Quiet, lovely things lately

Snapchat from Lake Travis
Things at the moment are quiet and calm at the moment and for once, I’m not complaining.  Sitting still and not doing something about it has never come naturally to me, however, maybe it’s old age or general mellowing out as we get closer to winter, I’m less prone to run around in circles to try and generate activity.  I haven’t been able to read as often as I typically like, so I’m doing some catching up on that front, nestled in some blankets on my couch.

There have been a rash of far too many freak accidents that have happened to people in my life and that sort of excitement is not necessary.  As in the case of most accidents, there’s not much required to make things go wrong and sometimes (oftentimes) it’s out of your control.  Below are some of the quiet, less exciting, little things that are making my life lovely lately:

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe - Somehow Tom Wolfe had flown completely under my radar (zing), which is totally annoying because now I’ll have to go back and catch up on all the books that he’s written.  And since he's been writing since the 60s, that's a lot of writing to catch up on.  However, it did give me the pleasure of discovering him for myself when I picked up The Right Stuff for a penny in Amazon's used books section.  The book is a nonfiction account of the pilots who became astronauts for the US space program, and Tom is ever-so-entertaining in his personal narrative of their experience, particularly after personally knowing some flyboys.  He doesn’t shy away from exclamation points!  Or rambling tangents!  Or anthropomorphism!  We could all afford to pick up a few writing lessons from him.  Apparently there is a movie (with Ed Harris!) out there based on this book, which I may need to check out.

Blundstone Boots - I’m not a trendsetter, and honestly, I’ve copycatted both lovely Freya from Nishaantishu as well as my male Aussie coworker on their choice of footwear.  Blundstones are an Australian footwear brand made in Tasmania and The Most Comfortable Shoes I Own.  They are giving my Dubarrys a run for their money (and at less than half of the cost).  As Blunnies are sturdy, comfortable, and waterproof, they’re often worn as paddock boots and under half chaps (for those of us who ride), but in addition to wearing them to the barn, I’ve also worn these on the plane and into the office, particularly if you get yourself a pair of the lovely dress series.  They’re unisex so make sure you read the sizing instructions as well as a few of the reviews to determine how they’ll fit you.

Semi-staycations - Last weekend B was in Austin for work, so I drove down to join him.  When we had visited in the spring with his parents, it was more of a whirlwind touristy trip with tours of the capitol and Hamilton Pool.  We didn’t so much explore the city as see all the sights and then move on to the next thing.  This time, we ate all the things and drank everything at our own pace and at our own leisure.  In the morning, we watched the fog burn off Lake Austin and a few races between the university rowing team.  We stood in line way too long at a taco truck (worth it) and drank a ton of local beers.  Austin was everything that I expected it to be - busy, green, and humid - but also casually prepared to show a tourist a good time and what it would be like to live in a little chunk of paradise in the middle of Texas.




Comments

  1. I've been wanting a pair of Blundstone boots! After reading your experience with them, I realize I definitely need to get a pair for traveling. Thanks for sharing!

    http://roadesque.com
    http://ourruins.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had forgotten about The Right Stuff movie. That was a LONG time ago. It was a long movie, but Dennis Quaid was cute. That's really all I remember. Ha! :)

    And Austin sounds fun--especially eating all the things!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Would love to visit Austin someday. Apparently, there are many nice yarn stores there! And my SIL loves Blundstone boots. Have yet to try them but maybe, soon:D And you know, have never read anything by Tom Wolfe. I wish there are seriously more hours in the day...sigh....

    ReplyDelete
  4. There are so many places in the States I haven't visited yet that I'd like to. Looks like I need to add Austin to the list.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That kind of quiet sounds good!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Calm and staycations are two things I would really embrace right about now. And I've already gone to check out the boots- liking the look of these...

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have a pair of those boots and they got me through Europe! I don't wear them nearly enough now. Time for more adventures.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You have been doing some good reading...and good living. The Austin trip sounds lovely. That's bad news about the accidents! I hope the consequences were not too extreme and all are mending quickly.

    PS - I can't bring myself to focus only on work!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. A calm staycation without boxes waiting to be unpacked is something I am looking forward to. Enjoy enjoy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Relax and sit back with a cuppa tea dear Rooth c:
    I had to Google what Blundstones boots are and o
    they look sturdy and comfy! It's like bulky mountain
    hiking shoes meets classy leather boots! Very nice
    very nice. Xx Ice Pandora

    ReplyDelete
  11. It was really your first visit to Austin? I'm surprised!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Eating and drinking everything at your own pace and at your own leisure is a great way to make life more fun, all right. :))

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Reads