for Labor Day weekend and drive back with the cat and dog.  I had not planned on another summer road trip.  We will see how things go.  There is an LD school in Dallas that looks like it could be a good backup.  Who knows?  We may spend winters in Dallas and summers in Atlanta.  Just how I had always envisioned my life-a summer home in Atlanta.  And as luck would have it, my cousin's child is going to stay in our house while we are gone.  Everything fell into place so easily, I feel like it was meant to be (except for the driving with the cat and dog part!)

Work and Play

We took a trip to Aspen.  Sweet Charlotte went with us.  I worked and worked and worked and worked some more.  The girls played.

We spent an evening at the rodeo.  It was perfect weather, we didn't have the normal afternoon thunder storm.  It was the most crowded I have ever seen the rodeo.  And it was Republican night.

Maybe I should have never given up barrel racing

We spent an afternoon at Meadows-one of my favorite hang outs when I was little.  

One of the highlights of the trip was fly fishing with our wonderful guide Will.  He untangled the lines, held the fish for photos, baited the hooks.  Loved him!!!!