End of an Era

So as 2016 draws to a close, I will also, unfortunately, be indefinitely going on hiatus with this blog. As evident in the fewer postings over the past couple of years, the time just isn't there like it used to be. Nor is the excitement (both in my life events and in my desire to blog).

That said, if I find time again, and/or something major happens that I want to share, I'll blog about it. But the era of regular blogging is done for now. I figured what better time to do such than at the end of a calendar year.

I'm still on other forms of social media, and I encourage you to follow me there.

My favorite social media is Instagram, where I have three accounts:

fl_girl - this is my main account
my_view_up_here - my shots from my time on a plane
its_a_shoe_win - my personal shoe collection

I'm on Facebook, of course: auburn.flgirl

Twitter is becoming a go-to for me more than it used to be: FLgrrl

And I am also on Redditt, though infrequently, and I'm still trying to figure it out - but I'll throw it on here, in hopes I'll start using it more: auburn-flgirl

So there you have it... I'm still out there. And of course, if you actually know me, you have my email. I can always be reached that way, too.

So peace out and love to all! Thank you to all that have kept up with me through this blog over the years - I apologize I died off the way I did, and wish I could keep it up like I used to. Maybe one day, I can get back to that. But then, there may be a whole other form of communication that takes its place, by then!

Christmas

Christmas! My favorite time of year! Though somehow, I swear, it gets more and more 'crunched' for time. And enjoyment. But I try not to let that dampen my joy!

As always, we headed down to FL to spend Christmas with my family. We had to compress it a little, this year, with my new job and all. Though I later learned, it wouldn't have been a big deal to do more time. But I was happy that I at least got the time I did. Even if it did come with complications.

What complications, you ask? Try a stomach bug! It hit me as we drove down - not a good combo to have with long drives in the car. We stayed overnight in Asheville, NC, giving us a new route and different scenery, for a change. I woke up the next morning, feeling really bad. You know that feeling, when you KNOW if you just threw up, you'd feel better? That was me. I think Eric didn't believe me, at first... but then he brought scrambled eggs into the room. And that was all I needed to go running into the bathroom. So while I did feel better after that, I wasn't 100% - and we still had a 7 hour drive ahead of us. So we found the closest grocery store and loaded up with ginger ale and an orange to smell (a trick I learned cruising last year). I made to Jacksonville with no more urges, but also didn't eat much along the way. We freshened up at the hotel, then went to my parents' to drop off gifts and such. I wasn't planning on telling them about my bug. Of course, we did do a quick detour to the beach, to breathe in that wonderful salt air - that always helps me!

Christmas morning... guess who has the stomach bug now?! Eric. So I headed to my parents' without him, in hopes he'd feel better by the afternoon and could come over then. Of course, with this new information, I had to tell them about my morning on the previous day... oh well. Makes for a Christmas memory, right?? Unfortunately, Eric never got to feeling better (he never threw up), and we had to do some Christmas without him, including opening some of the gifts and dinner. This is, of course, after we picked up Nan and Kristin arrived with the family. So we carried on and tried to enjoy things as best we could, knowing Eric wasn't feeling well.

The day after Christmas, Eric was feeling a little better, though still not 100%. But we were leaving that day, so there was no staying at the hotel for him. We tried hitting the beach again, just to see it again - it was a beautiful day! Why did I leave FL, again?? While we ate breakfast at my parents', he took another nap, trying to feel better. We then opened the rest of the gifts and stockings, getting him all caught up with the gifts he missed the day before. It felt like a super short trip to FL this year - a little bit of a bummer for me. We left a little after lunch to start the trek back to Indiana. We planned on crashing in Nashville along the way - I did not want to drive through the night. But it was an uneventful stop, as we did nothing more than go to Publix in the morning (to get ice cream to take back with us).

As I said, I love Christmas!! But it's been getting crunched as the years go by, which makes me sad. Being sick this year really didn't help. Maybe I can change that next year.. we'll see. I mean, surely I at least won't be sick again...

Hope everyone else had a good Christmas!

Girls' Cruise 2016!

I always look forward to this time of year, because I get to go on a cruise with my girls! This was the 6th year, for the three of us (Jen, Karla, and I), and the first year Brandi joined us (though she has cruised before). And we kept it short this year, mainly due to what was available during the time we wanted to cruise - only a four-nighter. Fun, none the less!

Our set sail date was last Monday, December 5th. No 'at sea' days, but rather, we were going to be in a port every day. If I was a new cruiser, I'd of been excited about that. But more on that later. We left out of Miami, and it happened to be a gorgeous set sail sunset behind the Miami skyline! Truth be told, we had great weather for the whole cruise - wish all cruises could be so perfect!

Our first port of call was Nassau. All four of us have been here before, but we each wanted to go into port for something or another. Karla was on a mission for some 'authentic' gifts, as was Jen. Brandi and I were anxious to go get some authentic conch fritters. I think all of us wanted to enjoy a little sunshine... but yet, I don't think any of us got the full amount of sun enjoyment we wanted - our other odds and ends kept us busy!! But I think we still all left port happy... especially since we were in port until almost midnight! But no... we did not party with the locals. This time.

Our second port was Royal Caribbean's private island of Coco Cay. We were supposed to this six years ago, but the weather prohibited it. We got a day at sea that year, but this year, the weather was perfect! We rented a cabana, which was nice, but probably unnecessary, as it wasn't overly crowded. We started the day with some snorkeling in the private cove area, where they have set up some good snorkeling spots, including a small plane and a couple parts of a ship (or ships?). We then had some yummy lunch, and I went off to explore a bit on my own (because that's what I do!). Not as many great scenic spots as Labadee had, but a lot of areas where you can have a quiet time to yourself. Though I do feel like there was more area to cover here... but maybe that was just me, since the entire island is not as developed as Labadee. Either way... I think I liked Labadee a little better. But Coco Cay was still cool.

Our last port of call (before going back to Miami) was Key West. All of us had been to Key West at some time or another, though I think it had all been by driving, not boat. While we didn't plan on spending the whole day in port, we just about did, by the time we walked around, and had lunch and such. We just kind of took our time. And again, it was a beautiful day!

I think we all agreed we wished we had a day at sea somewhere in there. We only had a partial day on the pool deck, and that was the day we boarded in Miami. We all *thought* we'd happily stay on the ship for at least part of that days we were in familiar ports, but we ended up in port most of the time, just chilling out and walking around. No regrets in that, just didn't feel like we had enough time on the ship.

When we got back into Miami on the 9th, we had a good portion of the day, in which we got to explore Miami. Once we finally got our rental car, we drove into Miami and got a gourmet donuts at The Salty Donut. Then we wandered over too the Wynwood Walls, which the other three of my entourage had not seen. We made a good day out of the extra time here, I think.

So all in all, another very successful, very fun, Girls' Cruise is in the books! This is one tradition I hope stays around for a very long time! I think no matter where we are in our lives, or in the country, this is an easy way to meet up, and have some fun!

Work Travel Fun

I do consider myself lucky that I get to travel with my job. I wish I did more, honestly. But I happy that I get to go when I do, especially since some of the places are cool to get to.

I had a quick down and back trip to the Austin, TX area this past week. Nothing 'fun' to speak of, since it was so quick - but we did have a nice lunch as a restaurant overlooking a river in the town of Georgetown. Very relaxing - felt almost serene and non-work trip like. Just last month, though, I got to a couple of other destinations that were, well, picture worthy, to say the least.

First, there was a Portland, OR trip. I have been here before - many times, in fact, when I was at Kite. This was even my second time with Pedcor. But this one was planned with a little cushion and extra time to explore. So we did. Aside from more fabulous food, we checked out Multnomah Falls, which I had seen before, driving by (literally), with only time for a quick stop to take a picture. But this time, some of us hiked to the top. I wish I would've done that the first time... when I was younger. It was a hell of a hike! Only about a mile in length, but the vertical climb was what gets you! But it was worth it - beautiful view from the top, even if it was a little drizzly. I'd do it again, maybe taking a little more time to enjoy the views along the way, too. The Portland area is really pretty, even with the large amounts of rain/dreariness.

The other 'fun' trip was a little more intense, only because I chose for it to be that way. It involved me driving all up and down I-35 in TX, between the north Austin suburbs and San Antonio. Which, if you look on a map, is more than you think. I stayed in Austin for two nights, with the first night being when I arrived and had a little chill time with one of my good friends, Chris, that moved down there a number of years ago. The next day was all the driving... So. Much. Driving. But I don't mind it. In fact, I was a little bummed I didn't get further north to see a couple more of our properties... next time. Anyway... while in San Antonio, I made it to the Alamo. Because why not. I had heard how it's such a small landmark, really, right in the middle of downtown. Any 'they' were right - it is. But it's still something to see, and there's more to it than the infamous building you see whenever you type "The Alamo" into Google. I actually spent more time there than I thought I would... but it was a nice day to walk around the grounds. Plus, with all my driving on I-35, I got to go to Buc-ee's... which if you're from or travel to TX often, you know what it is. The day was wrapped up with a project closing dinner with a bunch of work folks. At a nice restaurant. Of course.

I don't travel as much as I'd like in this position, but I'm happy I get to do what I do... I love exploring and getting away from Indy on occasion. We'll see where the next projects pop up - I'm hopeful for some new destinations.

Haunted Hilbert

Eric and I tried something new this year. We don't normally do anything for Halloween - we don't even usually get trick-or-treaters. Which makes me sad, considering I used to get a bunch when I lived in Fishers. But this year, we decided to check out the Haunted Hilbert, which is one part party, one part fundraiser. But mostly party.

And not just you 'dress up in costume' type of party. Oh, no... this was a fancy masquerade style party! Which I have to admit... I have wanted to go to a fancy masquerade party for a long time, so I loved the fact that Eric wanted to go to this event! I got to dress up (think ,long dress, formal like dressing up), AND find a fun mask to wear!

So the party concept was pretty simple... they decorated the theater space in 'haunted house' décor, complete with flickering candelabras and cobwebs. There were drinks and hors d'oeuvres throughout the space, as well - but nothing heavy. Live musicians played in the lobby space every 15 minutes, or so - nothing too loud or overwhelming. Sometimes it was more of a performance with some actors, so guests gathered in a circle around them. There was also a 'photo booth' set up, complete with props (thought we chose not to use since we already had masks on) - it was a big hit, as we had to wait in line for a bit. But near the end of the evening, they bravely opened up the stage for dancing with a DJ set up. I say they were brave for the mere fact that they allowed guest up there with drinks in hand... but I guess this was a more mature crown than your night club dancing types. All in all, it was a good time.

This was only their second year doing this. You can tell the ISO is trying to bring in new supporters for their shows and the orchestra, as a whole. Not sure if this works, but at the least, the fundraiser portion helps, I'm sure. We'd likely go again, if it continues next year. Maybe grab another couple for a double date, of sorts? We'll see.

Thelma and Louise QUACK Me Up!

So It's been 6 months since we picked up Thelma and Louise from Rural King. And I've learned SO much! Besides the fact that they are cute.

First off, they grow SO fast! They were nearly fully grown at one month - they lost all their yellow fuzziness, for sure! I had no idea ducks grew that fast - they are not true ducklings for long!

But on the flip side, as they grew, their personalities came out! Who knew ducks could have such personalities - the two are so different in nature! Louise is a bit more of a mama's girl - she doesn't freak out if I pick her up and seems to enjoy being petted, once she settles down from being picked up (she squirms a bit, before she realizes she's going to get spoiled). She was also the first to come eat treats out of my hand. Thelma is a little more guarded... will run (waddle) as fast as she can to keep from being picked up. But it's never fast enough. So when she is picked up, she kicks her little feed, and starts breathing heavy (purposely, like she's pissed). It's actually adorable, and just makes me want to pick her up more.

And the interaction between them is quite interesting, too. I *think* Louise is the dominant one, most of the time. She, literally, will talk down to Thelma. But then I'll see Thelma, occasionally, push/prod Louise with her bill. Regardless, if they get separated, it's like you took away the other's heart! Loud quacking and panicked scurrying around. They are always side by side, even when they are 'running' from one corner of the yard to the other.

Thelma was my egg layer first, about 2 months earlier than I expected (started two months ago). But Louise was only about a week or so behind. And they are quite consistent layers, both in location (in their little hutch within their giant pen we built), and in timing. Every morning. Sometimes, one won't lay, which is normal. We'll see how it goes as we get into the winter. I've read different things on if they lay or not. Eric refuses the eat the eggs, though - not sure why. They taste similar to chicken eggs - maybe a tad richer, since the yolk is bigger. But I like them. I am keeping a few people at work supplied with them, as well. Might as well, since there is no way I can go through 14 eggs a week!

So if noting else, ducks are very much creatures of habit and routine. I love that, even though our backyard is not completely fenced-in, they never leave the back yard. They love their pool... but are hesitant to go to it if it's anywhere but in their pen or in the corner by the house. They quack loudly when I come home (especially if I take too long to come out of the garage). Kind of like a dog that gets excited. When I first let them out of their pen, they run/waddle across the yard, and try to 'take flight' as best they can... it's more like just a lot of wing flapping. Then they run back and jump in the pool or, if the pool's not out, they will settle into their routine of foraging around the yard, starting by the holly bushes by the garage, almost every time starting in the same place and following the same route.

They love berries. All berries, so far. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries... and grapes. They will attack me over grapes. But even some basic romaine lettuce is a treat for them. They come running to the backdoor as soon as they hear the fridge door open/close(usually we just have the screen door pulled closed). They can be clear across the yard when they hear it - good ears! They just assume they're getting treats.

And did you know that ducks do yoga??? It's really just their typical stretching routine, but some of it looks like some yoga poses I've done.

All in all, it's been a fun six months! I never thought I'd own ducks, let alone any sort of farm animal. But they're a lot of fun, and pretty easy to take care of! I'm a little nervous about their first winter - everything I've read says, 'they have built in down coats, so they can handle it.' But I still worry - those same stories talk about their little feet getting cold. But they do love the slightly cooler temps we're getting now. Throw some rain in the mix and they're happy as, well, ducks! Rainy days equal quality mud time for them - I now understand the term 'muddy duck', as well.

Ducks! Who knew?!?

Some Dave Matthews and a Little Miami Beach

Dave Matthews Band announced that after this, their 25th year of touring, they were going to take a break. They didn't say for how long, but a break none the less. This was enough to make me want to see them 'one more time' and that was above my typical Deer Creek shows (which were last weekend, and yes, I went to both). Eric, not being a big DMB fan, usually takes some convincing. So when tickets went on sale, I scoped out alternative locations, figuring I'd compromise and NOT make him go to two local shows, and instead, attend one out-of-state show with me. Turned out that Dave does two shows in West Palm Beach over a weekend, just like he does here in Indiana. So a weekend show at a venue he obviously likes? Plus, south FL, which Eric loves? Sold.

Of course, after buying the tickets, making the travel arrangements were proving to be a littler trickier. Flights into any of the SE FL airports were not cheap and/or not convenient, considering we didn't want to go down until after work on Friday. Plus, none were direct. Eric then suggested flying into MCO (Orlando)... bingo! A horribly early direct on Saturday morning had us on the ground at 8am, which left us plenty of time to shoot down the turnpike and enjoy a little Miami Beach before the concert.

Which is exactly what we did. Our flight was half-empty at 6am (go figure), but thankfully, they have to move the planes around, so it wasn't cancelled. And we were in out rental car and on the road by 8:30am. Anyone who knows the FL Turnpike knows there's nothing between Orlando and West Palm Beach (even though it's fun to say Yeehaw Junction), so it was an easy drive. We first stopped at Eric's old stomping grounds of Delray Beach, where he practically lived for three years building a shopping center. He was hoping for some inspiration, but it was too hot to wander around and reminisce, So back on the turnpike we went, this time the destination being Lincoln Road.

Our main thought of going to Lincoln Road was to get lunch as SushiSamba - a favorite of ours. When we got there, they were still serving brunch, which looked really good! So even though it was close to 1pm, we jumped at the brunch option, and there were NO regrets! It was SO good! So while we didn't get our sushi fix, we did walk away with a new appreciation of the restaurant... it's so much more than sushi! Yum!

At this point, I just wanted to see the beach, even though I had no way to enjoy it (so suit, no towel, etc). So we walked straight down Lincoln Road to the beach. It was way hot (low 90's and not enough of a breeze), but it was s sight for sore eyes. I so miss the beach. One day I'll live near one again (somewhere!)

We were dying at this point (my blood has thickened!), so we walked back towards where we came from, stopping by SuperDry along the way, both to cool off AND shop. But we were back in the car and on the way north to our hotel by about 3pm, which would give us plenty of time to settle in, maybe take a nap, and get ready for the concert. We decided to stay in the Boca area, thinking it was between Miami and WPB, and it turned out to be a good decision - never felt like a long drive, in either direction.

The concert. The reason for making this trip. I know I saw him in Noblesville last weekend, and he always plays a different show every night... but this being a different venue really made for a different show. And I still heard songs I didn't hear either of the two nights a Deer Creek. But one song stood out for me, even though it was a duplicate play... Ants Marching. I LOVE this year's rendition. Boyd going into what can best be described as 'hoedown mode' midway, and then the rest of the band joins in after a couple of minutes... LOVED IT!  (Check it out below)

After the show, it was back to the hotel, where we crashed pretty quick. We really had no set plans for Sunday, as we didn't need to be in Orlando until well into the afternoon, since our flight wasn't until 6:45pm. So we figured we'd make a plan in the AM. After sleeping in a bit

We had breakfast at the hotel and then got on the road. We really were in no rush, though Delta kept sending us messages about our flight being delayed. Turns out they switched planes and ultimately delayed us by a half-hour. But we ignored that fact until we got to Orlando. Our first destination was the Everglades. There was a park, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, that has only been in existence for about 7 years, or so. It's kind of the northeastern edge of the Everglades. Overall, very large, but only a small part is accessible by either vehicle or foot. We drove/walked around for not quite an hour, and really took in the beauty that is south FL, undisturbed. From there, we headed east and drove along the Indian River from Jupiter up to Ft. Pierce, trying to find a lighthouse Eric thought he remembered along there. We never found it, but we did find some more park areas we'd like to go back to. After that, it was time for lunch, and then onward, up to Orlando.

We actually barely made it to the airport on-time. If our flight hadn't been delayed already, they probably would've been calling our names over the PA system. But we did have a few moments to sit and grab some snacks before we actually boarded. We landed around 10pm-ish, and went straight home to go to bed. After all, we did have to work today. But wow... what a trip! For as short as it was, we crammed a lot in without it feeling like we were cramming a lot in. And now that we know we can do this, we very well may do again in the future. But maybe plan a few more of our ventures out, just so there's no question on if we can find something or not.

Birthday Weekend in Chicago!

Every year, without fail, I feel the need to do something significant on or around my birthday, even though I don't necessarily want to actually celebrate my actual birthday. Just do something significant... concert, ballgame, general travel. Whatever.

This year, is was a pretty standard trip to Chicago to see the Cubs. In case you haven't heard, the Cubbies are actually doing good this year. Fingers crossed. But keeping the 'hopes' in check. We left yesterday morning for the afternoon game. If it's one thing I've learned from all the games I've gone to, it's that you want seats under the upper deck, not in the sun. However, with lake winds sometimes blowing in, being in the shade can get chilly, even on a warm summer day. As was the case yesterday. Eric did a double-check before we left, and the temps were the low 80's, which was low enough to adjust my apparel for the day to jeans. And I was glad I did. Everyone around us was either covering up in a blanket they brought, or running to the souvenir shop to buy a sweatshirt. So good call on that!

This was inter-divisional play against the Texas Rangers, so while the game didn't count, it counted. Clear as mud? LoL It was actually a well matched game on paper, though the Cubs ultimately dominated. Made for a good game to watch, with an even better outcome. Once of the better games I've been to in a few years (not that any were bad games). And the win was a nice birthday present.

After we checked into our hotel, we walked down to Eataly for dinner. If you can't tell by now, we love that place. Good for dinner, good for shopping, good just to visit for inspiration. I had some stuffed shells that I hope they have on the menu next time I go. Ah-Mazing!! Funny how all of our other normal go-to dinner spots have fallen off the radar since we discovered Eataly... and they were all equally as amazing. But they have other locations is cities we like to visit, where Eataly only has NYC.

This morning, we had a quick bite at the hotel and then walked out to the 'beach' of Lake Michigan. (I will always have problems considering this a beach w/o saltwater and consistent waves) No sooner did our feet hit the sand, did it start to drizzle on us. So we went back to the hotel and got inside just in time for a torrential downpour. It didn't last long, and we probably could have went back out to the beach for a bit, but we decided to head back to Eataly and do a little shopping before heading back home. Of course, the thought being that we'd get some good food to make some good dinner tonight. Which we did, and we made and ate, since we got home so early (relatively). And a happy birthday to me, it was.