Ahh to be a Saturday

Last week, spring was really coming to life for me and then the plug was pulled by a surprise snowstorm - in March, in Dallas, after a week of sunny days. That's okay, us Texas girls know how to roll with things.

     This is my back patio as the snowflakes began to come down in the evening,

7 short days ago.  I still wasn't convinced it was happening.

But the next morning convinced me.

This is my little sanctuary this afternoon.

Wow, how things can change in a week. The feeling of spring has now sunk deep into my bones. What a good Saturday. I had a morning workout in a park with my lovely bootcamp. Excuse me, I'm not sure how I just described bootcamp as lovely - make that hot, sweaty mess of pain bootcamp, thank you very much! After an hour of sprinting, jumping, crunching, and whining with about 40 others, I headed to a neighborhood farmer's market. It was the first time, I'd had a chance to visit this market and I love the concept but was a little disappointed today. I know its early in the season but when I hear farmer's market I expected fruit and veggies everywhere and that wasn't the case at all. It turned out to be more fresh local cheeses, breads and cookies. These are 3 of my favorite things, so I did somehow survive and find something to buy. The morning was rounded out with some yoga - oh how the body knows when I haven't yogaed in a long while. I've been out on the back porch most of the afternoon, reading and having a little white wine. (Probably wasn't good to pick up that afternoon wine habit traveling in Italy, oh well, la dolce vita!!)

Now, I need to get in gear and get ready for a night out. Going out with a friend and a group of girls I don't know, which is always fun; I like meeting new friends. Not sure the exact plan, I know mexican food at a very fun restaurant (owned by a very colorful transexual) is involved and probably dancing. Not my usual old-school hiphop gig but country dancing people. I actually love to two-step but haven't gone to a full-fledged country bar once since I've lived in Dallas. I two-stepped all through college (and then some) but for some reason, country bars in Dallas make me feel like I'll be stepping back in time to Urban Cowboy. We will see...should be interesting, I'm sure there will be a cute cowboy or two. ;)

One of my little moments for today that reminds me

to enjoy the journey...even the squirrels (running along the middle branch) are loving it.

where to begin?

I'm sure I'm not the first virgin blogger to have this dilemma...brainstormed my blog name, selected my cute background, have colors and font set, but what am I going to say?? I couldn't already have brainfreeze could I?

Nevermind, I'll press on. A friend of mine, Robin, has been encouraging me to start a blog for awhile now. As one of my dearest friends, who also conveniently works just down the hall from me, she regularly gets to hear my thoughts about life, love, guys, misadventures in dating and the single world in general. So she is either serious about how interesting all of this would be to others or she is ready for me to unload my observations, wonderings, fears and sarcasm on the cyber-crowd so she can get back to work.

So today I'm coming down off the high of having a week off for Spring Break. Yes, tomorrow it is back to elementary school reality for ten more weeks. That may make me sound like I don't love my job, but I absolutely do. I am a school counselor at an incredible school where I'm lucky enough to work with dedicated teachers, administrators, kids and parents - but the time away always help refuel my pep. 

I've had a great Spring Break by staying home the entire week for the first time in several years. I love to travel and am always looking for my next trip but it was really nice being home. I kicked the week off with celebrating St.Patrick's Day at the annual Greenville Ave. Parade and Street Party - that was my major debauchery for the month, no doubt. I continued the week by lunching with friends, going to boot camp almost every day, seeing 3 movies (Shutter Island, Green Zone, & The Runaways), shopping, reading, planting spring flowers (and praying for their survival 2 freezing days later), and enjoying my backyard deck in sunshine and snow.

The educator crowd is lucky in having a little pause in realworld doings this time of year to enjoy spring. Good luck to everyone heading back to work next week and to everyone who didn't have the fortune of having a spring break, I advise a personal mental health day to get outdoors very soon!